What sort of cars should I be looking at?

[SD1992]

Hi everyone, I appreciate you probably get a lot of these threads but I would really appreciate some of your input!

I am currently driving a 2002 1.8 Mondeo, and I am prettu sure I am going to change it when my NCD comes through in June. I will be 19 then, so insurance is a slight issue, but as mentioned in my previous thread I seem to be getting a pretty good deal!

I am looking for something a bit faster than what I have, something big (compared to, say, a Saxo - around Mondeo size), something comfortable (leather is always nice!), something that looks good but not flashy, something that handles well, and is reasonable on fuel.

I really fancy a BMW - something like an E39, E36, E46? Or even a Volvo 850 T5. Any suggentions at all are more than welcome, I want to make sure I get the car that I really want.

Budget would be no more than £3000.

Thanks for any input!

[varsas]

Should be able to get a nice E46 3 series for that, I would have thought? Either a 2.2 litre '320' or a 325, depending on insurance. E36's are nice, might feel a touch unrefined and dated after the mondeo though.

I would have thought you'd struggle to get a decent engine'd E39 and be able to insure it?


These look OK:
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2399907.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2454186.htm

Edited by varsas on Thursday 24th February 21:21

[SD1992]

varsas said:

Should be able to get a nice E46 3 series for that, I would have thought? Either a 2.2 litre '320' or a 325, depending on insurance. E36's are nice, might feel a touch unrefined and dated after the mondeo though.

I would have thought you'd struggle to get a decent engine'd E39 and be able to insure it?

I really like the E49 coupe - and the 323i is very reasonable on insurance. Is that a good engine?

I would have to try the E36, but I am sure I would cope. I have been driven round in my mate's 83 Capri enough times!

Insurance isn't too bad on the E39 surprisingly. What are the best engines, and do they cope well with high mileages?

[varsas]

SD1992 said:

I really like the E49 coupe - and the 323i is very reasonable on insurance. Is that a good engine?

I would have to try the E36, but I am sure I would cope. I have been driven round in my mate's 83 Capri enough times!

Insurance isn't too bad on the E39 surprisingly. What are the best engines, and do they cope well with high mileages?

I've never driven an E46 or an E39 so don't really know. I do know the 323 engine is lovely in an E36,lovely smooth straight 6 and a fair amount of power, an E46 323 won't exactly set the drag racing community alight but it should be pretty good, especially compared to a 1.8 mondeo.

I just meant that if I was getting an E39, I'd want to have plenty of power...I seem them as bruisers of a car, with plenty of effortless power. I'd want a 530 or above (actually, I'd want a 540...but hey) or what's the point?

As far as I know, all BMW engines post about '98 are very reliable. You just have to watch for the nikasil engined cars, early E36 323/328. Having said that I have a nikasil car myself and it's been fine...if you are thinking of getting a car from this period read up on the issue and decide for yourself. Oh, and E36's can/do rust so you'd want to check the wheel arches of you get one.

Oh, and if you really like your mondeo, how about an X-type? Basically a Mondeo with nice interior, 4WD (usually) and 6 cylinder engine.

[STW2010]

I have the E46 323. It's a good car with enough pull. It's not the fastest car on the road, but it's very responsive and will execute overtakes nicely. The 0-60 is around 8 seconds, and it continues to pull strongly beyond that. The noise of the straight 6 engine is quite nice too.

There isn't that many E46 323s about as they were only made for a couple of years, but a the 2.2 litre 320 is another one to look for. You will have more choice with those, and I doubt the insurance will be much difference.

[FRA53R]

The Beemer idea is not bad I'd go E34 5 series if I were you pretty reliable with the right engine they are fast just dependant on insurance. I'd love to point you towards a T5 but I'd really doubt you'd get reasonable insurance on it

[After_Shock]

FRA53R said:

I'd love to point you towards a T5 but I'd really doubt you'd get reasonable insurance on it

Actually when I was 18 had a 1.8 Astra Mk4 sport, got my insurance renewal through with a years no claims almost had a heart attack, checked out for a laugh the insuarnce on a Volvo C70 T5 and it came out at a rather nice sum of exactly half the amount of the Astra, so double the power and half the insurance, needless to say I ended up driving a Volvo T5 before my 19th birthday.

If you fancy a coupe get a C70 T5, just buy the right one and it will give you years of service, simple re-map takes them to 300bhp aswell but that wouldnt be too insurance friendly!

[Jasandjules]

Have you been quoted for BMWs on the insurance yet? Just in case......
As for Volvo, when I was 28 I had to phone around for insurance on 760s and 850s - oddly quite a few companies refused to insure me as I was under 30 - I kid you not.

What about something off the wall like a Passat 2.0 Turbo?

Or what about a TVR S? Classic insurance etc..and lovely convertibles with a nice V6..
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2480834.htm

[mattcov]

E39 530i assuming the insurance is reasonable (I'd get a quote 1st ). For that money it would be the best car with sound/performance ratio.

[SD1992]

FRA53R said:

The Beemer idea is not bad I'd go E34 5 series if I were you pretty reliable with the right engine they are fast just dependant on insurance. I'd love to point you towards a T5 but I'd really doubt you'd get reasonable insurance on it

For some reason the E34 is very expensive on insurance - for the price of an E34 520i I could have an E39 540i.

