Next car (everyday car that is)..........

[Churchy]

Following on from Chris's post about wanting a scoob, me and Em are thinking about having the one car between us, as opposed to 2 everyday motors, that way we save alot of money, and could afford a nice car as opposed to 2 cheap run abouts. My Mondeo has all but had it, so are looking at the following:-

BMW E46 328/330, With a set of 18"s on, look the bollocks, are well made, and plenty of poke, but are quite expensive for the age of them (5-6k for 2000-2002 models!)

Jag x-type, Mondeo on the inside, classy executive on the outside, and are very cheap for what they are (3-4k for 2003-2004 models), and come in Diesel V6 models.

Scooby, reliable, fun, but maybe the running costs for an everyday car might be a bit high.

Mondeo ST220, good, solid, quick cars, looks good, coming down in price, but the road tax and petrol is a proper ball breaker!!

Any one else suggest anything? What would you spend 5-6k on for an everyday, RELIABLE car???  

[RST-Steve]

Interesting topic this and some nice ideas there mate!  An obvious choice would be an ST200 tho, not because i have one, but because they are so much car, for so little money. A low milage minter will cost no more than 4k and you won't get stung with the new tax laws.... seems a little foolish to get an ST220 over the 200 IMO! 

Out of that list tho, i'd go for for the BMW...... love the look of the 52 ish plate shape M3 and a 328/330 will look just as awesome on a set of 18/19's like you said you'd get!

Other than that, how about an Audi A4 Turbo? Merc's are proper expensive and badly equipped as standard...... everythings an option!!

[massivewangers]

I'd rule the scooby out, due to running costs I think, and although it's a good car, for pootling about in, and from a comfort/equipment point of view I think you could do better.

A mate of mine has an X-plate BMW 325i, by that age they'd dropped the 2.8 engine and tuned the 2.5 up a bit and released the 3.0 version. His is 190-odd bhp and does go quite well, and actually returns fairly good MPG for the engine size. Drawbacks, interior isn't that nice really, it's not really any better equiped than the equivalant Ford/Vauxhall, and the cabin space is pretty poor to be honest.

My friend Dan has just bought an ST220 (the black one at the RR day), I was very impressed by that. Goes pretty well for a big car, and seems to have just as much gear as the BMW, but more space inside. Drawbacks are that it doesn't seem to be as economical. Dan does say it handles spectacularly though, he seems smitten by it, and was less than £5k for a 52 plate with around 60k on the clocks, much better value than the BMW equivalent.

How about an Audi? Some of them have been coming down in price a lot lately I think. Though I think they are all boring barges myself, but might be quite good value.

If it was me, I'd just stomache the tax and buy an ST220, I think they're an awesome car for the money 

[cozmeister]

Don't go for the beemer - you'll set off every cock-o-meter you drive past

Personally I'd pick the ST, Jag or Scooby.  The Mondeo ST TDCi may be an option?

[massivewangers]

ST TDCi is coming down a lot in price now, that's true. But I don't think it's quite as well equiped, Recaro's were only an option I know that much. But it does have loads of mid-range grunt I spose.

Doesn't have the noise though, and still costs more than the equivalant 220. How economical is it? A lot of these performance diesels don't seem to be THAT good on fuel, but I don't know about the Mondeo. And diesel is still quite pricey, which eats away at the savings.

My mate went from a 2.2 DTI Vectra to an 850 T5 and it only cost him a tenner extra in fuel per week, but that was at the height of fuel expenses, so I don't know what that would equate too now. But bare in mind the Vectra did about 40-45 to the gallon, the Volvo did around 25...

[Churchy]

Audi's are the new "cock o meter" car as you so beautifully put it Chris lol, plus I'm just not so keen on the looks, bland IMO.

Steve, I'd sooner buy an ST24 over a 200, and save 2k for the extra 30 horses, plus I want a newer car, not something 8-10 years old. Some of the earlier ST's are falling into the hands of Chavs, stereo typing them, where as that hasn't quite happened with the cars I mentioned, bar the scoob granted.

