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Thread: Car just to get from A to B

  1. #1
    Fluidic Kimbo's Avatar
    Fluidic Kimbo is offline Morale Officer (de facto)
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    Question Car just to get from A to B


    I drive an 18-year-old car. It's got a 1.3 litre petrol engine and 5 gears. It gets me to and from work 5 days a week (50 miles each way, so that's 500 miles per week). The engine has never cut out on me, and it's burning little to no oil. There's 102,000 miles on the clock (there are only 6 digits on the counter so it was pretty cool watching it go from 99999 to 00000).

    I might be receiving a large amount of money soon, and so I think for anyone who receives a lump sum like that, there is the temptation to splash out on a new car. I would never buy a brand new car though... I'd always go for one that's a year or two old.

    Second-hand cars are like girlfriends. They can be pristine and immaculate and perfect when you get them, and then in the first month you find out 3 or 4 of its dirty little secrets (e.g. rattle in the timing chain).

    I've done about 20,000 miles in my current car already since I bought it about a year ago, and so I know all the surprises already.

    Anyway... instead of buying a fancy new car, I'm thinking I'll put exactly £1,000 (that's about $1,313) into my 18yr old car, as follows:
    (1) The usual wearing parts: break pads, spark plugs, filters, oil
    (2) New clutch (it's starting to slip quite badly)
    (3) New heater valve (the cabin has no heat)
    (4) Take it to a body shop, and give them two instructions: (a) Plug all the leaks, (b) Make it look like a brand new car
    (5) Depending on the price I can get them for - new wheel rims
    (6) Give the interior a good going over with a hoover and a damp cloth

    I know that I won't be increasing the resale value of my car by doing any of this, it's 18yr old and I'm unlikely to ever get a grand for it, so this spending is all just for myself while I have and enjoy the car.

    And even if I do buy a fancy expensive car in the future, it's always good to have a spare

  2. #2
    bomb_r2's Avatar
    bomb_r2 is offline Associate Member
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    If your doors or quarter panels have rust I would suggest going to a junk yard looking for unrusted doors or quarter panels . If its a diff color u can pay a few hundred for a paint job or leave them be. I'd also suggest maybe a new battery wipers also and spending $100 on yourself. Get some new clothes and maybe go to the butcher and stock up on beef chicken and different things.

    Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J727AZ using Tapatalk

  3. #3
    Fluidic Kimbo's Avatar
    Fluidic Kimbo is offline Morale Officer (de facto)
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    Quote Originally Posted by bomb_r2 View Post
    I'd also suggest maybe a new battery

    My car starts within a second of turning the key. Every time. Well except of course for the time I left the lights on and had to roll it down the hill... but even that time I didn't bother turning the key, I knew the battery was flat so I just rolled it to 10mph and let out the clutch.
    bomb_r2 likes this.

  4. #4
    Octaneforce's Avatar
    Octaneforce is offline Senior Member
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    Lets see some pics of this beast!! I have the same theory. I refuse to have an expensive car. My car has no payments, insurance is dirt cheap, and i really dont ever worry about it. Its a 2005 nissan xterra 6 speed with 230k miles and i wring its neck on the way to every destination.

  5. #5
    Obs's Avatar
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    You just need it to get off the nearest cliff with you in it.
    Park at the top of the hill let it coast if you must.
    Cuz likes this.

  6. #6
    Proximal is offline Banned
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    I dig a fast car. I’m in it so much, I like the power.

  7. #7
    Cuz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Obs View Post
    You just need it to get off the nearest cliff with you in it.
    Park at the top of the hill let it coast if you must.
    Best post so far
    Obs likes this.

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