So the Micra's dead.

"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
03/11/2015 at 09:37 • Filed to: None

My stepdads Micra failed it's MOT today on account of being full of holes. It's not economically worth getting someone to patch it and I have no welding equipment nor much practice at welding. So we're looking for something new.

Because poor we're looking between £500-£1000 to replace it. Going to look at a Polo and a few Ford Ka.

DISCUSSION (18)

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 09:46

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...

(It's sorta creepy that the Micra had an MOT on the same day as my car. Anyway, at least you're finally free of it! Also, my *suggestion* above aside, it might not be the best idea to pick up a Ka if you're fed up of dealing with rust problems; my sister's is oxidising in the driveway as we speak, and going by pretty much everything I've heard about them, it's far from atypical. As for the Polo, I have a friend with one that seems to go wrong a lot, but it was a very cheap example.)

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 09:49

Wait, holes as in, like, the floorboard? That will get your car off the road in the UK? Sooooo glad I live in a free country.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
03/11/2015 at 09:49

There's only one nearby and it needs a timing belt. The Micra actually did it's job well in that it got my stepdad to work every day (30 mile round trip) reliably. It still ran and drove good, the rust just got too much. Besides I still have another identical one around that my girlfriend drives.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/11/2015 at 09:51

Spare wheel well, rear bumper mounts, behind the sills, one of the frame rails etc etc. I'm glad we have MOTs since it keeps some of the sketchier stuff off the road, it just sucks when it means your car is headed to the scrapper.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 09:52

Oh, Micras are perfectly reliable and respectable point-to-point transportation, rust aside; I just can't get over the dull-to-drive-ness.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
03/11/2015 at 09:56

Yeah they certainly aren't fun to drive. I wonder what he'll end up with next, I shot down Punto because they tend to blow up their ECUs far too often and Citroen C2 also for reliability issues.

Cé hé sin > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 09:57

Yup, Micras tend to do that. Very reliable but have a tendency to dissolve.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Cé hé sin
03/11/2015 at 09:59

Yep it's a shame, the engine still runs like new.

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 10:02

There are a lot of cars out there (on Autotrader at least) for £1,000. Mk5 and 6 Ford Fiestas, 2004 Ford Focus, 2001 VW Golf Mk5, etc...

duurtlang > SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie
03/11/2015 at 10:02

Good luck while using that freedom to register that Micra in the US.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > duurtlang
03/11/2015 at 10:06

We have the freedom to get cars with real engines.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 10:07

I'd consider putting the Ka on that list for rust alone. The mechanicals are generally solid, but they seem to need welding every other MOT. It's a real shame: I actually quite like the SportKA, but it's bloody impossible to find any that aren't turning brown in important places.

How about a Saxo? From what I understand, they're pretty much mechanically identical to the 106, just with - to my eye - uglier bodywork. They've got a bit of a reputation for being driven by utter twats, but the boy racers pretty much confined themselves to the eminently popular 'warm' VTR, so the rest of the range should be alright.

That aside... It might be an idea to consider, say, a Mark I Focus. They're a bit bigger, obviously, but with the amount you see for sale, it shouldn't be difficult to find a decent example at a good price pretty much anywhere.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
03/11/2015 at 10:08

Well it has to be cheap to run so we're looking at the smallest stuff like Ka, Polo, maybe Fiesta etc. We couldn't afford to run the likes of a Focus 1.6.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
03/11/2015 at 10:10

I'm well aware of the rust issues, but I found a 30k mile example with service history that was garaged most of it's life.

There aren't many Saxos left apparently, I had a look. Found one 1.1 example but it was over 100k miles which I'd prefer to avoid.

Can't afford to run a Focus really.

KirkyV > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 10:16

Well, good luck with whatever you find! The Mark IV/V Fiesta might be worth a look, too.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > KirkyV
03/11/2015 at 10:17

The Fiestas hold their value strangely well so must of the sub £1000 cars are pretty beat up.

Svend > Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell.
03/11/2015 at 11:07

True a Mk6 Fiesta should be cheap to run and parts are a plenty.

Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell. > Svend
03/11/2015 at 11:10

The only issue with them is they hold their value a little well. The only Fiestas nearby are at or above the 100k mile barrier which I'd like to avoid.