Advice and Opinions on These 7 Cars and Why

[Hunts887]

I am having a difficult time trying to pick out a first car. I have rode motorcycles for the past 10 years, and I am looking at my options for cars.

I want something that is fun, reliable, fairly cheap, decent enough economy, practical enough, and comfortable. I am looking mainly at coupes. I have a budget of no-more than £1500. I have picked out the following, and was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about which car they would pick out of the bunch and why. I know that everyone is different, just looking for some insight;

. Toyota Celica
. Hyundai Coupe 2.0 or 1.6 really
. Audi TT (early 00s version)
. BMW 3 Series (early 00s again)
. Suzuki Swift Sport
. Honda Civic
. Honda Accord (possible as a more sizeable, practical)

Any advice or experience you could offer (or alternatives) would be appreciated. Thank you

[anonymous-user]

All I could think about when I was looking down that list for the majority of the cars was "rust" and I really, really hate rust.

. Toyota Celica - I suspect the underside will look like it was parked in the sea
. Hyundai Coupe 2.0 or 1.6 really - Don't know anything about these
. Audi TT (early 00s version) - I think electrics and a blocked oil pickup are your biggest worries. I owned an A4 with this engine and vowed never again.
. BMW 3 Series (early 00s again) - Going to be an E46, I owned one ten years ago and it was going around the rear arches. My favourite ever shed though.
. Suzuki Swift Sport - Very low geared fifth gear so scream on the motorway, think these rust for fun.
. Honda Civic - Had a 2003 2.0 S Type. Engine felt unbreakable but was rusting underneath and every bolt and brake caliper was rusty/sticking.
. Honda Accord (possible as a more sizeable, practical) - Don't know much about these but probably a more solid car than the Civic.

Heart says TT, head says the Accord or maybe the Hyundai Coupe assuming it is a MK2?

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 12th November 12:09

[samoht]

It's a tough market to find something for £1500 right now tbh

Other coupes you could consider
Ford Cougar https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111039...
Alfa GT https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110168...
Megane 'coupe' https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111029...


could also look for a Puma, but small and likely to be rusty for that money (or really for any money).

[anonymous-user]

samoht said:

Ford Cougar https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111039...

You are listing a lot of cars I have owned as sheds as I have owned one of these too. The 2.0 Zetec is a great engine, I can see why they end up in so many kit cars, 400 miles to a tank was pretty much all you could ever expect to get with the 2.0. I think rust again is going to be the issue, I touched what I thought was a small blister on the Sill and my finger went right through it and this was over ten years ago. It was cubed soon after.

samoht said:

could also look for a Puma, but small and likely to be rusty for that money (or really for any money).

I would imagine finding one without the rear arches disintegrating due to rust would be a near impossible task.

[Summit_Detailing]

Hyundai coupe 2.0 or 2.0 Accord out of that lot.

Given the budget try and find one with some service history and a long MOT.

As previous posters have said, don't be surprised to see corrosion and find it on previous MOT advisories.

[Tasmin200]

-Fun
-Reliable
-Cheap
-Economical
-Practical
-Comfortable

Bloody hell, you don't want much do you!!

Anything at £1500 could be a disaster or it could be fine, but at the end of the day it's a 20 year old car that cost £1500 - you're going to have to spend money on it or fix it.

I'd go with anything that isn't rusty underneath and sounds OK that has a long MOT.

[anonymous-user]

Fast, reliable, cheap pick any two.

[RoVoFob]

Hunts887 said:

I am having a difficult time trying to pick out a first car. I have rode motorcycles for the past 10 years, and I am looking at my options for cars.

I want something that is fun, reliable, fairly cheap, decent enough economy, practical enough, and comfortable. I am looking mainly at coupes. I have a budget of no-more than £1500. I have picked out the following, and was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about which car they would pick out of the bunch and why. I know that everyone is different, just looking for some insight;

. Toyota Celica
. Hyundai Coupe 2.0 or 1.6 really
. Audi TT (early 00s version)
. BMW 3 Series (early 00s again)
. Suzuki Swift Sport
. Honda Civic
. Honda Accord (possible as a more sizeable, practical)

Any advice or experience you could offer (or alternatives) would be appreciated. Thank you

BMW 325ti - that’s where my money would go.

Not strictly a coupe, but I personally like the shape of the Compact and it has two doors plus a hatchback with a reasonable size boot and rear seats that fold flat. The 325ti has a 2.5-litre straight-six engine that sounds glorious and gets it to 62mph in 7.1 seconds but should be able to do 35mpg+ relatively easy when cruising about. It also handles very nicely.

They rust much less than the other E46 3 Series body styles, the gearing is shorter than other E46s, giving better acceleration and 53-plate-onwards models have a sixth gear for quieter and more economical cruising. All 325tis have sports suspension and sports seats, but the ride is still decently comfy.

In terms of reliability, check the cooling system, as radiators can bow, brake calipers can seize and rear springs can snap. Apart from that they’re pretty solid.

