Jump to content

Midlife crisis on a budget.


Jim Bell

Recommended Posts

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Honda-civic-vti-s-Vtec-/221486472892?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item33919f5ebc

 

$_57.JPG

 

Civic 5dr 1.8VTi. £2k tops for a good one, but can be had from £850 up. 

My dad had a Scimitar SE6 for his midlife crisis in about 1987 - bought it just after a divorce and all.

He's 66 in a few weeks, and he's looking to replace his Civic 1.4 with one of these because his current one isn't fast enough.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

post-17414-0-61109400-1405307770_thumb.jpg

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/JAGUAR-S-TYPE-3-0-V6-RARE-MANUAL-2001-X-/261527868076?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3ce44692ac

240 bhp 146mph 6.9 sec 0-60.

 

Mrs N ran one from 90,000 to 220,000 miles it usually returned between 30 -33 mpg and didn't break until the clutch went and I parked it up 3 years ago.

post-17414-0-81663700-1405308346_thumb.jpg

You can have this one for free if you sort it and mot it so I can have her plate back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

'You have £1500 coins (or golds) to spend on powerful car that will make you feel better than all the other elfs'

 

One of those hateful things wouldn't even make you feel better than Terry Waite's goldfish.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You'll probably get better mpg from the XJR than the type-r they're woefull. Nice cars but shit on pez.

I had a v8 XJR and it got a pretty steady 20mpg. I think the straight six ones are even better on fuel and not quite a likely too throw a hissy fit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Xantia V6. They apparently aren't too bad on fuel if you can ignore the sweet, sweet music that comes from thrashing one down the road. Every bit as good as an Alfa V6. Oh yes. Alfa Romeo 164. Not that there seem to be many left. My V6 auto would do 30mpg on a run though. 

 

I find the free S-Type intriguing. What's up with it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

I find the free S-Type intriguing. What's up with it?

 

 

 

 

Mrs N ran one from 90,000 to 220,000 miles it usually returned between 30 -33 mpg and didn't break until the clutch went and I parked it up 3 years ago.

attachicon.gif image.jpg

You can have this one for free if you sort it and mot it so I can have her plate back.

 
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Its a personal choice, but to me powerful cars and FWD do not make a happy marriage, so i will always (well OK 4WD preferred) plump for RWD in preference, i cannot stand FWD squealing/scrabbling for grip nor torque steer.

 

My suggestion would be a Benz CLK 320, you're only going to get 30mpg by driving like a saint (same with any car with some grunt), but if you find you've bought a good enough motor, nothing to stop you shoving an LPG conversion on, best of all worlds then.

 

Just be careful of the Valeo radiator issue, indeed if the radiator looks new use caution, in case the gearbox has been attacked by coolant and the car is being sold before the gearbox finally pegs it....course a prudent owner would change the rad as a precautionary measure anyway, so the old reliable measure of quack? waddle? its a duck applies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The broken S-Type hasn't been started for a couple of years,but was running( albeit with EML on for about 30,000 miles) there's a brand new flywheel and plate in the boot, both genuine Jag,I was gradually picking up the bits on ebay. The drivers window mechanism gave up and it needed a heater distribution valve.

I'd had my money's worth out of it(did a lot of weddings at £200 a pop) ,Mrs N had got her CLK,so just didn't bother. I haven't seen it for about 6 months,I really should go and make sure it hasn't been weighed in.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some egg sellent suggestions.

Big BTec Hondas are too thirsty for my wages (we can't all be the eldest son 4th earl of Junkmantington), mx5s are too small cabin wise, and I kind of already have the quicker Fwd equivalent in the 323fGT. Not as fun as rwd, but still fun.

The rest are all awesome suggestions.

 

CLK 230 Kompressor is still out in front. Anyone fancy driving one from Bournemouth to Newcastle for me?

 

Seriously^

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Unless you've already got a specific one picked out, don't bother with the 230k get a 320 ,they're just as good on fuel and loads smoother and don't seem to suffer as much with oil in the loom like 230's do.

In fact you might as well get a 430, I wish we had 4 years ago when we got our 230 cab. It only gets used for short journeys when the suns shining,so the difference between 22 and 28 mpg would be more than made up for by V8 goodness.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Some egg sellent suggestions.

Big BTec Hondas are too thirsty for my wages (we can't all be the eldest son 4th earl of Junkmantington), mx5s are too small cabin wise, and I kind of already have the quicker Fwd equivalent in the 323fGT. Not as fun as rwd, but still fun.

The rest are all awesome suggestions.

 

CLK 230 Kompressor is still out in front. Anyone fancy driving one from Bournemouth to Newcastle for me?

 

Seriously^

fly to southampton

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...