107 Reasons Why...
Discussion
107 Reasons Why...
... this has happened.
I have never documented a daily but I do enjoy writing these. This one's a bit more tongue-in-cheek than the others in the garage.
For the last 20+ years, my motoring strategy has always been the same. Every single £ saved on the boring side of the garage, can be spent on the exciting side of the garage.
Moving On
The R50 "Cooper" wasn't getting any younger. Mileage was 134k and counting...
The "Tritec" Chrysler engine, although totally lacking in charisma, has been bullet proof.
Handling and steering input has always been great fun.
When the R50 was first launched, I remember slating it's dimensions compared to the BMC original. Now, 25 years later, the R50 gets better looking year on year as modern cars get bigger still. It really is an excellent piece of retro styling and packaging. In my world, the interior is still a modern place to be.
If I could carcoon a bog standard R53 Cooper S I would.
However, this is all about the dollar bills and two things you cant ignore with the R50. Firstly, fuel consumption has never bettered 37mpg combined. Second; annual road tax now best part of £300. That's unsustainable in my world for a daily.
The Hunt
I wanted the Mini gone. I did a search on road tax and there was one clear winner vs. price vs. panache... The Peugeot C1 / Citroen Aygo / Toyota 107.
I'm saying all the right models, just not necessarily in the right order.
Some of the 107 reasons are the excellent fuel economy, virtually free road tax, cheap insurance, cheap parts, zero depreciation, characterful engine, good reliability, plenty at breakers, easy to work on, no cambelt, no gadgetry. This is important when you fix your own.
I worked this out well before the Chinese flu kicked in. Then car prices went absolute bonkers.
Cars that should be £500 suddenly become £1500 out of nowhere...
The "traders" I visited were simply taking the piss. These absolute sheds were getting collected from auction and placed on the forecourt with zero prep. Missing parcel shelves, damp carpets, smashed up bodywork...
Gave up looking and conceded that i'd have the Mini until it self destructed.
Three years later, a good friend of mine told me that an old next door neighbour was thinking of selling their family 107. It had stood for a few months with no MoT to speak of.
Made an offer over the phone sight unseen.
I hastily shook for less than a bag of sand...
Motoring Perfection
"Behold" Ladies & Gentlemen; the wisest possible choice in motoring...
Family owned from new.
A "sport" model with a wobbly tacho on a stick. This ensures those 6,000 rpm gear changes are bob-on...
Not a Peugeot but a "Peuge"
The raw acceleration from the drive home failed to dislodge any eight legged friends...
...of which one of the mirror shells has gone eggshell for some reason...
Looks like a massive ostrich egg!
Paintwork has some patina...
Parking proximity the French way...
Cataract headlamps as standard...
Clear silicone used to ensure an invisible tail lamp repair...
Some detailing required...
I'll probably skip the two bucket method.
An old tax disc that hasn't needed to be there for 8 years; check...
The ferocious lion that goes from strength to strength spitting 69bhp. Pictured here with historic prey from his sharp claws...
Below is the sub-1.0 International Engine of the Year from 2007 -> 2010. You can't actually see it because the air filter housing is bigger, but its under there. Somewhere.
The newest car I have ever owned and its still on a throttle cable...
So cute (and hopefully cheap)...
Driveshafts thinner than your thumb...
The Future
Got it home. The three cylinder engine is hilarious. I had the tyres squealing in no time. Drove it harder than the CS!
There's something about piloting small underpowered cars. Keep up the momentum, keep the revs singing, avoid using the brakes. Love it.
The Peugeot 107 is a b
h. And I spanked it. Bring back Sniff Petrol.
This I believe is my motoring future for many years to come. Let's hope the government doesn't shift the goal posts with the current £20/yr tax.
Every single car I have ever owned I always wait unit the 1st of the month before taxing. This is a new era of not giving a monkeys what the date is.
I'll document here what it costs and what breaks.
Let's see just how wise I really am.
... this has happened.
I have never documented a daily but I do enjoy writing these. This one's a bit more tongue-in-cheek than the others in the garage.
