You may have heard the term 'bangernomics' before and that is what we are talking about here. Now if you don't think about your motoring costs, as you don't have to - or if you are fussy about what you drive and how shiny it looks, or the year of the registration on the front, you can stop reading.
The rest of us can seek some real value and cost effective motoring. To buy a cheap car for pittance and then run it for anything from a few months to a few years is a satisfying feeling on its own.
There are a few misconceptions about this way of motoring however. The main one I have encountered is that it is not environmentally friendly to run an older car. In fact nothing could be further from the truth. All cars, no matter how old, or what they are, cost a considerable amount to manufacture in terms of their individual carbon footprints. The materials, energy and resources that are used are considerable. When scrapping an older car further energy and resources are used again. Since the early 1990s most cars have been fitted with fuel injection and catalytic converters that make them hugely less polluting than the vehicles we drove back in the early '80s and '70s.
Back to the benefits of bangernomics. With an older car that is purchased wisely there is no depreciation to encounter. Keep it on the road and sell it on again for what you paid when you're done. What could be more satisfying?
Ex-minicab Toyota Carinas, Corollas, Nissan Primeras, or older style Mercedes-Benz can often still be seen with anything from 220,000- to 320,000 kilometres on the clock. So many cab drivers, who depend on their cars, can't be wrong. Best of all these can be picked up for next to nothing. As with most cars this age, forget the mileage - buy on condition always. There are many models that can take over 300,000 kilometres with relative ease when shown a little care.
So your interest is piqued, what's out there at the minute?
Well, how about a 1997 Toyota Carina 1.6 four-door saloon with an NCT until 2013 for €400? Ok the paint is a bit flat and it has a few small knocks, but it has four decent tyres and is a regular driver. These cars eat up the miles and last extremely well. It's testament as to how many of these you still see on the roads. It's also spacious and decently equipped.
Fancy something a bit more luxurious with a bit more power?
Perhaps a 2000 Lexus IS 200 SE would suffice? Spacious, featuring loads of gadgets and toys including heated seats, it's refined, comfortable and of course a persistent top performer in the reliability surveys. That will be €900 including an NCT until July 2013, two brand new tyres, new brake pads, timing belt done and a recent clutch for that six-speed manual gearbox.
Small runabout for the other half or a kid's first car?
Ford Ka with power steering for just 600 notes includes four new tyres and has a valid NCT until 2013. With cheap insurance, good fuel economy and a lower tax bracket it's cheap transport. Any way you look at it that is value.
Other highlights include an Audi 80 1.9 TDI with NCT until March 2013 for just 400-odd euro. A 1997 Ford Escort 1.4 Estate with an NCT until 2013 for €500. Or perhaps a 1994 Volkswagen Golf 1.4 five-door also with NCT until next year for just €600.
In an age where we focus so heavily on our environment and in particular, recycling, isn't it a shame we don't do the same for cars? It is, after all, a product that costs such a significant amount in environmental terms to produce in the first place. Yet in the name of the environment we are offering scrappage deals to dispose of such cars and simply replace them with newer models that have also been produced at a significant cost to the environment.
The next time you see a 10-20 year-old car pass you, don't turn your nose up at it. Just think how low its costs are in comparison to newer cars on the roads. Now that is not to be sniffed at!
Craig will be writing a series of articles exclusively for CompleteCar.ie regarding lower priced motoring and saving money. By way of putting his (lack of) money where his mouth is he will report on his own fleet of bangers...