Cheap Runaround - Where ?

Is there an auction near you? Here in Milton Keynes there's one twice a week (Wed. & Fri. evenings) with maybe 100-120 cars going through each evening. It seems to me that many very decent cars with lots of mileage left in them are almost being given away! It seems that local main dealers generally just want any pre-2000 car off their hands ASAP and will send it to the auction to be sold "as seen" and without reserve - that's where most of the cars come from. You mention a 1992 Pug 205. I'd expect a very decent one of those with a bit of MoT on it for around 200 quid.

Cool, my brother has just got around to learning to drive so would probably be interested. We're in Milton Keynes too, can I ask where?

Thanks,

Peter.

We've got an auction not too far away at Blackbushe, but I thought they were mostly ex-hire, ex-company vehicles, with not too many (enough!) miles on the clock. Anything private would just be there to be got rid of (I'd have thought ??)

Thanks for the help

Graham

It's by The Bowl. Coming up the (old) A5 (Watling St.) from Bletchley it's the entrance on the R. immediately before The Bowl. Then 150 yds. up the hill. I'm sure you'll not be disappointed!

Yes, it's many, many years since I studied the motor auction business. Then there were a number of day-time auctions up-and-down the country run by big plc's (Blackbushe, Measham, Leighton Buzzard, etc.) They mainly sold ex-lease cars, about 3-years old. This one at MK is very much one for "clearance" cars and is run by a couple of guys, one of whom wields the hammer whilst the other keeps the drivers and the key-lady in order. It will surely be worth making some enquiries about what kind of cars they get at Blackbushe. This reminds me that the first time I saw a guy with a mobile phone it was at Leighton Buzzard auction. It was the size of a small suitcase! (1987, perhaps?)

Got a few cars at auctions. I found mannheims to be a bit s*it, with 'central car auctions' being very good, as it's well planned, and excellent for newbies too. A lot of s*it egoes through, but worry about the condition of the engine and essential structurally-essential bodywork only, then as a bonus worry about other things such as cosmetic rust.

Seen year 1999 escorts go for £800, with aircon, 1999 nissan almera's around £1400, mazda 323f glx £1200 year 2000.

There's huge bargains, it REALLY depends on your luck.

A tip I'd give, go in week 2 or 3 of the month, as less non-dealers will have cash to spend, so you may get the odd hundred quid saving, at the very least.

Give it a bash, and be open minded. My son was after an almera or something similar sized, vauxhall astras (non s***ty vauxhell red) seem to go for quite a lot, so an escort is a good substitute.

Seen a few nice BMWs go for around £3.5k, out of your budget it sounds, but truly amazing when you consider only 5 years ago, these cars were worth £20k.

If you know which auction site you wish to visit you can obtained a list of lots for £10 comprising of 40 searches valid for 2 weeks (for non card holders) from BCA -

Ditto - this is silly money!

Autotrader/Friday Ads have

Yes, but they are paid for by their ads (which aren't cheap) especially friday-ad, which has always seemed to be trader-only.

Is it still possible to go to a garage and

I guess so, but I remember visiting a garage in Heanor that had all their trade ins available - they were disgusting, knackered and overpriced.

Have a look in findit.co.uk, cards in your local supermarket window or if you'd stoop so low, the 'proton' section of ebay - reliable, but not pretty!

Adam

You're having a laugh right? A decent ex joe bloggs 205 D for 200? 750 to

Tim..

No, I'm quite serious. You've introduced the "D", BTW, and diesels *do* fetch a bit more of course. With cars like these the presence (or otherwise) of MoT can make perhaps a couple of hundred difference. Without one you're immediately faced with a bill (the fee, at least): if it's got, say, 4 months remaining you can bring it home with the expectancy (or hope!) that it will be that length of time before you're putting your hand in your pocket.

I bought a nice little runaround not long ago - BMW 740 :-)