Looking for fast turbo saloon under 2.5l

rustynutz · 21-09-2009 10:01pm #1

I'm on the lookout for a nice fast sporty saloon (baby on the way!) car for the weekends.I was thnking along the lines of a 2.0l petrol turbo to keep the tax down,I have a max budget of 7k.
I am considering:
Suburu Legacy - don't really do it for me looks wise but better looking than the Impretza.
Galant RV6 twin turbo - love one of these but hear parts are very expensive.
Lexus IS 200 - is there a turbo version of this?
Audi A4 or A6 1.8t - I hear they lack performance?
Honda Accord 2.0l Vtek
Has anyone any opinions of the cars above or better still suggest a few I may have missed?
Like I said would prefer a 2l turbo to keep tax down,would stretch to 2.5 though,needs to be fast,needs to be four door and reasonably good looking.

Biro · 21-09-2009 10:11pm

7k is limted enough a budget. The A4 1.8T was 150bhp, then a bit later 163bhp. Not really fast. The IS200 is 156bhp, the Accord 2 litre V-tec is 156bhp, none are massively quick. The Accord would be the 02-08 shape.
You could consider the older shape Accord Type R, 2.2 litre 220bhp. They're nice enough looking in the right colour and are attainable within your budget.
You'd probably find a 325i saloon for your budget too, although the bhp on the 325 varies so much through the years it would depend on what you found. VR4's are nice but rare, and because of the rarity fixing them could be problematic. You could get the Jaguar X-type 2.5 litre for little money. Nice chassis, but I don't know what bhp these are. Or there's the Evo route. Deep pockets required.

colm_mcm · 21-09-2009 10:14pm

Galant VR4.

Biro · 21-09-2009 10:22pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Galant VR4.

Thanks, just edited my post, I had VR6 but meant to put VR4

VolvoMan · 21-09-2009 10:32pm

Volvo T5 is the first one that comes screaming at me.

Sqaull20 · 21-09-2009 10:44pm

Octavia VRS 1.8t 180bhp would be a good buy, no rocket but 0-60 in 7secs and a top speed of over 140mph ain't bad, would be ok on juice too for a turbo petrol.I would imagine its a sportier drive than the A4's/A6's with the same engine as well.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200914192356896

Some nice 02 onwards new shape Saab 9-3 2.0t 175bhp in the uk for your budget as well.

JHMEG · 21-09-2009 10:45pm

The Accord Vtack wasn't turbo, but as Biro said there was a Type-R. There are also Euro-R versions in the newer shape. 2.0, up on 200bhp, but not massively quick.

Consider an Evo either.

rustynutz · 21-09-2009 10:51pm

Thanks for all the suggestions,the Galant VR4 is my favorite out of all mentioned so far,anyone on here own one?,seems to be very little info on owning one,reliability etc. when I googled it

colm_mcm · 21-09-2009 10:52pm

rustynutz wrote: »

Vtek

JHMEG wrote: »

VTack

rustynutz wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions,the Galant VR4 is my favorite out of all mentioned so far,anyone on here own one?,seems to be very little info on owning one,reliability etc. when I googled it

I know a guy who had one. pretty hard on fuel, and the active yaw control needs regular fluid changes.

Some specifics here: http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=8800

JHMEG · 21-09-2009 11:05pm

colm_mcm wrote: »

Some specifics here: http://www.fto-ireland.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=8800

That one's auto... is that typical?

colm_mcm · 21-09-2009 11:10pm

Yep, it's the 5 speed INVECS (Tiptronic) gearbox (similar to the one in the FTO) which is excellent. the majority of them are auto. but with 300 odd hp they're still very very fast.

