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Think id go for the 20v Audi myself, really nice cars - V6 ones arent that much faster so save fuel and have a 20v. Will be a classic one day.
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Could you spend a bit more and get a Honda Accord coupe? They have 3 seats in the back, so might last you a bit longer when you start a family. Lovely shape and HJ's CBC breakdown rates them.
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Coupe and similar 3 doors are fun before you have kids but you won't want them afterwards. Too much hassle trying to get baby into and out of a back seat baby capsule. Not a problem if you change the car over before you start the family and at 1500 pounds you won't be losing a lot on depreciation.
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A4 Avant? P reg 2.6 with 120k on AT at £1495
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I've noticed that A4s are almost in banger territory now, and they are quite handsome cars - but the miser part of me wants to get a car that not many other people want - so I feel I'm getting a good deal.
The Accord Coupé is something that hadn't occured to me, and after a quick browse it seems there are some good deals to be had - they do seem to have great bangernomic potential - but I feel they lack the visual appeal of the other coupés I mentioned.
I like the idea of getting a 10-year-old car that I coveted when it was new (and which would have set me back £25-30k) for next to nothing.
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D2* - thanks for your advice. I was thinking of a 2.0 for £1.5k, yeah - but I'd stretch a few hundred quid if the right car came along. I'd probably just keep an eye out and buy the best I saw.
I'll certainly be wary regarding the automatics. Did you mean the tiptronic thing or is there also a standard auto? Though I note on the cbc breakdown it says the tiptronic paddles are set the 'wrong way', so pulling back changes down. That sounds a bit odd.
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tinyurl.com/2dubr5
Merely posted as an example, don't go to Wales, particularly North Wales.. There must be an Alfa somewhere for you. Do you have a lockup? Then buy a 7. Or a Brit nearly-classic. Or both. And a motorbike, she'll never know .....
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Chakaping, glad I could be of help. As far as I know all the auto's are tiptronic, I've personally never driven when but when researching buying my Prelude found quite a few reports outling very costly rebuilds being required for them at relitively low mileage. The Manuals command a bit of a premium as most seem to have been auto's but there are enough out there you should be able to find a good one.
Being a Honda, I wouldnt be too concerned by the Mileage as if the car has been looked after it should be good for a high mileage. Off the top of my head the Cambelt is due every 60,000 miles, but Honda will replace it for £200 including oil service if its due.
If you can streach to £2.0K you should be able to get an early 2.2Vtec manual with c100,000 miles, If you cant streach to £2.0K I would go for 2.0Litre manual as opposed to a 2.2 Vtec. If you do go for the 2.2Vtec make sure you check the 4 wheel steering light comes on and goes off on starting the ignition and the rear wheels turn.
Get a good one and you won't regret your choice, but anybody attempting to squeeze in the rear seats may be slightly less impressed, but the roar of the engine as Vtec kicks in at 5000rpm normally drowns them out nicely!
Good luck with your search, land make sure you let the backroom know how it goes. Also feel free to ask me any further questions you have about Preludes.
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Thanks, plenty of useful info there. Will definitely stick to manual.
One other question did occur to me: Did you notice a particular problem with wind noise?
I'll be doing most of my driving on the motorway and it's annoying not to be able to hear the stereo when I happen to stray over 70mph.
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Can't say I've ever particularly noticed any wind noise being a problem at any speed, however normally I'm listening to music or enjoying the sound of the engine. I Will be going for a run in it later so will specifically listen for it and report back, but I definitely know it shouldn't be bad enough that you can't hear the stereo.
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I reckon £1500 is too much.
A £750 car is just as likely to require £500 of work as is a £1500 car. So buy the cheaper car, and have the money for backup. Audi 90 all the way... or a W123?
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I'm aware that any normal car that costs much over £1k is still going to be subject to depreciation in a way that older cars aren't.
I'm usually a diehard bangernomics man, but I've talked myself into spending a bit more this time to get a more modern and nice looking coupé with aircon, airbags and ABS.
My wife's also been looking up safety stats, which seem to be better on eight-year-old cars than 12-year-old ones.
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My response is bound to wind up a few regulars in that it would seem that I've completely ignored the original 'brief' however, just to put an idea into the pot - have you considered a Corrado VR6 ? I only really mention this because I empathise with your comment about getting " a 10-year-old car that I coveted when it was new " - indeed I really wanted one of these.
I honestly can't comment on the reliability, performance etc but a quick search reveals some nice looking expamples 'almost' within your price.
I hope this hasn't put the wind up too many people!
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I was going to suggest a Corrado VR6, but I didn't think you'd get one for £1500. Or a G60, they don't sound as nice but they go well, a mate of mine used to have one.
Audi coupe 5cyl still preferable though IMO.
;o)
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I used to really like the Corrado, and as a two-time Scirocco owner it was something I used to aspire to.
However, it's got a bit too popular I feel - and good examples are now rather pricey. Plus I think the image has been eroded by the Revs readers who have been buying them.
Shame VW stopped making them though, if they'd carried on or brought out a replacement (I think there's been a concept for a new VW coupé at last) it would probably be more of an option - due to greater availability.
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And cheers for the Probe suggestion Micky. I did consider it - but it just looks a bit dated in a way that other 90s coupés don't, IMO.
And I can still remember that awful cheesy advert with the Brian May music.
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"I'm usually a diehard bangernomics man, but I've talked myself into spending a bit more this time to get a more modern and nice looking coupé with aircon, airbags and ABS."
Spending £1,500 isn't going to get you into that league. An ABS failure on a car you paid £1,500 is perhaps going to cost more to put right than the car is worth - and the same is true of the AC.
Either spend £750 on a Primera, or your next stop is £4,000. Anything in between is high risk, with the distinct chance of you having to pump in money to "protect" your £1.5 k "investment".
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"Either spend £750 on a Primera, or your next stop is £4,000. Anything in between is high risk, with the distinct chance of you having to pump in money to "protect" your £1.5 k "investment"."
Of course buying a second hand car is a risk, and it gets riskier the less you pay.
I really don't see the sense in spending £2.5k more than I need to on a car - just because I could end up forking £1k to fix a £1.5k car.
Especially since any car I buy is mainly going to sit on my drive depreciating. I only do 5,000 miles per year max.
I'm not a gambling man, but I'm happy to take my chances spending £1.5k on a car and using my judgment and the knowledge I can gain from sites such as this one to pick the right one.
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"Of course buying a second hand car is a risk, and it gets riskier the less you pay"
Correct, but the while the chance of the worst occurring may increase, your potential loss is reduced. Spend £500 on Grandad's Cavalier with FVSH, and the most you can lose if £500. Spend £2,000 on a much more expensive to fix car, and you could lose/spend £1,500 on getting it fixed.
You can only lose the £500 once, just as you can only lose the £1,500 once, but if you can't afford to lose/pay £1,500 to keep your car on the road, then you are stuffed.
So it makes sense to buy cheaper, and already be prepared to throw it away.
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Of course buying a second hand car is a risk, and it gets riskier the less you pay.
Noooooooooooo!
It gets riskier the more you pay. Aprilia will give you examples of BMWs or MBs requiring 5k of repair... on a car worth less than that. Your risk is therefore in excess of 100% of your initial investment. Strangely, he drives a QX, not the Germanobiles he buys and sells.
£150 for a MK ii Polo, and it will probably do you 2 years. If it doesn't... scrap it.
£5k for an elderly-ish BMW. It too will probably do you 2 years... but if it doesn't, you might be faced with a 5k bill. At which point... scrap it.
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