Suggestions for a high mile cheapo

[Jodyone]

All

I'm working on a contract in the new year which will require a weekly round trip of about 600 miles, for 30 weeks or so. Maybe 20K miles in total. I have a beloved 84 Merc W123 which has frankly seen enough of being booted around as a work vehicle, magnificent though it's been. It deserves some garage time, and I need to not be feeding 6 greedy cylinders. Consequently, I'm after something cheap, economical, and reliable for the duration. Ideally, whatever I buy I'd sell at the end for not much less. I'm thinking along the lines of buying for 800/selling for 500 - no more than 500 loss (kind of thing). I got 15,000 fun miles out of a £200 Polo a few years ago- etc.

I'm fairly handy mechanically, though my job requires at least lip-service to reliability, and I care not one bit for the appearance of the car – though I do take perverse delight in totally unfashionable motors. Hence, I'm warming to late 90's/early 00 Rovers. I'm sentimentally averse to Fords and Vauxhalls, but happy to be swayed. But really, I'm up for absolutely anything, as long as it doesn't drink much, costs very little, and is odds-on to get me there. So- the hive: any suggestions?!

[SirTainleyBarking]

When I was doing a loon miles commute I used a Rover 115SLD. Rover labelled XUD 5 Pug engine, which pulled it along quite nicely at 55mpg.
Bought it at around 50K, Had 150K on the clock when I stuffed it up the backside of a Merc E Class

6000 mile service intervals, could do the lot in 1.5 hours

Or get the Pug version of this which was a 106 Diesel IIRC

[TerryG]

For £1000 you could get a Mk1 Ford Focus, they are bomb proof (i have about 120k on my 2000 mk1) it has never let me down and other than a rear wheel bearing and accident repairs after lending it to my other half it has only needed service parts. Drive it for a year, change the oil yourself and sell it for £800 at the end of it.
I'm a bit of a ford fan so i am biased.
One of the secretaries at work has a 1.2 polo on an R plate, she does 50 miles a day and i know the only work that has been done in 2 years is discs, pads and 2 oil changes.

[tractorman]

As a VW fan, I would be looking for a good Passat TDi diesel. My old Passat was just an indirect injection one and, when I was doing the 60 mile a day commute, only failed when the ignition switch packed up. It ended up with 200K on the clock - and had injector pump problems caused (IMHO) by cheap supermarket fuel. I know of one or two 96/7 Passats that do well over 55MPG on runs, so economy is surprisingly good! The trick is to find a good one with sensible miles on it.

I would suggest a Mk4 Golf, but the early ones had various problems and they are usually over-priced for what they are (my 2002 Mk4 estate was cheaper than a hatch - otehrwise I couldn't have afforded such a new car!). I seem to think Mk3 Golfs didn't have the TDi engine - so weren't as economical as they should have been!

Otherwise - perhaps something French? A neighbour seems to turn up a lot of Renaults etc dirt cheap on eBay and doesn't seem to have too many problems with them - perhaps he's just lucky - and most of his family now have them ! Mind you, he now has an early Vectra diesel, another eBay bargain - the "cheap" Volvo estate (2001 V40 I think) loved petrol and nearly bankrupted him!

[MG Mal]

I'm warming to late 90's/early 00 Rovers.

Rover 820's are good money at the moment, and the T16 Nasp and Turbo engines do give good MPG compared to others in the same class.

Big , comfy and ultimate cruising cars when doing long distance.

Alternatively, the last of the 827's with the Honda C27 V6 engine, makes the 800 range an amazing package.

Bought in Sterling, Vitesse or Sli spec will reward you with a palacial interior, air con/climate, Manual or Auto,leather and a good quality factory fit music set up.

Insurance is not sky high, and some company's now class the pre 96 cars as "collectable" especailly the Coupe' and Fastback versions.

You could go for the L series Derv or Honda H20 powered 600 series, which although give value for money, are a little Characterless when compared to the 800's

For a smaller car, then the 89-96 model year 200 and 400 series cars can be a real bargain, and the 200 coupe's in 1.6 and 2.0 form can be a real hoot.

Petrol and derv versions of the 400 tourer eat up the miles giving comfort and economy depending on how you use the loud pedal.

Early Noughty's MG Zed range and there Rover sisters are going for a song at the moment, and a good 75 derv or ZT/TT can be bought for under 3 figures if you look hard enough.

As stated above the Rover 100 series (last of the metro's) in 1.5 derv format with the XUD lump is a cracking little motor for fuel economy, but I would say a little small for the longest of commutes.

All of the above can be bought as fairly low mileage examples in exceptional condition for under a Grand.

Check out:

http://www.metroownersclub.org
http://www.rover800.info/forum
http://www.rover200.org.uk

No forum/club for the 600's as yet, but http://www.rovertech.net has more than few afficionado's to call on.

As a final note: There is always the option of a late model Montego 2.0 TD Estate or Maestro 2.0 D /TD.

A few appear on ebay from time to time, and if the body is in good order, the mechanicals are bullet proof.

http://www.maestro.org.uk

[tornewtsam]

As you are obviously a Merc fan you could get a diesel C class, or as has already been said the Peugeot diesels are pretty bomb proof so a 406 should do nicely. Don't rule out a Vauxhall, I've had several and they have all been good, an Astra would serve you well.

[JPB]

406s, especially the 3 litre petrol V6, are decent things to drive, but bear in mind that they suffered from rotten inner sills, floor pans and other bits even in relatively young cars. Diesels good as are any of the PSA Dizzlers, but check that body very carefully. I've seen spotless ones that had been "repaired" with Cataloy in some worrying places.

I'd take a Saab 9000 any time. Cheap, strong and durable. Buy one now before the secret escapes!

[mach1rob]

Any Rover or MG with the L series diesel will do the job just fine, around 50mpg, the 45 saloon TD is refined when you're sat in it, ball all the L series variants are noisy from outside, just beware the post 2001 ones as bits started to get removed so soundproofing isn't as good as things like underbonnet sound pads stopped being fitted. I had a cracking 45 TD saloon, air con, heated seats, great mile muncher, it's life was cut short by a numpty in a Mondeo clouting the front.

Can pic up decent ones for £5-600 and you should make most of that back after. Plus no head gasket issues with the L, only real problem they have are the usual diesel problem of EGR valves, (just pull the vac pipe off and plug it up) and the MAF meters dying cutting power and limiting revs to 4000, easily sorted with a replacement or a MAFAM kit from RoverRon.

This set me back just £540!

[rich.]

nissan sunny.. best car in the world..

[Maaarrghk]

I had both a Saab 9K and a Pug 106 deezil.

Both nice motors. TheSaab was a good old luxo-barge, but being the 2 litre injection (no turbo) was not very economical, due to lower gearing and having to work it harder to keep with the traffic. I am told that all Saabs are a bit thirsty though.

The Puglet was the Saabs replacement after it got nicked. Cheap as chips and comfy enough for a small car. Same engine as the Nissan Micra deezil. I thrashed it mercilessly and got 55mpg - if I had drove it like an octogenarian in a micra I would've got 66mpg.

I guess most modernish turbo deezils will give a good balance of performance and economy, as well as being very reliable. A previous employer of mine had an astra 1.7 TDI as a pool car and that was pretty good.