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Wednesday 20 January 2010

Yes, you can still buy cars for £100




AN expensive shirt, a half-decent hi-fi system, an iPod Nano, a bottle of single malt or a really good night out in any big city.

If you had the princely sum of £100 you could blow it on any of these and still be smiling about it this time next week, but I've got a much better idea. Why not spend it on a set of wheels instead?

That's how a Renault 5 for the price of a first class rail ticket has ended up outside my house, and despite costing almost nothing in car terms it's still smoking its way around Southport more than fifteen years after rolling out of a car showroom in Birkdale. Commuting really doesn't come much cheaper.

What did I get for my fistful of dollars? A 15-year-old hatchback with a slightly wonky driver's door, 116,000 alleged miles on the clock, an interior lined with cheap seat covers and suspicious amounts of hay and loose screws, and door mirrors tinted green with a thin layer of moss. It has literally some service history. I was also pleased to discover that it's red, although I only found this out recently because I bought it without even going to look at it first.

But its ancient engine still pulls you out of junctions not only quickly, and very quietly too for such a cheap car, while absolutely everything still works on it. I can also boast - and I didn't spend hours looking this up, I promise - that my £100 steed was designed by the same chap who did the Lamborghini Diablo. How many M-registered Ford Fiestas can you say that about?

It's amazing how many cars are out there for next to nothing, as long as you're not being choosy and know where to look. My girlfriend, the car's co-owner, is also impressed, as you can find out here.

For the price of Britain's most expensive rail ticket - that's £1000 between Newquay and the Kyle of Lochalsh - you could have bought a whole fleet of these, and still have enough left over for fuel and road tax.

Now that's what I call motoring.

6 comments:

  1. It's good to know that bargains like this can still be had!

    And I'm amazed by how well it handles and how smooth the suspension is as well: bumpy roads - no problem for this little French machine.
    Considering we bought it without test driving it, without a glance under the bonnet and without knowing anything about it, I have to say I'm pleasantly surprised by this car!

    And the dirt: Nothing a proper clean can't get rid of!

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  2. I had 2 Renault 5’s, the first was a blue Automatic with a knackered transmission for which I gave £50. I then bought a scrap one for £25, removed the gearbox, clutch, clutch pedal and gear lever and fitted them into Blue. The scrap car was towed to the breakers and sold for £50.

    My second Renault 5 was silver and I paid £30 for it. I had it for over 2 years and gave it to a friend who had it for 18 months. He phoned me one day and said “ I’m getting a new car, do you know anyone who would like Silver?” He gave it our Cherry and she had it for another 6 months until the MOT ran out and it wasn’t worth repairing.

    Tony

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  3. Bangernomics at its finest. Still proven you can buy some dirt cheap motors for the for less than a set of new tyres.

    Snapped up a bargain there David =]

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  4. Which Mazda model?
    Mazda is a subsidiary of Truong Hai Auto Corporation and is offering Mazda 2 models, including Mazda 2, Mazda 3, Mazda 6, Mazda Cx and Mazda Bt 0. These are all models. The best-selling in the market with record sales in Vietnam in recent months.
    Along with the rich models, we also have a system of repairing modern machines. When you come to our unit, you will be satisfied with the quality of service that the facility offers. come.
    At the showroom in Hanoi, the excellent sales staff are well trained by KIA Vietnam consultants. So, customers can rest assured professional advice to the society of the consultants at our agency.
    The Pham Van Dong Mazda car has a wide car park, making buying your car fast and convenient
    At the gallery, we have the best customer support package
    Giá xe ô tô mazda
    Showroom xe ô tô mazda nguyễn trãi
    Đại lý ô tô mazda phạm văn đồng
    cửa hàng xe mazda tại hà nội bãn đã biết
    <a href="https://mazdaphamvandong.wordpress.com/2016/12/25/showroom-dai-ly-mazda-tai-ha-noi/>mazda ô tô</a>

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