New car ideas

Soldato
Joined
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Well I'm still waiting on insurance, but in the mean time I'm considering what to get as a replacement.

I want to spend no more than £7-8k inc insurance, obviously, the less the better! Not bothered about mileage as long as there is history to back it up etc, condition is more important.

Have been looking generally at older Jap stuff like RX7s, 3000GTs, 200SXs, 300ZXs, Galants, GT4s so far. Something reasonably fast (turbo'd) with some toys and a bit of 'rarity'. Went to see a really mint 200SX last week but that has now sold.

Insurance is the main issue at the moment obviously, I can't go for anything ridiculous (I think running a quote for something like an R33/34 or an Evo would just result in a picture of a tub of vaseline on the screen) - so that'll have to wait for the time being...also generally speaking the UK spec cars are cheaper to insure, though there may be exceptions.

Just after a few suggestions, any input appreciated - perhaps throwing something into the mix that I've not thought of.

Cheers
 
Out of those as daily driver I would choose something like a 99/00 200sx, the rest will be old and expensive to run, UK 300zx in good condition are hard to find, newest you could find is a 95 M plate, but they did suffer from rust on the rear arches and sills/chassis rails.

Best bet would be to set a budget of £5k for the car and keep a couple of grand for maintenance.
 
Could get a facelift Galant vr4 for about £5k

As a daily driver that can be used as a blast, i would highly recommend it. Trying running a quote on one to see what the insurance is like... when I was younger it worked out quite cheap.
 
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300-330BHP, 350ft.lb, 6 speed manual or automatic, all the toys, electric everything, cruise, LSD, climate, electronically adjustable suspension (if specified), various handling packs, etc, stupendous reliability, excellent economy, cheap insurance, bulletproof powertrain and cheap servicing (just plugs, oil, coolant and filters). No belts or nasty suprises like that.

Plus, when was the last time you saw one :p Bit more road presence too, and less of the 'ricer' image. Tend to get more of a grin than a frown :)


Brum.
 
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I wish you'ed stop posting Corvette pictures, because one of these days I'm not going to be able to resist anymore! :D
 
I wish you'ed stop posting Corvette pictures, because one of these days I'm not going to be able to resist anymore! :D

How about some bang for buck then? :p


"96 LT4 Corvette, stock heads, stock bottom end, LT4 hotcam, gears, exhaust, electric water pump, and a 150 shot"

Cheap way into 10 second passes :D

498rwhp & 547rwtq :D
 
beermonster said:
Out of those as daily driver I would choose something like a 99/00 200sx, the rest will be old and expensive to run, UK 300zx in good condition are hard to find, newest you could find is a 95 M plate, but they did suffer from rust on the rear arches and sills/chassis rails.

Best bet would be to set a budget of £5k for the car and keep a couple of grand for maintenance.

I have been to see a couple of 200sx's and they are pretty good to drive. They were my first inclination before I started exploring other options. I have joined the owners club and though the 300ZX looks good (appearance and specs) it seems to have an unusually large number of issues?

Does it have to be Turbo'd and Jap?

E36 M3 otherwise :)

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1471636.htm

Looked at these, well, a few of the 3 series range M3 and 330s, however, they do seem to have a bit of an 'image' attached. Never really looked into them in much detail and haven't driven one so some more information would be appreciated ie. what's good, whats not.


Yum, definate road presence and a wow factor there! I see these pics every time you post em! :D I can't seem to find that many for sale in the UK? Are they 2+2 or just 2 seater?

Is a turbo RWD car really that sensible after the last one?

Yeah fair point, however, I don't think an isolated incident should mean I shouldn't drive anything remotely interesting. Live and learn through experience :)
 
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They're all 2 seater - most commonly found in mags like Classic American, American Car World, Custom car, the classic rags, on the CCCUK website and via PH/Autotrader/eBay/usual suspects :)
 
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Thanks :)

Any major weak points (engine or bodywork?) I'd guess they qualify for classic car insurance which, considering I only do a minimal amount of travelling would be good - also behing LHD does that pose any other issues (never driven a LHD car before) :o
 
Thanks :)

Any major weak points (engine or bodywork?) I'd guess they qualify for classic car insurance which, considering I only do a minimal amount of travelling would be good - also behing LHD does that pose any other issues (never driven a LHD car before) :o

There are several buyer's guides online if you look :)

The LT1 is a very tough, reliable engine. As mentioned the only service items it takes are filters, plugs, oil, coolant and occassionally a serpentine belt. The plugs are platinum and have an 80k lifespan - but they do have to be changed on a lift (from underneath) so more a workshop job than a DIY one that. If you can find an LT4 engined one then they're even better as they tend to make about 350 at the crank factory!

