Discussion
OK, so my car's a writeoff and I need a new one.
The budget: £3k (£4 absolute max)
The plan: Run an old ('97 / 80k) but fun coupe for three years then shop it in and upgrade to my dream machine (ie resale value important so no mods).
The contenders:
Nissan 200SX
Honda Prelude VTi
Celica GT (94 to 99 generation)
I've tested a few dogs in the last couple of days, but I've just this morning tested a Celica. It's absolutely mint. I spent nearly an hour in it and under it and I'd have guessed it had done half its 80k miles. It's just had a full service, new discs and exhaust. Perfect.
BUT (oh why oh why??) ...
It's that absolutely awful light blue-green colour some muppet at Toyota allowed them to be painted in!
So do I buy it?
The budget: £3k (£4 absolute max)
The plan: Run an old ('97 / 80k) but fun coupe for three years then shop it in and upgrade to my dream machine (ie resale value important so no mods).
The contenders:
Nissan 200SX
Honda Prelude VTi
Celica GT (94 to 99 generation)
I've tested a few dogs in the last couple of days, but I've just this morning tested a Celica. It's absolutely mint. I spent nearly an hour in it and under it and I'd have guessed it had done half its 80k miles. It's just had a full service, new discs and exhaust. Perfect.
BUT (oh why oh why??) ...
It's that absolutely awful light blue-green colour some muppet at Toyota allowed them to be painted in!
So do I buy it?
Elsarius said:
The contenders:
Nissan 200SX
Honda Prelude VTi
Celica GT (94 to 99 generation)
Nissan 200SX
Honda Prelude VTi
Celica GT (94 to 99 generation)
Interesting list
For £3k you could get a tidy 94-96 200SX (S14 shape) whic is what I would choose out of that list.
but then I am biased, and I do like forced induction cars
BTW, its the 6th Generation Celica you're looking at
There are oodles of GT's around for that sort of price with the same mileage or lower in the same condition. Now you know you like them and have tried one, look for a better colour. I'm guessing it's the 'Tropicana' turquoise that you've been looking at *bleugh*
The SX is also one of my faves - but as an ex Celica owner and current GT4 driver, I'm biased towards the Celica.
The SX is also one of my faves - but as an ex Celica owner and current GT4 driver, I'm biased towards the Celica.
Gazboy said:
I'd have the Prelude VTi/Montegi myself.
Thought you put "Montego" there for a minute
Instant flashback to my Dad's old white Maestro ... AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!!
(No one here is a member of the Maestro & Montego Owner's Club, are they?)
Edited by Elsarius on Monday 5th February 22:23
iaint said:
If we're talking the St205 Celica then I'd say go for it. Really really good car.
Alas no he's talking the GT - a very good car, just not the power and control of the 4.
Or the petrol consumption either..........
And to wadeski who said the 4 was insipid and suggested a Pulsar/MR2/SX as an alternative.........WTF? The Pulsar isn't a coupe, it's small and nowhere near as comfy/reliable/driveable etc, the MR2 is a great car but if he wants a coupe he wants a bit more space than an MR2 - they're two different beasts, one's a RWD fire breathing dragon, the other is a 4WD speed demon that'll use corners for flossing. The SX is the really only good alternative suggestion, I feel it's a bit more of an enthusiasts car and slight more basic on the interior, but a damn good car all the same. It really depends on what this guy wants.
Re. resprays, I had my Celica ST fully resprayed from black to dark green (standard Toyota colour), with full kit fitting, for £1100. The further north you go the cheaper it is too - there are places supposedly around Newcastle etc that can do it for about £500.
bint said:
iaint said:
If we're talking the St205 Celica then I'd say go for it. Really really good car.
Alas no he's talking the GT - a very good car, just not the power and control of the 4.
Or the petrol consumption either..........
And to wadeski who said the 4 was insipid and suggested a Pulsar/MR2/SX as an alternative.........WTF? The Pulsar isn't a coupe, it's small and nowhere near as comfy/reliable/driveable etc, the MR2 is a great car but if he wants a coupe he wants a bit more space than an MR2 - they're two different beasts, one's a RWD fire breathing dragon, the other is a 4WD speed demon that'll use corners for flossing. The SX is the really only good alternative suggestion, I feel it's a bit more of an enthusiasts car and slight more basic on the interior, but a damn good car all the same. It really depends on what this guy wants.
Re. resprays, I had my Celica ST fully resprayed from black to dark green (standard Toyota colour), with full kit fitting, for £1100. The further north you go the cheaper it is too - there are places supposedly around Newcastle etc that can do it for about £500.
