Most 'bang for your buck'?
Discussion
I've always liked the ZS 180, However, spend a bit more and get an EP3 Civic type R. The ZS is fun but a bit s
t at the same time, if you liked the ZR though the ZS will reeeally float your boat. Make sure you look for low mileage with the cambelt done. They're notoriously hard to sell though so it will give you massive bargaining power when buying but be prepared for a long wait when you want rid!
t at the same time, if you liked the ZR though the ZS will reeeally float your boat. Make sure you look for low mileage with the cambelt done. They're notoriously hard to sell though so it will give you massive bargaining power when buying but be prepared for a long wait when you want rid! JagXJR said:
With even bigger gains by swapping the supercharger. There is a thread on here about it somewhere.
Aye - big gains available for very little outlay. I do miss the old 4.2 s/c V8 lump - had 3 of them over the last 9 years. Although it doesn't rev that high, it does sound glorious (especially with a decent exhaust) and the charger whine gives a good bit of character. IIRC the charger whine was much louder in the S Type R than the XKR AND SV8 I had. Pathetically comical traction in the wet too I seem to remember; snaking up the road through the gears giggling like a kid is not great for the longevity of the 20" rubber on the back. I'd better stop I'm getting all misty eyed here.
JagXJR said:
Not seen any as cheap as that. I would!
My XJR cost 6.5K but have seen older models going between £2-3K. With 0-60 in 5.3 secs and 170+ MPH unrestricted this takes some beating on the bang for buck scale.
Yes the Lexus V8s are very reliable but look so dull.
Not sure any 7 series is as quick as a supercharged Jag.
If anyone can suggest a quicker, comfy alternative at the same price or cheaper I'm all ears?
I'm thinking another XJR is on the cards sometime in the future ......................
I paid £4800 for my X350 Super V8. They don't carry as much of a premium price as the XJR even though they were more expensive when new.My XJR cost 6.5K but have seen older models going between £2-3K. With 0-60 in 5.3 secs and 170+ MPH unrestricted this takes some beating on the bang for buck scale.
Yes the Lexus V8s are very reliable but look so dull.
Not sure any 7 series is as quick as a supercharged Jag.
If anyone can suggest a quicker, comfy alternative at the same price or cheaper I'm all ears?
I'm thinking another XJR is on the cards sometime in the future ......................
nagsheadwarrior said:
There are more potent cars but my stunning looking 99 Alfa Gtv set me back £700 four years ago, bars servicing nothing has gone wrong.
I'm looking to sell it now and at £995 it's one of the cheapest around so four years depreciation free motoring and maybe even a small profit.
I'm looking to sell it now and at £995 it's one of the cheapest around so four years depreciation free motoring and maybe even a small profit.
Good cars, they look smashing too.SlowV6 said:
9-5 Aero (optionally with a NoobTune remap) are IMHO hard to beat for bangs per buck.
Yup, I brought this SOTW 9-5 Aero a year agohttp://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyI...
Genuinely quick, comfortable, practical, perfect all round car really for bargain money!!
For the most performance at the cheapest price you're looking at 90s Japanese performance cars.
Most of which are becoming harder to find in good nick and expensive as a result. Those with provenance such as the Honda NSX, Skyline GTR and Supra RZ are appreciating, Impreza prices are climbing too but oddly Mitsubishi Evo prices are still pretty low.
Perhaps the biggest bargain though is the MR2 Turbo(biased, Me?). 245bhp, 1250kg, 0-60 in 5.2sec, 160mph and 1/4 mile in <14secs. They bottomed out a few years ago and aren't showing signs of going up in value just yet. Lots of videos on Youtube comparing sports cars of the time and the MR2 always does well yet didn't garner the fan base that its rivals did. When you consider that its a mid-engine car, an engine that won the WRC and the JGTC I might add, and raced at Le Mans (albeit not very successfully) its pretty incredible that you can still pick up a good one for 3k. This video makes me laugh, the passenger in the 355 can't understand why they can't overhaul the humble MR2 (NSFW, some swearing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uorkdRJqk5k
You've also got the likes of the Nissan 300ZX and Mitsubishi 3000GTO but good examples are becoming very hard to find.
