Modifying budget.

tonyvitesse · Post by **tonyvitesse** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:05 pm

Hi all.

I've recently been looking for a new car with a budget of Â£6-7k. Unfortunately I am finding bvgger all in my price range that I really fancy.

So..

I've been thinking about buying another 420 turbo, 620 turbo or possibly a 220 turbo hatch.

Bearing in mind the actual car has to come out of the budget, but then the rest of it could be used for modifying, what is achievable with this budget?

The car would also need to be a reliable daily driver, and unfortunately I'm a bit cack handed with a spanner so anything complex would have to be done by someone who knows what they are doing.

ptomo · Post by **ptomo** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 10:36 pm

a vert nice motor with that budget

300bhp easily

Post by **Punx0r** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:25 pm

If you'd have to pay for a garage to do any serious mods, how about buying an already modded car? You might have to wait a bit for the right one to come up, but I imagine you'd save a lot of money.

tonyvitesse · Post by **tonyvitesse** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:30 pm

Punx0r wrote:If you'd have to pay for a garage to do any serious mods, how about buying an already modded car? You might have to wait a bit for the right one to come up, but I imagine you'd save a lot of money.

That is an option. Like you say though, it's just waiting for the right one to come up.

victor3 · Post by **victor3** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:52 pm

For that sort of dosh, perhaps a Rover 75 or even a ZT-T.

C2K · Post by **C2K** » Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:59 pm

http://www.rt2468abcd.r8technology.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=84797

lol

618ireland · Post by **618ireland** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:32 am

C2K wrote:http://www.rt2468abcd.r8technology.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=84797

lol

Was thinking that too, Â£1500 ish to Berger and pocket the rest, don't be wasting it on modding a car.

Sheaf · Post by **Sheaf** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 1:40 pm

Personally I'd look harder for a better car to start with.

Modding a car is great and all, but spending say Â£6k on a Â£1k car in one go just seems like madness.

There's LOADS of cars you could get for that money, and ones you could get to a higher power more reliably.

Something jap and turbo'd will usually be the cheapest to get big power obviously...

If you really want an MGR I'd go for a ZS180 or ZT 190 myself.

tonyvitesse · Post by **tonyvitesse** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:10 pm

Not really keen on the MGs unfortunately I just see them as jazzed up Rovers. Looked at the Accord type R, not keen on the way they drive. Jap big power cars tend to be coupes, with a baby on the way they are not really suitable.

Beaker · Post by **Beaker** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 2:13 pm

tonyvitesse wrote:Not really keen on the MGs unfortunately I just see them as jazzed up Rovers.

That is what they are and always have been,

victor3 · Post by **victor3** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:05 pm

Skatiechik wrote:
tonyvitesse wrote:Not really keen on the MGs unfortunately I just see them as jazzed up Rovers.
That is what they are and always have been,

....except our MMMs, which are jazzed up BL / ARG crap, of course!!

jase · Post by **jase** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:19 pm

I think a lot of us have spent more than 5k on our 1k rovers! If i had it, id do that. But it is wasted money, agreed.

Not sure what Â£6k Jap car would be more reliable and faster than a 6k rover tho?????

J

Stevo135+ · Post by **Stevo135+** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 3:59 pm

I'd seriously consider looking around for a decent 3-5year old car, thats very tidy and something that if you don't get to really like it after say a year, you could sell on again for a decent price and not lose much money. That is easier said than done i know! If your looking for a car the size of a 220/420 Rover, then there are loads of cars in that price range you could get that are newer, reliable, and have decent residual values.

Personally id go for a Golf Gti/tdi, Seat Leon, Audi A3, or a 7th gen Honda Civic. You'd get a nice bigger car too at that budget.

If you do go for the Rover option, and say buy a Â£1k car, with a Â£6k budget to spend on it, then you'd have to make sure it was a very serious and long term practical option. No one can afford to spend Â£6k on a cheaper old and not yet classic car, unless you were dead certain it was a keeper! look at people like Victor3 with Mental, or Ryan 220 with the GsiT. I could be wrong, but i really doubt they will be likely to sell their cars anytime soon, even if they decided that they wanted a change. Those kind of big expense car's will never sell for anything anywhere near half of the value they have invested into them. As such the only person they are worth the money invested in them to is the owners themsleves.

I wan't to buy a Rover 220 hatch myself, and do something similar in time. My only reasonable plan i can see, is to buy an immaculate example that's still straight and original. Your not going to pay more than say Â£200-500 more for the best immaculate example than you would for a dog. None of them are worth serious money in any condition, so it comes down to if you can live with a car as it is for a while, and see if you want to commit yourself to a big no return expense project later? If so then do what i'm hoping to and get a really cared for immaculate one, that has near perfect bodywork.

My dream 220, would be re-built from the shell up, with everything that's not like new, replaced. It would also be in a non original colour, or it'd be a waste of time stripping one completely in the first place. However im still of the impression that say a Â£6K budget does not buy much in the way of bodywork or restoration, welding, spraying and filling, especially if your aiming for an immaculate finish. Therefore i think a limited budget like i'd have would mean you have to start with the best cosmetically good car you can.

