# The banger theory...



## OjfS (Nov 25, 2012)

*The Bangernomics thread ...*

Ive been driving since i was 17 Ive owned 4 cars and 2 cost me under £500 quid. and the others just over a grand.

Ive always loved the cheap ones and hated the expensive cars. anyone else have a thing for a Banger ?


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## JohnA88 (Jul 26, 2011)

All my cars have been sub £800 

MK4 Escort XR3i
2 Mk3 Metros
3 MK3 Fiestas
Mk7 Escort Flight
and my MK3 Ibiza


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

Well I must admit some of the most fun I've had driving have been in cheap cars. 

I bought a Renault 5 1.4 for £650, then when someone rear ended it bought a £650 Clio 1.4. Really enjoyed the care free driving and not worrying about where I parked etc. 

Even now I love driving my 172 and that was only £800 and that's part of the fun.

Can totally see the appeal of cheap cars.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

All of my cars have been Second hand , pocket money cars. My first two where £100 each.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


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## mikeydee (May 4, 2010)

driving a banger is a hidden joy in motoring.


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## OjfS (Nov 25, 2012)

I think it is that carefree driving, I once left my two front windows open in works public carpark to keep the car cool all my colleagues were horrified that my car would get nicked i was horrified someone hadn't knicked it when i finished work.


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## Spoony (May 28, 2007)

Bangernomics

Good idea really


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## OjfS (Nov 25, 2012)

mikeydee said:


> driving a banger is a hidden joy in motoring.


Its like like riding the town bike and all your mates giving you a high five.

Currently looking at this to replace the corsa i think its perfect

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ue/radius/20/page/1/postcode/yo84hu?logcode=p

Bangernomics: Keeping a Sub £500 car on the road for as little as possible for as long as possible.


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## mikeydee (May 4, 2010)

OjfS said:


> Its like like riding the town bike and all your mates giving you a high five.
> 
> Currently looking at this to replace the corsa i think its perfect
> 
> http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ue/radius/20/page/1/postcode/yo84hu?logcode=p


looks good mate


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## willwander (Nov 30, 2012)

yep, banger love here. Can get quite attached to 'em, more so than a posh motor.


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## OjfS (Nov 25, 2012)

The other thing is theres nothing better than having a completely knackered car with the best paint in the carpark, people expect to see a weathered grey plastic and rusty shed but they get a shiny shiny banger. :buffer:


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

willwander said:


> yep, banger love here. Can get quite attached to 'em, more so than a posh motor.


I know what you mean, i had a N plate Micra as a winter car a couple of years back, bought it for £550 with 6 months tax and a 12 month mot, great car, wish i had kept it really.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

I used to get a new "banger" each year for winter... had loads of polos, old Beemers, and things like that, all about £500...

Then I got the Jeep for this, and stuck with her for 4 years now... needs very little work to get moving each winter, flys through MOT's etc... been a great buy and a better bargain!

As much as I love cars etc.... I have a self imposed cash limit of £15k for any car... I just won't spend more than that on a bit of depreciating metal..

:thumb:


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## OjfS (Nov 25, 2012)

The Cueball said:


> I have a self imposed cash limit of £15k for any car... I just won't spend more than that on a bit of depreciating metal..
> 
> :thumb:


I wish i had 15k id spend the other 14.5k after buying a car on premium bonds.


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## Fiestamk5 (Feb 15, 2007)

I've had a few in my time

Mk2 Fiesta XR2 - Paid £80 then scrapped
Mk4 Escort XR3i - Paid £600 and sold for £450 a few months later
Mk2 Mondeo 2.0 Zetec - Paid £500 and sold for £1100 a year later
Mk5 Fiesta Zetec S - Paid £1100 sold for £1500 two years later
Mk3 Golf GTI - Bought and sold for £500 with a years motoring
E39 BMW 535 - Paid £1800 and will not be sold due to current value non existent!