JHMEG · 21-09-2009 11:16pm

Yeah, I'm aware of the INVECS box (is it version 3 or something in the FTO?), and now that you mention it I remember looking at a few VR4s on the Naas Rd (could have been Icetronix?) and noticing they were all auto. Is the manual a relatively easy find, like it is in the FTO?

lbrk · 21-09-2009 11:22pm

how about a bmw 320d m tech? lovely car. there only 136 bhp but for 7k youll pick up a sweet one. Real nice spec and looks. could always get it chipped to 150

bazz26 · 21-09-2009 11:40pm

The Toyota Altezza is basically a quicker version of the Lexus IS200. The Altezza has a 2.0 litre n/a 4 cylinder engine but it is developed by Yamaha Beams and has around 200/210bhp.

You also have the Honda Accord Euro-R which was basically the European Honda Accord sold in the Japanese domestic market. Aimed really as a competitor to the Alteeza or Legacy it had around 200bhp as well with no turbo

colm_mcm · 21-09-2009 11:53pm

JHMEG wrote: »

Yeah, I'm aware of the INVECS box (is it version 3 or something in the FTO?), and now that you mention it I remember looking at a few VR4s on the Naas Rd (could have been Icetronix?) and noticing they were all auto. Is the manual a relatively easy find, like it is in the FTO?

There are an awful lot more FTO's in the country than there are VR4's. AFAIK manual VR4's are very rare.

The VR4 used INVECS II, (as did the FTO) which is the same as the Porsche Tiptronic box (torque converter)

INVECS III is a CVT transmission.

Biro · 22-09-2009 8:43am

bazz26 wrote: »

The Toyota Altezza is basically a quicker version of the Lexus IS200. The Altezza has a 2.0 litre n/a 4 cylinder engine but it is developed by Yamaha Beams and has around 200/210bhp.

You also have the Honda Accord Euro-R which was basically the European Honda Accord sold in the Japanese domestic market. Aimed really as a competitor to the Alteeza or Legacy it had around 200bhp as well with no turbo

There were two Euro R models. One was that awful one that young fellas seem to love for some reason, cause I think it's one of the worst looking saloons Honda has ever produced. It's based on the last UK Type-R, but the Type R shell is from the Accord that was sold over here, and is inifnitely better looking. Can't understand how anyone would go for the other thing.
The newer Euro R is based on the Accord that led up to 2008. Nice, and I'd guess that the 2 litre engine is similar if not the same to the one in the DC5. But at over 20,000, it's way outside the OPs budget. And in my opinion would be a waste anyway. Cheaper to buy a normal 2 litre and throw 10,000 tuning it!

fonda · 22-09-2009 8:47am

rustynutz wrote: »

Thanks for all the suggestions,the Galant VR4 is my favorite out of all mentioned so far,anyone on here own one?,seems to be very little info on owning one,reliability etc. when I googled it

Brother had one for a good while, hard enough on juice but very quick, only thing that went was the clutch which wasnt cheap to replace!

Drove it a few times and loved it, he emigrated a few months back and let it go for crazy money, would have defo bought it off him if I had been able to afford to drive it!

His was 2.5 twin turbo manual saloon

stealthyspeeder · 22-09-2009 9:04am

rustynutz wrote: »

I'm on the lookout for a nice fast sporty saloon (baby on the way!) car for the weekends.I was thnking along the lines of a 2.0l petrol turbo to keep the tax down,I have a max budget of 7k.
I am considering:
Suburu Legacy - don't really do it for me looks wise but better looking than the Impretza.
Galant RV6 twin turbo - love one of these but hear parts are very expensive.
Lexus IS 200 - is there a turbo version of this?
Audi A4 or A6 1.8t - I hear they lack performance?
Honda Accord 2.0l Vtek
Has anyone any opinions of the cars above or better still suggest a few I may have missed?
Like I said would prefer a 2l turbo to keep tax down,would stretch to 2.5 though,needs to be fast,needs to be four door and reasonably good looking.

Mazda 6 MPS, 260 bhp, AWD, 2.3 litre turbo. Super sleeper!

Theta · 22-09-2009 10:25am

9-3 2.0t you can come by them pretty cheap these days, get an Aero.

