Buying a car

Fallingman

So, I was half way between London and Bristol this weekend, when my head gasket went. (The AA were brilliant by the way). Anyhow, its a Rover and to be expected - and getting it fixed will be more than the car's worth.

The thing is, I'm want a car for the short term (maybe a year) - so I'm not wanting to invest in a nice one just yet. Given that I want something reliable, here's my question.

Do I:

a) Go cheap and hope? Then just flick it away in a years time.
b) Pay a little extra and hope to sell it on when I'm done?

I cant quite decide. I know that cars are generally money, pits - but I'm looking to solve the issue in the short term, without it costing an arm and a leg n the long run.

I'm in the UK obviously, should that be a factor...

Tucanwarrior13

Buying cheap always presents the issue that you'll inevitably have to spend money on something for it. That's just how cheap cars are. The only reason I'd go cheap is, because like you said in a years time you can just flick it like cigarette butt and not even care. If you spend a little more, and plan to sell remember you're not going to get what you paid for it.

Fallingman

Thats pretty much what I'm thinking.

I'd be happy to go cheap if I could be fairly certain that it would be reliable... My problem is that I know sweet F-All about cars when it comes down to it... I can spot corrosion etc as well as the next guy, but beyond that. Notsomuch.

Actually, I'd like to take the opportunity to expand the topic to include any general guides for what took out for when buying a car.

The Black Hunter

1994-1996 Magna's are cheap as chips, but run well and go and go and go