For the last 20+ years, my motoring strategy has always been the same. Every single £ saved on the boring side of the garage, can be spent on the exciting side of the garage.
Moving On
The R50 "Cooper" wasn't getting any younger. Mileage was 134k and counting...
The "Tritec" Chrysler engine, although totally lacking in charisma, has been bullet proof.
Handling and steering input has always been great fun.
When the R50 was first launched, I remember slating it's dimensions compared to the BMC original. Now, 25 years later, the R50 gets better looking year on year as modern cars get bigger still. It really is an excellent piece of retro styling and packaging. In my world, the interior is still a modern place to be.
If I could carcoon a bog standard R53 Cooper S I would.
However, this is all about the dollar bills and two things you cant ignore with the R50. Firstly, fuel consumption has never bettered 37mpg combined. Second; annual road tax now best part of £300. That's unsustainable in my world for a daily.
The Hunt
I wanted the Mini gone. I did a search on road tax and there was one clear winner vs. price vs. panache... The Peugeot C1 / Citroen Aygo / Toyota 107.
I'm saying all the right models, just not necessarily in the right order.
Some of the 107 reasons are the excellent fuel economy, virtually free road tax, cheap insurance, cheap parts, zero depreciation, characterful engine, good reliability, plenty at breakers, easy to work on, no cambelt, no gadgetry. This is important when you fix your own.
I worked this out well before the Chinese flu kicked in. Then car prices went absolute bonkers.
Cars that should be £500 suddenly become £1500 out of nowhere...
The "traders" I visited were simply taking the piss. These absolute sheds were getting collected from auction and placed on the forecourt with zero prep. Missing parcel shelves, damp carpets, smashed up bodywork...
Gave up looking and conceded that i'd have the Mini until it self destructed.
Three years later, a good friend of mine told me that an old next door neighbour was thinking of selling their family 107. It had stood for a few months with no MoT to speak of.
Made an offer over the phone sight unseen.
I hastily shook for less than a bag of sand...
Motoring Perfection
"Behold" Ladies & Gentlemen; the wisest possible choice in motoring...
Family owned from new.
A "sport" model with a wobbly tacho on a stick. This ensures those 6,000 rpm gear changes are bob-on...
Not a Peugeot but a "Peuge"
The raw acceleration from the drive home failed to dislodge any eight legged friends...
...of which one of the mirror shells has gone eggshell for some reason...
Looks like a massive ostrich egg!
Paintwork has some patina...
Parking proximity the French way...
Cataract headlamps as standard...
Clear silicone used to ensure an invisible tail lamp repair...
Some detailing required...
I'll probably skip the two bucket method.
An old tax disc that hasn't needed to be there for 8 years; check...
The ferocious lion that goes from strength to strength spitting 69bhp. Pictured here with historic prey from his sharp claws...
Below is the sub-1.0 International Engine of the Year from 2007 -> 2010. You can't actually see it because the air filter housing is bigger, but its under there. Somewhere.
The newest car I have ever owned and its still on a throttle cable...
So cute (and hopefully cheap)...
Driveshafts thinner than your thumb...
The Future
Got it home. The three cylinder engine is hilarious. I had the tyres squealing in no time. Drove it harder than the CS!
There's something about piloting small underpowered cars. Keep up the momentum, keep the revs singing, avoid using the brakes. Love it.
The Peugeot 107 is a b
h. And I spanked it. Bring back Sniff Petrol.This I believe is my motoring future for many years to come. Let's hope the government doesn't shift the goal posts with the current £20/yr tax.
Every single car I have ever owned I always wait unit the 1st of the month before taxing. This is a new era of not giving a monkeys what the date is.
I'll document here what it costs and what breaks.
Let's see just how wise I really am.
Bought a C1 to do autotests, brilliant little car nimble and reliable despite it getting ragged albeit mainly in first gear. Gradually getting modified….weight reduction wise just one seat left in no spare, interior trim apart from headlining, side windows changed to polycarbonate and a hydraulic handbrake added.
Cheap fun motorsport!
Cheap fun motorsport!
A great philosophy for sure, I would do the same if I had more time to enjoy a garaged car.
I've gone the other route and have an all in one car, which is an standard "08" R53.
