pudders

Bought an old escort turbo diesel for commuting to work but now i'm getting bored with it. Dont get me wrong its cheap and great on fuel about £30 to 400 miles driving like im always late. But I miss the scooby as can only really drive it at weekends due to cost of fuel really. The escort is in great nick. Its a ghia saloon in silver N reg with 95k on the clock with FSH. Its got 5 spoke reconditioned escort gti alloys on it with a great body and interior.

First question is how much could I get for it.
Second is I fancy either a Mini One or a older Lotus Elise but are they any good on fuel. I want at least 35 mpg really I would like 40 really. If not any other suggestions for a good looking car with some performance, nice looking, great on fuel and relativley cheap to run. I know its a tall order but hey I thought id ask. I only want to go to 10k absolute max.

FletchCSL

106 GTi? sure you could get one for under 10k, if they still make it that is. MX5?

fatherpierre

You'll be lucky to get a grand for your current car - £700 is more realistic, unless you do a dealer trade-in (so you still lose!)

Why not go for another, but decent performing TD? Your escort has a virtual tractor engine it but the modern oil burner will feel like an F1 motor and still give the MPG you are looking for.

pudders

Never been too keen on the MX5 looks a bit too soft. 106 GTI would be fun but a bit too juicy. Would be keen on a Golf TDI. Does anyone know what the statistics of my current escort are ( 0- 60 top speed miles per gallon) compared to say a Golf TDI or a Mini One.

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Great minds think a like.
I'm in the same boat. Have a 205 1.8 Turbo diesel. Same as you put about £30 in and get around 400 miles to a tank , but find it's a bit boring for the trip into work . Got a 03STI with PPP in the garage for weekends due to cost of running it every day, and also where I work we have hardly any parking. 3 months ago some plonker reveresed into it whilst parked properly causing a £80 respray bill, luckily someone witneseed it and I got the bloke to pay up front.
I too have been looking out for something a bit more fun to drive, and currently looking into part-exing for either a 1.6 or 1.9 205 GTi as I believe these are not too bad on fuel, and keeping with the rally heriatge handle well round corners.
Good luck with your search.

mattvortex

is it not false economy to buy another car,tax,insure,mot it as well as repairs just to save a few quid on petrol and maybe an extra service a year? surely youd have to be covering huge mileages to justify costs of running a second car?

jpor

iTrader: (1)

Currently doing 40 Miles round trip to work a day (Not counting social trips out). Works out at 200+ Miles a week. The STI just manages 200Miles on a full tank of optimax @ £36 - £40 a tank. Also experienced first hand tyre prices on the STI due to a Un-repairable puncture on the rear quarter. Being 4 wheel drive ended up buying 2 x £144 Bridgestone potenzas to keep the car properly balanced. The fronts need replacing soon so another £144 or there abouts if keeping on potenzas.

205 TD:
I bought the 205 TD for £500 with 12 months MOT and 12 Months Road Tax (SO I have 12 months free motoring). 4 x new Tyres at most are £20 each but the car I bought has 4 new tyres already on it. £29 - £30 to fill up with diesel and double the mileage. Okay it's 6000 mile servicing but I can do that myself for pennies.
But find the 205 TD not a responsive car, especially as it does not have a turbo intercooler and the steering is not very responsive. Also as mentioned in my posting earlier, have the issue with parking at work and it hasn't been the first time I have had a car left at work and been damaged. Last time was on a MY00 UK Turbo, ended up with a nice dent on the rear corner with no-one owning up to it. With the 205 I can leave it at work without worrying what is going to happen to it. The world we live in I suppose.
So there is method to the madness

pudders

Bit similar to me have a 99 uk turbo in great nic. Been serviced every six months by main dealer since brand new even all underbody services are done. Was doing about 200 miles a week to work when my job changed. I am now doing about 450 miles a week so could either spend about £80 a week in fuel for the scooby plus new eagle f1s every year plus rack the mileage up fast or as I did by an escort for £800. In one year I would save £2300 on fuel minus tax £170 minus insurance £550 - servicing say £400 minus the odd tyre and the cost of the car etc and I break even within a year with my scooby in good nick. In the second year I could save a grand as the car does not ow me anything. The only drawer back is that I'm a bit of a perfectionist with my cars and have already had the bumpers resprayed and the wheels reconditioned but in the long term it will save money but no fun to drive. I dont want to leave my scooby outside my new work either as it would get trashed.

fatherpierre

£550 on a TD escort

I pay half that for a 4.2 litre V8 Merc.......

pudders

Thats because all my 7 years no claims are on the scooby. I had to take out a new policy on the escort and Fully comp I dont think £550 is bad with 0 no claims considering im 24 years old.

jpor

iTrader: (1)

I too had no choice. Had to take out a second insurance policy with 0 no claims. The pug is Group 8 but still managed to get it insured on Third Party fire and theft for £350. Asked L&V about sticking it on with my scooby insurance which I have over 10 Years No Claims and fully comp, but was abrutply told that I could have done that last year but not this year In the end took out a policy with Admiral as they came out the cheapest, after searching on confused.com

leonpoole

Lotus elise is fairly good on fuel as they are only 1.8 engines and they weigh virtually nothing

taffyboyo

most insurance companies will you offer you full no claims on a second policy, did you ask the company you were allready with?

taffy

bmw 330i £598 fully comp full no claims discount
renault 5 gtl £120 fully comp full no claims discount

both with the same insurance company but 2 different policy's

pudders

Yeah im insured with egg. I asked them and they said no could not do me a ggod deal. Got insured with HIC in the end.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

I pay 344 quid fully comp on my 96 306 2ltr 8v sedan, ok not the best looking car out there but its got some poke and corners well plus its top of the range as the sedan went so even got the plastic walnut dash
Still does 35mpg, can even make 40+ if i take it really easy, so not too bad

Tony

pudders

35 - 40 sounds good. Has anyone got any ideas of what petrol cars can do 40 mpg that are fun to drive?