Done an insurance quote on a series 3 Supra Turbo.

Abysmal, because you won't.

Yep. I'm a firm believer of gauging a car's fuel economy as how you're likely to drive it, not how it'd be if you drove it like you drive car X (where car X is a relatively low powered shopping trolley).

Take my Audi as an example, in general driving I get around the 40mpg mark from it (around 650 miles to a tank which costs around £58-£60 to fill). That's with a heavy right foot, often doing 95++ on the motorway on the way in to work, and planting it coming off roundabouts etc etc., although the steady journey back home in the late afternoon is a fair bit more economical.

Now I've been toying with the idea of a L-series engined Rover 200 2 litre turbodiesel - the late shape (same as Rover 25). Saw one in AutoTrader for just over a grand on a T plate with around 90k on the clock. If I was to use one of them for my regular commute I'd probably stick to around 75-80 at the most on the motorway and take it nice and easy on the A roads the rest of the way (about 9 miles, mostly NSL single carriageway roads), and I could quite realistically probably average 60mpg out of it regularly. But then again if I drove the Audi in a similar manner I'd probably easily average somewhere between 45 and 50mpg, but in reality it doesn't happen!

Though I do keep on having evil thoughts of trying this for a week, to see what I could actually get if I drove a bit slower. I went for a drive today, featuring some fantastic driving roads, including the road from Kingsclere to Whitchurch, which is a fantastic rollercoaster of a road, taking in some great hills and bends, all with superb visibility, and much much more enjoyable than trying to make good progress on a congested motorway, and it did hit home the fact that going quickly on a motorway (even an empty one) really isn't all that fun, and I'd be much better off just getting the journey done, saving a few quid on fuel, and doing the enjoyable driving on roads that are properly suited to it.

Having said that, there are some motorways/fast dual carriageway A roads that are fun to go quickly, due to tighter curves, better views etc., but you don't get much of that down here in Berkshire! And going quickly does still get you there quicker!

Peter

Hmm. OK.

Gave the guy a ring anyway.

150k miles. Paint good, no visible rusting on the outside. Electric seat adjustment, windows, mirrors, cruise and air con all work as should. No rips in the seat. Tax out (no biggy), MOT until Dec. had all new tyres fitted, and apart from the front pipe, a full stainless bigbore system, without the centre box. Boosted has been raised "A little", so I would probably turn it back to standard for longevity.

3 owners from new. Biggest prob is that the last owner kept all the service records, and moved before he could be chased for them.

£1800 ONO.

Really don't know. I'm quite a gentle driver really, more a finesse and carry the speed through than an out and out floor it and hold on (most of the time) and a bigger engine wouldn't be worked as hard as the 2 litre in the Saab.

Wonder if it is really physically any smaller. that is the missus's main criteria.

sounds good mate but 150k miles ouchy! bit high if you ask me

still the guy that works on my mk1 has one and he's had his for years, runs really sweet and never had a prob oh except his alternator broke lol tyre wear is high ish on them to i believe.

buy it if it costs to much get something else mate :)

And you believe that?

They're definitely in the drug dealer / bouncer class of car now, so any sort of history in the last 5 years or so is unlikely.

Hmm, I know. But the Rose tinted windows appear, It does look good though.

I got all the usual speel. Bought it for long motorway runs for work, got a company car now. Looking to sell it, or PX for a small car for the missus, or a bike for himself.

The leather seats did look very clean. There is even a worshop type nylon cover over part of the leather on the drivers side (partly pulled back when he got out). The stearing wheel doesn't look badly worn. the gearknob has been replaced with a carbon and Alloy type thing. Stereo has been taken out but the rest of the dash looks good, no obvious breaks in anything anywhere. Body is remarkably chip or bubble free. Red paint is a little faded, but totally intact and solid, no cracks to any of the lights, and nothing like headlight washers missing or anything. Structurally it looks like a solid well looked after car. There are a few vertical scratches on the windows from being wound up and down. And the oversized tailpipe of the stainless system does look brand new and polished, even though the rest of the car hasn't been.

been there, done that it's a good road, but there are lots of them round there that are sweepy and over hilly and dippy and stuff :) just makes the drive a lot more energetic and you concentrate more on it as well :)

6 cylinders means more friction losses in the engine. Bigger engine is less thermally efficient. It is highly unlikely to cost less to run than the saab, in fact some of the parts are criminally expensive on Supras. I reckon on 25mpg in normal use, 18mpg brisk. And yes, I have a mate who bought one about a month ago, he also bought an old diesel corsa as well as the costs of running, taxing and insuring that out-balance the cost of the Supra and the risks of leaving the Supra parked where he works.

What is it about the IS200? It's surely bought by people who thing they're too good to own a 3 series but the reality is it's an inferior car that only wins out on value for money. Yes it's got a great straight six, but the three series has a choice of four great straight sixes all of which have more power. And yes the IS200 drives well and is sporty in the handling department, but oddly enough so is the 3 series, and you can buy a 3 with sporty or comfy suspension. Then people go and mod their IS200s, probably to make up for the main limitation (less power as standard than a four cylinder diesel 3 series) therefore admitting the car is not good enough in the first place.

Buy a BMW. People will hate you for it but you'll be smiling knowing that unlike the w@nker they think you are you exercise it from time to time and don't just sit in traffic jams with your foglights on.

Lol - I'll tell that to my mate, he's an insurance salesman...

I wouldn't.

I know it probably sounds very tempting, but even though it's 1800 quid you have to remember that running costs and especially repair costs are still those of a 30 grand car. The difference between that car and your saab is that saabs are bought new by doctors and supra aren't. As was said above - bouncer's car, and money pit into the bargain.

What's wrong with a newer saab or even possibly a Volvo 850 if you like the whole swedish thang ?

Bugger.

I personaly would love it. But missus says smaller (physically). She is a lousy judge of size, so a low sleek car looks smaller to her than a Volvo Wardrobe, or the reasuringly bulky shape of a Saab 9000, or 9-5, even though it may be longer (although there won't be much in it between a Supra and a Saab 900 like mine).

I showed her a 750 estate, and she said, no way was I having a monster like that, far to long.

Yep, thats the baby.

Oh I, typo, 7** something Volvo anyway. Oh the Beemer touring thing would be cool.

...

One of these?

Out of interest, how much power does the engine in the "2 litre sport" IS200 have, and is it an I4 or straight 6?

Peter

750 estate? I'm guessing you meant either Volvo 740 or 760 (was there such a thing?), and not a V12 Touring version of the BMW 7-Series :-)

Peter