Raks

Looking to cash in the M, to purchase house furnishings for imminent new flat, and also purchase an all-round performance car.

Needs to be:
V. Quick
Reliable
Tuneable
Spec'd
Four seats
Budget - £8k odd

Any ideas ? Anyone interested in purchasing ?

My car..

Andy M3

my mate has just swapped his MZ3 for a A4 S-line, but he paid more than 8k. You have a low buget to replace that car, but one you have owned a BMW you need that quality there, which jap cars don't offer. £8000 is a low budget, but you can go a bit retro which would be acceptable to your neigbours. a Nice BMW E30 325 cabriolet would be in that budget, as would a BMW 635 CSI Highline / M6. The porblem with those cars is they do feel old next to you BMW. So go with the classless comodaty. A nice golf GTI mkiv. 1.8T or 1.9D. You might be able to find a very early Mini Cooper for that money, but i doubt it. Those are the only 2 cars you can get in without getting that feeling that you have compromised ???? Any good to you ?

Raks

good options along your line of thought..

i wouldn't mind a jap car ....... owned a scoob and 200sx before this ...

Alec

Evo? If you go to 9k you might get a 4.

Vec

List of what I can think of:
Alfa 156 V6
Accord Type R
BMW 328
Vectra GSi V6
Mondeo ST200 V6
Saab 9000 Turbo
Volvo T5
Audi A4 2.8 V6 4x4
Golf VR6 Highline (5 Door)
Vento VR6
Jag XJR (6cly model)
BMW M3 3.0
BMW M5 3.8

These I'm sure fall in and around your budget. Without stating the obvious, you could get yourself a really nice Scooby.

You'll find a high mileage M3 saloon or even a 3.8 M5. But tread carefully, as most of them have been hammered now.

Hope the above helps. Good luck with the Flat purchase mate.

Raks

I should have been a little more specific..

I wanted something turbo'd as then I would have the chance to tune it when money becomes more available
4wd would be useful to help put down the power properly
Saloon to aid practicality

Volvo's seem to be a good Q car due to tuning potential on turbo models, but which ones if any come with 4/awd ? and fit the bill ?

66 Blue

octavia VRS tunable good looking..... think they are FWD?

Andy M3

You can get a 70 series AWD however they don't take to tuning too well.

I recomend a classic 850R low miles FSH, the cars is FWD but with an LSD it is very well behaved with over 300 bhp. I know of a Volvo 850R auto with rica ecu and ITG panel filter pull a 14.5 1/4 @ POD. You do compramise with the FWD but you gain with cheap mods, insurance and serviceing and you will not be dissapointed in the all round ability.

ianc

Octavia RS is FWD.....

(but octavia 4x4turbo, surprisingly, is not )

Raks

wanted to break the 2.0 engine size though - bit dubious about heavily tuning a 1.8 T lump.

ianc

take a look around www.briskoda.net, www.seatcupra.net, ukmivs.net - plenty of 1.8T tuning going on, what sort of level do you want?