How cheap can you drive a car?
A self-experiment by mein-auto-blog author Fabian Mechtel.
250 Euros – in words: “Two hundred and fifty”. You can take the ICE from Berlin to Munich and back again. Or buy a monthly ticket for local transport. But what if you buy an entire car for that amount?
You can not expect much, are you? Of course, glossy photos, a fresh preparation, full tank and a good coffee during the visit, you have to renounce of course. After all, we're talking about a car here at a price that goes from a normal used car to a winter tire on an aluminum rim. One, mind you, not the whole sentence.
However, if you do without such comfort when buying, you can still expect a lot of car. Especially if you decide for an Opel Corsa. And that should be, because there is little in the sub-1000 Euro class, which comes only in the vicinity of the small Rüsselsheimers, as far as the price-performance ratio is concerned.
Of course, they are often faded because of the questionable paint quality and they like to rust on the body parts. Only: around the bottom, where the rust really goes to the substance and not just to the look, they are not that bad. The toughness of the mechanics is also impressive - an Opel Corsa practically always drives. The watchful eye sees the evidence every day on the street. Because an old Opel Corsa is not surprising here. An old VW Polo or Ford Fiesta, however: yes!
In addition, especially the edition models, of which the Rüsselsheim have launched almost every year one, are really well equipped. After the facelift 1997 came virtually every Corsa with ABS, four airbags and power steering from the factory rolled. The editions then added aluminum wheels, radio, metallic paint and optional air conditioning or sunroof.
All this can be bought today for 250 Euro.
You just have to go to mobile.de (or another online automotive marketplace. Note d. Red.Select "Opel Corsa", make a tick on the air conditioning and select a performance on 54PS - because the small 1.0 liter three-cylinder, even if he technically (even today!) Is really far ahead, avoid for several reasons - and Let's start the search: "Vehicle not safe, jerky strong, pulls when driving and braking to the left, engine indicator light burns, engine oiled". That was him. Not only suitable for the description, but also the cheapest Corsa in Germany. However: 550km removed. In Dresden.
To everyone's surprise, there was even a few weeks valid TÜV on the Ardenblue Rüsselsheimer, as a kind of candy for the long journey and the "unseen" purchase. Of course, the small 1.2 liter 16V engine has not shown any weakness and has stopped both the jerking and the burning engine light after it has been fueled by a fresh Bosch air mass meter at the gas station and thus at an average speed of 150 km / h all the way from Dresden mastered back to Frankfurt. That you can get the part on the internet for just 100 Euro and spend no 400 Euro plus assembly in the next workshop for it, but is something for the next part of the story.
In the coming days, there are a few stories about our Opel Corsa 1.2 16V World Cup Edition Cool and why you can actually buy the cheapest Corsa of the Republic unseen and thus makes a good deal.
Repairs on "€ 250 Opel Corsa":Replace the air mass meter on the Opel Corsa B yourself!
- Exchange air filter
- Replace spark plugs
- Repair the jammed ignition lock
- Rear axle: replace drum brake (including wheel bearings) (from 12.12.)
- Rear axle: replace shock absorbers (from 12.12.)
- Exhaust: replace silencer (from 12.12.)
- Oil change and brake on the front axle (from 19.12.)
