BEST CHEAP CAR AROUND

[samm_cvr6 0]

Still not sure yet, but think I might trade the old girl in for something cheaper to run.

My top 2 at the moment are

1)Toyota starlet 1.3 16v

2)Ford KA (colour coded)

 

I have driven the ford before and quite liked it but the engine's slightly noisey, have heard the Toyota has a great little engine although expect the handling not as good as the Ford, has anyone driven this Starlet??

And which would you get? I know about Punto/Clio/Corsa etc but not really keen on them right now. :wink:

[Spykee 0]

well the Ford KA can be quietened down easily, they have an old pushrod OHV engine in them so even the petrol ones sound like diesels most of the time cos the valve celarances have never been adjusted!

 

have you thought of a Honda CRX Coupe?

 

you can get a CRX VTI for about that price! 160bhp Vtec and reliable as hell too!

 

bit more style that the 2 you mentioned ;)

[samm_cvr6 0]

So how do you adjust the valve clearences? or perhaps more imortantly, how much would it cost?

Was thinking about the VTI but need something econoical, ie 45mpg for all this driving.

I've kind of done the hot hatch thing with my 205 1.9 and golf mk2 gti 16v.

[dazzyvr6 0]

id go for a yaris before the starlet or the ka

[Spykee 0]

well as long as the VTI is off cam then it does about 32-34mpg

 

the valve clearances are easy stuff, get a feeler guage and a haynes manual and do it yourself! will only take about 30 mins.

 

only thing that needs replacing each time is the rocker cover gasket which is about 1.25 from halfrauds or a motor factors.

 

otherwise if your scared of all things under the bonnet then its probably going to cost you about 25 quid in a little garage...... used to get mine done for a tenner tho until i started doing em myself. phone around some small places locally and see what they quote you.

[samm_cvr6 0]

cool, actually done my rocker gasket at a garage for my VR recently-the gasket was £10 at vw and it cost me £25 at a garage so not too bad.

Have also driven the Yaris vvt-i very nice, just a bit out of my price range.

[billinjah 0]

205 turbo diesel are very nice and run lovely on sunflower oil for even cheaper motoring!

[Spykee 0]

well the KA is cheap to run and repair as well as good handling but its a ford at the end of the day........

 

look out for judder through the steering when test driving, if it does walk away! i had this develop on both my mk4 & mk7 Escorts i had and it seems common accross the Ford range as i have experienced it in a couple of Focus ST170's and some Fiesta's too. i replaced everything on my mk4 escort, disks and pads, calipers, lower arms, top mounts etc and still didnt get to the bottom of it!

 

as for the Starlet..... well its Japanese so wont go wrong! nuf said!

 

neither car is going to give you style points but i bet the starlet has aircon and electric windows which the KA probably wont?

 

i'd go for the starlet personally ;)

[samm_cvr6 0]

yea, don't really care about style to be honest, I quite like the idea of not being notcied unlike in the Corrado where everyone seems to look at you quite often.

I'm very intrigued about this 205 td, so if i got one and went to asda and bought a load of sunflower oil, you think it would actually run ok? lol, brilliant!

[dazzyvr6 0]

ive currently got a pug 405 diesel which is curreny showing 247000 miles and still goes well,and does about 400 miles on £30

[Spykee 0]

tehy run on oil absoloutely fine! it has to be used tho so your better off going down your local chippy on a sunday and asking them for the drum full! then all you do is sieve out hte gritty bits!

 

they tested it out on 5th Gear on C5 not too long ago with Mr AA man and a Volvo 740 TD and it ran fine!

 

supprised you havnt heard about it as it was all over the papers and everything during hte fuel issues last year, they were even thinking of puting duty on sunflower oil!!

 

better of to get a 306 TD tho, bit more space and niceer interior than the old 205's but still cheap as chips to buy!

[samm_cvr6 0]

Argh so it has to be used, bit embarassing going down the chippie "err, do you have about 10 gallons of used oil knocking about by any chance?" lol

 

I heard of it, but new you had to add something, like you said. I was half thinking about a 205 TD but heard its only 45mpg anyway so no better than a petrol 1.2/1.3, and the diesel cost about 20p a gallon more.

 

Think if i get a diesel my preference would be a golf mk3 tdi and quite like that 2 door zx td.

[Spykee 0]

if you go for an OHV KA your definately not going to get above 34mpg in them mate..... im speaking from experience ;)

 

mk3 tdi is a good choice..... dont get a zx whatever you do! :lol:

[samm_cvr6 0]

Yea, i've gone off the ka a bit, just like the coded bumper version and the wheel at each corner look, I remember borrowing one for 2 weeks and I swear I had over 110 out of it on the m23! LOL! took about 30 seconds of foot to the floor in 5th gear tho. I seem to remember the gear change was a bit like porridge too.

[gradeAfailure 0]

dont get a zx whatever you do! :lol:

 

Actually, I had two ZX Volcanes (not the TDs though), and apart from a bit of a lack of headroom for a 6-footer, they were absolutely fantastic cars - same chassis as the 306 so nimble handling, don't rust, interior and switchgear are as good as VW (I had a 240,000-miler that had no sign of wear on the seats!), all the electrics worked on both... :shock: And apparently they're almost as fast as the petrol Volcanes yet turn in 50-55mpg...

 

Check dis out...

[samm_cvr6 0]

Yea, I wnt in the td zx and I thought it was quite good, electrics prob would of been my thoughts of things going wrong but it was quick enough considering it does 50mpg.

[HiAsAKite 0]

I have a mk2 8v GTI as my runaround..

..still makes me grin too.....

...is age of car a consideration for you?

[billinjah 0]

they run fine on new oil in the summer used in the winter or half new half diesel. they run fine my dad runs his a4 td on i has done for 4 years its only 39p a litre from aldi too!!

[bristolbaron 10]

billinjahg60, prob best not naming names in public! its not the most legal of things to do!

[Spykee 0]

Yea, i've gone off the ka a bit, just like the coded bumper version and the wheel at each corner look, I remember borrowing one for 2 weeks and I swear I had over 110 out the gear change was a bit like porridge too.

 

thats the same again for all fords mate as well as having a clutch so ight you dont feel the bite point!! :lol: :lol:

 

i commented on the ZX as i think its ugly as thats all, know nothing about thier mechanics :oops:

[billinjah 0]

billinjahg60, prob best not naming names in public! its not the most legal of things to do!

 

 

suppose not, but you give up caring when the powers that be are charging a quid a litre for diesel in some places that isnt the most legal thing to do imo! mods please delete my post if you feel this to be a suggestion that will bring the forum into disrepute!

[samm_cvr6 0]

I think the 3 door ZX looks alright, prob better than a 5 door mk3 golf.

So Billinjahg60- Aldi/Asda maybe gettnig a visit soon ay! :wink:

I think doing it 50/50 with the oil/diesel seems the best option, otherwise I think a few eyebrows may be raised if i start buying 15 gallons a week! LOL.

[CazzaVR 0]

LHD-G60, just noticed your avatar... :wink:

[Spykee 0]

LHD-G60, just noticed your avatar... :wink:

 

:shock: :shock: you thief!!! :lol: :lol:

 

good choice tho mate :wink:

 

Alex

[samm_cvr6 0]

Ahaha! it's a good one tho! bit different to your usual nice car/fit bird one you often see.