Second car (non-Morris) any ideas please?

[JimK]

Company car tax: The taxable value of the car is a percentage of the list price, varied according to the CO2 emissions. Lowest is 18%.

Example:

Toyota Corolla, 3dr 1.4 VVT-i T2 3-dr Manual.
List price for calculation purposes (P11D price) =£11,732
Emissions of 159 grams of CO2 per kilometer gives 18% tax.

So (%18 of £11,732 = £2,112) is added to your salary for tax calculations.

You pay £465 tax on that (or £845 if you're a %40 tax payer).

You may find this site useful.

As for the car, may I suggest a 1996 P-reg Ford Fiesta? Reliable, just a couple of body rust spots and very cheap parts? £400

[Packedup]

Get a 100 quid banger. When it breaks, weigh it in for 40 quid, get another 100 quid banger. Repeat. By my reckoning you'll get 7 cars that way, which if you get undesireable but solid ones should last you 4 or 5 years at least in total

[d_harris]

Thats gone down a bit Jim! Can you hold it for me till the summer (when I actually have some money!)

[JimK]

I put it up at £800 or offers, just to see if somebody bit. Nobody bit...

I think most people saw the £800 and the mileage and didn't think to offer anything less. Why, I have no idea.

I just want to get rid of it, so any money is a bonus. Sorry, I can't really wait as I want it off the drive. However, we may be able to come to an arrangement...

[Furrtiv]

Packedup, was going to do that, but getting £100 old bangers is proving an interesting chase - not many even driveable, let alone roadworthy, that I've seen.
Going to see a Peugot (hopefully) this weekend.

[d_harris]

A bit offbeat, but you could always try your local freecycle group (check freecycle.org) you occaisionally get MOT'd cars on there. If you ask, who knows?

[Furrtiv]

Thanks, will have a look - though I can't imagine why anyone would want to give away a fully MOT'd car?!

[jtd.75]

I tried to give away a BT Maestro van a couple of years ago, 10 months MOT, 7 months road tax 3/4 tank of petrol, bodywork in very good nick 2 new tyres and 3 very reasonable and the engine ran like an electric sowing machine. At first I tried to sell it and had no joy, then I offered it to some youngsters one of which said he would rather walk than be seen in it, and in the end I had to pay a scrap firm to take it away. At the time I had 7 vehicles and the head ferret kept complaing that it was them or her that would go I was strongly tempted and now I only have 3, 2 morris's and a 206 peugot and my wife has a L reg Ford Escort (Ghia) with only 26,000 mile on the clock

[Furrtiv]

Damn, if I'd known then, I'd have taken it! I'd never turn down a freebie like that, I care nothing for looks or street cred!

[Furrtiv]

Damn, if I'd known then, I'd have taken it! I'd never turn down a freebie like that, I care nothing for looks or street cred!
Hm, bit worried about this Peugot I'm going to see, I've checked a couple of comparison websites and the cheapest insurance I might be able to get is over £300 - bit more than I'd like to pay.
Is there a list anywhere of what models are in which insurance group? Just so I've a better idea of what to look for.

[hubcap]

Surely if you want a reliable second car then another Minor is the answer. They don't really take any getting used to, are cheap to insure, economical to run, and easy to service. What's more you need only one set of spares / tools to fit both cars, and they don't really depreciate either. From what I've seen in my short time here you should be able to pick up a good saloon for £500.

[paulhumphries]

Is there a list anywhere of what models are in which insurance group? Just so I've a better idea of what to look for.

Try here -
http://www.abi.org.uk/carinsurance/

Paul Humphries

[Kevin]

From what I've seen in my short time here you should be able to pick up a good saloon for £500.

Not around here you wont, its often a struggle to find one worth having for £1,000 that wont need a lot of long term work maybe you are just lucky in your area.

[Furrtiv]

That's true around here in my part of England, too. Really, I am just after a cheap banger that I won't mind leaving parked on the orad at night, won't worry about if some idiot in the supermarket car park dings it a little, and won't cost the earth in insurance. A Minor would be a car I'd be very concerned about getting damaged!

[JimK]

I told you, a 1996 Mk4 Fiesta is the one you want. Specifically, the one on my drive...

Seriously, do you have any local auction houses? It's the place where dealers shift all part-ex cars it's not worth selling for themselves.

[Packedup]

I paid less than 100 for my current banger, and it's even got classic insurance on it! It does need work, but has managed to hold together so far without me actually getting round to it. OK, it had next to no tax or test when I bought it, but flew through the MOT with not even an advisory, and if I don't manage to kill it it might even scrape through another.

Something like a Maestro (beware of rot, otherwise reliable IMO), Rover 200 mk1 (my current banger) etc should cost well under 500 in good condition. To me, a £500 car is just a £200 car that's been hoopvered and polished. Once they're in the low to mid hundreds they're all pretty much of a muchness, no point spending all that much on what's going to be a slightly tatty and most likely tired old car.

[Furrtiv]

Thanks for the advice folks - I am now the owner of a 1989 Peugeot 205 (specail thanks to Onne for his help too).

[Onne]

I hope it serves you well

[Furrtiv]

It should do once I can find some insurance

[Onne]

yes, that is a pain. I didn't calculate the one incident though