My runabout is a 26 year-old Corsa, approaching a genuine 60K. I bought it for £240 8 years ago from an old chap who had started to bump into other cars while parking and decided to give up driving. Since owning it, it has passed all its MoTs and I have had to replace only the battery and handbrake cable. How can I best keep it going? Incidentally, I thought it was essentially worthless, but renewing by insurance showed this is not necessarily the case.
For many car owners this is the dream scenario - a very cheap but sturdy vehicle that does everything you need it to and costs very little to maintain. Given that you have more than had £240s worth of use out of it already, some preventative measures will help keep it going for years to come. Regular servicing is key - as an older car it will be much easier to service yourself and if you can perform your own oil changes then doing so every 6000 to 8000 miles will help to increase its lifespan. If you have not done so already then a cambelt change is probably overdue - this is a more expensive job but essential. A car of this age is more prone to rust, so thorough cleaning - particularly the underside - and using a protectant such as Waxoyl or Lanoguard will help keep the rot at bay.