€25k on sporty car...

NewApproach

I know, its another of those 'oh not again' threads, but I need your advice...

My cousin is looking to buy a new car for himself, he has c€25k to spend. He is 24, so would be after something that looks well, indeed he seems to have his heart set on a Beemer. Is this a wise choice? I know they're great cars, but could his money be any better spent?

Here are a few I found from Carzone that I thought would be up his street:

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320-cd-M/200843190620066/advert

http://www.carzone.ie/search/BMW/3-Series/320CI/200845190770025/advert

In regards to petrol v diesel, I suggested that as his mileage is only 14k per year, that he woulod be better off going for a petrol, especially considering that they are likely to be cheaper when purchasing. Is this wise?

I mentioned a Alfa Romeo GT to him, he seemed only lukewarm:

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Alfa-Romeo/GT/1.8-Luss/200840190232270/advert (this seems to be astonishinly good value to me)

Anything else that should be considered??

Thanks!

Bandara

Buy an 2002 M3

Silver-Tiger

Hammertime wrote: »

Buy an 2003 M3

FYP

He'll deffo find a 03 mint M3 with that money, Maybe maybe a 04

NewApproach

Hammertime wrote: »

Buy an 2002 M3

Wish he would but the running costs would be unreal!

He drives a Golf at the minute, I think its the 1.4 one, so even stepping up to a 320i would be a big step in regards performance

Dubdude

If i had me 25k to buy whatever id get this

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Golf/GTI-TURB/200844190715453/advert

Lex Luthor

I'd have the GT over the BM any day, but not the 1.8 petrol.

Either the 2.0 petrol if you must or the 1.9 JTDm. Push the boat out and get a 3.2V6 but hard to get...

Irishpimpdude

Dubdude wrote: »

If i had me 25k to buy whatever id get this

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Volkswagen/Golf/GTI-TURB/200844190715453/advert

Looks like crap i don't like them golfs i would say he would be better off with the bmw or alfa imo good picks

copacetic

If he has 25k cash he should import.

NewApproach

Lex Luthor wrote: »

I'd have the GT over the BM any day, but not the 1.8 petrol.

Either the 2.0 petrol if you must or the 1.9 JTDm. Push the boat out and get a 3.2V6 but hard to get...

So would I! There are plenty of 3.2s in the UK, dont tend to be much more expensive than the lesser engined models, but the VRT would be alot more

Lex Luthor

NewApproach wrote: »

So would I! There are plenty of 3.2s in the UK, dont tend to be much more expensive than the lesser engined models, but the VRT would be alot more

ya thats the killer at the moment for the high CO2 cars...should have got them in before the changes....

NewApproach

NewApproach wrote: »

So would I! There are plenty of 3.2s in the UK, dont tend to be much more expensive than the lesser engined models, but the VRT would be alot more

This being a prime example

Ferris

+1 on the golf

You'd get this for 25k:

http://cars.rte.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1107935

Or an Astra OPC:
http://cars.rte.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1169268

Or a Focus RS:
http://cars.rte.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=1234698

Hot hatches ftw!

Lex Luthor

NewApproach wrote: »

This being a prime example

still be near to €20k to bring it in....

there was one same as this on carzone a few weeks ago, same year/mileage for 20k aswell

Bandara

NewApproach wrote: »

This being a prime example

Completely unsaleable

you better intend keeping it forever

Lex Luthor

Hammertime wrote: »

Completely unsaleable

you better intend keeping it forever

I don't agree....if they are rare enough in this country and sold at a good price, it will sell

Ferris

Lex Luthor wrote: »

I don't agree....if they are rare enough in this country and sold at a good price, it will sell

I don't know why you guys are talking about 3.2 alfas when the OP already said that an M3 would be too much in terms of running costs.

Also M3's are well priced at the mo (same as uk) and they're impossible to shift, I can't imagine a 3.2 Alfa faring any better when they are slower and not as good on the road as an M3 no matter how good a noise they make.

NewApproach

Ferris wrote: »

I don't know why you guys are talking about 3.2 alfas when the OP already said that an M3 would be too much in terms of running costs.

Also M3's are well priced at the mo (same as uk) and they're impossible to shift, I can't imagine a 3.2 Alfa faring any better when they are slower and not as good on the road as an M3 no matter how good a noise they make.

Well in fairness I did put up a link to the 3.2 alfa
Lost the run of myself I suppose!

Just spoke to him, and he said he wont go for more than a 2.2 engine.

He seems very keen on the BM, and said it needn't necessarily be the coupe.

I really dont know nearly as much about BM's as some of the rest of you on here, so your thoughts are very welcome!!

For a start, I would have thought a M Sport pack would be a near neccessity.

HashSlinging

If he has 25k + the golf this would be my choice, way nicer than a BMW.

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Alfa-Romeo/Brera/3.2/200842190522423/advert

E92

NewApproach wrote: »

Wish he would but the running costs would be unreal!

He drives a Golf at the minute, I think its the 1.4 one, so even stepping up to a 320i would be a big step in regards performance

A 320i will have *plenty* of power. 170 bhp and 2.2 litres will see to that.

A "sports car" isn't just about speed, it's about handling and a good sounding engine that loves to be revved too and that's where rear wheel drive and BMW straight 6 comes into its own; the straight 6s make a great noise and they love to be revved, so I'm sure your cousin will be delighted.

Just make sure if he does go down the BMW route to get a 6 cylinder engine and not one of those crappy 4 cylinder models(the diesel is good but diesel never was, is and will be sporty plus 02-04 320ds seem to blow their turbo every 60k or so too).

