LG John

I'm approximately a month or two away from having the funds to make a new car purchase. I anticipate that this car will become the household workhorse eventually following the purchase of something sporty in the future. My budget is in the £6-8k range but I suppose if a very strong case was made I could hold off a little longer and spend up to £10k. It's highly unlikely I'd spend more than that.

I'll list my key requirements and try to order them for importance (most important first).

• Must be practical with 4 doors and good boot space. A coupe might be acceptable if it has decent room in the back and a good boot.
• Must be less than 60k miles and must be 2002 or newer unless compelling case can be made.
• Must be generally well equipped. My top priorities are cruise control, leather interior, climate control, lots of electric adjustment, auto-wipers. Sat nav, heated seats, auto-lights, computers, etc would all be a big bonus too.
• Must have a decent bit of poke that is applicable to over-taking (so 40-100mph range).
• Must be a good example of the particular model of car, being well looked after inside and out with FSH, etc.
• Must have a degree of 'class' to it's interior and also it's exterior looks as well.
• Ideally more than 4 cylinders but not an absolute requirement. If going for a 4-pot I'd prefer a characterful one (such as a scooby warble).
• Preferably a manual but Auto's considered.

My current front runners are:

1. Ford Mondeo ST220
2. Subaru Legacy 3.0 Spec B
3. BMW 540i

It's also important to note that I generally prefer to buy into the top of a particular vehicles range, or thereabouts, and also a better example rather than something tired and run down. I could get a BMW e46 M3 for £10,000 but it would be an early example with fairly high mileage and tired looking both inside and out and likely with a poverty spec. I'd rather spend £2k less on a 2006, 40k miles ST220 with all the options ticked even though it's nowhere near as fast as the M3.

Examples or cars that probably aren't suitable and for stated reasons are:

1. Any form of Impreza: too 'in your face' looking and not well enough equipped.
2. Passat W8: Ticks a lot of the boxes but boring beyond belief and many of them have dire wood effect interiors.
3. Mazda 6 MPS: Half-decent contender but cheapo and 'unclassy' looking jap interior puts me off when compared to interior of st220/legacy/540i.
4. Shan spec 540i: If I did go for a 540i it must have the widescreen display and must NOT have wood inserts.
5. Jag S-Type R: These are in range and very fast but they are just far too 'old man' looking inside and out.
6. e39 M5: Very appealing and can be had for £10k ish but I don't want the worry of running an older, higher mileage M5 as a main car without a pot of money in case it goes wrong.

Over to you

RS Grant

E46 330i Coupe?? Could also get a Clubsport edition for that budget too I think, just a wee bit more special than a 'normal' 330ci.


Cheers,
Grant

HankScorpio

Fits all but the mileage - MB E320 CDI

Guy I used to work with bought one recently, 5yo, high miles but loves it and it's sound mechanically and wear and tear wise.

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

With respect to the BMW criteria:

The widescreen display is still pants for anything: You need an expensive bypass kit to watch TV on the move (not that reliable so I've read, plus the recption isn't great...not to forget the iapproaching analogue switch-off making it useless)...and you need another kit to run your DVD/playstation/ipod. To top it off, the satnav on all but the very last e39er's has no post code entry (and will need a software update too - as found on torrents ), so thats pants as well (not to mention the standard tape deck behind it ). Also be aware models with the premium sound systems (dsp, subwoofer etc) have a smaller boot due to the sub location.

Also be wary of the V8 when on a budget: You don't want the seals for the coolant feed pipe in the valley of the engine (of which is a common issue on the V8 engines of 5+ years) to develop a leak (noted by coolant weeping from a hole by the water pump). Its a nightmare to fix (properly), so if you have to have a v8, ensure it had its coolant changes done at the right intervals (note the 6 pot petrols don't suffer from this).

Also wood trim only clips on; doddle to swap for silver - main dealers have been known to swap for a differnt trim types to clinch a sale. So don't let that put you off.

Anyhoo what is a shan spec 540?; Champange edition (plush, extras and does have an ally trim option) or sham (poverty spec - cloth, tape player, etc.)

stilover

Audi S4 Saloon/Avant.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/985195.htm

It is a 2000 car, and you should get it for less than the asking price. Plus it only has 48k miles.

