Re: What car do I buy next ?

Right. I've just been having a read. Assuming I don't blow the engine, or need the cambelt changing, then they don't seem to cost a huge amount more than any other car to maintain ?

How reliable *are* they ? Is a blown engine common ? I don't mind huge repair bills, as long as they're highly unlikely !

Is space under the bonnet (or lack of it :) the biggest problem ?

Supra's on the list, but I'll struggle for 6 grand. I don't rate MR2s, so I won't be getting an MR2 Turbo - sorry Vamp :)

Further inspection shows that the Turbo Supras start at around 9K - more than I wanna spend really.

300ZX is looking good, but the pricing is completely random - take a look on Autotrader ! Not sure I want a 10 year old car really.

Fiat Coupe Turbo is the best of the bunch so far - but it looks like a NIGHTMARE if anything goes wrong. Not sure how likely this is, but it puts me off.

So back to the 200SX then. There's a nice metallic purple that I like (Damson Red or something), and the facelift (post '97 cars) look pretty nice - I like the Skyline headlights :)

I used to own a 1990 200SX from 1992-2000. I bought it with 58,000 and traded it against my current car at 135,000 miles.

I now have a 2000 200SX Touring, owned from new. So far I've put 47,000 on the clock.

If you want any opinions on either model just yell.

We only ever sold the one coupe turbo, it used to pay us lots of visits tho. Only for consumables you understand, cam shafts an the like.

I wouldn't chance it fella

-- Chet

Almost as fast as they break down.

space under the bonnet isn't an issue - there isn't any. At all.

Mine had a cambelt pulley fail which ate the top of the engine. This cost

1987 quid to put right. Your local garage will look at it and wish you would go away - the time taken to do the simplest of jobs is way out of proportion to the magnitude of the job. I'll give you an example. Fiat in their infinite wisdom decided to fit a rubber hose which goes from the thermostat housing to the water pump via the back of the cylinder head. This hose cracks and splits causing gradual coolant loss. Coolant level is critical on this engine if it isn't to eat the head gasket. To replace this hose it is necessary to remove the entire induction system from the aoir filter right through to the inlet manifold. The inlet manifold bolts are only accesible by first removing everything else and then stretching along from the nearside and undoing them blind. They are not accesible from the top or from underneath on a ramp. Once you have done this you then need to remove the top engoine mount to enable the inlet manifold to be removed.

This is all because a hose cracks.

They make the most glorious noise when singing above 4500rpm, but they really aren't worth the hassle. Add a turbo and it's even more crowded in there.

In article , snipped-for-privacy@recycle.bin spouted forth into uk.rec.cars.modifications...

The ram raiders favourite. heavy fast, and loads of room for offlicense swag.

Maybe an RS2? What about the old Audi Quattro Turbo? Not modern though, and IMHO has a back end like a Citroen CX (ducks).

Though there is a Lotus Carlton on autobahnstormers.co.uk for just over £8k if you could stretch to that - mint condition, 32k, fsh, but needs wiring loom sorting out, rads fitting + various bits put back on - £8k for the car, £1k for a garage to do all that, and that's still a cheap LC.

Peter

LOL!

Peter

Is that the 2.7T? Very unreliable if all the stories I've read are to be believed.

Peter

I had a an old K reg 200SX.. Fun drive but very bland looking, especially the interiors, you could be driving any old jap saloon really....

Yep, a post facelift one is a better choice, more power too. Servicing and parts are expensive though, but hopefully it shouldn't go wrong too often..

Nice, grunty, normally Autos, but if the Hydualic lifters go bad, Nissan UK will still do them.

Problem is, if one goes bad, they will only do a full set (because they reckon the rest can't be far behind). And charge something like £800+vat for parts, and then add labour on.

How about. Sierra Cosworth (going to be a real classic soon. can still hoof it, if maintained)? Porker 944/968 Turbo (Poor mans Porsche, so poor mans prices, but a secretly well know fantastic balanced drive)? MX5/Eunos Import (small nippy cheap, bolt on turbo conversions available off the shelf in DIY form)? Mitsu GTO/GT3000 (big brute monster (and not a Supra or 300ZX), 6 cylinder, 3 litre, very distinctive, twin turbo, 4x4, loads of gadgets, downside, been told they are very lacking in feel for the driver, everything is cossetted away by the steer by wire, fire by wire throttle, and 4x4).

And you'd still have to go quite old to get one for < £6k. A 350 or a V8 probably!

*splutter* An RS2 for under £6k??? You cannot be serious!?!??!

Too cheap! At less than half the average price for a decent one, I'd run away...

Fair enough but I dont think 6k gets you anything...

Try getting it in a multistorey...

got one of them, a bit of the equity is buying the car.

But warranty for 3 years, it will be reliable, no nasty suprises, then I have some equity in the car to move to my next one when I sell. At the moment I have *nothing* in mine. Besides the money I get at 4% from my mortgage..

But they are all 12year old doggy crap that will need money thrown at them....

RS2 for 6k ? WHERE! more like 12k minimum! I think you mean an S2, even then you'd be pushing it...