Help needed buying something quick

[tektas]

Hello fellow Pistonheads,

I have an issue which I am not able to resolve by myself.

I currently drive an Alfa Romeo GT 2.0JTS. Nice car, looks good but is not really fast (0-60 8.7s)

I now am on the lookout for something different.

My criteria is quite vague, thats the problem.

I want 350-400hp at the minimum. Does not have to have it right away, modifying is an option. (would quite like that actually)
Reliability is important to me. Even though it will not be a daily driver I want to be able to "trust" the car

I would like to avoid FWD cars.

good ergonomics and "nice" interior. I really came to love the Recaros in the Alfa since I have a bad back (at 24 years old...)

The biggest problem however is that I live in Turkey, where some cars you might recommend either do not exist or are stupidly expensive....

E90 M3 for 75000 pounds anyone?
https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/vasita-otomobil...

I do not mind working on the car myself.
It will be a car for the weekend since I do not need it for the commute to work.

The budget is somewhere around 100.000TL, (25k pound)

Anything under that can be used on modifying right away, anything above it would have to be saved up.

I have found Golf VI Rs and Audi S3s, E36 M3s but since I have never driven any of them I am not sure how easily they would reach my power goal states above.

The link to the biggest second have site is below if someone wants to have a look.
Before anybody asks, importing a car is not an option. Legally literally impossible.
https://www.sahibinden.com/category/en/cars

Fire away Gentlemen

[Grunt Futtock]

Subaru WRX STi already modified to 450hp coming in slightly over your budget?

https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/vasita-otomobil...

[tektas]

Grunt Futtock said:

Subaru WRX STi already modified to 450hp coming in slightly over your budget?

https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/vasita-otomobil...

Would be an option but it seems a bit cheap inside.

I may be mistaken though. Anyone willing to report how the interior is in comparison to a Golf or A3? Is it really as bad as some say? (Plasticy etc)

[Grunt Futtock]

tektas said:

Grunt Futtock said:

Subaru WRX STi already modified to 450hp coming in slightly over your budget?

https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/vasita-otomobil...

Would be an option but it seems a bit cheap inside.

I may be mistaken though. Anyone willing to report how the interior is in comparison to a Golf or A3? Is it really as bad as some say? (Plasticy etc)

From a quick look the Jap stuff in your budget range and with the hp or easily modified to those levels all tends to have a lot of plastic. Maybe a Civic Type R? Would need modifying but the interior is better than the Subaru and it's under budget - https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/vasita-otomobil...

[tektas]

Civic would be FWD which I want to avoid tbh.

How are the Golf VI R / Audi S3 8P? Is the engine in these good and tuneable?

[Grunt Futtock]

tektas said:

Civic would be FWD which I want to avoid tbh.

How are the Golf VI R / Audi S3 8P? Is the engine in these good and tuneable?

Fair enough about the Civic. Not sure about the Audi but I think in the Golf VI R you need to spend a LOT of money to get anything like the power figures you are wanting. I seem to remember it costing about £2500 (pounds, not lira) to get to around 300hp so I would think another 100hp would be very costly.

[tektas]

I guess the same would then apply to the S3 since they both have the EA113 engine IIRC

[Grunt Futtock]

M5 ?

https://www.sahibinden.com/listing/vasita-otomobil...

[Yiliterate]

Maybe the image isn't quite what you are looking for but it's in budget and gives you the bhp you are after (you can also squeeze a bit more power out of it if that's what you want as well):

https://www.sahibinden.com/ilan/vasita-otomobil-ja...

[tektas]

The M5 is quite appealing. Always wanted an E39.

but something with 0-60 in under 5s would be great


The Jaguar is not an option because the spare parts supply is practically nonexistant here. :/ Never mind the image.

[tektas]

I am falling more and more for the lines and idea of an E39 M5.

What is there to look out to? What do I have to inspect?

Is there a maximum mileage for purchasing or for some parts in General?

I am looking to doing as much of the servicing and maintenance myself so it would be good to know these thing so I can do some preventive maintenance.

[rampageturke]

tektas said:

I am falling more and more for the lines and idea of an E39 M5.

What is there to look out to? What do I have to inspect?

Is there a maximum mileage for purchasing or for some parts in General?

I am looking to doing as much of the servicing and maintenance myself so it would be good to know these thing so I can do some preventive maintenance.

worn VANOS (rattle on idle when cold), worn suspension components, digital components on dash having dead pixels (you wont be able to read anything as the pixels are large)

[Ransoman]

What experience do you have with cars above 165bhp and not FWD?

I ask because you are looking for a massive jump in power and with changing the driven wheels, a massive change in characteristics.

If you have no experience then you would be better off doing small jumps in power. I went from a 2.0 tspark GTV to a 3.2 GT V6 and even with a Quaffe differential it is surprising how much more alert you have to be when pressing on. You can't just plant the throttle and the speed builds so fast you then need to slow it down again and you can't just stand on the brakes, not on our roads anyway.

[tektas]

Worn suspension components is a given, since it would apply to every car? Or is the M5 more prone to eating its suspension?

What does the Vanos issue cost? I have seen that Dr. Vanos sells rebuilt Vanos kits vor 3000USD total, is the Vanos issue resolved with that?

Just to make clear why I ask so many questions:

Because the cars here are so freaking expensive in relation to the salary (M5 for me e.g. around 3,5 years worth of salary) I want to know what I get myself into. I know a lot depends on how the previous owner has treated the car. But, better safe than sorry

[rampageturke]

tektas said:

Worn suspension components is a given, since it would apply to every car? Or is the M5 more prone to eating its suspension?

What does the Vanos issue cost? I have seen that Dr. Vanos sells rebuilt Vanos kits vor 3000USD total, is the Vanos issue resolved with that?

Just to make clear why I ask so many questions:

Because the cars here are so freaking expensive in relation to the salary (M5 for me e.g. around 3,5 years worth of salary) I want to know what I get myself into. I know a lot depends on how the previous owner has treated the car. But, better safe than sorry

It's just as with most components relating to an M car like this, suspension refresh is typical of the age but for an M5 it's going to be expensive. a VANOS kit will solve the issue but I think fitting it isn't that easy, it can be a little cramped in there. The VANOS issue isn't that drastic as a rattle is fine, but left for much longer will cause a failure, but the initial rattle isn't anything to worry about, makes it sound like ass though

[tektas]

What Ballpark are we talking about with the suspension? 1500-2000 pounds? More?

[rampageturke]

tektas said:

What Ballpark are we talking about with the suspension? 1500-2000 pounds? More?

I asked these questions some months ago and got pointed to this http://www.pistonheads.com/members/showServiceHist...

might help

[anonymous-user]

How much can you get a V6 AWD Brera for over there? Would fit the brief if you went for one of the supercharger conversions

[tektas]

A V6 Brera would cost around the same as an E39 M5.