£4k budget what car?
Discussion
Cant really afford to go over the 4k budget, under it is always nice! But i want something thats not going to let me down or lose too much money over the next 12 months!
We have a baby on the way so no 2 seaters, and im pretty open to all sorts of cars, im only 23 so something sporty is always nice!
Been to see a BMW 320d msport, but e46's seem to have come down in value alot lately? Not sure if thats just prefacelift ones but some can be found for under 1k! And i dont want to lose too much over the next 12 months!
A mate of mine had an audi s4 avant! If only 30mpg was realistic!
Looked at hot hatches too, EP3's are always a winner but wouldnt mind something different, a Mini Cooper S jcw would be nice if there was any in budget?
Cheers
We have a baby on the way so no 2 seaters, and im pretty open to all sorts of cars, im only 23 so something sporty is always nice!
Been to see a BMW 320d msport, but e46's seem to have come down in value alot lately? Not sure if thats just prefacelift ones but some can be found for under 1k! And i dont want to lose too much over the next 12 months!
A mate of mine had an audi s4 avant! If only 30mpg was realistic!
Looked at hot hatches too, EP3's are always a winner but wouldnt mind something different, a Mini Cooper S jcw would be nice if there was any in budget?
Cheers
I'd be wary of running costs vs the fuel savings of an aging 320d. How many miles do you do a year?
£4k can get a nice E46, I haven't been following their values so not sure of what age you'd be looking at. Have a search for common E46 faults, of which their are a few, one or two pretty significant (cooling and boot floor tearing)
£4k can get a nice E46, I haven't been following their values so not sure of what age you'd be looking at. Have a search for common E46 faults, of which their are a few, one or two pretty significant (cooling and boot floor tearing)
Thats half the reason i upped my budget, initially i only wanted to spend 1500 quid to 2k, but id be getting a 'well traveled' car with a bill round the corner imo.
Golf gti's seem a good choice?
I just want something i can get in and drive about every day and not worry about the costs of anything upsetting me, but still be abit fun and have some a few ponies for those weekend drives, but theyre happening less and less these days!
A 330ci isnt a bad bet! But again, 20-25 mpg is more like what id be getting, not the 30+ that i need really!
Edit: accord type r? Looking abit dated now though!
Golf gti's seem a good choice?
I just want something i can get in and drive about every day and not worry about the costs of anything upsetting me, but still be abit fun and have some a few ponies for those weekend drives, but theyre happening less and less these days!
A 330ci isnt a bad bet! But again, 20-25 mpg is more like what id be getting, not the 30+ that i need really!
Edit: accord type r? Looking abit dated now though!
Edited by azzzah on Sunday 16th March 10:03
I know it's not quick, but it will be fun and fairly trouble free, good on fuel and five doors ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...
Or a bit quicker with a bit of haggling ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
Bit smaller but still quite swift and good on fuel ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/f...
Or a bit quicker with a bit of haggling ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
Bit smaller but still quite swift and good on fuel ?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
i had a facelift E46 330ci for over 4 years and was a very reliable and fairly cheap to maintain car, go for a manual coupe as autos are slightly slower and soft tops heavier and the car isnt exactly light to begin with
if your not doing lots of town driving or twisty b roads where your forever going through the gears then 30mpg wont be much effort, i could get 35 out of mine if i really wanted
just try and get a standard one that has been looked after, dont get too hung up on it being fully loaded as things like the satnav will be very dated anyway, M sport models are worth going for if you find one in budget
if your not doing lots of town driving or twisty b roads where your forever going through the gears then 30mpg wont be much effort, i could get 35 out of mine if i really wanted
just try and get a standard one that has been looked after, dont get too hung up on it being fully loaded as things like the satnav will be very dated anyway, M sport models are worth going for if you find one in budget
I wouldn't look at JCW's... You're just paying a premium for a reduced supercharger pulley. (I know there's a few other bits included). You'd be better off trying to get a 2005 face lifted MCS with an LSD and the closer ratio gearbox and chuck a -15% pulley on it.
You won't get near 30mpg out of it though.
I'd go for an e46.
You won't get near 30mpg out of it though.
I'd go for an e46.
30 mpg was fairly easy to achieve in mine and not uncommon with other users out there either, but auto and soft top will bring it down and mine was mainly steady a road commute
Cupra R is a very good shout, at the time it was the only hot hatch that matched my 330 for straight line pace and they are a great looking car
could look at other cars that used that engine, Audi S3 and dare i say it the TT are both within that price range and give you 4 seats with the bonus of 4WD for the winter
Cupra R is a very good shout, at the time it was the only hot hatch that matched my 330 for straight line pace and they are a great looking car
could look at other cars that used that engine, Audi S3 and dare i say it the TT are both within that price range and give you 4 seats with the bonus of 4WD for the winter
Clio trophys are out of my budget, but it did get me looking at 197's and meg 225's though? Thoughts on these? A few 197's are just hitting the 4k mark now. I know the 182 and clio 200 are both seena s better, but i cant afford a 200! And the 182 is starting to get on abit now imho. But a very good car!
any of these?
Megane 225 Trophy
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/r...
or this one
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/r...
Seat Leon FR
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
Audi A4 3.0 v6, 30mpg is unlikely though
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...
Saab 93 aero, this should do around 30mpg and they are pretty quick!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
Megane 225 Trophy
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/r...
or this one
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/r...
Seat Leon FR
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
Audi A4 3.0 v6, 30mpg is unlikely though
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...
Saab 93 aero, this should do around 30mpg and they are pretty quick!
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...
RevoEvo7 said:
If you've been looking at E46s, what about a Lexus IS200 - either saloon or estate?
Should get a fairly late one of the last shape 2004 model?
Ok not as fun as a 3 series but still a 6 cyl RWD manual car and added reliability.
They're a lovely car, I've sold a few and always thought they were good value and a nice drive. They are about as sporty as my left testicle however, mainly because that engine wouldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding! Should get a fairly late one of the last shape 2004 model?
Ok not as fun as a 3 series but still a 6 cyl RWD manual car and added reliability.
How long is your commute?
A 330i will pull more than 25MPG most of the time once up to temp. I get a genuine 30mpg out of my car, which is an earlier engine (2.8), and in a bigger body (5 series). Also on 160k miles, as of the morning... On a run, you can get it to pull 40 mpg, with some serious effort.
Manual gearbox helps mind.
Go for a 330I, great car IMO.
A 330i will pull more than 25MPG most of the time once up to temp. I get a genuine 30mpg out of my car, which is an earlier engine (2.8), and in a bigger body (5 series). Also on 160k miles, as of the morning... On a run, you can get it to pull 40 mpg, with some serious effort.
Manual gearbox helps mind.
Go for a 330I, great car IMO.
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