Which V8 estate?

[rainmasterb]

Well, after many deliberations, I've decided that the next car I should buy is a V8 estate. I wont go too deeply into my reasoning, but basically, I want a 'special' car that I can use daily (as opposed to the one I have as a second car currently which only gets weekend use) and for all occasions (wife, kids, dog etc...), and that makes a great noise. Budget is likely to be around £15k. As far as I can see, these are my options and I would appreciate your feedback/suggestions...

Audi S4 Avant - plenty within budget leaving some money to spend on suspension, wheels and brakes

Audi RS6 Avant - mega-power, mega running costs?

C55 AMG - my fave currently

E55 AMG - as RS6?

E55K AMG - just about in budget

Alpina B10 V8 Touring

Knackered-engined E90 touring + knackered-bodied E90 M3?!

Cheers

Edited by rainmasterb on Monday 13th September 16:46

[chrisispringles]

Easy, BMW 545i touring: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1649813.htm

Mercedes build quality of the era you would be buying into is truely shocking and you souldn't touch one with a barge pole unless you buy it cheap and run it until it fails an MOT then throw it away. The RS6 air suspension is well known for failing so you would have to set aside extra for coilovers and the bumrape from messers insurance because it is modified. I do like the idea of putting an M3 V8 into an E60 though... Although, again, you'd better have lube handy when you try and insure it.

[plfrench]

MG ZT-T 260 Estate.

4.6 Mustang Engine. Pretty rare, so ticks that special box, and stick on the X-power sports exhaust and it sounds very good indeed. Plenty of tuning options too. Supercharger and 500bhp+ anyone...

Job done

Edited by plfrench on Monday 13th September 18:10

[anonymous-user]

I remember the ad for the 540 touring from the early nineties

we have put a 4 litre V8 282 hp engine up front, so you have miles more room behind

or something like that, it was a nice play on words

[Rosscow]

chrisispringles said:

Easy, BMW 545i touring: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1649813.htm

Mercedes build quality of the era you would be buying into is truely shocking and you souldn't touch one with a barge pole unless you buy it cheap and run it until it fails an MOT then throw it away. The RS6 air suspension is well known for failing so you would have to set aside extra for coilovers and the bumrape from messers insurance because it is modified. I do like the idea of putting an M3 V8 into an E60 though... Although, again, you'd better have lube handy when you try and insure it.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201020359254569/sort/priceasc/usedcars/engine-size-cars/4l_to_4-9l/body-type/estate/model/5_series/make/bmw/radius/1501/postcode/tn355eh/page/1?logcode=p

[jbi]

Dodge Magnum/300c Touring?




5.7 L V8 EZB HEMI: 340 hp


6.1 L V8 ESF HEMI: 425 hp

* 0-60 mph: 5.1 sec
* 0-100 mph: 11.7 sec
* Standing 1/4-mile: 13.1 sec @ 108 mph (174 km/h)

[plfrench]

To further support the MG case:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1635174.htm

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXd7LmHshHQ

The £5k change in your pocket will get you a nice supercharger conversion...

Edited by plfrench on Monday 13th September 18:19

[Colin Mill]

When it comes to estate cars that produce great noises the flat 6 in the Subaru Legacy 3.0R Spec B Tourer emits rather good Porschesque noises but it's probably not quick enough for you without some serious aftermarket tweeks.

[edo]

plfrench said:

To further support the MG case:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1635174.htm

Oh dear to the Mustang badge on the grille.

[Zordrak]

Alpina B10 Touring?

[Rosscow]

plfrench said:

To further support the MG case:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1635174.htm

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXd7LmHshHQ

The £5k change in your pocket will get you a nice supercharger conversion...

Edited by plfrench on Monday 13th September 18:19

Good God.

What a truly awful looking car.

[W00DY]

rainmasterb said:

Alpina B10 V8 Touring

[Digger]

Spied a highish miler B10 in the classifieds earlier. May have been on AT. Can't remember.

[plfrench]

edo said:

plfrench said:

To further support the MG case:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1635174.htm

Oh dear to the Mustang badge on the grille.

I didn't see that... Agree, not good! This one looks a bit better, but it was sold (only £9500 too):

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1832479.htm

[300bhp/ton]

plfrench said:

MG ZT-T 260 Estate.

4.6 Mustang Engine. Pretty rare, so ticks that special box, and stick on the X-power sports exhaust and it sounds very good indeed. Plenty of tuning options too. Supercharger and 500bhp+ anyone...

Job done

Edited by plfrench on Monday 13th September 18:10

+1 with a few mods it Agassi to be more fun and special than any of the others. TVR with a boot.

[Rosscow]

Apart from the fact it looks like st? Jesus that interior is awful.

It's OK to have a car that sounds great and has 500bhp - but not if it means sitting in a steaming pile of turd with an interior of pure plastic!!

[tr7v8]

Rosscow said:

Apart from the fact it looks like st? Jesus that interior is awful.

It's OK to have a car that sounds great and has 500bhp - but not if it means sitting in a steaming pile of turd with an interior of pure plastic!!

ZT interior is rather nice of the ones I've been in. Dunno what you're comparing it to? It isn't a Jag but then it sold in a different market.

[Eviltad]

W00DY said:

rainmasterb said:

Alpina B10 V8 Touring

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2062736.htm

[Rosscow]

Eviltad said:

W00DY said:

rainmasterb said:

Alpina B10 V8 Touring

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2062736.htm

That looks in excellent condition! Does anyone have the performance spec for one of those to hand?

[Mars]

Colin Mill said:

When it comes to estate cars that produce great noises the flat 6 in the Subaru Legacy 3.0R Spec B Tourer emits rather good Porschesque noises but it's probably not quick enough for you without some serious aftermarket tweeks.

I've got a Hayward & Scott centre section exhaust with a pair of Prodrive tail pipes on my 3 litre Leggy and it still doesn't sound anywhere near as nice as a decent AMG V8. It's deep/bassy but lacks the growl.

There are also very limited tuning options... in fact I can't find ANY. You'd probably have to look into a custom job, and then you're limited to the manual gearbox version as the auto box isn't up to a decent torque increase.

It's a great car and I love mine for the all round competence but it doesn't have the soul of a V8.