£5.5k, fast, practical

[Albigularis]

So, planning a super saloon in December, looking for something to entertain me until then.

£5.5k
4/5 door (for baby seat entry)
Reasonable boot, size of my current A3 or bigger
Somewhat quick, even if it needs woken up with a remap etc
Faster/more fun, the better

Not bothered about moon miles, but nothing over 130k or so, don't want to struggle to sell it later in the year.

[Stuart Fordyce]

I own a 2004 Impreza WRX. You should get a nice one for that money. Big boot in the saloon, Isofix points, three proper seatbelts in the back.

[ZX10R NIN]

CLS 500

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

545i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

3.2 A6

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Vectra VXR

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

3.7 A8

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

GS430

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[Albigularis]

Impreza is on the list, there's a nice Hawkeye with a recent rebuild near me in the 4k range.

Perhaps I should have emphasised the "fun" part more haha

[Macron]

Jag XF supercharged 4.2, around 5k now, great for the kid.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

[DKL]

s211 e500 estates will come in a barely half that. Not that common and can have big bills but a very nice place to be, huge and swift.

efa -you want a saloon, so buy the saloon. But the estate is better

[Mr Tidy]

I bought a manual E90 BMW 330i last year on 107K miles for just under £3,500 - works for me!

[Albigularis]

Mr Tidy said:

I bought a manual E90 BMW 330i last year on 107K miles for just under £3,500 - works for me!

I'm kinda thinking 335i. There is a 335i touring up for less than £5.5k at the moment.

[trickywoo]

Albigularis said:

I'm kinda thinking 335i. There is a 335i touring up for less than £5.5k at the moment.

335i are cheap for a number of reasons. Not easy things to sell.

[Xcore]

Leon cupra 240/8p s3

[Dave Hedgehog]

In 9 months time 5k will get you a 2017 golf r

[Pistonheader101]

Dave Hedgehog said:

In 9 months time 5k will get you a 2017 golf r

Free once the riots start ;

[Mr Tidy]

trickywoo said:

Albigularis said:

I'm kinda thinking 335i. There is a 335i touring up for less than £5.5k at the moment.

335i are cheap for a number of reasons. Not easy things to sell.

One of the issues with the early ones is the £570 a year road tax - I can live with that for my Z4M Coupe, but not for my daily!

And I believe they have other potential problems too. As do the N53 engines - which is why my 330i had to have the N52.

[loskie]

that makes no sense surely the £570 tax is better value if you do 10000m per year and not 3000?

[MikeM6]

trickywoo said:

Albigularis said:

I'm kinda thinking 335i. There is a 335i touring up for less than £5.5k at the moment.

335i are cheap for a number of reasons. Not easy things to sell.

Not sure on that one, my 335i sold quickly. They are very good value for money. Most of the common problems will have been sorted by now too.

A sorted 335i is a great car.

[aka_kerrly]

loskie said:

that makes no sense surely the £570 tax is better value if you do 10000m per year and not 3000?

Quite. Although perhaps if he only taxes the car for a few months a year as it's not his daily so won't spend the full £570pa.


For the OP, i'm thinking a Audi S4 V8 Avant, E60 BMW 540i or something a bit more leftfield Jaguar S type R, all should be around £4-5k

OR if you're feeling bold and want to try something a bit different , the JDM Subaru Legacy 2.0 twin turbo AWD
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Legacy-GTB-E-Tun...

[jonobigblind]

Porsche Cayenne Turbo from 2004. Cheaper road tax and decent bit of space

[Albigularis]

MikeM6 said:

Not sure on that one, my 335i sold quickly. They are very good value for money. Most of the common problems will have been sorted by now too.

A sorted 335i is a great car.

Went to see one last night up near Aberdeen. Coolant all over the bottom of the engine bay on arrival, apparently it had a pipe leak which was fixed after the car was last driven. Bit of revving revealed a very quiet wastegate rattle, took it out a drive, still boosted fine. It had a Quaife LSD fitted, the rear seemed very wobbly, not sure what the issue there was. After we got back and I parked it in the drive, load of water ran out of the engine cover at the bottom, and there was steam coming from the engine. Guessing this was the water I saw at the bottom earlier. Sat idling for about ten seconds at this point, we start hearing these weird clunks from the engine, I ran to the car and turned it off. Turns out the belt had just st itself right there and then. All in all, not the best experience. Car was advertised for 6k, he was going to let it go for 4k due to the issues above.

aka_kerrly said:

For the OP, i'm thinking a Audi S4 V8 Avant, E60 BMW 540i or something a bit more leftfield Jaguar S type R, all should be around £4-5k

OR if you're feeling bold and want to try something a bit different , the JDM Subaru Legacy 2.0 twin turbo AWD
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Legacy-GTB-E-Tun...

I like the B7 S4, but they don't strike me as being particularly fun, and a modern 6 cylinder diesel will see it off. Careful buying required to avoid bork factor as well.

That legacy is very interesting, especially as an auto.

[MikeM6]

Albigularis said:

Went to see one last night up near Aberdeen. Coolant all over the bottom of the engine bay on arrival, apparently it had a pipe leak which was fixed after the car was last driven. Bit of revving revealed a very quiet wastegate rattle, took it out a drive, still boosted fine. It had a Quaife LSD fitted, the rear seemed very wobbly, not sure what the issue there was. After we got back and I parked it in the drive, load of water ran out of the engine cover at the bottom, and there was steam coming from the engine. Guessing this was the water I saw at the bottom earlier. Sat idling for about ten seconds at this point, we start hearing these weird clunks from the engine, I ran to the car and turned it off. Turns out the belt had just st itself right there and then. All in all, not the best experience. Car was advertised for 6k, he was going to let it go for 4k due to the issues above.

Yeah, that does not sound like a sorted one

[Mr Tidy]

Albigularis said:

MikeM6 said:

aka_kerrly said:

For the OP, i'm thinking a Audi S4 V8 Avant, E60 BMW 540i or something a bit more leftfield Jaguar S type R, all should be around £4-5k

OR if you're feeling bold and want to try something a bit different , the JDM Subaru Legacy 2.0 twin turbo AWD
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Subaru-Legacy-GTB-E-Tun...

I like the B7 S4, but they don't strike me as being particularly fun, and a modern 6 cylinder diesel will see it off. Careful buying required to avoid bork factor as well.

That legacy is very interesting, especially as an auto.

To be honest that Legacy would be extremely uninteresting for me simply because it's an auto. :laugh

And it's just a 4-pot engine with a turbo.

There is no replacement for displacement!