Decisions, Decisons, new car opinions ?

Quigs Snr

Just sold my MGF a few weeks ago.

Thought I could do without a car for a few months till I had my house bought. Wrong.

So heres the shortlist.... Anyone comment on any of these ? I have done a bit of looking into them, but again, I prefer to hear what peoples experience / opinions are of them in the real world.

In no order........

98/99 Alfa 156 2.0 T Spark, possibly the 1.8
98/99 Volvo S40 1.8
96/97 Fiat Coupe 2.0 (Non Turbo)
98 Landrover Freelander convertible. 2.0 D
99 Opel Frontera Sport 2.2
97 Mitsubishi FTO 2.0 Manual (Possibly a 96)
98/99 Saab 9-3 2.0

Quite a diverse range.
Don't know what the criteria is. I like the jeeps for their size, I like the shape of the S40, I like the image of the Alfa, I like the Fiat Coupe in bright red, dunno why it just appeals to me. The FTO 2.0 V6 is an animal, drove one, loved it, little boy racery in image for me, but.... Saab, again like the image, car looks a little dated though.

Any other suggestions...............

louie

This is just my opinion.

Lets start from the top.

Alfa Romeo 156 - Nice looking cars made by Italians - 50%

Volvo S40 - Strong and reliable - Swedish - too serious looking - 30%

Fiat Coupe - Sporty and attractive - Italian - expensive to run and maintain - 25% - Not the nicest Coupe on the market

Land Rover Convertible - In my opinion you are better off driving a tractor - too rigid - 0% comfort - I rec. Rav4 or Land Cruiser

Opel Frontera - stay away from Opel - nice driving when NEW - 2 or 3 years latter gives problems - read above if you would like a jeep.

FTO - very nice cars but most of them in Ireland are imported so if anything goes wrong mind your pocket

SAAB 9-3 - It looks like you like sport cars so why SAAB...
you must be over 50s to drive one of them.

************************************************
Suggestions:
Toyota Celica - beatifull sport car
BMW 3 series - 97 up
BMW 7 series - few credit cards put toghether(or mortgage)
Toyota Land Cruiser or RAV 4 or even the Previa (new one-a beauty)
Renault 4x4 jeep
Mitsubishi Pajero
Renault Laguna - top saloon class
etc.


Good luck and I hope you get yourself a nice car so you can enjoy driving it.

Spunog UIE

BMW 3 series - 97 up

you only hear good things about them.

Dr. Dre

Just after gettin' meself a late '98 Volvo S40 1.8L, they are faan-tastic, I'm well impressed. Solid, good-looking and handle very well - the stereo system is very good also.

PS: I'm only after turning 28, they're not just for oldies ya know !

Quigs Snr

Only 27 myself. You're right of course, the Saab is naff.

BMW 3 Series, had one, was not that great, low spec and engine prone to losing compression rather easily. Still a joy to drive though, was considering another one.

Audi A4 also comes to mind, bit bland tho'

Was going to get an S40 T4 there a while ago. Insane car. Couldn't sell the MGF in time though.

I am leaning towards the Alfa slightly at the moment, cheap to buy, cheap to insure. Like the Volvo because it is even cheaper on both counts. Fiat Coupe and FTO cost more than double the insurance, but I'll still consider them, the frontera is out and the saab is out. Freelander is hanging in there, if only for the fact that it will be handy for lugging loads when I move house and drive off on holiday. A4 may come into it at some stage too.

leeroybrown

Don't forget that the buttons on the Freelanders radio will probably fall out the first time you go over a bump

Quigs Snr

Yeah trouble with the freelander is that it is made by the same company more or less as my MG (Heck the 1.8 freelander shares it's engine with the MGF), and I have to say that it was the worst put together car I ever had.

Abraxas

Quigs, have you seen or can stretch to the new MGF in Eddie Garry's? Apart from the cheap switchgear, it looks like a much improved package. I considered buying an MGF last year, but the build quality put me off also.
I agree with Louie's opinion of your shortlist, apart from the Fiat Coupe. But only if it had gone through its 60k mile major service.

Quigs Snr

Hi, yup saw that MG, It is more or less the same package abraxas, different suspension but most of the rest is identical, a facelift more than anything, and that god awful engine is still there.

Mine cost me many thousands to keep running and in the end there was a new engine put in (at 29,000 miles !). Problem is cooling, the engine is suffocated in it's mid mounted position and only has 2 water pipes going to it from the front radiator to keep it cool, any corrosion in these pipes (made of cheap stuff that corrodes easily from the inside as it turns out), and it's goodbye head gasket, hello warped aluminium engine. Still kept it for 3 years and when I sold it, the guy who bought it got an almost new car, low mileage, new engine, suspension, brakes, clutch etc..........
And at least I had the satisfaction, that when I caught burgulars in the house earlier in the year, they tried to get away in the car only for it to break down 400m away. You couldn't make it up.

Still leaning towards one of the sportier Alfa 156's. Should get me around for a while. Besides, I still have the spitfire to play with and should shortly have an old porsche 944 to tinker with as well.

By the way, now that you mention eddies, it's gotten me thinking about an impreza, perhaps the 2l turbo. Hmmm, maybe I should nip over at lunchtime for a test drive.

