Your thoughts please

Blackrose · 20th October 2016, 21:36

OK. My mates son is doing a charity challenge next June. Basically it is like a Top Gear thing. Ten teams of four have to buy a car each for £500 that will get them to Croatia in 6 days. Not sure if or how they need to get back. I just know he is going to ask me what car to buy. So it needs to be pretty simple, there are four traveling in it, so it needs to be reasonably comfortable, they are students so good mpg would be a plus, I'm not sure what happens if it breaks down if they have to fix it themselves or any other rules at the moment. If it were you, apart from a 75, what car would you buy for £500.

Blackrose

klarzy · 20th October 2016, 21:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blackrose

OK. My mates son is doing a charity challenge next June. Basically it is like a Top Gear thing. Ten teams of four have to buy a car each for £500 that will get them to Croatia in 6 days. Not sure if or how they need to get back. I just know he is going to ask me what car to buy. So it needs to be pretty simple, there are four traveling in it, so it needs to be reasonably comfortable, they are students so good mpg would be a plus, I'm not sure what happens if it breaks down if they have to fix it themselves or any other rules at the moment. If it were you, apart from a 75, what car would you buy for £500.

Blackrose

Mkii mondeo diesel....you can get parts anywhere if you break down...

Willienelson · 20th October 2016, 22:18

75 all the way for me, but apart from that any Toyota would do.

Probably won't break down in the first place!

clf · 20th October 2016, 23:31

Personally I would prefer something with minimal electronics, say a late 80s Toyota, little to go wrong, and what does could normally be fixed with a pen knife cable tie and some rope from the side of the road lol.

But I did a search on Gumtree, and found a few that may be suitable (VW/Skoda TDis should be a good bet, tolerant to a bit of abuse, and can be fixed anywhere)

Ready to taxi £250

Bargain him down and offer a little sponsorship? £695

Petrol Audi £270

I do like Mondeos, but after problems with my diesel XType engine, I would be nervous £450

Ready to MOT for £325 Skoda Fabia petrol

Another one for £390

Obligatory Rover £375 (diesel 25)

Passat Sport, vibrating on idle £400 engine mount? but swap seats from a scrapper and sell the very sought after sport ones for £2-300!

£400 Saab petrol?

Nice looking Avensis for £295

Plenty of 'playthings' around

Mason6 · 21st October 2016, 05:48

Out of the list above I'd go for the Avensis so if he could get one of those for sub-£500 he'd be laughing.

Dawn · 21st October 2016, 06:23

I'd go for the Avensis. I have the later one, and they're super for reliability. ��

SCP440 · 21st October 2016, 06:58

See what taxi drivers buy and get one similar. Toyota Avensis, Skoda Octavia and Mondeo's would be top of my list. The Mondeo V6 is an amazing mile muncher and once in top gear is good on fuel. Like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Monde...MAAOSwCGVX9U2f

Personally I would find the lowest mileage one I could and don't worry if it has a Cat C or D on it that will put a lot of people off it. Maybe you might even find a LHD car if you are lucky, these fetch bottom money here and can be sold on when they get there.

Before it goes change the fan belt and its pulleys together with any thing that is slightly iffy and probably buy a second spare wheel and tyre.

My oldest son cycled there a couple of years ago on his own, he did a 100 miles a day and apart from a couple of very wet days said he enjoyed it.

RPWC · 21st October 2016, 07:05

75 diesel auto, followed by Mondeo mk2/3 Skoda Octavia

coab · 21st October 2016, 07:05

The mondeo v6 as said are bullet proof just change the water pump before you set off as the plastic impeller can fall off causing the car to overheat. Its right at the top of the engine so easily enough to do.

trikey · 21st October 2016, 07:48

Reliant robin, uncomfortable as hell, slow, but you can get it anywhere with a 12v supply and some fuel.

