MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
As my much loved MG has now become basically a large pile of scrap metal, I find myself in need of some new wheels. Any suggestions from the STW hive mind?
Budget is around the £2500.00 area.
Must have at least 120 horses under the bonnet.
Must be reasonably large for carrying capacity.
Must make me smile whilst driving it!
Preferably will NOT contain the Rover K-Series engine - I've learned an expensive lesson there.....
All suggestions gratefully received - including comedy ones 🙂
Mx5
No idea what bop they have, but they are fun to drive regardless
RS Clio 182s are getting down to that kinda money now. Will definitely put a smile on your face when you drive it. Engine's solid, it's the rest of the car that needs looking after 😉
Fiat Coupe
2.0petrol Mondeo hatch or a 130hp tdci hatch vintage 04-06.
I still feel happy driving mine over 5years of ownership later.
Its just interesting enough to keep the smiles up and has tardis sized internals.
I've previously had gti's and 200hp v6 cars and while it is emphatically not as exciting it is a cracking car for that budget.
Our two have just had mots at 120k and 115k and sailed through (like they have done in our ownership of a combined 120k).
Much better proposition to my mind than an older bmw for the same money and a lot cheaper to.fix.
If you go for any modern diesel make sure it doesnt need a new dual mass flywheel (or preferably find one with a recent change) as they are blooming pricey when they go.
Vectra 2.2i SRi 06 onwards.
Fast enough, handle well enough, plenty of space.
Cheap.
£2,500 cheap though? Only if it's within an inch of death I'd imagine
MG ZT-T 190?
Great drive, plenty of space and you could pick up a mint low miler for that budget.
Ps. the uprated head gasket kit for the K costs £70, just so you know for next time.
This little belter is on Autotrader at the moment...
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Define "reasonably large"? I wouldn't count half of these suggestions as reasonably large but that depends what you want to do with it.
That's crazy talk, Fiat Coupes and Mazda MX-5s have loads of room inside 😉
Skoda Octavia VRs or 1.8t old shape.
Massive boot will swallow whole bikes.
306 gti 6?
VRS seems a good shout- the boot is piss-poor in the estate which put me off, disappointing really as everything else was good. But if you don't want an estate, that's not a problem 😉
You can have my 330i for that. 231hp, rwd, leather and toys, semi auto (auto, sports mode and manual), reasonably large lots of fun and sedate motorway cruising all in one package.
BMW 330i or (2001 ish)530i sport Touring?
Must have at least 120 horses under the bonnet.
Must be reasonably large for carrying capacity.
Must make me smile whilst driving it!
Findus delivery van?
Severely tempted by the ad from Bearnecessities 😀
Kryton - I've just seen the fuel consumption and insurance group information for your car.....
I do need to be able to afford to run the thing once I've bought it!
NB "reasonably large" - must be able to accommodate 2 cats (in their carriers I mean, not roaming around....), 1large dog, and lots of luggage.
I can't speak for Kryton's car specifically, but I've been running an E46 330i for 8 years and have done 60000 miles in mine.
Tax = £270 per year
Fuel = 32.1mpg average over the 60k. it does about 25mpg for the first 5 miles of a journey and then goes up, I've had 37mpg out of it on a long journey taking it easy at about 65mph.
Servicing is around every 15-18k or two years whichever is sooner. even a major service at a main dealer is only £280. The others are a 1/2 and a 1/3 respectively for minor and oil.
Tyres = £800 a set for premium 18s, £500 for moderate 18s and premium 17s and £350 for poor 17s.
Spares are plentiful, the engine is VERY reliable as are the electrics. the only weak points are suspension (cheap fixes) and cooling systems.
The gearboxes can also be a weak spot, but can often be fixed by a good flush.
I wouldn't hesitate to recommend one. I love mine and can see me never replacing it. BMW don't build them like this anymore.
EDIT - I forgot insurance. I have insured mine one of two ways: Firstly with my full 12 years NCB costing £212 per year, secondly as an additional car with only 2 years NCB at £317 per year.
2.0 petrol Mondeo
MM - what Daffy said which annoyingly suggests I should keep it.... 😐
I want that ST170!
Drive it up here then Kryton, and I'll have a look at it! 😀
In up that way in July visiting Dales[s]man[/s] Rider. 🙂
Subaru Legacy GT-B
More space than you can shake a stick at
Enough power to put a smile on your face
Good in adverse conditions
St170 is living in dreamworld for that money. My mate picked up a car with a new clutch and dmf on an 80k miler estate version a year ago for 1.8k. St170 isnt actually that quick and uses as much fuel as the mk2 ST. Most would struggle to make 150 bhp, especially at those miles.Also expensive road tax. Stick with a 2ltr non st petrol much better car for the money.