Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Bitumen Boy]

For the last several years my dad has had an old Triumph Acclaim, but it's just taken a marathon amount of work and bodgery to scrape it through the MOT, and given an increasing amount of issues around reliability and parts availability it looks like it's days with us are numbered I'd really like to replace it with another classic, but there's not much in the kitty and in any case garage time is at more and more of a premium, dad isn't in the best of health now and I'm having to spend more and more time looking after him. Not a very bright picture, so I'm looking for a cheap, sound motor that will do for shopping and hospital appointments, that can be serviced and fixed by the local garage (honest and competent with everyday stuff) if needs be.

At the same time, I hear on the family grapevine that my uncle's car may be going begging, as he's had to give up driving due to his health. Essentially, it could be mine for the cost of an insurance policy and a £35 rail fare - plus of course the usual running around and general aggravation factor. So, 2001 Vauxhall Corsa, 1.1, 3 door, 64k miles, tax and six months or so MOT, been serviced regularly and by the sound of it quite recently. 1 owner from new, so at least I know it hasn't been modified, clocked, boyracered or generally abused in the way that a lot of cheap used cars probably have been. What do you reckon? Are there any known issues or rot spots? There seem to be a fair number of them running around locally of about the same age so presumably service and spares shouldn't be a major issue. It doesn't sound too bad to me, so long as I can get the insurance for a sensible premium - I've only had a classic policy for the last 10 years so of course no official NCB All opinions welcome!

[ukdave2002]

Well it sounds like a no brainer ; a free car in good condition with 1 known owner

It's 13 years old, so don't expect zero repairs! But at least it's all simple stuff that can be done at home, and Corsa parts are cheap and plentiful

Cheers Dave

[Rick]

Sounds like it'd be perfect, I'm sure I once read of timing chain issues with some Corsas but which year(s) or specific engine(s) are affected I'm really not sure, I don't follow the subject all that closely. As ukdave says, finding parts shouldn't be a problem.

RJ
_________________
Rick - Admin
Home:https://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk
Videos:https://www.youtube.com/user/oldclassiccarRJ/videos
OCC & classic car merchandise (Austin, Ford ++):
https://www.redbubble.com/people/OldClassicCar/shop

[kevin2306]

i would concur, sounds ideal.
probably worth sticking it into the garage for a decent service plus well worth checking the tyres as they may be long past their sell by date?

Kev

[Bitumen Boy]

Thanks guys, pretty much what I was thinking. Just have to figure out what the insurance would be but if that's not ridiculous then as Dave says it sounds like a no brainer - if it turns out to be a complete lemon I can always scrap it without losing too much on the deal, but by the sound of things there should be a few years in it yet. Kev's point about the tyres is a good one, but if they're past their best they should at least be a fairly common size, not looking at doing vast mileages so budget tyres should be fine

[Keith D]

Sounds much too good to pass up.

It may be 13 years old, but it's only done 5000 miles a year and I presume your uncle is an older man, then it's probably never been hammered.

I only knew the Corsa when they were new, (hire cars) but I've rented a number of them over the years when in the UK, and I always found them comfortable and reliable, easy to park and economical to run.

FYI they went worldwide! They were sold in Australia as the Holden Barina!

Keith

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

Probably worth talking to your current insurance company. As you have a record there they may accept that in terms of some (at least) NCB.

[Nick57]

We have had a 98 Corsa 1.0 for 7/8 years and all the kids have used it and it has been very reliable, only wanting normal service items, tyres etc.

I would advise to only use a genuine filter and good quality oil as it probably has a timing chain tensinor linked by oil pressure and it quite a job to change the chain and guides if it fails.

A plus is that if you want spares there are plenty on ebay, I paid £10 for a replacement headlamp including delivery and other things are cheap as well.

Nick
_________________
Current Riley 9 Peugeot 505 Moto Morini 350

Have owned Aston Martin Inter Rudge Ulster Renault 4 Rover 100 Austin 7 Aston Martin Le mans

[ka]

I do not wish to argue, but it would be worth checking the cc of the engine. Most Corsa's are/were either the 1.0litre 3 cylinder engine, or the 1.2litre four cylinder engine. Insurance for either is as cheap as chips. When I retired from work, I went to work for the local council and needed a car for business use. I bought a ten year old Corsa for £200, ran it for two years and 24000 miles, taking the mileage to 130,000 miles, and whilst not quite as sweet as a nut with the timing chain rattle at tick-over, it still returned 50 to the gallon, and never let me down, I also appreciated the stunning heater as temperatures dipped to minus 13 degrees over winter.(I was one of the ozone-depleaters who started the frozen car, turned the heater to full, put the blower on the screen, switched on the heated screen, locked it and went back in the house to find my tie, drink the remainder of the coffee, clean my teeth, then find a deforested, warm car on the drive waiting for me)
I then sold it for £250, thinking about it, maybe I should have kept it, and sold the modern diesel!!!
_________________
KA

Better three than four.

[Phil - Nottingham]

Sounds an ideal buy to me. The 1300 & 1600 engines really suffer from the black sludge build up if not used much especially if only on short trips. Even regular oil changes do not help. However this should not really make much difference in your dad's case
_________________
Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[Bitumen Boy]

Quick update on this one, not much has happened as I've been struggling to get full details of the car - mainly the registration number - in a long distance transaction, and have only made a little progress today. You're right, ka, about the engine size - it's the 1 litre, though oddly enough there seem to be plenty of these advertised on Gumtree etc as 1.1's, so maybe it's a badging thing. Just waiting to try Peter James for insurance tomorrow to see if it's viable on that score, comparison sites have been coming up with silly money quotes on the basis of no official NCB but hopefully a real person can take several years (lost count!) with no claims on the Herald into account.

[Bitumen Boy]

Not looking good on the insurance front today, rang Peter James and despite several years no claims on the classic policy they were coming back with silly money quotes over £2k! Best so far has been one of the comparison sites, with no NCB at all, at just under £500 - but without breakdown cover. Direct Line more again, over £700. I've phoned A-plan in Hereford and explained the situation, and am waiting to hear back from them, but does anyone have any other ideas in the meantime? To put things in perspective, looking at others for sale I'd estimate the open market value of the car to be around the five or six hundred quid level!

[PAUL BEAUMONT]

Forget rolling the breakdown cover in with the insurance and take out a GreenFlag cover separately. That way you have a direct idea what each costs.

[Bitumen Boy]

I hear what you're saying, Paul, but I've just heard back from A-plan, who are offering £491 including full breakdown cover - including homestart. I wouldn't normally bother with homestart, but seeing as I know 0 about modern cars (this would be the first car i've ever owned without a carburetter) it might not be a bad idea. To put that in perspective, my next best quote so far, with even basic roadside cover from Green Flag etc on top, will be over £500.

It's all coming in at more than I want to pay, but it looks like the insurance industry has me over a barrel, unless I go for another classic - but I haven't the brass for a good one or the time for a project so it's not really an option

[ukdave2002]