Something slightly interesting for £1,000 or less

[NadiR]

If you drive it like you stole it, like most chavs in Imprezas, then it will break like any other car. But the Impreza is a reliable car that shouldn't give you any problems if you service it, and look after it well.

[JameshGT]

NA MR2? a few are about for near the 1k mark

[deltashad]

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

2000 Honda Prelude 2.0i
Only 56k miles, unfortunately only an auto but it should be reliable and I quite like them.

[ShawCrossShark]

306 XSi, saw a nice one for £900 last week. Reasonably quick and they handle very nicely

Failing that I would say 156 but make sure it's a good one

[Vince70]

Go for a ford Cougar rather than a Puma/Fiesta that's what I did twice lol.
The Puma is a nice little car but you will not find one without the dreaded rust coming through on the rear wheel arches and also underneath the car.
The cougar is just that much better screwed together also both examples I have owned never had a any rust, plus you get some decent toys with the Cougar such as heated leather and climate control.

I still miss my cougar now, the only reason I sold mine was due to being made redundant.

[graham22]

Can you stretch your budget a little:

http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Flaming awaited.....

[Aphex]

You could get yourself a nice mk3 golf for that money.

16v so 150bhp, heated leather for your budget, can squeeze 40 mpg from them and I found them to be very reliable.

If you can get over the looks obviously.

[Pat H]

Gruber said:

Pat H said:

On the other hand, earlier this year I bought this for £1000 and it was great fun.

I had no idea these were so cheap... are they any good?

Not built like a BMW or a Honda, but in my opinion are better than the French stuff.

Drive nicely, with lovely Twinspark engines.

Problems as follows:

Expensive to insure.
Ludicrously expensive to tax.
Cam belt tensioner fails.
Variator fails.
Gear linkage fails.
Suspension bushes wear.

For what you get they are very cheap indeed. But they are not cheap to fettle.

The cambelt/tensioner needs changing religiously at 36,000/3 years. Ebay is full of Twinspark Alfas with mashed engines caused by cambelt neglect.

The belt kit is only about £70, but you are a fool if you don't do the waterpump as well. They are only £30.

But the variator will usually need changing at the same time. They are £115. Then there is the auxilliary belt, which is another £20.

And you will find that the plugs have never been changed. And there are eight of the buggers, which is another £40.

I may only have paid a grand for the 147, but it cost another £400 to give it a really thorough cambelt service, and I did all the spannering myself.

But it was fun to drive and I would buy another tomorrow without hesitation.

Look for a three door with lovely Momo leather and 16" wheels.

[Captain Muppet]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I had a 1986 RX7 as a daily driver last year. It was the second slowest car I've owned, but also one of the most fun. Engine was fine, but a rusty chassis stopped it getting another MOT so I only had it for a year.

Ace car for £600. 19mpg wasn't so bad, once I gor used to it. Also it's not like petrol is going to be cheaper any time soon, so if you are going to get a guzzler get one now.

[Toro Rosso]

jbi said:

MX-5

they are out there.

At the risk of a whoosh parrot, RTFQ?!

[Bacon Is Proof]

5 dr Honda Civic 1.8 VTi.

170BHP
LSD
Easily over 30mpg, I thrashed mine and averaged 29.9mpg over 2 years.
8,400rpm redline.

Suspension is a bit soft, but handling balance isn't bad.

[DHE]

Peugeot 406 Coupe 3.0 V6. Proper four seater, just make sure the cambelt has been changed.

[bicycleshorts]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I bought a 260bhp WRX for £1100.

It lasted 2 weeks before the head gasket blew

ETA: Thought about BMW 3 and 5 series?

[Pat H]

[redacted]

[FussyFez]

Civic vti-s mb5 (i think) shape. B18C engine out of the dc2 teg type r.

[braddo]

A lex said:

Unless you are extremely lucky a 1000quid GTV will cost you 3x that in the first few months putting it right - same goes for the Fiat Coupe.

Lovely cars, but they cant be run on the cheap (as a lot of owners are currently finding out!) and then flogging on.

Another PH guy has had a similar experience (Batty?) - a multiple of the original purchase price disappeared pretty quickly from memory!

[FussyFez]

Bacon Is Proof said:

5 dr Honda Civic 1.8 VTi.

170BHP
LSD
Easily over 30mpg, I thrashed mine and averaged 29.9mpg over 2 years.
8,400rpm redline.

Suspension is a bit soft, but handling balance isn't bad.

Just seen this...

Only difference is the s had an extended body kit.

[Kozy]

FussyFez said:

Civic vti-s mb5 (i think) shape. B18C engine out of the dc2 teg type r.

A B18 it might be, but a DC2 engine it is not.

[Twincam16]

'Widebody' Alfa Romeo 155 2.0TS?

Almost everything a GTV is, only with proper rear seats, rear doors, a huge boot and a great enigmatic thanks to evil, brooding styling, BTCC heritage and the fact the diesel wasn't sold over here.

Cheap to tax, very well-made, great fun to drive, and you can buy the best for the price of a knackered GTV.

I know this because I was in precisely the same position looking for a Fiat Coupe or a GTV and all I could find was tired examples, then the 155 came up and I kept it for four years. Superb car.

[excel monkey]

Something interesting for under a grand? If only PH could run a weekly feature on this subject!

Saracasm aside, how about a Mk2 Golf GTI or an E30 3-series? Both covered by SOTW in the past...

Edited by excel monkey on Thursday 26th April 12:37