PLEASE help me choose: GTV, Celica, FTO or.....

[wolfy1988]

Hi

Wish I knew how to do a poll!!

Right, I have decided to buy a cheap ie 600-1000 project and I want it by Tuesday next week.

The Alfa Romeo GTV 2.0TS
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3126621
The Toyota Celica ST202 - too many to choose from

The Mitsubishi FTO Mivec
http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=4...

I love the GTV and I have never had an Alfa before but the ones that fall in to my price bracket has serious engine woes and I can only find 2 that are in budget

There are plenty of Celica/FTO's to choose from.

Please help me decide as I am an impatient child who is very anxious because I cannot decide!

[nottyash]

Prelude 2.2 VTI manual

[Dave Hedgehog]

scrap together a few hundred more and get this 1 owner RWD drift machine

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3728013.htm

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

I'd forget Italian and highly recommend going Jap at this price bracket my friend!

[Killer2005]

Not owned any of them but heard good things about the FTO Mivec

[wolfy1988]

Dave Hedgehog said:

scrap together a few hundred more and get this 1 owner RWD drift machine

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3728013.htm

Alas I live in Dublin!

What a find though, 1 owner from new!

[wolfy1988]

nottyash said:

Prelude 2.2 VTI manual

Was on the list but no selection over here

[anonymous-user]

GTV for me!

[nottyash]

wolfy1988 said:

nottyash said:

Prelude 2.2 VTI manual

Was on the list but no selection over here

Shame, as its a better car.
I went through all of the others on my shortlist a few years ago.
Alfa, Ive had problems with in the past. Shame as they are good cars.
Celica, unless its the GT4 just doesnt float my boat. Reliable and plentiful for parts though. Make sure its the 170bhp model.
The FTO, is a nice drive with the Mivec manual being the only real choice. I like the styling too, so is my choice out of them.

[wolfy1988]

My Favorites so far, in order are:

1) Alfa GTV
2) Toyota MR2 SW20
3) Mitsubishi FTO Mivec
4) Toyota Celica ST202

I have just emailed this guy with an offer:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2935469

[Dave Hedgehog]

wolfy1988 said:

Dave Hedgehog said:

scrap together a few hundred more and get this 1 owner RWD drift machine

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3728013.htm

Alas I live in Dublin!

What a find though, 1 owner from new!

easyjet 15, drive back

[V8A*ndy]

wolfy1988 said:

My Favorites so far, in order are:

1) Alfa GTV
2) Toyota MR2 SW20
3) Mitsubishi FTO Mivec
4) Toyota Celica ST202

I have just emailed this guy with an offer:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/2935469

Wolfy as your in Dublin are you on Octane.ie? You will get a few pointers on there.

And if you were to find a clean manual version the FTO would get my cash. GTVs are nice but you really need the V6.

[nagsheadwarrior]

I've just bought a GTV TS, guess they're cheaper in the UK as your budget gets a half decent one here.

I love the looks/interior and miraculously mine seems to work perfectly and is free of rot too 1999 120k for 740.

But while it drives fine and is suprisingly grippy and not understeery I cant quite bond with it,just a bit too normal,bit too fwd, think Id punt on the MR2 from your list as a better driving tool if not as pretty as the Alfa, or buy the Alfa to scratch an itch like I did!

[billzeebub]

At this price level the heart says Alfa, the head says Japanese

[leef44]

billzeebub said:

At this price level the heart says Alfa, the head says Japanese

+1

The Alfa, you know you shouldn't be you just want to own one once in your life.

[Japveesix]

A manual FTO GPX will be a good bit quicker than the Alfa T-spark or a celica GT, and it should sound far better to boot. Celica seems to be 7.9 to 60, Alfa around 8 seconds and the FTO in just 6.9 (ish). Don't buy an Auto or a GS as they're really slow and disappointing.

Personally (very biased here) think the FTO is a better looking car than the celica, especially a facelift car, and a better looker than an Alfa unless the Alfa has Aeropack and spoiler.

Insurance will be more for an FTO because they're all imports (it really isn't cheap), celica insurance is a lot cheaper, not sure about the T-spark.

Expect 30-32mpg from a manual mivec if you never drive in towns and never press the accelerator. I get about 27/28mpg average with some major hooning but also a lot of 50-60mph A road and motorway cruising. Can easily get it down to well under 25mpg if I drive it hard.

If you do get an FTO buy a nice un-barried one, they've almost all been ruined by idiots but I'm yet to see a modified car that looks anywhere near as good as a nice standard exmaple (with some decent aftermarket alloys).

Do put a nice exhaust on it as it'll really make the engine sing.

I also considered Fiat coupes (faster, just as rare but possibly more expensive to run), preludes (couldn;t find a nice low mileage exmaple) and 406 coupes (all massively high mileage and not very quick, but classier (more grown up) than some rivals). Or get an Integra, though your budget will get you far more for your money with an FTO/Celica, integras seem to command silly premiums.

Ps. Alfa interior is nicer (more modern layout) and the leather seats are lovely. Celica is more dated and the FTO is somewhere in between, seats are comfy (but a bit cheap looking) and the dials etc are quite "sporty".

FTO is also a lot more practical than the Alfa in terms of room. Rear seats are bigger (though still not for grown-ups) and come out very easily (I often put my mountainbike in the back of mine) and the boot is probably 3 times the size, the Alfa boot is just silly.

Edited by Japveesix on Thursday 15th March 23:04

[wolfy1988]

Bought a new toy......

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

wolfy1988 said:

Bought a new toy......

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Nice work - looks like fun.

Post some more pics on here in the daylight please including the interior, ta

[TRUENOSAM]

GTV out of the list but my money would be on a mk2 mr2