Cheap runabout?

The MaDDeSTMaN · 20-03-2005, 09:57 AM

I'm thinking of getting myself a cheap runabout so I can drive that around while I get a whole stack of things fixed on my Mk II 2.0 Escort.

I'm after a car that doesn't cost much more then $500 & is cheap to run, I don't care what it is, as long as it gets me around and doesn't cost much in petrol each week. I don't care if it looks like crap, as long as it runs, because the car I care about is my Escort, not this runabout I'm considering getting.

Any ideas what I could get that meets that criteria?

RED_EL_XR8 · 20-03-2005, 10:00 AM

Most $500 cars are that price cos its going to cost a lot more to keep them going or get them past rego. but the occasional bargain will surface, it wont be a small economy car though, people will pay too much for those long after they are uneconomical to run.

RSgerry · 20-03-2005, 10:31 AM

hhhmmmm...i am surprised at you maddestman....i thought the choice would have been obvious.

go stand in the corner.

blue fairy · 20-03-2005, 12:42 PM

Mitsubishi Sigma.
Cheapest car we ever bought ($300) great with fuel, and drove well.
Stupid us sold it for a slab of beer. :S

rodderz · 20-03-2005, 01:48 PM

Toyota corrolla's are great reliable little cars that you could pick up for stuff all, and run pretty cheap too

Our old 72 corolla paddock bomb went for 10yrs of hard driving with the only real major issues being the clutch, a couple of welsch plugs and the throttle spring!

**Peuty** · 20-03-2005, 01:58 PM

AR Telstar, cheap to run, easy to fix, looks like shit. All your criteria filled right there.

PSI250 · 20-03-2005, 01:59 PM

i'm selling a 3.3L XD for $600 with reg til sept.
Its damn reliable!

WIKIDSTIX · 20-03-2005, 02:24 PM

yeh go the sigma

my mates old one lasted for ages ay, even a gemini.

**M&Ms** · 20-03-2005, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wikid_sticks

yeh go the sigma

my mates old one lasted for ages ay, even a gemini.

yeh get a HOLDEN Gemini :SaiyanSmi

LuvinmyEB · 20-03-2005, 03:39 PM

I'll swap ya the EB + $500- for your Blue Mk II

:

lv619 · 20-03-2005, 04:15 PM

Get a gemini, they are **** cheap to run and easy to maintain yourself etc... you could easily pick one up for ~$500.

Mike Gayner · 20-03-2005, 05:05 PM

Get another Escort. Dunno about Aus but in NZ MKII Eskies can be had for well under $500 and will go forever.

rag top · 20-03-2005, 05:08 PM

Have a look at early mazda 323/ford laser...

Don't rule out ebay either!

MotherNatureVer2 · 20-03-2005, 05:33 PM

Im sure the boy will let you have the Civic for less than you wanted to pay .......

Only needs a UV joint & a little bit of stuff for rego ;)

PM if you want ...... & yes Im serious :P

LuvinmyEB · 20-03-2005, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Gayner

Get another Escort. Dunno about Aus but in NZ MKII Eskies can be had for well under $500 and will go forever.

Might have to come over to NZ and ship a few back over here if you can pick them up that cheap over there. An Escort for $500- over here are as rare as hens teeth, let alone one that's still got reg.

BlueRaven · 20-03-2005, 06:00 PM

Get an old toyota corolla...they last forever

**ebxr8240** · 20-03-2005, 09:39 PM

Agree with above..You get good car with something like the Sigma's as that size isn't popular as Corrola's Laser's etc...
The old Toyota Corona is reliable if theres NO rust in it, don't worry about timing chain noise...

Steffo · 20-03-2005, 09:47 PM

I'm guessing... but you're in VIC right?

Well, if you are... here's a couple...

1985 Toyota Corona ST141 CS, 2.0 4cyl Auto 4spd, 209,119km, July 2005 rego, Thomastown VIC $350 - Click Here

1988 Mitsubishi Magna TN GLX, 2.6 4cyl Auto 4spd, 304,000km, October 2005 rego, Ferntree Gully VIC $500 - Click Here

Can't find much more, but I've only been looking at $500 or less with active rego. IMO that Corona looks OK.

smciner1 · 20-03-2005, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue fairy

Mitsubishi Sigma.
Cheapest car we ever bought ($300) great with fuel, and drove well.
Stupid us sold it for a slab of beer. :S

They probably gave you a Slab of XXXX too!

:ticking:

blue fairy · 20-03-2005, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smciner1

They probably gave you a Slab of XXXX too!

:ticking:

OI!!!!
It was VB!

:

smciner1 · 20-03-2005, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue fairy

OI!!!!
It was VB!

:

Thank God for that! If it was XXXX, you would have been ripped off!

:monkes:

:

needturbo6 · 20-03-2005, 10:57 PM

yeh i reckon a gemini or an old corrolla too, not square type, and i have heard about sigmas being bad with heads.
or get a datto 120y, 180b 200b etc. plenty of em and really cheap. i think some are pretty reliable too

The MaDDeSTMaN · 21-03-2005, 12:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RSgerry

hhhmmmm...i am surprised at you maddestman....i thought the choice would have been obvious.

go stand in the corner.

LOL! Yes, obviously I would prefer to get another Mk II Escort, but I think the chances of getting one that I could run about in for the next year or two, that I won't have any problem getting transferred over (RWC), for around the $500 mark are slim. Having said that, if I found one that was available with reg and RWC for around that price range, I would grab it without a second thought.

