€3.5K to spend, advice needed

gavdolfini

Ive had a 525 msport, e36 m3 and 318is, the engines never gave any problems, they just need to be maintained (like all cars). The e36 m3 is a great car.

Audi A4 circa 2002 i wouldnt touch.

Would love to go for an RX8 if i was a mechanic!.

gavdolfini

Irishcrx wrote: »

Yeah I take your point , I just base my opinion on the one's I have drove against cars that are in similar category/range and I don't think the BMW's stack up against them depsite being more popular, I do think they are overpriced for what you get both in terms of performance and equipment and that fact that you see them everywhere just turns me off them.

No doubt there is a reason for there popularity and by no means bad cars , I just think there is much more bang for your buck to be gotten if you open the horizons a bit. I think far too many people listen to pub talk and buy a car because there mate said it's great or because 'everyone has one sure'.

I know plenty of BMW drivers friends.colleages who will discredit other cars such as Alfa Romeo/RX-8/Nissan's based purely on pub talk and assumtion and have never ever looked at one in the flesh, there cars are in the garage as often if not more getting repairs and half of them couldn't tell you where the dip stick is.

Have you driven an Alfa Romeo GT?.. What is the 1.8 engine like?.

Irishcrx

gavdolfini wrote: »

Ive had a 525 msport, e36 m3 and 318is, the engines never gave any problems, they just need to be maintained (like all cars). The e36 m3 is a great car.

Audi A4 circa 2002 i wouldnt touch.

Would love to go for an RX8 if i was a mechanic!.

Yeah I have to say an M3 would be an exceptional car , you don't see them everyday. Still an expensive enough car even the older models , but they would be worth it.

Agree with the Audi, no no no to an A4.

Tea 1000

Irishcrx wrote: »

Yeah I take your point , I just base my opinion on the one's I have drove against cars that are in similar category/range and I don't think the BMW's stack up against them depsite being more popular, I do think they are overpriced for what you get both in terms of performance and equipment and that fact that you see them everywhere just turns me off them.

No doubt there is a reason for there popularity and by no means bad cars , I just think there is much more bang for your buck to be gotten if you open the horizons a bit. I think far too many people listen to pub talk and buy a car because there mate said it's great or because 'everyone has one sure'.

I know plenty of BMW drivers friends.colleages who will discredit other cars such as Alfa Romeo/RX-8/Nissan's based purely on pub talk and assumtion and have never ever looked at one in the flesh, there cars are in the garage as often if not more getting repairs and half of them couldn't tell you where the dip stick is.

The biggest problem with BMW's are in most cases their owners. Full of crap. In reality though, a good clean 325Ci E46 for less than €5k is hard to beat for completeness. It's got a nice engine with a nice spread of power, lovely sound, comfortable and quiet interior while on the move, and an excellent chassis. A 316 on the other hand is pants.

Irishcrx

gavdolfini wrote: »

Have you driven an Alfa Romeo GT?.. What is the 1.8 engine like?.

Haven't driven one, a friend of mine has a 2.0 JTS version and it's a lovely car , light weight and powerful with great handling.

I think the 1.8 is the same 1.8 Tspark engine that came in the 156 or a slightly upgraded version of that. It's not the same 1.8 slug they put in the 159.

V.W.L 11

Ardennes1944 wrote: »

That garage is well known around Cork (along with his brother) for selling poor quality cars

Are the initials J O'B????OP???if so i agree!

PrettyBoy

RootX wrote: »

Hi,

this is the place to start if you're seriously considering an RX-8

http://rx8ownersclub.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=24047&hilit=New+buyers+guide

Unless the owner is willing to have the engine compression tested(hot compression test with proper rotary tester), I would n't even bother going for a test drive.
Hot-start issues is usually an indication of a low-compression engine but a fast starter may mask this; just because it starts from hot OK doesn't mean compression is fine.

