The Quest – Part One

Adam Sloman

I love buying cars, can’t help it, always have. I love the hunt, through the Internet and the free ad papers, it’s great fun, and it’s even more fun when it’s someone else’s money. The someone else in this case is my older brother. Car-less for almost four years now he’s decided he wants to get back on the road, and who better to help him than his car-obsessed brother?

Keith's Metro provided much inspiration
Keith’s Metro provided much inspiration

The brief was simple. A cheap car, to buy, run and insure, performance isn’t a huge factor since he’s got the lightest right foot in history, and most importantly, it had to be British.

A budget of £400 means that my brother’s car of choice, a Rover 45, is out, as the only 45s in that price range come with mileage that would rival the Battlestar Galactica!

So with all that in mind, I’ve put together a short list:

Rover Metro/100

Rover 200 89-95

Rover 400 89-95

Maestro

Montego

Rover 200 95-99

Rover 400 95-99

Something older-Maxi, Marina etc.

With our budget and my brother’s desire for something modern, I crossed off the older, BL-tin from the list, narrowing it down further. Thanks to Keith’s glowing review of the little oil-burning Metro he’s currently running, the Metro was our first port of call, however finding one has proven nigh on impossible so for the moment I’ve discounted it. After some online hunting, I found a very tidy looking N-registered Rover 214 SEi, but the car is just above the budget and after a brief ‘phone call there wasn’t any wiggle room in the price, saving me a trip to Leamington Spa. A pity as it’s a tidy looking car but it’s beyond the budget.

The right car, at the wrong price
The right car, at the wrong price

I think the way to go is to get away from the Internet, get down to the newsagent and get some papers – I think our bargain lies offline and in print.

1 Comment

  1. How about a T reg one owner 618 in dark blue, very low miles in A1 condition for £650 in the Walsall area?

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