I didn't mention the st tdi, because they are holdng their value, but that would certainly be my car of choice, 50mpg, good looks, plenty of grunt, especially after a remap and £145 a year for road tax. If I can get one for under 6k, I'll deffo start looking!!!

And Jon, mention Vauxhall again and I will come down to your uni, pull your pants down, and spank you hard infront of all your friends, both of them!!!

Would never bother with a merc, far too poncy!!!

[cozmeister]

My mate at work has a Zetec S TDCi which he's well chuffed with - 50something mpg he keeps harping on about.

And Jon, mention Vauxhall again and I will come down to your uni, pull your pants down, and spank you hard infront of all your friends, both of them!!!

Indeed...Scoobies are fine, diesels are fine (well...the jury's out on that one), but the V word is strictly Verboten!

I wouldn't have a Merc, with the exception of the current C class - they look the nuts IMO.  I like older A4s, but not so keen on the current ones.  Shame that as Churchy so rightly put it, cocks are migrating from M3s and 320s to Audis, which is a shame.  Thank God no-one's mentioned the other Verboten V word (Volkswagen)

[massivewangers]

Oh please do, you know I'd like it 

I wasn't suggesting buying one, biggest piles of shit going in my eyes outside of french stuff, but was merely a comparison of equipment levels. They're still unreliable, poor handling, bland pieces of turd.

I agree on the Audi comments, definate cock's car, but getting quite good value if you look outside that.

Would still be ST220 for me, or ST TDCi if you could get one in the budget 

[Daz-cos]

s1 or s2 quattro only audis worth havin. 5 cylinder turbo same engine as group b rally cars if you like the noise of scoobies these engines are heaven.

[Churchy]

s1 or s2 quattro only audis worth havin. 5 cylinder turbo same engine as group b rally cars if you like the noise of scoobies these engines are heaven.

That or the newer shape S4 or S5's, but thats for another 10 years time lol.

Jon, you're a sick little monkey, and I like it 

[gary@apt]

i know where theres a top spec mondeo around what you want to spend but its a estate,any good???

[rstaaron]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/R33-nissan-skyline-512bhp-power-fc-hks-turbo-drift-fast_W0QQitemZ260313143203QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260313143203&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[Churchy]

i know where theres a top spec mondeo around what you want to spend but its a estate,any good???

Having trying to justify having an estate, I just can't get round how ugly they look, sorry mate, just can't bring myself to have one 

BTW, got something good to show you next time 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/R33-nissan-skyline-512bhp-power-fc-hks-turbo-drift-fast_W0QQitemZ260313143203QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item260313143203&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Cause that'll be nice and economical, not to mention the repair bill when it goes bang! This for an everyday car Aaron, use ya loaf son

[rstaaron]

Sorry wrong Nissan.    This is the one you want.... Cheap to insure, cheap tax, reliable and it has a Sport badge!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nissan-Micra-1-2-Sport-3-door-Hatchback-Black-0555_W0QQitemZ160295431601QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160295431601&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

[rstaaron]

Seriously though a Civic Type R? Definately reliable and aslong as you stay out of the V-Tech zone (this however may prove difficult ) quite economical not sure on the tax but it'll be no different to a BMW 330 of the same age surely?

[Churchy]

Sorry wrong Nissan.    This is the one you want.... Cheap to insure, cheap tax, reliable and it has a Sport badge!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nissan-Micra-1-2-Sport-3-door-Hatchback-Black-0555_W0QQitemZ160295431601QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160295431601&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Haha, you very funny man!

Seriously though a Civic Type R? Definately reliable and aslong as you stay out of the V-Tech zone (this however may prove difficult ) quite economical not sure on the tax but it'll be no different to a BMW 330 of the same age surely?

