A 'lady' (?) in distress. Which car next?

[Boots 28]

As the title suggests I would like to sup at the collective and awesome fountain of knowledge that resides in this forum to help me decide what car next.

My budget alas cannot stretch to another Lotus at the moment, besides I have scratched that 'itch'.

I would like a car that is unusual, has more than 2 seats and has a boot. Unfortunately I have been spoilt by the power and performance of the Esprit and would like something comparable.

Fickle I know but I am a female of the species.

Sue

Edited December 6, 2012 by Boots

[Günter 28]

Subaru... first series Impreza should be cheap in UK ...and it is not the typical car for a woman of your  age ... (type)  

 

 

 

..or Ford-Sierra with at least 150hp  ..or Cosworth (220hp) -not seen so often nowadays

there are at least several 'hot hatches' with more than 200hp in UK, but those are more or les 'common' if you would say so.

 

..with your type of money ..you are limited on older rear wheel driven 'future classics' with notable miles ..or those small powerfull cars from the frontwheeler class

[Vulcan Grey 251]

I love my Honda Integra Type-S (DC5) made 2002-2006.  

200hp, 31+mpg, great 6 speed shifter, toss-able handling, can carry up to 4 people, or 2 people + 2 mountain bikes + gear in the hatch.  I added a LSD, which the Type-R has, plus 220hp.

 

I have coworkers in the back seats often, as well as my 3 nephews.

[Sparky 2,830]

[arbell9 21]

Golf GTI / 4 motion / R32

 

civic type R

[nigeninja 60]

I know someone with a R32,and he reckons it really is not quick  ,early skyline are cheap enough these days   

[arbell9 21]

http://www.pistonheads.com/doc.asp?c=47&i=13806 review of R32

[910Esprit 531]

Not sure the unusual box has been ticked yet? May aswell add M3... I always fancied a Volvo P1800 or a Lancia Fulvia - 4 seats and style, but no power

[Vulcan Grey 251]

Wheeler Dealers did that 2000-2002 BMW M5 for £6000...

[Günter 28]

how much is the Lancia-Delta Integrale in UK, these days ?

 

..it is powerfull, and more agile ...esoecially compared with the heavy Golf-R32

Travis, you ..as an engineer & quality worker --you should not take wheeler-dealers for serious

 

..it is *work on a budged* for show, and most of what is shown there would not pass the work education levels over here

[Vulcan Grey 251]

I looked online in the US at used cars last night and the 2000 M5 sells for about $10,000 here...  That is cheaper than a 2004 Honda Civic Si...  The V10 M5's are going for only $22k now!

[Kimbers 1,766]

Mitsi Evo VIII FQ 300 - 340 MR. Awesome, but get one not "Modified" as they are more than quick enough without.

 

You can get the Holden Vauxhall Monaro or VXR8 cheap these days too! Hows about a Mustang V8 GT with Roush suspension and supercharger?

 

Or a Dominator 500?

 

Scooby is a bit Chavvy but look at the RB320 for an awesome experience.

 

Or the WR1

 

Hows about a nice Focus RS?

 

 

_{You now have my own personal shopping list}

[73JPS 0]

Mazda RX8: predictable, tossable, redline-hungry, tire-smoking, spirit-of-Lotus-handling-and-lightness fun... with four seats and a boot to boot.

[Bazza 907 1,056]

Mini Cooper S? I had one until recently and they are great fun. The Supercharged ones are thirsty though so I'd try and go for a later turbo version.

[islandbloke 1]

Mazda RX8: predictable, tossable, redline-hungry, tire-smoking, spirit-of-Lotus-handling-and-lightness fun... with four seats and a boot to boot.

I've driven a couple of these and think they're fantastic cars. However, they drink petrol AND oil apparently, and you need to ensure you get a good one without rotor tip wear.

[73JPS 0]

Yes, they certainly are thirsty for fuel: my RX8 didn't get much better fuel economy than my Esprit V8! They don't use much oil though: I never had to add oil to mine given that I kept up with oil changes.

[TBD 781]

Sue must have hit a trigger here. So much discussion going on, but no new input from her.

