Looks like I’m going to be needing a car for work.
Needs to be a least 2+2, less than 5k miles per year and needs to be a bit of fun.

Considering an older Audi TT or A3 3.2 Quattro

What other options?

Fun car for work? 😯

Honda Integra DC2
TVR S3

?

Go classy: Jag XJS

Although I’d only go for the 4L straight-6 version. Others are a combination of too old, too rusty, too slow and too thirsty.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2751751.htm

Forget the 3.2 V6 Audi engines if you’re getting either a TT or an A3.

Stick with the 225bhp version of the 1.8T. Cheaper, lighter, generally more reliable (coil pack issues noted), and VASTLY more tunable. £300 gets you about 290bhp from a remap!

I’d get a later S3 (with the 225bhp engine), a remap, and have a right laugh in it if it were my £5k and I did less than 5k miles a year…

To be honest the 2+2 seats in most are pretty unusable eg TT etc. If you can just go with 2. I would have another MX5 and put up with the hairdresser comments cause it was great fun and really reliable.

Otherwise what are you after, speed, handling, prestige or something to tinker with?

Alfa Romeo GTV?

Dc2 all day long!!!

Could you get an older Mazda RX8 for that money yet? Would guess so. Would tick the boxes. BIL has one and seems very well put together and the back seats are surprisingly usable.

MGB, roadster or GT versions, V8 if you fancy it? Should be reliable enough to do 5k a year, look after it and it might appreciate.

Mondeo ST220

Seriously.. V6 noise, great handling, cheap as chips parts cheap mods as well if were so inclined

Hairychested – Member
Alfa Romeo GTV?

+1

Or a GTA, just make sure you get one with the cambelt done 😉

P.s. Alfa’s V6 is the best sounding!!!!

Land Rover Defender V8. 8)

old fiesta plus £4,500 coke-n-ho’s ?

I think I’d go classic, maybe an old Lotus Ecalt / Elite

Toyota Mr2

My neighbour has a 3.2 A3, he complains that he only gets 20mpg…

It is a Quattro, but also a manual.

My 535i is fun, and you’d get a decent one for that kinda money.

The only MR2 worth having is the AW11 !!

This thread has been a right eye opener, I’m so out of touch with used car prices that I hadn’t realised these sort of motors were as affordable as they are now.

Anyone want a 56 plate VW Polo 1.4? I fancy something less sensible!

Heh.. what about insurance on some of these monsters..

Double the budget and get a 5 Litre TVR Chimaera – anything else might be too reliable and won’t be as fast

My neighbour has a 3.2 A3, he complains that he only gets 20mpg…

Sounds about right.

My mate used to have a 225bhp 1.8T Audi TT, he used to get 32mpg average from it, and as high as 40mpg on a run. The guy who lived opposite him in the close had a 3.2 V6 engined TT, so came car except for the engine, and he averaged not much over 20mpg! And performance wise, there was nothing in it.

Quattro systems increase fuel consumption by about 10% (well they do on like for like Audi’s in my experience anyway).

Could you get an older Mazda RX8 for that money yet? Would guess so.

Hmmmm… 18mpg on petrol, and not much more economical on engine oil… £5k might get you one, they cost a small fortune in running costs though, even though they’re pretty reliable as they’re a Mazda!

+1

Or a GTA, just make sure you get one with the cambelt done

P.s. Alfa’s V6 is the best sounding!!!!

Problem with Alfa’s is they may look and sound nice, but they’re mostly show and not much go. I love the way they look, but there’s not a lot of substance to them. OK engines yeah, but the chassis comes unstuck very easily.

Oh, and then there’s the pitfalls. Rule of thumb buying an Alfa is expect to spend the purchase price of the car again within the first few months, sorting out problems with it… And they’re not cheap to run either. I considered buying a cheap (like £1k cheap) 156 2 litre petrol a couple of years ago, could’ve got a tidy car for that money too, with under 100k miles. Worked out what it would/could cost me if some of the things that are known to happen on Alfa’s did happen, and it worked out I’d be much better off in the long run spending twice as much money on an older, higher milage VW instead… All forgivable if they were a huge amount of fun, but to be honest, having been in a few, it’s just looks and (with the V6 model) a nice engine noise!

Honestly, I’d get a TT or an S3. Pretty depreciation proof, bombproof build quality, good fun to drive (if slightly soft steering but it’s not as bad as people would have you believe), and they’re real world quick, helped mainly due to the torquey engine and 4wd system. And they’re very cheap to make them go a lot faster too!

