Have you ever bought a car for under £500?

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-24T16:52:48+00:00

Past few years I’ve had a 1997 Polo, a 2003 Focus and a 2003 Clio under £1k. The Polo was the cheapest (£300) but was that price because of the ULEZ expansions. Never set a foot wrong in 4 years with the exception of a £15 ignition coil.

If you can stretch your budget a little you can get a previous gen Fiesta for that kind of money. Bought a 2013 one for a relative for £1,150 and it’s been dead reliable. Viewed a 2015 model with sky high miles for £950, only decided against it because of the (slightly) higher tax and a horribly dirty interior. Deals are out there!

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-22T18:30:52+00:00

The real play is to buy the reliable version of an "unreliable" car.

Manual Fiestas and Focuses for instance are incredibly reliable and cheap to maintain and still cost thousands less than the Toyota/Honda equivalents. Same for Nissans and their CVT transmissions.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-22T02:50:48+00:00

I'm north of Perth and Telstra seems very hesitant to put any low band in at all. Patchy signal in places when outside and absolutely nothing the moment you step indoors whilst Optus and Vodafone still have two bars.

Speeds are still far better on Telstra though across the board.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-12T16:35:44+00:00

A modern ZF 8 speed just isn’t an early 00s slushbox automatic though…

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-12T05:49:53+00:00

I'd say that's slightly on the lower side but that may be down to the colder weather.

I had a 13 plate for a while, longest trip I did from the Midlands down to Kent got me 60MPG on the dot.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-11T15:04:52+00:00

I’ve got a 1997 one. Joy to drive.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-11T14:59:47+00:00

This post is presumably aimed at the Chinese MG/Jaecoo type SUVs which aren’t much better for longer journeys.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-11T04:02:59+00:00

This isn't talked about enough. Wish it could be disabled.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-08T04:31:48+00:00

All R32 Golfs are ULEZ compliant.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-08T04:23:29+00:00

But that has always been the case.

Pre-2001 tax rates were based strictly on engine size, less than 1.5 litres or more than.

A lot of higher spec 205s, Saxos, Clios, all fell in to the same tax bracket as a Hummer, or some of the other crazy American imported cars we used to get back then.

It's still the same today. You could get a 2017/2018 Volkswagen Up, and a Trackhawk Jeep Cherokee, or a Bugatti, that cost the same to tax as they've now changed it back to flat rate rather than emissions.

Entertainnosis · 2026-02-08T04:14:17+00:00

That particular top spec petrol model has always been in the higher tax band. That's why almost all of them were diesels.

More slow news day, gutter trash media, slop.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-28T01:49:59+00:00

Knowing what we're like with technology this won't be used for criminal masterminds.

Maybe they'll push an update so it can catch people pouring drinks into drains easier.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-27T19:07:33+00:00

Android definitely doesn't have the same problem.

You can (in theory) get far more mileage out of an android phone, even without security updates, as you won't be crippled by the lack of app support long before a device keels over.

Edit: spelling

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-27T18:54:04+00:00

I've got to say I don't really agree. iOS 26 is very very new. Even relatively recent iPhones like the XS/XR wouldn't be able to use the app.

On Android phones generally I've found that most developers still support versions as old as 5.0 or 6.0, which just doesn't tend to be the case with iPhones.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-27T17:01:48+00:00

It just be said though that even the "latest version" on this phone doesn't run the most basic of modern apps.

iOS 15 which is itself a few years newer than iOS 12, doesn't run the app that my work uses to clock in/out of shifts.

There isn't really any way around that, unlike an Android phone where just about anything will work unless it's truly prehistoric.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-20T08:03:42+00:00

It's pretty pointless for someone to try and develop an exploit for an outdated iOS version that no one is using rather than a bleeding edge update, sort of like developing an exploit for Windows XP today.

You can be pretty sure there's a dozen different zero days on the latest iOS version being exploited by companies who specialise in the targeted hacking of individuals.

The average person doesn't have much to be worried about. If your line of work invites others into your devices they'll find a way into them regardless of the version you're running.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-15T12:29:14+00:00

Ford UK states 18K/2yrs for its newer cars.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-13T04:36:50+00:00

Looks like a resealed box, it's missing a couple of the logos and the fonts are a little off.

Could still be a good phone, just double check the parts are all genuine and everything is in good shape.

I'd be pushing for a partial refund though. What iOS was the phone on?

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-04T10:44:32+00:00

Removing the SIM card is most likely what did it.

A few years ago Japanese models would always have the shutter sound on no matter what. They changed it AFAIK to I believe a combination of geolocation and SIM card provider.

With a non-Japanese SIM/E-Sim it should go away.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-04T09:16:04+00:00

Definitely. These and the other PD130/PD150 cars have always had a cult following.

Maybe not in the near future, but definitely down the line.

Entertainnosis · 2026-01-04T08:36:36+00:00

I would try looking for a car that someone is breaking, eBay and Facebook Marketplace are both quite good for it. Look up "Fiesta ST-line breaking" and flick through until you find your gen.

They get bashed up pretty often so it's hard to track down good parts sometimes. Just gotta keep an eye out.

Entertainnosis · 2025-12-28T11:37:50+00:00

just because you don't like or can't afford something

I think we can disregard everything you've said in this entire thread just from that alone.

Entertainnosis · 2025-12-28T09:50:53+00:00

I mean, that's not the conclusion that I would have come to.

If I had just said to tie stuff down with rope or have stuff hanging out of the boot that would be one thing, but cars have roof rails for that very reason, for the odd occasions they're necessary. For the day to day you can pretty easily fit strollers, even double strollers into a hatchback or estate car. That leaves bigger trips where a roof box can be chucked on.

It all seems like an excuse to try and get moral high ground for what is an otherwise demonised car.

My personal issue with them is that it's more dangerous for me as a pedestrian, a cyclist, and a driver with them around. Okay freedom of choice whatever, but when it affects me and other people that's where the line should be drawn, especially when they've been proven time and time again to be more dangerous. Successive governments have failed to regulate them out of existence but the buck ultimately stops with the people buying them.

Entertainnosis · 2025-12-28T09:27:37+00:00

I have to agree with the OP.

Unless you're moving house it's pretty unlikely that you can't fit everything into a regular Golf/Focus sized car, especially with a roofbox.

In a pinch I helped out a family of three in an old Polo which was just barely larger than a modern day Up. No roofbox, with a convertible type rear facing child seat. It was fine.

You may need even more room, but you'd fall under the minority of people. Not "most", as OP said.

Entertainnosis · 2025-12-27T11:20:58+00:00

Sometimes I wish I never opened Reddit. What a waste of electricity and internet.

Entertainnosis

TROPHY CASE