It was one of those I-bet-I-can/I-bet-you-can’t sessions.
I contended that, even in inflationary times, you can buy a clean used car for under £1,000 with a reasonable chance that it will last a year without major expense – maybe much longer. Even if you throw it away after a year, it will have cost you significantly less than depreciation on a more expensive car. I reckoned you could find one online within minutes.
She argued that it wasn’t worth the risk. You end up with a grubby old banger on its last legs, depressing to behold, squalid and smelly to be in, with undisclosed horrors beneath the skin, likely to leave you stranded in the fast lane of the M6 on a wet Monday night. If old cars were so reliable, why would fleet-buyers buy new every two or three years?
So I set about finding some.
Having spent my car-buying youth at the bottom end of the market, I learned early on that if you want cheap wheels, you shouldn’t be fussy about make. Look at anything; judge on condition. In particular, look at popular mass-market models too old to be fashionable; too young to be collectable.
Cars belonging to retired couples tend to have been little used and well looked-after. That said, a high-miler with full service history (fsh) may be a better buy than a neglected low-miler. Look at trade and private sellers alike. The advantage of the former is that consumer law gives you right of return or repair in the event of a serious fault either present or developing at the time of sale. The advantage of the latter is that prices are usually more negotiable.
Look closely at the wording of adverts, appreciating that phrases such as ‘only two previous owners’ means three owners – not two. I am put off by badly-written adverts, suspecting – rightly or wrongly – that if the seller is careless or ignorant about what he says, he’s probably careless or ignorant about what he’s selling.
Check the MOT history on the DVLA website, which will help verify mileage and indicate how well a car has been maintained. Prioritise cars with service history and, when viewing, make sure you read it. Minor bodywork marks or dents are acceptable, as long as there’s no rust, but walk away from scruffy interiors. They’re not nice to be in, are harder to sell on and suggest a slack attitude to maintenance.
Ten minutes on the AutoTrader website yielded a dealer-supplied, two-owner 2001 Ford Mondeo with 55,000 miles, long MOT and fsh, including 15 service bills and a cambelt change at 47,000 miles. It was red with small marks on the body and bumpers and some lacquer peel, but the interior looked smart and it had been serviced by the same garage for 15 years. Should be a safe buy at £899.
A private seller wanted £995 for his maroon three-owner 2004 Honda Accord: 106,000 miles, automatic with cruise control, documented fsh, MOT until 2024 and recent service, including new brake discs and pads. It looked clean and no doubt the price could come down a bit. What did you pay for the last service on your five-year-old?
Next was a good-looking 2004 ULEZ-compliant Fiat Panda at £999 with service history, 103,000 miles, a full set of tools and a tear in the side cloth of the driver’s seat. Use that to bring the price down.
Of course, as my interlocutor pointed out, I’d need to buy and run one for a year to prove my point. But they’re worth a punt – any of them.