The Golf, Focus, Astra etc are very good cars in their own right, but I don't see how they can fulfill the OPs criteria. Just because they might have more power than the 320i doesn't mean they're better per say(though I admit to not having driven any of the properly fast versions of these cars but the standard ones are quite simply not as good as a rear wheel drive car is going to be for handling even though they're still a lot better than some of the other cars on sale).

NewApproach

E92 wrote: »

A 320i will have *plenty* of power. 170 bhp and 2.2 litres will see to that.

A "sports car" isn't just about speed, it's about handling and a good sounding engine that loves to be revved too and that's where rear wheel drive and BMW straight 6 comes into its own; the straight 6s make a great noise and they love to be revved, so I'm sure your cousin will be delighted.

Just make sure if he does go down the BMW route to get a 6 cylinder engine and not one of those crappy 4 cylinder models(the diesel is good but diesel never was, is and will be sporty plus 02-04 320ds seem to blow their turbo every 60k or so too).

The Golf, Focus, Astra etc are very good cars in their own right, but I don't see how they can fulfill the OPs criteria. Just because they might have more power than the 320i doesn't mean they're better per say(though I admit to not having driven any of the properly fast versions of these cars but the standard ones are quite simply not as good as a rear wheel drive car is going to be for handling even though they're still a lot better than some of the other cars on sale).

Thanks for that e92, I agree with everything you say. I already advised him that if he gets a 16 or 18 model, he will always be left thinking 'what if...'.

I think to be honest it will be a BMW he goes for at the end of the day, just a question of what model!

conceited

Every tom dick and harry has a bmw ....
Go with a toyota supra or an evo .

pyramuid man

How bout this .
Is a two litre and they are as rare as anything on the road and they are a mental motor.

conceited

Thats a horrible car.
It looks like a focus.....

NewApproach

pyramuid man wrote: »

How bout this .
Is a two litre and they are as rare as anything on the road and they are a mental motor.

€17.5k is an awful lot to pay for an 03 Focus, even if it is an RS model...

Ferris

E92 wrote: »

The Golf, Focus, Astra etc are very good cars in their own right, but I don't see how they can fulfill the OPs criteria. Just because they might have more power than the 320i doesn't mean they're better per say(though I admit to not having driven any of the properly fast versions of these cars but the standard ones are quite simply not as good as a rear wheel drive car is going to be for handling even though they're still a lot better than some of the other cars on sale).

I agree that a 'real sports car' should be rwd but the OP's mate drives a fwd golf so rwd would be a big change for him. Also you can get a nearly new GTi/OPC/ST for the money he is talking about. Also while I do like BMW's the e46 is not as good as everyone seems to think. The 2.2L 320 uses the same petrol as the hot hatches (25-30mpg) mentioned and costs more to tax while not being as powerful. They also suffer from serious suspension wear - broken rear springs, front arm bushes, twisting subframes etc and their ignition coils fail too.

Add to that that I have driven both a Gti and a 320i (and a 325i) and the Golf was simply more fun than the BMW's!

OP if your mate goes for an e46 make sure he gets it checked out thoroughly, a good one is great but a bad one is a nightmare.

JJJJNR

conceited wrote: »

Every tom dick and harry has a bmw ....
Go with a toyota supra or an evo .

Agreed on the evo. Supra is wayy past it though.

siralfalot

jeebus, since when is a 320i considered a sports car, its a shopping trolly for yummy mummys!! :P

question: how practical does the car need to be?

my personal choices would be something along the lines of these:

link

link

link

or there is always the old reliables, Scoobys and Mitsu Evo

Notch000

what does your cousin do anyways when hes 24 & has 25K to spend on a car ??? is it daddys money ??

JJJJNR

Notch000 wrote: »

what does your cousin do anyways when hes 24 & has 25K to spend on a car ??? is it daddys money ??

Hmm maybe he stayed in School.

conceited

I want to be english can anyone help me?:rolleyes:

Biro

E92 wrote: »

A 320i will have *plenty* of power. 170 bhp and 2.2 litres will see to that.

A "sports car" isn't just about speed, it's about handling and a good sounding engine that loves to be revved too and that's where rear wheel drive and BMW straight 6 comes into its own; the straight 6s make a great noise and they love to be revved, so I'm sure your cousin will be delighted.

Just make sure if he does go down the BMW route to get a 6 cylinder engine and not one of those crappy 4 cylinder models(the diesel is good but diesel never was, is and will be sporty plus 02-04 320ds seem to blow their turbo every 60k or so too).

The Golf, Focus, Astra etc are very good cars in their own right, but I don't see how they can fulfill the OPs criteria. Just because they might have more power than the 320i doesn't mean they're better per say(though I admit to not having driven any of the properly fast versions of these cars but the standard ones are quite simply not as good as a rear wheel drive car is going to be for handling even though they're still a lot better than some of the other cars on sale).

It should be noted at this point that just because it's RWD doesn't mean it's automatically better than any FWD.
The 320i even with the 2.2 I6 will be only luke warm, but it sounds like he wants a beemer so off with him. The fact that he said it doesn't have to be a coupe shows that he doesn't want a sporty car at all, he just wants a car that his mates think is a sporty make.
I'd rather a Mk V GTi to a 320i, I'd rather a 330i over a Mk 5 GTi, I'd rather an Evo 8 over a 330i. But there ya go. Doesn't matter what I'd like, tell your mate to find a good example of a 320i and make sure to haggle like mad. He'll be happy.