It’s a little over budget at £1,695, but this looks promising:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174983494133?hash=item2...

[LightningBlue]

Wonder if you could find a classic Volvo C70, they might deal better with rust and were very well screwed together being a ‘proper’ Volvo. I still like the Celica though, as a shed you might find one in acceptable condition

[Inspectorclueso]

I bought my old man a 2005 civic 1.6 petrol to replace a lease car a couple of years ago £1200 Not fun, or exciting but just keeps on going, no hassles whatsoever so far. There are others on there, e.g. early 00's BMW, that I wouldn't touch, from experience !

[Terzo123]

Joey Deacon said:

Fast, reliable, cheap pick any two.

So true.

[Jag_NE]

OP - it’s the bottom of market and having tactics to reduce the risk of misery needs to be priority 1.

Find something with ideally one owner and totally solid history, in decent condition and you are winning. Totally forget about specific models is my advice.

[ZX10R NIN]

Hunts887 said:

I am having a difficult time trying to pick out a first car. I have rode motorcycles for the past 10 years, and I am looking at my options for cars.

I want something that is fun, reliable, fairly cheap, decent enough economy, practical enough, and comfortable. I am looking mainly at coupes. I have a budget of no-more than £1500. I have picked out the following, and was wondering if anyone could tell me anything about which car they would pick out of the bunch and why. I know that everyone is different, just looking for some insight;

. Toyota Celica
. Hyundai Coupe 2.0 or 1.6 really
. Audi TT (early 00s version)
. BMW 3 Series (early 00s again)
. Suzuki Swift Sport
. Honda Civic
. Honda Accord (possible as a more sizeable, practical)

Any advice or experience you could offer (or alternatives) would be appreciated. Thank you

If you've been riding bike none of the above will feel fast but they'll be swift, if you want a coupe then I'd look for the best Hyundai Coupe you can find:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111109...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384474075335?hash=item5...

You'll also get a nice 3 door Astra SRI (with some haggling) for your budget, they're a reliable car with sensible running costs:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110148...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108306...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110288...

With your budget I'd be tempted to look at Cat cars (preferably something that was cat'd a while ago so any issues are sorted) as they may represent the best value:

Astra

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110168...

Megane

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...

Celica

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111039...

[Mr Tidy]

RoVoFob said:

BMW 325ti - that’s where my money would go.

Not strictly a coupe, but I personally like the shape of the Compact and it has two doors plus a hatchback with a reasonable size boot and rear seats that fold flat. The 325ti has a 2.5-litre straight-six engine that sounds glorious and gets it to 62mph in 7.1 seconds but should be able to do 35mpg+ relatively easy when cruising about. It also handles very nicely.

They rust much less than the other E46 3 Series body styles, the gearing is shorter than other E46s, giving better acceleration and 53-plate-onwards models have a sixth gear for quieter and more economical cruising. All 325tis have sports suspension and sports seats, but the ride is still decently comfy.

In terms of reliability, check the cooling system, as radiators can bow, brake calipers can seize and rear springs can snap. Apart from that they’re pretty solid.

It’s a little over budget at £1,695, but this looks promising:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174983494133?hash=item2...

+1 for that suggestion.

They are the only E46 model that doesn't usually suffer from rust.

I had a 325ti Sprot for 3 years from 80K to 103K miles and the only non-routine items it needed were a cooling system refresh and a new power steering pipe. Mine was a 5 speed but still averaged over 32 mpg and was great fun to chuck about.

i still miss it - my current E90 330i is much more refined but is much less involving to drive.

[Grrbang]

Me and the family have had Hyundai Coupes for 7 years, 1.6 and 2.0 models. I would recommend the 2.0 manual, 2007 onwards, if you were going to try one.

I can't say whether it's better or worse than the other listed cars, but it's much more handling focused than a typical normal hatchback that a non-car person might own.

Pros:
- Makes good progress if you work the gears
- Corners flat
- Behaves predictably at and past the limit, I would go as far as to say confidence-inspiring.
- So cheap to buy that you can drive it however you want, without thinking about the next owner.
- Well-weighted steering
- Surprisingly deep boot, even with rear seats up
- Looks nice without being flashy, certainly doesn't look like it cost <£1k.
- Low-slung seating position and feels a bit sporty to sit in.
- Overall cost of ownership is good for what it is, with zero depreciation, over 30mpg and solid engine and transmission.
- Well equipped (full leather, climate, cruise, good range of adjustments, electric sunroof & more)
- Comfy on mixed and long journeys.

Cons:
- Some have years of deferred maintenance, some have been questionably modified. There are still cherished ones out there, but their numbers are dwindling.
- Related to the above point, cheapo tyres will undo all of its good handling characteristics.
- Limited rear seat headroom
- A bit compromised in cities, as suspension is a bit crashy, turning circle is large, rear quarter view is obstructed by pillars, and clutch engagement is a bit vague.
- Finicky handbrake (have to live with it)
- Many older examples are starting to get rust spots on rear arches and surface corrosion on subframes. I'd now recommend the 2007-onwards SIII.
- Gear shifter doesn't feel sporty, there is rev hang, and second gear is occasionally crunchy on higher mileage cars
- They do consume a bit of oil, but that's normal.
- Dead spot in the centre of the steering wheel, which I eventually got used to.

