Been looking around at used cars...

[symon]

I have been looking around at used cars, as I fancy a change soon.

These are the requirements.

Must be 4 doors (saloon or hatch ok)
Must be decent to drive
Not unreasonably economical (25mpg or better)
Must be fairly quick
Budget upto £2500
Not a Vauxhall

The trouble is I am struggling to find something that tickles my fancy. I would like another Alfa, but most of the ones in my price range are getting to the age where they require TLC, and I haven't got time to do it.

The other thing is my current ride fits the bill quite well. The only thing is, I wouldn't call it a drivers car, and it is at an advanced age, although I don't think it will go wrong anytime soon.

Any other car suggestions folks?

I have looked at Seat Leon Cupras, but only the first of them (which look a bit naff) and the facelifted ones with Mega mileages are within budget.

Plus I am not sure they will drive as well as the BMW.

[ACAPULCO AL]

focus st170?

dunno what they're going for these days but i'd have thought £2500 would bag you one. 5-door ones are very rare though, almost as rare as the estates

[symon]

The Focus ST is an option.

There is a bloke at work with a 3 door one, and I can see him winding me up though if I got one, because when he bought it I wound him up that he should have bought a Renaultsport Clio.

I like BMW 330 saloons (Petrol and Diesel) but they are as common as muck and the styling does nothing for me (Although I like the Coupe version)
The ones in my Price range are also mostly leggy sheds.

Other cars I have looked at.

VW Bora V5, nice engine note, soft suspension and bland looks.
Seat Toledo V5. As above.
Skoda Octavia RS. Looks too much like a Rover 800

[symon]

Just had a look at 5 door ST170's

There are a few around, but they seem to be around 3k upwards, and I am not sure I like the styling of them compared to the 3 door.

I suppose a Golf GTi might be an option, or I have seen some Alfa 147 JTD 16V's for 2.5k

[ACAPULCO AL]

i quite like the octavia - a car well suited to the reality of today. focus st's are very tempting but aren't they horribly thirsty ie. 22 ish mpg? the st170 should get you around 30. don't think the ST's came in 5-door guise, or did they? what about some of the saabs out there?

[symon]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

i quite like the octavia - a car well suited to the reality of today. focus st's are very tempting but aren't they horribly thirsty ie. 22 ish mpg? the st170 should get you around 30. don't think the ST's came in 5-door guise, or did they? what about some of the saabs out there?

There are 5 door ST170's about alright.

I don't mind Saabs, but I know some of them were a bit ropey since GM took them over.

A Vauxhall vectra floorpan is never a good starting point for any car.


I suppose a 2.5 V6 Mondeo might do the trick, 3.0 Jag X types are getting cheap too.

Not sure about how good they are as drivers cars though.

I Might have another Puma, or a 145 Cloverleaf if I could make do with 3 doors.

[ACAPULCO AL]

primera gt?

[Alfafamily]

Curious as to why you have such a downer on Vauxhalls. I've had a Vectra 1.9cdti for 3 years and it does everything I ask of it with no hassle at all. Common as muck is the main problem but I don't have it for show

[Pud237]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

primera gt?

You could do a lot worse, they are pretty much bulletproof, they drive fantastic and they're not bad on fuel. Interior is gash though unless you get the full leather, and they do look like they've got stupidly small wheels fitted these days.

[LJ_GTA]

Mazda 6 mps?

Toyota Chaser 1JZ GTE engine in them proper fast too with a remap.

[hinky]

Volvo s60 T5.

[symon]

Originally Posted by One Double Six

Curious as to why you have such a downer on Vauxhalls. I've had a Vectra 1.9cdti for 3 years and it does everything I ask of it with no hassle at all. Common as muck is the main problem but I don't have it for show

Never liked them really. My dad has had a couple and had nothing but trouble, plus the ones I have driven have been very boring.

The last one I liked was the GSi 3000 Carlton.

[symon]

Originally Posted by ACAPULCO AL

primera gt?

Originally Posted by Pud237

You could do a lot worse, they are pretty much bulletproof, they drive fantastic and they're not bad on fuel. Interior is gash though unless you get the full leather, and they do look like they've got stupidly small wheels fitted these days.

Primera GT could be an option, I will look into them.

Originally Posted by LJ_GTA

Mazda 6 mps?

I also need to look into those as I don't know much about them.

Originally Posted by hinky

Volvo s60 T5.