Looking for cheap this time, blew the bank on the MGF at the time when there were very few in the country, need something cheap an cheerful to get me round this year, whilst struggling to buy a house too. But don't want to get into Ford Fiesta or Nissan Almera territory if you know what I mean, thats just too much of a comedown from the MGF.

JohnBoy

98/99 Alfa 156 2.0 T Spark, possibly the 1.8
Lovely to look at, very nice to travel in, lively to go.
Considered the sportwagon? sexiest estate ever

98/99 Volvo S40 1.8
A bit bland, but cheap, reliable, an has a touch of class about it.

96/97 Fiat Coupe 2.0 (Non Turbo)
Gorgeous car, but the earlier ones are very thirsty, the later five cylinder cars are better.

98 Landrover Freelander convertible. 2.0 D
good bmw td4 engine, but really they're not the wisest choice, dodgy quality, sod all performance (and you seem to be aiming for performance here) not going to give you acres of load carrying space for moving either (hire a transit for the day and buy a nice car)

99 Opel Frontera Sport 2.2
not the ugliest thing on the road, but quite agricultural in the suspension department.


97 Mitsubishi FTO 2.0 Manual (Possibly a 96)
great, but you have the fast et furious thing goin on then

98/99 Saab 9-3 2.0
nnnnngghhhhh tough one this, nice looking, a bit dated, characterful..... but I'd steer clear

If it was me, and I was looking in that price range I'd be after a 156 sportwagon. god I'd love one of those babies.

John

daveg

Dont rule out the Audi A4. I bought a `00 1.9 TDi and it is the dogs bollox !!

also I hear the Alfa is a pile of sh*t. Very unreliable.

the evil belly

Originally posted by Quigs Snr
But don't want to get into Ford Fiesta or Nissan Almera territory if you know what I mean, thats just too much of a comedown from the MGF.

hey i drive an almera and i think its a grand car. bigger engine wouldn't hurt though or at least a retune . they can have the new 1.2 micra put out 80 but the 1.5 almera only puts out 90 bhp. i mean surely they can improve on that. on a side note i wouldn't touch a car built by rover with very big stick(except to smash said car to bits) shocking build quailty and the amount of engines and gearboxes that get replaced is scarey.

Chimaera

Re the Rover/Land Rover thing, it's worth bearing in mind that Land Rover is now owned by Ford rather than MG Rover, and they have made a big effort to bring quality up to scratch of late. Even MG Rover have gotten their act together by all accounts - methinks there was an extent to which BMW wouldn't make any effort to improve quality levels at Rover during their custody of the brand.

kayos

You really shouldn't forget the rest of the VAG group of cars.. Octiva/Bora/Leon/Toledo/Passat etc all very nice cars and each of them have their sportier engine's

If you want a small run around I have a 1Litre Ibiza for sale but going by your list your looking for something with a bit more poke

Oh btw stay away from the Alfa's I have heard nothing but complaints about them... and personnaly I think they dont look all that hot (the 166 aint to bad to look at) and are as common as muck..

Quigs

what u should get yourself now is a beautiful modified fiesta. saw one in town yesterday and had lovely "fiesta touch stickers" on the back with massive 14 inch alloys!! and go faster stripes!!


yes im taking the piss..... get yourself a 1.5 vtec civic! like me!

look forget the alfa... they are slowly starting to look horrible these days and u want something to stand out and every tom dick and josephine has one... dont bother with the 4x4 or the volvo(horrible).... go for the fto, at the end of the day they are gorgeous....i would go for a vtec integra/ cr-x del sol / maybe the bmw or possibly the fiat coupe

what u want is looks and some power behind ya

Quigs Snr

Hmmm Volvo S40 T4. Wipes it's arse with even the 2.0 V6 FTO. And the best thing is it looks normal.

That'll be fun for the next boy racer that comes up revving next to me.

Mythago

Of the choices you'vve given I'd try stretch for the S40 t-4, mental car & only a wee bit more to insure than the 1.8! On the Alfa side the 2 litre's sound fantastic, and they are great to drive, only problem is the reliability stigma on italian cars! On the other hand if I was buying myself I'd definitely head the german route... an A4 1.8T or BMW 323 coupe(All in same insurance league as the alfa & the S40!)

ondafly

what about an Irish Honda Integra Type R - 1.8 with close to 200BHP.

Or an S2000 if the budget permits ?

If i had to pick one of the cars from your list - I'd go with the FTO, but unfortunetly Mitsubishi Ireland aren't too friendly when it comes to the imports - unlike Honda Ireland who are only too pleased to get parts for you.

BTW all FTOs are imports.

Quigs Snr

My brothers trying to talk me into an Integra. I like em but and a couple of years ago that would have been on the list, the s2000 is too expensive for me this year although I was considering one last year. Hard to come by too. Besides, my better half already has a Prelude.

FTO is OK but it's bad on insurance.

S40 T4 200Bhp - 1200 Euro, FTO V6 - 2450 Euro.

Hardly justifiable I reckon, although the FTO is the better looking car obviously, but I am not too interested in standing out for now, I will be picking up a classic car or two (hopefully one of them a porsche over the next few months).
No car could be as bad as my last from a reliability standpoint, so anything on that list would be a step up for me on that front.
Trying to locate a 98/99 T4 at the moment. Was a few for sale recently, not there at the moment.