Top Gear Challenge - Luxury Car flavour
September 20, 2017 2:18 AM   Subscribe

I'm doing a "Top Gear £1000 Challenge" with a group of friends next year. So looking for some assistance / advice / recommendations from you guys. Challenge this year is "In a team of 2 people, buy a luxury car for under £1000 and drive some of the best, most iconic driving roads Europe has to offer. " What car should I go for? I know next to nothing about cars so need something that will be reliable.
posted by lloyder to Travel & Transportation (10 answers total) 1 user marked this as a favorite
 
Are you allowed to, for example, spend £600 on the car and the remaining £400 on getting it serviced? I feel like a newly-serviced £600 car will get you further than an unserviced £1000 car.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 2:27 AM on September 20, 2017


Response by poster: Yes - as long as you don't spend more than a £1000
posted by lloyder at 2:32 AM on September 20, 2017


I'm not sure what counts as a luxury car when you're spending £1000, but I would use auto trader plus car reviews. Look for low mileage (<6>
Also if you are going cross Europe you might want to look at this https://www.theaa.com/european-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe/country-by-country

as laws regarding what's required vary nation to nation.

Personally, I'd get something dependable like a fiesta and save the rest to budget for everything else you're going to need to deal with, but I'm guessing that wouldn't count as luxury.
posted by Cannon Fodder at 3:44 AM on September 20, 2017


For a Top Gear type challenge, I think first of Jags, TBH. There are a few around for less than £1000 - but then there's probably a reason for that (and you're not going to be travelling with a support crew...). Alternatively an old Mercedes - they are at least reputed to able to be driven for hundreds of thousands of miles without falling apart.
posted by sarble at 3:56 AM on September 20, 2017


I'd go watch that episode! I think Ham showed up with an old Bugatti or something, Jeremy came in with a Jag, and James bought a boat of a Mercedes.

IIRC, the Mercedes made it the farthest.
posted by functionequalsform at 4:37 AM on September 20, 2017


Best answer: I'd go for a VW Phaeton, Citroën C6 or Renault Vel Satis. Failing that, an old Lexus GS. They should all be dirt cheap, but still pretty reliable, and they'll look posh enough.
posted by ambrosen at 4:50 AM on September 20, 2017




Consider a search for LHD cars - since these vehicles can have a resale value in the UK below what they would be for RHD equivalents. For example this Mercedes-Benz 180 for £999. Since you are taking it abroad anyway - sell it once you are there at the end of your travels.
posted by rongorongo at 7:08 AM on September 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


Just chiming in to add that the "fun" of a competition like this is that a $1k luxury car, by its nature, is not likely to be reliable. If you know next to nothing about cars, I hope you're pairing up with someone who does, otherwise a trip like this may not be all that great. You'll want to have the know-how between the two of you to do field repairs yourselves.
posted by craven_morhead at 12:27 PM on September 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


You won't get a C6, Vel Satis or Phaeton for anywhere near £1k (the cheapest Phaeton on Autotrader is four times that). Would recommend a first generation Lexus LS400 or LS430. Comes in under budget and stands a much better chance of not breaking down.
posted by srednivashtar at 4:00 PM on September 20, 2017


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