The only issue that the LT1 can suffer from is a leaky waterpump - which in itself is no problem, but it leaks onto the vent holes for the optispark ignition system (as that's at the front underneath it) which makes itself apparent as a misfire then a complete ignition system failure. Most have been replaced by this point, and with a revised breather system to avoid the same problem :) It usually costs about 500 to replace with an aftermarket part if it goes bang. Sometimes they suffer from oil leaks so check where it's parked to make sure it drops no fluids. The autoboxes are excellent 4 speed with overdrive types and are very reliable and will go on indefinitely with regular fluid changes - they also give a very relaxed cruising speed of 70mph/1800rpm. The 6 speed is a real bulletproof piece too and found behind much more powerful stuff - so just the usual manual and clutch checks with that. Make sure there's no odd noises from the suspension or steering - should be quiet without any knocks or bangs.

The bodywork is fibreglass so obviously doesn't rust - but is susceptible to accident damage and poor repairs so dig around, check the paint, and look underneath and inside panels to look for damage to the chassis. HPI will show if the car's ever been involved in anything UK-side. Make sure there's no damage to the windscreen as it's a big piece to have replaced! Check the headlights work smoothly and the cruise operates as intended.

Interiors usually wear quite well but just check all the small trim, all the switches (as all the seats, bolsters, windows, mirrors, etc are electric) and the condition of the weather strips - i.e. that it's dry inside. Make sure the trip computer and additional gauges function correctly (as they have oil pressure, oil temperature, trans temperature, voltage, coolant, fuel and consumption readouts and needles). Operate the climate at the lowest temperature to make sure the AC's alright. The only 'weak' point that springs to mind is that '93 onwards cars tend to have passive keyless entry - which can sometimes give trouble. If it works, fine - if it doesn't, however, it's not expensive or complex to over-ride. Most by this age have typically been replaced by an aftermarket alarm/immobiliser/RCL.

Mine wasn't a classic policy when I had mine insured - rather a specialist American policy (I had my mileage set at 6k but it was forever flexible) through Adrian Flux. I had my LT1 when I was 21 I think, that was 600 quid FC which (to say the least) wasn't too bad. Pretty free for mods too.

LHD only poses two issues in daily use - one, when it comes to overtaking obviously you can't just nudge out a little bit to look past, as you're on the wrong side - you either have to pull back until you can see past, or position yourself so you can see around the other vehicle (i.e. looking ahead past it around corners). The only other problem is with ticket machines/parking barriers - as obviously they're on the wrong side. I could usually reach across and grab it though, or just get out - but you can get one of those little plastic arms you get in toyshops and grab them that way :D

On the plus side though, when you parallel park, you step out onto the pavement instead of into the road! :D

I'm off to work in a bit so have just bodged this together so will think about it and post up some other things tomorrow if anything springs to mind.

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tl;dr - Get one that's been looked after and serviced correctly, with relatively low mileage and it should be perfect and will not give you any trouble :) Pretty much just the basic car buying checks (i.e. for crash damage and things that don't work or haven't been serviced) apply! They're designed to be used daily, rack up starship mileages, and have been built to take it - they ain't trailer queens and as such are very tough! :D


I bought mine completely blind, with 50k on it and it was superb! Needed a good polish though!
 
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Oh and check for excessive play in the wheel bearings and listen for clunking or clicking from the rear under power or cornering - rear universal joints can wear eventually.

I think traction control was fitted by default after 92 so would be worth looking for, as it works very well and gives a nice bit of tactile feedback through the pedal :)

Great pieces of machinery! You can get bolt on turbo kits too! :D

Just buy the best example you can and it will reward you with sterling service. Mine even tended to average about 25-30 to the gallon!
 
I have been to see a couple of 200sx's and they are pretty good to drive. They were my first inclination before I started exploring other options. I have joined the owners club and though the 300ZX looks good (appearance and specs) it seems to have an unusually large number of issues?

The 200sx is a really fun car to drive imo, plus with minimal mods you can be pushing 240bhp quite safely. And its relatively light weight at 1280kg so is pretty good to chuck around.

The 300zx does have a massive amount of technology under the skin and these are now 15-20 years old, usual problems are just age related such as water pipes perishing, heater matrix, radiators leaking, it has a complex multilink suspension and rear wheel stearing and these will be in need of replacing if not already done.

I have spent around £4k on mine in the last 7 years including tyres but just love it so to me its worth it. Luckily I have had no engine or autobox problems which a lot have on the forums, mainly due to lack of maintenance, the engine itself is a very sturdy beast and good for 500 bhp on stock internals apparently.
 
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