Recommend me a car
Discussion
With a heavy heart I've said goodbye to my beloved SAAB. Longer term, I'm looking for a 107 SL or W126 coupe.
I now need a (temporary) hack to do the shopping and the odd run to Canberra for work. I'm off to look at a 1988 BMW 535 and a Merc 500 SE tomorrow. My thinking is:
1) It's got to be interesting
2) It's got to be cheap (less than $5k to buy).
3) It's got to be suitable for on-street parking (so no theft magnets or leaky old convertibles)
4) Fuel consumption is not a concern
5) RWD and V8 get bonus points, as does working aircon.
6) I wouldn't be seen dead in a Commodore or Falcon.
Anybody got any alternative suggestions?
I now need a (temporary) hack to do the shopping and the odd run to Canberra for work. I'm off to look at a 1988 BMW 535 and a Merc 500 SE tomorrow. My thinking is:
1) It's got to be interesting
2) It's got to be cheap (less than $5k to buy).
3) It's got to be suitable for on-street parking (so no theft magnets or leaky old convertibles)
4) Fuel consumption is not a concern
5) RWD and V8 get bonus points, as does working aircon.
6) I wouldn't be seen dead in a Commodore or Falcon.
Anybody got any alternative suggestions?
Subaru? Should get a tidy, if leggy, Forester GT or Outback 3.0 for those $$ - both would satisfy 1-4 on your list. I sold my mates 2003 Outback H6 for $5k back in Feb - 2 owners, FSH, and no probs at all.
Peugeot? Usually a tidy 306GTi6 or 406 V6 to be found around that price. Last of the fun and reasonably reliable Pugs.
I've run both Peugeot and Subaru in Oz and have had no probs with parts or servicing.
Others that might be worth looking at, if you've already got a 5 and 500 on your list...
E36 328i
Lexus LS400 or newer IS200
Any other old Merc or BMW if that floats it
Alfa 156 V6
Audi A6 4.2 or 2.7T
Maybe some other Japanese coupes from the 90s/00s - Celica, MX5, MX6? RX8 about to go pop?
Otherwise, no idea...
Peugeot? Usually a tidy 306GTi6 or 406 V6 to be found around that price. Last of the fun and reasonably reliable Pugs.
I've run both Peugeot and Subaru in Oz and have had no probs with parts or servicing.
Others that might be worth looking at, if you've already got a 5 and 500 on your list...
E36 328i
Lexus LS400 or newer IS200
Any other old Merc or BMW if that floats it
Alfa 156 V6
Audi A6 4.2 or 2.7T
Maybe some other Japanese coupes from the 90s/00s - Celica, MX5, MX6? RX8 about to go pop?
Otherwise, no idea...
PomBstard said:
Subaru? Should get a tidy, if leggy, Forester GT or Outback 3.0 for those $$ - both would satisfy 1-4 on your list. I sold my mates 2003 Outback H6 for $5k back in Feb - 2 owners, FSH, and no probs at all.
Peugeot? Usually a tidy 306GTi6 or 406 V6 to be found around that price. Last of the fun and reasonably reliable Pugs.
I've run both Peugeot and Subaru in Oz and have had no probs with parts or servicing.
Others that might be worth looking at, if you've already got a 5 and 500 on your list...
E36 328i
Lexus LS400 or newer IS200
Any other old Merc or BMW if that floats it
Alfa 156 V6
Audi A6 4.2 or 2.7T
Maybe some other Japanese coupes from the 90s/00s - Celica, MX5, MX6? RX8 about to go pop?
Otherwise, no idea...
Many good suggestions there! Thanks also to Google [bot] for sending over details on a rather nice WRX wagon.Peugeot? Usually a tidy 306GTi6 or 406 V6 to be found around that price. Last of the fun and reasonably reliable Pugs.
I've run both Peugeot and Subaru in Oz and have had no probs with parts or servicing.
Others that might be worth looking at, if you've already got a 5 and 500 on your list...