And even more surprisingly, the 850 T5 and T5R are the cheapest of the lot!

Thanks for the advice so far guys! I have checked insurance, and I can afford anything up to a 540i or a 325i (328i is cheaper for some reason), but that would leave me very short and I do have a life to live outside metal and rubber! I can insure a 323i, 328i, 523i, and a 528i comfortably.

The E39s are much more expensive though, so I think if I was going BMW I would have to go for a 3 series.

With the Volvo T5 - Do you notice much of a disadvantage being FWD?

Edited by SD1992 on Friday 25th February 01:07

[pixieporsche]

How about a classic car?

Something like an MGB or a 944?

[C2james]

When I tried to insure a Volvo estate 850 R saying I was 19 with 2yr ncb it came out as £4000 but when I said I was 20 with the same ncb the insurance dropped to £2000.

[FRA53R]

SD1992 said:

For some reason the E34 is very expensive on insurance - for the price of an E34 520i I could have an E39 540i.

And even more surprisingly, the 850 T5 and T5R are the cheapest of the lot!

Lol must be to do with where I live but my insurance quotes are always a little skewed cause I've got a DUI so that seems to screw about with things. Saying that I got a quote not too long ago for an E34 535i for approx 800 quid and nobody would quote me online for an 850 T5 suppose it really is a combination of your factors

The T5 is legendary and reliable, so it might be worth going for it if you can find a decent one for your budget it'll more than likely be an early V70 T5 cause they are much cheaper than the 850 at least they were the last time I checked . If you can find one why not try a 540 pretty much the cheapest way to a V8 and no worse on fuel than a T5.

[SD1992]

A classic would be nice, but I do need something reliable - unfortunately when you are doing a medical degree you have literally no time to repair / tinker with the car. If I were to get a classic it would probably be an old American muscle car, but that is not really attainable at the moment!

I got quoted £1100 for an 850 T5, and £1300 for a T5R.

[soda]

SD1992 said:

For some reason the E34 is very expensive on insurance - for the price of an E34 520i I could have an E39 540i.

And even more surprisingly, the 850 T5 and T5R are the cheapest of the lot!

Thanks for the advice so far guys! I have checked insurance, and I can afford anything up to a 540i or a 325i (328i is cheaper for some reason), but that would leave me very short and I do have a life to live outside metal and rubber! I can insure a 323i, 328i, 523i, and a 528i comfortably.

The E39s are much more expensive though, so I think if I was going BMW I would have to go for a 3 series.

With the Volvo T5 - Do you notice much of a disadvantage being FWD?

Edited by SD1992 on Friday 25th February 01:07

You might as well go for a 328i then, fuel consumption doesn't differ by much with the straight 6's. I've been keeping an eye on prices for a while and there seems to be plenty of choice below £3k.

No experience of Volvo though so I'll keep my mouth shut on that one

[FRA53R]

SD1992 said:

A classic would be nice, but I do need something reliable - unfortunately when you are doing a medical degree you have literally no time to repair / tinker with the car. If I were to get a classic it would probably be an old American muscle car, but that is not really attainable at the moment!

I got quoted £1100 for an 850 T5, and £1300 for a T5R.

Fair do's I've worked in a hospital long enough to know that doing a medical degree doesn't give you much time.

At your age £1100's not too bad, seems sad to say it though but maybe it's worth having something smaller, lower powered and cheaper to insure for a year or two till you can go out and splash the cash on what you want. You'll probably not lose out too much on fun but you'll gain in money terms.

[Stu R]

Volvo would be a safe bet, probably gets my vote.

Edited by dazren on Saturday 26th February 08:56

[SD1992]

FRA53R said:

Fair do's I've worked in a hospital long enough to know that doing a medical degree doesn't give you much time.

At your age £1100's not too bad, seems sad to say it though but maybe it's worth having something smaller, lower powered and cheaper to insure for a year or two till you can go out and splash the cash on what you want. You'll probably not lose out too much on fun but you'll gain in money terms.

What sort of thing would you suggest? A Focus TDCI or something like that?

Or would it just be worth holding on to the Mondeo for a year or two, building up NCB and capital and then getting something really nice?

[MGJohn]

SD1992 said:

....

Or would it just be worth holding on to the Mondeo for a year or two, building up NCB and capital and then getting something really nice?

Do that! More evidence that it is possible to find a wise head on young shoulders.
.

[Clivey]

SD1992 said:

What sort of thing would you suggest? A Focus TDCI or something like that?

Or would it just be worth holding on to the Mondeo for a year or two, building up NCB and capital and then getting something really nice?

That's exactly why I still drive a Citroen C4. - It's a great all round small hatch and interesting enough (read: Not a Focus / Golf) not to send me into a coma. With the money I could have spent on a faster car, I put down a deposit on a house. I'll get something more interesting in a couple of years, when my partner will probably inherit the C4 as a practical shopping car. I'm now 22 and have just insured the car for another year for £470 - so I can now afford to build a media centre / gaming computer for the lounge with the change.