Author Topic: Top Gear style challenge - car needed (Read 5477 times)

FuZzBoM · « **on:** 25 January 2015, 11:33:20 pm »

Guys, Bit of a random one this but bare with me...

Me and some mates going to watch Nurburgring 24 hour race in May. Originally we had intended to take My Subaru Impreza WRX wagon and my mate take his 911 Carrera. we then realised there would not be enough space for 5 adults and luggage, so another mate suggested taking his big Merc estate in place of my Impreza.

This was the plan until we saw Top Gear tonight and we thought what could we get for peanuts to make the trip more of a laugh? Just a bit of fun so want to keep it cheap. £500 area.
I think it needs to be British... Obvious choice is an old Jag. loads around and cheap enough but that is the problem! it really is the obvious choice.
Can anyone think of anything British that will be cheap to purchase etc. other than Rovers and Jags?

cheers,

midden · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 January 2015, 11:52:02 pm »

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Reliant-kitten-Saloon-not-regal-robin-rialto-supervan-del-boy-trike-/191484113214?ssPageName=RSS:B:SRCH:US:104&fromMakeTrack=true

Shame the Robins are so expensive

darrsi · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 January 2015, 04:03:32 am »

Will need a bit of tinkering, but what d'ya expect for that price?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vauxhall-omega-2-6-2001-/171653206196?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27f75410b4

red98 · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 January 2015, 06:57:06 am »

Quote from: midden on 25 January 2015, 11:52:02 pm

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1976-Reliant-kitten-Saloon-not-regal-robin-rialto-supervan-del-boy-trike-/191484113214?ssPageName=RSS:B:SRCH:US:104&fromMakeTrack=true

Shame the Robins are so expensive

hey mids.....thats a kitten,a four wheeled robin..........nice thought though,a trip to germany has to be something truly british,whats the chances of finding two kittens....

darrsi · « **Reply #4 on:** 26 January 2015, 07:07:18 am »

Quote from: darrsi on 26 January 2015, 04:03:32 am

Will need a bit of tinkering, but what d'ya expect for that price?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/vauxhall-omega-2-6-2001-/171653206196?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27f75410b4

Blimey, the bidding has already ended at 6.19am this morning!

BBROWN1664 · « **Reply #5 on:** 26 January 2015, 07:40:31 am »

Saab 9000 / 9-5 if you bid wisely on ebay

FuZzBoM · « **Reply #6 on:** 26 January 2015, 08:18:52 am »

Interesting suggestions lol.. Ideally it should be at the least semi roadworthy (yeah moon on a stick, I know)
Saab not being even remotely British is a no go I'm afraid.
Reliant Kitten would take forver to get there (if it got there) and it is still in bits and needs rebuilding...
Omega.. I like it. already has the stupid factor applied haha. shame it has ended.

ok well ideally I would like it to have a bit of MOT or at least looks roadworthy. If MOT runs out end of May it would be ok by me.
Do not have the time to do a full restoration to a car for basically a long weekend.

Arfa · « **Reply #7 on:** 26 January 2015, 09:16:28 am »

What about an old Range or Land Rover? Can one be had in budget?

Just remember German rules on tyre tread and the headlight stickers.

Oh and make sure you're all paid up with a the AA or RAC...

BBROWN1664 · « **Reply #8 on:** 26 January 2015, 09:22:40 am »

Quote

Oh and make sure you're all paid up with a the AA or RAC...

Especially if your using a British car

How about this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-MAESTRO-1-3-L-WHITE-1989-/321648752536?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4ae3c27798

FuZzBoM · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 January 2015, 10:33:15 am »

It is looking like we may up the budget.. instead of buying an old wreck for £500 we may put our money together and pay £1000
And we may have to admit defeat and go with the English/Jag stereotype. Couple of XJ8's floating around for £800-£1000

Dead Eye · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 January 2015, 12:06:16 pm »

Could go MG / Rover for cheap or as you say, increase the budget to go Jag etc

Frosties · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 January 2015, 01:07:58 pm »

Or you could try the "just for shits & giggles" approach

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-V-FORD-DORCHESTER-AUTO-LIMOUSINE-2-3-Petrol-/251808556077?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3aa0f5a42d

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1997-ROVER-825-SI-AUTO-BLACK-LIMOUSINE-/281575138055?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item418f2fa307

dazza · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 January 2015, 01:37:09 pm »

Got to go with Arfa, for a grand you could get a landrover tdi disco

FuZzBoM · « **Reply #13 on:** 26 January 2015, 02:04:25 pm »

ideally we would like to keep it below a grand.. closer to the original £500 if possible.