Most of which are becoming harder to find in good nick and expensive as a result. Those with provenance such as the Honda NSX, Skyline GTR and Supra RZ are appreciating, Impreza prices are climbing too but oddly Mitsubishi Evo prices are still pretty low.
Perhaps the biggest bargain though is the MR2 Turbo(biased, Me?). 245bhp, 1250kg, 0-60 in 5.2sec, 160mph and 1/4 mile in <14secs. They bottomed out a few years ago and aren't showing signs of going up in value just yet. Lots of videos on Youtube comparing sports cars of the time and the MR2 always does well yet didn't garner the fan base that its rivals did. When you consider that its a mid-engine car, an engine that won the WRC and the JGTC I might add, and raced at Le Mans (albeit not very successfully) its pretty incredible that you can still pick up a good one for 3k. This video makes me laugh, the passenger in the 355 can't understand why they can't overhaul the humble MR2 (NSFW, some swearing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uorkdRJqk5k
You've also got the likes of the Nissan 300ZX and Mitsubishi 3000GTO but good examples are becoming very hard to find.
Palmers said:
sealtt said:
SL55 AMG, it's got the looks, about 500bhp of bang, and the brand ... all for sub £15k.
Not cheap to fix if it goes wrong though....!
Same engine but in an S / E class for about 8/9kNot cheap to fix if it goes wrong though....!
My vote goes with Toyota soarers. I bought my first for 1250, nothing went wrong, 320bhp odd with less than 500 quid on mods. My second was a v8 for 600 that had every gadget you could think of and more (ultrasonic mirrors anyone?)
No chance of getting a tidy one that cheap anymore. 2k or so for a turbo, but still less of a bork risk than a similarly priced xjr. They rust less to
A lot for your bucks but appeared unlikely to go 'BANG'
Some great suggestions, I'll have a look into the Jag, if it sounds as good as people are saying then who cares how fast it goes 
I've also kept my eye on a few Japanese cars as well, Supra being one.
I came very very close to buying a Saab 9-3 V6 a few months ago, I've always been a massive Saab fan and for £4k you get a tidy manual v6, spend a couple more grand and you'll be pushing over 400hp and 500 ft lbs...
Also, coincidentally, I've been keeping an eye on SL55's - I think it's the low fuel prices
I'll have a look into the Soarer as well, thanks!
Elliott.
I've also kept my eye on a few Japanese cars as well, Supra being one.
I came very very close to buying a Saab 9-3 V6 a few months ago, I've always been a massive Saab fan and for £4k you get a tidy manual v6, spend a couple more grand and you'll be pushing over 400hp and 500 ft lbs...
Also, coincidentally, I've been keeping an eye on SL55's - I think it's the low fuel prices
I'll have a look into the Soarer as well, thanks!
Elliott.
I think one of the best bang for buck cars was the Xsara VTS. Bearing in mind this was basically a 306 gti6 which was easily the best hot hatch of its generation, the ugly sister Citroen version was unbelievably cheap. I bought a 6 year old one with 40,000 miles on it for £1600 a while back! Nobody wanted them as enthusiasts generally prefer less boring looking cars and non-enthusiasts don't go for the "hot" versions.
In terms of smiles/£ you probably can't beat the ubiquitous MX5 choice...I think it'd be very hard to argue that more fun could be had for a grand, unless your version of fun was just going in straight lines very fast.
In terms of actual bhp/£, well I got my first S13 200SX for £1000 but they're a lot more expensive now. Also bought a very nice, one owner from new JDM WRX for £2000 but if you think about it though, the most bhp/£ would be from some crappy but moderately powerful £500 Vauxhall Vectra or something, not any kind of cheap sportscar.