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

my current £500 vectra has been running beautifully for the last 7 months and only cost me 50 quid in that time for a few bits ai wanted to sort to make it smoother not because they were needed.

everyone is surprised how smooth it is and tidy for the money.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

PugIain said:


> All of my cars have been Second hand , pocket money cars. My first two where £100 each.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


i like how you class £4500 as pocket money mate


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## Smithey1981 (Oct 4, 2011)

I've always had bangers as such but never kept them long as do them up and flip them for a nice profit. Longest I've ever had a car is the previa almost two years and even with this one I got at a bargain price


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

i love banger cars. my 406 cost me £800 n i couldn't care less if some pink corsa t boned it....its great knowing i dont have to worry when my mrs goes shopping in it and not care if people bang the doors. These days buying cars for 1000's and 1000's is just a worry waiting to happen. Id be scared stiff of someone denting it, or keyed it. Everyday motor has to be a banger you would be mad not to If i was to spend allot more on a car it would be something for the weekend and garaged that i know i can take good care of.


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

1991 fiesta popular plus £0
1998 rover 214si £65 
1996 rover 214i £50 (had a couple of years and gave me no trouble at al)
1982 mk1 goof gti £1600 (the exeption)
Curret 2002 focus £0 ( £300 in parts to get mobile!)


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## ShiningScotsman (Jun 20, 2012)

Bangernomics is the way forward I think - especially for a second car in the household.

Over the past few years I have had
Nissan Maxima QX 3.0ltr V6
Lexus LS400 4.0ltr V8
2 x BMW E39 5 series 2.8i Straight 6 Autos
Toyota Surf 2.5lts Turbo Diesel
Toyota Rav 4 Reebok 2.0ltr AWD - This was amazing like it was on rails!
Mitsubishi Pajero 2.5td

All cars bar the Rav4 luxurious drives with everything working - leather heated seats - chilled glove boxes, parking sensors etc and all £1k or less mostly less.

Current toy is a silver 1999 528i E39 in Silver with black leather interior which would pass as being brand new..heated seats, cruise control, parking sensors, heated steering wheel etc and plenty of wafty power....over 96k miles the kick down and scream from 6k on the rev counter is still as nice as ever.
AND it just sailed its MOT for the cost of adjusting the headlight beams...a few advisories but to be expected. All for the pricely sum of £800 last November and I have been up and down to Carlise and York in it plenty of times in absolute comfort.

My absolute best buy was the Maxima though...got a dealer on his way back from Auction with it and I dont think he really had time to realise what he had as I got it for £600 - 3.0ltr v6 all the toys FSH and 1 elderly owner from new who had taken the time to grease the petrol cap hinges for Chrissake......new tyres perfect wheels etc interior was amazing.

Now its not all rainbows....I do spend on average 2 to 3 months to find these gems but there is an underlying satisfaction in either burning up something that is a year old and cost 30k with your sub £1k wagon..... You wouldnt believe the amount of new 3 series and c class drivers that looked mighty confused when they couldn't pass a 1996 Nissan on the motorway when all 24 valves kicked in lol

All Bangers I have bought have had some tax and at least 6 months MOT....I think its the way forward personally....her indoors cannot beleive how much she spends monthly on her leased Audi compared to how much it costs me to run my cars.

If something big goes wrong get rid and start again....even in scrap value you will get "something" back.....The Scrappage Scheme spoiled a lot of the good older cars for a while but they are coming around again....I treat it lilke a hobby lol and am happy to help any fellow members who may want to dabble in Bangernomics.
Youch wood I have never "lost"money on a banger yet...hope I didnt speak too soon lol

Love it - can you tell? LOL


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## ShiningScotsman (Jun 20, 2012)

Just another post to say pretty much all of my bangers in one way or another have been sourced from the same place.

If you have the patience Gumtree is your friend.


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

possul said:


> 1991 fiesta popular plus £0
> 1998 rover 214si £65
> 1996 rover 214i £50 (had a couple of years and gave me no trouble at al)
> 1982 mk1 goof gti £1600 (the exeption)
> Curret 2002 focus £0 ( £300 in parts to get mobile!)


where do you get a car for free lol


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

+1

I also find them to have more character, ie. things go wrong and you can usually fix them for pennies.

