criteria...

 

year 2000 or there abouts

reliable

good on motorways 30 mpg + is a MUST

nothing to common

 

 

thats it!

common people, give me some ideas!

New Alfas are much better than of old. If you wanted something slightly different to the run of the mill Mondeos and Vectras, then maybe look at getting a 156 1.9 JTD. £3k should get you a 2001/02 car.

 

1.9 JTD Engines are GM units, so pretty robust, reliable and well built.

 

Pretty cars these IMO.

 

 

Edited February 21, 200916 yr by FunkySi

i do like the alfa but its the other half that im having trouble convincing!

 

im thinking of a Saab 9-5 aero but possibly a bit on the large side for her to use all the time?

Hmmmmmm, wouldn't go for the 95. It's stone-age. It's basically a reworked 9000 which is older than the Z32! The 9-3 is a far better car. Pretty much a Vectra underneath....which isn't a bad thing as, apart from the questionable looks is a very competant car underneath. I've had one as a company car and TBH, it's one of the best cruisers I've ever had. Stick it in 6th, wack on the CC and it's very very smooth.

 

9-3 has all of that, but with the added bonus of looking much nicer. Pretty car IMO.

 

i have a 9000t as a work hack and think its great!

couldnt stretch to that shape 9-3. quite like the older shape 3 door ones mind

They are decent, but IMO, I'd get a 9-3. :)

early (1999 - 2001)BMW E46 coupe or saloon can be had for that money, for a bit of poke you need a 323 or 328 which should manage 35mpg+ on the motorway. 4 pots are more economical though, but a bit lethargic!

For example 328

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+3+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-10-43-145-240-4294967201-4294967202/advert.action?R=200907112813671&distance=232&postcode=la29pw&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=3+SERIES&min_pr=2000&max_pr=&max_mileage=100000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=1999&vehicleRegLetter=

or 318

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+3+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146-236,N-10-43-145-240-4294967201-4294967202/advert.action?R=200908329353531&distance=47&postcode=la29pw&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=3+SERIES&min_pr=2000&max_pr=&max_mileage=100000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=1999&vehicleRegLetter=V

Edited February 22, 200916 yr by Quavey

Not Uncommon but decent and reliable! Ticks your boxes :D

 

FORD PUMA CLICKY

2000 model 38k 1.7 Petrol, full service from Ford 2600quid

 

VW BORA CLICKY

2000 model 76k 2.0 sport being sold by Dealership 2500 (so full Service and MOT)

 

Hope this can help you out!

criteria...

 

year 2000 or there abouts

reliable

good on motorways 30 mpg + is a MUST

nothing to common

 

 

thats it!

common people, give me some ideas!

 

Well the way things are at the mo. Pretty much anything you want :)

Seat Leon cupra, quite good styling 5 door 30+MPG, when you don't press the loud pedal!

Accord Type R, a very overlooked car but a cracking one, should just scrape 30mpg

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+3+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146,N-10-14-43-50-62-68-145-240-4294967201-4294967202/advert.action?R=200908329198105&distance=188&postcode=KT11+2BW&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=3+SERIES&min_pr=2000&max_pr=3000&max_mileage=100000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=1999&vehicleRegLetter=V

 

Thats what I would go for if I was you, you haven't said how many doors you want?

 

Bit common though, 2.5 litre is the one to go for, they cured the nikasil problem post 98, the 2.8litre has relaibility issues by all accounts!

http://search.autotrader.co.uk/es-uk/www/cars/BMW+3+SERIES/Ne-2-4-5-6-7-8-27-44-49-53-61-64-67-103-133-146,N-10-14-43-50-62-68-145-240-4294967201-4294967202/advert.action?R=200908329198105&distance=188&postcode=KT11+2BW&channel=CARS&make=BMW&model=3+SERIES&min_pr=2000&max_pr=3000&max_mileage=100000&vehicleYearOfManufacture=1999&vehicleRegLetter=V

 

Thats what I would go for if I was you, you haven't said how many doors you want?

 

Bit common though, 2.5 litre is the one to go for, they cured the nikasil problem post 98, the 2.8litre has relaibility issues by all accounts!

 

 

the 323 and 328 M52's are very similar engines both have same diameter bore the 328 has a longer stroke crank and shorter rods - so im not sure how one can be any more or less reliable than the other. They all suffer from water pumps and thermostats but other than that most will cover interstella milage.

 

The nikasil issue although a problem is often over hyped, if it was going to go then it would have done by now and the ones that did have mostly been replaced by BMW. But no problem at all on the E46 as it was week 10 in june 98 i think it was cured by, with the introduction of the alusil lined block. So only an issue in the E36, E38 and E39.

 

Very late M52 may have had bi vanos, however im sure this was only on the E39 but i could be wrong.

323i- 2.5l 170bhp

328i - 2.8l 193bhp

 

If the budget will allow find one with an M54 engine (when they went back to 320i 325i and 330i) They had dual vanos and were a marked improvement over the often stranged M52. However the 320i has all the disadvantages of being 6 cyl without the performance. Only thing you do get is the noise!

 

320i - 2.2l - 170bhp (worth noting though that the 320i is down on torque compared to the 323i

325i - 2.5l - 192bhp

330i - 3.0l - 231bhp

some good points there, thanks very much :)

 

do quite like the look of the 3 series coupe

number of doors is not important

would perhaps prefer 3 rather than 5 but not really an issue

Could try a vectra gsi facelift. tons of room on the inside massive boot. good bhp around 30 mpg. recaro seats. cheap to maintain and a very nice smooth car

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-GSI-V6-BLACK_W0QQitemZ260366055519QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item260366055519&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-VAUXHALL-VECTRA-GSI-V6-BLUE_W0QQitemZ130288051930QQcmdZViewItemQQptZAutomobiles_UK?hash=item130288051930&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A2%7C65%3A7%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318

Have to admit, I think for 3-4k the 3 series coupe is the smartest looking car out there atm.

 

Quavey I bought an old 523 and when I was doing the research the 528 had reliabilty issues, it was fairly well accepted at the time, I make no claim to being a BMW expert though, to be honest I make no claim at being an expert in anything :D

Have to admit, I think for 3-4k the 3 series coupe is the smartest looking car out there atm.

 

Quavey I bought an old 523 and when I was doing the research the 528 had reliabilty issues, it was fairly well accepted at the time, I make no claim to being a BMW expert though, to be honest I make no claim at being an expert in anything :D

 

yeah very strange that youve come accross that. i wonder if its possible that due to the higher power output the 328 maybe suffered from the niksil issue more that its got a bit of a worse reputation? Do you know what the 28 was supposed to suffer from reliablity wise?

 

Im no expert but i will confess that im a bit of a BMW nut, and i've done quite a bit of reading about the E36 and E46 and now owned a couple of E36's, had bmws in the family for years as well so thats where the obsession has come from i think LOL (E32, E36, E38, E39 and E65).

 

I have to agree with you that the E46 Coupe is a lovely car, ive a friend who has a 320i sport (all the m body pack etc) and it looks the nuts. Nicely specced as well, much better so than the E36. I wish i could have been able to afford an E46 M3 instead of the E36 but hey ho.

 

Go buy an E46 - come to the dark side my friend ;)