Struggling with next car options - significant budget cut

[c_dug]

Sorry, this turned into a bit of a long one.

Cant be bothered to read? Just suggest me a fun, reliable, not horribly impractical car for under £3k.

Can be bothered - thanks! See below.

I've only been driving a couple of years, having got by with just motorcycles for around a decade before doing my car licence. If I was after a bike I'd know right off the bat what to go looking at, but with cars I still don't fully have a good feel for what makes a car a good or bad choice.

A little over a year ago I bought myself a rather lovely 2007 BMW 325i (e92). Immaculate condition, super low mileage, looks great in my opinion, and being RWD and Manual gears it is a bit of fun to drive too. It also looks a teeny bit flash on a typical suburban driveway which helps keep the OH happy 😂

Life circumstances have changed quicker than anticipated and I find myself in a position where it would be useful to pull cash off of the driveway, so I'll be selling the BMW sometime this month and buying something around half the price. Budget £2-3k.

I'd like something that can still put a smile on my face when driving, it doesn't have to be super practical but 4 seats is useful every now and then, and I'm not super fussed about economy either as it will only do ~5-6k miles a year. However, I am going to be a bit tighter month to month than I'm used to being, so I'd like something that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg in breakdown repairs or general maintenance and ideally less than £300 a year in road tax.

£3k seems to offer a wide selection that could tick all of the boxes and I'm at a bit of a loss as to what I actually want, for example the same money could get me:

- Mini Cooper S from around 60,000 miles
- 1st gen Audi TT 1.8T from around 70,000 miles
- 2006 Merc C350 on 66,000 miles
- ~2009 Suzuki swift sport from around 60,000 miles
- Audi A5 various engines, all over 120,000 miles
- Ford Focus ST2 - 130,000 miles.
- Subaru Legacy 3.0 B-Spec Estate -150,000 miles

Is there anything there you'd say is a great choice, or to avoid like the plague, are their alternatives worth checking out?

Any advice gratefully accepted!

Thanks

[james6546]

I did the same as you and looked at very similar cars.

In the end it was between a Legacy or a Saab 9-3. I looked at the minis but I had an R56 a while ago and got bored of the hard ride really quickly.

The Saab won just because there are more of them and I bought one unseen from ebay for £2k (I have a thread for it if you want to witness the carnage).

It's a 2006 Aero V6 Wagon with 150k miles. I think I actually overpaid by about £1k but hey it's fun to drive and with something new falling off every time I drive it it never gets boring. I don't regret it, and would buy another 9-3 as I think they look great, maybe should have put more effort into my search!

If you get a pre 2006 reg they are not horrendous on tax but you get the older dash style and crappy stereo

[kiethton]

Honda Civic type R? - should just get into one at the budget

Great fun to drive and should tick all the boxes

[c_dug]

SAABs look interesting, do they drive well? I'd be interested in reading the thread if you can point me in the right direction.

Civic Type R I have ummed and ahhhed over, the looks are a bit marmite in my eyes but I could get over that, the off putting thing is that in my budget they're all pushing 130,000 miles or more, which strikes me as a lot for a car that has probably spent a higher than average portion of its life bouncing off the red line? Are they solid enough at those miles?

[Emeye]

I love mk1 TTs - I have had two, keep thinking about another. Many PHers are unimpressed and say they are uninvolving to drive, but they have awesome concept car looks, the 225bhp Quattro model is pretty rapid and the interior in interesting and you feel like you are driving something special.

Look after it and you should get your money back.

The rear seats are very tight though, but with them folded down it makes a decent sized hatch.

[Ash_]

How about a Celica?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102048...

[james6546]

c_dug said:

SAABs look interesting, do they drive well? I'd be interested in reading the thread if you can point me in the right direction.

Civic Type R I have ummed and ahhhed over, the looks are a bit marmite in my eyes but I could get over that, the off putting thing is that in my budget they're all pushing 130,000 miles or more, which strikes me as a lot for a car that has probably spent a higher than average portion of its life bouncing off the red line? Are they solid enough at those miles?

This one https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Yes, I like the way it drives, I had a 2014 330D before it and there is more steering feel than that and it seems to have more character. That being said, the steering is lighter than I'd like, but it does have some feeling.

The Aero gets 10mm lower suspension and bigger anti roll bars than the standard 9-3s and I'd say it handles well for an estate car. I don't think many cars would get away from me (until my car broke that is)

One of my other options that I only thought about after I bought the Saab would be an RX-8. I would have got a cheap one, got an engine rebuild with warranty on it and had a good solid car. You do have to watch out for rust though. I had one a while ago and I've not had a car that handled as well since.

[james6546]

Lexus IS's are supposed to be good too. Not the diesel one though

[kiethton]

c_dug said:

SAABs look interesting, do they drive well? I'd be interested in reading the thread if you can point me in the right direction.

Civic Type R I have ummed and ahhhed over, the looks are a bit marmite in my eyes but I could get over that, the off putting thing is that in my budget they're all pushing 130,000 miles or more, which strikes me as a lot for a car that has probably spent a higher than average portion of its life bouncing off the red line? Are they solid enough at those miles?

My old one was sold with 110k - engines are generally very strong (standard Honda), but as always make sure that the servicing has been conducted per spec, the VTEC engages properly, there is no chain noise and the clutch works (its the springs which can go - highlighted by trouble changing at high RPM). As always, for any car at this budget do all the checks properly and give each car a good check over - can always walk away....

[paradigital]

MK1 TT, but 3.2 VR6. The noise alone is worth the extra fuel consumption over the 1.8T.

I still love to take mine out even though I've got the 440i sat on the drive as well.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'm going leftfield first.

This car ticks a few boxes but it is a Cat S (so get it inspected & then haggle more off) & it's high tax but with some hard haggling you could get this for 2k or under:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105222...

a more sensible option is the CLK 200 Sport, not the fastest but they have sensible running costs, are nicely spec'd the pillar less windows make it a nice place to be & with haggling you'll get one with less than 100k & FSH for 3k.

I'm bias as I have a CLK but it does seem to tick a few boxes.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105112...

Or if you want a bit more go the 320 in Avantgarde spec is the pick:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105192...

C Coupe 200 Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104141...

The Hyundai Coupe makes a lot of sense & has a decent amount of go:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103220...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105303...

Another leftfield option is the Laguna Coupe in 2.0T 205bhp form:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103180...

3 Door Megane with the the 180bhp detuned version of the above engine:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103180...

Manual 3.2 A3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105222...

2.2 Alfa Brera

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104101...

[c_dug]

ZX10R NIN said:

I'm going leftfield first.

This car ticks a few boxes but it is a Cat S (so get it inspected & then haggle more off) & it's high tax but with some hard haggling you could get this for 2k or under:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105222...

Thanks for your suggestions, I think this link is incorrect, interested in what it was supposed to be.

[ZX10R NIN]

c_dug said:

Thanks for your suggestions, I think this link is incorrect, interested in what it was supposed to be.

Sorry about that:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105162...

325i SE

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106023...

325iCi

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104010...

[james6546]

c_dug said:

Thanks for your suggestions, I think this link is incorrect, interested in what it was supposed to be.

That'd be a hell of a haggle!