Garage sorted... now for something to put in it! (10K max)
Discussion
Having searched for years, I now finally have a garage at my disposal, so feel confident and comfortable in looking for a classic car.
My taste is pretty much all over the place... but having two little monkeys running around my house means some of the cars I fancy most, like a Porsche 944, are out. But with a budget of 10K there's plenty of great options left -- too many, if anything! My list of main contenders is as follows:
Alfa 1750/2000 Berlina (must be RHD)
BMW E28 or E12 (possibly E21 or 02, though the latter currently seem to go for more than 10K)
Citroen CX series 1 (again, RHD only)
Lancia Fulvia saloon (again, must be RHD; good luck finding one... I know!)
Mercedes W123 saloon
Morris Minor convertible
Rover P6
Triumph Herald 1200 convertible (not too crazy about the 13/60)
Triumph Vitesse convertible
Saab 99 (an EMS would be nice; Turbos tend to be too high mileage at this price point)
Volvo 164
I might also consider a Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5/SE6 but especially with the SE5 I'd be concerned about getting two child seats for my sons in there, also as I'm very tall myself. This is in fact also a worry with the Herald/Vitesse; less so with the Minor, which seems more spacious. I also really like the Lotus Elite (Type 75/83), but again rear interior space would probably be a problem, and then there's their less than legendary reliability, parts availability and prices... Speaking of parts, some of the cars on the list, such as the Fulvia, are a bit of a worry in that respect too. Anyway, if anyone knows of any good cars for sale, do please let me know.
I've been keeping an eye on the market for these cars the past 4 months or so -- since the day I acquired the garage. Most of these cars are rarer now in good condition and at realistic prices than when I started thinking about owning something like this but didn't have a garage. This makes me wonder whether buying at auction might be the way forward... I've never done this, though, and the thought fills me with trepidation. I like the condition reports you get with CCA, but am not sure how accurate they are, plus other auction houses don't seem to do anything comparable... Any tips about these reports or buying classic cars at auction in general I would really appreciate.There are a lot of them to keep an eye on too; if only there was a website to which auctions would submit lot lists, kind of like Rightmove!
My taste is pretty much all over the place... but having two little monkeys running around my house means some of the cars I fancy most, like a Porsche 944, are out. But with a budget of 10K there's plenty of great options left -- too many, if anything! My list of main contenders is as follows:
Alfa 1750/2000 Berlina (must be RHD)
BMW E28 or E12 (possibly E21 or 02, though the latter currently seem to go for more than 10K)
Citroen CX series 1 (again, RHD only)
Lancia Fulvia saloon (again, must be RHD; good luck finding one... I know!)
Mercedes W123 saloon
Morris Minor convertible
Rover P6
Triumph Herald 1200 convertible (not too crazy about the 13/60)
Triumph Vitesse convertible
Saab 99 (an EMS would be nice; Turbos tend to be too high mileage at this price point)
Volvo 164
I might also consider a Reliant Scimitar GTE SE5/SE6 but especially with the SE5 I'd be concerned about getting two child seats for my sons in there, also as I'm very tall myself. This is in fact also a worry with the Herald/Vitesse; less so with the Minor, which seems more spacious. I also really like the Lotus Elite (Type 75/83), but again rear interior space would probably be a problem, and then there's their less than legendary reliability, parts availability and prices... Speaking of parts, some of the cars on the list, such as the Fulvia, are a bit of a worry in that respect too. Anyway, if anyone knows of any good cars for sale, do please let me know.
I've been keeping an eye on the market for these cars the past 4 months or so -- since the day I acquired the garage. Most of these cars are rarer now in good condition and at realistic prices than when I started thinking about owning something like this but didn't have a garage. This makes me wonder whether buying at auction might be the way forward... I've never done this, though, and the thought fills me with trepidation. I like the condition reports you get with CCA, but am not sure how accurate they are, plus other auction houses don't seem to do anything comparable... Any tips about these reports or buying classic cars at auction in general I would really appreciate.There are a lot of them to keep an eye on too; if only there was a website to which auctions would submit lot lists, kind of like Rightmove!
Edited by nimchimpsky82 on Friday 23 March 23:13
You don’t seem bothered whether it’s a convertible or not so that keeps options open. Couple of other suggestions...
Triumph 2000 family
A Vitesse or Herald saloon offer slightly more rear space. Consider a 12/50 with the folding sunroof as standard or a sunroof Vitesse.
Stags are probably out of that price range in good condition.
Likewise a P5b, although a saloon could be possible.
Jaguar XJ6 series?
Gilbern as a left field choice if you can find one.
Rover SD1
Triumph 2000 family
A Vitesse or Herald saloon offer slightly more rear space. Consider a 12/50 with the folding sunroof as standard or a sunroof Vitesse.
Stags are probably out of that price range in good condition.