Yeah, thought about that one, don't know why, just don't fancy one. Bit too boy racer, you have to remember I'm nearly 27

[rstaaron]

Sorry wrong Nissan.    This is the one you want.... Cheap to insure, cheap tax, reliable and it has a Sport badge!http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Nissan-Micra-1-2-Sport-3-door-Hatchback-Black-0555_W0QQitemZ160295431601QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item160295431601&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Haha, you very funny man!

Seriously though a Civic Type R? Definately reliable and aslong as you stay out of the V-Tech zone (this however may prove difficult ) quite economical not sure on the tax but it'll be no different to a BMW 330 of the same age surely?

Yeah, thought about that one, don't know why, just don't fancy one. Bit too boy racer, you have to remember I'm nearly 27

Yeah E46's aren't owned by boy racers, but they can get into the hands of people with no taste....
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bobmodifiedbmw.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/bmw-330ci-400.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bobmodifiedbmw.com/bmw-pictures/bmw-3-series-e36/%3Fpid%3D375&h=210&w=400&sz=67&hl=en&start=17&usg=__UJoNNN0pvj4XPUsz4Z7kSxkPokI=&tbnid=Yv82EIPTZMuy9M:&tbnh=65&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmodified%2B330%2Bbmw%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den

MY GOD 27!! You shouldn't be looking at new cars you'll soon be getting a free bus pass!! lol.

[simonsmith]

  i have a 3 door cossie for a week end and show day car and a saffie cossie as a every day car , wot about that . i had a 330 ci convertible and more money on petrol and its £410 in tax next , stick to yar cossie ...

[Fireball]

my old man's got an S type Jag which goes like the clappers and he's not got the supercharged one! Big fan of Jag's, and they go for silly money if you don't want all the wooden interior extra's etc. Generally well looked after too.
X-type? Save the money and buy the mondeo, its IDENTICAL! Doesn't deserve a Jag badge IMO

ST220? Yea, i think they're very cool, but as Mr. New to the forum "simonsmith" points out - all new cars have gay tax on em, but then all old cars start going wrong. Humm, tis an annoying toss up really.

[Churchy]

X-type? Save the money and buy the mondeo, its IDENTICAL! Doesn't deserve a Jag badge IMO

But thats the best bit! Mondeo running costs, and good reliability, with the Jag image, what a great combo! Put it this way, what would you rather turn up to a restaurant in, Jag or Mondeo? For me, it'd be a Jag

[Churchy]

i have a 3 door cossie for a week end and show day car and a saffie cossie as a every day car , wot about that . i had a 330 ci convertible and more money on petrol and its £410 in tax next , stick to yar cossie ...

But driving one everyday would take the magic out of my weekend drive! And I like to concentrate my effort on my saff, so I want a car I can just drive, and a good package straight out of the box, that doesn't need modding.

And FYI an E46 330 ci is £310 a year tax from April

[rstaaron]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/783898.htm
Something like the above alright?

[rstaaron]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/779175.htm
My next car.......












  If only

[Emma]

Yeah, thought about that one, don't know why, just don't fancy one. Bit too boy racer, you have to remember I'm nearly 27

You see this is the problm, I reallly really want a civic type R...I aint drivin a Mondeo or a Jag....! I dont like big cars, I have enough problems drivin my MR2!

[Churchy]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/783898.htm
Something like the above alright?

That is a very nice looking car, for good money!!! Nice find

Trouble is, its too big for the little lady at home, personally, I love big cars, more road presence!

Yeah, thought about that one, don't know why, just don't fancy one. Bit too boy racer, you have to remember I'm nearly 27

You see this is the problm, I reallly really want a civic type R...I aint drivin a Mondeo or a Jag....! I dont like big cars, I have enough problems drivin my MR2!

You'd have problems driving a fucking smart car, now pipe down woman!!! 

Mondeo's and 3 series aren't big cars, they are classed as medium    And I was looking as Jags because of the class, comfort, and sheer value for money. If we got a type R, I guarrentee you'd crashi it within a month!!!