Approximately every 30k miles, ignition components(coils, plugs, leads) need replacing. Coils aren't a service item(according to Mazda) therefore you may be looking at an expensive service replacing all these if the owner was relying on Mazda's schedule.
If the owner claims coils have been changed recently, ask for receipt. If they were purchased off eBay, chances are they're fake and they do more harm than good.

Rotary engine doesn't burn oil in the traditional form(indicating a failing engine). It injects oil from the sump in order to lubricate the seals.
Oil consumption is low and nowhere near the pub stories you may heave heard

Now, I don't want to disappoint you but finding one in a good condition for 3.5K it will be very difficult.

I did alot of research before getting one and even if I'm overdoing it with maintenance, I still have 3K saved for when the engine goes

Irishcrx wrote: »

Yep agree with the above, if the car has had a re-build a d has all relevent documentation to support this from a reputable mechanhic/Garage then that is what I would be going for.

There is also a place in Kent UK that specialises in RX-8 and all cars are sold with a hot compression test. That's where I would be going for one, prices start at around 3,000 pound VRT on a 2004 model will be €720, boat €00 - €130 and a fun drive from Kent.

http://hextablerotaries.webs.com/

Thanks lads, very informative and helpful posts. I like the RX8 but their reputation puts me off a but. I might try to arrange a test drive in one.

Tea 1000 wrote: »

Speaking of which, a Mk 1 TT is a relatively fun car for not a lot of money these days.

The TT crossed my mind alright, I'd definitely consider one. Anyone have experience with them?

Tea 1000 wrote: »

OP had listed an A4, sorry, but A4 and fun don't belong in the same sentence. Especially with that 2 litre petrol.

gavdolfini wrote: »

Audi A4 circa 2002 i wouldnt touch.

I don't know anything about them to be honest, one caught my eye last night though so said I'd ask. Do they have issues or are they just boring cars?

tossy

with a budget of 3.5k you are not going to find any performance orientated car worth buying.

Irishcrx

tossy wrote: »

with a budget of 3.5k you are not going to find any performance orientated car worth buying.

That's a load of rubbish. I'm not even going to bother debating it. I've had plenty without issue as long as they are maintained.

PrettyBoy

tossy wrote: »

with a budget of 3.5k you are not going to find any performance orientated car worth buying.

Performance isn't a huge factor, just looking for something reasonably quick and reliable. Fun would be a bonus but I know with my budget the choice is limited.

I've seen a few Audi S3's up recently asking around €3.5k, performance in those is more than adequate.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/audi-s3/6547593

ba_barabus

Depending on overall condition, especially the suspension, this may be of interest

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/alfa-156-jtd/6556346

MetzgerMeister

Irishcrx wrote: »

Yeah I take your point , I just base my opinion on the one's I have drove against cars that are in similar category/range and I don't think the BMW's stack up against them depsite being more popular, I do think they are overpriced for what you get both in terms of performance and equipment and that fact that you see them everywhere just turns me off them.

No doubt there is a reason for there popularity and by no means bad cars , I just think there is much more bang for your buck to be gotten if you open the horizons a bit. I think far too many people listen to pub talk and buy a car because there mate said it's great or because 'everyone has one sure'.

I know plenty of BMW drivers friends.colleages who will discredit other cars such as Alfa Romeo/RX-8/Nissan's based purely on pub talk and assumtion and have never ever looked at one in the flesh, there cars are in the garage as often if not more getting repairs and half of them couldn't tell you where the dip stick is.

Overpriced? Try a 335i for 1/3 what it was new and say that again :P

With regards to discrediting a car, I owned an RX8 and I'm well known in this forum for my love and knowledge of the RX8 and all I can say is that I would not under any circumstances discredit that car despite the fact that I now drive a BMW. The RX8 was one of the best cars I've owned.

