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Mar 15, 2020 10:53:58 GMT
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After now having two broken volvos I've been debating a change.
Basically, my circumstances have changed and I'm now faced with a 500 mile round commute every two weeks.
So, I need something reliable and that will take the milage with ease... Oh and cheap...
Mx5 na I had was very reliable, what about an nb?
Rather do this than purchase a modern!
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Mar 15, 2020 12:18:40 GMT
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Something old and german is all you need, just buy on mechanical condition not what looks good.
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1988 Mercedes w124 superturbo diesel 508hp
1996 Mercedes s124 e300 diesel wagon
1990 BMW E30 V8 M60 powered!
1999 BMW E46 323ci project car
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gryphon
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 330 
Club RR Member Number: 157
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High mileage commuting gryphon
@gryphon
Club Retro Rides Member 157
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Mar 15, 2020 12:59:05 GMT
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Mechanically MX5's tend to be pretty good (NA and NB are virtually the same underneath, except NB's have front chassis rails that rot as well as sills and arches), but they're not really a car I'd want to sit at motorway speeds in for 250 miles at a time.
What do you need from it other than reliability? - Efficiency, Comfort, etc?
Recently did a long trip in a Y reg Audi A3 1.9TDI. Coming up to 250k miles and ran beautifully, although it has been well looked after.
Otherwise, Pug 306/406 with either the 1.9TD or the 2.0 HDI perhaps? Pretty bulletproof if you can accept the diseasle.
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v8ian
Posted a lot
Posts: 3,757
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Mar 15, 2020 13:12:00 GMT
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500 miles per fortnight is not a great deal, , equates to 25 miles each way per day, I bit the bullit and bought a modern as I was commuting from the south coast to Luton and back every day about 240 miles per day, I bought a TiguanR 4x4 diesel, its on 170,000 miles now and not really missed a beat, BUT, its going to go soon as I fancy a change, probably a estate, either a 5 series or a A6
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Atmo V8 Power . No slicks , No gas + No bits missing . Doing it in style.
Austin A35van, very different------- but still doing it in style, going to be a funmoble
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gryphon
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 330
Club RR Member Number: 157
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High mileage commuting gryphon
@gryphon
Club Retro Rides Member 157
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Mar 15, 2020 13:19:35 GMT
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I read it as one 500 mile round trip every two weeks.... If it's split into shorter journeys comfort is far less important!
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High mileage commuting ballbagbagins
@ballbagbagins
Club Retro Rides Member 164
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Mar 15, 2020 20:24:55 GMT
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I do 250 miles a week for work and a few weeks back bought a 1.7 lupo non-turbo diesel. £30 road tax and 60mpg. I was looking for a cheap car to run specifically.
My journey is all motorway and it copes fine with the speed. It feels nice and solid, reminds me of my mk4 golf gti. Parts are cheap and plentiful and it's really easy to work on.
Yep, not the coolest car in work amongst the audi, bmw and Mercedes cars that are the norm, but it does exactly what I want it to.
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Mar 15, 2020 21:52:32 GMT
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I do 360 miles a week commuting and have done it in a few cars now
MX5 was nice because if you got it on a good road it was really fun, did that over a year
PD130 Mk4 Golf which was excellent but did get dull, probably would have liked it more if it was an auto
Bentley was obviously great
W124 300TD with auto box is my current daily and I can't fault it really. Cloee to Bentley comfort and refinement.
80s/early 90s Merc or PD engined VAG would be my recommendation for motorway stuff. If it's B roads MX5 all day.
James
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Mar 15, 2020 21:58:23 GMT
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When I started my first job in 1983 I was driving close to 300 miles a week. I had a Mini 850 Mk2 at the time and thrashed it mercilessly for a little over two years. It survived. Later I had other Minis then an Austin 1300 and drove them all just the same without serious issues. I was also semi dailying a Phase 1 Vanguard for a time in the late '80s (still same job and commute) and it did its share adequately too.
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High mileage commuting peteh1969
@peteh1969
Club Retro Rides Member 107
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Mar 18, 2020 11:07:07 GMT
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What ever you get and use just change the oil and filter every three months and you should be ok seriously at that monthly mileage it needs to be changed very frequently.
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Mar 18, 2020 13:08:42 GMT
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Is it 500 miles a day for a fortnight or 500 miles round trip once a fortnight?
Pretty much anything should be able to do the latter.
If it's the former find yourself somewhere to stay nearer work on the weeks you are there.
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Last Edit: Mar 18, 2020 13:08:59 GMT by dodgerover
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Mar 18, 2020 14:40:20 GMT
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i use a 2006 octavia 1.9tdi for my commuter, 450 to 500 miles per week
been faultless for the last year
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Mar 18, 2020 18:19:41 GMT
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I’d get an e34 525tds.
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1994 BMW 525i touring
2004 BMW Z4 sorn and broken
1977 Ford Escort
1982 Ford Capri getting restored
1999 Mazda B2500 daily driver.
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Mar 18, 2020 19:24:00 GMT
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BMW- can be had cheap, and reliable
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Mar 18, 2020 19:27:55 GMT
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I bought my Octavia when I got a job that was a commute of 50 miles each way per day - a 1.8T 4x4. 1st thing I did was an LPG conversion. Comfy, quick, good fun on a cross country thrash and not stopped by anything the weather has yet thrown at it (8" of snow or 12" of water so far). Cheap to run & seems to be bomb proof - 257k miles and counting.
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Depends on what's most important for you.
Fun? MX-5
Economy? 106/Saxo/AX diesel
Carry stuff around? Japanese estate, Avensis, Sigma, Accord aerodeck, you get the idea
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High mileage commuting ballbagbagins
@ballbagbagins
Club Retro Rides Member 164
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Mar 19, 2020 10:26:56 GMT
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Depends on what's most important for you. Fun? MX-5 Economy? 106/Saxo/AX diesel Carry stuff around? Japanese estate, Avensis, Sigma, Accord aerodeck, you get the idea Before getting my lupo I looked at 106/sax/ax in diesel form but the road tax is £170 vs £30 for the lupo. I did a spreadsheet so I could decide which car would be cheapest over a year. Lupo won but the diesel citroen c3 came 2and. |
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Mar 19, 2020 11:10:30 GMT
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 Specialist Bodyshop & Fabrication Classic, Retro, Prestige & Custom Small Repairs to Concours Restorations Mechanical Work Vintage to Modern |
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Mar 19, 2020 14:07:40 GMT
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Peugeot 106 Diesel:
Cons - rattly, cheap feeling, slow, harsh ride. Give it a good check over for underbody corrosion.
Pros - cheap to buy, good spares availability, engine not too fragile, get the lighter 3 door version then drive it carefully and it will reward you with 65+mpg!
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stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member
Posts: 14,829
Club RR Member Number: 174
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High mileage commuting stealthstylz
@stealthstylz
Club Retro Rides Member 174
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Mar 19, 2020 19:09:58 GMT
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The only thing that annoys me about my Saxo diesel is that it's not a auto. I've just rebuilt the engine (I do it for a job so it's not cost me owt) as it had a few oil leaks and at 180,000 miles (80,000 in my ownership, I've never changed the oil) it had 3 tenths of a thou bore wear and zero piston ring wear. I've never seen anything like it.
My top tips are:-
1.5 only - there were issues with the Ally block 1.4
Get a Bosch pump one (most are)
Run it on whatever flammable oil you can get cheapest
Turn the pump up a bit, mine will cruise all day at 85-90
Rear axles are cheap as chips so don't worry if it's got death camber it's a hours work to fix
Look out for rot
The seats are comfy as frig, never once thought "this isn't comfy"
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