Ooooh look, another 'what car' thread!

[callahan]

First up, sorry for posting yet another of these threads, but I am interminably indecisive.

I have just changed jobs, so now have a nice sensible Volvo V50 D5 which covers my family (wife and 2 kids) needs perfectly well, but will be changing to something better before Autumn, with a bit of luck.

My other car is a Merc C36 AMG and was always used as the 'sensible' family car before, but is now a bit redundant. Having just been on a Palmersport half day (and come back with an armful of trophies ) I have a taste for track/spirited driving again, but the C36's auto gearbox just isn't cutting it. It's nice and fast, but a 4 speed auto makes cornering a bit interesting, in a rubbish kind of way.

So, I'm looking to replace my family car but an MX5 is out of the question as we need 5 seats with seatbelts and preferably four doors as my wife is a childminder and needs to ferry kids around town during the week.

Thoughts so far are a 330i saloon like this http://pistonheads.com/sales/1591245.htm - bad on fuel? A bit numb to drive?

An X type like this http://pistonheads.com/sales/1592503.htm - dull? Thirsty?

I've also been looking at Renaultsport Meganes (unreliable?), Accord Type Rs (usually leggy and terrible on fuel) and Octavia Vrsessess.

Any other ideas? Has anyone seen any great cars for good prices that are practical enough for my wife to use, but fun for me on weekends and for occasional track days? Budget is around £7k max and I would prefer to be able to trade my Merc in as part of the deal.

See what I mean about the indecisive bit? Thanks for any help.

[mybrainhurts]

You need an MX5 with a trailer...

Ask Cara Van Man, he knows about this stuff...

[Wadeski]

Subaru / Evo would fit the bill, although thirsty. Accord Type-R is quite hoonworthy.

Or a four-door E36 M3. Or a hot Mondeo. Or an M5.

Anything Non-//M from the Germans likely to be a bit...numb on a track, short of spending megabucks.

Bonkers tuned Saab 9000 or Vulva turbo (think big engine build, coilovers, big brakes) could be fun.

[Matt UK]

callahan said:

Thoughts so far are a 330i saloon like this http://pistonheads.com/sales/1591245.htm - bad on fuel? A bit numb to drive?

If you are considering that particular car, it may be in your interests to research that seller on PH/Google. HTH

[callahan]

Matt UK said:

callahan said:

Thoughts so far are a 330i saloon like this http://pistonheads.com/sales/1591245.htm - bad on fuel? A bit numb to drive?

If you are considering that particular car, it may be in your interests to research that seller on PH/Google. HTH

Well spotted, I'll be giving them a wide berth....

So the suggestions so far are an MX5 with trailer, Evo and Scooby, or a bonkers tuned Swedish monster. I love PH

E36 M3 is an idea though, I wonder what financial horrors I could let myself in for there. Hmmmm....

Any thoughts on the Jag, they seem to be a real bargain?

[callahan]

Shortlist so far is

X Type 3.0

E36 M3

E46 330i saloon

Octavia Vrs

Any opinions comparing the above? Mostly for 'fast road' use, but perhaps the odd track day too.... and it needs to be fairly reliable for childminding duties.

Thanks

[scotty_d]

A rally rep wont be any worse on fuel than the Merc And 4 doors 5 seats lots of fun and grip

[The Black Duke]

callahan said:

Shortlist so far is

X Type 3.0

E36 M3

E46 330i saloon

Octavia Vrs

Any opinions comparing the above? Mostly for 'fast road' use, but perhaps the odd track day too.... and it needs to be fairly reliable for childminding duties.

Thanks

Mazda RX8?

EDITED TO SAY If you could live with 4 seats?

Edited by The Black Duke on Monday 29th March 11:23

[callahan]

Have you seen the RX8 thread?! It needs a fifth seat too - only for about 5 minutes a week, but there you go.

Rally rep is a good idea, I particularly love old Scoobies, but they seem to be pretty knackered for my budget and therefore expensive long term! Also, the car will be used five days a week for short runs around town which will probably do a turbocharged car no good at all.

Still tempting though..... off to the classifieds again....

[TheD]

You have a good short-list there but my money would go on the Jag. Really nice inside. Plenty room. Nippy enough. Cheap to run (ish)

[Twincam16]

Alfa Romeo 159 Q4 3.2 SportWagon?

With this generation of models, Alfa have completely nailed their reliability issues (which were never as bad as BMW owners made out, 164-onwards, anyway).

[callahan]

TheD said:

You have a good short-list there but my money would go on the Jag. Really nice inside. Plenty room. Nippy enough. Cheap to run (ish)

I haven't driven any Jags other than my old X300 XJR which was fast but a bit too barge-like - I assume the X type is a bit more Mondeo-esque (in a good way) so a bit more involving to drive?

[callahan]

Twincam16 said:

Alfa Romeo 159 Q4 3.2 SportWagon?

With this generation of models, Alfa have completely nailed their reliability issues (which were never as bad as BMW owners made out, 164-onwards, anyway).

I love Alfas (and Jags) but isn't a 159 a bit out of my budget range? I had a 156v6 for a whille and loved it, but it was never the most involving car to drive, the suspension being the main culprit. Great noise though.

[Lefty Two Drams]

callahan said:

X Type 3.0

Aren't they all blotto-matics?

