Justify your car decision.

I wanted a car for under 5k that was reasonably quick, that handled well, looked good, wasn't too expensive to insure and above all was fun

I looked at a large number of possible cars, including:

- Vauxhall Astra Mk4 1.8 SRI - Had a Mk 4 Astra previously, liked it, but fancied a change
- Honda Accord Type R - Too expensive to insure
- Alfa Romeo 147 1.6 & 2.0 - Again, both are too expensive to insure
- Ford Cougar 2.5V6 - Not too keen on the looks really or the car itself. Insurance was pricey too
- Ford Focus 1.8 - I really didn't like the interior. I fancied something a little smaller as well - they're pricey too
- Seat Leon Cupra - Too expensive to insure
- Seat Toledo V5 - Shortlisted. Just a bit dull though IMO
- Peugeot 205 Coupe 3.0 V6 - Insurance
- Renault Megane 2.0 Dynamique - Not that many examples of the current shape for under 5k, just didn't really grab me as a fun car
- Renault Clio Renaultsport 172 - Very impressed but insurance was a killer
- Ford Puma 1.7 - Little slower than the rest, awful interior, a little small really
- MG ZS 1.8 120+ 4dr - Liked this. Almost bought one infact - wanted the V6 but insurance was too much
- MG ZR 1.8 120+ - Ended up buying one of these. It's quick (~8.5sec to 60), cheaper to insure than the ZS and it's just so much fun. Handles well too

I'm itching to drive the ZR as it just brings a huge grin to my face everytime I drive it
 
Rover 220 GSI.

I wanted 3 doors :rolleyes: reasonable looks as standard, performance and handling. Insurable, wouldnt look like a barry, dont have to worry about where i leave it due to image etc.

Has a decent amount of kit, which works! (Bar the Kenwood (YO!)disc changer which is a little fickle with some discs, came with the car so cant argue.)
 
Accord Sport - Was going to buy an ST24 but my dad offered me his car instead. I always liked the look and it was much quicker than the 1.2 Clio I had so I thought why not. My mum ended up with the Clio, I got my Dads Accord and he got my Mums Accord. Was just a big swap around :)
 
205 GTi - was the logical step up from my 1.4 XS.

Didn't need practicality, wanted something fun and fast, with great handling, after coming from my XS. This one popped up on Autotrader at £250, went to see it and bought it. Its a bit tatty, so its a work in progress :)
 
Smiley Man said:
are all your "OMGZ MY MICRA IS AWESAOME" posts tounge in cheek?

please for the love of god tell me they are
Click to expand...

Of course they are :D :cool:

[TW said:
Fox]As a student, I can only justify a single car. I needed something that.........
Click to expand...

Yep, definetely the right choice, better car in pretty much every way than any of those.
 
I wanted something faster than the prelude, at least drove the correct set of wheels and a hatchback.

i've always liked the bug eyed celicas so thats how I ended up with my GT4
 
2L mondeo:

First car, i'm a big guy and i like to be able to have my friends with me too. ive always liked mondeos lookswise since the first time i saw an st200, and the car cost me £750 for what compared to what else i could have got / most people my age drive is a modern, fast, comfortable car. Does the job :)

Tom.

PS: fox brainwashed me to get it
 
Civic VTI/VTI-S

Wanted a car that was practical, reliable, quick, Economical, tunable, aesthetically pleasing, with preferably ABS and aircon. Moreso, I was intrigued by VTEC and it's high rev limit and was reknowned for saying to my friends that I "wanted to own a VTEC before I die". And so I did.

Practical - It's a 5 door and it has a boot, practical enough for me.

Reliable - Parkers third most reliable second hand car and Honda reliability with bulletproof B series engine. They don't break and i've had to do nothing but service it since i've had it. Nuff said.

Tunable - B series lump is generic across the Honda performance range, plenty of parts engine wise thanks to the integra and B16 Civic.

Quick - Benchmark was a Peugeot 306 1.4i 8v, it's plenty quick in comparison. 170bhp on tap as standard, with improved acceleration with the teg box i've fitted. People moan about the handling but i find it sharp enough for me. Oh and that VTEC thing.

Economical - I've heard claims of up to 40mpg if you behave yourself. I've never been able to behave myself and i haven't run out of petrol money yet

Aesthetically pleasing - Liked the look of Skywalkers standard VTI and was going to buy it. That fell through and found the VTI-S with a much more aggressive but not over the top bodykit with Pirate's black pearl two tone flip paint. Looks black when cold but goes a purply wine in the light. Fell in love.

Like Fox said, I still look at it all the time and I mother it like it's my child.

On top of that got a fantastic deal. Sold.
 
