Fast car for around £3000?

carpmaster · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:15

Hi. Have nearly agreed on the deal to purchase a Volvo 850R which is running around 270bhp and not remapped either. It's quite old but I like the retro interior and apparantly these things are bombproof if looked after properly.

Just before I buy, is there anything else I could get for around the £3000 mark, that would be fast enough to be fun?

It's really just a car to have a hoon about in and carry me on my local jaunts to the fishing lakes etc.

Hawk Tuah · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:20

carpmaster · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:24

Don't think I could ever bring myself to buy a Fiat, although I remember a guy where I used to work had a red one. Looked really nice in the flesh. He kept whining about the running costs aswell although I'm not sure if this was just usual servicing costs or things going wrong with the car!

233 · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:24

Veccy V6
sapphy cosworth
rough scooby

mondy v6 (take your choice of variants)

e36 325/8

theres hundreds thats without even looking at the rest of the jap stuff pulsars/sx's etc etc

Hawk Tuah · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:26

carpmaster said:
Don't think I could ever bring myself to buy a Fiat, although I remember a guy where I used to work had a red one. Looked really nice in the flesh. He kept whining about the running costs aswell although I'm not sure if this was just usual servicing costs or things going wrong with the car!

Dont think of it as a Fiat. Think of it as pininfarina.

Honestly, you take it to a fiat garage (not that I ever would) and they dont even know what it is.

Running costs. Well yer, it does cost. I get all my work done as a specialist. At the end of the day my cars done nearly 100k. The only things that have gone 'wrong' are due to wear. eg clutch, bushes, belts, manifold, exhausts. But you're gonna get that on any older car. Especially if its got a turbo and lots or horses ripping it apart.

nicRob · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:29

S14 200sx?

carpmaster · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:38

nicRob said:
S14 200sx?

Yes I have been looking at these for a while. This was one of the top contendors but I can't find any for sale on Autotrader at the moment!

Draeger · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:42

Celica GT4?.

Seen a few going for around that 3k mark in my area recently.

Hawk Tuah · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:45

carpmaster said:
Yes I have been looking at these for a while. This was one of the top contendors but I can't find any for sale on Autotrader at the moment!

Take a look on sxoc.

carpmaster · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:48

Bug One said:
Take a look on sxoc.

Thanks for that - Been on and had a good look but not much available at the moment unless I upped the budget. Not really keen on buying a ropey one for around £3000.........Nice cars though. My neighbours got a purple one (maroon?) and they look really nice in the flesh.

carpmaster · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:50

Draeger said:
Celica GT4?.

Seen a few going for around that 3k mark in my area recently.

Can't stand the look of these! Every time I went out and saw it I would shudder.

carpmaster · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:52

sormicoft said:
mondy v6 (take your choice of variants)

Are these quick though? I know they are 2.5ltr but wouldn't have thought they would be particularly fast. I know there's the ST200 but I think even the Volvo @ it's unmapped 270bhp is quicker than this. So the standard 2.5ltr would be a bit sluggish surely?

Hawk Tuah · 6 Jan 2007 at 23:57

Take a look at the gmeter sticky 0-60 timings and take your pick.

How about a galant VR4?

Fireblade2K4 · 7 Jan 2007 at 20:51

sormicoft said:
mondy v6 (take your choice of variants)

ST200 all the way

Stu

mattpc · 7 Jan 2007 at 20:54

well if you want bang per buck then Mitsubishi GTO Twin Turbo.

PMKeates · 7 Jan 2007 at 20:55

carpmaster said:
I know there's the ST200 but I think even the Volvo @ it's unmapped 270bhp is quicker than this. So the standard 2.5ltr would be a bit sluggish surely?

The standard 2.5 V6 would feel sluggish, yes, as it's only 170 DIN hp. But the Volvo, unless it's been modified, won't be doing 270hp. It could be 240 or 250, depending on variant

panthro · 7 Jan 2007 at 21:01

Bug One said:
Dont think of it as a Fiat. Think of it as pininfarina.

Honestly, you take it to a fiat garage (not that I ever would) and they dont even know what it is.

Running costs. Well yer, it does cost. I get all my work done as a specialist. At the end of the day my cars done nearly 100k. The only things that have gone 'wrong' are due to wear. eg clutch, bushes, belts, manifold, exhausts. But you're gonna get that on any older car. Especially if its got a turbo and lots or horses ripping it apart.

What he said

You wont get much faster for 3k. 3K would get you a decent 96-98 20 Valve Turbo. Its possible to buy these from enthusiasts who have looked after them really well and spared no expense on them. Most of this age will have lots of new parts fitted including the turbo.

They are very fast. Mine was running about 270bhp and was really quick. I raced lots of different cars and beat most of them (on my private airfield), and those I didnt beat could not get away from me

Plus, its one of the best looking cars ever made IMO.

carpmaster · 7 Jan 2007 at 22:12

PMKeates said:
The standard 2.5 V6 would feel sluggish, yes, as it's only 170 DIN hp. But the Volvo, unless it's been modified, won't be doing 270hp. It could be 240 or 250, depending on variant

It's 250bhp in standard (its the manual) but it's had a custom twin exhaust fitted and a few breathing mods but no remap as yet. The owner says it's around 270bhp but of course this is to be taken with a pinch of salt.

The volvo tuners who do the remapping offer a more moderate remap for high mileage 850Rs which takes it to 285bhp or they will do the "proper" remap to 310bhp if they think the car is healthy or if you insist on it!

I'm kind of torn between the ST200 or the Volvo 850R. The Volvo ticks all the boxes in practicality terms, but the Mundano has the lead from a pure aesthetics angle. I'm just concerned it's going to feel a bit SLOW......

Anyone driven one?

austinpowers · 7 Jan 2007 at 22:14

Gone off the idea of an S4 then?

carpmaster · 7 Jan 2007 at 22:19

Bug One said:
Dont think of it as a Fiat. Think of it as pininfarina.

Honestly, you take it to a fiat garage (not that I ever would) and they dont even know what it is.

Running costs. Well yer, it does cost. I get all my work done as a specialist. At the end of the day my cars done nearly 100k. The only things that have gone 'wrong' are due to wear. eg clutch, bushes, belts, manifold, exhausts. But you're gonna get that on any older car. Especially if its got a turbo and lots or horses ripping it apart.

panthro said:
What he said

You wont get much faster for 3k. 3K would get you a decent 96-98 20 Valve Turbo. Its possible to buy these from enthusiasts who have looked after them really well and spared no expense on them. Most of this age will have lots of new parts fitted including the turbo.

They are very fast. Mine was running about 270bhp and was really quick. I raced lots of different cars and beat most of them (on my private airfield), and those I didnt beat could not get away from me

Plus, its one of the best looking cars ever made IMO.

Thanks for the info, but I just can't get over the styling and the brand.......I guess you either love it or you hate it, but it would really bug me every time I saw it. I don't think I could get over that no matter how good it was.