20th October 2016, 21:36	#1
Blackrose Loves to post Rover 75 Saloon Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Stockton - On - Tees Posts: 367 Thanks: 55 Thanked 119 Times in 88 Posts	Your thoughts please OK. My mates son is doing a charity challenge next June. Basically it is like a Top Gear thing. Ten teams of four have to buy a car each for £500 that will get them to Croatia in 6 days. Not sure if or how they need to get back. I just know he is going to ask me what car to buy. So it needs to be pretty simple, there are four traveling in it, so it needs to be reasonably comfortable, they are students so good mpg would be a plus, I'm not sure what happens if it breaks down if they have to fix it themselves or any other rules at the moment. If it were you, apart from a 75, what car would you buy for £500. Blackrose

20th October 2016, 22:18	#3
Willienelson Loves to post Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Wigan Posts: 270 Thanks: 13 Thanked 15 Times in 10 Posts	75 all the way for me, but apart from that any Toyota would do. Probably won't break down in the first place! __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Judging by the frying pan that's just flown by my head, it appears I've done something wrong.

20th October 2016, 23:31	#4
clf This is my second home MG ZT CDTi Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: carrick Posts: 7,859 Thanks: 3,494 Thanked 2,657 Times in 1,973 Posts	Personally I would prefer something with minimal electronics, say a late 80s Toyota, little to go wrong, and what does could normally be fixed with a pen knife cable tie and some rope from the side of the road lol. But I did a search on Gumtree, and found a few that may be suitable (VW/Skoda TDis should be a good bet, tolerant to a bit of abuse, and can be fixed anywhere) Ready to taxi £250 Bargain him down and offer a little sponsorship? £695 Petrol Audi £270 I do like Mondeos, but after problems with my diesel XType engine, I would be nervous £450 Ready to MOT for £325 Skoda Fabia petrol Another one for £390 Obligatory Rover £375 (diesel 25) Passat Sport, vibrating on idle £400 engine mount? but swap seats from a scrapper and sell the very sought after sport ones for £2-300! £400 Saab petrol? Nice looking Avensis for £295 Plenty of 'playthings' around __________________ It is not gloss primer .............. it is duct tape silver!

21st October 2016, 05:48	#5
Mason6 Loves to post V6 Classic SE Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 355 Thanks: 472 Thanked 137 Times in 79 Posts	Out of the list above I'd go for the Avensis so if he could get one of those for sub-£500 he'd be laughing. __________________ Regards, Martyn *Rover 75 Contemporary SE CDTI in Starlight Silver which was the 49th out of 849 produced*

21st October 2016, 07:05	#8
RPWC This is my second home 75 model car Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 20,177 Thanks: 4,008 Thanked 5,083 Times in 3,114 Posts	75 diesel auto, followed by Mondeo mk2/3 Skoda Octavia __________________ Cheers. Rich…

21st October 2016, 06:23	#6
Dawn I really should get out more....... MG ZT 180+ auto Join Date: May 2016 Location: Ilkeston, Derbys Posts: 2,743 Thanks: 285 Thanked 1,128 Times in 504 Posts	I'd go for the Avensis. I have the later one, and they're super for reliability. ��

21st October 2016, 06:58	#7
SCP440 I really should get out more....... MG ZT-T 260 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Witney Posts: 2,504 Thanks: 6 Thanked 910 Times in 571 Posts	See what taxi drivers buy and get one similar. Toyota Avensis, Skoda Octavia and Mondeo's would be top of my list. The Mondeo V6 is an amazing mile muncher and once in top gear is good on fuel. Like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Monde...MAAOSwCGVX9U2f Personally I would find the lowest mileage one I could and don't worry if it has a Cat C or D on it that will put a lot of people off it. Maybe you might even find a LHD car if you are lucky, these fetch bottom money here and can be sold on when they get there. Before it goes change the fan belt and its pulleys together with any thing that is slightly iffy and probably buy a second spare wheel and tyre. My oldest son cycled there a couple of years ago on his own, he did a 100 miles a day and apart from a couple of very wet days said he enjoyed it.

21st October 2016, 07:05	#9
coab This is my second home 2007 57 GOLF GTi EDITION 30 DSG Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Newport Shropshire and Coventry. Posts: 5,138 Thanks: 2,424 Thanked 1,452 Times in 852 Posts	The mondeo v6 as said are bullet proof just change the water pump before you set off as the plastic impeller can fall off causing the car to overheat. Its right at the top of the engine so easily enough to do.

21st October 2016, 07:48	#10
trikey Premium Trader Rover 75 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 33,766 Thanks: 8,837 Thanked 14,831 Times in 8,030 Posts	Reliant robin, uncomfortable as hell, slow, but you can get it anywhere with a 12v supply and some fuel. __________________ Lest we forget..