£5k will get a very nice ’03 Impreza WRX, if you can afford the insurance?

5K! you could get a bike for that

IGMC

Civic typeR ?

I’m liking the S3 suggestion

not sure about the German trim though 😯

EP3 TypeR. Hugely useable, pretty good running costs plus its a ‘normal’ hatchback for throwing bikes in and/or going on your holidays. £5k should get you a pretty tidy pre-facelift version or possibly a higher mileage facelift version at a guess?

I’d steer clear of an RX8. The world of pain owning one of those opens up is an eye opener.

TT would be on my list too. Not exactly a drivers car in the sense of a Teg etc but a lovely looking, well built thing. 225 with the red leather interior… yum.

S3, maybe. Would prefer the TypeR option myself. Or go for the mad option and find a mk1 Golf thats had an S3 engine transplant.

ST220 wouldn’t be a ‘fun’ car to drive if the V6 is much like the TDCI version. Brilliant motorway cruiser but all mushy in twisty stuff.

BMW? E36 M3 potentially for £5k. Or a 328 Sport? Lovely cars.

Fiesta ST should be £5k now? Had a test drive in one about 3 or 4 years ago and thought it was very nice.

What about a Mini? Coopers should be all over the place for £5k, shit boot space but pretty good to drive but not silly quick.

Clio 182? Brilliant drivers car… and pretty useable too.

Fabia vRS? Fun if fun means shed loads of torque and with a cheeky map keeping up with all kinds of ‘quick’ stuff whilst you’re smiling at your mpg hovering in the 50s somewhere.

VW? Lupo GTI?

Most S3’s have a plain black leather interior to be fair, not many have the 2 tone suede/leather combo.

Though in a Nogaro Blue car, the blue/black 2 tone interior really is pimp! Doesn’t work so well in a silver car though agreed…

ST220 wouldn’t be a ‘fun’ car to drive if the V6 is much like the TDCI version. Brilliant motorway cruiser but all mushy in twisty stuff.

you’ve never driven one have you.

If I had, I’d have said. I owned an ST TDCI for nearly 40k miles and it just didn’t work in fast twisty stuff. Not sure how much of that was down to the chassis of a rep mobile trying to be turned into a ‘sports’ car or the power station in the front.

there are some excellent recommendations here, but everyone has failed to suggest the only real option in this situation. What you need is a Ferrari Testarossa, heavily modified, to look and drive like like a 1993 Volvo V40. You would be lucky to find one under £5k, but, because you are a trusted STWer, who I hold in the highest regard. I shall commit the next few days to tracking one down for you. Have faith my brother and hold strong. I’ll be in touch.

Mondeo ST220, I’m sure a boring rep-mobile would be most people’s first choice if they wanted a ‘fun’ car…

MG ZT V8 – should be able to pick one up for around 5k.

Or what about a volvo s60 t-5

Mondeo ST220, I’m sure a boring rep-mobile would be most people’s first choice if they wanted a ‘fun’ car…

and that would be most peoples mistake

A lucky mistake if you ask me.

Camaro – the serial killer’s car of choice according to Jeremy 🙂

Mazda = rust, lots of, on all models, and some terrible alloy wheel corrosion. Otherwise they’re extremely reliable, and the fast ones are great. 😀
Toyota Celica?
Scooby, incl. the wagon version?
Any Type R, if you can put up with the scream.
Seat Leon Cupra?

I think I’d go classic, maybe an old Lotus Ecalt / Elite

+1 for the classic but a Corrado VR6 is what you want.

+1 I love my VR6 Corrado

How about something a little bit different – if you want enjoyment then you can’t go far wrong with any of these:

Ford Racing Puma – fantastic handling, Race tuned by Tickford) not many around (500 built), depreciation proof.

Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo – 5 pot engine, Italian looks, approaching classic status, until the very recent Focus RS came along the fastest ever FWD production car (0-100mph in 14.5sec and 155mph top), much more reliable than people think (it was built by Pininfarina – not Fiat).

306 GTi or Rallye – One of the best handling and most entertaining hot hatches ever, a minter can be yours for 3k leaving 2k free for a new bike.

Volvo 850 T5R Estate – Perfect for swallowing bikes and kit, breeze block looks, classic status, reliability and solidity, will surprise quite a few people, police used to use these as fast pursuit cars.

Corrado VR6 – as above.

PS, if you’re after fun, stay clear of the older TT. Whilst they look good they are not fun to drive and if you enjoy driving (rather than just getting from A to B), you would probably soon get pretty bored. The S3, although built on the same platform as the TT was by far the better drivers car.