Likewise a P5b, although a saloon could be possible.
Jaguar XJ6 series?
Gilbern as a left field choice if you can find one.
Rover SD1
Would your wee ones not fit in a 944 then? I remember squeezing in the back of one as a young teenager and (as long as I sat behind the front seat passenger with their seat as far forward as was comfortable for them) it wasn't too bad. I got in the back of a Lotus Excel as well around the same time, but that was tighter..
nimchimpsky82 said:
Having searched for years, I now finally have a garage at my disposal, so feel confident and comfortable in looking for a classic car.
My taste is pretty much all over the place... but having two little monkeys running around my house means some of the cars I fancy most, like a Porsche 944, are out. But with a budget of 10K there's plenty of great options left -- too many, if anything! My list of main contenders is as follows:
Alfa 1750/2000 Berlina (must be RHD)
BMW E28 or E12 (possibly E21 or 02, though the latter currently seem to go for more than 10K)
Citroen CX series 1 (again, RHD only)
Lancia Fulvia saloon (again, must be RHD; good luck finding one... I know!)
Mercedes W123 saloon
Morris Minor convertible
Rover P6
Triumph Herald 1200 convertible (not too crazy about the 13/60)
Triumph Vitesse convertible
Saab 99 (an EMS would be nice; Turbos tend to be too high mileage at this price point)
Volvo 164
Certainly a varied list....!!My taste is pretty much all over the place... but having two little monkeys running around my house means some of the cars I fancy most, like a Porsche 944, are out. But with a budget of 10K there's plenty of great options left -- too many, if anything! My list of main contenders is as follows:
Alfa 1750/2000 Berlina (must be RHD)
BMW E28 or E12 (possibly E21 or 02, though the latter currently seem to go for more than 10K)
Citroen CX series 1 (again, RHD only)
Lancia Fulvia saloon (again, must be RHD; good luck finding one... I know!)
Mercedes W123 saloon
Morris Minor convertible
Rover P6
Triumph Herald 1200 convertible (not too crazy about the 13/60)
Triumph Vitesse convertible
Saab 99 (an EMS would be nice; Turbos tend to be too high mileage at this price point)
Volvo 164
Rover P6, Triumph Vitesse, Volvo 164 and the Saab 99 would be the ones I'd be focusing on if it were my 10k.
As an multiple ex-Saab owner, I'd go for the 99 Turbo. Buy on condition and history, don't get fixated about mileage with these, having been in many with 250k+ on the clock that drive like they did at 50k as they have been corrected maintained. They can do huge mileages, if looked after properly, as can the Volvo's of similar vintage.
Thanks all for the replies!
A Saab 900 I used to own around 15 years ago; a 1988 T16S convertible to be precise. I absolutely adored it, and it broke my heart when due to multiple instances of vandalism I had to get rid of it. The rust was a bugger to keep under control with that car as well: the chassis needed some welding every year, and there was some corrosion especially around the bootlid as well that was difficult to stay on top of. To be fair, I should have probably spent more money on buying one with a better service history and/or used it more sparingly myself instead of covering over 500 miles a week in it, as my daily driver, and parking it on the road. Anyway, I still think they're beautiful cars but would look to get something different this time around.
A Triumph 2000/2500 is a good shout. I don't care much for the Mk1, but the Stag-like Mk2 looks great. I'll include those in the list. A Stag would be nice, but yes, too much of a risk/money pit with this budget...
A Rover SD1 doesn't do it for me, and I can't see myself in a P5 either; too conservative perhaps (the P5 that is!).
An XJ6 is beautiful, but my garage is only 4.9m long, so very tight even for a series 1. (If it had been bigger, the MB W126 and BMW E23 would've been on the list too!)
Those Alfa 1750/2000 berlinas are nice, and the engine noise is incredible. They're extremely rare in RHD, though, so I might have to wait for a very long time for one to come up, at a decent price as well. (There's one at 10K on C&C at the moment and two around 15K, but all RHD.)
I would be able to squeeze my sons into the rear seats of a Porsche 944 for now. And although this area of the law strikes me as slightly grey around classic cars, on my interpretation of it, it would be legal to travel with small children as long as they at least wear seat belts. But I'm looking to buy something to enjoy for a good few years, and if they're going to grow like me then war would soon break out on the rear seat -- or I would end up driving the car on my own, when I'm really thinking of this as something to enjoy together.
A 99 Turbo would be nice; thanks for the comments on the mileage issue. It would have to be a bit more introverted than this one for sale on C&C, though. (Pretty bad MoT history as well on that one, but a nice interior with handy rear seat belts!)
