As a newcomer (both to the forum & to MGFs), I thought I would chip in with my two cents worth.
Having recently changed jobs, I was looking for a reliable, economical, probably-diesel saloon for a 50 mile round trip daily commute. I had about £1500 to spend and loads of X-types, Mondeos, Pug 406 etc in the ebay watch list. And I had a very low (almost insulting) bid in on a soft top.
So I awoke to find the dreaded email, I had won a 1996 VVC in british racing green with a non-functioning speedo, no EPAS, a 2000 rpm idle and 8 weeks MoT. Yours for £250, sir.
So I collected the car, ran it home, and started googling. The speedo/EPAS was all down to the rear cable (now fixed), cleaning the IVAC sorted the high idle and things are looking up. The tyres needed replacing as those that came with it had badly-cracked sidewalls (£80 got me some good part worns), I’ve adjusted the handbrake so that it now works (some great guides on here, thanks to all that have contributed) and as soon as I can get my flash to work, I suspect it might even pass the next MoT.
Which is why I have posted here. I probably fit directly into the demographic that caused the OPs concern in the first place. I chanced upon a cheap soft top that, at sub £300, is all but disposable. If the MoT finds something horrendous that I have missed, then it’s going over the bridge. Similarly, the car has no history at all. The only paperwork I have is the V5C slip and the current MoT. The general air of neglect makes me wonder when it got serviced last, and the fact that the speedo wasn’t working makes me wonder if the 68,000 indicated miles is anywhere near accurate. And if it is, it’s probably overdue at least a cambelt, although the coolant looks brand new. So at that mileage, with no history at all, if the HG fails (they all do that, right?!) or if the cambelt fails, it’s going over the bridge. I’ll claw enough back from the VVC alloys, the seats and a few other bits to cover my money. I’ve had a laugh, covered my losses and the jobs jobbed, right?
Thing is, the car has got under my skin. It’s a right laugh to drive, bags of character and I’m enjoying the wind in my scalp motoring at every opportunity. My son thinks it’s the best car in the world. Plus I still have just over a grand left in the original budget, so if something does go horribly wrong I have enough cash to get a train to work for a couple of days while I sort out a reliable, economical, probably-diesel saloon, and take the pressure off the F. Even one as battered as mine is to nice a car to chop up just for the sake of a gasket or two…