Not disagreeing with anyone, just to add...
Recently bought £1,500 worth of N reg Vauxhall Cavalier - almost the very last before they became a Vectra. Never had a Vauxhall before, but great, reliable cruiser (which is what I wanted) space for family and their associated stuff, and appears to be reliable.
Advantage of being a bit older is that it does not have a CAT (advantage of not needing replacing). Mine has only 55,000 miles on the clock (90% certain, through receipts). Bought the Haynes manual, and there is not a lot that appears to be beyond me / able friends.
Worth a look
Jon
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Anything after K reg will have a cat though. In any case, because virtually all cars have them now, you're no longer beholden to the main dealer so those four figure replacement costs haven't materialised.
I'd have thought it unlikely that your car could pass the MoT if the cat failed.
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I'd be suspect of Passat /Mondeo in that price range - they will be sheds!
What you need is a Xantia TD Estate (well, SOMEBODY had to say it!). £1500 should get a M/N plate. The engine is bomb proof, and reliability good if you don't get one with ABS or hydractive suspension. Good old tech mechanical injection, so no fancy electronics to go wrong their either, no cat as it's diesel, and about 40mpg. Can't beat it for load lugging with self levelling suspension!
RichardW
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There will undoubtedly be a lot of sheds in the sub £1500 price bracket, especially with big estates, but good ones won't be able to get out of it.
Even a perfect L-plate Mondeo 1.8 LX with 100k won't make more than that and Passats are even cheaper and bigger - £1k should get you a mint J or K plate, if you can find one.
Nothing wrong with a Xantia though, especially as it's far and away the best diesel of that age. I like the Felicia but if the reason you need an estate is because you're carting lots of stuff for infrequent but long journeys, I think I'd go for something bigger and older.
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Recently bought £1,500 worth of N reg Vauxhall Cavalier....
Advantage of being a bit older is that it does not have a CAT....
Whatever gives you the impresssion it doesn't have a CAT?
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Highly recommend a Cav. Cheap bits, relaible. Cats are about £130.00 fitted - The firm's M plater has one and accoridng to verse 3 chapter 4 of the gopsel according to Haynes they all do after 92. You see far more second hand Cavs L thru N than Mondeos - says something.
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Like Pugugly I can recommend a Cav. Our family 'pool' car - 1994 1.8 LS, bought three years ago for £1,700, has today at 115K miles gone straight through the MOT and had a standard annual service with no additional work.
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A big estate that I've seen around is Renault (or Citroen maybe) Savanna I think it is called. Looks massive compared to other estates. Has anyone any experience of these? If I was looking for a load carrier this seems a great size.
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I like my elderly Renaults, but I think that makes me some kind of freak. Nice cars, easy to work on (at least judging by the 19 bits in it) with a transverse 1.7 and a longitudinal 2.0 engine. Lovely soft seats and probably soggy handling but a decent ride.
If they were really cheap (like £600) I'd say they're a good buy but they tend not to be quite as low as that.
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Apologies - had a look under the car last night, and there is indeed a CAT there.
Not sure why I thought that there wasn't one....
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Thanks for the selection to look at. I have been put off French cars by the comments here in the past. I agree that there must be good and bad ones in any price bracket but as a car gets older, the chances of finding the gems diminishes.
Anything particular to look for on the Mondeo 94-96? Have read HJ's car by car page. Seems 97 onwards is a better car, but looking at £2k upwards. Is the price/benefit worth the extra £500 as this starts to move away from my own bangernomics sums.
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I had a 2.6 carlton estate which has a massive load area,also very comfortable and will take 5 adults without probs.
Also engines run forever,I put 20k on mine before an idiot ran into me!
I cant recommend these cars enough,but avoid 1.8 and diesels they are sluggish.
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Also engines run forever,I put 20k on mine before an idiot ran into me!
That doesn't seem much mileage, or did you miss off a zero?
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It had 117k on the clock when I got the car.But it ran like a new one!!!
Still cant recommend Carltons enuogh,Im on my third now!!
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Xantia TD Estate everytime......the BX is too old now, otherwise that would have got my vote
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