Also IMO as mentioned above, a ready modded car will always be cheaper to buy, than doing it yourself to an original vehicle. The question then depends on if you actually want the mods that have been done already, and then sometimes how well they were done to start with, or if they were done in a taste to suit you, and your prefered choice of parts and modifications.

You do see people however who will spend say Â£3k on a really big powerful engine build, and top spec mechanical parts etc, but then the car they are putting it all into is tatty, has rust bubbles, dents or other body or paint damage. This isn't for me, but there's more than a few people who don't mind driving round in a car with Â£3k worth of engine, and horrible faded, or dented and damaged paintwork, or worse, a rusty and badly corroded body, that would be difficult to repair. My Â£3k would always go on making a slightly scruffy but sound and straight car look exactly right, even if it had nothing worth mentioning under the bonnet, like a 1.4 8v lump for example.

Last point is if you want something interesting and older with that budget, then how about buying a car that is already seen as a classic or is rising in value and desirability. A Ford Escort RST series 1 or a Sierra Cosworth 3dr, or early Sapphire cosworth 2wd, would be brilliant examples. Look after one, and you will never lose! The kind of money people are now paying for RS turbo's, makes me wonder if it's a better idea than a Rover 220 turbo for that reason alone!

glennm255 · Post by **glennm255** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 4:14 pm

If I were going to buy a car to ferry my children around in, personally I'd want something newer/ safer.

tonyvitesse · Post by **tonyvitesse** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:40 pm

Holy long reply Batman.

The performance of the T16 turbo is what keeps dragging my back to them to be honest. It is next to impossible to find a car that is under five years old that can match it within my budget.

Golf GTi/TDi - Both dog slow.
Leon - Would have to be a Cupra . They are above my budget for a goodun.
A3 - Would have to be an S3. see Leon.
Not keen on the way Civics drive in the same way as I'm not keen on the Accord Type R.

I've never really had a heavily modified motor. It's always been subtle performance stuff. Again, I would be going fairly standard looks wise but have in mind a decent engine/suspension/brake build.

Glennm255, whats unsafe about Rovers? Granted they wouldn't get four stars in the safety tests, but it's not like it's a French hot hatch (I believe they are mostly made from tin foil, sticky back plastic and bit's of chewing gum).

Sheaf · Post by **Sheaf** » Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:29 pm

tonyvitesse wrote:Not really keen on the MGs unfortunately I just see them as jazzed up Rovers. Looked at the Accord type R, not keen on the way they drive. Jap big power cars tend to be coupes, with a baby on the way they are not really suitable.

Just out of interest, what didn't you like about the drive of the ATR?

How about something like a Galant VR4? Awesome looking, within budget and 350bhp for not much money at all.

I know people spend loads of modded rovers, and if it's bit by bit I can see why, but all in one go makes me think there's just newer, more modern cars out there for that kind of money.

Other considerations would be

Legacy B4RSK
BMW 330
Audi S4
Toyota Altezza
Impreza
Merc C class
Octavia RS/vRS (these tune to 220bhp with just a chip and go to 350bhp on std internals IIRC)

Berger · Post by **Berger** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 12:26 am

Buy my car and another car so you can choose which one to take!

tonyvitesse · Post by **tonyvitesse** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 1:32 am

Sheaf wrote:
Just out of interest, what didn't you like about the drive of the ATR?

How about something like a Galant VR4? Awesome looking, within budget and 350bhp for not much money at all.

I know people spend loads of modded rovers, and if it's bit by bit I can see why, but all in one go makes me think there's just newer, more modern cars out there for that kind of money.

Other considerations would be

Legacy B4RSK
BMW 330
Audi S4
Toyota Altezza
Impreza
Merc C class
Octavia RS/vRS (these tune to 220bhp with just a chip and go to 350bhp on std internals IIRC)

I feakt that you have to rev it far to much to get the best out of it. Just doesn't suit my style of driving.

Would prefer a UK car, but have always liked the VR4. Also going to see a low mileage vRS when I get home this weekend, so that may be a possibility.

Impreza Is not my sort of motor. To obvious. S4 would be a high miler in my budget, as would a 330. Not keen on the Toyota/Lexus or the Merc.

Keep the options coming though, I'd forgotten all about the VR4s.

Berger, I would be talking to you already, but really I need a four door.

jp kelly · Post by **jp kelly** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:49 pm

get a mk2 zs 180!!!

glennm255 · Post by **glennm255** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:16 pm

tonyvitesse wrote: Glennm255, whats unsafe about Rovers? Granted they wouldn't get four stars in the safety tests, but it's not like it's a French hot hatch (I believe they are mostly made from tin foil, sticky back plastic and bit's of chewing gum).

I wasn't necessarily suggesting that Rovers are inherently unsafe, else I would not have one myself. However, as you are starting a family I thought safety may be an important consideration.

Post by **Punx0r** » Thu Jan 31, 2008 11:21 pm

How long before a ZT260 depreciates to Â£7k?