E36 328i
Lexus LS400 or newer IS200
Any other old Merc or BMW if that floats it
Alfa 156 V6
Audi A6 4.2 or 2.7T
Maybe some other Japanese coupes from the 90s/00s - Celica, MX5, MX6? RX8 about to go pop?
Otherwise, no idea...
Both the 535 and 500SE had (potentially expensive) issues; overheating and transmission issues on the beemer, suspension, rust, and electrical gremlins on the merc.
I was preparing to go and look at a 306 GTI6 and a merc 300 next weekend, and was rather tempted by aformentioned WRX, but realised I needed a car ASAP.
Very long and boring story, but spent north of $100 in taxis this morning (Bondi - Coogee - Watson's Bay - Coogee) and had a bit of a sense of humour failure.
So at lunchtime I arranged to view, then bought, an old Volvo 240 Wagon for the princely sum of errr.... $800. No rego, no history, a fooked MAF and leaking oil, but solid underneath. She's now sitting outside my mechanic's place, awaiting an inspection.
As odd as this choice may seem, I spent a lot of my childhood in the back of a 240 and learned to drive in one. I've taken 7 people to music festivals in a mangy old 240 and crossed Europe the same summer, all without servicing the poor old beast, and it never let me down.
I'll update this thread once I've heard back from the man with the spanners, but for now, here's the automotive equivalent of the '50+ section' in Readers' Wives*.
- you don't want to look, but you just can't help yourself....
spitsfire said:
...here's the automotive equivalent of the '50+ section' in Readers' Wives*.
And you don't want to think about it, but you know someone is riding that...- you don't want to look, but you just can't help yourself....
Well done, and good luck. I had a hateful experience with a big Volvo wagon over here recently, but others seem smitten. And at $800, if it all works, who give a f
k...PomBstard said:
And at $800, if it all works, who give a fk...
If it all works. k...
It probably needs a new MAF ($200), a gasket or two ($???), definitely new tires all round ($500), registration fee ($64), tax ($289), plates ($44), inspection fee ($66), blue slip ($63), and green slip insurance ($640) and a full service so I'm expecting to put between $2000 and $3000 into it. I'll take it as a win if I can get it on the road and running reliably for $3-$3.5k all up.
I know my preferred mechanic hates working on tired old European cars, so I've taken the precaution of leaving it in front of his unit and putting the keys through his letterbox. This way, he's got to sort it out - I can't take it away until it's registered.
Hasbeen said:
Wow!
"wouldn't be seen dead in a Commodore or Falcon", but will drive that heap of garbage quite happily.
Strange tastes.
More just a reluctance to go full bogan: You wouldn't see Trent from Punchy in a Volvo. "wouldn't be seen dead in a Commodore or Falcon", but will drive that heap of garbage quite happily.
Strange tastes.
Guess it depends on how much you like mullets
Edited by spitsfire on Tuesday 13th September 02:11
spitsfire said:
More just a reluctance to go full bogan: You wouldn't see Trent from Punchy in a Volvo.
Guess it depends on how much you like mullets
Not all that bogan spitsfire, I have owned & raced a Morgan, a Lotus & even a Singer, just none of that European pap.Guess it depends on how much you like mullets
Edited by spitsfire on Tuesday 13th September 02:11
I've also had a lot of fun in both a Holden & a Falcon around Bathurst, but never a Volvo.
My old team boss developed the market for Volvos in Oz. Pushed them to the blue rinse grand mums set, very successfully. Perfect car for such a market of course.
Hasbeen said:
Not all that bogan spitsfire, I have owned & raced a Morgan, a Lotus & even a Singer, just none of that European pap.
I've also had a lot of fun in both a Holden & a Falcon around Bathurst, but never a Volvo.
My old team boss developed the market for Volvos in Oz. Pushed them to the blue rinse grand mums set, very successfully. Perfect car for such a market of course.
