Best buy for apx. £4500

[JoePhandango]

Hi all,
I'm in a position to trade up the old heap I'm driving at the mo and I have about STG.£4500 (Euro 6000) to spend. I'm sorely tempted by a '97 Rover 414i. Any comments/suggestions would be greatly appreciated. It can't really have a bigger lump than the 1.4 in the Rover as the Irish insurance would be crippling on anything much bigger. I'd also like to keep within the 5-6yr age bracket as our new NCT(MOT) system is fairly rigorous. Thanks lads !!!

[Twin Turbo]

Rover 414? Don't do it!!! Unless, of course, you don't want to enjoy you're driving. My wife recently had a 216SLi and, whilst it was well built and well specced, if it was driven with any gusto it just rolled over and played dead.

A nice man in a Lotus Elan (FWD) wrote it off for us, so it's been replaced with a Golf GTi (Mk111). Now I know this isn't the last word in handling, but compared to the Rover it's light years ahead.

[Dave_H]

I travelled in the back of a 97 414 on a 250 mile trip - I ached for a couple of days due to the naff rear seat and lack of leg room (I'm 5'11")

[anonymous-user]

hmmmmm, i put some details into the autotrader website, basically, any make for £4-5000.
came up with megane coupes and a fiat punto sporting 1.2 16v. i think thats what i would go for.

[mondeoman]

Don't do the Rover thing!

Thats all really.

[Gargamel]

rover 414 - perfectly good car as a runabout -

but for better handling look at peugot 106, just about within budget.or even better a 205 gti - albeit even older - agreed about insurance though can be higher on this car.

the old shape ford escort 1.4 lx is worth a look too

[350matt]

4 & a half to make yer laff? Blimey you can get some pretty decent machinery for that ie:

Mk III Granny with cosworth 24V v6 200Bhp approx 2.5K
Lancia dedra turbo 205 Bhp approx 3K
XJ40 Jaguar can get decent examples from 2K
Alfa 75 210Bhp about 3K
bottom end Porsche 944's or decent 924

shame about the insurance tho' mind you might sitll be woth enquiring about as what you save on buying the newer car you spend on insurance?
Matt

>> Edited by 350matt on Wednesday 17th July 12:55

[JoePhandango]

quote: but for better handling look at peugot 106

Surely you jest... the missus has a 106 and compared to the 414 I drove a few months back it's a bit poor in handling, power, space and spec. Mondeoman, do you mind me asking why you're so anti-rover, any bad experiences ?

[smeagol]

Be careful there are two Pug 106s theres the standard which is cr@p (i know may parents had one) and the Gti which is good (supposedly).