Bangernomics. Just how cheap can motoring get?
Discussion
Last week I swapped a second hand mattress for this:
Two owners, 71,000 miles, four good tyres and a new battery.
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
A defective heater was fixed with a new resistor which cost £8 on ebay.
Grand total to date:
£150.80 plus mattress.
Should provide frugal snotter duties for the next 12 months.
Two owners, 71,000 miles, four good tyres and a new battery.
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
A defective heater was fixed with a new resistor which cost £8 on ebay.
Grand total to date:
£150.80 plus mattress.
Should provide frugal snotter duties for the next 12 months.
Pat H said:
Last week I swapped a second hand mattress for this:
Two owners, 71,000 miles, four good tyres and a new battery.
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
A defective heater was fixed with a new resistor which cost £8 on ebay.
Grand total to date:
£150.80 plus mattress.
Should provide frugal snotter duties for the next 12 months.
Eight quid for a resistor. They saw you coming Pat. Should of gone ot Maplins or RS. Two owners, 71,000 miles, four good tyres and a new battery.
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
A defective heater was fixed with a new resistor which cost £8 on ebay.
Grand total to date:
£150.80 plus mattress.
Should provide frugal snotter duties for the next 12 months.
I bet the mattress was stained too !
Pat H said:
Last week I swapped a second hand mattress for this:
Two owners, 71,000 miles, four good tyres and a new battery.
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
A defective heater was fixed with a new resistor which cost £8 on ebay.
Grand total to date:
£150.80 plus mattress.
Should provide frugal snotter duties for the next 12 months.
nice one Pat.Two owners, 71,000 miles, four good tyres and a new battery.
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
A defective heater was fixed with a new resistor which cost £8 on ebay.
Grand total to date:
£150.80 plus mattress.
Should provide frugal snotter duties for the next 12 months.
Edited by Olf on Saturday 20th September 20:01
I sold my last car for 5k while it was still worth something, whilst everything is in free fall due to the economic climate. I bought a temporary scorpio for 700 quid until things settle down. Been running fine, as it should do with only a couple of owners, FSH and very low miles. If it lasts a year until things pan out it'll have served it's purpose. I fully intend to pick up a rather nice car next year at knock down prices
My mate bought a Xantia Diesel 2 years ago. He paid £200 (including an extra £50 for the CD player that was fitted). It came with 1/2 a tank of fuel (£35 worth). He has run it since then as his daily car (in which time a 996 Carrera came and went as his toy - strange combo at the time!).
I think he has spent about £40 on a pair of brake discs, £100 on 2 MoT's (standard fee, no work required), and is now thinking he might service it. I say might, because when running a banger, spending £15 on oil has to be put into context - it is a huge proportion of the car's value!
Good luck with the Micra.
I think he has spent about £40 on a pair of brake discs, £100 on 2 MoT's (standard fee, no work required), and is now thinking he might service it. I say might, because when running a banger, spending £15 on oil has to be put into context - it is a huge proportion of the car's value!
Good luck with the Micra.
Pat H said:
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
Considering an MOT is £50 and id have thought buying and fitting a CV boot and pads would eat up most of the rest of the cost - you must know a cheap welder! 
tomTVR said:
Pat H said:
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
Considering an MOT is £50 and id have thought buying and fitting a CV boot and pads would eat up most of the rest of the cost - you must know a cheap welder! This was the bill:
Pads: £13
CV boot kit: £8
Materials for welding: £10
MOT: £30
Labour: £65
All plus VAT, of course.
I would normally do things like the CV boot and the pads myself, but at these prices it is just not worth getting your hands dirty.
A couple of years ago I gave him a couple of belts and a pair of tensioner bearings and he changed the cam belts on my Ferrari 328 for £165.
Happy days.
Looks like a bargain. However, some years ago I did get an identical Micra, but it just died on me (would run then just refuse to start again once the engine got up to operating temp), and a search on some forums revealed it was apparently a common fault with these cars? Sold it making buyer fully aware of the fault and never got another micra.
Pat H said:
tomTVR said:
Pat H said:
Today it had a plate welded on the sill, a new CV boot, a set of pads and an MOT, all of which set me back £142.80 including labour.
Considering an MOT is £50 and id have thought buying and fitting a CV boot and pads would eat up most of the rest of the cost - you must know a cheap welder! This was the bill:
Pads: £13
CV boot kit: £8
Materials for welding: £10
MOT: £30
Labour: £65
All plus VAT, of course.
I would normally do things like the CV boot and the pads myself, but at these prices it is just not worth getting your hands dirty.
A couple of years ago I gave him a couple of belts and a pair of tensioner bearings and he changed the cam belts on my Ferrari 328 for £165.
Happy days.
A few years ago I bought a Volvo 240 estate for £350, came with a free ride on childs tractor as my 3yo son wouldn't leave the sellers place without it!!!
Did 9000 miles, treated it to an oil change, MOT passed with a s/h light unit from a scappies, sold for £315 one year later.
Cheap motoring!
davidy
Did 9000 miles, treated it to an oil change, MOT passed with a s/h light unit from a scappies, sold for £315 one year later.
Cheap motoring!
davidy
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