€9000 to spend on something a little bit different

cavanmaniac

I want a slight break from the norm. I've been hunting about on carzone and the like and have seen all sorts. What's everyone's thoughts on the following?

1. Hyundai Coupe post 2002, like the look, the toys and the leather...if that's not too double entendre-like, ahem

2. BMW Z3 if there's any in the price range, although it might be a little bit too gay hairdresser for me. Not that there's anything wrong with gay hairdressers like...

3. 1970s VW Beetle convertible! Obvious concerns are viability for daily use, parts and servicing, plus the fact they sound like a fart factory. This might not be a runner but I've always loved these since I was a kid. Same goes for Mini Coopers, original versions obviously.

4. Older BMW 3-series convertibles...

5. Peugeot 406 Coupe - always wanted one of these as well but worried about reliability issues here

Anyone any other ideas? I'm just fed up driving run of the mill cars I guess and fancy a change...

mjquinno

my favorite out of them all is cooper (i have one )

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mini/Cooper/Sportspack/897944/

looks clean this one.

Eoin

mjquinno wrote: »

my favorite out of them all is cooper (i have one )

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mini/Cooper/Sportspack/897944/

looks clean this one.

That looks a lovely example - they are such good fun to drive.

@cavanmaniac - I had one about 7 years ago (not a cooper though), and parts are very easy and cheap to source from the UK. Buy a couple of mini magazines and there are loads of suppliers advertising in them.

mjquinno

exactly what eoin said the best craic to drive ever. the guys over in http://miniclub.ie/ would give you a fair idea of what to look out for in their forums

eoin_s wrote: »

That looks a lovely example - they are such good fun to drive.

@cavanmaniac - I had one about 7 years ago (not a cooper though), and parts are very easy and cheap to source from the UK. Buy a couple of mini magazines and there are loads of suppliers advertising in them.

macnab

Hows about a newer mini?

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Mini/One/car/975752/

Cyrus

cavanmaniac wrote: »

I want a slight break from the norm. I've been hunting about on carzone and the like and have seen all sorts. What's everyone's thoughts on the following?

1. Hyundai Coupe post 2002, like the look, the toys and the leather...if that's not too double entendre-like, ahem

2. BMW Z3 if there's any in the price range, although it might be a little bit too gay hairdresser for me. Not that there's anything wrong with gay hairdressers like...

3. 1970s VW Beetle convertible! Obvious concerns are viability for daily use, parts and servicing, plus the fact they sound like a fart factory. This might not be a runner but I've always loved these since I was a kid. Same goes for Mini Coopers, original versions obviously.

4. Older BMW 3-series convertibles...

5. Peugeot 406 Coupe - always wanted one of these as well but worried about reliability issues here

Anyone any other ideas? I'm just fed up driving run of the mill cars I guess and fancy a change...

er out of those id go for the e36 3 series vert if you can get a nice one or the 406 coupe

how about an alfa gtv or fiat coupe?
gtv: http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/GTV/car/888715/
or the 3 litre v6 mmmmmmmm: http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Alfa-Romeo/GTV/3.0L-V6/990734/

Coop: http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Fiat/Coupe/20v-Turbo/948243/

cavanmaniac

The Alfa GTV is one that's going pretty cheap alright but then again, that's for a reason. I like the look of them though I must say, I'd just be wary of Alfas for all the traditional and stereotypical reasons.

Fiat Coupés are defo not my cup of tea though....

Soarer

What about one of these bad boys? Avantime
I know it's in the UK, but I think they're mint!

There's also this one. Will bring you over your budget, but you'd have to buy it with a garage name like that!!:D

Rowley Birkin QC

How bout an M3 Evo? Leave the Hyundai Coupes to the hairdressers!

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/BMW/M3/Evolution/1046193/

Cyrus

Soarer wrote: »

What about one of these bad boys? Avantime
I know it's in the UK, but I think they're mint!

