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Jun 16, 2020 17:57:54 GMT
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I was going through some photos the other day of the 2006 trip to Japan to find some stuff to share on Instagram and I was giving some thought to the fact that the guys we met up with were a group for "unloved" classics in Japan. So not your Skylines and such more of the regular domestic models that people were not particularly interested in. The mainstay of that scene was the 330 Cedric (in 4 door pillarless hardtop form), at the time we could easily have had them imported here for around £2k in good condition, less if we wanted a project. Now those cars are £15k+ So it got me thinking about the ages at the time, so 330 Cedric was 1975-1979, in 2006 that would have been a 30-ish year old car. A bunch of these guys had had these cars for a while as they picked them up when they were super dirt cheap. Now we all have stories of "remember when you could buy a split screen camper for £50 because no one wanted them". Right now those mid to late 90s and early 2000 cars seem to be those cars. So what mundane (and not so mundane) bargains are out there? What can you pick up for £500 or a grand? Or what is criminally undervalued and will no doubt go through the roof? Let's start with something that isn't the Rallye, but would make for a fun first older car www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-106/254624006096Says future classic on the advert, so it must be www.ebay.co.uk/itm/astra-ls-estate-1996-petrol-future-classic/274396926584You literally can't give these away (I've tried with mine ... if anyone wants it) www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Impreza-AWD-TS-1-6-Wagon-Estate-Bogeye-2001-51/193484680094Definite future classic, grab em whilst they are cheap www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Citroen-Saxo-VTR/313115626899Audi saloons never seem to break in to big money, but they sure can be cool with some breathing on www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Audi-80-saloon/1436291695532 litre twin spark in a fun convertible package... www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Alfa-Romeo-916-GTV-Spider-2-0-T-Spark-Convertible/233620035710Low mileage cult classic www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-seicento-1-1-sx-genuine-28000-miles/313097880518Another in the saloons with potential list www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Opel-Omega-full-service-history-12-not-many-left-on-the-road/303504176548Finally a pair of Mercs that are both in Coventry, which is probably quite fitting www.ebay.co.uk/itm/99T-MERCEDES-BENZ-C180-AUTO-ELEGANCE-LOW-74K-FULL-HISTORY-15-STAMPS-PX-SWAPS/153958565878www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2000-MERCEDES-BENZ-S320-3-2TD-CDI-AUTO-LONG-MOT-SUPER-LOW-103K-SAT-NAV-PX-SWAPS/164106782301I'm sure there are better places than ebay to find cheap cars, but it does seem to have some to consider So... bargains or future classics
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Last Edit: Jun 16, 2020 17:58:13 GMT by HoTWire
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Jun 16, 2020 18:15:32 GMT
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They're all pretty good shouts, though the S Class is a money pit. I'd suggest: MK1 Twingo K11 Micra Peugeot 406 and 407 Coupe Golf MK 3.5 cabriolet I oddly see the Berlingo Multispace being trendy. Toyota Celica This hideous creature Subaru Forester MK1 MK1 Focus MK1 TT All flavours of MX5, especially the earlier models. Peugeot 206. I know, hateful things. But they were a lot of people's first cars, trendy and popular at the time, came in many shapes and have disappeared quicker than Britain's world reputation. Pretty much anything with a Rover or MG badge. Nissan Cube - Interesting, cool and an absolute sales disaster. Citroen Xsara Picasso and Renault Scenic - Once popular MPVs, which a lot of families owned, now a relic of a forgotten automotive genre. The scrappage scheme killed a lot of Scenics, dieselgate is taking the Picassos with them. I personally drove a Picasso with just shy of half a million miles on the clock last summer, and I can vouch for what a surprisingly good piece of machinery it was. Volvos ended up cool, this could be a surprising next big thing on the classic scene.
