lol
I’m fully aware of the depreciation on new/nearly new cars.
I work hard and invest my “spare” wages sensibly,
this allows us as a family to run fairly decent cars with no real worries of a major breakdown (fingers crossed!!!)
I earn what I would class as “above average” wages for a NI truck driver so like to own something I’m happy to drive rather than an “aul scrapper” as we’d say over here!!!
I’ve got an 06 mini that come up cheap after my last old banger a Citroen c2 was written off. I only use it for work and some local running about and it sits in a skip yard all day.
The Mrs has a 55 the a class mercedes she has had since it was three months old. We are looking to get her something newer later this year and something bigger for the buggy and other gear we end up carrying now.
We will probably go for something nearly new and keep it 10 years or so again. I will probably get rid of the mini and keep her a class as its in better Nick and a bit more practical and run it until it dies or needs a big repair and buy another cheap run about.
I had a few decent cars when I wad younger but haven’t really got a lot of interest in them now.
Although I have been thinking about buying an old style saab 900 or e30 BMW convertible for summer days out and maybe a few classic car shows next year.
Like many others I like to drive a tidy looking car, as no point in working the overtime, unless there is something to show for it. The money I save by taking food out with me, rather than buying from dodgy layby vendors, alone actually equates to the difference in buying a nicer vehicle.
In contrast, how many folks know fellow drivers that will creep, crawl and backstab to get a (new or newer) truck, but those fellow drivers be content in driving around in a low rent vehicle of their own. For me, I am happier to drive the older trucks without the electronic dashboards, cruise controls and those bloody awful auto boxes that change gear at all the wrong times.
i use a clio dci 02 reg to travel to work dont care if its gets caked is dust dirt etc the interior is ruined by previous owner who used it as a van it was £300 missus has a new skoda which can be used on weekend if we go out and im looking to buy a toy of some sort for weekends
What people at work see:
One of three other cars at home:
Crappy cars?
Crappy cars?
Hey, you, you calling my ‘c’ plated (1971) Series III LWB Land Rover Crappy?
Why do I drive it?
It’s bought and paid for (I’ve only had it about 30 years,) and there’s plenty of life left in it yet.
Insurance is about 40 quid a year fully comp: road tax negligable: parts are seldom used and dirt cheap…
… and, regardless of the weather, I will ALWAYS get there!!
2005 astra estate 1.7cdti, 10 years old, paid off, runs soooo well… I keep looking at new cars, but just can’t justify a new one.
2004 FZ6, don’t get much use out of it these days, but a cracking bike none the less 
1989 Land Rover 90 2.5TD county.
My “toy”. Just need someone good with a welder to do some chassis and bodywork bits.
2000 Volvo V40 2.0T.
Paid £750 for it, good motor. Goes like stink, but when you floor it, it has worse MPG (normally 35-45mpg when not pushed hard) than my truck!! 
2004 Fiat Punto Mk2b 1.4 16v Sporting.
Owned from new, used on my commute to work (only about 6 miles). Ideal for the job.
If you’re a garage man who’s also a car trader - then “going through 24 cars in no time flat” is indeed something to brag about - if you think about it. 
Winseer:
The original question is well-and-truly getting answered here eh?“We like old bangers because they don’t depreciate as much as expensive second hand or brand new cars”.
“The motoring cost per year - includes the cost of keeping the car on the road. It also costs the full depreciation that occurs”
“If you pay £500 for a car, the worst that can happen is you lose £500 for totally trashing it, failing to get it through an MOT, or whatever. If you pay £5000 for a car, you’ve lost £500 as soon as you put your bum on the seat… If you buy a brand new car - you’ve lost TEN times that amount - by the time you have paid for number plates, delivery, lost time when it’s offroad under warrentry, and of course taking the cellephane off the seat in the showroom…”
Me? - Having already admitted that I am a serial banger user - I’d like to think I’ve got this to a fine art…
I only buy bangers with a long MOT (10months+)
I judge “minor” things wrong at car trading places - because if they “couldn’t be arsed to fix that windscreen chip” or “broken number plate” etc. - then what else “less obvious” is going to be wrong with it?I bought my latest banger a week ago. I was impressed by it having NEW TYRES on it… Paid £450 and after a week of using it for work - I’ve noticed the following minor ailments:
Key opens passenger door, but not driver’s door.
