Best sounding sub £1500 car?

[Faxo]

I like to change my cars often, and as Mrs Faxo drives the (obviously leased) family Tiguan, I like to spend less than £1500 each time

I currently drive a brilliant Mondeo ST TDCi estate, next I fancy something that sounds really good. I’m not talking Corsa’s with a back box on, I’m talking cool standard, or maybe a small exhaust tweak

So, what are the best sounding cars for less than £1500?

[JamesRR]

Maybe an E46 320i, 325i or 330i? All proper NA BMW straight 6s and easily gotten in your budget.

[Faxo]

JamesRR said:

Maybe an E46 320i, 325i or 330i? All proper NA BMW straight 6s and easily gotten in your budget.

Standard, or with a tweek?

[aaron_2000]

I was gonna suggest an Impreza 2000 Turbo, somebody should've told me they went up. If it's for sound then a Golf V5. I'd say go grab a 325i though.

[JamesRR]

Faxo said:

JamesRR said:

Maybe an E46 320i, 325i or 330i? All proper NA BMW straight 6s and easily gotten in your budget.

Standard, or with a tweek?

They sound pretty decent standard, but I think they’re one of the BMWs you can do the ‘Golf Tee Mod’ too which permanently opens a flap in the exhaust that’s normally controlled by gas pressure and so only usually opens at higher revs.

Another thought, would you get a VTEC swapped EK civic for the money you want to spend? I understand that doing such a thing might well resemble some sort of crisis if you’re more than about 25, but just a thought!

[MalcolmSmith]

At that money an Alfa 156 V6 24V, operatic,

Not much torque though but you wont beat the noise.

[J4CKO]

To be honest a Vectra V6 with a decent exhaust sounds magnificent, a lot of it is down to having > 4 cylinders and an exhaust that allows the engine to be vocal.

[S2WYA]

Mk3 Golf VR6, maybe even a ropey Corrado?

[aaron_2000]

Could get a tattyish Impreza 2000 Turbo for that money, probably the quickest car for the money too.

[Its Just Adz]

S2WYA said:

Mk3 Golf VR6, maybe even a ropey Corrado?

I was gonna say VR6, doubt you would get a Corrado for that now though.

[anonymous-user]

What about any Volvo with the 5 pot engine?

[TameRacingDriver]

J4CKO said:

To be honest a Vectra V6 with a decent exhaust sounds magnificent, a lot of it is down to having > 4 cylinders and an exhaust that allows the engine to be vocal.

Someone local to me had one a while back, I remember going up to the window when i heard it coming expecting to see something a lot better than a vectra; sounded better than it had any right to!

[cylinderfin]

Any early 5-pot Volvo (850 then), Lexus IS200, early VR5 & VR6 Volks, old 6cyl Beemers and anything with 3 cylinders.

[JamesRR]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Could even consider, shock horror! a diesel. The D5 motor sounds well, especially with silencers cut out. Could likely get an original shape S60 for the money, or an early S40/V50

[anonymous-user]

JamesRR said:

Maybe an E46 320i, 325i or 330i? All proper NA BMW straight 6s and easily gotten in your budget.

Or even better, a 325ti SE
ETA: none of the rust issues of the coupe & saloon, lighter, purple tag steering rack, closer gearbox ratios, no subframe mounting issues and worth a lot less!

Edited by anonymous-user on Saturday 3rd March 23:57

[aaron_2000]

These

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.gumtree.com/p/subaru/subaru-impreza-tu...

[Mr Tidy]

eezeh said:

Or even better, a 325ti SE
ETA: none of the rust issues of the coupe & saloon, lighter, purple tag steering rack, closer gearbox ratios, no subframe mounting issues and worth a lot less!

Edited by eezeh on Saturday 3rd March 23:57

Last week you could have bought my 325ti Sport in that budget - and Compacts don't need the golf-tee mod as they don't have the exhaust valve all the other E46s have. Too late now though!

[Strudul]

S-Type V8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NADd9zwLAk

[Zad]

In top place for sound at the family hatch end of the market is probably the V6 Busso engined cars from Alfa Romeo. But not at £1500... Not one that actually works anyway.

In second place, any of the V6 Mondeos! Upside is maintainability, fantastic chassis. Downside is people go "its only a Mondeo". Normally the standard exhaust is quiet, but a Milltek etc brings it to life. £2k would get you a 3 litre Mk 3.

[mike74]

Stilo Abarth has a fantastic sounding 5 pot, especially with an exhaust tweak