There's also this one. Will bring you over your budget, but you'd have to buy it with a garage name like that!!:D

WTF

e36 m3 nice alright

gtvs are lovely cars and if well maintained they are fine, but if you have bought into the alfas are crap mindset then fair enough

that said think how crap the 02 hyundai coupe must be

cavanmaniac

Cyrus wrote: »

gtvs are lovely cars and if well maintained they are fine, but if you have bought into the alfas are crap mindset then fair enough

I haven't in fairness, I did say 'stereotype' with a nod to the fact that they get worse press than deserved perhaps, but all things considered, I still think of them as a risk, the slightly older ones especially. I'm open to having my mind changed, the GTV ticks alot of my boxes in other ways:)

I guess the rules are buy from a reputable dealer and make sure there's a good warranty and a FSH!

Cyrus

sorry i wasnt having a go

id rather buy a well maintained one from an enthusiast personally

once the timing belt services are done on time and oil level watched it should be fine

siralfalot

I know that particular GTV V6 very well, as a mate owns it. its been mentained to the very highest standard, and it has some tasty extras that you will not get anywhere else. i would have bought it myself, but for the fact that I bought a Fiat Coupe 20VT just before he decided to sell

Cyrus

and the glorious noise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5wosMcMfKo

mjquinno

a youtube vid of the gt 6 looks lovely allright the noise out of it is fantastic

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEidg4xMYcY

S.I.R

concidered a mk I or II escort, get a cheap car ( 1 liter ) and insure it, once your over 25 you can get classic tax and insurance...


also if your looking diverse get a yugo 55 GV or something like that then... thoguh a e30/e36 bmw ( 1987-1997 ) would be a Great buy.

siralfalot

Cyrus wrote: »

and the glorious noise

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5wosMcMfKo

it makes a nice noise doesn't it?

I'll be there on Stelvio in Sept.......

I've been in DPT with that GTV beside me, now my car is loud, but I couldn't hear it at all over the GTV!!

here it is again:

cavanmaniac

siralfalot wrote: »

I know that particular GTV V6 very well, as a mate owns it. its been mentained to the very highest standard

That's really the key to buying an Alfa would you say? Like I said, if I could be reassured as far as possible - same for any second hand purchase really - I'd have no problems buying an Alfa at all.

Cyrus

yep, if it has been as well maintained as it says and with that moneys worth of top quality mods its bound to be a good un

also ti autos (gerry campbell) is the guy you want to have worked on the alfa you are buying

galwaytt

+1 on the Alfa's, there.

But also: mint condition Porsche 944 - qualifies for classic insurance (but not tax, sadly..........). Avoid turbo to avoid big bills, and to keep servicing (dirt) cheap.

Zube

A mate owned a 3.0 GTV for a year, it spent 5 months back in the garage. I owned a 16v 155 for 5 years around that time, never gave any trouble.

kluivert

2.8l Ford Capri would be nice.

Not sure about a daily driver, but for summer fun would be the bees knees.

NullZer0

VW Golf 2.8 V6

siralfalot

iRock wrote: »

VW Golf 2.8 V6

good car, BUT, it looks no different from any other Golf, and every second car you see is a Golf

its just not different enough IMO, I know I'd get sick of muppets asking me if it was a TD red eye....... :rolleyes:

PRND

Audi A2. Get a fully specced TDi with 90bhp.

Mod chip will take it to over 100bhp. Easiest way to get >100 bhp/ton.

siralfalot

PRND wrote: »

Audi A2. Get a fully specced TDi with 90bhp.

Mod chip will take it to over 100bhp. Easiest way to get >100 bhp/ton.

or the easiest way to fall asleep at the wheel?? :D

come on people, he is looking for something different!!!

ie:

Boring!

Not so boring!

:cool:

siralfalot

Another not so boring option

cavanmaniac

Yeah some of the Golfs are alright but I had one years ago and like the man says, there's alot of them about.

The Audi A2 is not one that I'd consider but thanks for the suggestions...

Scirocco was another dream car for me when I was a kid, the only thing I don't like about the Corrado above is the big mileage, I'd be clocking a little bit myself on top of that and wouldn't like to spoil her...

