Do I commit the most heinous of sins...

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
09/22/2015 at 11:00 • Filed to: None

...and allow a Corsa into the family?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/adv…

PS, I’ll stop with these constant car buying posts... eventually.

DISCUSSION (54)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:03

Not if you love your parents and want them to love you.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
09/22/2015 at 11:05

They actually requested a Corsa specifically and I told them no so they’d be pleased with this change of mind. My dad had one for years and it never let him down once so he has this whole thing about them. Plus it was his first car so there’s some nostalgia there too.

AndyG_UK > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:07

If you can find one that’s been well looked after then they are good basic transport, though the 3 cyclinder 1ltr is woefully underpowered and not that economical cos you have to have your foot in the carpet to keep up with normal traffic (I had to live with one for 3 years once due to some pesky points on my license!), of the petrols the 1.2 is the most economical to run, the 1.4 is a half decent performer and still good on petrol. Listen out for weird top end clattering on all the petrol ones, a lot do it and it means they are close to death!

duurtlang > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:08

Don’t do it! Save your soul!

Kinja'd!!!

Seriously though, in the segment of dirt cheap cars it’s always a gamble. Don’t pick a car on reputation, buy on that’s well taken care of. It doesn’t really matter what it is.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > AndyG_UK
09/22/2015 at 11:09

Yeah I just found a cheaper 1.2 that’s a better bet and hopefully is well cared for (I’ll ask to see some service history). I’ve heard that clattering on a few old ones about town and assumed it’s not good... Our Saxo is making a similar noise right now.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > duurtlang
09/22/2015 at 11:11

BUT I ALSO WANT TO SAVE HAVING TO WORK ON AND DRIVE THAT GARBAGE ASS SAXO. The devil can have my soul if it means never having to see that junk again.

MultiplaOrgasms > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:13

Even a POS Saxo is better than any Corsa, ever.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > MultiplaOrgasms
09/22/2015 at 11:14

I don’t think you understand how bad a piece of shit this Saxo is. I’d rather drive a wheelbarrow.

duurtlang > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:15

The question is: will the Corsa be better than the Saxo? From what I’ve read you/your parents bought a bit of a dog because intrinsically a Saxo is a better car than a Corsa of similar age. It might be an improvement if it’s well looked after, but it’s also plausible you’re swapping one POS for another.

AndyG_UK > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:15

I’ve heard reports that it’s everything from the cam belt tensioner to the hydraulic lifters that cause the noise, always seems to be ratty and therefore probably not well serviced ones that do it, ones that look in good nick always sound ok.

The 1.2 is actually not a bad little engine in that shape Corsa (as it had yet to get too fat like the shape after it), I had a 1.2 SX one after the dreadful 1ltr one, it was pretty peppy, good on fuel and never caused me an issue (the 1ltr one had a common cold starting issue), it even managed pretty well when the A\C was on!

deprecated account > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:17

How about one of these RR moto-engined Corsas?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > duurtlang
09/22/2015 at 11:17

Corsas are known to be relatively reliable so as long as it has a full service history it’s likely better than the Saxo. A bit of a dog is an understatement, I actually like most 106s and Saxos, this thing though...

MultiplaOrgasms > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:19

NOTHING MADE THIS SIDE OF THE BERLIN WALL HAS EVER BEEN AS AWFUL AS THE CORSA C (aside from the original Meriva).

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > AndyG_UK
09/22/2015 at 11:19

I’ve just read theres an oil delivery issue to cylinder three if they aren’t cared for properly (hence the ratty ones making the noise) that causes the small end bearings to let go. That sounds like it might be the cause of the death rattling.

That sounds decent enough for our needs, just need a tough economical runabout.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > deprecated account
09/22/2015 at 11:20

YES ALL OF THIS.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > MultiplaOrgasms
09/22/2015 at 11:21

Bro do you even Astra? The Corsa is bad yes, but the Astra is atrocious.

deprecated account > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:21

Make it happen man.

duurtlang > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:21

I actually like most 106s and Saxos

I do too, very strongly so compared to the competition. But it’s an older car, it sounds totally plausible to me yours is a complete mess. Probably due to neglect by a previous owner?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > duurtlang
09/22/2015 at 11:29

The mess this ones in it’s probably had about 40 different owners, none of which appreciated good maintenance or servicing... I pulled the valve cover not too long ago, there was a fair bit of sludge. There’s top end noise that sounds like a 50 foot grandfather clock ticking at super speed, and the timing belt badly needs doing. There’s rust developing the shifter has a ton of slop in it, the idle is a bit erratic (possibly timing slipped) and it has an alarming clunk in the suspension. That’s probably just bushings though.

MultiplaOrgasms > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:34

Bro.

Kinja'd!!!

AndyG_UK > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:35

Sounds good, find one that isn’t making any noises and give it's oil a good flush and then stick some decent stuff in it as soon as you get it, check the oil carefully to make sure someone has stuck different grade oil to try and hide the noise to get it sold!

Hiroku > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 11:35

I had one of those as a hand-me-down from my stepdad and it was atrocious. Absolute dog to drive, and one of the worse (if not the worst) interiors I ever sat in. It had around 90k miles and the engine was basically junk - no more than 120psi of compression in any of the 3 cylinders and more oil in the water than water, and vice-versa. Granted, my stepdad is the kind of person to change the oil every 30.000kms and only change the filter every other change (no joke).

Yet in almost 15 years of ownership he claims it never needed major work done or left him stranded so I suppose they can last if properly maintained. Also, I averaged around 5.5L/100km in mixed driving despite never lifting the throttle pedal out of the floor, so it’s definitely not bad on fuel.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > AndyG_UK
09/22/2015 at 11:46

Yeah will do, I’ll hopefully be able to tell if they’ve put thickener in or something.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > MultiplaOrgasms
09/22/2015 at 11:47

Bro

Kinja'd!!!

