Coupe/Saloon, thoughts/recomendations?

NothingMan

Hi guys,

Hoping for a little bit of advice/recomendations on what to be looking out for.

I'm looking to buy a coupe (preferably) or saloon. Around 1.8 petrol but flexible a bit either way. My budget is max 2700 and it would have to be nice to get me to that price I really can afford 2-2.5k.

So far I've been looking at a BMW 3.18is it's a nice car and just passed the nct but there is some damage around the fuel cap area and the fuel cap itself is a replacement cap. Also only one, non remote key which is annoying. The dealer was pretty insistent on not moving on the price as he had to put 700 in to pass the nct.

Anyone any thoughts on that?

Last night while browsing, the Rover 75 1.8 caught my eye, it's a beautiful car and very cheap but the first thing I found from google was head gasket issues, especially in that model. Does anyone have any experience of these cars?
This is the one I was looking at.

I know next to nothing about cars but I'm learning a bit on this hunt, it's the first car I've bought since my first car 4 years ago.

Has anyone any other recomendations that may be along a similar style? I would be willing to go for a more conventional saloon if the price was right but I'm 25 and I'd like something a little nicer while I can afford it.

Any help is much appreciated guys.

bazz26

That 12 year old E36 coupe is very expensive.

Something like a Celica might be worth looking at:

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201047200335534
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=201045200163525

colm_mcm

Have a look at Mitsubishi fto's. Far more stylish than a celica, has a lovely v6 and the mivec versions are brilliant. Had a few of them and never had major or minor issues, bulbs and servicing!

voxpop

bit over budget, but you could prob do a deal

http://www.bmw-driver.net/forum/showthread.php?t=21681

STForSale

+1 for the fto idea.
Can't believe how little they are chaning hands for now!

alanmc

Aren't FTOs rated quite high for insurance. I knew a guy in my last job who was having trouble getting a quote smaller than his phone number. It wasn't a MiVec either. Just a normal 2.0 V6.

NothingMan

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm not really into the more sporty looking coupes ie. The Celica or FTO's. The Rover or Beemer was really more the style I was looking for.

Also been eyeing up some nice Alfa 156's. Can anyone say anything good about them? I've heard all the warnings but surely they can't be that bad? Can they?

qz

NothingMan wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm not really into the more sporty looking coupes ie. The Celica or FTO's. The Rover or Beemer was really more the style I was looking for.

Also been eyeing up some nice Alfa 156's. Can anyone say anything good about them? I've heard all the warnings but surely they can't be that bad? Can they?

I was looking at getting an FTO and was told I had to be 30 years old before I'd get insured :rolleyes:

I've had a love affair with my 156 since the day I bought it. Do it. And don't look back. You'll get a saloon that looks like a coupé, and you don't have to be a mechanic to own an Alfa. Mine hasn't skipped a beat in the last 18 months. The 1.8 is a dream, while not a rocket ship it'll take you places quickly enough and the sound from the little 4cyl is beautiful.

NothingMan

NothingMan wrote: »

Last night while browsing, the Rover 75 1.8 caught my eye, it's a beautiful car and very cheap but the first thing I found from google was head gasket issues, especially in that model. Does anyone have any experience of these cars?
This is the one I was looking at.

Well that one just had a timing belt so I would like to think they have also changes the water pump. The 1.8K (like all 4 cylinder K series engines) does suffer HG failure more than other cars. They are an aluminium alloy engine of sandwich construction, they do flex about a bit when heating and cooling but actual HG failure due to the gasket itself is still not very common. Most of the time there will be coolant loss from the rad, inlet manifold gasket or the water pump, this loss may well be quite small but if it goes unnoticed (owner not checking the coolant level weekly, takes about 10 seconds) will lead to overheating, if the car is driven while overheating the HG will go

Now if the loss is coming from the water pump it will start off quite slowly, however the loss will not be noticed by drops of coolant on the drive as Rover in their wisdom (:rolleyes:) fitted a thing to enable the loss to be channelled in a way that it would evaporate away from engine heat. Shouldn't happen here as I would think the pump is new with the belt.

Some Rover folk maintain that at 60K miles if there is no sign of HG trouble it is well worth putting in a new uprated one manufactured by LR when the belt is being done, easy enough to rip off the head and replace the gasket then as there is no damage etc. Other reckon this is complete overkill. Also other reckon the 1.8 stretches the engine as it's essentially a bored out 1.4.

Personally I like 75s, the 1.8 hauls it about ok but it is a tad underpowered when flat out. Gearbox is PG1 and grand when mated to the 1.8K. Robust enough if you keep an eye on the coolant level and get to the bottom of any coolant loss when you notice it.

I've had 3 cars that were 4 cylinder K series cars, two 1.4s and a 1.6, never had HG issues with any of them, previous owner of the 1.6 did and when I bought it it was leaking coolant so if I wasn't alert to it I would have too if I cooked the engine.

