Any cars with over 200bhp, more than 35mpg for under £3000?

[Devil2575]

veevee said:

Clio 182 is the only thing that immediately omes to mind which is going to be enough of a step up to be worth changing.

Some people in here are absolutely dreaming with some of their mpg stats!

+1

To get 35 mpg on anything other than a long run the car needs to be light.

[CommanderJameson]

Speedracer329 said:

My Jag S Type 3.0 manual does the 0 - 60 in about 7.5 secs, I get 34mpg on a run & 27 around town if I don't abuse it, & you can pick them up for well under your budget.

BMW 528i does those sort of numbers, too.

[NadiR]

Pretty much all these cars suggested here will struggle to get 35mpg if you drive very "enthusiastically", but surely, as someone has proved in an earlier post, you don't need to be giving the car a thrashing all the time and 35mpg would be do able in most the cars suggested here (on a long run at least) if you drive like a normal person. Oh and I vote for an E46 330Ci.

[Talksteer]

Fiat Coupe 20VT

220bhp (once)

0-60 - 6.0

38mpg - Euro

[Terminator X]

SMcP114 said:

UK Dc2 Integra type R?

This if they've dropped that low, should be bomb proof if standard + service history.

TX.

[carl0s]

an E46 330i / ci would just about fit those numbers. You'd have a few oil, coolant, and vacuum leaks to fix though. Expansion tank, tensioner, oil housing gasket, intake boots, valve cover gasket, oil separator/CCV. The Celica is probably a much safer bet, if my experience of Toyotas is anything to go by. I know the VVTi cars (140bhp) had some kind of oil-passage blocking problems (terminal engine failure), but I think the 190bhp version (VVTL-i) didn't have that problem.

[johnpeat]

The fact you're asking for over 200bhp suggests that you're unlikely to see more than 35mpg pretty much ever

Unless you just want it for bragging rights

[johnpeat]

Talksteer said:

Fiat Coupe 20VT

220bhp (once)

0-60 - 6.0

38mpg - Euro

22mpg around town - high 30s on a steady dual run - 38mpg is fairytalk.

[johnpeat]

Mastodon2 said:

I think you'd have to drive like an old woman to get 35mpg in an MR2 Turbo, 25mpg is optimistic for most drivers, less for petrolheaded enthusiasts who like a dab of speed here and there.

Given that the non-turbo version of that engine was basically the same as the one in my old Celica which wouldn't crack 35mpg even on a long run - I would agree with that!!

In fact almost no turbocharged car will get the sort of MPG he's asking for - even if they're not driven 'as intended'.

[sparks_E39]

E36 328i. Now you are 21 any BMW that isn't an M will be pretty cheap to insure. I've had my 528 since I was 21. 0-60 about 8 seconds, MPG at 70 mph is 35 if you take it easy, although it will only average that on longer journeys, I've done 40 mpg to a tank before. 200 mile round trip to London and back, no traffic and being gentle cruising at 60-70 mpg was 42ish mpg (verified). Normal tank is 23-25 mpg though.

[frosted]

johnpeat said:

The fact you're asking for over 200bhp suggests that you're unlikely to see more than 35mpg pretty much ever

Unless you just want it for bragging rights

This , if you want that sort of power/mpg you need to look at vag diesels but then it's a diesel car

[carl0s]

Reliability must be a concern...

What about a Golf VR6. It's a few MPG under, but everything else is about right. I think they're fairly reliable. Certainly not plagued with "age related" (5 years and on) problems like BMWs.

[carl0s]

sparks_E39 said:

E36 328i. Now you are 21 any BMW that isn't an M will be pretty cheap to insure. I've had my 528 since I was 21. 0-60 about 8 seconds, MPG at 70 mph is 35 if you take it easy, although it will only average that on longer journeys, I've done 40 mpg to a tank before. 200 mile round trip to London and back, no traffic and being gentle cruising at 60-70 mpg was 42ish mpg (verified). Normal tank is 23-25 mpg though.

Add ripped boot floor subframe mounts to the list of expected problem with that one!! Run, don't walk.

[carl0s]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3678461.htm

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...


Friend of mine has one. It's a bit boaty, but I'm sure that could be improved. It certainly goes well, and is smooth.. straight-six smooth. 4wd too, and modern feeling.

Edited by carl0s on Tuesday 28th February 00:14

[BrewsterBear]

Talksteer said:

Fiat Coupe 20VT

220bhp (once)

0-60 - 6.0 Maybe, just maybe once in a blue moon if you knew what you were doing *and* lucky

38mpg - Eurobks

EFA

[sparks_E39]

carl0s said:

sparks_E39 said:

E36 328i. Now you are 21 any BMW that isn't an M will be pretty cheap to insure. I've had my 528 since I was 21. 0-60 about 8 seconds, MPG at 70 mph is 35 if you take it easy, although it will only average that on longer journeys, I've done 40 mpg to a tank before. 200 mile round trip to London and back, no traffic and being gentle cruising at 60-70 mpg was 42ish mpg (verified). Normal tank is 23-25 mpg though.

Add ripped boot floor subframe mounts to the list of expected problem with that one!! Run, don't walk.

You are talking about the E46. I don't think the E36 suffers with that and the E39 certainly doesn't.

[carl0s]

sparks_E39 said:

You are talking about the E46. I don't think the E36 suffers with that and the E39 certainly doesn't.

I heard it was common between the E36 and E46. Let's face it, they're built out of the thinnest of everything possible. Everything breaks after ~5 years. In some cases it's things like the boot floor ripping apart where the subframe mounts.

They still can't even specify suitable wire gauge for the light clusters' ground connection. And that one is common from e36 to e46 and no doubt beyond.

They use types of rubber (for gaskets) that go brittle like plastic when in long term contact with oils.

DISA valve's another failure point.. once again poor/incorrect material choice.

They are nice to drive and a nice place to be though, and lead the way with performance and fuel efficiency.

I could never recommend one as a used car buy to someone who doesn't like tinkering though.

Edited by carl0s on Tuesday 28th February 00:26

[Steameh]

Not fully meeting the criteria, but probably worthy of consideration is a 206 GTi 180.

Given how bloody cheap they are they are an absolute steal.

Well equipped and low mileage 2004 cars for around 2.5k

[PooPoo]

Remapped Octavia vRS (1.8T) 210bhp 38mpg. Get a good one for under 3G.

[carl0s]

Gaz. said:

I've never heard about it on the e36 before.

It doesn't seem to be anything like as common, i.e. "standard feature" like it was on the pre-2001 E46s. Still shoddy if you ask me.

http://www.bimmerforums.co.uk/forum/f17/1994-e36-3...

http://www.driftworks.com/forum/technical/139467-s...

"• TMS reports rear floor and subframe failures on high mileage cars. It starts with a clunking sound but in worst cases the entire rear suspension can fall off the car. So TMS offers reinforcement plates that can be retrofitted to any E36.

Read more: http://www.eurotuner.com/techarticles/eurp_1008_bm...

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/showthread.php?t=...