BlueSmoke

OK, further to what Chip said, I'm putting up a post to try and ascertain what the best car for me would be. I'd appreciate any useful input.

What I don't want is people giving me ear ache and telling me not to bother etc. I will get something, with or without helpful words, but I would obviously like the benefit of peoples' experiences.

I will be aiming to borrow around £3-3.5k. Obviously I will look to test drive stuff if and when I sort the cash.

What I'm looking to know really is how fun a car is to drive, power of around 200-280bhp, how much it would cost if say, a clutch went, or a turbo. Any sore points to watch out for on the car, ho tuneable will it be if I decide I want more in future, how many sets of tyres am I likely to go thru in a year, averaging 10000 miles etc. etc.

I need to get a really clear picture of what's what. Only real major problem is that I get bored easily so I need something that will still be putting a smile on my face after 6 months.

Please feel free to suggest some cars and provide any info you can about them as above. Some I've already thought about are:

RX7

Saph Cosworth

MR2 Turbo

Audi Coupé S2

Golf mk3 VR6 (little underpowered as standard tho)

Corrado VR6

There will be a couple I've forgotten but they are the main ones. As said, feel free to suggest alternatives.

Cheers for any help, really do appreciate it.

Alps Pacino

Most the cars you have listed are high maintanance and you will only get a poor example of a saph cossie for 3.5k imo,. So if you are borrowing money to buy the car i presume you wont have any savings to fix it WHEN it goes wrong so my advise would be to compromise on power in favour of reliability.

Oranoco

I was told by a good friend that if I couldn't afford to buy the Cossie I wanted to twice then not to bother

BlueSmoke

If we're talking about something going and costing like £300 or so to put right, then that's not too big a worry, provided I'm not expecting to have something go every month.

As for a £3.5k Saff, if it needs a bit of tidying etc then that's fine. I'm happy to have a go at it.

Stavros

For that money, S14a 200SX, summat i said fucking years ago, to you and the other "mr indicisive, mr million project ideas" MadMac.

Saff or RX7 at that price you will sorely regret.

Even that is a low price one tho.

Anonymous

S14 200sx?

BlueSmoke

I can't help being indecisive!

Maybe I have some female hormones.... that could explain the tits

The S14a is a very real prospect though, but I had fallen under the impression good ones were around £5k.

Mark B

have you ever thought of a 106 GTi there a pretty sweet one for sale up here for 3200 looks sweet an you never see white ones,

Might nto be 280 bhp but with the right mods will keep you entertained for years on the back roads,

White 106 Gti
S Reg
Around 70,000 miles
Lowered
White C2 Gt alloys on it(near enough brand new so would want more money for them)
I have original GTI alloys 2
Just had a cylinder head done not long ago
leather interior
few dings in the doors but nothing big, just where people have banged there doors into mine in car in car parks.
dark back lights not included they are my boyfriends

The only reason iam selling is due to buying a house and i cant have both.


£3200 no offers (with original Gti alloys)

heres some pics, just ask if you have any questions












with gti wheels

you can contact me at Tara_fayuk@yahoo.co.uk or 07729 229233

hope this helps

MB.

Charlie Chalk

iTrader: (1)

BlueSmoke

Not my bag mate, but ta anyway

There would be no point replacing the Fiat with something so similar (and that's actually probably a bit slower) tho.

RichardPON

MR2 most certainly isn't high maintenance.

In a year, I've put four tyres on it, and taxed it.

However, when it comes to clutch, and cambelt, they are costly.

Saff cossie can be bought for 3.5k, and you might get an okay one. Fixing them is relatively simple, BUT at that money, you may end up with one that has been ragged, abused, and unloved (as so many of them are).

Not really a VW fan, although I know the Corrado and Golf are good cars - just too dull for me.

RX7 - don't know too much about the engines, but cool car.

Audi - maybe a bit too old?

Porkie

iTrader: (1)

I like that little Pug I'd look at an S14 or an S14a personally though

RichardPON

200 is a great shout.

RWD, reliable, fun, scope for modding etc........

If I didn't have the MR, it'd be a serious consideration.

_DAN_

I'd go S14A 200SX

BlueSmoke

Yeah the S14a is a great candidate to be honest. What are parts and servicing costs like ont hem though?

I do really like the MR2s and was keen on them for a while as you probably remember, Rich, but it's the 2 seater thing that's made me waver. I think I like the security of 4 seats and a decent boot being that I am likely to be driving from Leeds to Hull carrying a large guitar amp and a guitar case now and then (as me and a mate are looking at starting a band ).

Anonymous

parts and servicing are like most japs, expensive but not an issue really as they rarely break!

