Reply With QuoteHow about a Honda Prelude?
I currently run a 98 BMW E46 323i SE saloon, 75000 miles, reliable as anything, pretty much mint (ok light rusting on the rear arches), cost me £1400.
Originally Posted by Sweepinghand
No ragtop for me and I started looking at the 225 but then I heard the 3.2 v6 and wow it sounds lovely I think it’s settled once I work out how I’d actually collect one in these crazy times unless anyone is getting shut of an r32 I can see a TT happening
Maybe lol
How about a Honda Prelude?
I currently run a 98 BMW E46 323i SE saloon, 75000 miles, reliable as anything, pretty much mint (ok light rusting on the rear arches), cost me £1400.
Last edited by markbannister; 9th January 2021 at 23:30.
I loved my Mk1 TT 225 bhp - iconic styling, great build quality, 0-60 in not much over 6 secs & surefooted handling. Steering lacked a bit of ‘feel’, but the sensation of the haldex system kicking in to provide 4WD was fun when pushing it on corners.
Another one drives a Duster........😂😂😂😂
Started out with nothing. Still have most of it left.
3.2 TT is a great choice. There isn't much that's similar at the price.
I'd second that. Plenty of choice at £5k. Some even have the clear lenses (£800 retrofit to earlier models).
The other car I've got a hankering for is a Golf VR6 but some are getting wise to it's future classic status and some cheeky prices being asked now.
Politely beg to differ on reliability- I have been looking after 3.0ltr E46 since they were new and still do so and they fall firmly in the bullet proof category in my experience-you must have been very unlucky with your ones.
It was yours that planted the seed a few years back so effectively it’s all your fault lol I shouldve bought it back then but due to work etc at the time it wouldn’t have been used .
It'll probably become a classic, but does the VR6 really do anything the GTi doesn't except sound a little better and consume a lot more petrol?
OK, it's a fraction faster, but for a near 3 litre V6 hot-hatch the performance is far from impressive.
A colleague had one for a while 'upgrading' from a GTi, but he didn't keep it long for exactly those reasons.
M
Breitling Cosmonaute 809 - What's not to like?
I used to have a red one. 4 wheel drive and it cornered like it was on railsActually, changed my mind.
Get one of these.
Proper 90’s JapAttack and rare too.
Ha ha sorry about that!
I absolutely should have kept it. I spent a few bob sorting it out but it was a great example
It was the birth of my second daughter coupled with a company car change to a 330e with more performance that made me decide to sell.
Great cars though, loved mine
If I had £5k to spend on a fun car, I'd buy an r53 mini cooper s or an fn civic type r.
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It's the 6 cylinder sound I like. And the reason I bought a very late model Boxster S (14 plate) before Porsche decided a 4 cylinder 2 litre turbo was "OK" (and now changed their minds again).
I've been driving 6 pot cars almost all my life from Essex & Cologne engined Capris to Audi S4s. The 4 cylinder ones I've had have never sounded or felt as good whatever the piece of paper claims the 0-60 time is (inc Audi S3s).
Just ordered a Macan S to continue the path knowing though this is almost the end of these petrol guzzling days.
I toyed with a Mini Cooper S but an original mini was my first ever car and I’ve been reluctant for some unexplainable reason to even look at the newer ones .
All being well I’ve agreed a decent deal on a 3.2 mk1 tt just waiting for seller to sort new MOT this week and then I’ll arrange someone for collection/delivery fingers crossed buying without seeing I haven’t bought a dog lol
The r53 is just as terrifying and fun to drive as the original. It's not a mini, but it's fun.
Always loved a MK1 TT, BBS alloys and contrasting roof and they look great. Had a play in a 225 once and was fun.
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That was a lovely example. The more I see of those the more I think that they are going to be real classics.
As did I. Mine was this colour. It was a Jap import and had a dehumidifier on the headlining. Pointless but a great talking point at cocktail parties.
VW EOS 3.2 V6 so much fun, for not a lot and decent spec cars. I enjoy my weekend convertible and seats 4 comfortably.
Thanks you and 100% agree re future classic
Ummm wonder if the guy who bought it wants to sell it
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Too many posts to read.
Any of these high priced and now cheap cars are going to cost in repairs. Especially an Alfa or Audi. If they're priced within your budget. It's because the owners were smart enough to get rid of them when the warranties were up or before things started breaking.
Not a sports car, but I really loved the car. In fact I was going to buy another until Toyota announced it was going to be part Mazda
Buy a Yaris or Honda Fit. Extra money can kit it out. No 300HP,, but repairs won't kill you. Get the top of the line models
DON
B6 weird coincidence, I saw a GT4 today on the A5 just south of Rugby. I cant remember the last time I saw one but it could easily be ten years. Mrs Parabola didnt careSent from my SM-A405FN using TZ-UK mobile app
It wasn't just based on my experiences, it seemed to be the general opinion on BMW forums.
I think the main issues were swirl flaps breaking on diesels and destroying the engine and auto boxes falling. Rust can also be an issue.
I think the 3 litre petrol engines were considered to be the most reliable which would fit with your experience. Finding a well looked after example is also key.
Fun, reliable, cheap.
Pick any two.
Although no trees were harmed during the creation of this post, a large number of electrons were greatly inconvenienced.
Yeah that’s pretty much the conclusion I came to lol, I’ve gone for a v6 mk1 TT that hopefully I can sort delivery for this week bought completely blind given the current lockdown so fingers crossed lol.
My thread has arrived!
This is the area I live in cars wise lol.
