Banger Advice

If you don't own a banger already you will need to purchase one for the event (you are free to keep it or sell it after the tour if you like). You will be allowed to participate in a ‘normal’ car if you wish but cars which are not classified as bangers by our team of expert judges will not be eligible for any prizes except the prize for most money raised. The following links contain advice on finding, buying, checking and preparing a banger for the Sucata Run, whether you're an amatuer mechanic or you don't even know where the engine is, you should be able to find out all you need to know here…

Choosing a banger

It’s up to you how you choose a banger — but pick one you think is going to be reliable (unless you like a good challenge), and one that you think you could happily do up and make your own. Your decision may also depend on whether you're planning for Sucata to be the banger's final pilgrimage or whether you have much bigger aspirations for it in the future!

If you want to be as environmentally friendly as possible, get a diesel banger and use bio-diesel. To find out more about bio—fuels and bio-diesel click here. Even if you don't want to use bio-diesel, diesel cars genetour get more miles to the gallon, and diesel is much cheaper in Europe than petrol, so it's worth trying to find a diesel anyway!

Buying a banger

Nowadays there are many different ways you can buy a car. However, when it’s a £250 banger that you’re after, we think these are the best ways of picking up a bargain…

Online

Pros — A stress free way of searching which is almost guaranteed to get you a cheaper car than if bought from a dealer etc.

Cons — You’ll be taking a risk purchasing a car before you've seen it in the flesh or taken it for a test drive.

This is the Sucata Run's list of recommended sites. Obviously there are other sites but these will probably be the most useful:

  • eBay Motors — This is probably the cheapest place to get a car online. Every year we've had various Sucateers who got themselves a great bargain on eBay.
  • Auto Trader — Offers facilities which allow you to surf for cars by make, model, price and age.
  • Exchange and Mart — Similar to Auto Trader and offers the same facilities.
  • Fish 4 Cars — A huge used car search site.
  • Used Car Mart — And another
  • Broadspeed — And another!!
  • Freecycle — This isn't really a car website at all but a site where people give stuff away for free that they don’t want anymore. There are groups all over the country and you’d be surprised how many cars are given away. You can also leave “wanted” posters requesting stuff which many people actually reply to — you’re bound to get replies if you explain what you want the car for!

Auctions:

Pros — It’s a great way of picking up a bargain and you can pretend you're on bargain hunt with that strange orange man. Also, you get to see the car and ask the seller questions before you buy.

Cons — Auctions can be intimidating for those who've never experienced them. To avoid this, get there early, go with a friend, and ask someone who seems like a regular to walk through the basics with you.

Private Seller:

Pros — It’s a great way of picking up a bargain, you get to see the car, and you can personally ask the seller questions before you buy.

Cons — There are some people out there who just aren't trustworthy - some private sellers will be selling their car in the knowledge that it isn't going to get very far.

Checklist

Below is a detailed checklist to aid you in your banger hunt! Just print it off and take it with you to viewings. No used car will tick every box but make sure you don't buy a car that doesn't hit any!

Printable Detailed Checklist (courtesy of www.samarins.com)

Checking the seller's trustworthy

This shouldn't be an issue with most sellers, but unfortunately, some people out there will be happy to rip you off. To avoid this, make sure you take the following steps:

  • Get a home contact number — If they have only put their mobile number then you risk not being able to trace them. If they don't want to give you a home number be cautious.
  • Ask to view the car at the seller's property during daylight hours — This gives you a place to return to if there are any problems and ensures that you can actually see the vehicle properly.
  • Always phone and ask to see “the car” — Some crafty car dealers try to avoid their legal responsibilities by trying to sell faulty or dodgy cars privately. If the seller is one of these types then they will probably answer the question with “which car?” and it would probably be wise to avoid doing business with them.
  • Always ask questions — The most important ones to ask are how many previous owners the car has had, whether it has been in any accidents, what major repairs it has had done to it and why the seller is selling it; it may be that they're simply tired of fixing it. If the seller is unconvincing or you don't get the gut feeling then think twice.

Checking the car's paperwork

Always check the following documents:

  • The V5 document — States the registered owner and the cars VIN number. It is the most important document as it is illegal to sell a car without a valid one. Make sure the name and address match up to the seller and the VIN number to the car. Make sure you don't fall for the old 'The paperwork's at Swansea' (the HQ of the DVLA) excuse. If they haven't got a V5 then simply don't buy!
  • MOT certificate — Shows the car was passed as roadworthy in the last year and thus is not too faulty. It also shows the mileage allowing you to check whether the current mileage is genuine. Make sure you check that the registration on the MOT matches up the vehicle itself.
  • Logbook/Service History — Allows you to check whether the car history matches the seller's description. Each entry should have a dealer stamp and should be signed by an engineer. If the stamps are all from the same garage check that the cars owners were from the same area. Don't be worried if there are the odd missing service logs, but if they have been stamped by the same garage and the owner’s addresses don't match the garages area, then it is best to walk away.
  • Tax Disc — Make sure you check to see if the tax disc is registered and in date otherwise the car is not legally allowed to be on the road and you shouldn't be driving it home.

Checking over the vehicle

Following is a list of the main things you will want to check over. Each is a link to a far more knowledgeable website whose illustrated advise will show you how to check, and what to check for. Remember though, be realistic – an old car will have signs of age and it may be that you're only planning to use your banger this once on the Sucata Run:

and last but no means least always, always take the car for a…

Test Drive

Final Preparations

A long trip like Sucata is a big test for your banger but there are several things you can check beforehand in order to ensure your Run goes swimmingly (click the links for instructions on each):

And finally, paint your banger!