_DAN_

Get on the SXOC

89xr2

RX7 Not enough money to buy a decent one. More trouble than its worth

Saph Cosworth Not enough money to buy a decent one. More trouble than its worth

MR2 Turbo Reliable japanese car, expensive to service but worth it as things rarely go seriously wrong

Audi Coupé S2 Not enough money to buy a decent one. More trouble than its worth


Golf mk3 VR6 (little underpowered as standard tho) Underpowered as you say. Handling can be sorted with a few suspension mods

Corrado VR6 Reliable, But you rare now. Don't think you'd get a decent one for the money you have.



Few points for the one you've listed. As other people have come up with some good suggestions. With the money you have as it's a loan i'd say go for the one you can afford the best possible example, if you get something that is on the cheaper side of things you might end up spending alot more on it. Have you thought about a civic VTi or something along those lines?

RichardPON

Why are the MR2s expensive to service?

Only the clutch and cambelt - eveything else is properly cheap if you're doing it yourself.

However, the 200 is the way forward.

Anonymous

THATS RUBBISH!

























The 200 is the way sideways

Jamz

Sunny/Pulsar GTi-R

big_wig_074

get a nova,stick a let in it!
you wont get bored,i promise!

BlueSmoke

NO way! Couldn't handle the ridicule, fast or not.

Chip, DO NOT comment!

Anonymous

Definately not.

He would launch it all the time, i know what he is like, and it would wear out the clutch too often and the gearbox would break, and for 3K you are going to get a dog in the first place too realistically.

Anonymous

LOL

Ridicule from who though?

I dont see people like johnnybravo with his WELL UNDER 9 MINS lap of the ring getting ridiculed with his?

90% of people on here realise how devestatingly effective a LET nova is, and the other 10% are just Chav tossers anyway

Like Martin with his metro, yeah so its a piece of crap shopping car if you want to look at it that way, but it well and truely did most of us at bedford!

Anonymous

PS

corsa Let would be a better bet, and an astra GSi LET would be fucking perfect!

Jamz

You could break all those cars listed if treated badly enough. They only cost a bomb to run if you don't look after them. Oh and Pulsars are dirt cheap these days, you can pick up very good examples for little money.

Anonymous

I'll do you a deal, we'll get a nova LET and a pulsar, and i'll launch the pulsar ill i break it, and you launch the nova till you do, and the winner gets head off the loser

BlueSmoke

Well, firstly Chip:

What the bloody hell's that supposed to mean? Are you somehow insinuating that I drive like a lunatic with no interest in being sensible, or that there is somehow something more than just "bad luck" to blame for the fact that all my cars end up needing new clutches?

Well, how VERY dare you! I find you impertinent!



On the Nova thing, it's more the ridicule of the unknowing and my mates. I know that anybody whose respect means anything won't ridicule it but to me it would just never feel right, and surely it would be wrong to buy a car knowing that.

Turbo'd Astra, as I said before, would be welcome. Sure you told me 300bhp was not hard to get. Plus I do thinkt he Astra is a lovely car.

I might shred the front tyres a lot tho. Only issue is with a car that's modified in that way it may make it a ball ache for things going wrong, having to get parts etc although it probably won't. Sure yous aid they were easy enough for a DIYer to work on

Liking the S14a drift machine tho, I must say.[/b]

Anonymous

A turbo astra is all standard parts mate, nothing modified about it really!

cheap and easy to work on!

Mr Whippy

What about an early evo?? I picked up the one in my sig for £3300, and its in very very good condition....... 60k miles, 4wd 2.0 turbo, 250 bhp, reliable as you like....

Just a thought.......

Anonymous

Good suggestion, although he would kill clutches a lot probably, and no doubt get crank walk with his luck, lol

Fil

PORSCHE 944 S2 ???

Mr Whippy

yeah both good points.....but if drove in anger, any quick car will eat standard clutches.

As for crank walk, it can be eliminated by removing the balance shafts ( £30 worth of parts and a couple of ton labour ) which ups the oil pressure at the thrust bearing enough to prevent it being a problem.....

Drunken Master

There an easy answer to this....you haven't saved up enough money go back to the drawing board and buy a car a few months later down the line!

aduz

spot on

89xr2

I was referring to getting toyota to service the car as it costs alot to service any toyota at a main dealer.

So get down off your high horse before you fall down

Anonymous

My local toyota dealer charges about 70 quid +VAT per hour IIRC, same as my local ford dealer does!

RichardPON

89 - I realised that after I typed it, but I was making allowances for your Norfolk breeding

Jim Galbally

i'd say 200SX (not an auto!) or MR2

i loved pon's MR2 and almost bought one

then SOMEHOW i decided to keep the sierra and have spunked about 4 times its value on it again in the past 6 moths