In terms of smiles/£ you probably can't beat the ubiquitous MX5 choice...I think it'd be very hard to argue that more fun could be had for a grand, unless your version of fun was just going in straight lines very fast.
In terms of actual bhp/£, well I got my first S13 200SX for £1000 but they're a lot more expensive now. Also bought a very nice, one owner from new JDM WRX for £2000 but if you think about it though, the most bhp/£ would be from some crappy but moderately powerful £500 Vauxhall Vectra or something, not any kind of cheap sportscar.
MikeyMike said:
For the most performance at the cheapest price you're looking at 90s Japanese performance cars.
............................
Perhaps the biggest bargain though is the MR2 Turbo(biased, Me?). 245bhp, 1250kg, 0-60 in 5.2sec, 160mph and 1/4 mile in <14secs. They bottomed out a few years ago and aren't showing signs of going up in value just yet.
......................
Err, I beg to differ!............................
Perhaps the biggest bargain though is the MR2 Turbo(biased, Me?). 245bhp, 1250kg, 0-60 in 5.2sec, 160mph and 1/4 mile in <14secs. They bottomed out a few years ago and aren't showing signs of going up in value just yet.
......................
JagXJR said:
Not seen any as cheap as that. I would!
My XJR cost 6.5K but have seen older models going between £2-3K. With 0-60 in 5.3 secs and 170+ MPH unrestricted this takes some beating on the bang for buck scale.
..............................
You don't quote any prices to back that up, but I'm guessing more than £3K from what I have seen available on Autotrader.My XJR cost 6.5K but have seen older models going between £2-3K. With 0-60 in 5.3 secs and 170+ MPH unrestricted this takes some beating on the bang for buck scale.
..............................
The supercharged Jaguars are only (with a few rare exeptions) available in automatic, yet even so given the problem of getting a heavy automatic car off the line still equal the MR2 you quote as being faster (along with the M3 equivalent model if you can find one this cheap). Given that the supercharger is always on boost and the kickdown on these cars is slightly quicker than a manual change, I would expect the rolling acceleration therefore to be quicker still. These cars really are the bargain of the century.
"Jaguars’ third generation XJR, designated as X308 is one of the top 10 fastest 4 door mass production saloons ever built as of the end of 2006. That is pretty hard to believe, but the stats don’t lie and the third generation XJR will go from 0-60 in 5.2 secs, dashing to the end of the quarter mile in 13.6 secs. Top speed was limited to 155mph"
source http://www.jaguarsport.webspace.virginmedia.com/XJ...
They are not perfect however, the supercharger drinks like an alcoholic and servicing 8 cylinders instead of a four pot is going to cost more. A big automatic will not satisfy someone who prefers a more sporty, rally bred car to drive. And Jaguars image is an older persons carriage that is costly to run and unreliable (unfairly actually as I have seen many blown up engined Subarus, it's how a car is looked after at this age that determines their reliability). Get a good, well looked after one rather than a neglected one is vital for the health of your wallet, most Jaguars fortunately tend to have owners that look after their cars. I suspect this is not so much the case for Japanese cars.
So performance bargain they are, for everyone they are not. Depends what type of car you are after.
Roverload said:
I've always liked the ZS 180, However, spend a bit more and get an EP3 Civic type R. The ZS is fun but a bit st at the same time, if you liked the ZR though the ZS will reeeally float your boat. Make sure you look for low mileage with the cambelt done. They're notoriously hard to sell though so it will give you massive bargaining power when buying but be prepared for a long wait when you want rid!
Pretty much this, we got ours as its a 5 door so great for when we have kids. £1,500 for a 1 owner example with 39k miles on the clock.t at the same time, if you liked the ZR though the ZS will reeeally float your boat. Make sure you look for low mileage with the cambelt done. They're notoriously hard to sell though so it will give you massive bargaining power when buying but be prepared for a long wait when you want rid! JagXJR said:
You don't quote any prices to back that up, but I'm guessing more than £3K from what I have seen available on Autotrader.
