polarbearit

Right my WRX is on 127,000km now and it is time for a new car. I've not spent any money for ages now so I have about £12k + my car. Any money I don't spend will be used to reduce the mortgage or save for a faster car. The car must have at least 3 seats and look the part as I'm now single (not that I've ever worked out how having a good car helps you pull!).

The budget is very flexible (£5k-17k), could be one car or two, but only for me to use, so 2 is probably a bit silly.

I am doing about 20k miles per year, not too worried about cost of petrol, but don't want 3k service intervals a la Evo's and prefer a biggish fuel tank. I don't really want big depriciation either!

The options I have thought of -

Fast Cars

1 New EU Imported WRX (Will strench the budget as I'll want to upgrade lots!)
2 MY99 Tubo 2000 - Seems about the best value scooby at under £12k for a lowish miler, a friend had loads of problems with his though (new turbo, engine, gearbox, 3 sets of discs...).
3 An STI 3-6 - Great cars, worried about the phase 2 engine on the later models though, I don't really want to have to get engines rebuilt etc, and I guess there isn't that much point changing my car for one of the earlier cars as I already have something similar.
4 An R33GTR Skyline - This was my dream car for a while (before the R34 was launched) - I have seen a couple of good cars within my price range, but I am worried running costs may be much higher than scoobies
5 A Supra Twin Turbo Manual - Seems like a good car for the money, a little worried about handling in the wet though! Very Cheap insurance too (Cheaper than a 306gti6 for me!).
6 M3 Evo - Probably the most sensible of this section, good residuals now following launch of the new one, sensible running costs, not driven one yet though!

Cheaper Options (I could put money in the house and start saving for an R34 then! )
1 Nissan 200 SX - Seems like a bargin at £5-£8k for a 96-98 car with sensible miles, less to insure and higher mpg than a scooby too. - Comfortable, but I'm not too sure about the handling
2 Pug 306 GTi6 - Great handling, sensible costs, looking a bit dated now.
3 BMW 328 - Now at about £8k for a 96 they look a sensible choice, don't like the image though!

Wild Card - TVR Cerbera - I have seen a couple of the earlier cars for around £16k, I don't think this would be a sensible car to own!

I do a mix of 40% motorway, 40% varied country roads (from twisty to wide and open), 20% town queuing. Any other suggests for my flexible budget are welcome... It is fair to say I really want a skyline, but I'm not sure I should by one.

So what car should I buy, other suggestions are welcome too, and any comments from owners or ex owners of any of the above are much appreciated, especially when compared with a scooby?

Jon

Mikael_S

Hmmm.....hmmmmmm.....tricky one.....hmmmmm......

Yep, I've made up my mind, you should buy a new WRX!



/Mikael

mole

If u really want a skyline and can afford one, go for it!

ScoobyDoo555

How 'bout an EVO?

Dan

DominicA

Skyline

scooby_si

the way i c it is there is only 1 (ok maybe a few super cars) that trully wupp the scoobies *** & that car is the skyline u seem a little confused thou as wot is it u really want? If it's full monty performance then surerly the skyline but if not just sumin cheap, comfy & not totally slow then is it a beama u seek?
If u aint noticed my opinion is the twin ceramic turbos that kum with the skyline float my boat
Si (scooby owner till i get enuff money 4 a GTR hmm if i live that long,lol)

HAPPY

you need to buy something that looks good dirty!!!!!!!!!!!!!

you know what i mean.

tarmacterrorist

Oooooeeeerr...
I am thinking of the STI 5 but am now a little bit worried what you say about the phase 2 engine. Can anyone elaborate the problems I might encounter with the STI 5. Thanks.
Andy.

Spudgun GTR

http://secret.lab6.com/uploaded_files/1004122089.jpg


ive never owned a car in my life that stops traffic and passers by like this one
nice chick magnet
need i say more

scooby_si

thats probably the only nice white car i can remember

Kosy

iTrader: (2)

Spudgun that looks ace!
I hope all the engine work you got done is now paying off.

PS Did you go to that Jap car meet at Bolney? I think i saw pics of your car there and it might be on video.

Cheers,

Kos

polarbearit

Happy, I cleaned my car last weekend - it was anthracite colour by tuesday, Maybe a grey or brown colour would hide the dirt more easily

Spudgun, your car looks great, but I just couldn't keep a white one clean, I have to wash it daily.

Yes I do want the skyline, but I am really considering a Supra as the 'sensible option' - crazy really but they are a little cheaper and about £600 per year cheaper to insure (why?) and can be insured without a tracker. Also the standard spec is slightly better. The thing is I really want an R34, but given the current economic situation (and being in 'short-term' employment), don't really want to take out a loan.