My FiL had one and to be honest it was quite a nice thing to drive. I wouldn't have one because I really dislike the styling (Painfully middle-aged and i'm not. Yet) and it's not as spacious as the Mondeo it's based on.

For fast road / track use I'd be very tempted by the e36 M3. You ought to get an s4 (the 2.7 tt model) for that money though which would be nice. The avant especially looks very fresh still.

[havoc]

Why do you need 2 practical cars?!? And would a decent-booted coupe do you?!?

If so, then a DC5 ITR would be perfect - 30mpg+, practical every day, yet superbly capable on track and a lot quicker on-road than 220bhp would suggest...

[callahan]

Lefty Two Drams said:

callahan said:

X Type 3.0

Aren't they all blotto-matics?

My FiL had one and to be honest it was quite a nice thing to drive. I wouldn't have one because I really dislike the styling (Painfully middle-aged and i'm not. Yet) and it's not as spacious as the Mondeo it's based on.

For fast road / track use I'd be very tempted by the e36 M3. You ought to get an s4 (the 2.7 tt model) for that money though which would be nice. The avant especially looks very fresh still.

There are a few manuals around, which is the most important criteria for me. I'm not that keen on the styling either, but the interior is nice and jag-like.

I'm a bit worried about the age and fragility of the e36 M3, but the S4 might be a good call - aren't they a bit numb and nose heavy to drive?

[Lefty Two Drams]

callahan said:

Lefty Two Drams said:

callahan said:

X Type 3.0

Aren't they all blotto-matics?

My FiL had one and to be honest it was quite a nice thing to drive. I wouldn't have one because I really dislike the styling (Painfully middle-aged and i'm not. Yet) and it's not as spacious as the Mondeo it's based on.

For fast road / track use I'd be very tempted by the e36 M3. You ought to get an s4 (the 2.7 tt model) for that money though which would be nice. The avant especially looks very fresh still.

There are a few manuals around, which is the most important criteria for me. I'm not that keen on the styling either, but the interior is nice and jag-like.

I'm a bit worried about the age and fragility of the e36 M3, but the S4 might be a good call - aren't they a bit numb and nose heavy to drive?

My mistake, I didn't know they did the 3.0 with a manual box.

I haven't driven one of those s4's but I wouldn't have thought it would be all that different to the x-type - 4wd and a heavy v6 over the front axle...

Like i said, the x-type is actually a nice thing to drive, surprisingly direct steering and it sounds good. Understeer still the name of the game though. Not sure I'd be choosing one for a fast road/track car though...

How about an Impreza/Lancer Evo?

Or, as has been said, a 5 seat coupe? Are Monaros down to this kind of money yet?

Or, if the E36 puts you off because of reliability, how about an E46 328 or 330?


ETA

Oops, just realised you had the e46 in your first post! Having checked the classifieds teh cheapest Monaro seems to be around £10k.

So e46 or Imprevo would be the obvious chocies I reckon.

Edited by Lefty Two Drams on Monday 29th March 13:57

[callahan]

Lefty Two Drams said:

My mistake, I didn't know they did the 3.0 with a manual box.

I haven't driven one of those s4's but I wouldn't have thought it would be all that different to the x-type - 4wd and a heavy v6 over the front axle...

Like i said, the x-type is actually a nice thing to drive, surprisingly direct steering and it sounds good. Understeer still the name of the game though. Not sure I'd be choosing one for a fast road/track car though...

How about an Impreza/Lancer Evo?

Or, as has been said, a 5 seat coupe? Are Monaros down to this kind of money yet?

Or, if the E36 puts you off because of reliability, how about an E46 328 or 330?

ETA

Oops, just realised you had the e46 in your first post! Having checked the classifieds teh cheapest Monaro seems to be around £10k.

So e46 or Imprevo would be the obvious chocies I reckon.

Edited by Lefty Two Drams on Monday 29th March 13:57

Although a 3 litre X Type for £4.5k from a main dealer could still be tempting: http://www.marshallweb.co.uk/vehiclespec.asp?ID=14...

However, e46 or Scooby look like the best ones to look out for, although an Octavia Vrs is strangely tempting.... test drive time I think.

[Wadeski]

X-type and 330i really wont be that exciting to drive. Refined, yes...but not exactly something you wake up on a sunday morning looking forward to hoon. Which kind of defeats the point of having a second car?

At 5k, you will need to accept some risk as you will be buying an older performance car - the old maxim of "fast, reliable, cheap - choose two" still stands.

[callahan]

Wadeski said:

X-type and 330i really wont be that exciting to drive. Refined, yes...but not exactly something you wake up on a sunday morning looking forward to hoon. Which kind of defeats the point of having a second car?

At 5k, you will need to accept some risk as you will be buying an older performance car - the old maxim of "fast, reliable, cheap - choose two" still stands.

Yeah, good point. I'm worried about changing car and actually not getting much better than the Merc.

However, I went for a quick test drive in an Impreza 'blobeye' (55 reg) this afternoon and had a jolly good time. I'm very tempted to stretch to it (it's 7,995 but had 79k on the clock, but with fsh and a service just done) but know surprisingly little about a car I have loved for about 15 years. Anyone have a quick '10 impreza facts' or similar to save me from trawling the Scooby forums?

Thanks