Credit crunch

[workshopmanualman]

I know it is Christmas, and we've all got no money [otherwise why own a 300 series?!?], but the price of some of these cars is getting silly. £400 it seems buys a very nice car indeed - even if you discount the fact that we are looking at 340 or 360's, and look at these things as pure transport, then this is outstanding value for money. £400 for cars with 10,000 miles up, or a 2 litre engine and good bodywork [120344879159 on eBay]. £360 for a 360GLT may be an appropriate figure, but what a steal!

Is there any point servicing these things now? I spent £360 on my car in servicing it and replacing wear items in the past year. Should have just run it into the ground, saved the money and bought a lower mileage example later on!?!

£360 for a nice 2 litre is just cock.

[volvosneverdie]

True enough.
I was very very surprised at how much car (not to mention the condition) I got when I bought mine a few month back. You couldnt do better than most of the cars up for sale on V3M, with three times the money out in autotrader land. My opinion like.

Im er, still going to keep up with the servicing though. Not destroying a car just coz its a bit cheaper to abuse it and move on to the next one.

Credit crunch good thing?
Most people on here seem to have quite a few LOVELY motors stacked up, and more being bought up everyday, so it cant be all bad eh?


And Appologies to everyone thats just been made redundant, lost their house, Savings etc.

[workshopmanualman]

....sore loser as my car has a bit of rust on it and probably isn't worth saving. Go anywhere near a garage for work to the car and they look at you as if you're mad. But you are right; for the price of a monthly rail ticket into the Big Smoke you can buy a nice car that will last a good few years. I'll still service mine as I have that kind of mindset - why throw good stuff away? The bodywork I will have to ponder.

To be honest I cannot think of cheaper transport than a 300 series. A decent bike from Halfords would cost more to buy and run for a year [excluding petrol....]. And Autotrader is full of gash below £1k.

Bargains to be had indeed.

[volvosneverdie]

True enough again man.

No economical cure for tin-worm.
Start getting big holes and youre better off re-investing your repair budget on something else.

Got mates spending 1600, 1700 quid on a scabby puntos, with a big subwoofer and a K&N filter. And they last almost til the next mot. Then the breakers.


You could buy a good road car and a build a decent track car for that.

Sh*t.

Just realised something.

Im old.

When did that happen?

[workshopmanualman]

Nah, you've probably always had that mindset so don't worry about it. I think it is called being normal.

I've just been looking through some of the classic magazines, as you do, and I'm guessing that all cars, new or old, have suddenly become consumables overnight. Things to use and then toss away. Looking through the classifieds, at things like Aston-Martin V8's at £30k etc., even owners' of those cars would wince at bodywork or engine jobs, and would probably chop the cars for spares rather than fix. My mindset just doesn't tally with throwing perfectly useable stuff away. Hopefully this credit crunch thing will move us back to the "keep it and fix it" mentality we had but a few years ago....

Now who sounds old!!!

[SteveP]

Damn, was meant to be keeping an eye out on that Bedworth one - £360 is a bargain, it looked tidy!

Prices are up and down at the moment, some real clean cars sell for a reasonable amount but the normal ones are going pretty cheap at the mo!

[filthyjohn]

My blue 340 earned rave reviews when I took it to the Bletchley meet, yet it has some 'not inconsiderable' sill rust. You'll wince when I put the pics up. Most 'normal' folk would bin it and buy a new one, but I'll be ploughing on with it. I'm a qualified welder, which helps keep the cost of repairs down somewhat.

[volvosneverdie]

Welding as well?
Jeez john, is there anything youre not proficient at?

Im certainly never going to play pool against you. Youre probably a shark.

Well done for ploughing on with it man. Youre right. Most people wouldnt.

Long live the few who will.

[filthyjohn]

Jeez john, is there anything youre not proficient at?

Loads. Car mechanics is one thing
I just muddle through with determination and if I need help I have some good mates who can restore my enthusiasm.

[volvosneverdie]

Muddle through with determination.
Sounds like me trying to get the key in the hole at the end of a friday night.
(and no, thats not a euphomism)
Think mechanical buffoonery of even the lowest technical standard rates somewhere higher on the skills barometer dude.

Keep it up.


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