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Project - 1990 Trabant 601 Daily - 2006 Saab 93
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skinnylew
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 5,546
Club RR Member Number: 11
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Jun 16, 2020 18:25:49 GMT
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I'll throw a couple of 'soon to be sort after but at the bottom of their price curve' cars:
Peugeot 206 GTi
Ford Fiesta mk4 - rare see any of these anymore
Peugeot 406/Ford Mondeo mk2
Ford Galaxy/VW Sharan/SEAT Alhambra mk1
Renault Megane Coupe mk1/2
Seat Toledo mk2
VW Bora
Skoda Fabia mk1
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Jun 16, 2020 18:26:34 GMT
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I'm definitely with you on the coupé; handsome car, costs peanuts to buy and the V6 is very quick. A major determinant in the long term will be if a new scrappage scheme is rolled out to stimulate car sales. Tens of thousands of decent older cars will go to the crusher and their counterparts' scarcity & value will increase.
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adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,866
Club RR Member Number: 58
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Jun 16, 2020 18:55:07 GMT
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Faebook Marketplace is an excellent place to find cheap cars these days I find. This V6, manual, Mondeo popped up today www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/3412442005507663/Looks clean for £750, plenty of potential. I too was thinking of the 406 Coupe, a great looking car. £900 for this automatic V6 example www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/275620060238784/I think coupes would be a good thing to look out for, the 90s was almost the decade of the coupe and now that they're a bit out of fashion, and many were overlooked for being front wheel drive and not overly dynamic, there should be some bargains to be had. The Puma often gets mentioned as a future classic, but what about the Cougar? £995, again an automatic V6 www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/301910960977687/A bit later (as the styling of the earlier versions can be challenging...) but the Hyundai Coupe sold in droves and as such are extremely cheap now, quality may not be as good as others and some may look down on the brand but could still have potential? £600 for this particular one, V6 again, doesn't actually mention what gearbox www.facebook.com/marketplace/item/2612210469036984
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Last Edit: Jun 16, 2020 18:57:24 GMT by adam73bgt
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ckerr
Part of things
Posts: 257
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Jun 16, 2020 21:25:01 GMT
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Similar note to the 106, Renault Clio, Mk2 Ph1 can be had for next to nothing. First released in 1998 I believe.
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I'm not sure about classic (though that's a hard term to take to when they don't seem like old cars because you owned one at the time) but I had a 1.7TD just like that, only pre-facelift. Brilliant car, huge load capacity, wide tailgate opening, nice to drive, economical and utterly reliable. Still a great choice if you need/want an estate car.
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Jun 17, 2020 10:14:09 GMT
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Jun 17, 2020 10:29:16 GMT
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I'm not sure about classic (though that's a hard term to take to when they don't seem like old cars because you owned one at the time) but I had a 1.7TD just like that, only pre-facelift. Brilliant car, huge load capacity, wide tailgate opening, nice to drive, economical and utterly reliable. Still a great choice if you need/want an estate car. Interesting "fact", very popular at the time with RC glider pilots, longest load area for the size of car by a long way!
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Jun 17, 2020 10:37:24 GMT
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Another vote for the 406. Never had one myself, but three of my mates had one each. All of them 2.2HDi ones which they remapped and they make for surprisingly quick cars, both in terms of outright acceleration and handling. All while having a nicer interior and better ride than any other big coupe of the era. Wonderful places to be. Another one that's at rock bottom at the moment is the RX8. Fantastic cars. If you spend a while looking for a good one you can get a 231 for peanuts. It's worth going for the older ones if possible as later ones get stung with £50/month tax!
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,839
Club RR Member Number: 174
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Jun 17, 2020 11:40:59 GMT
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My favourite. I really ought to buy one while they're cheap.
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Jun 17, 2020 12:11:24 GMT
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Just my two pence:
Vauxhall Zafira A - GSI and some of the basic ones (I may be bias)
This was the first proper 7 seat mini mpv, basic travel for a lot of families over the years subsequently they've been scrapped, dumped and fallen into the hands of people who don't care.
Another one for the 106/Saxo all variants
Ford Fiesta MKIV - only because all Ford's end up with the Scene Tax on them
Ford KA - very much like the 90's/Millennial version of the Original Mini - can be picked up for next to nothing, shame they rot like the original Mini as well.
