Bob Fairclough would like a barge.

[lankybob]

Hello. Next year I have a house at university with a parking space out the front. This means I can have a car as none of my other flat mates are overly bothered about driving. However, I feel that my beloved Rover 200 would get tiresome with the 200+ mile journey home. Wind noise, road noise and engine noise very high. As a for instance the engine is at around 3750 rpm at 70mph.
The funds available say 1500 for the car and the same again for insurance. I understand that bangernomics is a very dangerous game, especially for a student but I am so very tempted.
The ideas so far:
Volvo V70
MG ZT 190
BMW 528 (E39)

Any massive problems with these cars that you chaps (and ladies) know of?
Also any suggestions would be welcome.

Cheers,
Bob

[neil_bolton]

Neil Bolton suggests that the 528 would be a perfect car for you. Good on fuel, parts and solid as a rock.

[trickywoo]

e39 528

I regrettably sold my low mileage leather clad SE for £1,300 not long ago.

A massive amount of car for no money at all.

I think the 50 mph 'shimmy' is your biggest worry with those.

[LHD]

neil_bolton said:

Neil Bolton suggests that the 528 would be a perfect car for you. Good on fuel, parts and solid as a rock.

Until it starts to wobble as the suspension is knackered.

Volvo 850/S70 T5 Saloon.

[lankybob]

Oh, I also forgot the Audi A4 1.8T not sure on model designation, about T reg?

I have no problems with the E39 so these suggestions are looking good to me
May I ask what the 50mph 'shimmy' is?

[trickywoo]

lankybob said:

May I ask what the 50mph 'shimmy' is?

It shimmys at 50 mph ish

Debate as to what causes it but could mean a full suspension re-bush or just wheel balancing.

In either case its best to buy one that doesn't do it.

[neil_bolton]

trickywoo said:

It shimmys at 50 mph ish

Debate as to what causes it but could mean a full suspension re-bush or just wheel balancing.

In either case its best to buy one that doesn't do it.

On E39's the control arm bush goes, allowing the whole bloody thing to feel like it's taking off at 50mph.

Generally at the price you're looking at, you'll need to rebush it. Or buy one that has had it done already.

All cars will be the same tho - worn out at that price point.

[Gizmo!]

Gizmo! suggests an E34 rather than an E39: less electronics to go wrong.

Of particular note: a 525i Sport. 192bhp is more than enough and with the bodykit they've hardly aged at all. And nothing quite says get out of my WAY, peasants! like a big BM.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2779172.htm

[Gizmo!]

lankybob said:

Oh, I also forgot the Audi A4 1.8T not sure on model designation, about T reg?

I have no problems with the E39 so these suggestions are looking good to me
May I ask what the 50mph 'shimmy' is?

Don't buy a cheap car with a turbodiesel engine.

Just don't.

[trickywoo]

neil_bolton said:

All cars will be the same tho - worn out at that price point.

Bit sweeping. Mine was fine when I sold it for £1,300 with 70k on the clock.

Some bargains out there if you have time to look.

[denniswise9]

MG ZT 190 = even cheaper than a comparable barge (mileage/condition) since MG rover went bust.

Parts readily available on the cheap and from the scrappy and great car to drive.

[pixieporsche]

XJ6 or a Rover P6.

[lankybob]

Gizmo! said:

Gizmo! suggests an E34 rather than an E39: less electronics to go wrong.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2779172.htm

Christ, that looks lovely. You may have swayed me there!

The Audi wasn't a diesel, it was a petrol turbo. Still not sure if cheap turbos are certain money pits though.

[bobda]

lankybob said:

Christ, that looks lovely. You may have swayed me there!

But it's in Aberdeen, so the bodywork will have been ruined by all the salt, Irn Bru and whatnot that gets put on the roads for longer.

[zaphod42]

Uni = lowest possible running costs = more beer, partying and weekends away doing stuff.

You'll cope with the 200 mile trips in a Rover 200. Even if it's twice a term, that's still only 6*200miles per year = 1200 miles.

I did my runs to / from uni in a four speed Nova 1litre and I survived.

Seriously, if you Rover is running fine at the moment, I go for better the devil you know - rather pick up a barge of unknown strengths.

[rovermorris999]

You just want something that starts, runs and stops as cheaply as possible. Save your money for beer. And don't forget to ask for petrol money when you get used as a taxi.

[EDLT]

lankybob said:

Gizmo! said:

Gizmo! suggests an E34 rather than an E39: less electronics to go wrong.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2779172.htm

Christ, that looks lovely. You may have swayed me there!

The Audi wasn't a diesel, it was a petrol turbo. Still not sure if cheap turbos are certain money pits though.

As long as its got service history they are just as reliable as any other car.

I'd be careful of pretend M BMWs, every one I've seen on the road has been driven thrashed by a tt.

[zaphod42]

If you really want to change, I'd have something distinctive with cheap parts and easily mend-able...

Volvo 240GL
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2391134.htm

[lankybob]

Aaaaah, the 240. My stepfather used to have the saloon version of that. Reliable as anything and IMO very cool now too. As a 12/13 year old I would have travelled in anything but that.

[W00DY]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1993-JAGUAR-XJ6-3-2-AUTO-RED...

Mine cost literally buttons to run apart from fuel (mine wasn't LPG'd) and it was the perfect long journey/uni motor. Lots of change too.