Celica on long journeys? (yet another sub 3k what car)

[jackroutly]

Hi everyone, as title basically, i've been driving a 1.2 clio for 3 years now and am just starting to do around 400 miles a week. I'm quite a tall chap and the clio just isn't cutting the long distance mustard (going home from uni at the weekend is a 340 mile round trip). Budget is around 3k, been considering many things from celicas to diesel a4s (though i'm not a diesel fan). Any other suggestions? Cheers

[jackroutly]

Thanks for the replies, I think i'll have to go and drive one myself to try and gauge it. At the end of the day it's not going to loose a lot of value (I hope!) so I could always change it again if it irritates me too much

[jackroutly]

TameRacingDriver said:

Toyoda said:

You looking at the 190 or 140? A guy on here was saying the 190s are just geared for all out acceleration so in top gear at 80mph the revs are sitting at 4k, which isn't a nice place to be. The 140s are apparently better in this regard, but not as fast obviously.

The 190 I drove was very tall-geared actually, which was rather pointless in a car like this, but would result in lower revs at speed in top. I find it difficult to imagine the 140 model being geared any differently; if the gearing were any taller, it'd be even more chronically slow than I imagine it to be!

I'd personally want something with a bit more torque on a motorway. How about a 325Ti ?

It's a 140 I've been looking at. Tbh I'm not to worried it's the slower of the two as coming from a 75hp Clio anythings bound to feel quick XD, not really a fan of the 3 compact, bit awkward looking imo

Edited by jackroutly on Monday 8th February 20:14

[jackroutly]

CS Garth said:

Ditch your girlfriend at home and get one where you go to uni

Lol, it's the garage at home I go for, nowhere to fiddle with the car up here :P

[jackroutly]

Thanks for your help everyone I may wait and see if a decent condition 320/25/28ci comes up near me and go and have a drive. Didn't realise CLKs came into this price so may look into that further too