10k, which "hot" machine to get

Ev0

Ev0

Ev0

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18 Oct 2002
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A mate is trying to decide what car to get next, his ideal car would be an RS4 but that's never going to happen soon is it :P

Top of the list is an ST220, the later model with the 6 speed box. We've seen 53 plates with say 30-40k on the clock, 6 speed box for 10k and under.

Now what else is there of this ilk? Old S4 would be cool, but the worry of those turbos going pop (as they do) isn't nice.

Only does 6k or so a year so mpg isn't that important, although it will be used got some long journeys quite often.

Not huge amount of other criteria, some decent mid range poke I think is what he's mostly after, but somethign with a respectable 0-60/100 would be good :)

330 sport saloon/A4 3 litre are also nice, but over budget.

The problem is, the ford seems to offer a hell of a lot for it's age/cost, although I know it'll deprciate pretty nastily.

Larger saloon would be preferable to a Civic/Clio sized hatch :)
 
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Ev0 said:
A mate is trying to decide what car to get next, his ideal car would be an RS4 bu tthtat's never going to happen soon :P

Top of the list is an ST220, the later model with the 6 speed box. We've seen 53 plates with say 30-40k on the clock, 6 speed box for 10k and under.

330 sport saloon/A4 3 litre are also nice, but over budget.
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You can get a 330i Sport for under £10k but the decent facelift ones are not plentiful. Consider a 530i Sport, otherwise, well, the ST220 is pretty damn good.
 
Hate to turn this into a BMW thread but something like an E39 or E46 would be my choice for the budget.

While the ST220 is a nice vehicle they are clearly in a class below the BMW offerings when compared side by side.
 
Jez said:
While the ST220 is a nice vehicle they are clearly in a class below the BMW offerings when compared side by side.
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The main advantage of the ST is that it will be a newer car than the BMW. For many, this is important. They are also more reliable.
 
[TW]Fox said:
The main advantage of the ST is that it will be a newer car than the BMW. For many, this is important. They are also more reliable.
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You can take that as far as you wish though, yes its a newer car for the money but that is because simply put the car is not as desirable.

Guess it comes down to where the OP wishes to draw the line. I'd always favour an older but better vehicle.
 
Lancer Evo 5 or 6? A little long in the tooth perhaps, but it'll happily beat anything else mentioned so far point to point. The interior sucks and the running costs are a killer though.
 
Showed him the thread and, oh dear...

"TW Fox sounds like the man" :P

Corrected him saying yes he's the old man trapped in a young boys body :)
 
The choice between ST220 and 530i for me was made easier than it perhaps ought to be by the fact I am an E39 fanboy.

Judging each car on its merits and both make compelling cases - so much so that whichever you get, you've done well.

Drive them both. I did, and as a quick summary:

The Mondeo:

a) Sounds better
b) Perhaps has more 'cred'
c) Is newer
d) Potentially more reliable

The BMW:

a) Is built better
b) Handles better
c) Is quicker
d) Has a better 'image'

Looks are entirely subjective..
 
One of the last Uk Galant Vr4's and save a few grand.



EDIT:


Quick autotraderoo brings this as a quick example




media

65,000 miles, Official UK car in Indigo Blue Pearl. 286bhp, 2.5 V6 twin turbo, 4WD. Tiptronic gearbox and Active Yaw Control (AYC) system both recently refurbished. ABS, Alloy wheels, Body coloured bumpers, Central locking, Climate control, Drivers airbag. Electronic windows, sunroof and mirrors. Uprated front discs and pads. Bluetooth handsfree kit and CarIN Sat Nav radio CD player. FSH. No part exchange, No agencies. £7,950
 
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[TW]Fox said:
The BMW:
b) Handles better
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In what way? At full throttle in low gears the BMW will get the power down earlier out of the corners due to RWD, but in terms of cornering I found the ST cars to be far more fun to drive than the BMW 530i/d's when I was looking. The steering is quicker, more responsive and has a good deal more feel - the BMW is a fair bit heavier and felt more lardy and neutural through a series of bends.

Not sure that the BMW would be any quicker either - sure, it has 9BHP more, but its a fair bit heavier.
 
This is my experience from test driving both cars back to back. The BMW held the road better, felt better through the corners and gave slightly better feedback.

Neither car was poor, the BM was just slightly better. Both cars felt nothing like as big as they actually were when throwing them down a backroad.

Obviously I am comparing 530i Sport with ST220, the SE specification 5's don't handle as well.
 
Nozzer said:
Tell him to stop being a big girls' blouse and buy an Elise.
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sadly he needs a bigger car for stuff he does, he's got a golf atm and even that could do with being bigger lugging stuff around.
 
Axeboy said:
One of the last Uk Galant Vr4's and save a few grand.
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Gets my vote :cool:

Large, looks good (IMO, that front end is so aggressive looking :cool: ), and goes like stink too. Only rated at 286bhp due to the Japanese BHP limit, but can probably be made even faster ;) Twin turbo V6 soundtrack too :)

Or if he wants something with lots of space - go for a Legnum VR4 - an imported Galant estate, with exactly the same twin-turbo v6 and 4wd system :cool:

Don't be put off by the tiptronic gearbox - it's a very good tiptronic box, and allows you to drive them very quickly and also aggressively!
 
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