£3k to spend on a GT... 1k miles a week

[KingRichard]

SWMBO has just got a promotion 2 years senior to her experience, which is epic! However, she has to move the other side of the country for a while.

I've worked out I can do the journey in about 2.5-3hrs with light traffic. Trouble is, none of my steeds are really suitable. MG is currently in pieces, and laughable for motorway work anyway! BMW 530i has been commandeered by the old man. Range Rover is fubar'ed. Subaru is my only choice but I'm starting to like that and don't want to start putting massive mileages on it now it's starting to get the way I want it.

Obviously, public transport (what?) is out.

I literally need space for a bag, myself and one passenger.

Fuel Consumption isn't massively important, but a stload of power is essential. Completely open minded to Yank, Jap, European etc...

It needs to be planted on the motorway, and able to swallow an A road like I swallow a beer. Decent stereo and comfy seats would be amazing.

I was thinking MkIV Toyota Supra, or even an RX7... Reliability is absolutely key!

Budget is totally capped at £3k because I'm saving for something exotic and I keep dipping into it!

[Gizmo!]

BMW 328 Coupé for my money - 35mpg at a cruise and quick enough to be playing with.

[LukeBird]

CL Merc. No question.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1600130.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1562261.htm

Job done.

[KingRichard]

Gizmo! said:

BMW 328 Coupé for my money - 35mpg at a cruise and quick enough to be playing with.

Are you talking E46 or E36?

[Stu R]

E38 750iL / 740i sport. I prefer the latter, others seem to like the V12. Regardless, might as well be comfy whilst bahnstorming.

I wouldn't want a mk4 supra for 3k, and a 3k RX7 I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

R33 GTST skyline if you fancy something tuneable and japanese, or a toyota soarer (tuneable 1JZ supra engined flavour or V8 flavour).

MR2 turbo is pretty good fun, though I'd take a 200sx with some basic mods to see 300bhp, easily available in the 3k bracket.

[KingRichard]

LukeBird said:

CL Merc. No question.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1600130.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1562261.htm

Job done.

I had a later one mate, sort of done that

[Vidal Baboon]

Or

[KingRichard]

The Crack Fox said:

Jag ?

I had one, a V8 XJR which I never would have parted with, were it not for the central reservation and standing water

Great choice, but not for £3k. It would have to be a very well maintained example to stand up to that sort of mileage.

[KingRichard]

Stu R said:

E38 750iL / 740i sport. I prefer the latter, others seem to like the V12. Regardless, might as well be comfy whilst bahnstorming.

I wouldn't want a mk4 supra for 3k, and a 3k RX7 I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

R33 GTST skyline if you fancy something tuneable and japanese, or a toyota soarer (tuneable 1JZ supra engined flavour or V8 flavour).

MR2 turbo is pretty good fun, though I'd take a 200sx with some basic mods to see 300bhp, easily available in the 3k bracket.

Can you get a non-chavvy skyline for this kind of money?

S14 200SX would be quite a nice idea. They look nice with full leather

[LukeBird]

KingRichard said:

LukeBird said:

CL Merc. No question.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1600130.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1562261.htm

Job done.

I had a later one mate, sort of done that

Fair enough.

[KingRichard]

Vidal Baboon said:

Or

Able to cope with heavy mileage? They both have quite a fragile reputation, although those V6 Alfa GTV's sound the absolute dogs

[Gizmo!]

KingRichard said:

Gizmo! said:

BMW 328 Coupé for my money - 35mpg at a cruise and quick enough to be playing with.

Are you talking E46 or E36?

E36. E46 isn't down to that money yet AFAIK - or if it is, will be a shed.

[mat205125]

Give scooby to dad, and get your 530 back!

[RobCrezz]

KingRichard said:

Stu R said:

E38 750iL / 740i sport. I prefer the latter, others seem to like the V12. Regardless, might as well be comfy whilst bahnstorming.

I wouldn't want a mk4 supra for 3k, and a 3k RX7 I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

R33 GTST skyline if you fancy something tuneable and japanese, or a toyota soarer (tuneable 1JZ supra engined flavour or V8 flavour).

MR2 turbo is pretty good fun, though I'd take a 200sx with some basic mods to see 300bhp, easily available in the 3k bracket.

Can you get a non-chavvy skyline for this kind of money?

S14 200SX would be quite a nice idea. They look nice with full leather

S14s on standard suspension are quite comfy, and have a nice torquey turbo engine for the motorway.

A Remap and small boost increase will see 270bhp reliably too.

[Vidal Baboon]

KingRichard said:

Able to cope with heavy mileage? They both have quite a fragile reputation, although those V6 Alfa GTV's sound the absolute dogs

My Coupe had around 150,000miles on the clock & still pulled like a train.
A certain 348 & 5.7 Chevy engined Pilgrim 3000 couldn't escape it's grip

No worries on the Fiat side of things as far as i'm aware.

Just a few jobs that can be pricey, which then give them the reputation of being fragile/expensive to maintain & usually the reason people sell them off cheap.

£3000 should bag you a very nice example

Not sure about the GTV, but see no reason why it couldn't cope.

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Wednesday 21st April 13:21

[Stu R]

KingRichard said:

Stu R said:

E38 750iL / 740i sport. I prefer the latter, others seem to like the V12. Regardless, might as well be comfy whilst bahnstorming.

I wouldn't want a mk4 supra for 3k, and a 3k RX7 I wouldn't touch with a bargepole.

R33 GTST skyline if you fancy something tuneable and japanese, or a toyota soarer (tuneable 1JZ supra engined flavour or V8 flavour).

MR2 turbo is pretty good fun, though I'd take a 200sx with some basic mods to see 300bhp, easily available in the 3k bracket.

Can you get a non-chavvy skyline for this kind of money?

S14 200SX would be quite a nice idea. They look nice with full leather

Yep, though I suppose it depends on your definition of non-chavvy. R33 GTSTs are silly cheap these days, and the 2.5 straight 6 turbo is a peach.
That being said, a 200sx touring (touring ones have leather and a few other bits and bobs) are cracking mile munchers. Find one with some basic stage one mods (bit more boost, free flowing exhaust and filter, yadda yadda) and they're cracking fun, comfortable and great all rounders. They feel a bit more agile and nimble than the R33 GTST, but both are great front engined RWD fun for pocket money. you'll get more for your money with a 200sx, and if you fancy a couple of days on the spanners later on the RB25DET from the skyline can be put in pretty easily.

[Dracoro]

VW Corrado VR6

Regardless of what car, I wouldn't get "too" hung up on stereos as you can usually put your own in.

[The Hitman]

All the previous posts are good shouts, just to throw some into the mix that aome might not consider off the bat.

Lexus Soarer - 2L Twin Turbo manuel. Can be hard to find, but out there. I know a guy that has one and he's had little trouble, its comfortable at speed and can be very quick indeed.

Skoda Octavia VRS - not as rapid as some but decent, good motorway muncher and reliable.

[Vidal Baboon]

The Hitman said:

Lexus Soarer - 2L Twin Turbo manuel.

[The Hitman]

Vidal Baboon said:

The Hitman said:

Lexus Soarer - 2L Twin Turbo manuel.

Kay?

Looks like the grammer police are out

Edited by The Hitman on Wednesday 21st April 13:33