This modern stuff is sooooo boring it's untrue, they all drive the same, feel the same etc.


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## OjfS (Nov 25, 2012)

My first car a 1.1 106 ended up with a golf club as a gearstick (The Std one broke) and an exhaust held together with garden wire. cost me £450 and i sold it for £450 a year on.

Current car being a Corsa c 1.2 sxi cost me £900 and it currently has a Dodgy head gasket, a Stretched camchain, broken heater matrix, 14 days tax left and a months MOT. 

Ive owned it 6 weeks TBH ive been stung badly and this afternoon as we speak im doing the ebay add and i hope to only lose a few £££ on it and move on.

Next car wont cost me over £500 nor will the one after that.


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## Kiashuma (May 4, 2011)

ShiningScotsman said:


> Bangernomics is the way forward I think - especially for a second car in the household.
> 
> Over the past few years I have had
> Nissan Maxima QX 3.0ltr V6
> ...


You have had some great cars, my old boss years ago had a QX, it had gold badges on it i think. His cost £££ i really like it. Do you still have it or is it long gone now?


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

Paintmaster1982 said:


> where do you get a car for free lol


the fiesta was from my mum!
Focus was from my auntie!
Both broke when I got them but still very cheap cars.


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## Smithey1981 (Oct 4, 2011)

The other thing I like about cheap cars is modding them is a lot cheaper in the long run due to not losing as much cash upon sale or breaking.

Got this for pennies









Looked like this after on day it was sold . ( some **** reversed into the bumper which is why I sold it )


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## RedUntilDead (Feb 10, 2009)

I practice bangernomics too:thumb:
Do you notice the snobbery of some people towards you? I would never judge anyone by the car they drive. Maybe if its a dump inside I would think them to be a dirty, lazy git
I havent got the hang of it properly though as I tend to spend money on them when things go wrong and one job just escalates i.e I always put four new tyres on which then leads to a wheel refurb. While the wheels are off I end up doing the brakes and painting the callipers. The springs and shock then end up coming off and replaced or painted up. Wheels arches then get seen too which leads to welding. It just goes on and on for me

Bought an old mazda b2200 pick up the other year. Passed it on the way to work and it was up for £400; the missus took one look at me and said,"don't do it!" nipped out at lunch and paid the lad £250 and he dropped it off for me It had been to mars and back, was rusty as anything, the bench seat was gone but it was a right laugh and very useful for my landscaping project. Even got asked to pay up front for fuel at the petrol station as I looked like a right pikey, loved 
it:lol: missus was disgusted sold on ebay (started at 1p)to a nigerian bloke for £850 and he collected within an hour of auction end. Result:thumb:


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

RedUntilDead said:


> I practice bangernomics too:thumb:
> Do you notice the snobbery of some people towards you? I would never judge anyone by the car they drive. Maybe if its a dump inside I would think them to be a dirty, lazy git
> I havent got the hang of it properly though as I tend to spend money on them when things go wrong and one job just escalates i.e I always put four new tyres on which then leads to a wheel refurb. While the wheels are off I end up doing the brakes and painting the callipers. The springs and shock then end up coming off and replaced or painted up. Wheels arches then get seen too which leads to welding. It just goes on and on for me
> 
> ...


Thats ace well done that man


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## Paintmaster1982 (Oct 23, 2007)

another thing to add about the old banger is you can absolutely thrash the valves off them and not worry about expensive bills. the amount of times ive seen people in their 30k grip mobiles looking at me in disbelief wondering how the feck did i pass them in a 406 estate diesel with the comedy handling package lol epic fun


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## Davemm (Mar 9, 2009)

Paintmaster1982 said:


> another thing to add about the old banger is you can absolutely thrash the valves off them and not worry about expensive bills. the amount of times ive seen people in their 30k grip mobiles looking at me in disbelief wondering how the feck did i pass them in a 406 estate diesel with the comedy handling package lol epic fun


haha love surprising people in mine :devil:


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

It was £3800 

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Paintmaster1982 said:


> i like how you class £4500 as pocket money mate


See above.
Stupid phone!