Just spotted this little gem lol
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201501240413547/

We had thought about a Land Rover but you can get Ford explorer's and Jeeps With V8 petrol engines for the same money with lower mileage.
We do feel we need a V8 for some reason

hairnet · « **Reply #14 on:** 26 January 2015, 03:02:11 pm »

rover 75 diesel

you wont get the hgf probs of the petrol and quicker and better on the wallet

do not buy a v6 version

FuZzBoM · « **Reply #15 on:** 26 January 2015, 03:19:40 pm »

I cannot bring myself to buy a Diesel.. I am going to a 24 hour race not a shopping trip lol.
Cost on fuel does not bother me. As I said I was planning to take my Impreza and that does about 15mpg round town and maybe 20mpg on a run, no matter what we get it will probably be better than that.

Dead Eye · « **Reply #16 on:** 26 January 2015, 04:43:30 pm »

Quote from: hairnet on 26 January 2015, 03:02:11 pm

rover 75 diesel

you wont get the hgf probs of the petrol and quicker and better on the wallet

do not buy a v6 version

Why do you advise against the V6?

Just curious as I have a later version of that engine

taylor · « **Reply #17 on:** 26 January 2015, 08:20:55 pm »

transit van

Doddsie · « **Reply #18 on:** 26 January 2015, 09:22:01 pm »

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/London-Fairway-Taxi-/161571682778?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item259e6c39da

You can make up the other £1000 by taking fares on the way!!

youngsterbiker · « **Reply #19 on:** 26 January 2015, 10:56:22 pm »

Quote from: taylor on 26 January 2015, 08:20:55 pm

transit van

This ^^^ or

Millietant · « **Reply #20 on:** 27 January 2015, 05:34:36 am »

Trojan Cars, in Southsea, Hampshire, have a Vauxhall Vectra 1.8 petrol, with MOT, for £495, listed on Pistonheads

Don't know any more but I had one of those in the late '90's and it wasn't a bad car - dead reliable over 132,000 miles.

They also have a Rover 211 listed on their stock list - described as "beaten and bruised" but only £295 and has MOT until April.

Arfa · « **Reply #21 on:** 27 January 2015, 08:41:53 am »

Quote from: BBROWN1664 on 26 January 2015, 09:22:40 am

How about this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AUSTIN-MAESTRO-1-3-L-WHITE-1989-/321648752536?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item4ae3c27798

Almost identical to my first car - except all the panels are original and the same colour...

Wasn't bad for a shit student car, took several years of abuse and stuck to the road surprisingly well considering my shit driving. That said I paid £450 for mine back in 1998... Wasn't there a tweaked up MG version of one of these too?

stevierst · « **Reply #22 on:** 27 January 2015, 02:27:04 pm »

There were three MG versions. The first was a twin carb'd 2 litre giving 100bhp ish.
A fuel injected 2 litre giving about 115bhp, and the daddy was the MG turbo designed by tickford. 152 bhp. It held the hot hatch production car 0-60 for a good few years. 6.5 seconds!!!

It was still a Shit car though

:D

stevierst · « **Reply #23 on:** 27 January 2015, 02:27:58 pm »

Apologies, the twin carby was a 1600.

GTW · « **Reply #24 on:** 27 January 2015, 04:45:11 pm »

I've got a BMW 530I M-Sport 2001 You can have for £1200. Steering rack leaks fluid and it will need an MOT. Advisory on a Brake line last year. Repaired and tidied up they can see 2k. Its just sat on my drive collecting dust at the moment as I'm far too busy to do anything with it.