Which car to buy?

RantoD

Just got my full licence the other day. I promised myself I'd upgrade my car as soon as possible after getting it. I have a 1.6 Rover at the moment which has served it's purpose.

I have a budget of €7000
What are your opinions on the following choices:

2001 Alpha Romeo 156 Lusso (1.6)

2000 Hyundai Coupe 1.6 fx

1999 BMW 316i (1.6)

I suppose the important factors for me are 1. image, 2. performance, 3. reliability

I know Jap cars make more sense but after driving a rover for 2 years i need an "image injection", so i suppose

cheers,
Ranto

colm_mcm

None of them give you all 3 requirements.
you'll have to compromise.
Alfa isn't gonna be reliable,
00 Coupe is hideous looking and all three have poor performance.

RantoD

Thanks Colm,
I probably should have explained a bit better, I doubt if i could afford any car that would give me ALL three requirements.

I'm really looking for obvious pitfalls to certain models of cars, for example I read recently that BMW 316's are pretty slow for 1.6's...

I kind of agree with your opinion on the Hyundai


What would you recommend I get for €7,000?

The reason I'm interested in 1.6's is that's the insurance level I've been at and so know what to expect when I factor that cost also.

bazz26

The last BMW 316i with a 1.6 litre engine was the 1991 to 1998 E36 model. 1999 E46 BMW 316i has a 1.9 litre engine not 1.6 litre. Best avoided as it only has the performance of a 1.6 litre engine but costs more to tax and insure. Most 4 cylinder petrol BMWs (excluding the 318s)are pointless imo and aimed at people who value the badge above everything else.

2000 to 2002 Hyundai Coupe is horrible looking. 1.6 litre is ok but best go for a 1999 model which is a prettier car and are fairly cheap these days.

Alfa (not Alpha) Romeo 156 is a lovely car but they require alot of TCL. 1.6 litre is not going to burn rubber but is nimble enough. Make sure you get one that has been looked after vigeroursly, has a full service history and the timing belt has been changed every 36k miles. Oil also needs to be topped up regularly as the Twin Spark engine uses a bit. If you are the type who doesn't lift the bonnet of a car regularly then maybe your best not looking at an Alfa.

Others to consider would be the Ford Puma 1.6:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=714378

or a Ford Focus 1.6 3 door Zetec:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=756909

or a Renault Megane Coupe:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=783978

colm_mcm

Have you considered something lke a MK1 Golf GTI or Pug 205 GTI? for your budget you'd get a cracker.

RantoD

Thanks for the info Bazz,
the Puma is a nice looking car, do you think it's a bit girly though, like a Tigra?

Colm,
I saw a sweet Mk 1 Golf GTi on Lad Lane, Dublin, about 7 years ago for IR£1,500, it had a lasting impression on me. If I'd had the dosh then I would've snapped it up - that's a good suggestion, I'll have a look and get a couple of quotes.

cheers
R

bazz26

RantoD wrote:

Thanks for the info Bazz,
the Puma is a nice looking car, do you think it's a bit girly though, like a Tigra?R

Only if things like that bother you and you let others choose your car. I don't like labelling cars into catagories. Imo if you like the car and want to buy it then do so. Sod what others think.

BTW I would see the Puma in the same light as the Hyundai Coupe.

colm_mcm

the Puma is actually nice to drive though, the Coupe is basically a Lantra, which unlike the Fiesta isn't known for its handling abilities!

bazz26

colm_mcm wrote:

the Puma is actually nice to drive though, the Coupe is basically a Lantra, which unlike the Fiesta isn't known for its handling abilities!

Indeed but both are aimed at the same type of market where style and looks are more important than performance.

cbyrne

Why not buy my fiat coupe

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carid=663252

Much better than any of the above, and in the price bracket! Its 2.0 though so mightn't suit in that way..

RobAMerc

RantoD wrote:

Thanks for the info Bazz,
the Puma is a nice looking car, do you think it's a bit girly though, like a Tigra?

Ok I know I am a bit biased as I had one but the Puma is not at all girly ( should not be mentioned in the same breath as the Tigra btw) and in my opinion is great little car ?

While I owned mine the UK Puma club came over to Ireland where I got to meet about 9 or 10 of the owners and guess what not one of them was a girl or even girly. They only got that name here because they look good and only girls seemed to be able to insure them when they came out.

The best piece of advice I can give you is buy your cars based on their abilities not on their perception of manliness - or else you'll end up in a 90's Volkswagen Vento with straw hanging out the back of it.

Anan1

OP - If image is your number one priority then you really need to specify what kind of people you want to impress. For every person who finds one car cool, there'll be someone else with the opposite opinion. To further complicate matters, my own observation leads me to the conclusion that cool cars are seldom, if ever, driven by cool people.

Western Cruiser

BMWs are nice, but 10 a penny. And you really have to go 6 cylinder in a Beemer.

The Hyundai has Jap reliability ( Looks are a personal view).

The Alfa is the youngest in years and Alfa unreliability is (imho) a relic of the 80s. ( I loved and loathed my Alfasud !).

I'd be inclined to choose between the Alfa (heart) and the Hyundai (head).;)

Good hunting !

Vain

mk4 golf 3dr have one myself look class wit alloys and stuff... good car as well iv the 1.4 16v not 2 slow

colm_mcm

Vain wrote:

mk4 golf 3dr have one myself look class wit alloys and stuff... good car as well iv the 1.4 16v not 2 slow

75bhp would be "too slow" to someone who mentions performance as something he wants.

unkel

RantoD wrote:

The reason I'm interested in 1.6's is that's the insurance level I've been at and so know what to expect when I factor that cost also.

Hold on a second! If you could insure a 1.6 Rover (what, about 110BHP?) on a provisional license, surely for similar money you can now insure a car that has decent performance, say a 2.0 litre?

An Alfa 156 is not the most reliable car to put it mildly, but for your budget you could find a good condition 2.0 litre (have it checked out by an Alfa specialist before you buy) and have a couple of grand left over in case you need it to pay for maintenance

rowanh

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=795979


Yea get a 2L, this would be fun to have