Need a cheap car quickly for a couple of weeks!

[kbhogalW126]

Folks, circumstances mean that i need a cheap, reliable saloon to use until the end of the month.

i want to spend about £500 on it as my new car will arrive after i get back from holiday in september.

i only need to run it until september 2nd and then im away until the 18th.

does anyone know anyone or even have something themselves that will serve me for 2 weeks?

please help.

i need something asap!

Thanks in advance,

KJ.

p.s. im in sheffield so something local(ish) would be appreciated!

 

[Swiss Toni]

I used to work for a dealer where we would hire at very pref rates to customers awaiting new cars, so...

Why not ask your dealer what they will lend you for 2 weeks for £500? or alternatively, ask what they are sending to auction that they will knock down to you for the same price?

They have an interest in keeping you happy, and might just pull a used car off the forecourt....

Cheers

 

[glojo]

They have an interest in keeping you happy, and might just pull a used car off the forecourt....

Beat me to it, especially if they think it might be a deal buster!! Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

Good luck with your search,
John

 

[Satch]

Hire one. It is just less hassle all round and would be very surprised if you could not get something for a damn sight less than £500 and not have the pain of finding, buying, insuring, taxing & getting rid of.

Local garages sometimes have well used cars for hire at reasonable rates. Outfit near me hires out some old but very sound Honda Accords for £100-ish per week.

Mainstream hire stuff bung your details in here:

http://www.carhiresearch.co.uk/

 

[Shude]

I'm hoping a member with a spare car will lend him something

 

[Dave Lewis]

If you buy an old Polo out of the local paper for £300, you'll get your money back in september. I bought one for £250 a couple of years ago to last me a couple of weeks, ran it for 2 years, and got £300 for it, with just a free ad in the local Trade-it. No hassle at all. It looked like hell, all faded red paint and dings, but ran like a sewing machine. Sold it to someone who only needed it for a couple of weeks.......

 

[kbhogalW126]

thanks for the advice folks.

I managed to get a 1.6 picasso for £10 a day plus VAT.

Mnumum rental period is 28 days so £329 in total and my cousin can use it for two weeks while im on holiday!

Not bad for a month and i get my '56 plate saab in september.

 

[BarryS]

When I wanted a new £40k BMW last year and the delivery time was something like 12-weeks I asked the dealer if they could provide something at a low cost rental until delivery and they told me to get lost! So bought an ex-demo CLK, and really pleased with it!!

So not every dealer is interested in providing a loaner even to win a reasonable cost order. Don't know if the Mrec dealers would or not.

 

[Carrotchomper]

I think every type of business these days is frequently infected with the "Computer says no" bug, and simply can't fathom that bending the rules every so often creates loyal happy customers!

IT ain't rocket science...

 

[BimMerc]

When I wanted a new £40k BMW last year and the delivery time was something like 12-weeks I asked the dealer if they could provide something at a low cost rental until delivery and they told me to get lost! So bought an ex-demo CLK, and really pleased with it!!

So not every dealer is interested in providing a loaner even to win a reasonable cost order. Don't know if the Mrec dealers would or not.

12 weeks is a long time though

 

[GazCaff]

Just buy anything with an MOT as long as the test drive feels okay. £500 will buy a surprising amount of car in this day and age.

 

[Carrotchomper]

I saw a W reg Ford Explorer, 4.0 auto, go for just over a grand at auction a couple of months ago!

I was almost tempted to make a purchase just for the hell of it...

 

[Satch]

I saw a W reg Ford Explorer, 4.0 auto, go for just over a grand at auction a couple of months ago!

There is a reason why they are so cheap. Avoid all Exploders of that vintage.

They rust in vital places on the chassis and are prone to common engine & steering problems. Still an issue if all the rollovers were really was all down to bad tyres (as claimed by Ford) or if the nasty steering system/high centre of gravity helped out as well (per Firestone).

Whatver the truth over 250 deaths and more than 800 injuries in the US due to Exploders losing steering control/tyre failures.

 

[219]

You can pick up sound 190E's for buttons these days . My local 'Arfur Daley' has quite a nice one just now going for £595 and I'm sure there are lots all over the country .

Buy one for that money and , chances are , you'll hang on to it as a spare car , or else decide it's nice enough to run around in and put your 20 , 30 or 40 grand back in your pocket .

 

[kbhogalW126]

we had a e220 cdi avantgarde as a courtesy car for a week while the saab was being repaired and Mrs B has her heart set on one now so i will most likely be given the task of sourcing one for her when we get back.

I found the 220 diesel very uneconomical though.

i was only getting roughly 32mpg out of it whereas i get 48mpg out of the saab for the same journey.

maybe the 270 cdi is more economical?

 

[dchaddah]

the E class is a heavy car so a 220 engine will suffer. I have a 220 C Class and easily acheive 36MPG driving in the City with a lot of start stop driving. On the Motorway its nearer 45MPG, with some enthusiastic driving!