cars for under a grand...?

whats hot and whats not?

got to be able to take a bike in the boot

and it has to be able to do at least 40mpg petrol/ 50mpg diesel

the more leftfield the better!

I've been toying with a 'proper' Saab 900 or Volvo 340, 440

you get the idea?

Lada Riva?
Don't laugh. I drove one for 18 months in SA and it never missed a beat. 4x4 too!

your not getting 40mpg out of a saab unless you push it the last 10 miles.
the best big economical car i had that drove spot on and could easily take a bike and is well under a grand or a grand if you want the top spec diesel and it comes with every toy you can think of is...wait for it.....
a peugeot 406 hdi estate.
yep i went there, yes its french, yes its shite because its french, and an estate, and a peugeot, and its french.
but by god, it was a nice car to drive, never let me down, gave good mpg (i had the 1.8 ls petrol) the one you want is the hdi rapier. it even comes with cruise control!
your welcome

Suzuki Wagon R+

Plenty for around a grand. I ran one for 138,000 miles and only got rid of it (stupid stupid stupid) because it failed MOT needing welding and I had a spare car (Renault Scenic) my father in law had passed on to us, and it was 138k miles, and the wife wanted us to get rid of a car.

Bike in boot (seats fold flat), perfect tip car (Will take up to 1/2 ton paving slabs and cement though steering goes a bit light... ), 48Mpg average over the 138k of abuse. Driving included commutes into London (used to drive half way and ride half way), and back lane thrashing (Regularly scared a Porsche up through back of Broxbourne in the lanes). Will beat an Aston DB7 from 0-25 at the lights in Broxbourne on the A10 due to low 1st gear, though you're utterly b*ggered thereafter...

Truly regret getting rid of little Suzie...

Rita the Renault Scenic diesel (average 46Mpg over 60k miles) is a poor substitute, though that also takes a bike in the back handily, it lacks all character and fun.

Something off the radar screen in the cool stakes...Nissan Primera?
They also handle nicely.

Don't ask Al.

Pistonhead Shed of the Week

Announced on Fridays


http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=162

been looking at a Multipla too. Doblos suddenly went expensive.

two of the most ugly cars ever!

My last car was a Skoda Favorit, £850.00 and definately well under the radar in the cool stakes.

I bought it off a nice retired engineer, it was spotless and never let me down in the three years I had it. If you buy the 1.6 petrol version it is essentially a Volkswagen Polo with a different (uglier?) body, all the parts have V.A.G. stamps on them - it even had an OK Blaupunkt radio in it. It was also a nice simple car, no electric windows, air conditioning and all that nonsense that you just don't need in a cheap runnabout.

The only problem is the rather high emmissions which means £230.00 annual road tax, which made it no longer economical for someone like me that only drove 800 miles a year.

EDIT.

Funny you should mention the Multipla, a friend and I where thinking of getting one between us. Just keep your eyes half shut until you get in it.