So basically if you like it I wouldn't say don't buy it unless you are not at all inclined to have a regular (weekly) coolant check, you may well never see any loss

ottostreet

I had a 99 M-tech 318is and an FTO GPX.

Both were the two cars I loved most out of all the ones I've owned.

The FTO is quite 'full-on' and I found it quite expensive to run, despite nothing going wrong on it. Handles beautifully and is a lovely car and I would have kept it in a heartbeat if I could have afforded it. Insurance very difficult on it too (22 with a full licence for 3 years)

The 318is though....was my favourite car ever. I owned it longer than the FTO I suppose, but I found it the best all rounder...can get 35 mpg from it easily (newer engines from mid-1996 are 1.9 and are more refined and economical, and a little quicker), very comfortable, and was quick enough for what I needed. Got respect on the road too.

Pic below of my old one, but a few links to 318is's.

My 318is (I miss it so!)



318is 1
318is 2
318is 3

NothingMan

NothingMan wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I'm not really into the more sporty looking coupes

What about an Accord Coupe
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1602670
looney price, sh1tty alloys, weird hydrogen shtuff installed and poor pics but they are a nice looking bus. Rare though.

fonecrusher1

RoverJames wrote: »

What about an Accord Coupe
http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1602670
looney price, sh1tty alloys, weird hydrogen shtuff installed and poor pics but they are a nice looking bus. Rare though.

Stunning looking car for a 1998 in all fairness. Lovely interior & all.

fonecrusher1

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

Stunning looking car for a 1998 in all fairness. Lovely interior & all.

They ran from then to 2002/2003 I think. They pop up from time to time, not at all sporty really, more of a comfy coupe. I'd like one, the rears are a bit American looking (not a JDM product) though.

fonecrusher1

RoverJames wrote: »

They ran from then to 2002/2003 I think. They pop up from time to time, not at all sporty really, more of a comfy coupe. I'd like one, the rears are a bit American looking (not a JDM product) though.

He's mentioned everything about the car except the engine size. Whats under the bonnet?

Funnily enough i owned a 2002 honda civic coupe about 4 years ago. Thats the american built one. It had a bit of a yank arse on it as well. Nice enough car but the 1.7vtec had more of a progressive vtec surge rather than the classic 5600rpm snap on older vtec engines (which i prefer).

fonecrusher1

fonecrusher1 wrote: »

He's mentioned everything about the car except the engine size. Whats under the bonnet?

2.0 most likely, there was a 3.0 but that was more popular in the UK then here

NothingMan

Thanks for all your feedback guys. Went out on Saturday and found me a car. I saw the 3rd 318 that Ottostreet posted, the blue one, I fell in love with it straight away and if it wasn't for a possible minor problem I'd have snatched it up immediately. It's a beautiful car.

I ended up getting a 99 318i E46 model. It's absolutley flawless and just passed the nct. Couldn't be happier.

Thanks again.

ottostreet

NothingMan wrote: »

Thanks for all your feedback guys. Went out on Saturday and found me a car. I saw the 3rd 318 that Ottostreet posted, the blue one, I fell in love with it straight away and if it wasn't for a possible minor problem I'd have snatched it up immediately. It's a beautiful car.

I ended up getting a 99 318i E46 model. It's absolutley flawless and just passed the nct. Couldn't be happier.

Thanks again.

Out of interest, what was the possible problem? He's not advertising one!

NothingMan

ottostreet wrote: »

Out of interest, what was the possible problem? He's not advertising one!

The ABS light is on. Could be something simple, but maybe not. He was going to get it checked but then I found my car.

ottostreet

NothingMan wrote: »

The ABS light is on. Could be something simple, but maybe not. He was going to get it checked but then I found my car.

The 318is I had went through three wheel speed sensors...all of which cause that light to come on.

Very small part, but at least you're happy with what you got.

Good luck with it.

Pinnacle

Just to warn anyone off that green BMW in the first post.

I remember that being for sale by another crowd in Clondalkin and my mate being intested in it. Brought a mechanic to look it over, and was shocked at what he saw.

There was litterally no oil on the dip stick at all, needed the usual suspension bushes, and a ful service etc.. but under the car would suggest it was either badly crashed or driven hard over ramps.. Can't get over that still being for sale:mad:

NothingMan

Pinnacle wrote: »

Just to warn anyone off that green BMW in the first post.

I remember that being for sale by another crowd in Clondalkin and my mate being intested in it. Brought a mechanic to look it over, and was shocked at what he saw.

There was litterally no oil on the dip stick at all, needed the usual suspension bushes, and a ful service etc.. but under the car would suggest it was either badly crashed or driven hard over ramps.. Can't get over that still being for sale:mad:

Wow, glad I avoided that. Also he has now upped the price to 3395 from 2900. It's going to be sitting there for quite a while.