new motor

If you are determined to get a GM V6 engined car, at least look at the quality specced ones.

?ViewItem&item=4545464240 Only downside is they are all Autos in the griffin range. Why not look at a Saab 9000 2.3 4pot turbo. Doesn't need to be an aero but they are the best. Just make sure it is a CS not a CD and you can move house in one with the back seats down. Of the non Aeros, the Carlsson (2.3 not 2.0) are the ones to go for.

?ViewItem&item=4544651779 (I'd have that myself if it was closer). They are big massive lump of a car that can still be made to get up and boogy. Oh and the 4 pot turbo motors don't need their belts changing every other week. A camchain and tensioner once every half light year does the job.

And while the Carlssons are more of a looney nutter car, the Aero can be much more refined, you can get over 30MPG on solid cruising runs, but a little lower if booting it.

How did i know you were gonna suggest a Saab :)

I best suggest my brand i suppose.

406 V6 estate. Smoother than a really smooth thing, and will out handle the others mentioned so far.

And if you want a big comfy safe reliable car for bargain money, there is only Saab and Volvo, and if you like Saab, you must be default hate Volvo (especially now they make such damned good, interesting cars now).

Had a look at a few volvo 850's

couple of Ex police T5's creeping in at price range

as for the pug estate hmmm no ta wife will kill me if i brought another estate home

406 V6 Saloon. 406 SRi Turbo with tweakage.

mitsi galant? :) VR4 but doubt you'd get a VR4 at that price

A mate of mine has just got a Lexus Soarer. Absolutely stunning car, it just wafts around with its 4.0 V8 purring away. He got a bit of a deal and picked it up for £2.5, so up your budget a wee bit - get rid of some of that shitty vauxhall crap you've probably got hanging around :) and go find one!!!

Subaru legacy, harder to find as a saloon, but cheap as chips for a turbo 4x4 estate.

Capri 2.8i Special. Toms of room in the back behind the seats. Guaranteed NOT to lose you money unless you stuff it. Get the Special as it comes with a LSD and Gas Billies as standard.

I know from experience there isn't a lot of room left once you've put a normal sized fold-up pram in the back of a 2.8i though :-(

I've been driving around in a V reg 2.0 mondeo last few weeks, picked it up for £2000 cos it's got a scrape down the side, 66K FSH.. It handles great for a big tub, though it's gutless until you wind about 4k revs on it.

Jinx

They're a bad bad buy - as he'll find out when his goes wrong :)

a toyota go wrong since when? :)

They don't often but when they do, the parts and service dept isn't=20 known as the "fist" for nothing you know.

--=20 "Sorry Sir, the meatballs are Orf" The poster formerly known as Skodapilot.

They don't often but when they do, the parts and service dept isn't known as the "fist" for nothing you know.

Yes, but it's there hand you have to watch out for, part number or not. I believe they aso charge extra for "Lube"

--=20 "Sorry Sir, the meatballs are Orf" The poster formerly known as Skodapilot.

Have you been in a Soarer ? They have an absolutely *COMICAL* amount of kit - hell, some of them even came with the first and last ever mass-production fully-active suspension system. Some had air suspension, and some had electronic four-wheel-steering too. Some had a television in the dash, which could also display images from a rear-mounted camera (!) to aid reversing. The steering-wheel is adjustable for rake and reach electrically - even the door hinges are MENTAL (the whole door moves forward as you open it, to aid entry). And they weigh 1700Kg.

i've seen a load of them down bluewater at the jap meet love them! some tasty tuned ones over at king-buyer.co.jp

My mates one has the spangly suspension. Height and damping is adjustable from inside. He's got the TV too but it needs a plug-in box of tricks to get it to work over here thats gonna cost about £150. You put the key in the ignition and the seats and steering wheel all change postion depending on the driver. Oh and its got some high pitch resonator thing in the wing mirrors that shakes all the water beads off them. Totaly mental, but very cool, and sounds great!

i'm jealous! hmmm considering a second car for work next year, maybe a soarer would be nice to travel to and from work in, air con, loads of toys, lazy V8 or 2.5 straight 6 turbo with a nice auto box for the rush hour taffic hmmm