Vauxhall Nova-------Nissan Skyline

Rowley Birkin QC

So heres the deal. My cousin got a notion to go to Australia in a years time so he sold his 2.0 Turbo Skyline and bought a €700 banger of a primera in order to put away some bucks. So far so good, lots of money saved on tax, insurance, fuel, potential repairs, octane boost etc. etc.

Problem is a battered Primera is a bit of a come down from a Skyline and a history of assorted BM's, mostly E30 320's and E36 318is's. So he wants to buy something, probably in UK, for about €5k on the road here. Keep primera for driving to work, have something else at home for evenings and weekends.

He has a (inexplicable, possibly inexcusable) weakness for Vauxhall Nova's. If he was buying one of these it would be a 2.0 Red Top GTE. However he is also drawn towards buying another Skyline.

Ideally he wants to go halfway between as the Nova is too cramped and loud and the Skyline is v expensive to run. At the moment these are the only two real contenders as he wants something a bit mad and thats all he can think of.

One other possibility we threw up was an AE86 Levin or schock horror another Beemer.

Any advice/suggestions? Its a strange request: A car on the middle ground between a Vauxhall Nova and a Nissan Skyline??????????????

mantaraver

Right, you might think im a bit biased cos I own one, But how's about an Opel Manta. Could get a decent one for a coupla grand in england or a real minter for another few quid more. They are pretty cheap to run, pretty reliable and if he got one with a redtop conversion he's sorted. Rear wheel drive too .
He could even make a few bucks when it comes time to sell her on cos prices are starting to rise. Remember a right few years ago ya could buy a twin cam for a few grand... look at them now. Manta's are starting to go the same way.

Check this link for more info www.manta400.com

Rowley Birkin QC

Sorry mate, cool site and definitely a cool car but the manta is a non runner. Mate of his had a bad experience with one a few years back.

macshadow

Just one word,and the letter R!
CIVIC

bazz26

Did he look at the Vauxhall Astra GTE?

Others are a MkIII Golf GTi, Ford Escort RS, Nissan 200 SX.

Rowley Birkin QC

Astra GTE was one of my first suggestions, nice an old school. has potential.

MkIII GTi is also a good shout.

No fords thanks very much.

too many 200sx's have blown engines and turbo's around here lately to inspire much confidence.

Civics are too boy-racer TBH, no offense , there are some lovely ones out there.

bazz26

Early 1990s Celica GT4, Honda Prelude VTEC, Vauxhall Calibra Turbo, Audi Quattro or maybe a VW Corrado G60?

Or maybe something a bit outragous like these:

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Car&carID=464361&message=You%20searched%20for%3A%20Subaru%20SVX%2E%20Your%20search%20returned%20one%20vehicle%2C%20which%20is%20shown%20below%2E&CFID=6540&CFTOKEN=18954038

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=510217

http://www.usedcars.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=595700

SouperComputer

Saab Turbo, 230BHP?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FANTASTIC-SAAB-9-5-AERO-2-3-HOT-TURBO-SALOON-MANUAL_W0QQitemZ200086448190QQihZ010QQcategoryZ18263QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem


Nice sleeper, Volvo 850 T-5. 230BHP with good low-down torque. Pretty tough engine too:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1996-VOLVO-850-T-5-BLUE_W0QQitemZ280091788481QQihZ018QQcategoryZ9872QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Maybe a Porsche 944?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PORSCHE-944-S-1988-Very-Good-Condition-for-year_W0QQitemZ250091978434QQihZ015QQcategoryZ9860QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Not extremely quick, but easy to work on, durable, handles well and not too expensive to run.


A good AE85 is going to cost more than 5k landed I would think, unless you bring it in from Japan. Even then it would probably be tight.

Max_Damage

How about an Opel Monza / Vauxhall Royalé?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1979-VAUXHALL-ROYALE-COUPE_W0QQitemZ170089927479QQihZ007QQcategoryZ9858QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item170089927479

3 litre engine, and they look the business as well.

Kimbot

Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 16valve GSI!! 140BHP standard but could be increased to 170/180BHP for very little money!!
Calibra 2.0 Turbo (250BHP Standard)
Coraddo G60

Mc-BigE

I'd hold off and buy a Holden with he gets to Aus.

http://www.holden.com.au/www-holden/

JHMEG

All these are at least 240bhp, and can be had for little money..

