53 plate Monaco advice needed please

[millhouse]

Hi all not been on here for ages not been in a Clio for a while but the itch is back haven’t had a sport for years but really want another one, so trawl the classifieds eBay auto trader gumtrees etc. And as I’m looking to sell my old golf for about £800 was looking for one that I could pick up in that price range. I found a 53 Monaco ph2 172 with 100k looks a bit sorry for itself but could be brought up to a reasonable condition with headlights restored and a good clean (OCD style) it’s only £500 but here are the 2 problems 1: the guy took it for part ex and has no service history and it has no MOT and 2: its in Bradford and I’m based in Portsmouth, so my questions is it worth a look? bearing in mind I am handy with my tools so don’t mind rolling up my sleeves and getting hands on am thinking first to do belts, water pump and dephaser straight away, my main issue is distance I could book it in for a test local to where it is now but if it fails I’m stuck, anyone know how far you can drive a car after failing it’s MOT I know that it used to be ok to take it home or garage of your choice for repair but that would normally be in the same town, any advice would be greatly appreciated and hopefully we can get to the bottom of it and I have a sport again

 

[bloke]

no actual distance in place but if you are taking the piss and get pulled you could be in a spot of bother. you wouldn't get away wiht saying i'm taking it home to be repaired and then back to bradford for retest though ?

 

[millhouse]

That’s a fair point mate I didn’t think of that but had thought it’s got to be a piss take, any ideas on transportation cost? I rough idea or where I could find out would be great.

 

[bloke]

i've had stuff brought to me from similar distances and that's around £100 ish, to you i'd guess at £200 minimum if you're lucky.

 

[Louis]

Get it on Shiply.

You won't have any problems with getting pulled in Bradford, everyone's uninsured anyway

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

Can you find someone to go look at it ?!

Sounds like a daft idea to me..

£500 + £200 to get it to you.. then it probably will need belts and other work £600+ .. even simple things like a set of tyres and brakes are a few hundred more.

If it's on 100k and not been looked after, it might need shocks, bushes and all sorts..

All of a sudden you're £2k+ down and you could have had a really nice sorted one for that in the first place.

 

[General Dave]

Unless you can get it back to Pompey for 500 all in i'd look elsewhere mate. like @TheEvilGiraffe said you'd easily pick one up for what you'd potentially end up spending on it.

 

[Louis]

I wouldn't ever buy a car from Bradford imho

 

[hipwell]

I wouldn't ever buy a car from Bradford imho

Same

Had bad experiences multiple times, never again.

Last one was the guy said to me let me know when you've set off so I can expect you, I was like yeh ok. 5 minutes before I was due to arrive he rang me saying somebody had just offered him 300 more than what I was coming to pay. Told him to bollox and got back on the motorway back at the next junction. Obviously assuming I would match it having travelled a fair distance

 

[General Dave]

Whats your budget @millhouse ?? - there's quite a few 1*2's around the Portsmouth area on gumtree!

 

[millhouse]

That’s some fair points made unfortunately I don’t know anyone who is in that area to have a look over it for me, I might be able to borrow a mates trailer to tow it back, I am expecting to replace bushes etc to give it a refresh as at that age it will benefit from it, the problem is I have a budget of around £800 basically what I would get from selling my car to fund the next one and it’s in budget but being so far away I can’t possibly know if it’s a lemon without pretty much committing to buy it, there is a nice looking 182 in South Wales but he won’t take any offers and is up for £1000

 

[TheEvilGiraffe]

That’s some fair points made unfortunately I don’t know anyone who is in that area to have a look over it for me, I might be able to borrow a mates trailer to tow it back, I am expecting to replace bushes etc to give it a refresh as at that age it will benefit from it, the problem is I have a budget of around £800 basically what I would get from selling my car to fund the next one and it’s in budget but being so far away I can’t possibly know if it’s a lemon without pretty much committing to buy it, there is a nice looking 182 in South Wales but he won’t take any offers and is up for £1000

If it wasn't a lemon.. do you think it would be £500 ?!

If you've only got £300 budget leftover when you buy it, and half of that is going to go just to get it back home, and you find it needs belts, a new 'box and 3 new tyres.. what are you going to do ?

 

[cat171]

Basically, your budget isn't enough, even one at a grand is going to be ropey, then you'll spend a ton of money on it getting serviced etc, but the chances are, it still won't be really nice, so you'll put more money into it.
Where as you could wait a bit, save up some more and find a better one that doesn't need tons spent on it.