The supercharged Jaguars are only (with a few rare exeptions) available in automatic, yet even so given the problem of getting a heavy automatic car off the line still equal the MR2 you quote as being faster (along with the M3 equivalent model if you can find one this cheap). Given that the supercharger is always on boost and the kickdown on these cars is slightly quicker than a manual change, I would expect the rolling acceleration therefore to be quicker still. These cars really are the bargain of the century.
"Jaguars’ third generation XJR, designated as X308 is one of the top 10 fastest 4 door mass production saloons ever built as of the end of 2006. That is pretty hard to believe, but the stats don’t lie and the third generation XJR will go from 0-60 in 5.2 secs, dashing to the end of the quarter mile in 13.6 secs. Top speed was limited to 155mph"
source http://www.jaguarsport.webspace.virginmedia.com/XJ...
They are not perfect however, the supercharger drinks like an alcoholic and servicing 8 cylinders instead of a four pot is going to cost more. A big automatic will not satisfy someone who prefers a more sporty, rally bred car to drive. And Jaguars image is an older persons carriage that is costly to run and unreliable (unfairly actually as I have seen many blown up engined Subarus, it's how a car is looked after at this age that determines their reliability). Get a good, well looked after one rather than a neglected one is vital for the health of your wallet, most Jaguars fortunately tend to have owners that look after their cars. I suspect this is not so much the case for Japanese cars.
So performance bargain they are, for everyone they are not. Depends what type of car you are after.
Problem is, even standard manual Supra TT is faster ( very low 13's in 1/4 mile)than XJR (USDM and Eurospec at least). I don't know how much they will cost today tho. The supercharged Jaguars are only (with a few rare exeptions) available in automatic, yet even so given the problem of getting a heavy automatic car off the line still equal the MR2 you quote as being faster (along with the M3 equivalent model if you can find one this cheap). Given that the supercharger is always on boost and the kickdown on these cars is slightly quicker than a manual change, I would expect the rolling acceleration therefore to be quicker still. These cars really are the bargain of the century.
"Jaguars’ third generation XJR, designated as X308 is one of the top 10 fastest 4 door mass production saloons ever built as of the end of 2006. That is pretty hard to believe, but the stats don’t lie and the third generation XJR will go from 0-60 in 5.2 secs, dashing to the end of the quarter mile in 13.6 secs. Top speed was limited to 155mph"
source http://www.jaguarsport.webspace.virginmedia.com/XJ...
They are not perfect however, the supercharger drinks like an alcoholic and servicing 8 cylinders instead of a four pot is going to cost more. A big automatic will not satisfy someone who prefers a more sporty, rally bred car to drive. And Jaguars image is an older persons carriage that is costly to run and unreliable (unfairly actually as I have seen many blown up engined Subarus, it's how a car is looked after at this age that determines their reliability). Get a good, well looked after one rather than a neglected one is vital for the health of your wallet, most Jaguars fortunately tend to have owners that look after their cars. I suspect this is not so much the case for Japanese cars.
So performance bargain they are, for everyone they are not. Depends what type of car you are after.
Is it?
There is one on Autotrader for £2k says 0-60 is 6.3 seconds. My N/A V8 would have kept up with that, never mind an R.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
On my quarter mile site it says 1997 Toyota Supra Turbo 0-60 5.1 Standing quarter 13.6 http://myquartermile.com/qtrmile.php?make=Toyota
I did extensive homework before I bought the XJR otherwise would have had something faster.
There is one on Autotrader for £2k says 0-60 is 6.3 seconds. My N/A V8 would have kept up with that, never mind an R.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...
On my quarter mile site it says 1997 Toyota Supra Turbo 0-60 5.1 Standing quarter 13.6 http://myquartermile.com/qtrmile.php?make=Toyota
I did extensive homework before I bought the XJR otherwise would have had something faster.
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