Need help. Know nothing bout Euro cars.

[ryan1428]

This is my first post. I'm an American moving to Turkey in a few months. Guess I'm what you call a "piston head". Love my Hot rods but unfortunately big Detroit Muscle is not available in Turkey......at least not at a feasible price.
Looking for a whole new type of hot rods. Looks like I'll be needing something small with a lot of potential to make it "go fast". I know this is a vague question and will probable get a lot of bias answers since everyone thinks there car is the best. But I need to start somewhere and I know nothing of the Euro/Asian cars available in Turkey. Most of the car are not even available in the US so I think the UK is the best place to start since my Turkish is not good enough yet to have a technical conversation with a local forum. Thanks in advance.

[XJ Flyer]

BMW's are as popular there as anywhere else with the tuning scene.Something like an E30 can be fitted with anything from a 6 cylinder 3.6/3.8 M5 engine up to the V12.

[jamieduff1981]

What sort of age of car do you have in mind?

Most new stuff here has tiny little turbocharged engines boosted heavily to produce impressive figures albeit with soul crushing delivery characteristics.

[ryan1428]

Age does not matter but all cars are very expensive in Turkey. Must choose wisely. I would not mind purchasing a car that has an engine swap but don't think I could do an engine swap myself much less find the right engine. Looking for an inexpensive starter that I can bolt on and on and on. Did not consider the BMW. Looked on the local site..... found some e30s. Are they all the same???? Are they quick cars in factory form? Guess that is what I'm looking for..... Ferrari performance with a daihatsu budget. Not trying to be a cheapskate...... my wife would kill me if brought home an expensive car. This will be a second car. Will probably live in the city so the car will probably be on the street. Would like to keep the car under 9000 pounds (roughly 34k lira). Would like to keep it way under that. But if I went to the max number.....would have to be a finished "fast" car right off the bat. This is the popular website used for cars.

http://www.sahibinden.com/category/en/cars

Edited by ryan1428 on Sunday 5th October 06:32

[Krikkit]

For a sky's the limit type car then what about an Impreza or Evo?

[ryan1428]

Would not have started this post with a "sky's the limit" budget. Those are way out of my price range.

[AlmostUseful]

Surely you'd get an Impreza that's already been tuned for under £9k?

[ryan1428]

I do like the impreza. We do have them in the U.S. If I start looking at them. Are there any models and years I should look for and stay away from?

[FreeLitres]

What ever car you get OP, this guy will beat you through the traffic

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uSA8aI0Cbkg

[Raize]

You could get a Nissan Skyline since it's illegal in your home country and all.

[GreigM]

Lots of good jap options above. How much is something like a boxster or 996 in turkey? You'd certainly be into both for £9k in the UK.

[Raize]

http://www.sahibinden.com/en/fiat-coupe

Here we go. The turbo version is a rocket ship once modded, and not too shabby when stock.

[ryan1428]

Porsches are way too much. Always wanted a Skyline, of course they are not available in Turkey. Think cause they are all right hand drive. What kind of HP does the Fiat push out?

[xxChrisxx]

My thoughts on this would be; don't try to replicate the lazy 'big power' feel you get from a muscle car. As you are highly likely to get a poor imitation of what you are used to and it'd leave you disappointed.

Go for something that feels very different. Eg something lightweight you can thrash and string out, high revving NA.

You are moving away from the states, so you can learn to drive round bends now.

[Riknos]

Sorry to hear you're moving to Turkey, it's a bit of a sthole.

Where abouts are you moving to?

[ryan1428]

FreeLitres: That is pretty much a normal taxi driver. You have to be an aggressive drive or your not gonna get very far.If I have been driving a while in Turkey and get back to the states...... people think I drive like a maniac.

BMW e30: Sounds like a nice comfortable luxurious kind of ride.
Subaru impreza: We have em in the states. I know they have a lot of potential.
Fiat Coupe. Fiat is a very popular brand in Turkey. They manufactured a fiat under the name Tofas. Almost every taxi is a Tofas.

The only real exposure to euro performance are the brit tv shows. Have noticed the 205 GTI. Any opinions on this car. Everything I have heard is they are really fun to drive. Know I mentioned the 9k limit but if I end up living in the city and dont have good parking I may have to go for a low profile that may get banged around, door dings, bumpers scuffed from parallel parkers. So I may have to resort to a really small car. Im hoping for I can go for one of the above cars if everything works out.

[RedAndy]

Peugeot 205 is an OLD car now. You're paying top dollar for one in good condition because the rest are all rusty piles of rust. ANd they have a halo about them, but that was 30 years ago. Compared to modern cars ...

It's modern successor is the Ford Puma - this is a "Euro car" - small but revvy engine in a fizzing chassis. just watch for rust. not FAST but FUN. cheap - cos old - and likely rusty. But for smiles... you can't lose.

[skyrover]

How about something totally different to the usual american scene?



basically a go-kart on steroids, and can corner hard enough to eject your spleen.

[ryan1428]

No Caterhams or Ford Pumas available in Turkey. The big reason the car are so expensive is the TAX. So if I tried to import a car I would still have to pay a HEAVY import tax.

[CrutyRammers]

skyrover said:

How about something totally different to the usual american scene?



basically a go-kart on steroids, and can corner hard enough to eject your spleen.

You've not driven in Turkey I'm guessing!
I'd be wanting something with a bit of ground clearance rather than loads of power.