The 2 key questions are;
1). What do you want? We're moving towards enthusiast territory here, so what sort of enthusiast do you want to be? For me I'd take an Mx5 anyday over a TT, but I acknowledge thats personal taste rather than being a "better" car.
2). What does reliable mean to you? Similarly its very very rare any of mine have stranded me anywhere, in fact the last car to do so was a company Peugeot 307 but on the flip side they will always have niggles & never be perfect either.
Current fleet all sit in this region;
BMW 130i
Rx-8 PZ - Note. I've owned this 8.5yrs & as long as you know how to use it & look after it, its very reliable and even after pricing in a rebuild & crazy fuel and tax costs VERY cheap to run, mines at ~£1K per year for everything except fuel. You'll be able to get a really nice PZ or R3 that's had a rebuild at this budget.
Mk1 Mr2
Mini Cooper S R53
Mx-5
For me the Mr2 is probably the stand out experience, everyone wants to chat about their mate having one & crashing it through a hedge. It's absolutely bullet proof, even if not very fast & great fun with shocking practicality.
That should be Fast, Reliable, Cheap :)
Definitely the MCS, however experience e with highly strung engines suggests the Type R will always make you look like a boy racer as the nature of the engine requires revs.
The other suggestion I'd throw in the micx is a BMW 3.0 - whether a 130i or a 330i, or even a 125i with a remap those engines really are fabulous, and IMHO much better than the slightly wheezy VR6.
Something like this could be fun: https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-det...ize=3.0&page=1
I forgot to add photos in my last post; I think it’s a lovely car and a wolf in sheep’s skin with the straight v6. Sounds amazing and is so much fun to drive.
Fully loaded with toys and kit it has apple play, cc, xenons, cornering lights, dual climate control, fully electric heated seats, iso fixings for kids seats hard top. For a 13 year old car there is not much it is missing.
Last edited by shoppy; 12th January 2021 at 07:59.
Is it a straight 6 or a V6?
I didn’t know they’d done a V6 version of the eos wow with the roof down hearing that sound track unhindered must be lovelyI forgot to add photos in my last post; I think it’s a lovely car and a wolf in sheep’s skin with the straight v6. Sounds amazing and is so much fun to drive.
Fully loaded with toys and kit it has apple play, cc, xenons, cornering lights, dual climate control, fully electric heated seats, iso fixings for kids seats hard top. For a 13 year old car there is not much it is missing.
Mk1 TT is iconic, I remember when they were launched, a car I’ve always liked but never owned. The 225bhp 1.8 was the most sensible choice but the 3.2 is the one I’d go for. Future classic?........probably, not many v6 versions around so it should hold value well.
One car that hasn’t gad a mention is the Mk11 Toyota MR2, I had a 1992 T bar with leather seats back in ‘94 and I thought it was the dogs bollocks, by the standards of the day it was fast, sounded nice, looked nice, v. reliable, decent fuel consumption, great build quality. A good example would still tick the boxes for me and nostalgia factor would be huge.......or would it? Sometimes its a mistake to look back and try to recapture the good feeling from the past.
My mate had a black t-bar turbo import and I've never been so terrified in a car.
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I had a mkll mr2 gti when I was younger. Fantastic car in the dry and a nightmare in greasy or wet conditions. Being 6'3" I could just get in it with the seat all the way back. I really miss it..... Off to look on auto trader.
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The MKII MR2 was the best iteration. Everything since feels so much cheaper, from the last MR2 Roadster to the GT86. A lovely car to drive too; especially once you got used to the mid-engined handling.
It's just a matter of time...
If decent examples of the MR2 or celica had been available in budget I’d have been having a serious look both cracking cars same with the corrado vr6 or even a mk2 golf gti ( had 2 of those in my youth). Sadly from my POV a lot of these cars have just become too much for me to buy as a toy.
the seller has the TT booked for an MOT tomorrow so all being well I’ll be able to arrange collection/ delivery and get it by the weekend fingers crossed. If not it’s not exactly like I’m going anywhere to use it lol, it’s been a while since I’ve owned a 6 cylinder car so I’m looking forward to just hearing the noise
I concur........mine from a long while ago.Actually, changed my mind.
Get one of these.
Proper 90’s JapAttack and rare too.
My friend had Rev 3 T bar turbo........rapid car
Apple CarPlay on a 13 year old car. Are you sure?I forgot to add photos in my last post; I think it’s a lovely car and a wolf in sheep’s skin with the straight v6. Sounds amazing and is so much fun to drive.
Fully loaded with toys and kit it has apple play, cc, xenons, cornering lights, dual climate control, fully electric heated seats, iso fixings for kids seats hard top. For a 13 year old car there is not much it is missing.
I didn’t even have that on my 2019 E Class.
Might have a new head unit in it so yeah... maybe
I always read these threads about fun, cheap cars and it reminds me of the channel 4 comedy phoneshop where one of the characters drives an Audi TT. In one episode it breaks down and his workmate comments ‘man buy £30k car for £3k, there’s gonna be trouble’
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It’s the old Audi TT 3.2 V6 engine sounds amazing in sports mode.
https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/...t-2dr-dsg/spec
Last edited by shoppy; 13th January 2021 at 21:58.
They made the V6 for about 4 year sublime smooth and amazing to drive and with the roof down and using the paddles so much. I love it for the hardtop and decent boot and space.
Yes sorry had a new VW MIB head unit put in to the car to give me apple/ android play with Bluetooth hands free. The car came with sat Nav head unit and 6 CD changer.
Last edited by shoppy; 13th January 2021 at 22:00.
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