Not exactly at the cutting edge of feedback in driving terms, but a Deffo Q car. Pretty damn fast in standard form (loads of torque from low revs) and as it's a Turbo (twin turbo) it can be chipped to be very fast indeed.

My old man had one.

LG John

My issue with both the e46 and e39 BMW's is the tape deck. I know it's borderline insane to be bothered by such a thing but having a nice widescreen display is so much more appealing than a 1980's tape deck. Also, having built in sat-nav is a nice bonus even if it's not the best! I'd only use it rarely so putting in a full address isn't a major concern. I'll try to highlight my point with some pictures:

This is a classy interior. If I cleaned this up and made it my own I'd happily drive from here till the cows come home without feeling like I'd bought an 'old' car.


This on the other hand is a pile of ****! I'd spend all my time feeling like I'd bought an old-fashioned poverty-spec car


This is a classy/functional interior


This is close to becoming a dogs breakfast


I'm off to have a look but from memory most 330i's in the £7-9k type of range usually had over 50k miles (often well over) and nasty cloth interiors with tape-decks bang in the middle of the dash.

If it helps try to think of an ST220 in Ford Performance blue with the silver (creamy white) leather interior with sat nav as the benchmark. Despite a tape decked, clothed-up 73k miles 330i being RWD, a BMW, better build and, allegedly, a better car...I'd rather have the younger, minter, fully spec'd up Ford. This is what I meant about 'buying in nearer the top of the model range'. Whatever car I buy must be not only near the top of the range for that particular model but also a good example of that particular model.

Shallow stuff I know...but it's my money

LG John

Stilover, I've been keeping a semi-keen eye on that very car for a while as it's local to me and certainly seems well looked after. My reservation with it is that the old V6 turbo S4's are starting to look that little bit dated and at 9k asking it becomes very tempting to save just that little longer as £11k buys mid-mileage V8 S4s.

stilover

If it's been up for a while though..........


Thirsty car, high tax etc etc. Plus the Bi-Turbo it far more tunable than the V8.

I'd be amazed if you couldn't get that car for £8k.

LG John

Do all clubsports have that awful rear spoiler? If so....gutted!

ScooByer Trade

What about the 4.0ltr XJR or does that come with a smoking pipe as standard ?.

LG John

I defo considered that but it's just too 'old man'. I'm 30yo so I want the car to at least feel a little youthful.

Going 4 400bhp

iTrader: (2)

What about a bugeye

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

I think you might have lost me:

Trim as mention just clips on...I can show you on my camera phone later on if you want. A complete alloy or carbon fibre effect trim can be had from new at a dealer's parts section, or from BMW breakers (or paint it yourself ). Knock off £100 off the asking price and that should cover it.

The widescreen display has a tape deck behind it. There is also a model withe a square-screen sat nav (which is even more useless...and also has a tape deck). And to confuse cars without the screen can be found with a CD deck behind the facia flap along with DSP, amp and subs (not that it sounds impressive, but better than the standard affair). What I'm just saying your better off getting a double DIN conversion kit and loom and sticking your own DVD/satnav head unit


I'm just opening your options IYSWIM; as a manual 540s are hard to find in good condition as it is. Most are mechanically dog rough IMO.

ScooByer Trade

I would go and try an XJR as you might think twice about it's image so to speak.I think it's got a more classy interior compared with the beemer & better styled too.Will get to 60 in around 5 seconds so not a slouch.

LG John

Thanks for the useful info on the BMW's Ali. Not sure how I lost you, I just prefer to look at a screen which, presumably, gives information on what radio station you are tuned into, or the sat nav map, or even vehicle information like MPG, Range, etc than a chuck of plastic with a tape deck slot. The fact there's a tape deck behind the screen is of no concern

I'd be interested to see pics of an aftermarket install like you describe. FWIW, I simply hate any form of aftermarket DVD's unless they are flush with the fascia.

