A quick saloon for ~£8k

[Snubs]

A bit of context before coming on to the car I’m looking to buy. My current car is a 2014 Focus ecodrive with a 1ltr, 3 cylinder turbo knocking out an almighty 123bhp. How has the space-time continuum survived this onslaught of power? We’ll never know. I bought it because it fit the bill at the time. I had recently moved to Cheltenham after 6 years in London, where I didn’t own a car so had zero no claims bonus. I also, for likelythe only time in life, had a job with a company car scheme. So I needed a car where I wouldn’t be spending a fortune to insure the horsepower and was around 3 years old so I could keep it for a few years before it no longer qualified for the company car scheme. I also wanted a petrol as it always seemed likely diesels would be punitively taxed in some way in the future.

The Focus has been an excellent car, but with a few years no claims up my sleeve it time for something with some power. My criteria are:

1. Up to £8k
2. Petrol
3. Saloon / coupe
4. Manual or auto
5. About 250bhp+ or 175bhp per tonne

I used to be a manual die hard, but I’ve used a lot of automatic hire cars over the last 12 months and am increasingly swayed by them. Contenders I’ve come up with to date are:

• Audi A5 3.2TFSI
• Mercedes (W204 facelift) C350
• BMW (E90) 330

Another option would be a Jag of some sort, but build quality would be a worry there. Equally, I’m not sure what the build quality of Mercedes of that era was like. These cars seem to be fairly thin on the ground at the budget I’m looking at. So I'm wondering:

• Anything else I should be considering?
• Are any of the three I’ve shortlisted particularly good/bad?
• Any good examples of these cars viewable from the Gloucestershire area (so roughly encompassing Bristol / Birmingham / Oxford / Cardiff)?

Thoughts most welcome

[Lee540]

• Audi S5
• Mercedes W210 E55 AMG
• BMW 550i

[Angpozzuto]

How about something a bit different
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/284084270791
It seems to tick all the requirements

[BUG4LIFE]

Jag S-Type R. Merc C/CLK55.

[Snubs]

Thanks for the replies. The full bore AMG / R / M cars are tempting, but I'm guessing they would cost a lot to run. I'm quite tempted by the S5, which seems to sit in a sweet spot between the cooking cars and the RS.

I confess I'd never even heard of a Toyota Caldina!

[DaveyBoyWonder]

335i E92 Coupe, if not a 330i. Lovely looking things and engines.

[Pixelpeep Z4]

Would also recommend anything BMW with the N54/N55 engine.. 135/335

[spreadsheet monkey]

Snubs said:

Another option would be a Jag of some sort, but build quality would be a worry there. Equally, I’m not sure what the build quality of Mercedes of that era was like. These cars seem to be fairly thin on the ground at the budget I’m looking at. So I'm wondering:

Jag XFs and XEs are supposed to be pretty well made. I wouldn't worry about build quality if you wanted something different to the usual German suspects.

Out of the cars you've suggested, I'd have an E90 330i. This thread in the BMW section has lots of good advice on common faults and will critique any potential cars you're looking at buying. https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

[Snubs]

Seems to be quite a bit of love for the 330/335. As mentioned in my original post, I'm not adverse to autos these days and would probably pick one by preference in a Merc / Jag / Audi. But with the BMW my gut feel is it should be a manual, which is a bummer as most I've found for sale are autos. Anyone happen to know what the autos are like in those if I went for one? Particularly the E90, which looks like it's a generation or two out of date.

[spreadsheet monkey]

Snubs said:

Anyone happen to know what the autos are like in those if I went for one? Particularly the E90, which looks like it's a generation or two out of date.

My E90 was a manual, but I think modern BMW autos are pretty decent, with the usual caveat of making sure the automatic transmission fluid is changed at 60-80k.

The E90 *is* two generations old, with the G20 3-series now well established. If you extend your budget a bit, you could get an early F30 328i manual which looks more modern, but I think most BMW experts on here would say that these newer turbo engines are more trouble than the N/A six cylinder engines in the E90.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103170...

[Angpozzuto]

Snubs said:

I confess I'd never even heard of a Toyota Caldina!

It's basically a grown up Celica GT four with a newer version of the 3sgte

[PH User]

There are loads of good fun hot hatches for your budget.

[ZX10R NIN]

Firstly the Jaguars in your price point will be as well built as anything else you're considering but there are some cracking slightly leftfield options out there, that are reliable well built quick cars that don't posses the badge to make them you're first thought.

3.2 Alfa Brera Q4 260

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011126...

GS450h 290 a bit of a sleeper but these are quick.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103230...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011095...

Infiniti M35h Premium 300 even more of a sleeper than the Lexus above with a 5.5 0-60

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103069...

Infiniti G37 GT Premium 315 saloon these come with the same sweet 3.7 V6 found in the 370Z,.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012086...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011166...

Coupe

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2010-Infiniti-G-3-7-G37...

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

Volvo S80 T6 SE Lux 300

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202001256...

Insignia VXR 321

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2010-Vauxhall-Insignia-...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2010-Vauxhall-Insignia-...

CL500

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103019...

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

650i

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103170...

3.6 VW CC 296

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103180...

Mainstream:

XF SV8 410

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Jaguar-XF-SV8-4-2-Super...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103170...

4.2 Premium Luxury 294

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103120...

5.0 Portfolio 385

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012046...

335i SE 306

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012137...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102139...

M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102219...

E350cgo Sport 290

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103180...

S6 429

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202009214...

R36 Passat

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103220...

[LordHaveMurci]

Snubs said:

Seems to be quite a bit of love for the 330/335. As mentioned in my original post, I'm not adverse to autos these days and would probably pick one by preference in a Merc / Jag / Audi. But with the BMW my gut feel is it should be a manual, which is a bummer as most I've found for sale are autos. Anyone happen to know what the autos are like in those if I went for one? Particularly the E90, which looks like it's a generation or two out of date.

E90 330i is a lovely car but the auto is a little dim witted. I believe you can have them re-mapped which makes them a little better?

[Snubs]

Loads of great options there, thanks very much

The head is saying BMW 330 / Infiniti, the heart is saying XF SV8 or BMW 650!

[fflump]

650i is a V8 monster and more examples than most in your price range.

[Roboticarm]

Subaru legacy twinscroll, you could get yourself a lovely grade 4 fresh import for that money.
280bhp, 4wd, auto, bilstien suspension.... Proper drivers car and rare too

[Pixelpeep Z4]

Snubs said:

Seems to be quite a bit of love for the 330/335. As mentioned in my original post, I'm not adverse to autos these days and would probably pick one by preference in a Merc / Jag / Audi. But with the BMW my gut feel is it should be a manual, which is a bummer as most I've found for sale are autos. Anyone happen to know what the autos are like in those if I went for one? Particularly the E90, which looks like it's a generation or two out of date.

My z4 e89 35i (N54) is a DCT and the box is wonderful. Found it a little slow on kickdown but nothing deal breaking.

There has recently been developments and there are a few maps out for the DCT box which improve and already peachy box.(imo)

for the 95% of the time you'll be in stop start traffic the DCT will make it effortless, well worth it.

[PH User]

Do we know how much time the OP spends in start stop traffic? If it is 95% of his driving then I would agree that an automatic would be the better choice, but maybe he spends a lot of his driving in free flow roads, so for that I would say get a manual.

[DaveyBoyWonder]

My old 330i was an auto - my first auto but since owned various others and I thought it was decent, even now looking back.

Replying to this on here made me have a look on AT for a cheap E92 - seriously tempted...