It does the occasional daily duties and allows me to have fun where possible, but the £395 tax is painful!
Love the write up, those driveshafts are amazing!
I've gone the other route and have an all in one car, which is an standard "08" R53.
It does the occasional daily duties and allows me to have fun where possible, but the £395 tax is painful!
Love the write up, those driveshafts are amazing!
September 2023 : Some TLC
This is no show car by a long way, but my mindset is different now that "bangers" start at £1000.
"Back in the day", even with a years ticket, bangers used to be utterly disposable... not anymore at todays used car prices.
Let's see what we have bought...
Clean & Preserve
I hate mucky cars...
They're a nuisance to work on and they're a nuisance to spot when things are wrong. Plus it makes my MoT man happy...
Some general surface rust removal and a liberal spraying of Lanoguard.
This was a learner car.... twice! This had taken its toll. Smashed wheel arch liners rebuilt...
Then it was into the workshop for some TLC...
Paint
The nose cone looked like Space Shuttle Endeavour after re-entry. Out with the rattle cans...
Not too shabby for rattle cans...
Amazing what you can get out with this stuff...
Also did that one "eggshell" mirror cap...
Again, not too shabby...
Headlamps
Cataracts seen to with P1500...
Then compound...
Come up quite well I think...
Breakers
Any excuse to go roaming at a breakers...
I love "pick your own" breakers. No longer stacked three high like when I used to go with my father... and less oil seeping into the watercourse too.
Scavenged some essentials.
Rearlamp
That cracked and damaged rear lamp replaced...
Plentiful on eBay.
Embelishments
All about the finer details at this level. She's no longer a "Peuge"...
Remote Locking
No, I can't explain what happened to the key either...
The actual microswitch was missing from the PCB!
Key refurb kit on eBay...
New microswitch soldered direct to the board...
We now have remote locking...
Fancy!
Full Service
A comically small oil filter...
Everytime I slide underneath, I just laugh at the exhaust, totally lost in that transmission tunnel...
Enough room for a propshaft in there!
ICE
The paper cone factory speakers went straight in the bin for some custom fits...
MoT
Looking as presentable as I can... for as little money as possible...
Be brave small car...
Passed with flying colours! Cheers...
First Breakage
Got home from the MoT and had my first experience of French-ness...
Door handle came clean off in my hand !
Sorted with a new mounting bracket.
1st Road Trip
A perfect shakedown after being stood up by the last owner.
Huntingdon -> Bristol -> Brecon -> Worcester -> M42 Birmingham and home.
Some nice roads around Hay-on-Wye and it's an absolute hoot when making progress...
The three cylinder engine has a lovely growl and she's so eager.
Really lightweight to throw around, good brakes and a positive gearchange. Really makes you smile.
I took the 107 back to its original selling dealer; Robins & Day of Bristol Temple Meads...
Sadly all closed down now, soon to be "executive flats" i'm sure...
I'm fascinated by old dealerships, especially town centre ones. All the iconic Peugeots over the years that rolled out here as someone's dream.
The Numbers
First fuel economy figures just in...
400.1 miles
34.54 litres
52.7 MPG
Not bad... that includes a few commutes, luggage and the occasional jolly good thrashing.
Costs
Rear Lamp £19
Paint £25
Speakers £20
Badge £16
Key refurbishment kit £7
Oil Filter and oil £30
Door handle bracket £11
Breakers yard (spare A/C switch) £5
£133
Negatives
Yes folks, even motoring excellence has vulnerabilities in its armour...
Winter Ready
The Mk2, CS and R1100S will all be SORN next week, so let's see what the winter brings. I know it has a good heater already, so that's a start!
Bring on the gritters!
JKM
This is no show car by a long way, but my mindset is different now that "bangers" start at £1000.
"Back in the day", even with a years ticket, bangers used to be utterly disposable... not anymore at todays used car prices.
Let's see what we have bought...
Clean & Preserve
I hate mucky cars...
They're a nuisance to work on and they're a nuisance to spot when things are wrong. Plus it makes my MoT man happy...
Some general surface rust removal and a liberal spraying of Lanoguard.
