What used car offers best value for money

well my mate recently bought a fiat coupe for £350 with a supposedly fubared engine he did a full service on it changed the dv fitted a new backbox it still needs a new cat and radiator and a slight boosting issue sorted and in total it will have cost him around £600 for a nice looking and quick motor so i will say thats very good value for money!!
 
I have to admit that I'm considering a pre 02 larger engine 5 series as a replacement for the 406. Not until I actually need a car - we can manage with one [car] for now.

Pre 02 means it'll be taxed according to engine capacity and the only two bands are below 1549cc or above 1549cc so a 540i would suit me well provided I don't need to cover millions of miles, whereupon the fuel consumption would take its toll. The 535i is also a V8 but the fuel figures are barely better than those of the 540i so why not snatch a bargain?

Then again, BMW has a knack for putting together large capacity high output petrol engines with disturbingly good real world fuel consumption figures so perhaps it's the sensible choice at this point in time.

Especially so since I want to go back to two-pedal cars; I don't want an automatic 5 series with a small engine (don't want a manual one either) and I certainly don't want a four cylinder diesel with automatic transmission. A 535d would do nicely but, sadly, my budget will not extend to this at this point in time.
 
I have to admit that I'm considering a pre 02 larger engine 5 series as a replacement for the 406. Not until I actually need a car - we can manage with one [car] for now.

Pre 02 means it'll be taxed according to engine capacity and the only two bands are below 1549cc or above 1549cc so a 540i would suit me well provided I don't need to cover millions of miles, whereupon the fuel consumption would take its toll. The 535i is also a V8 but the fuel figures are barely better than those of the 540i so why not snatch a bargain?

Then again, BMW has a knack for putting together large capacity high output petrol engines with disturbingly good real world fuel consumption figures so perhaps it's the sensible choice at this point in time.

Especially so since I want to go back to two-pedal cars; I don't want an automatic 5 series with a small engine (don't want a manual one either) and I certainly don't want a four cylinder diesel with automatic transmission. A 535d would do nicely but, sadly, my budget will not extend to this at this point in time.

i would check on the tax mate cause im pretty sure its on cars registered before march 2001
and what makes me think this is cause when the new tax banding came out my car was registered in feb 2001 and i just missed out on a tax increase
 
I have to admit that I'm considering a pre 02 larger engine 5 series as a replacement for the 406. Not until I actually need a car - we can manage with one [car] for now.

Pre 02 means it'll be taxed according to engine capacity and the only two bands are below 1549cc or above 1549cc so a 540i would suit me well provided I don't need to cover millions of miles, whereupon the fuel consumption would take its toll. The 535i is also a V8 but the fuel figures are barely better than those of the 540i so why not snatch a bargain?

Then again, BMW has a knack for putting together large capacity high output petrol engines with disturbingly good real world fuel consumption figures so perhaps it's the sensible choice at this point in time.

Especially so since I want to go back to two-pedal cars; I don't want an automatic 5 series with a small engine (don't want a manual one either) and I certainly don't want a four cylinder diesel with automatic transmission. A 535d would do nicely but, sadly, my budget will not extend to this at this point in time.
540i is a real bargain, £60k new, under £3k now, so good they were not going to bother with an M5, Cheaper to maintain than an M5 as well
 
i would check on the tax mate cause im pretty sure its on cars registered before march 2001
and what makes me think this is cause when the new tax banding came out my car was registered in feb 2001 and i just missed out on a tax increase

I will check this for accuracy - my Peugeot 406 was a late end of 2001 model and that did attract CO2 related excise duty so perhaps I need to be pre March 2001 as you say. If the same rules apply to petrol fuelled cars then I have to dismiss anything post March 2001 for this purpose.
 
I don't want to sound like I'm going on about Fiats and Alfas all the time but a lot of Alfa's offer good value for money due to the depreciation they sufferred. You get a lot for your money equipment-wise.
 
It does depend a lot on what you are after from a car.

Basically anything that is not loved will be a bargain. Jaguar S-Types spring to mind with some fantastic examples around at silly low prices.

Big cars are subject to heavy depreciation. But you have to beware, running costs can stop a car being a bargain and become a real burdon.

Skoda are well worth a look, good cheap solid cars with VAG engineering.

Also the Seat Leon is a scortching performer and can again be picked up for relatively little compared against similarly engined A3's and Golfs.
 
Not so sure. I checked out the S type and (looking for 2.5 4x4) and wasn't really cheap, Shame as theyre meant to be a lot of car.
When I say value for money I mean a car which makes you wonder why people waste thier money on anything else. A good car (as good as any car worth much more value)
For example for performance and comfort I think nothing represents more value than an XJR 6 cyl, Or instead of buying a porsche 968 check out a 200sx etc. Apparently a mazda 6 mps represents huge VFM, 540i again as good as anything available new now. Mitsibushi VR4, makes you wonder why people buy high powered Audi's. and on and on
I sincerely believe 99% of desirable cars have a much cheaper equal.
 
Not looked recently but there were some mint W -2000 for about £2k around.

You're getting soft Ason, buying a car for comfort! :lol: I bet you also own a pair of slippers and sit on a cushion at work?;)

I've got to agree with you on the VR4 - a stunning car with typical Japanese reliability. An evo for the older generation!
 
I ask these questions as I am collecting knowledge to make my own purchase decision up. Still can't see past a Primera gt though for ultimate value for money. O wayne, read the book Clarkson on cars or clarksons top 100 and see what he has to say about the XJR and he wrote that when they had some value, now you can get one for £2k.
The VR4 is a stonker but a bit too much in your face chav styling which is why I favour the legacy
A good write up here on hp estates. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=609518&mid=23661
 
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Trouble is they are all jap cars and I'd really like something European, The only used european cars which seem value for money now are the st220 (Thirsty) the Octavia rs, Seat toledo the Clio 172 (Don't know much about reliability on these). Too many cars to choose from. Just took a look at the MPS Mazda's, they hold thier money well don't they, Shame, I'll have to wait a few more years for that one.
 
just a thought here aston but you mention the toledo what about the leon the 1.8t 20v cupra can be bought now as cheap as £1,500:(
sad for me but great for potential owners!
in standard form they handle quite well, performance wise they are ok but after a stage 1 remap they are just above a ctr performance wise and all this in a 5 dr practical family car that looks nice (obviously bias here) and dont let people put you off them the engines are solid its the sensors on them that are temperamental but all are easy to diagnose (with a fault code reader) and to replace
 
went through a leon stage but after my research something put me off, I don't remember what though, I actually thought the fast Ibiza offered better value for money but the hard ride put me off that
 
But the real question is offcourse what do you want from a car?
Comfort,reliability,power,safety,looks,etc etc.;)

If you ask me(but i'm a volvo fan)go for a V70R,then you've got it all,or when your a bit bolder go for like i did,for the daddy,the 850R.:bigsmile:

(can't help it,sorry)
 
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