I'm thinking a comfort/fun balance that my insurer can stomach (still on my probationary period until August ... parents couldn't afford a car or lessons so I had to wait until I was out of uni and earning some moneh). Plus, it does need to do Yorkshire to Kent and back two or three times a month (which my old Almera did each way in 2hr 45 and a whole tank of fuel!)
As for a £500 respray, I shall have to take a closer look around Newcastle next time I'm there on business!
In 1991 i had a new 200SX, in black. I thot it looked the dogs b*ll*cks. I think that shape still does, and looks as great as it did when new.
Very comfortable. Bit of turbo lag but i loved the way it drove.
Always thot that if i had a few grand to spend on an old sports car, it would be the 200Sx. It's not the best drivers car by some margin, but i just think it doesnt look dated, and you'd be hard pressed to get something as quick for the same money. Aslo, it's Japanese, so build quality good.
Hardest thing tho, like any car of any age or make, is finding one that's been looked after.
cheers
Nick
PS> i only took me 4 weeks after getting it, to crash it
But thewn, i was in my 20's and drove like an idiot.... (now i confine myself to a 500bhp Merc
Very comfortable. Bit of turbo lag but i loved the way it drove.
Always thot that if i had a few grand to spend on an old sports car, it would be the 200Sx. It's not the best drivers car by some margin, but i just think it doesnt look dated, and you'd be hard pressed to get something as quick for the same money. Aslo, it's Japanese, so build quality good.
Hardest thing tho, like any car of any age or make, is finding one that's been looked after.
cheers
Nick
PS> i only took me 4 weeks after getting it, to crash it
But thewn, i was in my 20's and drove like an idiot.... (now i confine myself to a 500bhp Merc Edited by nickb55 on Wednesday 7th February 14:16
[quote=Elsarius
I'm thinking a comfort/fun balance that my insurer can stomach (still on my probationary period until August ... parents couldn't afford a car or lessons so I had to wait until I was out of uni and earning some moneh). Plus, it does need to do Yorkshire to Kent and back two or three times a month (which my old Almera did each way in 2hr 45 and a whole tank of fuel!)
As for a £500 respray, I shall have to take a closer look around Newcastle next time I'm there on business!
[/quote]
Then you want the Celica. The SX is the next car you should buy after building up the NCB on the Celica. The Celica is bomb proof and even if it does go wrong the parts are so cheap and easily accessible it doesn't matter too much. Economy wise, the ST is better, has more grunt lower down than the GT and can be quicker initially if you decat etc. But the GT is quicker top end. The interiors are the same, the ST doesn't always have a spoiler either.
I'll do what I always do and recommend www.celica-club.co.uk as a source of wisdom, parts, discounts, gossip and cars for sale.
I'm thinking a comfort/fun balance that my insurer can stomach (still on my probationary period until August ... parents couldn't afford a car or lessons so I had to wait until I was out of uni and earning some moneh). Plus, it does need to do Yorkshire to Kent and back two or three times a month (which my old Almera did each way in 2hr 45 and a whole tank of fuel!)
As for a £500 respray, I shall have to take a closer look around Newcastle next time I'm there on business!
[/quote]
Then you want the Celica. The SX is the next car you should buy after building up the NCB on the Celica. The Celica is bomb proof and even if it does go wrong the parts are so cheap and easily accessible it doesn't matter too much. Economy wise, the ST is better, has more grunt lower down than the GT and can be quicker initially if you decat etc. But the GT is quicker top end. The interiors are the same, the ST doesn't always have a spoiler either.
I'll do what I always do and recommend www.celica-club.co.uk as a source of wisdom, parts, discounts, gossip and cars for sale.
Well, the lack of a car was getting increasingly problematic, so I took the turquoise Celica for a good road test and bought it (£2695). The condition is stupidly good; I think the previous owner really loved this car. Still considering a respray though.
Thinking about it, going for a car that colour is a good idea -- let's face it, it's NOT going to have been owned by anyone likely to thrash it!!
Has a nice CD player too.
Oh, and according to the garage it was a part-ex for a Subaru Forester; apparently the owner bought a dog (!)
Thinking about it, going for a car that colour is a good idea -- let's face it, it's NOT going to have been owned by anyone likely to thrash it!!
Has a nice CD player too.
Oh, and according to the garage it was a part-ex for a Subaru Forester; apparently the owner bought a dog (!)
Edited by Elsarius on Thursday 8th February 18:10
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