But to be honest, I thought it was a good idea to ask and see if anyone had any better suggestions, after all there are probably more reliable cars, and I'm thinking of getting one I don't have to give a rats ar$e about, and if I got another Escort, I know I wouldn't be happy to neglect it while I work on the one I have now.

If I buy a car with rego here in Victoria (land of the speed camera), it needs to come with a RWC, or otherwise they can sell it to me without rego (and therefore no number plates) and I have to get my own RWC and get it re-registered, is that right?

Some good suggestions, thank you to everyone for your ideas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by blue fairy

Mitsubishi Sigma

Possibly...

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodderz

Toyota corolla's

Probably not a bad choice for me, considering my size (those of you who have met me will probably know what I mean, I'm not exactly a big guy), and they do have a good reputation for being reliable...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peuty

AR Telstar

At least it has Ford badges on it, even if we all know that it's not really a Ford, lol. Aren't they worth more then $500?

Quote:

Originally Posted by PSI250

3.3L XD

Sounds interesting, can you give me more info (via PM if you'd prefer)?

Quote:

Originally Posted by '67

early mazda 323/ford laser

Could be worth looking at...

Quote:

Originally Posted by MotherNature

Civic

Again, sounds interesting, however distance (me being in Melbourne) could be a bit of an issue...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ebxr8240

Toyota Corona

My mum used to have a 1978 Corona, and my brother used to have one (his was a '76), so I know just how reliable they are, and if they're manual they actually have a bit of go...

Quote:

Originally Posted by needturbo6

datto 120y, 180b 200b

While that would no doubt amuse some people, it's not a bad idea, after all, they are worth bugger all, cost nothing to run, can be reliable (from what I've heard, and that's if you're lucky) and I'm not likely to rack up a mountain of speeding fines in one...

And special thanks must go to Steffo for finding those two cars which met the criteria, yeah you're right, I'm in Melbourne, and yes, out of those two the Corona looks like it would be the better choice to me too.

Lots of possible options, thanks for the ideas.

The other thing is, I have to work out if it's worth getting a runabout while I fix the Escort, or if I'd be better off just spending that money on the Escort, considering the things I need to fix: headlights, leaking water pump (which is leaking due to a threaded bolt hole where one of the bolts holds the water pump to the block), new tyres, some rust in the C pillar, clutch cable rubbing against the steering collumn (and therefore needing replacement), engine having an as-yet-to-be-diagnosed misfiring problem, body needing a complete re-spray (thanks to the dickheads who attacked it), window wipers needing repairs (don't go down far enough), slight repairs to drivers seat (bare metal from seat frame showing), new windscreen (due to scratches that can't be repaired in the current one) and glass in the passenger side front door (don't ask).

Just looking at that list makes me think it could easily take more then $500 to get everything done on the Escort (even if I ignore the obvious cosmetic stuff and only concentrate on the things that need to be done), and if I've got something else to drive around in...

rag top · 21-03-2005, 02:28 PM

Why not sell both your eskys and buy an RS already done???

kiwikid · 21-03-2005, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LuvinmyEB

Might have to come over to NZ and ship a few back over here if you can pick them up that cheap over there. An Escort for $500- over here are as rare as hens teeth, let alone one that's still got reg.

you must be joking. escorts are cheap as chips, i brought my ghia for $400 running ready for roadworthy with minor head work, and a RS2000 for $300 partially stripped(ready for rally spec rebuild), reco motor, spare wheels, spare motor, heaps of other spare parts and a few spare panels...

anyway

why not a XD-XE should be able to pick one up for $500 with a few monthes rego..

.

kiwikid · 21-03-2005, 02:47 PM

i have a hatch back laser(not sure what year or model) with new tires & clutch that i might sell for around 500 but with no rego, shouldnt need anything for RWC....

LuvinmyEB · 21-03-2005, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kiwikid

you must be joking. escorts are cheap as chips, i brought my ghia for $400 running ready for roadworthy with minor head work, and a RS2000 for $300 partially stripped(ready for rally spec rebuild), reco motor, spare wheels, spare motor, heaps of other spare parts and a few spare panels...

anyway

why not a XD-XE should be able to pick one up for $500 with a few monthes rego..

.

Where do you live in Australia? Because if you can get them that cheaply, and in good condition I'll send The Maddestman around to buy one and then he can spend as much time as he wants fixing up his Mk II into a show car!!!

The MaDDeSTMaN · 21-03-2005, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '67

Why not sell both your eskys and buy an RS already done???

Because I've only got the one now, the 4 door Mk II 2.0, the 2 door Mk II 1.6 belongs to LuvinmyEB, and I doubt I'd get much for the 4 door in the condition it's in.

Besides, this may seem weird, but I'd prefer to not have a RS2000, a more common escort is more my style, besides an RS2000 is worth a fair bit more if it's still in good condition.

Deanodriver · 21-03-2005, 03:30 PM

How about a Nissan Bluebird (or early Pintara)? You should be able to find a decent example on your money, and they should be able to run ULP/PULP with minimal fuss (may need to be de-tuned, but I think they've got hardened valve seats).

I'd say that you should have no trouble finding something, a clean early-mid 80's Japanese car would, IMO, be perfect. Or perhaps an LPG XD-XF?

The MaDDeSTMaN · 21-03-2005, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deanodriver

How about a Nissan Bluebird (or early Pintara)? You should be able to find a decent example on your money, and they should be able to run ULP/PULP with minimal fuss (may need to be de-tuned, but I think they've got hardened valve seats).

I'd say that you should have no trouble finding something, a clean early-mid 80's Japanese car would, IMO, be perfect. Or perhaps an LPG XD-XF?

Good ideas, thanks!