[ZX10R NIN]

So OP do any of the suggestions above work for you?

[Hunts887]

Grrbang said:

Me and the family have had Hyundai Coupes for 7 years, 1.6 and 2.0 models. I would recommend the 2.0 manual, 2007 onwards, if you were going to try one.

I can't say whether it's better or worse than the other listed cars, but it's much more handling focused than a typical normal hatchback that a non-car person might own.

Pros:
- Makes good progress if you work the gears
- Corners flat
- Behaves predictably at and past the limit, I would go as far as to say confidence-inspiring.
- So cheap to buy that you can drive it however you want, without thinking about the next owner.
- Well-weighted steering
- Surprisingly deep boot, even with rear seats up
- Looks nice without being flashy, certainly doesn't look like it cost <£1k.
- Low-slung seating position and feels a bit sporty to sit in.
- Overall cost of ownership is good for what it is, with zero depreciation, over 30mpg and solid engine and transmission.
- Well equipped (full leather, climate, cruise, good range of adjustments, electric sunroof & more)
- Comfy on mixed and long journeys.

Cons:
- Some have years of deferred maintenance, some have been questionably modified. There are still cherished ones out there, but their numbers are dwindling.
- Related to the above point, cheapo tyres will undo all of its good handling characteristics.
- Limited rear seat headroom
- A bit compromised in cities, as suspension is a bit crashy, turning circle is large, rear quarter view is obstructed by pillars, and clutch engagement is a bit vague.
- Finicky handbrake (have to live with it)
- Many older examples are starting to get rust spots on rear arches and surface corrosion on subframes. I'd now recommend the 2007-onwards SIII.
- Gear shifter doesn't feel sporty, there is rev hang, and second gear is occasionally crunchy on higher mileage cars
- They do consume a bit of oil, but that's normal.
- Dead spot in the centre of the steering wheel, which I eventually got used to.

I will take your advice on a 2007 variant. It seems to be quite hard finding one at the £1000 price point at the moment, though. It seems that most are overpriced right now. I will keep looking

[Hunts887]

RoVoFob said:

BMW 325ti - that’s where my money would go.

Not strictly a coupe, but I personally like the shape of the Compact and it has two doors plus a hatchback with a reasonable size boot and rear seats that fold flat. The 325ti has a 2.5-litre straight-six engine that sounds glorious and gets it to 62mph in 7.1 seconds but should be able to do 35mpg+ relatively easy when cruising about. It also handles very nicely.

They rust much less than the other E46 3 Series body styles, the gearing is shorter than other E46s, giving better acceleration and 53-plate-onwards models have a sixth gear for quieter and more economical cruising. All 325tis have sports suspension and sports seats, but the ride is still decently comfy.

In terms of reliability, check the cooling system, as radiators can bow, brake calipers can seize and rear springs can snap. Apart from that they’re pretty solid.

It’s a little over budget at £1,695, but this looks promising:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/174983494133?hash=item2...

That 325ti you linked does look beautiful. In terms of BMW as a reliable brand, can they be money pits? or doe sit purely depend on the past owner. I am anticipating future repair costs, as I want to balance owning a motorcycle and car if I can.

[Hunts887]

ZX10R NIN said:

If you've been riding bike none of the above will feel fast but they'll be swift, if you want a coupe then I'd look for the best Hyundai Coupe you can find:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111109...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/384474075335?hash=item5...

You'll also get a nice 3 door Astra SRI (with some haggling) for your budget, they're a reliable car with sensible running costs:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110148...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108306...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110288...

With your budget I'd be tempted to look at Cat cars (preferably something that was cat'd a while ago so any issues are sorted) as they may represent the best value:

Astra

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110168...

Megane

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...

Celica

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111039...

Thanks for the insight. I think a Hyundai Coupe and Celica are top of the list. A few nice ones you linked there so thanks for that. It might be tricky finding a good one in the North East of England.

[RoVoFob]

Hunts887 said:

That 325ti you linked does look beautiful. In terms of BMW as a reliable brand, can they be money pits? or doe sit purely depend on the past owner. I am anticipating future repair costs, as I want to balance owning a motorcycle and car if I can.

Certain BMWs - and presumably poorly maintained ones, especially - can cost money to run, but I’ve found my BMWs (one 325ti and three 130is) to be fundamentally reliable with specific problem areas that are well known about.

Some of the issues I’ve had were probably made more likely by not driving the cars that much (I had work cars for boring stuff) and you can probably preempt many of the issues by checking out specific things - like the state of the cooling system/radiator with the 325ti - when looking at individual cars.

So, if you check out the problem areas before buying and put a little money aside for maintenance/repairs, I wouldn’t worry about reliability being an issue when compared with similar cars.