This was a learner car.... twice! This had taken its toll. Smashed wheel arch liners rebuilt...
Then it was into the workshop for some TLC...
Paint
The nose cone looked like Space Shuttle Endeavour after re-entry. Out with the rattle cans...
Not too shabby for rattle cans...
Amazing what you can get out with this stuff...
Also did that one "eggshell" mirror cap...
Again, not too shabby...
Headlamps
Cataracts seen to with P1500...
Then compound...
Come up quite well I think...
Breakers
Any excuse to go roaming at a breakers...
I love "pick your own" breakers. No longer stacked three high like when I used to go with my father... and less oil seeping into the watercourse too.
Scavenged some essentials.
Rearlamp
That cracked and damaged rear lamp replaced...
Plentiful on eBay.
Embelishments
All about the finer details at this level. She's no longer a "Peuge"...
Remote Locking
No, I can't explain what happened to the key either...
The actual microswitch was missing from the PCB!
Key refurb kit on eBay...
New microswitch soldered direct to the board...
We now have remote locking...
Fancy!
Full Service
A comically small oil filter...
Everytime I slide underneath, I just laugh at the exhaust, totally lost in that transmission tunnel...
Enough room for a propshaft in there!
ICE
The paper cone factory speakers went straight in the bin for some custom fits...
MoT
Looking as presentable as I can... for as little money as possible...
Be brave small car...
Passed with flying colours! Cheers...
First Breakage
Got home from the MoT and had my first experience of French-ness...
Door handle came clean off in my hand !
Sorted with a new mounting bracket.
1st Road Trip
A perfect shakedown after being stood up by the last owner.
Huntingdon -> Bristol -> Brecon -> Worcester -> M42 Birmingham and home.
Some nice roads around Hay-on-Wye and it's an absolute hoot when making progress...
The three cylinder engine has a lovely growl and she's so eager.
Really lightweight to throw around, good brakes and a positive gearchange. Really makes you smile.
I took the 107 back to its original selling dealer; Robins & Day of Bristol Temple Meads...
Sadly all closed down now, soon to be "executive flats" i'm sure...
I'm fascinated by old dealerships, especially town centre ones. All the iconic Peugeots over the years that rolled out here as someone's dream.
The Numbers
First fuel economy figures just in...
400.1 miles
34.54 litres
52.7 MPG
Not bad... that includes a few commutes, luggage and the occasional jolly good thrashing.
Costs
Rear Lamp £19
Paint £25
Speakers £20
Badge £16
Key refurbishment kit £7
Oil Filter and oil £30
Door handle bracket £11
Breakers yard (spare A/C switch) £5
£133
Negatives
Yes folks, even motoring excellence has vulnerabilities in its armour...
- After 400 miles, my back hurts. I need one of those OAP lumbar cushions
- Access to the rear is a pain in the butt as the seats don't return to their original recline. The cost of three door style eh?
- I miss an actual temperature gauge. All my life driving old cars and it's just habit to keep glancing at auxiliary gauges regularly!
- Hills - they need preparation and planning
- Venture into the outside lane and you get bullied and tailgated real bad by powerfully built company directors. This is despite driving no different to my other cars.
Winter Ready
The Mk2, CS and R1100S will all be SORN next week, so let's see what the winter brings. I know it has a good heater already, so that's a start!
Bring on the gritters!
JKM
I run a pile (I dunno, maybe 10 or so) all of a similar age in my rental fleet.
Watch the oil use on the engine - they will run quite happily with the oil light on, but it's a bad idea.
Door handle break off (as you've noticed).
Alloys tend to leak air.
Water leaks are common around the rear light, the boot seals, and the high level brake light, or all 3 if you're unlucky.
Toyota goodness for Citroen costs. Look after it, they don't make them at all any more.
Watch the oil use on the engine - they will run quite happily with the oil light on, but it's a bad idea.
Door handle break off (as you've noticed).
Alloys tend to leak air.
Water leaks are common around the rear light, the boot seals, and the high level brake light, or all 3 if you're unlucky.
Toyota goodness for Citroen costs. Look after it, they don't make them at all any more.