Never a Volvo? You missed out!I've also had a lot of fun in both a Holden & a Falcon around Bathurst, but never a Volvo.
My old team boss developed the market for Volvos in Oz. Pushed them to the blue rinse grand mums set, very successfully. Perfect car for such a market of course.
Being sold new to the middle class and middle aged means that it's been well maintained for a large portion of it's life. It's probably never been red-lined, although it's not that sort of beast anyways. May have to try it once, just to see what happens: A trip to Eastern Creek dragstrip and get the printout framed?
I hope people will agree that, albeit in a rather weird way, I did reasonably well on my criteria
spitsfire said:
1) It's got to be interesting I think so
2) It's got to be cheap (less than $5k to buy) Comfortably
3) It's got to be suitable for on-street parking (so no theft magnets or leaky old convertibles) "I can park you anywhere and not care"
4) Fuel consumption is not a concern luckily, because it's appalling
5) RWD and V8 get bonus points, as does working aircon. One out of three here
6) I wouldn't be seen dead in a Commodore or Falcon This is about as un-bogan as it's possible to get
Still hunting for that elusive R107 though....2) It's got to be cheap (less than $5k to buy) Comfortably
3) It's got to be suitable for on-street parking (so no theft magnets or leaky old convertibles) "I can park you anywhere and not care"
4) Fuel consumption is not a concern luckily, because it's appalling
5) RWD and V8 get bonus points, as does working aircon. One out of three here
6) I wouldn't be seen dead in a Commodore or Falcon This is about as un-bogan as it's possible to get
Finally, the Volvo went up on the ramps, and the news wasn't too bad. New engine mounts, all round filters, fluids and some rubbery bits, and she sailed through inspection.
From the records, the timing belt was only done about 2,000km previously..... but in 2008. I toyed with the idea of winging it, but then realised it isn't a valve safe head, so puckered up and got the belts done too. I made this mistake previously, and it was expensive. She still has a crack in the windscreen and inoperative overdrive, but everything else works as it should.
It's certainly not a car to thrash; I don't think the autobox has a kickdown facility at all. If it does, it's on holiday. None the less, it can make impressive progress through rush hour traffic. This is partly because of the excellent all-round visibility and tight turning circle, and partly because even the most blingy, blackest Range Rover leaves plenty of space for a flea-bitten old Volvo with some battle scars!
I'm now removing years worth of dirt and dust, and am amazed at how well the interior has cleaned up - despite being 20 odd years old, and lying in a yard with the windows open for several years, the interior is in better condition than my colleague's 5 year old VW. They truly don't make them like they used to!
Sadly, the curse of old Volvos has taken its toll - 240s are notorious for the teeth snapping off the cog in the speedo. They're also notorious for dodgy fuel tank senders. Both have failed on my car, so I have no odometer, no tachometer, and no fuel gauge - no prizes for guessing why this might present a problem! A temporary solution is a jerry-can in the boot, but something more appropriate and less smelly needs to be done in the fullness of time.
Strangely, whilst I've added some infinitely more glamorous German metal to the fleet, the old Volvo has been taking most of my time and affections; isn't it bizarre how attached we can get to some cars for no rational reason?
Pictures to follow.....
From the records, the timing belt was only done about 2,000km previously..... but in 2008. I toyed with the idea of winging it, but then realised it isn't a valve safe head, so puckered up and got the belts done too. I made this mistake previously, and it was expensive. She still has a crack in the windscreen and inoperative overdrive, but everything else works as it should.
It's certainly not a car to thrash; I don't think the autobox has a kickdown facility at all. If it does, it's on holiday. None the less, it can make impressive progress through rush hour traffic. This is partly because of the excellent all-round visibility and tight turning circle, and partly because even the most blingy, blackest Range Rover leaves plenty of space for a flea-bitten old Volvo with some battle scars!
