Sorry, but it's another "what car should i buy" thread.
I've been looking to upgrade my mk2 golf gti. Initially i was looking for a corrado vr6 storm, but can't seem to find the right one for a reasonable price.
Any other recommendations? i looked at a bmw M3 but they seem a little old for the money. Thought abouth an older type bmw 318iS but can't find one.
Impreza's seem a little bit suspect, trying to get a decent, older one.
I'm looking to spend up to £7k.
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Assuming you like a bit of 'go' and 4 seats what about:
Nissan 200SX
Toyota Celica GT4 (4 headlight model)
Hyndai Coupe
Fiat Coupe
You should be able to get good examples of any of these for £7k. In the Hyundai's case it'll be pretty new too.
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Nissan's a possibility, not sure about the celica. Couldn't buy a hyundai (although i couldn't explain why). Nor could i get an italian car.
For some reason, the cars i am considering are all german?! not sure why.
Latest car i'm looking at is the audi coupe S2.
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I was totally into German cars to the exclusion of everything else. Then I bought a Japanese car. German cars are second best!
Go on spoiler, try one!
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The best bang for the buck comes from Japan. In addition to the 200 SX (my choice)and Celica is the Mitsubishi FTO and the Honda Prelude 2.2 Vtech. The Honda has great FWD handling, some have 4 wheel steering and a nigh on 200 bhp Vtech engine.
The 200 sx has RWD 200 bhp turbo charged engine which has oodles of torge and with a bit of know how can make 250 bhp + for very little money.
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Undoubtedly rosco. How could I forget the beautiful FTO? Don't know about the Prelude though. Wouldn't it be the ugly one for around £7k?
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The Nissan is a quality car. Only downsides are oversteer in the wet and the well-kept-secret image.
Nissan Bishops Stortford had one when I passed by a week or so ago. I can't remember the price but I do remember thinking it was good value for a car with that performance.
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I think there's a Citroen dealer on Merseyside advertising a Nissan Skyline for less than £7k.
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Do bear in mind that the VR6 storm is just a VR6 with a particular colour scheme, leather interior, and a couple of 'storm' badges. If you want a VR6, find the nicest one you can with leather, and don't worry about it not being a storm. The storms are overpriced- it's only the kudos of the name that pushes up the value. I'd suggest the Corrado club UK for info, but their website has gone! Perhaps someone forgot to pay the bill. They're at: www.vw-corrado-club.co.uk/ and definitely worth a look once they're back- loads of very useful info. I had a 16v a couple of years ago, and loved it to bits.
If you can afford a little more, I'd say go for a Seat Leon Cupra. Very fast, and *nearly* German (start I think at about 8500-9000).
Dr Alex Mears
Seat ibiza Cupra
Mazda MX-5 1.8iS
Yamaha RD350YPVS
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Better still, buy HJ's Leon 20VT (see right).
Dr Alex Mears
Seat ibiza Cupra
Mazda MX-5 1.8iS
Yamaha RD350YPVS
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Better still, buy HJ's Leon 20VT (see right).
Just beat me to it!!
I'd go for the Imprezza Turbo though. Plenty about for that money, mostly imported, modified and thrashed, but some not.
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Hi Andy,
Imprezzas are great- I seriously considered one a little while ago. Problem is group 20 insurance. My Cupra (gp 14 or 15) costs me a shade over £400 pa (I'm 32, full ncb, no points or crashes, live in Bromley, car in the street overnight). An Imprezza would be nearly a grand! By comparison, a Leon Cupra R (210bhp- as quick as an S3, keeps up with the Imprezza in a straight line) would cost me about £60 more than my Ibiza. Wrong, wrong, wrong. But sadly a fact of life.
Alex.
Dr Alex Mears
Seat ibiza Cupra
Mazda MX-5 1.8iS
Yamaha RD350YPVS
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I see trouble ahead with the Imprezza. They are getting cheap enough for the baseball capped youth to trade in their Novas and purchase a scrappy high mileage example, but they won't be able to insure them.
The predictable result will be an end to the car's desirability, even higher premiums, and drivers who'll be lucky to get to the end of their drive without a pull from the law.
A great car though and I hope I'm very wrong.
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The same thing has happened with the integrale to some extent. Luckily 99.9% of them being left hookers has put a lot of the baseball hat brigade off. Add to that the group 18 insurance and their temperamental nature and I think the young uns that just wanted something fast to impress their mates have gone off them. Second hand prices took a dive as a consequence as there was an influx of scrappy cars that had been driven to pieces by short term owners. There are a lot of enthusiasts that have been buying up the scrappy ones and overhauling them then selling them for decent money so prices are going back to where they were. The same will happen with the subaru but I think they have a bit further to fall in price before becoming truly attractive. Once they are cheaper than a saxo vtr/vts with half of halfords thrown on it then the trouble will start....
teabelly
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I'd go for a Honda Prelude 2.2 VTEC, they are excellent to drive. For more space & cheaper insurance the Mondeo ST24 is a reasonably fast car that is nice to drive.
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I looked at a leon a while ago, but at the moment i don't want to spend that much.
I'm sticking to £7k max, otherwise:
Just a grand more & i can have a cupra,
but then just another grand & i can get a . . .
Where will it all stop!!
I really like the impreza, but i'm just worried about the difficulty of getting a decent example for the money.
The Nissan 200 is a no-go, far to offensive looking.
Not sure about the Honda, although i do remember driving one with 4 wheel steering a few years ago. Most fun i've had at 10MPH.
The search goes on . . .
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What about a BMW 323i or 328i? £7k should get you a 95-97 car with 50-100k on the clock. You might have to travel a little further afield to find a nice one, but they are out there.
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Well, after much deliberating & a change of mind on how much money to spend:
Test drove a Mondeo ST200 (nice interior, but nothing special to drive i thought)
So . . .
I pick up my new Impreza WRX tonight!
Thanks to those who replied with suggestions.
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Let us know how you get on with it!
p.s what the spec (i.e year, reg, miles etc)
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it's the standard wrx (couldn't afford the STI!).
brand new, so hopefully not many miles on the clock!
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I thought your budget was about £7K?!
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"Well, after much deliberating & a change of mind on how much money to spend:"
Some change of mind!
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Easily done though - we did the same thing (or rather Mr H in the opposite of the usual marital activity) over-ruled my original budget to an alarming effect!
It's the car buying equivalent of going out for a black skirt and coming home with a red dress (and a pair of shoes) - men pretend not to understand it, but it happens all the time ;)
Looking forward to a debriefing on the new car spoiler!
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I think it was my feminine side coming out, making me change my mind in such a big way!
Or perhaps it was the feminine "by my side", she hated the old golf i had!
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So go on Spoiler - give us all the details - colour, miles, spec, garage, (price if you're happy with that!), etc. Would be good to hear about it!
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Went for the Blue!
Silver = bmwmercvw, etc
black = devil to clean
red = just couldn\'t do it!
now has 98 miles on the clock. Bit of a pain keeping to under 4000 revs though. Guess i\'ll be driving all the weekend to hit 1000 miles.
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Great choice. Whats the MPG and Insurance like?
And did you drive an EVO at all or just go with your heart for this one?
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I didn't worry about the MPG, i've got a company fuel card so i don't pay full wack! Although i have noticed it's a little thirstier than the golf!
Insurance was around £750, which is steep but it could've been worse. Half the companies i phoned wouldn't quote unless i was 30+.
Must admit i didn't look at the EVO.
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