The impossible task

[dollysprint]

This isn't a request for a car, just what my parents have asked me to find following the diff going on their 75,000 mile Rover 623 auto......................yes Honda reliability!!
Anyway their request, it must be small but not ride like a Fiesta, it must be automatic, preferably diesel despite my protests(they do less than 2000 miles a year), they would like the £30 a year tax bracket, low mileage, not the colour green, the newer the better and the budget..............................................£1000. Did I mention my sister told mum that her Megane does over 60mpg, so mum would like that too! What mum fails to digest is that the Megane is a 59 plate 1.5 diesel MANUAL that cost over £6000 18 months ago and has a myriad of electrical problems!
Mum is 81 and dad is 86 and all but deaf which doesn't help when trying to explain the car they want does not exist, but if you can think of one then feel free to enlighten me.

Dave

[Richard Moss]

Not many options at that price.

[midnite]

polo dave, small drives well, auto, quite a few for a grand but no diesel and no 30 tax band.

[rovercoup]

How about this Dave? on the face of it fits most of your requirements and not too far to go for a look.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-VERY- ... 35f26a8670

[traineefarmer]

Allegro VDP.

[dollysprint]

Not many options at that price.

I did mention a tandem but they failed to see the humour

Dave

[dollysprint]

polo dave, small drives well, auto, quite a few for a grand but no diesel and no 30 tax band.

Polo is on the list Matt but it must be 5 door.....................no I don't understand the reasons for that either

Dave

[dollysprint]

How about this Dave? on the face of it fits most of your requirements and not too far to go for a look.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VW-GOLF-VERY- ... 35f26a8670

Thats a cracking buy for someone but mum will tell me that its older than the 623 and she don't do going older, she thinks its a backward step

Dave

[dollysprint]

Allegro VDP.

Did look at a Dolomite Auto 1850 but combined with the reason above neither of them would do keep fit windows or non central locking

Dave

[Dajazar]

Mitsubishi Colt?

Not sure about the £1000 budget though or diesel. Alternatively, Kia Rio?

[midnite]

cheap w plate micro auto 3dr petrol on autoshite dave, 35k miles £550, i know it doesn't quite tick all the boxes, but looks like a nice car for peanuts money in bournmuff dorsetshire

[deano]

I`d buy a Peugeot or even a Citroen...


But i wouldn't buy a Renault for all the frogs legs in france

[scoobyh123]

I`d buy a Peugeot or even a Citroen...


But i wouldn't buy a Renault for all the frogs legs in france

Don't you like your parents then? Peugeots and Citroens are death traps! I'm talking about new ones as well!

On the other hand Dave, there is a 620Si auto on fleabay at the moment but the colour scheme may not meet with Ma and Pa's approval :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/161840027963? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Alternatively, there is a Jeep Grand Cherokee with LPG also on the bay of fleas :

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321876529427? ... EBIDX%3AIT

Obviously won't do anywhere near 60mpg but will give the pence per mile equivalent of 37mpg on petrol while using LPG. Easy for them to get in and out of the leather arm chairs that serve as seats which are both electrically adjustable in everywhich way imaginable (except lumbar! ), nice automatic box and it has four wheel drive which is ideal for the coming ice-age style winter.
Steering is lovely and light, electric windows do the hard work and it has "essential locking" as someone i once knew referred to central locking as.

By the way, did you know Renault Migraines flip over for no apparent reason at motorway speeds? Also Renault will probably fix all the instrument pack faults with a new pack for a total payment of £100 as they are a known disaster area and well documented on many Renault forums but give your local dealer a call and they should help your sis.

As for your parents 623, what colour is it? I might be interested in it complete unless they've already scrapped it.

[dollysprint]

Thanks for all the suggestions, the impossible task continues but they will have to compromise.

Dave the 623 GSi is midnight blue with cream leather, with the diff roaring the way it is I wouldn't attempt to drive it from south wales to suffolk though. If you can trailer it then it will be available shortly once I have found them something else.

Dave

[deano]

Nothing wrong with the Pugs, we`ve had several small ones in our family

My 306 (2001 model) I had it for 7 years and put 125k on the clock.

My only criticism is the metalwork is too thin