Help me decide

rodenal

rodenal

Registered User
Joined
Oct 22, 2006
Messages
1,992
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Ok so after my company decided to collapse last month(nice of them) and i lost my company car, i am now employed again and dont need to drive to work as i can get a train.

I get a nice company car allowance but its purely a privilege and there are no requirements for me to get a newish car or even drive it to work.

So

I'm gonna spend about £1500 sometime over the next few weeks and save up the money every month, so i'm lookin at a few options and maybe you can all give me some ideas and or pointers.

So far my shortlist is

1. N/a Mr2 - had a turbo loved it and would like a nice little n/a to run about in, but then again i've had one already.

2. 306 Gti-6/Xsi - Love em to drive but would be worried about reliability and the stupid way the french putting things together meaning i couldnt do alot of the work myself

3. Civic Vti - i know i might struggle to find a decent one for this money

4. mk3 GTI 16v - always been interested in these but not sure it'd really do it for me, might be bored of it in a month.

5. Just get a grip and take a lease astra 3 door cdti for £190+VAt over 2 years(boring option)

The car wont go very far at all, be lucky if it covers 10k a year.
 
Out of that lot I would go for the 306 Gti-6. Always got really good write ups for handling and smiles per mile back in the day.



Or what about a Mk1 MX5? They are nice and cheap and easy to work on. And reliable.
 
Get a fiat coupe Turbo

any one who says they are unreliable is talkin' *****..

any one who says they are no good has obviously never driven one

any one who says they look ugly has a right to their opinion :whistle2:

easily picked up for £1500 sov's
 
audi upgrades
Now there's an idea, i'll have to look into that
 
Ok it looks a bit like a turbo in good nick will be just outside my budget but i could pick up a 16v or 20v n/a what are they both like?
 
MR2 or 306GTi6. Spent some time hammering a friends MR2 and they are a riot. Brother has a GTi6 and it's very capable (if a bit tinny/plasticy).

Astra if you've had your brain removed and a packet of lard inserted in its place. We use Diesel Vauxhalls at work and I've been in more posh porta loo's at a music festival
 
i had a 20v turbo for four years and i can honestly say i nailed the crap out of it, and it Never went wrong (until i eventually blew it up) but after the life it had that was inevitable,

I dont think you can go far wrong with any of the engines, but I would suggest you look here for a more informed view....

http://www.fiatcoupe.net/press.php?ID=2&chapter=4
 
Last time I drove an Astra it was an AstraMax van. ****** flying machine for some reason. Possibly due to a complete lack of mechanical sympathy from me whilst driving it.


****** horrendous understeer though!

From what I gather, the cars are the same. A bit nose happy.
 
I remember the older (mk4?) astra vans being quite quick, basically because there's no weight in them i think.

Its kind of the boring option, if i was gonna lease a car i could get a 150 cdti astra 3 door or a 105bhp tdi golf for around the same money, and out of those two the astra wins every single time.

mx-5's just arent really a car i've ever wanted, although im led to believe the early 1.6 imports are quite good, a bit quicker and more specced than the uk cars

I like the fiat coupes but i keep finding myself going back to the mr2, i've wanted another one from the day i sold mine just cant help wondering if i'd miss the turbo pull.
 
another vote for the fiat coop. Had an LE and it was fricking awesome... even the contrasting pimp seats!

One thing tho... the turning circle is like that of HMS Sheffield! ;)

Id go 20vT, 16vT, 20v. Wouldnt bother with the 16v straight.
 
If you don't need a car for getting to work or even once your in work, and it is going to be used purely for pleasure and private use, the last cars I would be considering would be an Astra or golf.

Get something fast and fun, then you can spend every working hour looking forward to getting home and driving the car. :racer:
 
Ok i definately cant afford a 20vT

possibly could just get a 16vt, are these the same as the straight 16v as in the engine needs to come out for almost any work??
 
1.8 16v, 2.0 16v and 2.0 16vt are all inline 4's... the 20valves all inline 5s
 
rodenal said:
Ok i definately cant afford a 20vT

possibly could just get a 16vt, are these the same as the straight 16v as in the engine needs to come out for almost any work??
Click to expand...

Clarkson paid £900 for his one on Top Gear, and I think that was a 20v wasn't it?

What about a mark 2 GTi? I saw a stunning blue coloured 16v 3 door today on a H plate, and it looked mean as!

Lots of interesting options around for £1500 I imagine, depends how much of a risk you want to take over reliability etc
 
rodenal said:
4. mk3 GTI 16v - always been interested in these but not sure it'd really do it for me, might be bored of it in a month.
Click to expand...

I had a Mk3 GTI albeit an 8v, had it for 8 yrs and never let me down once. Slow as hell though and the 16v isnt much better, I'd go for a mint Mk2 GTI 16V instead, they are cracking cars...
 
You'll get a tatty coupe for a grand, my mate bought one the other week.

If i had that sort of money to buy a run around i'd get a Fiat Coupe, my mates one keeps up with my S4.
 
what about one of these
media


190 bhp rear wheel drive fun and classic insurance.....
 
How about a nice Ford Fiesta, plenty out there for the money, easy for parts, servicing etc, cheap to run, good mpg, enough carrying capacity for the weekly shop, comfortable on a cruise...................
















Just kidding, how about a VW VR6? For £1.5-2k you can pick a good few Mk3 Golf or Corrado's, might have over 100k on the clock but they're a damn solid engine as long as they're maintained! Plus being pre-2001 you can polute to your hearts content & not get shafted on car tax!!
 
How about a Lancia Delta HF turbo, 1.6, 2wd but still good fun and a lot cheaper than the intergrale. I'm know there are some good ones out there.
 
