Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

A friend of mine needs a car by Monday. He is fairly flexible and has a limited knowledge of cars...he will go for more or less what I recommend. Requirements are:

£4,000 or under
Reliable
Reasonable running costs
No higher than group 16 insurance
Something with appeal
Pref full leather


Now he started off thinking Fiat Coupe after just having driven one. It took only 2 minutes for me to tell him it was not such a great idea (for his requirements). Then I suggested:

MK3 Golf GTi 16v
VW Corrado 16v
BMW 320/325 4 door/coupe
Nissan Sunny GTiR (I suggested this as a joke - but he didn't clock on)
Toyota MR2 GT T-bar
Toyota Celica GT Coupe (round lights)
Vauxhall Calibra (HIS suggestion)


All suggestions/experiences welcomed.


Bob

XT

MK3 Golf GTi 16v - Common as ****

VW Corrado 16v - Nice and reliable, one of the best FWD chassis' ever made

BMW 320/325 4 door/coupe - Just buy a 316 and put the 325 badge, common thing nowadays

Nissan Sunny GTiR - I heard that they're fragile, but i hope this is not the case

Toyota MR2 GT T-bar - Ultra Reliable, interesting handling , good looking

Toyota Celica GT Coupe - nice car, not something special IMHO

Vauxhall Calibra - Halloween dressed Vectra??



Or he can get a UK Celica GT4 ST185 Carlos Sainz, ultrareliable, my flatmate has one, he bought it with FSH and 115k miles, the car has 150k now(driven HARD) and the only thing that he replaced was the alternator(40 quid from a scrappy), the interior has no rattles, no tears etc. You can barely hear the engine, no oil consumption, no smoke. If he replaces it, it's going to be for another Toyota, nothing else(his words)

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Aren't the Celica GT4 ST185 above gr16 ins? Also what years were these made and are they within budget?

XT

GT4 is group 16. The ST185 was produced from 1990-1994

prices range from 2-4k depending on condition and spec.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

GT4 is group 16/17. 0-60mph in 5.2secs with 239bhp...

will it be reasonable to service etc?

XT

I don't see why not. Pretty straightforward engine.

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Could you ask your flatmate what to look out for when inspecting one?

XT

I inspected for him,lol (grew up among Toyotas)

First of all, ask the seller for how long he had the car, explains a lot of things this question

Check for rust ANYWHERE(precaution) and especially on the sunroof

do an HPi check, this is not a fiesta, if something is not straight, it matters!

Service history 100000000% vital, if it isn't full, don't buy the car, simple as that.

Check for resprayed panels. I found out that you can tell the resprayed panels(even if the work done is perfect) by viewing the car at night underneath a yellow-light lamp post.

Check for broken interior switches or switches that simply don't work. They may last forever but accidents happen.

The engine should be very quiet, no rattles, no knocking, it’s not unusual when idling to think the engine has stopped whilst sitting at junctions. On the right hand side of the dashboard, with the ignition on, you will see the engine warning light, start the engine and it should go out and stay out, if you notice it come on whilst testing the car, there may be a problem,

Also check tje brakes (which suffer from seizing pistons, repair kits are available from Toyota), the car drives straight, no clicking from joints on full lock etc and look at the CV boots, a pain to change. Watch for smoke, white normally means turbo problems or even head problems and blue smoke is oil, you don’t want either.

Listen for noises from the rear diff, they can whine at speed with the most common being when lifting off the throttle at about 80 mph and hearing a whine which disappears at about 65 mph. This is caused by wear in the diff`s front pinion bearing, and can cost around £250.00 to repair. Check for clonking from the rear diff. Check also for leaks from the diffs/box/engine


Last thing, take off the oil cap from the top of the engine while the engine is running and see if any white coloured fumes are coming out, that's bad

Also check where the clutch pedal engages and disengages, it should be near the end of the pedal travel(near the floor), the closer to you it disengages, the closer you are to a clutch replacement
HTH, Mac

Nicci

It will be alot easier to find a nice condition MR2 than GT4 (and many of the MR2 t-bars have full leather (mine does)).

If condition is not a major issue then he may find a GT4. (I gave up looking for a GT4 because of this).

Good luck

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Funny you should say that Nicci...just been down a garage to have a look at a 1991 GT4 special edition and it was very very tatty. They were asking £4500.

Will stick at it and carry on looking though and am keeping MR2s in consideration.

XT: Thanks for the guide mate. Very informative. Will print it off and carry out all the mentioned checks.

Bob

16vmarc

PMSL you dont have a clue do you. Only 150 Mk3 16vs were produced, hardly common.

XT

Touched a nerve there?

What I really wanted to say was that the Mk3 shape....oops wait....every Golf shape apart from the mk1 is common as ****. Worst than the fiestas.

At least Fiesta owners have a reason for buying them(cheap/reliable), what's the VW owners' reason....

16vmarc

No, you didnt touch a nerve i just noticed you put **** in capitals so thought id correct you

XT

LOL, i almost had my handbag drawn

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Am going to pick up a 1996 BMW 328i Coupe, tan leather, ac, elecs etc.

One minute he was looking at getting a 318i and I suggested a 6cyl (ie 320 or 325) and he sets his eyes on a 328 . Am looking forward to picking it up and having a drive in it.

Will let you know what I think

Bob

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

Got the car and my mate just wont stop telling me how much he loves that car. He must have been going on about it for at least 4hrs. Keeps comparing it to his old car...(K reg Vauxall Carlton....320,000 miles...original engine...original gearbox...original clutch!)

I think he needs to practice his overtakes though as I have a feeling he doesn't have any experience of this...hes been changing gear (at 3,000RPM max) whilst overtaking.

Man he loves that car.

The Mini Daddy

He needs some practise of slapping it on the rev limiter!
3000 rpm in a 328 might seem torquey but all the power is at the top end with them being a 32 valve.
THAT DUDE NEEDS 6000RPM THERAPY!