ScooByer Trade

If you can stretch to this price this would be a lovely car to drive

Jaguar : Jaguar XJR 4.2L X350

LG John

Stop trying to tempt me At this rate I'll end up with another wizz-bang scooby that isn't relaxed or comfortable on long drives has basically no kit and is far from a relaxed cruiser....but 400+bhp

LG John

128k miles! Lol, that's like double my maximum! I know that engine/car will take it all day long but I have and always will have an issue with high mileage. There's just no way I'd spend £9k on a car that's been driven that much although I agree it looks very nice and in 20 years time I'd happily waft along in it

LG John

FWIW, I should point out that'll I'll be surprised if anyone can find a car that meets my criteria better than the Ford or Legacy. I've spend months and months and months trolling PH and Autotrader for inspiration. That's said, by sheer mass of numbers you guys might spot something I've missed

I'd also point out that the Legacy interior is lovely. Shame they as rare as rocking horse ****! I also fear that if ever I wanted to sell a spec-b it would be 10x harder to shift than an ST220 or any BMW.

ScooByer Trade

You would probably consider this as a bit slow but here goes

Drivewise Contracts LTD : Jaguar XK8 4.0

NotoriousREV

Have you actually seen a Ford interior up close? Very well styled but the materials and build quality won't match the other cars you've mentioned.

LG John

Yeah, it was ok. Not seen a Spec-B up close though - like to think it's as good or better than the fords.

ScooByer Trade

Who me or Saxo Boy ?.I haven't seen a Ford interior recently Notorious, are.they made from plastic cola bottles or something ?.

LG John

The big Jag does have some appeal but the reason it fails on my criteria are that it's a old car, looks a little tired and is not a particularly fresh or clean example of that kind of vehicle. Also, the expanses of wood would make me want to slit my wrists.

I can't stress the importance of not buying a tired or poorly spec'd version of a vehicle. If I can't afford to purchase a well spec'd, clean and fairly young version of a particular model then I simply have to pick a lesser car.

Case and point. I'd have a 04/54 manual e46 M3 with 45,000 on the clock, sat nav, good colour combo's and excellent condition in a heart beat. I'd absolutely LOVE such a car and it would meet pretty much all of my criteria. However, I'd need £15k or more for such an example. I'd simply not buy something with 90k+ on 2001 plate with cracking black leather interior and tired exterior as it would never feel remotely special which, IMHO, such a purchase should feel. Hope that makes a degree of sense.

NotoriousREV

I meant Saxo Boy. I had a new Focus on hire last week. Good looking interior but the plastics are hard and all the buttons were a bit wobbly. I had a Mondeo a while back ( not current shape) and it was no better.

ScooByer Trade

The 5 series is known to rust inside the rear arches also around the boot lock, on the inside of the petrol filler too and around the panel between the boot and the bumper boot edge.

Dunk

iTrader: (1)

I've just bought a Mazda 6 MPS, 06 56k miles from a Mazda main dealer for £8k inc road tax. It has massive kit as std, climate, leather, 6spd, cruise elec drivers seat and mine has the only option of sat nav too. 2.3 4 cyl with 260 bhp, awd, 6 speed and nicely discreet with Mazda reliability, I'm very pleased with it, the ideal Q car.
(rear seats don't collapse which is the only frustration.)

D

ScooByer Trade

Or have a gander at the last of the e38 740's in individual spec. Could get a swb sport for around your budget.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1009032.htm

another here

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/948835.htm

LG John

The 6MPS is defo still in the running. I do feel the interior is a little 'fussy' and Japanese(esk) and the looks a little understated and boring. The ST220 looks quite muscular and sporting and the Spec-B looks completely understated but classy. The 6, IMHO, manges to appear as just neither. It's just...well...nothing (discreet as you say). I think I'd struggle to pick one out of a crowd. Aside from these personal aesthetic complains and that they appear to be annoyingly rare it ticks all the boxes with gusto.

I'm a betting man: I'm a big favourite to plump for an st220, spec-b, or mps.

taffyboyo

saxo boy, a few months ago I had a similar dilema, only 1 car ticked all the boxes and it will tick most of yours,

I bought an early mk 2 octavia vrs (55 plate) 2.0tfsi
24k on the clock, all the toys inc sat nav,
lovely looking in red with the upgraded 18" alloys
mint condition for under £8k

I've had it 4 months now and cant fault it in any way, which is unusual for me

dont dismiss it, go and see 1 for yourself, they really are fantastic cars for the money,
cheap to remap etc, allthough I havent really seen the need

taffy