I realise what I've written isn't how most do things on here (and I am convinced most buy sheds on purpose) but think of the long run.

 

[millhouse]

Well what I meant by lemon was beat to s**t, I am looking more to the rolling project but bodywork is more an issue so long as it runs and drives, like I say I could borrow a trailer to get it home just need to hear back from my friend

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Have you a Copart near you? I got my Cup for £750 over a year ago and she is still going good.

 

[millhouse]

Really aren’t they breakers? What sort of condition was it in?

 

[imprezaworks]

Where written off cars start their new life isn’t it?

 

[Mr R.]

If it wasn't a lemon.. do you think it would be £500 ?!

If you've only got £300 budget leftover when you buy it, and half of that is going to go just to get it back home, and you find it needs belts, a new 'box and 3 new tyres.. what are you going to do ?

Start another thread.

 

[Mr R.]

Really aren’t they breakers? What sort of condition was it in?

And what do you think one for £500 is going to be?

 

[millhouse]

“Start another thread” why? I’ve come here for some advice and there has been some helpful suggestions and things that I haven’t thought of which could help me find the best that I can afford

 

[Louis]

Personally I'd wait, don't go for the one in Bradford as it just doesn't make sense.

Save a little money and wait for one that's local

 

[imprezaworks]

“Start another thread” why? I’ve come here for some advice and there has been some helpful suggestions and things that I haven’t thought of which could help me find the best that I can afford

My advice would be try and up the budget, 1200-1500 and stick a wanted thread up on here.

@jonno_c has a nice 182, forget how much now. But looks tidy bar a few bits on one arch. Straight car though.

Thing is. You may strike lucky with a cheap one, but chances are you WILL be spending money on it, the new ness has definitely worn off.

If I was looking for a cheaper clio 100% it would be off here, or recommendations off here.

Have fun, it’s an ass.

 

[jonno_c]

My advice would be try and up the budget, 1200-1500 and stick a wanted thread up on here.

@jonno_c has a nice 182, forget how much now. But looks tidy bar a few bits on one arch. Straight car though.

Thing is. You may strike lucky with a cheap one, but chances are you WILL be spending money on it, the new ness has definitely worn off.

If I was looking for a cheaper clio 100% it would be off here, or recommendations off here.

Have fun, it’s an ass.

Buy mine @millhouse !!

Check out the for sale thread on here. Prob a few pages back now. Solid BG 182 with a ding on rear quarterl ; (

 

[millhouse]

Thanks @imprezaworks thats not too much more I agree I will just try to be more patient and get to that £1200-1500 budget to find one more up together from here so I can trust at lot more, it will be hard but worth it as I have a mate with a 16 plate polo gti and he wanted to go to a track day later in the year sounds awesome, right up my street hence being so keen to jump back into a 1*2 I just need to show a bit of restraint so I don’t regret it ?

 

[MonkeyKnifeFight]

Really aren’t they breakers? What sort of condition was it in?

Mine had a dent in the door. But a 16 year old car can be written off with as little as a scratch on the bumper. Well worth a look, steer away from category U look for a Cat N.

Or dont i'll buy them all ?

 

[imprezaworks]

Pop a wanted thread up (will need to be one a member) and see what’s about.

 

[millhouse]

@jonno_c just found your ad looks good but I won’t be able to stretch to that figure anytime soon but good luck with the sale looks good even with a bit of battle scars.

I’ll get my membership renewed after payday and see what I can fish up.

Thanks to you all for all your opinions and suggestions I thought I was being a bit hasty but glad I came here before making a mistake ?

 

[imprezaworks]

Anything you spot, pop it on here for the masses to ridicule and mock the price (unless it’s their car ).

Good luck.

 

[bloke]

got a link for the ad? at £500 for a monaco might get it myself.

 

[millhouse]

I just looked for it on gumtree and it’s gone think someone has already snapped it up.

 

[Burge172]

It wasn’t this one by any chance was it

 

[millhouse]

Yeah that’s the one, did you buy it?

 

[Burge172]

Yeah bought it Thursday well swapped the guy a mondeo it’s a bit of a dog to be honest I’ve done 2x springs injector exhaust and engine mount up to now

 

[millhouse]

Thought it might have been, what are your plans for it? Track it or cheap fast road fun?

 

[Burge172]

fast road fun I’ve wabted another clio for a while got the bug didn’t I to be fair the shell is quite clean I’ve got some doors to go on it just mechanicly it needs love I’m doing the belts and dephaser next couple of weeks when I get time