I'm now removing years worth of dirt and dust, and am amazed at how well the interior has cleaned up - despite being 20 odd years old, and lying in a yard with the windows open for several years, the interior is in better condition than my colleague's 5 year old VW. They truly don't make them like they used to!
Sadly, the curse of old Volvos has taken its toll - 240s are notorious for the teeth snapping off the cog in the speedo. They're also notorious for dodgy fuel tank senders. Both have failed on my car, so I have no odometer, no tachometer, and no fuel gauge - no prizes for guessing why this might present a problem! A temporary solution is a jerry-can in the boot, but something more appropriate and less smelly needs to be done in the fullness of time.
Strangely, whilst I've added some infinitely more glamorous German metal to the fleet, the old Volvo has been taking most of my time and affections; isn't it bizarre how attached we can get to some cars for no rational reason?
Pictures to follow.....
Sorry, no pictures, but let me explain....
Driving out past the airport to Western Sydney to pick up a set of alloys for the Volvo, it started to miss. fk it, I thought- It's only missing occasionally. Turns out that was the wrong assumption. Made it out of the M5 Tunnel on 3, sometimes 2, cylinders. Stopped, and after a while it seemed to clear. I knew the car had been left standing for years, so the obvious answer was a bit of bad petrol making it's way through the system. I was closer to my mechanic than home, so pressed on, left the car with him, and arranged to get the wheels some other time.
He pulled the fuel filter off, and it was filthy, so replaced that and the problem seemed to be solved. I went out and picked it up the next night, and all was good. Until the M5 tunnel, when it did exactly the same thing as last time, but not quite as badly. Got home and abandoned it outside in the rain.
After a couple of days of ignoring it, I typed 'volvo 240 f...' into Google and up popped 'Volvo 240 fuel pump location'. Realising this was obviously a common problem, further investigation revealed that the Volvo 240 has a slave pump in the tank and a main pump in the line. Even when the tank pump fails, the car will keep running. Unless, that is, you're pointing up a steep slope. Mystery solved!
With a new tank pump and sender unit fitted (what a pig of a job!), she was running well. For nearly a day, before the fuel gauge started showing 'full to the knocker' despite the tank being near empty.
None the less, I managed to collect my alloy wheels and am now prepping them for painting. I've also ordered up some nice Prancing Moose badges
I still haven't fixed the bumpers, trim, roof lining, overdrive, or taken photographs, so for now here's a picture of a big smelly hole in the floor and a very tired pump.
Driving out past the airport to Western Sydney to pick up a set of alloys for the Volvo, it started to miss. f
k it, I thought- It's only missing occasionally. Turns out that was the wrong assumption. Made it out of the M5 Tunnel on 3, sometimes 2, cylinders. Stopped, and after a while it seemed to clear. I knew the car had been left standing for years, so the obvious answer was a bit of bad petrol making it's way through the system. I was closer to my mechanic than home, so pressed on, left the car with him, and arranged to get the wheels some other time. He pulled the fuel filter off, and it was filthy, so replaced that and the problem seemed to be solved. I went out and picked it up the next night, and all was good. Until the M5 tunnel, when it did exactly the same thing as last time, but not quite as badly. Got home and abandoned it outside in the rain.
After a couple of days of ignoring it, I typed 'volvo 240 f...' into Google and up popped 'Volvo 240 fuel pump location'. Realising this was obviously a common problem, further investigation revealed that the Volvo 240 has a slave pump in the tank and a main pump in the line. Even when the tank pump fails, the car will keep running. Unless, that is, you're pointing up a steep slope. Mystery solved!
With a new tank pump and sender unit fitted (what a pig of a job!), she was running well. For nearly a day, before the fuel gauge started showing 'full to the knocker' despite the tank being near empty.
None the less, I managed to collect my alloy wheels and am now prepping them for painting. I've also ordered up some nice Prancing Moose badges
I still haven't fixed the bumpers, trim, roof lining, overdrive, or taken photographs, so for now here's a picture of a big smelly hole in the floor and a very tired pump.
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