After I got the starter in mine replaced, I didn't have 1 ounce of bother with it at all. People need to actually get their facts straight about cars before coming here and posting crap like "It burns sooooo much oil". How about you STFU and do a little bit of research? Believe it or not, it will benefit you! (Not directed at you CRX)

tossy

Irishcrx wrote: »

That's a load of rubbish. I'm not even going to bother debating it. I've had plenty without issue as long as they are maintained.

I am sorry i take it back, your opinion clearly outweighs my opinion, i apologise.

Irishcrx

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Overpriced? Try a 335i for 1/3 what it was new and say that again :P

With regards to discrediting a car, I owned an RX8 and I'm well known in this forum for my love and knowledge of the RX8 and all I can say is that I would not under any circumstances discredit that car despite the fact that I now drive a BMW. The RX8 was one of the best cars I've owned.

After I got the starter in mine replaced, I didn't have 1 ounce of bother with it at all. People need to actually get their facts straight about cars before coming here and posting crap like "It burns sooooo much oil". How about you STFU and do a little bit of research? Believe it or not, it will benefit you! (Not directed at you CRX)

I completely agree with you, people come on here looking for advice from either A people who have owned the car or B People who have at least a knowledge of the cars. They don't want pub talk or I heard this about it, it's not helpfull to people looking to buy, it's just off putting.

Opinions are fine, just base them on SOMETHING REAL.:pac:

Irishcrx

tossy wrote: »

I am sorry i take it back, your opinion clearly outweighs my opinion, i apologise.

Clearly!:D , TBF it is just that though my opinion of a decent performance car could be anp Alfa GTA which can be well got for 3.5k while you might only consider an M5 a decend performance car. So we'll shake on it and walk away

ba_barabus

Irishcrx wrote: »

So we'll shake on it and walk away

Get to hell. Tell him if he disagrees with you he drowns puppies don't take the adult way out :pac:

stimpson

A bit over budget, but if it was me, I'd be down to the credit union for a few bob and buy this:

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/volvo-s60r-awd-300bhp/6503137

When I bought my S60 there was an S60R on adverts for 7.5K. As it's a granddads car, the insurance shouldn't be too bad either.

wotswattage

PrettyBoy wrote: »

Performance isn't a huge factor, just looking for something reasonably quick and reliable. Fun would be a bonus but I know with my budget the choice is limited.

I've seen a few Audi S3's up recently asking around €3.5k, performance in those is more than adequate.

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/audi-s3/6547593

I was in a very similar car search as you not so long ago. Basically I wanted something stylish, comfortable, bit of power, maybe a bit quirky. I had narrowed down my list to an Audi S3, Audi TT, Alfa GT, Saab 93 Aero(2 door), Volvo C70 T5, Rx8, Honda Prelude and a few others I can't think of right now. My brother had an E46 320d Msport which while lovely car to look at + drive but it absolutely broke him up over the year he had it which put me off BMW's for the time being...

An S3 was my ideal choice but I have feeling a cheap S3 could really be a heartache in terms of things going wrong with it. Same goes for all cars really but especially something more specialised. Long story short nothing came up for months everything was either out of budget or too rough.

I ended up buying a 1.9 Alfa 159 on a whim when one came up for sale at a really good price! Wasn't even on my list as they were all €5k+ not so long ago!! The 1.9 JTS is a nice enough engine (16v + VVT 160bhp) it doesn't do a whole lot down the revs but moves ok once you rev it enough and its fairly smooth the whole way up the rev range. It's a gorgeous looking car and very comfortable so I'm happy for now

noelf

$

PrettyBoy wrote: »

Would love one but don't think I'd be able to afford a good one even if I doubled my budget

I'll look into those Alfa's you mentioned as well as the Accord.

I'll probably keep whatever car I buy for 6 months or less, the RX8 sounds like it would be a big gamble regarding the mechanics and then when it comes time to sell. I'm not too well up on them so I'll do some research this week.