Evo's aren't too good for me - 150 mile range and the jap recommendation is servicing every 3k, that could be 7 services per year

Keep the advice coming...
And if anyone who owns a relatively standard R33 could tell me how reliable it is and how the running costs compare to a scooby, that would be great

Thanks,

Jon

matt d

Skylines are very reliable as standard. Not so much when heavily tuned (although exhaust, filter etc is fine). Parts are 2-3 times as much as a scoob. Insurance is more, and mpg is worse (looking at teens when driven enthusiastically)

Try www.gtr.co.uk and ask about running costs there.

[Edited by matt d - 11/24/2001 9:24:30 PM]

Spudgun GTR

polarbearit
you dont have to be a numpty like me and spend a fortune modding an r33.a change of exhaust, better chip etc, which doesnt cost a fortune, can see big improvements...skylines were born to be modded.
as far as running costs go? maybe better than a scooby, and certainly better than an evo. fuel consumption, in my own experience , is much better than an evo6, and my car has 'respectable' performance.
buy a tidy , sensibly modded r33, and you'll love it. ask ptholt, he had a go in her at bolney.
skylines do it differently than scoobys and evo's. sure, i still miss a scooby sometimes, and no doubt i'll own one again someday, but nothing really has the smooth oomph of a skyline.
as for the supra? nice car, no doubt, but my car has 4wd, and with big power, can be a little 'twitchy' on wet roads...i dread to think what a supras like

i saw a couple of the bolney pics(wish i'd cleaned the car now), but havent seen any vids...any links for the site?

jon, u know i'll happily waffle about r33's all day long, just send me an email if theres anything u wanna know mate

finally, IMHO, white or black are the only colour to have an r33(maybe the exception being gunmetal), both are a nuisance to keep clean, but, oh so worth it

Spudgun GTR

heres another, she hasnt been washed for ages in this pic...dont look too bad eh?
http://secret.lab6.com/uploaded_files/1006637176:jpg

matt d

Spudgun - are you sure about being cheaper than a scoob? Brake pads on an R33 are pricey compared to a scoob last time I checked, mpg is worse than a scoob (high 20s according to EU figures remember!). I find that a good guide to running costs is the initial price of the car when new.

Spudgun GTR

matt, i aint saying theyre cheap to run, no jap performance car seems to be anyway, however, my car costs £30 to fill her up on optimax, and it uses less than the evo6 my girlfriend had, honest!
if i remember rightly, the my00 with decat was much worse.
pootling round town is worse for fuel, but on the motorway she's pretty frugal really, all things considered.
as for breakpads? dunno mate, not needed any yet. she's not going on a track or anything anyway. all i know is this. ive owned a uk scooby and a sti5. my girlfriend had an evo6. now , i'm no accountant, but i do know this car doesnt cost anymore to run than the others, and thats the truth.
if running costs are the main concern, perhaps a diesel hatchback would be a wiser choice
boll0cks to fuel consumption, i love watching it flame out of my exhaust and watch the rep mobiles back off

Spudgun GTR

polarbearit
been doing some more thinking on your dilema. downsides of r33 ownership? not as confidence inspiring as a scooby/evo on a wet/bumpy road. parkings not too bad, although they are big.errr, i'm struggling here, erm....
nope, thats it
all i can say is dont do what i did. i bought a shed,and ended up having to spend a fortune on it. if u think P1 alloys are pricey, try the blitz ones on mine...£600 without tyres, without VAT....EACH
buy a modded one, the more mods the better. it will save you a fortune in the long run.i know people can be put off by modded scoobies, but skylines are different. i personally would never buy a standard skyline again, theyre just too damn expensive to mod.
also, dont be put off by a white car. theyre usually a bit cheaper to get, and for £1500, you can have it resprayed any colour you like
i can always give you first shout on mine, IF i change again next year, after all, i go through cars nearly as bad as chins

mail me, and i can give you the lowdown on how much these things cost to mod.
however, just to give u an inkling on how much a tuning house may charge you for the engine work to get 550bhp....you could have bought aarons P1, and had enough for a cruise holiday
that DOESNT include flashy wheels and resprays

polarbearit

Well running costs aren't my main concern (So no diesel hatchbacks on my list), but I don't want to go bankrupt with extornate repair costs - I certainly wouldn't want to have a car off the road for rebuilds and so on. And if buying a dear car I don't want to have to run a support car either...

Spudgun, I've got more questions of course, and will drop you a line in the week. Your car looks great, and a skyline is about the only car I've seen that looks good in white. I do have a real problem with keeping cars clean though Too much time driving them really.

I'm going to try and back to back drive a GTR and Supra if possible... I like them both, and I have taken my mates 380 bhp Supra out and it is dramatically quicker than any impreza I have driven, once it is moving! An a private motorway he has had 150mph at about 5000 revs and still accelerating hard. So far he has kept it on the road to (which is longer than he kept his last car a, Beamer on the road for).

Jon