Les 51 said:
How about a Lancia Delta HF turbo, 1.6, 2wd but still good fun and a lot cheaper than the intergrale. I'm know there are some good ones out there.
Click to expand...

Ooo I really really wanted one of those as my very 1st car, but ended up with a 1.3 Maestro instead!! They were very very very rust prone so if there's any still about they have no doubt been welded together a fair bit!
 
Nickynibbles said:
Ooo I really really wanted one of those as my very 1st car, but ended up with a 1.3 Maestro instead!! They were very very very rust prone so if there's any still about they have no doubt been welded together a fair bit!
Click to expand...

I had a 1.3 for 3 years and loved it (sold it for a crappy escort!) But I almost bought a HF turbo earlier in the year and you'll be surprised how many good ones there are about.
 
Les 51 said:
How about a Lancia Delta HF turbo, 1.6, 2wd but still good fun and a lot cheaper than the intergrale. I'm know there are some good ones out there.
Click to expand...

I had 4 Delta's in my time, two 1300's, one GT1600 and an HFie i kept for seven years, I loved that car and regret the day I ever sold it. They are one of the last of the affordable proper fun drivers cars, and in the real world not much slower than an Integrale, a lot more reliable than Lancia are given credit for! I reckon you would get a cracker for £1500!!
 
i used to have the 1.8 GtiE(or was it a 1.6?), it was great fun - but I always wanted the integrale
 
audi upgrades
That Martini looks quite tidy, not sure I would fancy a £2k Integrale though - could be a real moneypit! It might be an import too as to the best of my knowledge the first Integrale's were E reg, with just HF4wd's being D and E plate. Could be wrong though ...
 
Here is my 2p worth
1. N/a Mr2 - Not had one myself, great cars by all accounts but it will be hard to find an unmolested model.

2. 306 Gti-6/Xsi - over rated plastic and have hairy wheel arches. Every pug i've ever driven was sloppy and felt like a baked bean tin. however they were nippy.

3. Civic Vti - Great Car, but you nailed it

4. mk3 GTI 16v - Great Mark, however the people i know that have them had issues with the floor pan rusting. A well loved example would be a great car, if not a little heavy, but then they all have been since the mk3.

5. Astra 3 door cdti Not a bad motor looks wise, not drive or experience one.


Now ones you might look at too.
Ford Focus - I hate fords but the focus is an ok car, and there a like a million of them out there.
Seat Leon/Ibiza I loved my TDI and loads of car for your money if you can get one at the price you can afford.
Now dont laught but
What about a Fiat Barchetta, they are all LHD but go like $%^t off a shovel, great fun to drive.
 
Civic Vti - What year are you thinking? if you go EG shape, They are sooo tunable, proper drivers car, was my first car...set up the suspension like a go cart, light weight, you can easily get over 200bhp out of it and in something that weighs less that your shoe.. its crazy.

^^^#1 reccomendation... wait a while, get some more cash together, unless you change ur cars like socks, not something you can rush into.

Mr2 non turbo is boring to be honest, a friend had one, civic ****** all over it.. too heavy for the engine, DOHC 16v 170 bhp i think, 2 seater, not practical and very hard to find a nice xample.

never really liked the mk3 golfs, bit girly imo, dont know why, always thought it as the girly golf.. no offence to anyone but thats my thoughts anyway..
if u go for the civic, let me know if you want any advice with them.. one of favourite little hatchbacks, definatly will own another one sometime in my life and it will be insane!
 
Shy19s said:
Civic Vti - What year are you thinking? if you go EG shape, They are sooo tunable, proper drivers car, was my first car...set up the suspension like a go cart, light weight, you can easily get over 200bhp out of it and in something that weighs less that your shoe.. its crazy.

^^^#1 reccomendation... wait a while, get some more cash together, unless you change ur cars like socks, not something you can rush into.
Click to expand...

Yeah they are quite cheap to buy if you do some serious hunting, the engines are bomb proof and there is a lot of tuning potential for minimal cash, strip it out and do some cheap rate fiddling and you'll have quite a fast/decent car. MPG on them is pretty good too if you dont get addicted to the VTEC noise. I think the 6th generation is slightly nicer to look at/drive. Only thing you have to watch out for is the bodywork, arches, bottom of doors etc I dont think they were built for the UK weather....
 
Only thing you have to watch out for is the bodywork, arches, bottom of doors etc I dont think they were built for the UK weather....
Click to expand...

Not sure i agree with this one, i had a 1995 model, latest in the series had it for about a year and didnt have one spot of rust.. Compare that to the Audi's much later i.e 2000 onwards are rusting around the car.. I think hondas are amazingly built, in structure and in those amazing engines.
 
Nice! Could do with a smarter set of wheels though.
 
I know i really dont like the wheels but given that its cheap and i wont keep it long i dont think ill bother changing them unless i find somebody to swap me lol
 
Yeah, if your not keeping it long then I'd just leave them. Look a ****** to keep clean though.
 
Lol yeah i suppose it does kinda fit with that doesnt it

ah well
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

jojo
  • Start Poll
Help me decide what to do!
Replies
12
Views
1K
MikeS4
MikeS4
M
kindly help me
Replies
1
Views
504
Khufu
Khufu
OutLore
  • Start Poll
Quick!! HELP ME!!!
Replies
11
Views
709
The Slug
The Slug
I
help me plz
Replies
0
Views
580
imported_bsm4224
I
ScottyBoy
  • Start Poll
Choices Cant Decide
Replies
15
Views
1K
missviper
missviper
Top
Back