Evo II or III
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Mitsubishi-Lancer-evo-III_W0QQitemZ270081890560QQihZ017QQcategoryZ18230QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Toyota/Lexus Soarer Turbo:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LEXUS-TOYOTA-SOARER-2-5-TT-TWIN-TURBO-1992_W0QQitemZ330094768954QQihZ014QQcategoryZ50175QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

MR2 Turbo
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1990-Toyota-MR2-Turbo-T-Bar-99p-start-and-NO-RESERVE_W0QQitemZ160093669637QQihZ006QQcategoryZ18290QQcmdZViewItem

Porsche 944 Turbo:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/PORSCHE-944-TURBO-later-1990-H-model-250bhp_W0QQitemZ120096672193QQihZ002QQcategoryZ9860QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Henry Ford III

bigkev49 wrote:

Astra GTE was one of my first suggestions, nice an old school. has potential.

MkIII GTi is also a good shout.

No fords thanks very much.

too many 200sx's have blown engines and turbo's around here lately to inspire much confidence.

Civics are too boy-racer TBH, no offense , there are some lovely ones out there.

An a Vauxhall Nova isn't pmsl.

Henry Ford III

jonny24ie wrote:

Vauxhall Cavalier 2.0 16valve GSI!! 140BHP standard but could be increased to 170/180BHP for very little money!!
Calibra 2.0 Turbo (250BHP Standard)
Coraddo G60

It had c.200 bhp as standard iirc.

astraboy

If he is buying a 2.0 litre nova, it will have been a conversion with a red top engine from either an astra, calibra, or cav. He needs to make sure all the work needed for the conversion was carried out correctly. The largest engine the nova came with was a 1.6 so things like brakes, suspension and drive shafts will need to have been upgraded.

My advice would to be buy a red top calibra or astra Mk3 gsi. The red-top engines are really reliable if looked after. 150bhp standard and plenty supply of cheap parts. Easily taken close to 200bhp with naturally aspirated tuning. If you look in the english autotrader or up North you could pick up a GSI astra for 1.5k sterling. VRT is about 350 euro so for under 2.5K euro you will have a fast fun weekend car. However, tax on a 2 litre in this country is not fun so he may be better of waiting until Oz to buy a fast car.

Kimbot

Henry Ford III wrote:

It had c.200 bhp as standard iirc.

Sorry 204BHP standard!! I was looking at one not too long ago that was 250BHP!!

scaldybelt

1994 Mazda MX6 (2.5 V6)......bodykit incl.full dark blue respray, 17" rims, runs really well - would go very cheap (~€3k) as not many people want to spend the money on the tax/insurance, but if you're cuzz is after something fun for a few months, then I don't think he could go too far wrong. Definitely more reliable being Jap (not a grey import either).
PM me if interested further.

Rowley Birkin QC

Great suggestions lads. Lots of fun to be had with in or around €5k. Ill be chatting to him tonight so ill amaze him with my spontaneous list of cool cars to be had with his kinda bucks. The evo could be a winner.

@ Henry Ford:Yeah the Nova is pretty boy racer arite but theres still something fairly cool about them in an oldschool kind of way that the civics could never have!! But yes I take your point, he will look ridiculous in it!!

@ astraboy: the nova we were looking at was built by a company in England called Novatec so its a professional warrantied job, looks like a damn fine job from the pics, full respray in black also. Looks like a completely standard GTE from the outside, original alloys, the lot. Also we built 2 novas as young lads so he knows em fairly well inside out as regards any repair or maintenance. Cheers for the good advice all the same.

@ SCALDYBELT: Any pictures of the mazda? the kit would have to be subtle enough TBH. sounds like a cool bus though.

@ JHMEG: those soarers are a cool job alrite but automatic is a no go, we are country lads, couldnt be seen driving a limp wristed city boys car!!


Keep em coming lads, its an interesting enough experiment. Are there E36 M3's to be had for this kind of money? (leaving aside running costs and parts costs)

SouperComputer

Keep em coming lads, its an interesting enough experiment. Are there E36 M3's to be had for this kind of money? (leaving aside running costs and parts costs)

Not unless its been crashed! E30's aren't any cheaper either. Maybe could get an older 328i though, still id choose the T-5 or 944 over it, even thigh the Volvo is FWD.

Personally wouldnt bother with a Calibra unless its had a suspension upgrade. The handling is shoddy frankly instandard trim.

JHMEG mentioned another great car, the MR2.

JHMEG

bigkev49 wrote:

@ JHMEG: those soarers are a cool job alrite but automatic is a no go, we are country lads, couldnt be seen driving a limp wristed city boys car!!

They also come in a manual! The one I posted happens to be an auto. They are seriously quick, and loadsa luxury too. Built like a tank too.

If old school is what you want: 730Kg, 1.2L Turbo, flared (squared?) wheel arches:


More info here:
http://www.autospeed.com/cms/A_1864/article.html