83C Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Is a cheap Focus ST170 worth a look? Found one for a little over budget... phil_lihp 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 No, it'll be a moneypit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince70 Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 How about this old barge it’s not a m44 but it’s cheap enough with Lowish mileage and you will be a drift god driving it about.I don’t know how it’s had a cam belt change mind so I’m guessing it’s had an aux belt lol.https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153036439836I would rather risk an M43 or 44 four pot rather than the later stuff but ask the Rev as he will put you straight on what to buy. The Ebay link isn’t working for some reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John F Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Don't e36 318s have a camchain? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince70 Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Yes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 I’ve got good memories of a couple of E36s, a 316i, 318iS and a 320i. If that one had a bit more test I’d be seriously looking at it, but three weeks ticket is a bit close to sort anything out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanism Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I have a Saab Aero that cost me less than your budget and has 250bhp available. Its handling is shocking but its quite good fun point to point. 290bhp is available for the price of a wire and some software or 200 quid if you wish to pay somebody else to do it. 2002 Saab 9-5 Aero Estate Auto, "Noob" Tuned 275bhp. 11 months MOT, Low Mileage - Link This is less than 500 quid at the moment and tuned by a well-respected all round nice guy in the Saab community. Brodders 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aston Martin Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 For the love of God, don't buy an E46 316ti. They're so shit it defies belief.Which is why he should buy one. 83C 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sloth in a bowl Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Would you be interested in my MK1 Mégane coupe 2 litre and fresh from 1335 trouble free miles holiday round the UK? I can do a proper write up if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 I have a Saab Aero that cost me less than your budget and has 250bhp available. Its handling is shocking but its quite good fun point to point. 290bhp is available for the price of a wire and some software or 200 quid if you wish to pay somebody else to do it. 2002 Saab 9-5 Aero Estate Auto, "Noob" Tuned 275bhp. 11 months MOT, Low Mileage - Link This is less than 500 quid at the moment and tuned by a well-respected all round nice guy in the Saab community.If that one stays within budget my flabber will indeed be gasted. I should have thought that will make high hundreds easily? Not a fan of newer Renaults sorry, the only one I’d consider (although I’d never get one in budget) is a Clio 172. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 If that one stays within budget my flabber will indeed be gasted. I should have thought that will make high hundreds easily? Not a fan of newer Renaults sorry, the only one I’d consider (although I’d never get one in budget) is a Clio 172.Thank* me later loserone and The Moog 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 No test, no buy. I don’t mind sticking something through test, but I’d like to have a couple of months leeway in which to find some time to do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 No test, no buy. I don’t mind sticking something through test, but I’d like to have a couple of months leeway in which to find some time to do it.Tbh even with a full MOT they are a pain in the cunt:) Kiltox 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Tbh even with a full MOT they are a pain in the cunt:)Ah, I’d forgotten you have one. There are certain Peugeot’s and even the odd Citroen I’d have, but I draw the line at Renaults, I’ve spent too much time fixing other people’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
320touring Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 Ah, I’d forgotten you have one. There are certain Peugeot’s and even the odd Citroen I’d have, but I draw the line at Renaults, I’ve spent too much time fixing other people’s.Two on fleet at the mo, and about 0.75 functioning. Even at that they're less frustrating and more fun than an E46 316/8ti:) sporty-shite 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 19, 2018 Author Share Posted June 19, 2018 Balls! Just missed a tidy MG TF for £330 on eBay. Gah! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Ebay’s targeted advertising is working well: Right, so because I searched for £500 BMWs it makes perfect sense to e-myther me links to a £15,000 Mercedes Benz? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sierraman Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 No, it'll be a moneypit.And a 20 year old BMW wouldn't? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_lihp Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Is a cheap Focus ST170 worth a look? Found one for a little over budget... Definitely - highly recommended and unlikely to be a money pit unless it's a complete dog. I know, I've got one which was cheap. They're only a slightly fiddled Focus so most parts are cheap and there's a lot of helpful info out there. 83C 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 E46 318Ti's are a bit shite now they're old because E46, but at 400 quid................? You might get a year out of it. I found the older N42's slightly less prone to pissing oil out than the later N46. I've worked on so many now, they don't scare me. Much. An old MX5 sounds like fucking misery to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Reverend Bluejeans Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Yes Only from mid 1993. 1991-93 (H, J, K and early L) have the M40 with a belt. Piece of piss to change. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 Definitely - highly recommended and unlikely to be a money pit unless it's a complete dog. I know, I've got one which was cheap. They're only a slightly fiddled Focus so most parts are cheap and there's a lot of helpful info out there. This was my thinking, I can't see much on them being different. I do know they're not exactly Ford's finest effort for an ST-type model but it'd be nice to try one before the values go all OSF, which they surely must do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghosty Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Well, they do look nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil_lihp Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 They're a hoot - no, they're not mega fast but you can't really lose money on them now, values are just perhaps starting to tip (he said with optimism) and mine does shift very nicely if you use all the rev range - they are unique in having VVT on the 2.0 Duratec so there's a lot of extra oomph available past 4000RPM. The Getrag 6 speed gearbox, it must be said, is every bit as pants as the reviews of the time said but it's not too bad once you get used to it. I saw one review saying the gearchange had all the subtlety and finesse of a Mersey tugboat and they're not wrong, but it is allegedly pretty bombproof. Handling is superb, suspension is quite firm and prone to hitting the bump stops quite frequently on battered Devon roads. A light stumble/misfire around 2-3k is very common, mine had it and it's mostly cured. It's generally caused by plugs (get the proper Ford ones, they are choosy), leads and coilpack (which mine will get when I get around to it) which are the main culprits. The usual Mk1 Focus issues of rot and fuel pumps apply. I think some of the ST170 disappointment comes from people replacing a Puma with one - which I sort of did, with some cars in between and the paperwork with mine shows that at least one previous owner did too. The Puma has a wonderful gearchange and the 1.7 is just fantastically responsive - the ST170 in comparison feels somewhat heavy, lardy and sluggish at first but what car doesn't? It's certainly a lot more practical and somewhat less prone to dissolving. 83C 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 At the moment the biggest problem is getting the seller to respond. I did think that a 2.0 Focus (the non ST version) might be fun but there isn’t a single one for sale in budget! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
83C Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 Having had a bit of a minor financial win, the budget has increased a little. This is dangerous because I'm now looking at P38 Range Rovers Sigmund Fraud 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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