Following on from a thread about bangernomics the other day, I've been thinking about doing my own experiment. With the second child due in a few weeks, and my first child having just started school, the missus won't realistically be able to drop me off at work anymore.

So, I've been thinking about getting another car based on the bangernomics theory and have come up with a couple of options that may serve me well:

1. Follow Claire Too's formula of £200 per year for the buying budget (IE a £600 car must last 3 years). Would need to set a limit on what you spend to keep it going - eg if any single repair costs more than 50% of the car's worth it goes.

2. Get something cheap but interesting and a little tired (say a 205 GTI) and give it little bits of care and attention here and there. Could be worth more to sell than the sum of the purchase price and parts lavished on it over time, thus re-couping the money in the end (maybe)

I figure it equally applies to bikes too - I have a 1985 XL 125 that will probably be worth as much as i paid for it (probably more in the future) no matter what I do with it as long as it's kept in reasonable nick (I'm slowly making good all the little ugly bits along the way where it's econimical to do so).

So, what are all your mathematical formula's for bangernomics?

I might be over complicating the whole thing, but I like numbers, rules and goals

I just look at devaluation as the key, so went for an early XK8 as soft top jags in decent condition do not go below 6k so paid £10k for mine 2 years ago.

Decent XJS's are on the up !

I guess its now down to £6-7k but I have covered 70,000 miles in it and spent very little on it and been paid 45p per mile.

What I,m trying to say is look for an interesting car to drive, classic fords collect loads now as an example, 205GTI could be a good bet but I do not see French cars being worth much.

Could you stetch to an XR3i or Golf GTI?

[Edited on 11/1/11 by mark chandler]

look at the cost of motoring rather than cost of the car.


fuel is by far the budget killer.


ive thought of:


DIY LPG conversion

buy a cheap citroen AX diesel and use chip fat

buy a milk float and charge it up from a lamp post

Build a Kit steam car, when you run out chop the nearest tree down.

remove the engine from your car and join AA, call them daily for a lift and just blame them "Pesky thieving kids"

Buy a minibus and stop and pick up and drop off passengers from bus stops on way to your work.

Suppose I could just use the park and ride, but it goes against all my principles of having to sit next to other people (mainly school kids) on my way to and from work - I like being in the car on my own because it gives me that little bit of wind down before getting home.

I thought of getting another midget to beat down the road and back every day (a cheap one!). At the very least, when it finally gives up the ghost I can pilfer it for parts for my hillclimber.

quote:

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Originally posted by StevieB

I might be over complicating the whole thing...

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if you buy a 205 gti then itll have to last for years and years and years. They carry a premium these days, even compared to a couple of years ago..

I bought a cheap high mileage rover 75 diesel that needed a few jobs doing and now have a very comfortable economical car that looks a lot more expensive than it was.They can be expensive to repair if you cant do everything yourself but parts are easily available and not to expensive if you shop around .I had to spend on tyres and alternator and battery in the last 15 months and a new cam sensor when i first bought it , so not quite able to qualify for bangernomics but I prefer to run a nice car cheaply.
My previous car was Rover 600 diesel which was ultra reliable and spares were easily available from scrapyard , I think I owned it for 7 years and paid £1500 for it and probably spent an average of less than £100 a year on servicing and repairs, when i sold it it had done 248000 miles and still ran well.I only eventually sold it because it had started to look tatty and needed tyres and a full exhaust system.

We had a Capri 2l GL Auto Mk3 in two tone dog shite brown back in 1990 ish. Paid £200 put in a new rack, new light, put 40k miles on it and sold it for £190 two years later

Cheapest motoring ever. Would I do it again, well if I could get a pre 71 Rover P6 V8 for £200 and insure it for £93, then yes

ATB

Simon

Insurance has to be the killer - £200 - 300 pounds to insure acar at the same value........

Have you considered 206 GTI 180?? Have a look. Cheaper than you think. I found one for £2000 with 35,000 miles on the clock, digi clim-control, elec everything etc etc

Future classic too maybe??


Thanks
Dan


EDIT: I know it's not strictly bangernomics but it should last a good few years. Parts are cheap and they are (relatively) easy to fix. Last good car Peugeot made IMO

[Edited on 12/1/11 by dan8400]

I think the cheapest car to run I had was the G reg 1.0 polo I had (mind you nearly 8 years ago now):
It did 40mpg average thrashed down the lanes
I bought it with 80,000 miles on in and slightly tatty for £1500.
I had it 4 years, and spent a total of just under 1500 for all insurance, road tax and maintenance (145/70 R13 tyres are only about £15 each!) during the 86000 miles I drove it. I did all my own maintenance.
When I got rid of it I gave it to a mate who was just made redundant as it needed some tidying up (cheap to do stuff, but time consuming and he had the time) which he did. He ran it for acouple of years and then sold on for £400!

Regards
Hugh

I have run bangers for pretty much my whole driving life, sometimes had a nice car sat in the garage for long trips/weekend etc, but only very rarely

apart from the audi Quattro and the M5 years ago, I have never spent more than £1000 on a car, I look for them at main dealer part ex's etc, the dealer next to me sells cars for stupid cheap money, and I have regularly bought the "old bangers" that he doesnt want

a rover metro £150 12 month mot 3 month tax, genuine 37k miles, ok so it wasnt going to pull any girls, but Im a bit old for that LOL

45mpg no matter how I drove it, cheap to insure, sub 1550cc so cheap road tax, I had that car for the 12 months of its MOT, I put 19k miles on it! and sold it for £67 on ebay

only sold it to be honest as my Mum gave me some money, and the dealer next to me had a 2000 VW GT TDi in black, 18" wheels, drives lovely for £1000, more comfy on the long drives, and returns 52+mpg on a run

Ive never been a car snob, my mate spent £58k on a BMW its now 3 years old, and work less than £20k most likely, if that. just doesnt make sense to me.