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Sometimes it's fun to do the impossible
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Jun 17, 2020 12:13:56 GMT
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Another one that's at rock bottom at the moment is the RX8. Fantastic cars. If you spend a while looking for a good one you can get a 231 for peanuts. It's worth going for the older ones if possible as later ones get stung with £50/month tax! Either buy a blown engine £500 one or one with a warrantied rebuild already done. Really nice to drive (I had a 190 in between my first and second MR2s) but watch for clutches and crusty bits...
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adam73bgt
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 4,866
Club RR Member Number: 58
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Jun 17, 2020 12:16:36 GMT
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Jun 17, 2020 12:19:08 GMT
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Another vote for the 406. Never had one myself, but three of my mates had one each. All of them 2.2HDi ones which they remapped and they make for surprisingly quick cars, both in terms of outright acceleration and handling. All while having a nicer interior and better ride than any other big coupe of the era. Wonderful places to be. Another one that's at rock bottom at the moment is the RX8. Fantastic cars. If you spend a while looking for a good one you can get a 231 for peanuts. It's worth going for the older ones if possible as later ones get stung with £50/month tax! If you can find one that hasn't been/isn't ... a) ragged to within an inch of its life b) poorly maintained when used as a daily c) rotten as a sweaty pear underneath like all 2000's Mazda's ... then they are great cars. You get to the point where you think you need to change gear, only to see there's another 2500rpm to go. The suicide door layout is surprisingly practical too. Good looking cars but like anything with a rotary, it was never going to be a huge hit with the general public.
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Jun 17, 2020 12:26:48 GMT
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Ragged within an inch of its life is how to keep the 13b in good shape Getting a good one is the trick though, or getting a £500 one and learning to rebuild a rotary yourself (not that tricky really). Really needed to be in a car that's 300kg lighter though. Not that the 8's a porker, but if Mazda went for a superlight sports car instead the engine would have found a much more suitable home. Another option: £1500 X300 XJR6You can still get 90s XJ40s for a reasonable price as well, although they're not as cheap as they once were.
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Last Edit: Jun 17, 2020 12:29:13 GMT by biturbo228
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Jun 17, 2020 12:35:50 GMT
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I would like to add... or is it just me. Renault Scenic rx4
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Bicycle x1 Alfa Giulietta (now wife's) Alfa 156 BMW 630i Honda rc36
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Jun 17, 2020 12:50:24 GMT
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Nissan Primera P10/P11, they don't often come up but you do find the occasional GT in this price range. Saab 9000, although a good Aero is now £2-3k or more, the lesser models are just as tunable if that's important, or if you're lucky you might find an Aero spec Anniversary - I got mine with 300bhp and loads of valuable spares for £1400. Similarly Saab 9-5s and Old Generation 9-3s. There's loads of New Generation 9-3SS's as someone else said in this price range, even Aeros, and they're not bad cars but suffered a bit by becoming the more affordable alternative to a 3-series council estate chariot. You still find some E36 318is or 6-pot E36's in this range, no 328i Sports for this money any more though Ford Pumas are still affordable 306XSi/TD/HDI - GTi-6 is probably too much now but if you can find one an Xsara VTS is the same car underneath
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Project Diary1975 Viva / 1988 T25 Camper / 1989 Mini / 1991 MX5 / 1992 Mini / 1994 Saab 9000 / 1997 Saab 9000 / 2008 Saab 9-5
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Jun 17, 2020 13:56:16 GMT
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RX8 is surprisingly practical, but be careful of the suicide doors if you have a steep driveway!!!
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duncanmartin
Club Retro Rides Member
Out of retro ownership
Posts: 1,320
Club RR Member Number: 70
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Jun 17, 2020 15:16:41 GMT
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I reckon a Mk1 SEAT Leon should be on this list. The 20V Cupra used to be a real tuner car (has that 1.8 turbo engine as in loads of VWs and Audis), and there are a few mega miles examples around for under a grand, or nice ones for double that.
I was looking at RX8s earlier this year. How difficult is it to get parts to rebuild the engines? Given you can get a rebuild (with a warranty) from a specialist for a couple of grand, doing it myself would probably be a false economy, but...
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