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Hiroku
09/22/2015 at 11:49

Yeah the interiors are terrible and they suck to drive, but he doesn’t care about any of that. It sounds like it did okay considering the maintenance schedule... Oil filters are like £3 no reason not to change them...

AndyG_UK > MultiplaOrgasms
09/22/2015 at 12:23

having driven both cars when they were current vehicles when they were current models I can say the Corsa is like a Bentley compared to a Saxo AND the Saxo tended to fold like a paper hat in accidents.

RWS Motorsport > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 12:25

sadly corsas are also universally the worst driven cars on the road, so you’ll be tarring your parents with that brush as well as lumbering them with a POS corsa. Might I suggest a mark 1/1.5 focus? slightly larger but well built cars, and reliable if they have been even slightly looked after. they rust, but in mostly in less structural areas like the bootlid and behind the wingmirrors.

might be slightly over budget, but found this http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/adv…

(ps, not stalking your location, on a previous link you stuck up, it had a postcode, so i just used a postcode from the city you used last time)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RWS Motorsport
09/22/2015 at 12:31

I do like the Focus and have looked at a few I’m just so restricted budget wise that even a £50 difference in tax or 5mpg less is a deal breaker and Focii other than the 1.4 and 1.6 (hard to find in clean nick) are pricier to run than a supermini. It’s getting to the point where I wont bother and I’ll let him deal with another dead car.

That is a really nice Focus though, I’d be happy to drive something like that. I love that velourish seat material Ford used to use for some reason, my grandpa had it in his old Escort.

RWS Motorsport > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 12:38

Ah yeah thats a tough one. Sadly the bigger engined focus are thirsty, mines a 1.8 and if i drive like a nun I can get 38mpg on the motorway. City driving down to more like 28.

Thats very similar to mine, bar the engine and towbar. The Ghia spec adds some very nice bits to it.

To be honest i think there is sense in gambling with the Saxo. If it keeps working for a year then you’re grand, and if it eats itself your not massively much worse off? or are you relying on the money from selling the Saxo for the replacement (by you, i mean your folks naturally).

With some oil in it, and maybe a new timing belt which seems to be anything from £10 to £40 on eurocarparts, you never know, might keep going for a fair while

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RWS Motorsport
09/22/2015 at 12:42

I mentioned doing the belt, tensioner and oil then just continuing to run it. He didn’t seem to like idea. His money management is suspect despite our best efforts. He’ll pay the bills and mortgage then spend away the rest. I told him he needs to see his car as another bill and set aside cash like most do.

RWS Motorsport > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 13:16

Hmm thats a pain. Dont fancy doing it for him totally on the sly? just grab a hanyes manual and one day when the parents are out getting stuck in. once you’re elbow deep in the engine they might not get you to stop.

You said you’d topped up the oil in a previous post didnt you? that might be enough to keep you going. Modern engijnes are remarkably resilaint with shitty oil, up to a point. What engine is it out of interest?

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RWS Motorsport
09/22/2015 at 13:20

Na I’m not that bothered about it haha. I would’ve thought he’d be more bothered about it since a timing belt snap killed his Scenic but I guess not.

Yeah I topped it off, it immediately starting leaking heavier than before, it seems the low oil level hid the leaky valve cover gasket. It’s probably slowly emptying itself again. That’s another thing it needs...

It’s the base 1.1, decent revvy little motor in good condition. This one, as you can probably guess, is not so fun.

Laurence > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 13:27

Nooooooooooo! (I’m a ford guy, in case you were wondering)

For this money, if all you want is small and reliable, something Japanese (Yaris, micra or swift) or a really well maintained car that’s recently had any major work/known issues sorted so you don’t have to fix them yourself

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Laurence
09/22/2015 at 13:31

I much prefer Ford too. I drove a 1.7 cdti Astra once, the only place that car belonged was in the sea.

I probably will still end up with a Micra or Yaris, but they’re barely less upsetting to drive than the Corsa.

Laurence > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 13:37

Yeah, same here; my dad had a mk3 Astra in a purplely blue colour the Internet refuses to accept exists, and after selling it, decided they never wanted another one (shopping for cars for them is hard; they refuse to drive more than a few miles for a car, don’t like vauxhalls, and always say they don’t want something French, but always get a citroen anyway)

There has to something that fits your requirements and isn't upsettinly dull

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Laurence
09/22/2015 at 13:46

The Saxo would’ve fitted the requirements and not been too dull if they’d actually got a nicer example of one. They’re fun little cars if well looked after. Shame really.

MultiplaOrgasms > AndyG_UK
09/22/2015 at 13:46

Having sat in a 106 once but having driven a Corsa over a field once I disagree.

RWS Motorsport > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 13:49

Hah, yeah thats a pain. Leaky rocker covers are a ballache, but hopefully shouldn’t leak oil to a completely critical point. Well fingers crossed the Shitron Crapxo keeps going :)

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > RWS Motorsport
09/22/2015 at 13:52

Yeah we’ll see. Gotta credit it for lasting this long on no maintenance to be honest, managed to get to 90k miles somehow.

Laurence > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
09/22/2015 at 14:34

Honestly, I like the saxo. I’ve heard good things about vts and vtr models; there’s a reason so many people race them

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Laurence
09/22/2015 at 14:38

Yeah you can tell there’s some remnants of a good car in there. If the dodgy rear bushings were sorted out it’d handle really well.