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Subject Topic: Car is getting old, suggestions please!
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07/8/2014 at 7:47pm
 Location: south cheshire
 Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi
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My tow car has been a good un, but getting old now and starting to see a few faults developing... not bad for a Nissan Almera Auto 1.6 1998 with 90K on the clock.

I'm wondering what I should be looking for as a replacement. I'm towing a tiny caravan, MTPLM 650kg. Motormover probably makes that around 700kg.

I need an automatic as I have back problems and find using a clutch painful...

I'm very tempted to go for another Nissan with less miles on the clock. I looked into buying a 1.8 Almera, only to find that it will more or less double my insurance! What is that all about???

Any suggestions gratefully received. Needs to be around £2.5K, no more. Automatic (with some torque!! LOL!) and low miles, low insurance band... am I asking too much?

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07/8/2014 at 8:50pm
 Location: Royal Forest of Dean
 Outfit:  Swift Major 4SB
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You would get a Mondeo for that sort of money but it would be high mileage. How about something like a Golf, the diesel auto models are usually well serviced and low mileage as they appeal to older drivers. The cheapest auto tend to be Renaults and Citroens but they often have niggly problems that are expensive to rectify.

Rob


07/8/2014 at 8:50pm
 Location: Norwich
 Outfit: Citroen Relay Campervan
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Quote: Originally posted by Jax365 on 07/8/2014
am I asking too much?


Yep

98 isn't particularly old, by today's standards, and 90K is no mileage. Stick with it until you have to get rid of it £2500 is no price to guarantee a good replacement

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Cheers
John


07/8/2014 at 9:05pm
 Location: west country
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Certainly not a golf - you pay a fortune for the badge although excellent cars they are.

I too would say your Almera has only done half it's miles. Hang on to it. Yes cars need maintaining and you get occasional bills but for your budget you would just be buying a car that someone thought the same as you think about your Almera.

Our main car is a 1998. Years left in it yet.
My pickup is a 1988. Years left in it yet.



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Steve




07/8/2014 at 10:05pm
 Location:  Whitchurch shrops
 Outfit: Swift conqueror 480
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Find a nice Mondeo . Brilliant cars .


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08/8/2014 at 10:54am
 Location: south cheshire
 Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi
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Thanks for the suggestions, everyone.

The garage said the engine would last for many more miles yet, but it's rusting from the inside out! I'm looking at having the inside of the boot welded at either side, and also the sills for the MOT. Just had a reconditioned starter motor sorted at £95.

If I thought that was going to be it, I wouldn't hesitate about keeping it, but just wondered what would go next!

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08/8/2014 at 11:00am
 Location: west country
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If it's that bad on the rust then go with Mondeo.

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Steve




08/8/2014 at 11:02am
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My 1998 rav4 has 134.000 miles and still going string ( oops done it now !!)


08/8/2014 at 12:21pm
 Location: south cheshire
 Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi
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Quote: Originally posted by moorlander999 on 08/8/2014
My 1998 rav4 has 134.000 miles and still going string ( oops done it now !!)



Touch some wood, quick!

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08/8/2014 at 12:28pm
 Location: south cheshire
 Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi
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Quote: Originally posted by millermicm on 08/8/2014
If it's that bad on the rust then go with Mondeo.



The welding will cost £180 to sort out, so not a lot... compared to buying another used car.

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08/8/2014 at 4:17pm
 Location: Worcestershire
 Outfit: Defender 90 and MyWay Voyager Raid
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In that case weld it up and run it 'till it drops!

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Love a lot. Trust a few. But ALWAYS paddle your own canoe!!
Minds are like parachutes:- They only function when they are open!!!
Those who talk don't know.
Those who know don't talk.


09/8/2014 at 1:50pm
 Location: None Entered
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That's the problem with the older Nissans everything keeps working but the body's fail, one taxi owner here had a Bluebird nearly 900,000 miles running as sweet as a nut, he just replaced body parts from the scrap yard, re sprayed them if required, until he could not get anymore good ones.
Have a look on auto trader just select diesel auto and your price range and also select as low a mileage that's available, leave the make and model blank, you may also get lucky and find an LPG car, just put LPG in the other box, even cheaper to run


09/8/2014 at 5:35pm
 Location: Lichfield
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I spent a few hundred pounds once having welding done in several places and other minor jobs to get it through the MOT test. Three weeks later some moron went into the back of me and wrote the car off. Afterwards I wished I had spent the money on buying a more valuable car as sometimes it can be a gamble throwing money on an older vehicle unless your luck never runs out.


09/8/2014 at 9:01pm
 Location: East Herts
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Swings and roundabouts, tango55. What if you had bought a "more valuable car" and someone went into the back and wrote that off? You rarely get back from an insurance company what the car is really worth, or indeed what it would cost to replace it.

I would go with repairing the one I had, as long as it didn't cost too much. At least you know the one you have, but any replacement car is a bit of a gamble, even a nearly new one. You don't know how it has been looked after, so what looks really good can hide a multitude of problems. One second-hand car I bought looked and drove great, but the gearbox exploded on the way home from the dealers. It took me a year to get them to pay for the damage, having had to take the dealer to court.

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Best Regards,
Colin


10/8/2014 at 12:33pm
 Location: south cheshire
 Outfit: VW Caddy Maxi
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Aye, it's definitely a case of the devil you know rather than the devil you don't scenario here. Thanks for the advice.

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03/9/2014 at 2:52pm
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No point me saying mondeo as many already have.what about vauxhall.They seem good,french cars are nice but as mentioned above,have costly electrical problems



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