What car? £5k, 4 seats, interesting and fun

[PugwasHDJ80]

Need a new car, just come out of a v90 lease and need something interim before a new lease arrives in 6m or so.

Needs 4 seats, looking for something interesting, not main stream. Ideally won't fall apart either....

Thinking unusual jap, like a stagea.....

Have 5k to spend.

Go on PH, let's see those creative minds at work!

[Stuckinthe80s]

Impreza WRX wagon or Forester XT if you can find any decent ones at reasonable prices currently.

Good fun, great noise and generally reliable.

[loskie]

https://www.gumtree.com/p/honda/honda-civic-hatchb...

[tomwilliams0326]

impreza will be a good shout, only problem at this price point its either go reliable and you wont stand out, or go ballsy and get something interesting like an alfa v6
i would personally go for an e36 like this one, getting few and far between, especially for a good 6 pot
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104151...

[LightningBlue]

Trying to think of fun and reliable and that’s tricky, it implies it can’t be too old and fun cars are likely to have been driven hard. But you could get an FN2 Civic Type R for that budget, they’re quite spacious and practical if you can see past the 3 door layout. It’s only 6 months so even if that causes some impracticality it’s not that long to live with it. You can get Audi A5s for that money too, but VW/Audi reliability is really a myth. A second gen Volvo C70 can be had too but the fun would really come from wafting down a country road with the roof down rather than driver thrills.

[ZX10R NIN]

It's not rare but the Focus ST-3 is a good shout:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102189...

RX-8 PZ

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011045...

Haggle & an Infiniti G37 comes into the mix

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103200...

208 GTI

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104221...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104131...

Abarth 500

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009173...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104010...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103039...

Crown Athlete

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124689139580?hash=item1...

Hatchback Prodrive WRX

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/194065264290?hash=item2...

T5 S60 a bit of a sleeper

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104171...

A bit more mainstream but a cracking car for the money, CLK500:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144010571860?hash=item2...

3.2 VW Eos another sleeper with a nice engine note

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114759830077?hash=item1...

645i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104221...

630i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010315...

T5 C70

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103290...

Gen2 Mazda3 MPS haggle hard & stretch the budget then one of these comes into play:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104251...

VXR Vectra better than it's portrayed to be:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202010315...

2.0T Insignia handle well & a proper sleeper as most will think it's a diesel, so some fun to be had there & that's before you add a cheeky remap

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104051...

[BDKM]

JDM SUBARU EXIGA YA5 2.0L TURBO 4k

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154427071498

[PugwasHDJ80]

Thanks All,

Some really interesting ones

Mazda 3 MPs and the 645CI both look interesting

Hadn't even heard of the Exiga before- thank you for that.

Currently seeing if for made a focus st3 estate.....

reliability isn't critical- i just can't afford anything utterly ruinous (otherwise i'd just buy a p38 range rover....)

[fflump]

Alfa 159s are great looking and the 200hp TBI TI the pick of the engines.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101188...

[BDKM]

PugwasHDJ80 said:

Thanks All,

Some really interesting ones

Mazda 3 MPs and the 645CI both look interesting

Hadn't even heard of the Exiga before- thank you for that.

Currently seeing if for made a focus st3 estate.....

reliability isn't critical- i just can't afford anything utterly ruinous (otherwise i'd just buy a p38 range rover....)

If I only had 5k and I'd need a car I'd buy the Exiga now it's the Subaru EJ20 engine so same as a WRX ENGINE

OUTPUT 225ps(165kW)/5600rpm TORQUE 332kg*m(3260Nm)/4400rpm

for 4k you cannot do better I have a JDM import and they are in much better condition than UK cars of the same age mine is a 2009 forester and the seats look brand new .....if you live close enough I'd travel to see that Exiga first and then decide

Fuel economy won't be the best because of AWD full time.... but the EJ20 engine are pretty much bulletproof and Subaru parts are cheap

Edited by BDKM on Monday 26th April 11:31

[anonymous-user]

Save a bit of cash and get yourself a Suzuki Swift Sport, loads of fun and reliable and you shouldn't lose much on it.

[PugwasHDJ80]

MonkeyMatt said:

Save a bit of cash and get yourself a Suzuki Swift Sport, loads of fun and reliable and you shouldn't lose much on it.

Unfortunately I don't think i'd fit in one

I am a total lard bucket and 6ft2- so need a bit of size...... otherwise these would be great fun