Cheap winter ride with some petrolhead dignity?
Discussion
Looking for a cheap winter ride with some petrolhead dignity.
How cheap? In the few hundred Euros range. Let's say under 1K.
What I mean with some petrolhead dignity is that it at least has some sort of redeeming factor about it, besides being just good transportation. For example I have had a Mazda 323 4 door saloon. It was very reliable, never had any problems, great transportation. But it had zero redeeming factors about it. It was ugly, it wasn't any fun, it wasn't any special. It wasn't luxurious. It wasn't fast. It had nothing. I guess the version with some petrolhead dignity would be the 323F BA for example. At least it looks kind of of sporty.
Needs to be cheap, reliable, trouble free type of car. Saloon/sedan or coupe is fine. Not interested in minivans. Not interested in estates/station wagons. Not interested in hatchbacks of the golf, polo, fiesta etc type. But liftbacks or fastbacks such as the 323F BA, Brera, Celica etc are fine. Obviously any sort of open top is out.
Would love RWD but then it would be old mercedes or old bmws. Neither cheap or reliable. So FWD is ok too.
Not too old as I want at least driver airbag and ABS for safety. So probably mid 90's and on?
Something more grown up please. Something fitting to somebody who has small kids. By that I mean something you don't always see teenagers driving with a body kit etc. And the kids don't need to ride in it. Already have a family car. This is to be my beater.
So, mid 90s and newer, cheap, reliable, LHD, 2 or 4 doors saloon or coupe, manual trans, some petrolhead dignity.
Anything?
How cheap? In the few hundred Euros range. Let's say under 1K.
What I mean with some petrolhead dignity is that it at least has some sort of redeeming factor about it, besides being just good transportation. For example I have had a Mazda 323 4 door saloon. It was very reliable, never had any problems, great transportation. But it had zero redeeming factors about it. It was ugly, it wasn't any fun, it wasn't any special. It wasn't luxurious. It wasn't fast. It had nothing. I guess the version with some petrolhead dignity would be the 323F BA for example. At least it looks kind of of sporty.
Needs to be cheap, reliable, trouble free type of car. Saloon/sedan or coupe is fine. Not interested in minivans. Not interested in estates/station wagons. Not interested in hatchbacks of the golf, polo, fiesta etc type. But liftbacks or fastbacks such as the 323F BA, Brera, Celica etc are fine. Obviously any sort of open top is out.
Would love RWD but then it would be old mercedes or old bmws. Neither cheap or reliable. So FWD is ok too.
Not too old as I want at least driver airbag and ABS for safety. So probably mid 90's and on?
Something more grown up please. Something fitting to somebody who has small kids. By that I mean something you don't always see teenagers driving with a body kit etc. And the kids don't need to ride in it. Already have a family car. This is to be my beater.
So, mid 90s and newer, cheap, reliable, LHD, 2 or 4 doors saloon or coupe, manual trans, some petrolhead dignity.
Anything?
Edited by DRVR on Monday 3rd December 16:42
Edited by DRVR on Wednesday 5th December 00:13
I'm not sure how much they are in europe but a 206 GTI is a good shout:
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...
Big ask for a few hundred Euros.
First thing that springs to mind would be a Hyundai Coupe 2.7 V6. It should tick most essential boxes.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
First thing that springs to mind would be a Hyundai Coupe 2.7 V6. It should tick most essential boxes.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
True that there aren't a whole lot of options with these features and fo cheap. But there are some. The prior mentioned 323F BA for example is one.
About the Hyundai, they look nice and are supposedly fun. But over here the ones under 1K are basically trash. Although I have seen the prior generation ones for 1K and in good condition. I kind of like the one with 4 round lights too. I think it looks kind of distinct and characterful. But are these cars reliable?
About the Hyundai, they look nice and are supposedly fun. But over here the ones under 1K are basically trash. Although I have seen the prior generation ones for 1K and in good condition. I kind of like the one with 4 round lights too. I think it looks kind of distinct and characterful. But are these cars reliable?
tektas said:
when talking about a few hundred €s reliability has nothing to do with the brand to be honest.
a 200€ BMW will not be more reliable than a 200€ Alfa.
You are absolutely right. To be honest any BMW is not really more reliable than an Alfa. Alfas are pretty good after a certain age. I have had Alfas.a 200€ BMW will not be more reliable than a 200€ Alfa.
But I think at this price, for reliability and cheap to run and maintain you probably have to go Japanese, Korean etc.
By the way, I think people may be misinterpreting the few hundred € as being 100 or 200. 800 is also a few hundred . It basically means under 1K.
RSTurboPaul said:
Why do you want something 'grown up' and 'fitting for someone with kids'?
Growing up is overrated
and if you're buying cars to keep the neighbours happy rather than yourself...
There's nothing to do with neighbors. It's not even like this here, as I hear it is in the U.S. and maybe UK. No neighbor cares what you drive really.Growing up is overrated
and if you're buying cars to keep the neighbours happy rather than yourself...There are just some cars you basically only see kids driving. They have a bit of a reputation too. I think in the UK the term may be chav. Such as a Calibra for example. Although now as they are getting older that may change at some point. But you know what I mean. This will change according to the region. What may be a teen or chav car there may not be here and vice versa.
But I don't mind something sporty or more exotic. Just don't want something that if you go to McDonalds on a Friday night you will see dozens of driven by teens, with body kits etc.
are RX-8's really a grand now? Zut alors.
Off the top of my head;
Honda Prelude
Honda Civic Coupe
Mondeo ST
Have any Vauxhall Calibras not been crashed / rusted yet?
Rover 216 or 220T coupe (tomcat) - if they still exist
Vauxhall Omega (perhaps not wholly PH but get a V6 and they can be a laugh - for a barge)
Has anyone said Mazda MX-3 / MX-6?
Off the top of my head;
Honda Prelude
Honda Civic Coupe
Mondeo ST
Have any Vauxhall Calibras not been crashed / rusted yet?
Rover 216 or 220T coupe (tomcat) - if they still exist
Vauxhall Omega (perhaps not wholly PH but get a V6 and they can be a laugh - for a barge)
Has anyone said Mazda MX-3 / MX-6?
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