I need a car sharpish

[2 Wycked]

Afternoon gentlemen,

I've just sold my E30 to a friend of mine so I need a new car before I return to work on Tuesday. Ideally I don't want to spend more than £500 although I will spend more if I see something I really really like.

THINGS I WANT:
- This is not to be a sensible car. I will be using it for my commute but fuel costs, whilst slightly restrictive, are not a huge issue. Preferably nothing that averages less than 20mpg.
- All it needs is Tax and MOT (unless it's cheap enough to re-tax within or slightly over budget).
- Think outside the box. I don't want a Golf TDI or a Corsa 1.2.
- I'm open to warm/hot hatches, barges, classics, pretty much anything that's not dull.
- Insurance is pretty much a non-issue, although for some reason a 420 Merc costs more to insure than a 4.0 Jag, so bare that in mind.
- A convertible might be nice for the summer, but it's not absolutely necessary.

If you can find an example of what you're suggesting that'd be great. I don't mind travelling to see whatever they are as I live in the Midlands and nothing's too far, just avoid cars in Scotland please.

It's over to you guys. I will post the result in this thread once I've bought something.

Thanks,
Adam.

[Ferg]

A Volvo.

[2 Wycked]

Ferg said:

A Volvo.

I do love them, but I've had three and fancy a bit of a change.

[Funky Town]

audi 80 V6?

[2 Wycked]

Funky Town said:

audi 80 V6?

You're going to hate me but I've always hated the way Audi 80s drive.

[Beefmeister]

How about this?

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/adve...

It's certainly different!

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/adve...

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/adve...

Okay, you'd have to be VERY comfortable with your sexuality for the last one, but there's certainly variety out there...

[2 Wycked]

Beefmeister said:

How about this?

<link to Escort Cabrio>

It's certainly different!

Like. Will be making a call about this in a few minutes.

Beefmeister said:

<link to a Mazda MX6>

Are these any good? Would I be correct in thinking it's mechanically the same as a Ford Probe?

Beefmeister said:

<link to a Tigra>

Okay, you'd have to be VERY comfortable with your sexuality for the last one, but there's certainly variety out there...

I do actually like how the old Tigras drive, but that colour.

[V8mate]

For a while this morning, I needed a car sharpish too.

I'm off on holiday early tomorrow morning, driving across Europe, and whilst pootling to a friend's house the egin management system started spewing erros and faults, chucking the car in and out of 'limp home' mode etc.

So, I took the car straight to the main dealer an said that I'd wander round ther retail side while the workshop took a look at the car.

Found an acceptable replacement - £17k screen price, 09-plate - got a salesman to open it and let me take a look. It was fine.

'Can I have it today?', I asked. 'Can you get road tax etc sorted so I can take it straight away?'.

'Erm...no, not really', came the reply.

'We don't service them until they are sold and we can't sell them without the workshop having had them in first'.

'You realise that this won't look anywhere near as appealing in a week or so, once I'm back from my holiday and am not relying on my car?'

Sheepish nod and shrugged shoulders.

In the end, it didn't matter. The workshop couldn't find anything wrong with my car so I must have just been making it all up

Next stop Berlin!




Apologies for thread hijack

[2 Wycked]

V8mate said:

Apologies for thread hijack

No worries. Glad the car's "okay" and good luck with the rest of your trip.

Do we have suggestions from anyone else?

[ShadownINja]

TBH if you need a car for Tuesday, just grab anything off Autotrader near you and which buys you time to decide a decent replacement. Good luck!

[tomcar]

Job done.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1661163.htm

[2 Wycked]

I don't know what it is about that Carina but I absolutely love it! Shame it's £200 over my ideal budget and I'm not sure how much I really want one.

[v1paul]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2010...

[2 Wycked]

I think I've found the car I want/am getting chaps. Will report back tomorrow if I go to collect it.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!

[yinujim]

E32?

[2 Wycked]

Here she am. Four litres of bargy rightness.

[Engineer1]

That is sweet, I wish I had the nerve to go down the bargain barge route.

[2 Wycked]

I've been tempted and putting it off since I was 18. This time I thought "fk it, I'm going to do it right this time."

I honestly don't think I've ever made a better decision (at the moment), so I'd recommend it highly. It averaged 24mpg over the 200 miles I did yesterday, which were a combination of about 75 miles of country lanes, 75 of motorways and 50 of general town driving. £81 to fill the tank though.

Go for it!

[Beefmeister]

You sir, have balls of steel.

Kudos.

[TheEnd]

2 Wycked said:

- Think outside the box. I don't want a Golf TDI or a Corsa 1.2.

2 Wycked said:

Here she am. Four litres of bargy rightness.

I can see the chain of thought!
Nice choice, everyone should own an impractical barge at some point in their life.