My Dad's got a 2A. Included in all the paperwork that came with it are bills for two rear half chassis, two front halves, and several more localised repair sections!

Been looking at Landies myself, as I've just moved to the end of a very rutted track, and could do with one as a second car to get out in winter, but thinking a 2cv could probably do the job...

I need a bit of advice, thought this would be a good place to ask. Since I sold the Acadiane due to suddenly finding myself having to do around 11000 motorway miles a year, I've been in a roundabout trying way to get my car situation to the point where I have one mile munching boring modern car, and an A-series as a second car to do local stuff in and have a bit of fun with. Currently selling a '73 MGB GT that I was given in a none working state sat on a drive, have rebuilt most of it, got it MOT'd and will be selling it to fund new stuff.

I've never had a "new car", i.e younger than 10 years old/post 2000, had lots of 80s volvo 740s etc. I need a proper workhorse thats horrendously good on fuel (got to be 40mpg+). Its a bit of gamble seeing as I'll have sub £1500 to play with. I've no idea what to do, £1500 will buy me a worn 150,000 mile plus car, but don't want to get a 2002 Golf/Octavia/Saab 9-3/Ford TDi and find it needs a new fuel pump in 15,000 miles, resulting in me having to scrap it. Feel more comfortable with a petrol, but like the mpg with a diesel, but it will be a 10 year old diesel. I want to be able to fix it myself, but am put off by all this OBD II diagnostic crap.

Just wondering what cars other people have round here for the same purpose and have proved good workhorses? Thought being the 2cv crowd I'd get some nice sensible advice

Should I do something like get an old Audi 80 diesel for about £500 and run it til it breaks? Or stump up for a decent well looked after 6-8 year old car. Anyone found that the fuel cost they save with a diesel gets outweighed by the fact they are inherently more complicated to fix? Newer ones seem to have so much computer controlled emissions shite on them. I'm looking at a Volvo 940 (love these cars) but an average of 34 mpg on a run isn't very attractive anymore.

I should just get a 2cv, fit it with a roll cage and have done with it.

For what it's worth.... 3 years ago I was driving a 4 year old Passat diesel estate. Company vehicle, so it was serviced regularly by VW and always repaired at dealership garages. As soon as it hit 100,000 miles it started to go wrong. Expensively wrong!

On one trip to Liverpool the car went into crawl mode, and I ended up being relayed home by truck, with the car on the back. I met 4 different relay drivers during my odyssey, and I made a point of asking them (without ever telling them what other relay drivers had told me) what car I should replace my VW with that would be more reliable in the long run. They all, without hesitation, told me to buy a Japanese car. Toyota, Hyundai, Suzuki. They all told me to avoid European, cos they all go to shite after 100k.

I never did buy a Jap car, cos I had a radical re-jig of my work about 2 years ago, but if I was going to buy a motorway miles car I'd seriously think about getting a post-2004 Avensis, or if I was going to buy something smaller I might even go for a Suzuki Swift.

There. Nothing scientific in my info at all... but I do reckon those relay drivers were onto something in terms of their insights about reliability.

^ thats my view anything from VW/Audi thats still going and with the least amount of electric stuff

Or apply the "Minicab" test ....what do they all drive round your way? without fail its all Skoda round here

Thats the kind of stuff I want to hear really, cheers Smiffy. I know that I could get one car, and it be trouble free, and another be an utter dog, but I have heard that from AA chaps myself, that Japanese cars are the best. The problem is, and I need to leave appearances to one side for a minute, I can't bear to get an Avensis, but I might have to go down that route, I doubt I could get a Swift for under £1500. The last time I broke down the AA bloke had just come from fixing a 2007 toyota that had gone into limp home mode, all because of a faulty charcoal cannister sensor in the exhaust This is the stuff I want to avoid.

Whatever I get, I can't afford to fix it if it goes majorly wrong as it won't be a company car, it'll have to be something slightly older and cheap, thats good on fuel. Might have to look down the small engined, petrol, mid sized car, something like an old golf etc

(nice sig Smiffy by the way)

Yup, Skodas too and Toyotas. Don't mind the Octavia estate actually. But I agree, ideally for something thats still modern yet vaguely DIY friendly, something pre-1998 with hardly any electrical bullshit seems right. I just need to find out about what these cars have in terms of engine management etc. It will just be used for motorway mainly, Skipton to London twice a month...

Another thing: I had the great good fortune to meet a former VW executive a few years ago, and he told me that if you want long-term reliability from a Volkswagen Group car, buy an Audi. Parts won't be cheap though.

However, if looks aren't an issue and if you want proper bargain-basement stuff, I have run a 1996 Ford Mondeo Mk1 for 12 years. The only things that have gone wrong are a rear strut and the heater. Never missed a beat otherwise. I also run a 1998 Puma, which is an absolutely gorgeous car to drive. Great fun. That doesn't cost much either. I don't trust new Fords though.

Mine's on the original chassis (apart from a new rear crossmember) and it's absolutely sound. I know what you mean about the hernia, the seller stuck a spare engine in the back for me with a forklift and it was only after I drove off that I thought "how on earth am I going to get that out again?" I'll have to buy an engine crane ... not a thing you need with 2cvs.

1.9 diesel peugeots are brilliantly resiliant and dirt cheap to buy and run. I am a firm believer in buying cheap and binning when it breaks, but oddly all the cheap tat we've had has been longer lived than the expensive or desirable cars Ive bought.

Head good things about the old 406 estates, would like an estate version to go an get 2cv bits and pieces. Its mad though, you always get one person that throws you off, local garage mechanic told me once "never buy anything French". Its weird how people gain stances like that. Think it might have to be 1995ish diesel, if an expensive part like a fuel pump goes I'm sure I get one from a scrappy, less electric shiz to deal with too. Does anyone have an old 1.9 diesel Xantia?