The art of running a banger as opposed to an expensive car and pocketing the cash instead.

Well - last night I joined this elite group. The Passat is going back in a fortnight and is being replaced by this. Clicky Here

Possiblly the dearest F reg Mazda 626 in the world, but I reckon I'll easily get a year or two out of it. This was one car that I have never ever lusted after. Why would you....
I decided that using the GTM as a daily car didn't quite make all the sense in the world - not for me anyway - not at 25,000 miles a year.
Anyway - goodbye Passat, it's been nice, but I don't need 19 grand's worth of leased car to go to work in.

Bangers rule.

After years of owning "nice" cars, and paying high running and maintenance costs, worrying about carpark dings, theft etc, I am now running about in a Cavalier. Its a white, hatchback, 1.8 8v singlepoint injection automatic. Probably the least desireable model ever produced.
On the plus side, it has leccy windows etc, and the best bit is it only cost £100 from the local auction.
Now I have cheap running costs, I dont care if it gets dinged, I take loads of rubbish to the tip in it, I park as close to the supermarket doors as I can and dont give a damn! Someone kicked the wing-mirror off a while back. I stuck it back on with lots of silicone sealant. All parts are available from the scrappy for pennies, and if it breaks big-style, i will weight it in at the scrap-metal delaer, get £40 for it and buy another one.

Annoyingly its been the most reliable car I have ever owned too. 4 days after buying it, I drove from Aberdeen to the south of France and back in it without a hitch. It has done thousand of miles since as well, only needing an oil change and an exhaust section, which was only £22.

Granted, its dull-as-dishwater to drive, but thats why im looking into a Kit to spice up the summer evenings and weekends!

Once I've paid for my minicab spec 626 from one Month's expenses, I'll be 400 quid a month to the good.

That's far too much too ignore - I can do a lot with that.

626 - very underated car!

That looks cool, bangers rule

I drove a sierra for a while and it was brilliant. There was one time where a woman smashed into the side of me and put a big dent in the front wing, but I couldn't care less, so gave her a mouthful and drove off. Much easier than all those pesky insurance claims you'd have to go through if you drove a nice car

Pete

Exactly.

If you stop and think about it, what does your passat to thats soooo much better than anything the 626 can do to justify its cost? Nothing really. its a car. the mazda is a car. Transport, thats all.

Kit cars, performance cars, bikes etc are a fun driving experiance, but day to day I reckon I am much better off with a dull driving experience but a healthier bank balance.

I'm with you. Cheap transport, that's all it is.
Leaves spare cash for fun stuff.

Old bangers are good as long as they are realiable, otherwise you can spend more money and time fixing them than anything else. But I agree they are a cheap form of motoring on the whole.

David

Agree with the principle - we had a Ford Crapi 2.0 GL Auto about 15 yrs ago. £200 plus MOT and headlight (about £20) we had 2 yrs (40,000 miles) reasonably reliable motoring. I stuck a big dent in it, and we sold it for £190.

ATB

Simon

I have written off several 626's - most had well over 200,000 miles on the clock. They do like regular oil changes though

Our capri never needed an oil change, most of it went into the atmosphere via the exhaust pipe

ATB

Simon

Yep I wish id have stuck with my old mondeo

quote:

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Originally posted by big_wasa
Yep I wish id have stuck with my old mondeo

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Indeed.

A months lease / tax / lost expenses

- 0r -

2 Yokohama A-032Rs, 4 sprint entries and fuel / food for all four events. Seriously.
Mmm - tricky.

A couple of years ago I bought an old early MK2 cavalier 1300 for £400 with 15,000 on the clock, it was like brand new. I added 40,000 miles, cheapest car I have ever had with good MPG and pocket money spares, sold it for £100.

The trick is to look for those cars owned by older drivers who always send their cars off to delears for a service and keep them clean and tidy even though they are only worth peanuts once they get to 10+ years old.

Bought a '90 626 a couple of years ago and have put 60,000 miles on it with very little trouble. Total cost, including purchase price, fuel, and upkeep, has been about $.08 per mile.

I agree that it was a very under-rated car. Comfort, ride, and handling are all very nice.

quote:

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Originally posted by Mark Allanson
I have written off several 626's - most had well over 200,000 miles on the clock. They do like regular oil changes though

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Last year we equipped ourself with our newest car to date, £8000 for a Y reg Citroen Xsara Picasso. Now it is a very roomy car, the air con is fab in summer, it is the first car I have ever owned where my head does not touch the roof when seated
but...
I cannot claim to be £8000 happy with it and am looking more towards the 'buy a cheapy for £1000 and run it until death' style of motoring for the future. Buying your way to newer cars certainly ain't all it's cracked up to be

quote:

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Originally posted by dave dickson
Bangers rule.

I am now running about in a Cavalier. Its a white, hatchback, 1.8 8v singlepoint injection automatic. Probably the least desireable model ever produced.

Granted, its dull-as-dishwater to drive,

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Paid £350 for my Citroen XM turbo diesel 8 years ago and have maybe spent the same on it since43 mpg comfortable and reliable , the wifes C3 had a grands worth of damage 2 weeks after driving it from showroom

quote:

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Originally posted by Browser
Last year we equipped ourself with our newest car to date, £8000 for a Y reg Citroen Xsara Picasso. Now it is a very roomy car, the air con is fab in summer, it is the first car I have ever owned where my head does not touch the roof when seated
but...
I cannot claim to be £8000 happy with it and am looking more towards the 'buy a cheapy for £1000 and run it until death' style of motoring for the future. Buying your way to newer cars certainly ain't all it's cracked up to be

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I fully agree with banger daily drivers!

My current XR4x4 2.9 (1990 G reg) cost me £600 3 years ago, has now gone through 3 Mot's without ANY faults at all. I use it to drag much more expensive and interesting cars around on a trailer.

The plus is that it actually drives pretty well, cruises comfortably at licence losing speeds, will tow (and stop) it's own weight without batting an eyelid, and (touch wood) it never breaks down.

It also seems to be increasing in value!!!!!! (its a pretty rare flint grey one)

Mind you, it is a spring chicken at only 125,000 miles, my last one did 225,000 before I sold it for £100 less than I bought it for 2 years previously!!

Bangers rule!