 

Is she still listening?

[Boots 28]

Yes I am here lurking amongst the testosterone fuelled posts

Not sure about hot hatches they are driven mostly by chavs here.

I have a car in mind and hope to test drive it this weekend.

[Günter 28]

I looked online in the US at used cars last night and the 2000 M5 sells for about $10,000 here...  That is cheaper than a 2004 Honda Civic Si...  The V10 M5's are going for only $22k now!

compare the investments you have to do on a 2000 M5 BMW, for service & repairs (parts prices)  ..with those of an 2004 Honda you mentioned.

 

Would guess you can't offer a top-quality and freshly propper 2000 model M5 for this sort of money as advertised?  ..can you really do this there in the US ?

[red vtec 177]

Depends what your budget is, a good Honda prelude VTEC would be a good buy go for a 5th Gen Motegi edition, 4ws, 190bhp and that wonderful VTEC engine. Superb build quality. Or if you can get your hands on a Type S 217bhp.

 

I had a 4th gen it was a great car to drive. it is a 2+2 in reality.

[Al. 294]

The problem with an RX-8 in the UK is it costs an arm and a leg to tax it and that is now before the green eyed monsters get any more zealous. It puts out the same CO due to the way calculated as an AMG 6.5 Ltr I was looking at.  It totally put one of my sons off it.

 

He then went and bought a Civic Type-R GT and I am really impressed with that.  Bullet proof, cheap(ish) to run, goes like clappers when revved into VTEC zone but quite easy drive when not. Gets 30+ mpg on long runs at 80+ and is like a Tardis inside.  I am REALLY imprerssed with the packaging there and I like the quirky dash and it has all the toys.  Also best car seats I have sat in, in a main stream manufacturers car.

[Boots 28]

Well went to a garage to see a car. Unfortunately couldn't get a test drive and it wasn't the exact model I want.

The car I went to see is a BMW 840.

I await your opinions and the inevitable German leg pulling so I will start,

"Fur you Tommy Atkins zee var ist over!!!"

[andydclements 749]

No leg pulling here, I like the look of those, similar styling as the M1 but in a slightly more practical form.

 

OOOOO Just realised who styled it. Now sue, is that by chance or design?

[TBD 781]

Take it from a Germany, but not a Bavarian. A BMW 840 ist about as big as it is useless. There are so many cars around for that kind of money, and but the 840 would be last on my list.

[Günter 28]

Not for me Tommy boy , not for me ! 

 

Have you ever seen this funny movie with Alicia Silverstone *Excess Baggage* (Ärger im Gepäck)  ?

 

She is in the boot of her own 8-series, and gets kidnapped ..but there is enough space for a attractive young girl with long legs and a nice body. What meant from my point of view the boot must be big enough, just like in the old Mafia films  ..so I thought "this car is cool, fast & practical to own ! "

 

..with other words, my V8 Esprit was actually planned to be a BMW-840 manual shift, with the 4.4 L (if possible the later version)

 

Our *Schwacke list* told me that in my specification/model year and with the miles required it would have been the sum of around 17k € there in 2002 , as I  searched for this kind of car.

(so what I wanted without specification on brand was actually a car with no notable image, therefore relatively cheap to buy, two or 2+2 seats, rear wheel driven, manual box, 6 cylinder or V8, quadcam four valves, as much as possible in factory order without add-ons by first owner  ..and at least a notable boot ! 

 

-but KBA information showed up with no notable owner numbers for this model in the late production period. So after a lot of dealer offers for only the heavy V12, in auto & manual option, I simply gave up 

..and by luck there was an other interesting strange car in focus in 2002  -for around doubled money, but still possible to pay for with some family help.  

 

now it's 90.000km and many many moons  later ..and I'm still here with the Esprit 

 

*so Sue, to make a long story short ..the 8-series is heavy and elegant, and not the nimble rattling Esprit that you used to know -but if there is something to do for John, no worries ..I have a lot of workshop-stuff / files data here on the HDD and know a good service-data link for you.

Edited December 10, 2012 by Günter