Nooooooo!

[hambo_12]

Hi everyone. I have just run into mega money problems and I have to put the turbo on hold for a year or so, and go for the series II when I get my finances worked out again. For now, I only have around 20,000 to spend on a car. Plus this with my ute and it gives me about $26,000.

What I want your opinions on is, what is the best car that goes half decent and looks good for this money. I dont care what kind, just what I will be happiest with. And yes I will even consider a "gulp" crummydore! So be honest and not biased with ford.... Type away people...

[DallasQLD]

Hard to beat a SH WRX MY 99 or similar. wont go half as good, just as good.....

[ktford]

what about one of those Allan Moffat supercharged EB or ED Falcon XR8's which ever they were. They were a blown 5.0 V8 with 250kw

Or an EBGT, what are they going for?

Scotty

[100%]

Why not get a second hand N/A ute? I've seen BA XR6 N/A for $28k, it's a little over budget, but maybe?

[Marcos]

An EL XR6 ($12-$15k), and bolt on a CAPA supercharger kit ($6k), good for about 240kw.......

Edited 25/01/04 08:48 AM by Marcos

[KittyKatSmack]

I think it depends on whether or not he wants new and warranty or is happy with second hand....

If you are happy with second hand Hambo, why not save the $20K in a bank account (like a fixed term deposit) and stay with the ute?

The ute won't devalue all that much if you look after it, and it sounds like you look after it pretty well, and you might actually earn some interest on your cash. If you buy another car only to get rid of it in 12 months, you will probably not get your money back on it.

To be honest, you are better off sitting on what you have got, and just adding what you can, spare cash wise, to the money you have got.

Easier said than done maybe, but if you are disciplined enough to have $20K now, even if you are only another $5K on top of that, and have cleared more debts, you are going to be in a better position to get a T, which is what you really want in the long term.

Best of luck to you!!!!!!!!

[mickq]

Two things I would look at: neither of which is made by Holden!

1) WRX, if you can find one around that price which isnt thrashed to hell. Great bang for your buck. But there are just too many of these on the road, although they are a great drivers car if you drive hard (and only if you drive hard!)

2) If you can find one (not always easy!) then look for an early BMW M5. Just about any M3 or early M5 has the best 6 cylinder engine there is.

You can pick up a 1986-1988 M5 for only $12k-14k which would allow you to buy one in top condition, and also spend a little on it if there is anything you wanted to improve or alter. Hell, you could probably rebuild the engine and still meet your budget!

They handle well (each one was hand made and tested on a race track by BMW racing drivers...no sh*t). In good nick they can kick a new WRX (seriously).

Specs:

3.5 litres

210kw (286hp) (and not a turbo in sight!)

250kmh top speed.

ABS

0-100 in 6.0 seconds (confirmed by many car mag tests in its day)

1/4 mile in 14.1 seconds

The engine is pure sex. No sh*t, it drives like you wouldnt believe, it sounds insane, and it looks like a supermodel. In clean condition the engine is one of the best looking ever made.

They are serious drivers cars, and anyone who knows cars will respect the M badge right away, regardless of the year it was made. They are one of the best "sleeper" cars ever made because they look pretty normal, and idiots in commodores who dont know what an M badge means will possibly soon find their new SS being whipped by a stock standard 1986 BMW!

For a little more info and pics, see:

http://home.no.net/oursite/bmw1.htm

[TurboDewd]

personally Id go for a late 80s camaro or Trans Am OR a early 90s 4th generation one - 5.7L of American muscle which looks the good and is much much easier, cheaper to insure than a WRX. Depends on ya tastes of course.

[voy74656]

hambo...uve got 20k there,...why not just use it as a deposit on the t??? ...get a loan..and pay it off over 3 years...you could do that easily.... ..come oooon...the t is bekoning u.....

[HellionXR6T]

N/A Utes for 28,000......Hmmmm.

"No, stop it Ed......Cannot get rid of Purple beast, no, don’t". Wife will kill you, ahh damn.

That's an option. I'm not looking so crash hot either, seriously thinking about counting my losses and selling the spruced up N/A to go back to an EF or EL XR6. The N/A is literally burying us in debt and we are left with NOTHING to save or spend on ourselves once the essentials are paid off. It's not good.

Either that or something like a twin turbo 3.0ltr 1990 300-ZX. For around $13,000 to 15,000 you can get one fully optioned with probably 70 to 120,000kms on `em. Was seriously looking at this as an option.