Next car advice £3-4k

[mat59]

Hello guys. Can you give me a hand in choosing my next car?

I have £3000-4000 to spend. It doesn't have to be particularly new as I will not need it for commuting to work every day (will take it occaisionally). It would also be good if it would depreciate as little as possible.

My thoughts so far are -

VW Golf G60 or Rallye
Audi S2 (avant or coupe)
Porsche 944
BMW 328 sport - Are they actually quick though?
Mazda mx-5 (turbo or supercharger conversion)
Corrado VR6 or tuned G60

Prvious car was a Fiat coupe 20vt - great car but i'm now after a modern classic.

If anyone has any other suggestions or knowledge of running these cars please post them up. I would be particularly interested in running costs as I don't have bottomless pockets. I don't mind working on the car myself but I am by no means a mechanic.

I realise that this sort of thing must get posted quite a bit but I really would vaulue your opinions.

Thanks, Matt

[Ross_328i_sport]

Hi,
I have a 328i sport which is relatively quick it depends what you describe as quick nice to drive and with varios mods like the inlet manifold and big bore throttle bodie it becomes quicker.

Regards

Ross

[mat59]

Cheers mate.

I have thought about one of these. Preferably one with a LSD. Seems like a good learner car for RWD. I also looked into the manifold and big bore throttle body. This combined with a hi-flow filter gives about 220bhp, which would make it pretty quick. Nice car. How does it handle?

[Ross_328i_sport]

Handles fairly well and feels a very solid car to drive especially when you get into another it fells like it is going to fall to bits as the bmw is so well built.

[haggle]

classic mini im considering one as summer toy either that or a westfeild

[mat59]

How much can you get a Westfield for then? With wet weather gear and a heater it could be bareable.

[negative creep]

Can you really get a decent S2 for that price?

[andybe]

Where's the picture of your car ?

[Alfahorn]

mat59 said:

Hello guys. Can you give me a hand in choosing my next car?

I have £3000-4000 to spend. It doesn't have to be particularly new as I will not need it for commuting to work every day (will take it occaisionally). It would also be good if it would depreciate as little as possible.

My thoughts so far are -

VW Golf G60 or Rallye
Audi S2 (avant or coupe)
Porsche 944
BMW 328 sport - Are they actually quick though?
Mazda mx-5 (turbo or supercharger conversion)
Corrado VR6 or tuned G60

Prvious car was a Fiat coupe 20vt - great car but i'm now after a modern classic.

If anyone has any other suggestions or knowledge of running these cars please post them up. I would be particularly interested in running costs as I don't have bottomless pockets. I don't mind working on the car myself but I am by no means a mechanic.

I realise that this sort of thing must get posted quite a bit but I really would vaulue your opinions.

Thanks, Matt

Alfa GTV V6 a classic from day one.

[haggle]

mat59 said:

How much can you get a Westfield for then? With wet weather gear and a heater it could be bareable.

ive seen a few on the classiifeds in here for 4k ish 1600 cross flow pintos from the mid 90s even a few y reg ones for just under 5k most have come with wet gear as most owners will have it

[turbo-tastic]

Your budget will get you a late 90's decent condition Nissan 200SX.

2.0 16v turbo, RWD, LSD as stock, go for a touring model and you get leather & aircon. reliable, comfortable, and if you ever dcecide you want more, there is no end of performance parts available
Not the best example, but gives you an idea (black or damson are the colours to go for IMO )

www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=277627

[wildcards]

Galant VR4
306 GTi6
CRX VTEC
BMW M535i or M635i

[greatgranny]

This

www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/153642.htm

Edited by greatgranny on Tuesday 10th April 12:56

[andygtt]

for 4k you could have an E36 M3.... I use mine for business use for last 3years and have done over 50k in it.

[Gad-Westy]

It seems odd that you ask if the 328 is quick because its almost certainly quicker than the Golf Rallye G60, Corrado G60 and 944 on your list, though a 944 Turbo or S2 or a Corrado VR6 are quicker again.

The 328 is a nice car, well screwed together, quick in the mid-range though is a little strangled at high revs (easily sorted if you can be bothered). What stands out on them is how well balanced they are through corners. They will oversteer or understeer if you really want them to but they're more about precision.

Corrados are great cars and VR6's are becoming collectable now. You may find you'd get a better value G60 because of this.

MX5 would be great if one came in budget.

944 brilliant but potentially very large bills if you get a duffer and insurance is very high unless its on a classic policy.

The Golf's would be nice cars in that they're a bit different to the norm and rare.

I know nothing about S2's other than that their engines sound nice! Sorry.

Edited to say: I've had a couple of Westfields and personally wouldn't recommend one for less than £4k unless you really know what you're doing or have a bit of money to keep it going. You may get lucky but I'd say £5k is the min you ought to look to spend.

Edited by Gad-Westy on Tuesday 10th April 16:47

[JulianCRX]

You could buy a tottally immaculate CRX SiR with that money.

I'll fish out a pic of one for sale from the members site if you want?

[joel.b]

you wont get anything near as good as a fiat coupe 20vt for that money

[littleandy0410]

You'd get a 306 Rallye for that money, bit more special (rare) than the gti6. Used to own one, and miss it every day! Needs must, so bought a diesel! Just got myself a nice Mk1 MR2 though, so the summer's calling!

[Gold]

MX5 (Has to be said )

www.pistonheads.com/sales/150725.htm

[mat59]

Sorry for the confusion about the 328i sport comment. It just seems that 193bhp and 1400kg might mean that they aren't that quick. But I have since read up about them and the general view is that they are quick in a straight line due to good traction of the line also due to rwd. They are also supposed to and handle well, plus build quality is meant to be superb. I know that they respond well to the throttle body and manifold mod and are meant to be great cars.

If I go for a G60 it will be one with a stage 4 charger, chip and pulley (should be about 190bhp) or I will get the work done myself. This would make them pretty quick. If i go for a 944 it will be n S2 probably. The Fiat coupe 20vt I used to have was very quick in a straight line. I don't want to go back to a car that is considerably slower. Fortunately it looks like most of these cars won't be too far off the pace.

I'm swaying towards a golf G60 at the moment (with the engine mods). Rare and should be very quick. Plus i grew up with mk2 golf's and have always fancied one. I think an M3 or 944 would be to costly to run.

Any other ideas?