Fob battery flat. - Not worth replacing for a car I only want a year out of.When engine is cold, it conks out if I let it idle. - Mixture too thin?
Engine is fine once running hot…Smell of petrol if I go around a tight right-handed bend… Crack in tank halfway up LHS of tank?
I bought it with 11 months MOT on it.
Next year, I’ll put it in for the MOT - and if it fails on some minor stuff, I’ll spend the money getting it fixed. Anything major, and I’ll scrap it for over £100 as I did my last banger I paid £400 for.I’m no grease monkey - it has to be said. I know more about fixing computers than cars.
The Long MOT being present is my strongest “must have” condition when buying an old banger. I’ll even take it for a test drive around the block to see what I can notice “major” that might put me off buying it. Knocking sounds, pinking, wheel wobble - that sort of thing.So far, I’ve hardly used any petrol at all - despite the smell I get when sloshing it around bends. I’m unable to measure MPG for the time being. I need a decent run out first I reckons, when I get to fill it right up, then go 200 miles non-stop.
0
The smell of petrol is a common thing in those. Apparently there is a pipe that snaps behind the filler cap. I own one as well. Mine does a lot of short local trips, so only registers an average MPG of 32.
Thanks for that. I’m reluctant to fill it beyond half full at present, as I don’t want to be blowing off vapour and donating it to the atmosphere …
I fixed the conking out - I noticed that when I turn the wheel sharply, it seems to stall the engine… Topped the “steering fluid” up! I didn’t know how low it was until I filled it.
Can any driver tell me about Mercedes actor trucks and faults
Bought a 53 plate mondeo 115 diesel for 375 quid 2 years ago with 76k on the clock for work, passed the last MOT with no advisories, cold running airco, manual and get about 60mpg out of it. Why anyone would want to park a newish motor in the yard is beyond me. Only had to replace the wipers and one bulb in 2 years, the exhaust is rattling a bit so one of the lads at work is going to sort that for me. Free motoring.
LIBERTY_GUY:
Like many others I like to drive a tidy looking car, as no point in working the overtime, unless there is something to show for it. The money I save by taking food out with me, rather than buying from dodgy layby vendors, alone actually equates to the difference in buying a nicer vehicle.In contrast, how many folks know fellow drivers that will creep, crawl and backstab to get a (new or newer) truck, but those fellow drivers be content in driving around in a low rent vehicle of their own. For me, I am happier to drive the older trucks without the electronic dashboards, cruise controls and those bloody awful auto boxes that change gear at all the wrong times.
i’d prefer an older truck to the new daf’s we are getting in September…but they won’t buy me a 143 
carryfast-yeti:
LIBERTY_GUY:
Like many others I like to drive a tidy looking car, as no point in working the overtime, unless there is something to show for it. The money I save by taking food out with me, rather than buying from dodgy layby vendors, alone actually equates to the difference in buying a nicer vehicle.In contrast, how many folks know fellow drivers that will creep, crawl and backstab to get a (new or newer) truck, but those fellow drivers be content in driving around in a low rent vehicle of their own. For me, I am happier to drive the older trucks without the electronic dashboards, cruise controls and those bloody awful auto boxes that change gear at all the wrong times.
i’d prefer an older truck to the new daf’s we are getting in September…but they won’t buy me a 143
The new DAFs aren’t as good as the older ones…
easymovespain:
Can any driver tell me about Mercedes actor trucks
They dress up as Scanias and read Shakespeare.
Morning.
So what car for crappy money should I look at then ■■
More decent looking for crappy money I think
Looking at about £1200 to spend, 25 mile commute a day and prob parked up at weekend.
I was thinking of a bmw 320 maybe, not long since sold my Yamaha 1300sp bike but fancy a car this time.
Take it easy out there
If you buy a BMW or Merc, you’ll end up getting a ‘N’ reg for the same money you can get a non-kraut car in a 04 plate for…
The gas man:
Morning.So what car for crappy money should I look at then ■■
More decent looking for crappy money I think
Looking at about £1200 to spend, 25 mile commute a day and prob parked up at weekend.
I was thinking of a bmw 320 maybe, not long since sold my Yamaha 1300sp bike but fancy a car this time.Take it easy out there
You need a 2000 530d, large comfy an economical considering. It so happens I have one parked up near Ipswich that hasn’t been driven since having two new front wings and passing it’s mot with no advisories last August. Owned it for the last 7 or 8 years so it’s a good un and about your price range. 