A Saab 900 I used to own around 15 years ago; a 1988 T16S convertible to be precise. I absolutely adored it, and it broke my heart when due to multiple instances of vandalism I had to get rid of it. The rust was a bugger to keep under control with that car as well: the chassis needed some welding every year, and there was some corrosion especially around the bootlid as well that was difficult to stay on top of. To be fair, I should have probably spent more money on buying one with a better service history and/or used it more sparingly myself instead of covering over 500 miles a week in it, as my daily driver, and parking it on the road. Anyway, I still think they're beautiful cars but would look to get something different this time around.
A Triumph 2000/2500 is a good shout. I don't care much for the Mk1, but the Stag-like Mk2 looks great. I'll include those in the list. A Stag would be nice, but yes, too much of a risk/money pit with this budget...
A Rover SD1 doesn't do it for me, and I can't see myself in a P5 either; too conservative perhaps (the P5 that is!).
An XJ6 is beautiful, but my garage is only 4.9m long, so very tight even for a series 1. (If it had been bigger, the MB W126 and BMW E23 would've been on the list too!)
Those Alfa 1750/2000 berlinas are nice, and the engine noise is incredible. They're extremely rare in RHD, though, so I might have to wait for a very long time for one to come up, at a decent price as well. (There's one at 10K on C&C at the moment and two around 15K, but all RHD.)
I would be able to squeeze my sons into the rear seats of a Porsche 944 for now. And although this area of the law strikes me as slightly grey around classic cars, on my interpretation of it, it would be legal to travel with small children as long as they at least wear seat belts. But I'm looking to buy something to enjoy for a good few years, and if they're going to grow like me then war would soon break out on the rear seat -- or I would end up driving the car on my own, when I'm really thinking of this as something to enjoy together.
A 99 Turbo would be nice; thanks for the comments on the mileage issue. It would have to be a bit more introverted than this one for sale on C&C, though. (Pretty bad MoT history as well on that one, but a nice interior with handy rear seat belts!)
nimchimpsky82 said:
A Triumph 2000/2500 is a good shout. I don't care much for the Mk1, but the Stag-like Mk2 looks great. I'll include those in the list. A Stag would be nice, but yes, too much of a risk/money pit with this budget...
Having seen the rust issues my Dad had with his 2500S back in the early 80's (let alone on one now 30 years older) I'd be very wary of a 2000/2500 Mk2, unless it has documented evidence of full restoration etc.They have the same rust problems as the Stag, but with less back-up in terms of parts and panels, and the Stag engines issues of the 70's etc are easily overcome today.
I wouldn't discount a Stag, even at your budget. More chance of a looked after Stag than 2000/2500 Mk.2.
nimchimpsky82 said:
A 99 Turbo would be nice; thanks for the comments on the mileage issue. It would have to be a bit more introverted than this one for sale on C&C, though. (Pretty bad MoT history as well on that one, but a nice interior with handy rear seat belts!)
If you are serious about a 99T, register on UKSaabs forum, probably best UK forum source for advise on old Saabs.http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewforum.php?f=12&am...
.
aeropilot said:
I wouldn't discount a Stag, even at your budget. More chance of a looked after Stag than 2000/2500 Mk.2.
Interesting; thanks. I'll have a look at C&C and see what 10K-ish might buy.aeropilot said:
If you are serious about a 99T, register on UKSaabs forum, probably best UK forum source for advise on old Saabs.
http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewforum.php?f=12&am...
.
Thanks very much; done!http://www.uksaabs.co.uk/UKS/viewforum.php?f=12&am...
.
Edited by nimchimpsky82 on Monday 26th March 12:43
ChrisPackit said:
Have you considered the Renault Alpine GTA? Cool 80's looks, 4 seats, homologated chassis, 2.5 turbo bullet proof engine and rare as hens teeth?
I have a rather nice example I may let go for £10k...
Cheers
Beautiful cars Chris; I loved them as a child (there was one in the street where I grew up) and still think they're amazing. The trouble, once again, is interior space. I know these were somewhat more spacious than their rivals from Stuttgart but they're still probably best classed as 2+2 rather than as proper 4 seaters. (I've dropped the Herald/Vitesse convertible from my list now for the same reason -- replaced by the Stag, which several Owners Club forum members confirm can definitely be had for 10K. Thanks again @aeropilot!)I have a rather nice example I may let go for £10k...
Cheers
Edited by nimchimpsky82 on Tuesday 27th March 11:34
nimchimpsky82 said:
Beautiful cars Chris; I loved them as a child (there was one in the street where I grew up) and still think they're amazing. The trouble, once again, is interior space. I know these were somewhat more spacious than their rivals from Stuttgart but they're still probably best classed as 2+2 rather than as proper 4 seaters. (I've dropped the Herald/Vitesse convertible from my list now for the same reason -- replaced by the Stag, which several Owners Club forum members confirm can definitely be had for 10K. Thanks again @aeropilot!)
