What car - for a year of DIY shenanigans
Discussion
Hello all,
What cars have served me extremely well in the past, ending up in a a V6 Alfa 156 and a Saab 9-5 aero estate. Any tips/links here would be very well received!
We are currently 2 weeks in to a lot of extension work on our house and getting toward the time to move a bunch of stuff to storage. Whilst I could rent/borrow a van, it feels like having an estate / mpv for the year could be a useful alternative that would potentially prevent having to sort multiple rentals and the associated costs. God I miss my Saab!
We likely wouldn't do more than 3000miles in the vehicle and money is tight. Decent load capacity is a must as I'd hope we could use the vehicle to pick up some bargains furniture to make some of the insurance costs for the year feel worth it! Other than that I don't have huge requirements, though would slightly preference an automatic (my partner has an iffy foot thats previously been activated by manuals). Lower end tax is obviously useful but not essential.
I'm thinking either an estate with roof rails, or a mpv. Vans would mean that trips to the tip are more difficult so best avoided.
Just wondering where the pistonhead crowd would spend their money really.
My partner and I share an ipace between us. Whilst I mostly enjoy it, it's a company lease and I can only get away with so much diy mess!
Thanks
Ian
What cars have served me extremely well in the past, ending up in a a V6 Alfa 156 and a Saab 9-5 aero estate. Any tips/links here would be very well received!
We are currently 2 weeks in to a lot of extension work on our house and getting toward the time to move a bunch of stuff to storage. Whilst I could rent/borrow a van, it feels like having an estate / mpv for the year could be a useful alternative that would potentially prevent having to sort multiple rentals and the associated costs. God I miss my Saab!
We likely wouldn't do more than 3000miles in the vehicle and money is tight. Decent load capacity is a must as I'd hope we could use the vehicle to pick up some bargains furniture to make some of the insurance costs for the year feel worth it! Other than that I don't have huge requirements, though would slightly preference an automatic (my partner has an iffy foot thats previously been activated by manuals). Lower end tax is obviously useful but not essential.
I'm thinking either an estate with roof rails, or a mpv. Vans would mean that trips to the tip are more difficult so best avoided.
Just wondering where the pistonhead crowd would spend their money really.
My partner and I share an ipace between us. Whilst I mostly enjoy it, it's a company lease and I can only get away with so much diy mess!
Thanks
Ian
Subaru Legacy BP5 estate. Bulletproof, creamy flat-six, comfy and roomy interiors and pretty fun to punt along a country road. Cheap as chips despite rarity. Only downside is poor MPG, but that won't be an issue with your intended usage. The JDM twin-turbo version is a proper sleeper, but likely out of budget.
True story: I once bought a Legacy (an earlier BH5 example) because I needed to move a mattress.
True story: I once bought a Legacy (an earlier BH5 example) because I needed to move a mattress.
I read the thread title as wanting a really unreliable car that would allow maximum opportunity for fettling ;-) Some kind of older TVR or a kit car perhaps (but I repeat myself).
An MPV will be a lot more generally useful for carrying large items than an estate, because of the higher roofline.
Citroen Berlingo
Fiat Multipla
Mazda 5
Nissan Elgrand
Toyota Estima
I'd probably go Estima personally. The JDM imports fall under the old tax system so no £700 rates.
I love my Renault Grand Scenic 1.5DCi. The rear seats fold into the floor and the middle row are fully removable. it gets around 55mpg in the winter and 63mpg in the summer.
If you want even more space then look at a Renault Grand Espace. A relative has one which I have borrowed when even the Grand Scenic isn't enough.
If you want even more space then look at a Renault Grand Espace. A relative has one which I have borrowed when even the Grand Scenic isn't enough.
I bought an early mk2 Berlingo Multispace for £1700 as a stop gap car whilst we waited for my wife’s new car to be delivered over 3 years ago. Needless to say we didn’t get rid of it and it did a year or so as DIY van for the in laws as they did a house renovation before coming back to us to do the same for the last year. Great practicality especially with a pair of roof bars permanently fitted.
Oh Lord, this has 2.0 Hdi Citroen Xsara Picasso written all over it.
£500, and job done.
And it will have the side benefit of making anything else, literally anything, feel really special.
Virtually no risk is buying one of these with an MOT, as they are robust old things, and the engine is very nice. And they are surprisingly comfortable.
£500, and job done.
And it will have the side benefit of making anything else, literally anything, feel really special.
Virtually no risk is buying one of these with an MOT, as they are robust old things, and the engine is very nice. And they are surprisingly comfortable.
bearman68 said:
Oh Lord, this has 2.0 Hdi Citroen Xsara Picasso written all over it.
£500, and job done.
And it will have the side benefit of making anything else, literally anything, feel really special.
Virtually no risk is buying one of these with an MOT, as they are robust old things, and the engine is very nice. And they are surprisingly comfortable.