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


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## Dift (May 22, 2011)

Im currently running around in my 1st banger. I did spend just north of £1000 but it averages 50+mpg all day every day.

I took a tired 307 diesel (which was ready for retirement), and have subjected it to 20k miles in the past year 

It has needed nothing always sailing through the MOT. 

My only gripe is its appetite for bulbs lol.

It's a great car.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Dift said:


> Im currently running around in my 1st banger. I did spend just north of £1000 but it averages 50+mpg all day every day.
> 
> I took a tired 307 diesel (which was ready for retirement), and have subjected it to 20k miles in the past year
> 
> ...


Guy at work has a 110 307. Think its on 160k. Hes had no problems.
My 406 used to pop bulbs, atleast 3-4 a year. The 407 hasnt done one yet in just over 2 years.

Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


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## Dift (May 22, 2011)

PugIain said:


> Guy at work has a 110 307. Think its on 160k. Hes had no problems.
> My 406 used to pop bulbs, atleast 3-4 a year. The 407 hasnt done one yet in just over 2 years.
> 
> Sent from my HTC Wildfire using Tapatalk 2


I'll be at 160k by the end of the year :doublesho

I didn't think it would get to 130k but it breezed past it.

It's dented on every panel, and has an infestation of spider babies (long story), but I love it.


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## Dift (May 22, 2011)

I'm tempted by a 407 after this one dies, as I'm becoming quite one of these pugs


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Dift said:


> I'm tempted by a 407 after this one dies, as I'm becoming quite one of these pugs


They're a good car. Don't let the stories of dpfs and dmfs put you off. Them failing certainly isn't just a peugeot thing.

Sent from my LT901 using Tapatalk 2


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

I've driven cheapies for the last few years, Rover 600ti, Rover 618, Rover 414, Saxo vtr, Bravo diesel, mini all sub 1k cars that never really cost anything in big bills. My best buy was a Saxo 1.1 bought for 150 notes with 32k on it, run it for over a year and sold it for £650 

Always fun having one of the oldest and cleanest cars in the car park all at the same time, and has been said you don't have to be too precious over them.

Spoiled myself with my latest car though, £2500 for a 55 plate Mondeo. It's bizarre that while I have a nice big comfy motor I sometimes miss the old bangers.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

Trying to get a good one is proving difficult. Trying to find something for a friend, just needs to ave at least 6 months mot and some tax. The good ones go quick and that leaves the crap behind. Trying to get a viewing on a 306 hdi it went up at between 12and 2, I got hold of them at 2.30 and I was already second inline.....


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...10/postcode/pe26yx/quicksearch/true?logcode=p

Actually just bought this for a mate


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## Tom_the_great (Sep 21, 2009)

I'm in too minds weather to do this banger stuff myself i currently have a 02 plate ford focus which i was going to sell but it needs a couple of things due too age (new rear wheel and brake lines i think)

Im stuck wondering sell her for £600 and buy a new car hassel free or put some money in and run her to death ! for nothing after a couple of small fixes.


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## pooma (Apr 12, 2008)

If you know the focus has no other issues then I'd say repair it, for the price of 2 or 3 months hpi you'll have a car that could offer many miles of motoring.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

If you like the focus then keep it.


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

I don't like my 02 focus (haven't fell for it like previous cars)
But it does 35+ mpg, looks ok for its age (140k miles) drives perfect and was free.
If it ain't broke don't fix it, this will go when it no longer runs!


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## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

I love the idea of bangeromics. Would love to give it a go and I have a good source for trade in vehicles, but... I have a lovely fresh Audi and changing that for a banger sort of takes the appeal out of it. I would lose a fair chunk if I sold too, which is acceptable if changing to a newer better car but not to banger. One day I'll give it a go though.


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