How about a golf gti edition 25 in blackwater motors (carzone) on budget

PrettyBoy

noelf wrote: »

How about a golf gti edition 25 in blackwater motors (carzone) on budget

I had a Mk4 GTI for a few months last year, liked it but looking for something a bit different.

Do you have a link for the GTI Anni? Can't seem to find it.

PrettyBoy

wotswattage wrote: »

I ended up buying a 1.9 Alfa 159 on a whim when one came up for sale at a really good price! Wasn't even on my list as they were all €5k+ not so long ago!! The 1.9 JTS is a nice enough engine (16v + VVT 160bhp) it doesn't do a whole lot down the revs but moves ok once you rev it enough and its fairly smooth the whole way up the rev range. It's a gorgeous looking car and very comfortable so I'm happy for now

Love the look of the 159, are there any big issues with them? They seem like an absolute bargain, I'm just wondering what the catch is..

dgt

OP if interested I know of a 156 that might fit the bill: V6 and set up to handle/stop (some serious fun in the bends and the sound from that engine :cool:)

It wasn't without its problems but I've ironed them out

And no its not one of my cars :pac:

If going for a 156, polybush it. Full kits are available from strongflex for €250

The 166 by comparison is very civilized but beware of 166 niggles such as leaky rad, worn bushes, crap lights, leaky cabin and the likes. Also can be expensive in places to service compared to the 156 (£90 for a single rear bush where a Mercedes E class bush will fit)

Expect high 20s mpg wise

As for BMW: great fun in the wet, especially with the ASC off and at deserted roundabouts not dear to buy either, especially the E39s

PrettyBoy

dgt wrote: »

OP if interested I know of a 156 that might fit the bill: V6 and set up to handle/stop (some serious fun in the bends and the sound from that engine :cool:)

It wasn't without its problems but I've ironed them out

Can you PM me details please.

thecomedian

Seat cupra at 3.5k

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/seat-leon-cupra-r/6486613

wotswattage

^those Leon cupras are class all over €5k when I was looking before/over Xmas!

wotswattage

PrettyBoy wrote: »

Love the look of the 159, are there any big issues with them? They seem like an absolute bargain, I'm just wondering what the catch is..

Mine is a petrol JTS engine, it's a GM engine which comes in 1.9 or 2.2
Both are known to suffer from timing chain stretching/cam gear wear but to be honest I don't know what else.. Mine seems perfect anyway. 159's are also prone to really annoying interior rattles which mine thankfully doesn't have (yet)!

Don't know much about the other models or diesels, the 1.8 is apparently awful though and I have no interest in diesels so didn't read up about them.

To be honest while I really like the car I do find it a good bit slower than my pevious car a Mk3 gti 16v(which I'm now in the process of selling). The alfa has 10bhp more but its nearly 400kg heavier!!!

bazz26

I'd imagine any 159 costing €3500 will need more money spent on it soon after. A 159 in bargain basement territory would not inspire me with confidence.

ba_barabus

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd imagine any 159 costing €3500 will need more money spent on it soon after. A 159 in bargain basement territory would not inspire me with confidence.

I've seen a few 2006 159's for sub 5000 and all looked rough. There wasn't one I'd put my money into.

wotswattage

bazz26 wrote: »

I'd imagine any 159 costing €3500 will need more money spent on it soon after. A 159 in bargain basement territory would not inspire me with confidence.

True. He'd need to stretch the budget a bit. Then again you could come across a seller who needs the cash asap. Like I said I wasn't looking for one but a very clean one came up for very good money. Was only for sale for 4 hours when I viewed + bought it.

Same as I said in my earlier post re getting the cheapest of a car for sale... Be very wide!

noelf

PrettyBoy wrote: »

I had a Mk4 GTI for a few months last year, liked it but looking for something a bit different.

Do you have a link for the GTI Anni? Can't seem to find it.

Just Google blackwater motors enter vw golf E3000 to E4000 petrol...