225 Audi TT roadster (on my second one)

As practical as I need because I have a golf if I need to move people around.
Quit cheap to buy and not overlay expensive to run (about £250 per month excluding petrol) I can get 28 mph on motorway rungs.

Has a nice conferrable interior and it good for motorway runs (I live 200km from my office and girlfriend) and this is the only time in my life I would be able to have a roadster without 1 looking like an old man with a mid life crisis or 2 having to worry where I will put the kids.

Once I have got the roadster thing out of my system I will probably buy a Soft top M3. most probably at the end of the summer.

Other cars i looked at
Focus RS - Its a ford
CTR - too boy race i had a MG zr before
boxter - still like it but i like the interior on the audi much more
S2000 - dont like the look of the car and i dont know how good it will be in the snow
320d too slow
330 - Liked this a lot
Sti - fun to drive but I REALLY did not like the interior.
VX220 - very cool but too hard core for me
 
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Saxo VTR

Cheap to insure (I was 17 when I got my first one and 18 when I got this one), reliable, nippy enough and great fun round the bends.
 
FakeSnake said:
Cobra - Again - None at all, loved the shape/style from as far back as I remember. Spent 7 years building it, now sadly will have to go, due to medical reasons :(
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NooooooOOOOooooOOOOoooooo :(

I've always fancied a Cobra, be it replica or genuine.
 
Rover 214 SEi

I was originally going to buy an old Clio 1.2 but my dad (an avid Rover fan) suggested a Rover 214.

When I went to look at a 214 SLi with cloth seats, steelies and a horrible silver colour, I hated it. Then I saw a 214 SEi with half leathers, alloys and electrics.

I didn't even test drive it personally before buying it, but when I did drive it home, I was so impressed with its "performance".

Rover 220 GSi

I liked the 214's so much, I went for a sportier, faster model. Added bonus was the harder suspension as standard.
 
mk2 octavia vrs

reliable
decent performance
decent fuel economy
very practical..need to be able to transport me and friends with a weekends fishing tackle
understated looks
reverse badge snobbery!
 
I bought me a jaguar 1990 XJ6 3.2

I wanted a car that had lots of road presence, lots of leather, lots of wood, that could keep up with traffic, but need not be that fast. Reasonable reliability, but not bothered about little niggles.

If it was going to be expensive to fuel it had to be relatively cheap to insure which it is. Age and miles were not a concern. I only do 7k miles a year, so economy isn't that important, but my current overall average of 22mpg, knowing i could be getting 44 from a Pug HDI is hard to swallow.

Unfortunately the car is going in August as it doesn't fit in the miniscule multi-storeys at uni and (unbeknown to me at purchase) doesn't have air conditioning. (If anyone can explain to me what RAM is, it'd be much appreciated, it was an alternative to air-con fitted to some Jaguars)
 
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Reliable (so far, done 3000 miles in 4 months so far), cheap to insure considering my age, cheap to run, not the slowest of first cars, but more importantly warm and dry for the winter.

The bike- Good all rounder, excellent for getting me to work if I am running a bit late and awesome for a blast down the lanes at the weekend. Its clean, had quite low mileage, was in the best colours that this particular model comes in (IMO) and bloody quick. Wasnt bad being able to know any boy racer out there doesnt stand a chance :)
 
Mercedes C200 Elegance, 1997

Things I like/looked for

Condition - truly mint with complete MBSH. Reliability, build quality especially interior switchgear etc, traditional merc front end but relatively modern inside. Reasonably economical - less than £300 a year fully comp and only a 2ltr petrol engine. Length of car - has to fit into my garage for security. Air conditioning, single wiper (wierd I know, but it transfixes me lol) and the mrs can drive it. Great ride quality. Cheap purchase price (under £2k) and strong residuals - well looked after it shouldnt drop below £1000 at any age.

Things that just dont enter into my purchase decision

bhp - as long as it can sit comfortably on a motorway at 90 thats all I need (and it can at 2500rpm). I'm not interested in speed or handling - If I want some fun I'll go out on the bike in the knowledge that its far faster than 99% or cars on the road and wont get stuck in traffic on a sunday blast.

Leather - I love the look of it bit dont like the feel all that much. Just a personal thing. I wouldnt discount a car because it had it, but it not something I need like PAS, Air con etc.

Cruise Control - I have it but never use it.

Age - within reason. If a car has a good reputation for reliability thats far more important to me than its reg plate.
 
Rover 220 Turbo, To tune and abuse without worrying of damage/crashing.
Had it 5 years and its been an awesome car, passed every MOT without problem and been reliable despite putting out more power than it was designed for. Shame I didn't bring it to the RR as it a very surprising/ unexpected experience when you go out as a passenger in it.

S2000 -To mince about in :p
 
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