What Car should I get

I couldn't give a stuff about reliability. Ha. I drive an alfa on purpose ffs ha ha.

Audi TT is out. Not a genuine 4 seater imo. Nice car though.

Ya, did the passat thing, a boat on wheels and boring. Still not ruled out.

Focus ST, now there's an idea, bit old maybe???, I forgot about Ford. I own a Mondeo so I dunno why ha.
The MG's I cant warm to at all, shame as they are not bad (they like head gaskets though). They just seem to be out there, and I rather a sleeper car.


The jap blanket ban is there because ive never had fun in a jap car. Driven Imprezas and Evos and all the Hondas and I cant warm to them. No idea why, cant explain it. Nothing against them.

Other options ive seen

Polo GTI (rare as fook)
106 gti (too old, so good, but my feet are too big)
206 gti (just....not....gti enough. Had a 205 gti so that may have ruined me.
Seat leon cupra. (same car as the octavia and golf really)



What am i missing????

job seeker wrote: »

Fiat coupe
Lupo GTI
Fiesta ST

You're really limiting yourself for choice once you exclude all Japanese IMO...

I LOVE the FIAT Coupe, so tempted to buy one recently, but all are older than 2004.

Lupo gti, rare as the polo gti, id love one. But a tad small. The 4 seater thing is down to me having to ferry the sprog around on occasion.

Fiesta ST, A genuine contender. Get one for under €2500???

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I'm not on about the diesel, the red i in the petrol version is 180bhp 6 speed as opposed to the 150bhp 5 speed in the normal Gti.

You are forgiven. lol

Same engine as the Octavia VRS then???

yep, not ruling out the Passat. Really handles s4it though.

job seeker wrote: »

Ya, older than 2004. But thought you'd make an acceptation.

I would but anything older than 2001 and it becomes a bugger to insure. Beautiful car though. Id nearly buy an early model and keep it until it becomes classic.

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I reckon the b5.5 Passat, it's the conformist option.

See it is an option, but I've had one........that marks it down.

ba_barabus wrote: »

Saab 95 Linear Sport 2T

Saab.........always liked em. How are they for parts these days???

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

But you keep saying you want something interesting, fun, with a revvy petrol, it's none of those things and if you think japanese cars have a sterile interior the Passat s, not one to talk...

I think, genuinely, if you are serious about wanting a fun car with a €2.5k upper budget, you either really need to include japs or drop the no older than 04 rule. Otherwise you will end up in something cat.

When I say revvy, I mean not a 4000rpm rev limit from a diesel ha. And when I said sterile, I meant the feeling I got, rather than just the interior.

Ok, so far, I think the Golf GTI or Skoda Octavia VRS are front runners. 150-180 reliable BHP with an option of remapping (not a fan of it unless done right)

So given I'm into sleeper cars that don't scream "look at me, I'm very fast", what Jap car would you suggest that would give me the same bang for my buck??

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

a 1.8t Passat has a 6k rev limit, so i would struggle to call that a rev happy car either, just saying. i know being turbo you are getting good power low down, but realistically i don't think 130-150bhp in a Passat sized car will ever have it considered a sleeper, you'd have an e46 320d blow you away off the lights. not wishing to sound harsh but are we looking for something that is a hoot to drive or a family saloon here?

purely discussionally, i think looking for a post 2004, somewhat enthusiast orientated car with an upper budget of €2500 and a 2.0 cap on motor tax is not really going to get you what you want, unless you want a 4 banger 3 series or a mid spec Passat, but then we've missed the point.

2.5 4wd, decent poke, endless spec, very comfortable, 2006 Subaru Outback


fake cow, fake wood, very understated looking, facelifts aren't fond of head gaskets 1.8t 160bhp, 2006 Rover 75 Conni


2.0 6 cyl, rwd, leather, climate control, cruise control, elec seats, very understated looking, original Irish car, 2003 Lexus IS200


a proper "hot hatch" imo, 2002 Focus ST


4 banger supercharger, 170bhp(?), easy on the eye, premium badge, cow, questionable reliability, 2004 C-Class


Modern styling, decent spec, comfortable, reliable, good drive with 140bhp and very good fuel economy, 2007 Civic hatch


you have to make an effort to think outside the box and be prepared for compromise somewhere, at the €3k~ price point it's very hard to have your cake and eat it. otherwise you'l end up driving a mk4 Golf GTi and hating yourself because the power is lacklustre and it's virtually indistinguishable visually from a 1.4 baseline.