JimmyCrackCorn!

You want different. These are a little different.


Mitsubishi FTO is a better alternative to the hyundai coupe.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/549313.htm (cheap coupe with high revving v6)

Midget
http://search.autotrader.ie/www/cars_search?country=IE&modelexact=1&make=M.G.&model=Midget&keywords=&min_pr=&max_pr=&min_year=&max_year=&source=&currency=EUR&county_list=&sort=20&SUBMIT.x=54&SUBMIT.y=11

Quatro
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/390747.htm

Elan
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/490504.htm

Alpha V6 mmmm drooolllll. If your handy with spanners that would be my choice.

Jaguar XJR
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/486682.htm

SAAB
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/314352.htm

Wertz

5. Peugeot 406 Coupe - always wanted one of these as well but worried about reliability issues here

The coupé is a lot more reliable than most other peugeots as it was built in a different factory, and even peugeots in general are reliable enough (had them in my family over the years).
I bought one about 3 months back, no issues at all except for a snapped bonnet release cable last weekend....leading to me being unable to top up my oil, which was at a dangerously low level...got it sorted yesterday and back on the road today. Once they've been looked after and not been thrashed, they're as reliable as anything else...and it still turns heads even now, especially the heads of people in hyundai coupés
They can be picked up for reasonable money and aren't too hard to insure or fill-up. The SE option is a must...you need the leather and all the extras, especially when it comes time to sell (although personally I can't see myself ever selling mine, unless oil reaches 20 quid a litre)...

cavanmaniac

Ok ok I get it...Hyundai Coupés are now firmly off the list!:o

Wertz

In fairness there's nothing wrong with the hyundai, but they're two-apenny on the roads...wouldn't really be my definition of "something a little bit different".

If you're seriously considering the 406, have a look on www.406coupeclub.com forums, which is an excellent resource for owners and potential buyers alike...helped me enormously when I was looking for one...

Lauder

Love the 406 coupe, but insurance is nuts. Think its like group 19 or 20. I was considering getting one but an insurance quote for e4500 (20 male full licence) put an end to that.

Z3 are nice go for the 2.0 straight 6 engine tho, insurance is ok too i was quoted e1800.

Wertz

I dunno, I was surprised by the insurance costs...only had my full license for a month (so no real NCB to speak of) when I applied for a quote for mine (34, M) and whilst most insurance places wouldn't quote (1.4lt max? lol), quinn and some other company came back at in and around a grand for TPFT, fully comp was only another 400 on top of that....this was for the 2.0lt....I tried a quote for the V6 for the laugh and it was about 2K I think.
Don't know why the 2.0lt would be so high compared to the Z3 2.0lt....it's certainly not the fastest car on the road by a long shot and with it's comparative rarity and good looks, owners tend to be careful....I know I do...

cavanmaniac

Lauder wrote: »

Love the 406 coupe, but insurance is nuts. Think its like group 19 or 20. I was considering getting one but an insurance quote for e4500 (20 male full licence) put an end to that.

Z3 are nice go for the 2.0 straight 6 engine tho, insurance is ok too i was quoted e1800.

Yeah nobody has mentioned the Z3 so far, any opinions?

hannah-banana

the cars you picked are nice. depends on the years of them tho.
i have a peugeot and have had nothing but trouble with it. i want a bmw 3 series but you need to find a mechanic that will be able to fix it, because you'll pay a bomb to order in parts from a normal garage.

ford capri would be lovely but again a mechanic is needed.. new cars are all computers now..
how about a twin cam of some sort? 2 litre or more but very nice...
hard to decided with cars isn't it?....
oh well im sure you'll find something..

Eoin

Lauder wrote: »

Love the 406 coupe, but insurance is nuts. Think its like group 19 or 20. I was considering getting one but an insurance quote for e4500 (20 male full licence) put an end to that.

Z3 are nice go for the 2.0 straight 6 engine tho, insurance is ok too i was quoted e1800.

You were quoted less for a 2 litre convertible than a 2 litre coupe?

