[ShadowHearth]

So my skyline is gone and i need to move on. I though i knew what i want, when i had no money, but now when i got stuff sorted i dont want anything ffs..
So anyway, i need new car to upgrade from my bangornomics Ford. i will still keep it as an emergency car. it saved me a fantastic amount of money and it has fresh nct too.

well, so here it goes, but it has a few twists:
budget 7k/8k ( ill explain )
car has to be fun or luxury, BUT no more super modified stuff with sports coilovers
car has to have at least basic comfort
4 seats, no roadsters as i have one already. reasonably practical.
car can be up to 8k eu if it stays up to 2.0l tax wise.
car can be up to 5-6k, but tax can be up to 3.0l ( so i can pay tax for a year and a bit, from the budget.
has to be reasonable mpg, 25mpg is grand.
i do very small milage. 200 miles per 3 weeks if i go only to work. add good few miles if i decide to go to cork city etc.

so far the i have looked in to this:

astra opc - a great middle ground for me. i love looks, love 240hp, love tax, but i will need to hunt down one for around 7.5k eu. not many of them out there for sale and some of them are still around 10k.

Corsa OPC - love it, same as above. price wise it is very weird. there are one for 7.5k and one for 8.9k on donedeal. i dont know if there is a point checking carzone as it became ad graveyard with cars for sale with 100 days old ads.

Subaru WRX - i always wanted a boxer engine, but if i go for one, it would have to be as standart as possible. no engine mods or scangorizing.

bmw 520/525 ( e60 ) - its a hard one. i like the looks of it, but i have no idea how to live with one. i am really afraid to buy a modern car with more electronics, then nasa computer. if anyone knows anything about them or has one, could their share their experience, running costs mpg etc?

bmw 530d ( e60 ) as above, but it has quite a twist. i could look past 3.0 tax on it, as i could buy one for 5-6k eu and pay tax for 2-3 years, before i break even with 2.0 in the same time, which will be bought 8k eu. in the end of the day it is diesel engine too, so mpg will be better then anything above, but it will have a good kick too, when i need it. biggest problem - reliability. i know jack shiet about them, how reliable turbos and electronic on these.

Volvo s80 (07 new model ) - love the looks and interior. gets huge thumbs up from misses too. 2.0turbo engine wount win any drags, but it will be more then enough for overtaking. luxury with very affordable tax. problem - i dont have a clue about about it as a car to live with. running cots and reliability. anyone know anything? feel free to share your info.

Cars that are big NO NO:

merc e200
bmw 3 series
Saab ( misses dislike them )
volvo s40
audi a2 a3 a4 a6 a8 TT - insert any audi there.

now i will need your help on this as i am going out of my comfort zone with this next car. i always stayed up to 00' year, as those cars were simple and easy to repair. no stupid electronics. now i have to go up the years, so i am sailing in a very murky waters.

[LIGHTNING]

Something cheap and cheerful like a 1.4 16v Grande Punto Sporting?

Its not a patch on an OPC but it wont cost anything to run, plently of room,vgood mpg, nice looking.

[ShadowHearth]

Originally Posted by LIGHTNING

Something cheap and cheerful like a 1.4 16v Grande Punto Sporting?

Its not a patch on an OPC but it wont cost anything to run, plently of room,vgood mpg, nice looking.

nah, i just looked in to that. I am not a fiat hater or something, its just not my cup of tea.

[kceire]

2003 BMW 530d Aegean Blue Limited edition by kceire, on Flickr

One of these?

Aegean Blue 530d, only 150 Diesels produced.

[Jimdagym]

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3329998

2003 735i Auto
Taxed for 3 months, NCT till June 13. 4 new tyres quoted at €1600.
Engine is a little big at 3.6 but this is a beast. Its got all the toys too.
Parkers lists MPG at 26!!!

EDIT*** Forgot price. 5950

[TestTransmission]

ST or a Euro R?

[ShadowHearth]

Originally Posted by Jimdagym

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3329998

2003 735i Auto
Taxed for 3 months, NCT till June 13. 4 new tyres quoted at €1600.
Engine is a little big at 3.6 but this is a beast. Its got all the toys too.
Parkers lists MPG at 26!!!

EDIT*** Forgot price. 5950

nah, it will go way over my tax budget, plus i know those are not most reliable things out there. i prefer e38 over that any day of the week, month, year, decade.

[ShadowHearth]

Originally Posted by TestTransmission

ST or a Euro R?

ST - only if i get one dirt cheap. i really dont see anything it does better then OPC with my needs. has less HP and bigger CC engine. i want to stay away from all mapping stuff too.

Euro R, those are out of my budget. are you talking about the newer shaped ones k20? I should not have problems with insurance ( 26 with 5ncb ), but Honda word is involved i can already see my insurance company go "aye, but is a rally car! "

[Jimdagym]

Well you mention reliable


http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3266288

06 159, 1.9 petrol
Only 50k miles and a couple of grand left in your pocket.

[TestTransmission]

Originally Posted by ShadowHearth

Euro R, those are out of my budget. are you talking about the newer shaped ones k20? I should not have problems with insurance ( 26 with 5ncb ), but Honda word is involved i can already see my insurance company go "aye, but is a rally car! "

Yeah, the CL7. I'd say you'd pick one up for 6/7k.They're ridiculously overpriced on donedeal with the majority of sellers living in cuckoo land.I had one before, was only an extra 100 yoyo insurance wise for the year over the vRS I had previously.

[ShadowHearth]

Originally Posted by Jimdagym

Well you mention reliable


http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3266288

06 159, 1.9 petrol
Only 50k miles and a couple of grand left in your pocket.

i really loved them, when they came out, but now any alfa is "meh" to me. Again, i am not an Alfa hater, its just it is not giving me that "fizzy" feeling, that James May gets, between his tummy and testicles.

[ShadowHearth]

Originally Posted by TestTransmission

Yeah, the CL7. I'd say you'd pick one up for 6/7k.They're ridiculously overpriced on donedeal with the majority of sellers living in cuckoo land.I had one before, was only an extra 100 yoyo insurance wise for the year over the vRS I had previously.

if i would see one for around 6k i would not mind to have a look, but not for cuckoo land prices as you said bud.

[Brian]

Mazda RX-8! Might just about squeeze 25 mpg

[ShadowHearth]

Originally Posted by Brian

Mazda RX-8! Might just about squeeze 25 mpg

nah, feck, mondeo made me lazy prick. i dont do big millage, so warming her up will be a problem.

dont understand me wrong - ITS AWESOME car and a great value if you are looking for sporty car, but feck, ill skip on it. No offence, but average joe on this island who bought these cars knows feck all how to look after them ( even i dont know everything and rx8 thread just made me more confused after ), so 90% of them will be dead.

[Jimdagym]

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/3144644
06 Legacy estate. 2.5 but claims 35mpg. full suburu service history.
\\\\\auto, with all the toys.
7k, but I am sure a deal could be made.