You'd be surprised how roomy they are actually. I have two kids, nearly 10 and nearly 12 and they're tall kids, and have no issues in the back.Edited by nimchimpsky82 on Tuesday 27th March 11:34
Anyway, just a thought!
a GTA is on my possible list as a replacement for the Chimaera.
Many years ago I fancied a 911, went with a friend to view one, he was bent over sideways in the rear. Then tried a GTA he was sat upright and he's 6foot.
Didn't buy that one, pearlescent white and different shades front and rear but ever since.....
I regularly check the RAOC web site for ones for sale but do worry when I read about the parts no longer available
Many years ago I fancied a 911, went with a friend to view one, he was bent over sideways in the rear. Then tried a GTA he was sat upright and he's 6foot.
Didn't buy that one, pearlescent white and different shades front and rear but ever since.....
I regularly check the RAOC web site for ones for sale but do worry when I read about the parts no longer available
Skyedriver said:
a GTA is on my possible list as a replacement for the Chimaera.
Many years ago I fancied a 911, went with a friend to view one, he was bent over sideways in the rear. Then tried a GTA he was sat upright and he's 6foot.
Didn't buy that one, pearlescent white and different shades front and rear but ever since.....
I regularly check the RAOC web site for ones for sale but do worry when I read about the parts no longer available
Most parts are available if you know where to look. If you're interested and ready to buy, let me know - I have a very nice red one that I may part with!Many years ago I fancied a 911, went with a friend to view one, he was bent over sideways in the rear. Then tried a GTA he was sat upright and he's 6foot.
Didn't buy that one, pearlescent white and different shades front and rear but ever since.....
I regularly check the RAOC web site for ones for sale but do worry when I read about the parts no longer available
A bit of a left field choice but I run mine as a daily and it's amazing. Quick, handles, seats 5, huge boot and so rare in this country you never see another. Spares are generally ok with most available at main dealers but some repair panels are becoming hard to find.
http://www.02forum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=...
Orb
http://www.02forum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=...
Orb
orb666 said:
A bit of a left field choice but I run mine as a daily and it's amazing. Quick, handles, seats 5, huge boot and so rare in this country you never see another. Spares are generally ok with most available at main dealers but some repair panels are becoming hard to find.
http://www.02forum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=...
Orb
I ran an 02tii from 1989 to 1994. Superb car in Inca orange. Sold it during a house move and it needed work but it's still around as a well presented historic rally car. Kugelfischer injection troublesome until you learn to set it up, but mine with Jaymic manifold & exhaust and IIRC Koni shocks all round handled well, unless you were towing a rally escort mk 2 on a heavy trailer in which case the trailer tended to wag the dog due to the long overhang at the rear:-ohttp://www.02forum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=18&t=...
Orb
Not sure you'll get one for £10k any more, looked myself the other day and got a surprise. (Sold mine for £800!).
The NK 1800/2000 is an interesting suggestion; not the handsomest cars in my view but there's something about them... thanks @orb666. I've just joined that 02 forum so when my account is activated I can see the photos of the car you've linked to.
The 02 (is on my list. Indeed, @Skyedriver, a 2002tii is worth rather a lot more than 10K, but some humbler versions should be within budget.
@gothatway: I totally agree 944s are great value, but I'm really looking to buy something in which I can put child seats, and which I won't necessarily have to get rid of in a few years' time.
The 02 (is on my list. Indeed, @Skyedriver, a 2002tii is worth rather a lot more than 10K, but some humbler versions should be within budget.
@gothatway: I totally agree 944s are great value, but I'm really looking to buy something in which I can put child seats, and which I won't necessarily have to get rid of in a few years' time.
Skyedriver said:
I ran an 02tii from 1989 to 1994. Superb car in Inca orange. Sold it during a house move and it needed work but it's still around as a well presented historic rally car. Kugelfischer injection troublesome until you learn to set it up, but mine with Jaymic manifold & exhaust and IIRC Koni shocks all round handled well, unless you were towing a rally escort mk 2 on a heavy trailer in which case the trailer tended to wag the dog due to the long overhang at the rear:-o
Not sure you'll get one for £10k any more, looked myself the other day and got a surprise. (Sold mine for £800!).
Yeah, they've gone a little beyond £10k, well a lot actually, you'll need the thick end of £50k for the best Tii's and over £100k for a turbo! The NK is a rarer car, mine is one of just 5 in the UK and there are only about 70 of all the models, they drive extremely well, it'll cruise all day at 90 in comfort and handles pretty good for a car of its age (no live axles here). Personally I dont get why they're still quite cheap but seeing as they are just about the last BMW to see their prices rocket it can't be long before they do. I love mine, I'm so glad I found it and it's definitely a keeper, especially as it has wonderful provenance and has been a local car all its life.Not sure you'll get one for £10k any more, looked myself the other day and got a surprise. (Sold mine for £800!).
Orb
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