I am looking to change my everyday car (actually, apart form a dead donor it is my only car) and wondered what anyone thinks about the current short list. I drive about 20k miles per year and need something I can rely on, but don't mind fixing things. The list currently has:

Fiat Coupe 20 valve turbo (very quick, I love the looks, not sure about durability though)

Peugeot 406 coupe 3.0 (good looking, but standard 406 inside, may be very thirtsty?)

Honda Prelude 2.2 vtec (last generation model, should be bullet proof, not the best looking)

I have a budget of £6k, a coupe is not a must but I quite fancy having one. Any other thoughts?

Pug 406 for my money - IMHO the better looking of the 3 cars.

Insurance on the Fiat is a killer - all depends on your situation though.

With 6K I'd probably buy a 3 series. - sad but true...


Steve

how about a toyota celica? that'll go on for ever and they did the gt and gt4 versions..

3 series should be a strong contender.

mazda mx5?
ford probe?


Ned.

how many seats/how practical does it need to be?

mk2 mr2? turbo? t-bar?

of the three, my only comments would be that the 406, though very comfortable indeed, isnt a sports car really. Does drive nice though but its easy to bottom it out. The fiat is possibly more reliable than you may think, my pal has abused one for 2 years now with not much trouble. Isnt there a 3.0vtec nowadays?

myself, i wouldnt buy any coupe cos i like 4 doors. if you must have one, why not get a fiat seicento!?!? joking of course...

How aobut one of these?

http://www.rushcorp.com/cars/cardetail.asp?stocknum=1602011

My missus has one and so far the car has been reliable and is a great drive. Very pokey and doesn't guzzle fuel to much. You get a lot of looks when blating about in one.

500000 yen is roughly 2k, plus SVA test your looking at around £3000 for a fun sports car, leaving you plenty of money to play with it. (loads of contact's to upgrade it). Support for the FTO is a lot better now, and most of the engine component's come from a v6 galant.

Plus it will be worth £6000 over here straight away.

Chris

Hi, mmmmmmm

not cheeky i hope but i have a prelude 2.2 v-tec 185bhp 4wheel steer for sale,

full leather, 6 disc changer, Air con, cruise, the works, R reg 1st reg 31/12/97, will take and post a pic if u like, comes in under your budget, sat of a fourcourt it would be well over, oh, 68K.

Ned, i assume the after the Ford probe was a knowing one, i would,nt recomend one of those to anyone, unless of course they have a never ending supply of coil packs, whatever you want to call em, call any modern breakers and ask "have you got a probe in?" answer will be " yes but the coil pack as been sold" 4cly and 6 cly are both prone to this well known fault, i found out to my cost after i had bought one,

Thanks for the replies - I am currently favouring the Fiat due to the immense speed capability (I had a go in one last week and was very impressed).

Jon, send me pics of your Prelude please - it sounds interesting, what colour is it?

My requirement is for something which my teenage daughters can get into, although it is not likely to be used for long family journeys (my wife has a Citroen Berlingo for when we need space, and to carry bits of a locost build in). Hence the MX5 / MR2 etc are out.

I had wondered about an FTO, but haven't had a chance to have a proper look at one yet. Toyota Celica is OK but personally think the last version (which is all I could afford) is looking a bit dated.

I know I should probably go for a 3 series, but it is a BMW and I don't think I want one of them - no logical reason for that comment!

Keep the comments coming.

Cheers

what about the alfa GTV V6 3000. you could get a good one on a P or R reg for that money. Propper car

Just a note about the 20valver, I've got a 72k marea weekend with the same engine and it's due a cambelt. After some digging it turns out that the service time for mine is 10hrs (engine out!!) the service time for the coupe is 13hrs (multiply by £35/hr at garage!!). I've just bought the special tools which hold the cam lobes £38 (I kid you not) and a foot long DTI to measure for TDC also £40 but a mates garage has one . On the plus side the belt was only £20 but the tensioner is the bit that breaks and this costs about £60. I'll let you know how I get on with it!

Ben


Wicked engine though....sounds like a quattro!!

[Edited on 27/2/04 by loafersmate]

[Edited on 27/2/04 by loafersmate]

how about a Mitsubishi 3000gt - now thats a good looking car - IMNVHO...




[Edited on 27/2/04 by protofj]

Alfa GTV would be wonderful, but I would have to chop the kids legs off!! Also not enough room for some of the work stuff I have to get in the boot, real shame because I would love one.

I know about the cambelt issue - apparently there are specialist around who can sort it for about £400 without taking the engine out. My local garage said he has done that with a Marea.

The Mitsubishi 3000 is great, but I don't really want such a big (and probably expensive to run) car.

Cheers

two tone red n white, for a larf i took these this morning, I aint gonna enter into a sales pitch its a Honda, its too big for our lass to park, she wants a "puma" doh, only thing i can add is, its quick, its insurable, it holds its value better pretty much all the above.........
Rescued attachment snow 002.jpg

I like the 'lude a lot. I'd have one if I could justify the insurance, but in a young un
That or an Integra Type-R

I'm planning on getting Puma 1.7 in the next couple of weeks to replace my boring old Rover 400. Supposed to be a little firecracker. Test drive tomorrow

Jon,

Have sent you an email about your car.

Cheers

Something your daughters could get into.... I will happily sell you my car as long as I can chauffer!

andyps,ive got an alfa,no need to take lump out to do timing belt,needs special tools(£50)and 3 hands and 2 hours of yr time

Jon, is your Postie blind?


Or does the house number give you a fighting chance of getting the right place when you come home mullered?

sort of..........


nah actually everyone drives straight by, ask Alez, was an attempt to make number visible off road, you spotted it................

quote:

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Originally posted by JamJah
Something your daughters could get into.... I will happily sell you my car as long as I can chauffer!

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My heart over-ruled my head - this is my new motor and I love it
Rescued attachment DSCF0003.JPG

So...what is it?

(not seen in the US I don't think)

Fiat Coupe 20 valve turbo

fiat coups!

BTW, my mate says his has been good over the miles its done, if thats any comfort. Just need to sort the remortgage for the fuel bills now!! and tyres...

Alan, Fiat Coupe 20 valve turbo I think

Hey Andy,
Good choice I'm sure. Spooky resemblance to our last post too (see below) better passenger space though.

I've had several fiats, all had willing and revvy engines with a satisfying power curve. None as powerful as yours though. I hope they've solved the niggly intermittent electrical faults. Things did used to go on the blink after a while.
Having said that my wife also now has a berlingo, so I got myself another italian car.. alfa this time. Great minds etc
Dave

P.S. This isn't an alfa of course..

[Edited on 12/3/04 by Dave Ashurst]Image deleted by owner

Yep - it is a Fiat Coupe 20 valve turbo - 225bhp and quick. I am impressed with the engine - it would be really good in a locost (although they are not cheap) if there is a suitable gearbox for it.

For a coupe it is surprisingly practical - there is enough room for me in the back behind where I would sit to drive it.

I suspect Joel is right - the front tyres probably won't last long, but on a 150 mile motorway trip to get it home the fuel consumption seemed very reasonable. Time will tell!

Oh dear! A scrabble wagon. you should of bought a Nissan 200sx.