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The Old Banger is Dying Out Fast

Posted on: Friday, 13 January 2006, 15:00 CST

By MIKE TORPEY

THERE'S an endangered species on the used car scene - the banger.

Clapped-out rust-buckets are becoming an increasingly rare sight on Britain's roads and the publishers of Glass's Guide, the second- hand trade's pricing "bible", says there are very good reasons for this.

EurotaxGlass's explains that the older car market has been subject to numerous pressures over the last two years.

The government's End-of-Life Vehicles Directive and fluctuations in the price of scrap metal have both had knock-on effects in increasing car dismantlers' operating costs.

These costs have had to be passed on to motorists, in some cases in the shape of new, or increased, charges to dispose of vehicles.

This has made cars close to the end of their life very undesirable, says EurotaxGlass's, and more likely than ever to be scrapped.

With more tired, older cars now going straight to the recyclers, the general condition of those that are left has been steadily improving, the publisher adds.

Although it cannot yet be said that only the best of these geriatric motors remain, EurotaxGlass's concludes, it is certainly a little more difficult to find a real banger in Britain these days.

Meanwhile, the pundits at website UsedCarExpert.com have been researching five Japanese cars that would look great on a Saturday night street cruise.

If you want to go sideways, then the Nissan 200SX is "drifting" towards being the vehicle of choice, reckons UsedCarExpert.com

Rear-wheel drive and turbo power would mean loads of fun on a racetrack, too. And there are plenty of body and engine-tuning kits to make it go faster and look more furious. The website spotted an imported K-reg example, with 60,000 miles, for pounds 3,000.

Second up is the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution, no ordinary four- door saloon. It can win rallies, and even when parked, says UsedCarExpert.com, it looks fast thanks to an attention-seeking body kit.

The tuning possibilities are almost endless, the firm adds, and there are many different Evolutions to choose from - the later the better. The sum of pounds 12,450 will buy a V-reg Evolution 5 with 50,000 miles, says UsedCarExpert.com

The Toyota Supra, with its supercar styling and a 747-sized rear wing, is a coupe which demands respect. A figure of pounds 3,999 was being asked for a 1992 (L-reg) 2.0 version, with 70,000 recorded miles.

A truly affordable coupe which is also great value for money, says UsedCarExpert.com, is the Mitsubishi FTO.

Most are very well equipped, the website says, digging out an M- reg FTO GPX 2.0 V6, with 50,000 miles on the clock, at pounds 3,999.

Finally, if you really need to show off and be seen, then drop the roof on the brilliant Honda S2000.

Reliable, smart and sexy, expect to pay pounds 14,600 for a 2001 (51-plate) example with 38,000 miles on the clock.

&points he Toyota Supra, with its supercar styling and a 747- sized rear wing, is a coupe which demands respect.

Source: Liverpool Echo

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