Good call, definitely worth investigating.


Also possibilities

Subaru Impreza Turbo (not 100% keen on the styling or interior though)
Honda Accord Type R
Mondeo ST220 (if they are cheap enough)

[Pud237]

ST220 use a LOT of fuel. One of our techs had one about a year ago and it barely did more than 20mpg.. For a new-ish car the engine technology is not very advanced, they still use a cable throttle etc.

[symon]

Originally Posted by Pud237

ST220 use a LOT of fuel. One of our techs had one about a year ago and it barely did more than 20mpg.. For a new-ish car the engine technology is not very advanced, they still use a cable throttle etc.

Maybe I will give those a miss then. To be honest I wasn't keen on the styling much anyway.

I like Cable Throttles by the way

[Pud237]

I like cable throttles when I have six of them

[symon]

They are easy to fix as well.

When you have had a GTV that keeps having its electronic throttle play up you soon get fed up with them.

[phil-gtv6]

Originally Posted by LJ_GTA

Mazda 6 mps?

Very rare and over double his budget, mazda6 2.3 sport is solid and well within budget though

[symon]

Originally Posted by phil-gtv6

Very rare and over double his budget, mazda6 2.3 sport is solid and well within budget though

I don't mind the look of those. The trouble is the 2.3 is quite a big car and only 164 BHP, so it isn't going to be very quick.

[In_The_Pass]

I typed a long post but AO crashed.

1. I really like V5 Toledos, but worrying about the sump and the water ingress via the back doors is a killer for me.
2. I like old SAABs, but 250hp 9-5 Aero HOTs for £2Kish and HonestJohn saying they revamped the suspension 2001/02 has me reconsidering. Someone I know has just gone from a 9-5 to an X-Type.
3. SDR the Alfa place in Kent has an AWD 2.5 X-Type SE in gold for £2,5K, I think saw what looked like a spot on 3 litre Sport with half leather for £2Kish recently. They'll be juicy like a V6 Mondeo?
4. Primera GT, 156Zoo's burglary has me wondering if having a teenage blandmobile outside may dissuade some criminals. For me it would be a classy, faster, much better step up from what I have.
5. PhilOldsmobile's new tensioner failure on his 166 V6 has me again thinking non-interference Toyotas. Seems the 3S-GTE may be non-interference.
6. Glad you're considering Type-R Accords, some nice black ones on Autotrader that I fancy myself at the moment, if they're as good as they seem in the adverts. I wish more of them had the low wing.
7. Quite a few nice looking Lexus IS200s around for that money inc. one SportsCross or whatever they called the hatchback version.


Walking home just now there was an E36 Coupe parked up across the outside of the road, I also passed an E46 Coupe. The E36 looks small and the E46 looked about the same size as a 5 door Citroen Xsara. SAAB 9-5s don't seem massive when stood beside them, perhaps thats a consequence of the Vectra underpinnings?

Older means less bloated, and easier to park and manoeuvre and hustle along our crowded roads?

As has been said the MPS6s are out of budget, there was an interesting looking one in maroon on the Autotrader website about 2 months ago for £4600ish, there's an MPS3 for £4K with a broken engine on there at the moment. They did a 2.3 AWD didn't they? I don't think the rear seats in the MPS6 fold through to the cabin.

[Scudetto]

how about a Merc 190E 2.6 (straight 6)?

i've only driven 2.0Es, but I think a 2.6 might fit the bill, albeit without much sparkle.

[In_The_Pass]

There have been two on eBay with the 3 litre from W124s in them.

The 190E publicity blurb coined the term 'multi link rear suspension'?

Shame Merc. manual boxes are known for not having a very pleasant gearchange.

[Scudetto]

Originally Posted by Monza96

There have been two on eBay with the 3 litre from W124s in them.

The 190E publicity blurb coined the term 'multi link rear suspension'?

yes, it did; it's a term that pulled the wool over many eyes...

on a more useful level, it was the first car with pre-tensioned seat belts, and the first to feature forked load path crumple zones specifically designed for off-set collisions....15 years before NCAP testing. A dull car to drive, but a technically interesting one, nonetheless.

[NineOneSix]

Originally Posted by Pud237

You could do a lot worse, they are pretty much bulletproof, they drive fantastic and they're not bad on fuel. Interior is gash though unless you get the full leather, and they do look like they've got stupidly small wheels fitted these days.

Thing is at one stage every mincab in London was a Primera