No no, appreciate all the reply's so dont worry about sounding harsh. I'm a big boy now ha ha.

The Passat is an option, much more leaning towards the likes of a Golf GTI or VRS Skoda (180bhp right there out of the box with the Skoda (a family saloon thats a hoot to drive???)). A hoot to drive...........what does that mean to you? To me, my Alfa is a hoot to drive, it actually makes me smile. Its only 120bhp in a surprisingly heavy car, so fast it is not. Gear change is dire, what id do for a snickity change like in my Mondeo . It does handle though and the steering is sublime. Quick rack (horrible turning circle). It also has a beautiful engine note and loves to rev. Now, a hoot to drive may also be something with mad power and s4ite handling, or rear wheel drive (Had a 320D now you mention it, Torque and rwd was great, it was a hoot to drive also..........not as fast as you imagine though).
Now, I drove a Civic Type R once. It was brill, fuppin handled, reved, vTec roar. I handed back the keys and never thought about it again.........Im about thinking outside the box, but with the Japs, they are like beautiful women, everyone else fancies them.........while I'm looking to cop off with the geek with glasses, whos hiding a big pair of personalities under the jumper and is dirty as hell...........

Anyway your choices Mr Toyota (you never mentioned a Celica)

2.5ltr Subaru, beast of a yolk, interesting, but tax!! and a bit "jeepy"

The Rover is interesting, nice choice. Auto though. In manual, I wouldnt discount it

The lexus, Auto, drove one and it was lush.......just boring. Id go with a beemer before it if it was a battle of RWD cars

Focus ST, YES YES YES

The Merc, See comment about Lexus

The Civic, I'm only 32 man.....not 132.

bmwguy wrote: »

No I think the smallest petrol is a 2.8
Good you have a wide range of cars you like.

I had an Alfa 156 up to a few years ago, I did like it. It was a red 06 the very last of them. Paid 5.5k in 2010 for a 4 year old with 50,000 miles. Great value in the recession there was.

But I'll throw something out shamelessly, its what I drive now. I have an 04 bmw e39 sport which I absolutely love. It breaks one of your rules though it is a 525i so it is a 2.5 engine

I have had the smaller 3 series engines and this is a better beast in every way. I paid 2450 for it in 2013 as a 9 year old with 95000 miles. I did plan on only keeping a year and moving on but it hadn't missed a beat in 3 years and now I think I will keep it for another 2 while all the potential replacements depreciate.

But also a shout out to the Alfa if you want to keep below 2.0 but the build quality between the 2 is very different, the Alfa interior is a bit cheap in comparison, but you know that and still have it on your list

I'm a Beemer fan. Had a 320D..............it nearly broke me with repairs though. I cant justify getting a car with a 2.5ltr engine.

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

that's exactly why you can't drive a German mid range saloon. you can have one when you have a pension.

i didn't mention a Celica because i own one, so i thought it would be seen as a bit cliche by the regulars on here. that and it's really just a two seater, but they do represent very good value for money.

Ah no, what ever about the German saloon's, Civics of that type are for people who have given up on life.

I considered a Celica.........am I allowed to say that after all my jap dissing??? haha.

But ya, it is a two seater, but one of the more interesting Jap cars.

Some of the really old jap cars are cool. like the first civics (boxy)

sergiut11 wrote: »

I would go with Skoda Fabia VRS or Skoda Octavia 1.9tdi

VRS yes, that little car with that big Denzal engine......yes please.

Octavia 1.9tdi??? Nahhh. VRS only on the Octavia..........otherwise ill be driving my dads car.

Moneymaker wrote: »

You'd definitely get a 172 for less then 2500.

I had a 1.4 and it was a hoot, 2.0 in a car that size would be some craic i'd say.

Some sort of old Merc or a 320i maybe?

Focus ST?

All mentioned above.

Ya, drove the Clio 172. It gave me the feeling my 205 GTI gave me. Raw, nimble