Love the car! I used to to have a mk1 Aygo that I fitted with a Bilstein B12 kit and had a nice raspy exhaust fabricated for it, sounded ace! 
Was good simplistic fun!
I don't suppose you could weight the Exide battery if you get the chance? I am looking for a lighter weight reliable battery for my daily.
Was good simplistic fun!I don't suppose you could weight the Exide battery if you get the chance? I am looking for a lighter weight reliable battery for my daily.
Nice to see someone taking a shed that somebody had abandoned and turning it into a nice car with some TLC and a little money.
I do the same with my cars, I spent months tracking down a specific interior trim piece for my car that most people wouldn't even notice was missing.
If I had the space I would love to put my car up on Axle stands, remove all the wheel arch liners and jet wash everything, makes such a difference.
I do the same with my cars, I spent months tracking down a specific interior trim piece for my car that most people wouldn't even notice was missing.
If I had the space I would love to put my car up on Axle stands, remove all the wheel arch liners and jet wash everything, makes such a difference.
These little cars really do get surprising admiration from those that know. Thanks for all your comments.
xu5 said:
Love the car! I used to to have a mk1 Aygo that I fitted with a Bilstein B12 kit and had a nice raspy exhaust fabricated for it, sounded ace! Was good simplistic fun!
I don't suppose you could weight the Exide battery if you get the chance? I am looking for a lighter weight reliable battery for my daily.
That sounds great fun! Before I weigh the battery, aren't there much more newer tech options these days than lead/acid, such as Optima (if you want lightweight) ? Was good simplistic fun!I don't suppose you could weight the Exide battery if you get the chance? I am looking for a lighter weight reliable battery for my daily.
DaveyBoyWonder said:
Bad Motorsport Obsession on YouTube built one of these to participate in a race series for them - looked like an absolute hoot. For cheap motoring you can't go wrong with one of these...
Big fan of BOM... who doesn't love Binky! Yeah, watched the 107 racing series and as usual for BOM, brilliant content. Joey Deacon said:
Nice to see someone taking a shed that somebody had abandoned and turning it into a nice car with some TLC and a little money.
Thank you Joey. So many serviceable cars head to the scrapyard following the simplest of MoT failures, its such a shame. Garage labour rates are the Grim Reaper in disguise I guess. bearman68 said:
Look after it, they don't make them at all any more.
Yep, don't worry, this thread will cover it's remaining lifetime. I have every intention of making that as long as possible. It will survive in my hands until it lunches itself beyond economical repair - whenever that will be. I'm hoping its Toyota mechanical DNA means that isn't sometime soon!HustleRussell said:
What is the gearbox like? Is it over-geared because fuel efficiency or are the ratios good for B-road bashing? I found another thread which said they are doing 3,000rpm at 70mph which seems sensible enough... maybe too sensible?
From when I had my '12 Aygo they are rather long geared. On a B road blast you would rarely need to change up into 4th if you were making use of all the revs.I think cars upto '09 had shorter gearing.
I adore these cars. I've been wanting a 3dr Aygo for years. I do have something kinda similar in the form of a 973cc Corsa from 2002, with a menacing 58bhp. It was so gutless, I started to strip weight, including the rear seats, spare wheel, stereo, rear belts etc. I've probably removed about 75kg, and it's made the car even more darty and fun, and it gets 56mpg now, where it used to only get about 50
Small simple cars are some of the most fun and satisfying to own. They have more personality than your average big car.
Small simple cars are some of the most fun and satisfying to own. They have more personality than your average big car.
Love these. Had one on a 3 day test drive when they first came out. Loved it, would have been so. Heap to run. But decided against buying as was doing mostly long distances at the time and as awesome as they are they are definitely suited to town and b road blasting. Sort of still regret not getting one.
Love the budget repairs, looking very smart now!
Crazy what happened to bargain cars through COVID and what people seemed to think they could get away with selling. Glad we weren't the only ones to experience it.
Love the budget repairs, looking very smart now!
Crazy what happened to bargain cars through COVID and what people seemed to think they could get away with selling. Glad we weren't the only ones to experience it.
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