Where are you finding £500 cars these days? Marketplace always seems a total minefield £500, and job done.
And it will have the side benefit of making anything else, literally anything, feel really special.
Virtually no risk is buying one of these with an MOT, as they are robust old things, and the engine is very nice. And they are surprisingly comfortable.
Depending on what car you currently have and space to store it then a trailer could be a good option?
No tax, insurance, MOT, very little to go wrong, can potentially carry more than almost any car. Buy a decent branded one and you'll get almost all your money back if you want rid of it.
Ifor Williams P8e (~£2k new with extended mesh sides and tarpaulin cover) is a decent option at the smaller end of the scale and can be towed by almost anything - if that's not big enough then one of the flatbeds will give you even more space.
No tax, insurance, MOT, very little to go wrong, can potentially carry more than almost any car. Buy a decent branded one and you'll get almost all your money back if you want rid of it.
Ifor Williams P8e (~£2k new with extended mesh sides and tarpaulin cover) is a decent option at the smaller end of the scale and can be towed by almost anything - if that's not big enough then one of the flatbeds will give you even more space.
Snow and Rocks said:
Depending on what car you currently have and space to store it then a trailer could be a good option?
No tax, insurance, MOT, very little to go wrong, can potentially carry more than almost any car. Buy a decent branded one and you'll get almost all your money back if you want rid of it.
Ifor Williams P8e (~£2k new with extended mesh sides and tarpaulin cover) is a decent option at the smaller end of the scale and can be towed by almost anything - if that's not big enough then one of the flatbeds will give you even more space.
I would consider this, but sadly all we have at the moment is a company owned ipaceNo tax, insurance, MOT, very little to go wrong, can potentially carry more than almost any car. Buy a decent branded one and you'll get almost all your money back if you want rid of it.
Ifor Williams P8e (~£2k new with extended mesh sides and tarpaulin cover) is a decent option at the smaller end of the scale and can be towed by almost anything - if that's not big enough then one of the flatbeds will give you even more space.
drummerian said:
Where are you finding £500 cars these days? Marketplace always seems a total minefield
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/1598497751023419/?ref=search&referral_code=null&referral_story_type=post&tracking=browse_serp%3Afbdf29a7-e07c-442e-8363-06d45a4fda1bNot suggesting anyone buys it, but just to note things are out there at this kind of money.
GliderRider said:
I love my Renault Grand Scenic 1.5DCi. The rear seats fold into the floor and the middle row are fully removable. it gets around 55mpg in the winter and 63mpg in the summer.
If you want even more space then look at a Renault Grand Espace. A relative has one which I have borrowed when even the Grand Scenic isn't enough.
Both look like decent suggestions.If you want even more space then look at a Renault Grand Espace. A relative has one which I have borrowed when even the Grand Scenic isn't enough.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202410195...
Something like this?
Tempted by this: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202411015...
Looks like the right (reliable) engine, unlikely to lose money on it as well!
Looks like the right (reliable) engine, unlikely to lose money on it as well!
Volvo V70 D5 Auto, a P2 version circa 02-07. Or get a P3 08-13 but more Ford bits on this one. Nice and torquey to lug tons of stuff around and will go on forever.
Tons of space with 5 seats up, van size with second row folded (which folds flat). Roof rails to Increase space if needed.
Plus, some of the comfiest seats in any car.
Tons of space with 5 seats up, van size with second row folded (which folds flat). Roof rails to Increase space if needed.
Plus, some of the comfiest seats in any car.
bearman68 said:
Oh Lord, this has 2.0 Hdi Citroen Xsara Picasso written all over it.
£500, and job done.
And it will have the side benefit of making anything else, literally anything, feel really special.
Virtually no risk is buying one of these with an MOT, as they are robust old things, and the engine is very nice. And they are surprisingly comfortable.
Any reason to avoid the petrol engines on this? I figured with this mostly being used for short trips and potential for entering ulez zones that could be preferable?£500, and job done.
And it will have the side benefit of making anything else, literally anything, feel really special.
Virtually no risk is buying one of these with an MOT, as they are robust old things, and the engine is very nice. And they are surprisingly comfortable.
M28TTR said:
Volvo V70 D5 Auto, a P2 version circa 02-07. Or get a P3 08-13 but more Ford bits on this one. Nice and torquey to lug tons of stuff around and will go on forever.
Tons of space with 5 seats up, van size with second row folded (which folds flat). Roof rails to Increase space if needed.
Plus, some of the comfiest seats in any car.
Come on. I've got an XC70, I have used it for a hell of a lot of DIY stuff and general load lugging, but 'van sized' it is not. It's a great all-round car but if I were buying something only for DIY stuff I'd get something like the Espace my builder neighbour uses instead of a van, or one of the other MPVs mentioned in this thread. Tons of space with 5 seats up, van size with second row folded (which folds flat). Roof rails to Increase space if needed.
Plus, some of the comfiest seats in any car.
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