I love the 406 coupe - I think it has aged very well.

unkel

My best mate has a 3.0 V6 GTV and it is fantastic! As others said, it needs to be maintained by a specialist and maintance will be quite expensive compared to other cars. That said, the average annual maintenance costs for his '98 are nothing compared to the depreciation an '08 whitegoods car suffers.

If you're equally brave you could get a (former) supercar, such as a Porsche as suggested by Galwaytt, or the likes of an E36 BMW M3. And there are shiploads of old fast RWD Japanese cars coming into Dublin Port, if that takes you to the fair

eoin_s wrote: »

I love the 406 coupe - I think it has aged very well.

Bet you didn't spot the one that sold on adverts.ie a few days ago for, wait for it, €1.8k :eek:

Eoin

unkel wrote: »

Bet you didn't spot the one that sold on adverts.ie a few days ago for, wait for it, €1.8k :eek:

Man, that was a bargain - such a lovely car.

OP - seeing as Unkel is playing by the rules and not pimping his car, I'll do it for him. Check the link in his sig for a seriously nice car. I test drove a 7 series a few months ago, and it handled a lot better than you'd expect for a car that size.

cavanmaniac

Jesus Unkel that's a feckin' beast!

I'm not really in the market for anything above the 2.2L mark I reckon, that's why I'm swaying towards either the Alfa or, increasingly, the Pug. And I'm developing a serious leather fetish, sorry Mum.

Cyrus

why are you limiting yourself to 2.2 litre do you mind me asking? just tax or other reasons

racso1975

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/BMW/840/car/1050794/

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Lotus/Elise/car/924340/

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Car&carID=982687&message=You%20searched%20for%3A%20TVR%20S3%2E%20Your%20search%20returned%20one%20vehicle%2C%20which%20is%20shown%20below%2E&CFID=4387232&CFTOKEN=35104200

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=Car&carID=1073059&message=You%20searched%20for%3A%20Pontiac%20Trans%20Am%2E%20Your%20search%20returned%20one%20vehicle%2C%20which%20is%20shown%20below%2E&CFID=4387232&CFTOKEN=35104200

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Jensen/Interceptor/Mk-III/1034689/ Leather and a 7.2 litre engine with vrt at 50 and insurance 300ish

il gatto

cavanmaniac wrote: »

Yeah nobody has mentioned the Z3 so far, any opinions?

Buy two and use them as roller skates. Too small for an everyday car. No space in the boot, only two seats. Nice for a spin on a sunny evening, but not practical. And my ex-manager used to have one and tbh he looked like a tw@t driving around in it. Too girly for my taste. The hard top looks far better on it.
I love Alfa myself. My 156 broke the timing belt in Jan. It was at about 35.5k miles, 500 under the new "revised" shorter intervals. It's cost me almost €1,500 to fix which seems like a waste on a '98 car with 125,000miles on the clock, but to me it's worth it. I've had it for over four years and I intend to get another two out of it. If it gets througt the NCT next month it's cheap motoring. Until this the Alfa needed a recon alternator and the last NCT was a hatchet job which cost me €1,500 in suspension work. Didn't need most of it. Apart from that, it's been fine. Buy the GTV. I would.

galwaytt

oh schweppes......... why didn't I think of that: http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/390747.htm

btdt. Should have stdt. (Stayed There, Doing That :rolleyes: )

Wertz

unkel wrote: »

Bet you didn't spot the one that sold on adverts.ie a few days ago for, wait for it, €1.8k :eek:

Jaysus, that's nearly a quarter of what I paid for mine (01, 56K mls), and I was originally after one with red leather too. Somebody got a gift. that was a trade price? The used car market is fooked...

cavanmaniac

Cyrus wrote: »

why are you limiting yourself to 2.2 litre do you mind me asking? just tax or other reasons

Aye, tax mainly, plus 2.2 is generally plenty of horses for little old me.:)

positron

How about this one?

0 to 60mph under 4 seconds

http://www.carzone.ie/used-cars/Ducati/999/bip/921160/

Never mind, lately its too bright outside for my brain to cope..!