22-09-2009 10:33am

irlmarc wrote: »

9-3 2.0t you can come by them pretty cheap these days, get an Aero.

Are the Aero not 2.3s ?

omega man · 22-09-2009 10:50am

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Mazda 6 MPS, 260 bhp, AWD, 2.3 litre turbo. Super sleeper!

OPs budget is 7K! I know depreciation is bad but.....

Tigger · 22-09-2009 10:54am

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Mazda 6 MPS, 260 bhp, AWD, 2.3 litre turbo. Super sleeper!

i'll give ya 14k if you get me 2

Theta · 22-09-2009 10:55am

RoverJames wrote: »

Are the Aero not 2.3s ?

Nope as far as I know its a 2.0t (210bhp) or either a 2.8 but you wouldnt be getting any of them as they were for the 9-3x I think.

Tigger · 22-09-2009 11:04am

rover 620 ti and you can buy a house in leitrimn with the change

stealthyspeeder · 22-09-2009 11:17am

omega man wrote: »

OPs budget is 7K! I know depreciation is bad but.....

Ouups! didnt read that part!

JHMEG · 22-09-2009 11:42am

Tigger wrote: »

rover 620 ti and you can buy a house in leitrimn with the change

And there's currently a buy-one-get-one-free offer on!

Blitzkrieger · 22-09-2009 12:29pm

omega man wrote: »

OPs budget is 7K! I know depreciation is bad but.....

Well you could get one from England for that and pray the rumours about VRT being abolished are true....

flyweight · 22-09-2009 1:00pm

Here are some saloon cars in your price range, with engines greater thatn 1.8 L. You might find something in there:

http://momo.ie/searches/show/5822-Saloon-4Doors-Photos-Only

Cheers

smcgiff · 22-09-2009 1:08pm

irlmarc wrote: »

Nope as far as I know its a 2.0t (210bhp) or either a 2.8 but you wouldnt be getting any of them as they were for the 9-3x I think.

At the risk of being a pedant, the Aero is a 2.0T, a better turbo than the non aero 2.0t.

I'd get a 2.0t and chip to 210 bhp, in fact, with my last car, I did!

Theta · 22-09-2009 2:45pm

smcgiff wrote: »

At the risk of being a pedant, the Aero is a 2.0T, a better turbo than the non aero 2.0t.

I'd get a 2.0t and chip to 210 bhp, in fact, with my last car, I did!

Yes yes the t is the medium pressure turbo and the T is the high pressure.

And did you chip it or remap? Who did it?

Biro · 22-09-2009 2:51pm

Blitzkrieger wrote: »

Well you could get one from England for that and pray the rumours about VRT being abolished are true....

You'd be doing well to find one in the UK for €7k. More like ST£8k. Well outside the budget.

22-09-2009 6:26pm

Tigger wrote: »

rover 620 ti and you can buy a house in leitrimn with the change

True 1000 sterling would get you a minter, €600 to bring it in, whatever the ferry and flights are. Fine bus. Twould be minimally 10 years old though, and the gearboxes more often than not start whining and need rebuilding.

Fey! · 22-09-2009 9:06pm

Like the 620ti, there's the 2.0 turbo 800 Vitesse, usually 1995 to 1998.

22-09-2009 9:27pm

Fey! wrote: »

Like the 620ti, there's the 2.0 turbo 800 Vitesse, usually 1995 to 1998.

Indeed, the 800s are a great big, comfy barge, the 800s were available in 2.0 Turbo form for most of the life span, earlier ones came with the M series and were badged Tickford Turbo.

Good to see folk with knowledge of the Rover marque, rather than the usual HG comments.

JHMEG · 22-09-2009 9:38pm

Alan Partridge drove a Rover 800 Coupe didn't he?

TomMc · 22-09-2009 9:51pm

jdf · 22-09-2009 10:32pm

You could take a look at this Volvo T5 - 265bhp and all but invisible to other road users. Totally anonymous and wonderfully rewarding to own.

Looking for fast turbo saloon under 2.5l

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