Fastest Cheap Car? Looking For A Cheap Thrill

[TigerFish]

Thanks for all the suggestions

The current favourite seems to be a Fiat Coupe Turbo. He is not keen on Novas but thanks for the idea.

Seen a few decent looking ones for around the £1500 - £2000 mark. They are alot newer then many of the Jap cars we considered for the budget, he likes the look of them, they are a UK car so easier to get insured on and they are even reasonable on the fuel - around 28 - 30mpg combined cycle! The Twin Turbo has around 220bhp which when your are used to Rovers and Escorts like he is will seem mega quick. Also FWD too which will be easier for him to manage as his first car with some decent power.

I know its a Fiat so bits will probably fall off, but will see how it goes.................

Looks pretty good:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/536532.htm

One word of caution with the Fiat coupe, cambelt change is at 70K and it is an engine out job. Interpret that as a bloody expensive cambelt change. That has caught a lot of people out as Fiat obviously don't advertise the fact.

[Ellz]

Soarer TT all the way. You can pick them up in auto for around 2000, you can also get the same engine in the mk3 supras but are a little rarer. If he wants a manual he could get one but he'd have to look pretty hard and pounce on it when he does find it as they go flipping qucikly.

280hp as standard and with the stock twins you can up the boost to around 340-360 safely at 1 bar. You get a bit of class with them as well as its a lex :)

[DJ Wozza]

Cross off the GTO, they weigh nearly 2 tonnes and arent that fast at all.

282 bhp 5.7 seconds and 155 top end, thats not fast?

......look at the power to weight, 280 brake, 1900 kg thats about 150bhp/tonne, even my Wifes fiesta St isnt far behind that! Where it really counts (accelerating, ovetaking power etc) it fulls flat on its lardy arse.

I'm pretty sure given the choice 90%+ would choose the GTO over your wifes Fiesta if they want cheap 'fastest car' thrills.

Whatever next. You'll probably suggest some sort of Nova soon :winky:

A standard redtop nova gives close on 200/tonne, 0-60 in about 6-6.5 (highly driver pependent) and top end of 140 (will bounce of the the rev limiter in 5th).

aaaaaah yes thought it was coming

If you can find a good Renault 5 Turbo, that would be my suggestion, pocket rocket roller skate :D

[Bazza]

just buy an ex hire car or van

there the quickest things around

[garethr]

Thanks for all the suggestions

The current favourite seems to be a Fiat Coupe Turbo. He is not keen on Novas but thanks for the idea.

Seen a few decent looking ones for around the £1500 - £2000 mark. They are alot newer then many of the Jap cars we considered for the budget, he likes the look of them, they are a UK car so easier to get insured on and they are even reasonable on the fuel - around 28 - 30mpg combined cycle! The Twin Turbo has around 220bhp which when your are used to Rovers and Escorts like he is will seem mega quick. Also FWD too which will be easier for him to manage as his first car with some decent power.

I know its a Fiat so bits will probably fall off, but will see how it goes.................

Looks pretty good:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/536532.htm

One word of caution with the Fiat coupe, cambelt change is at 70K and it is an engine out job. Interpret that as a bloody expensive cambelt change. That has caught a lot of people out as Fiat obviously don't advertise the fact.

Is it the Fiat where the franchised dealers take the engine out and charge a million pounds, and the specialists don't and charge a normal price?

If he seriously considers a Fiat Coupe, join the forum (www.fccuk.org) and find out if there is a local(ish) non-franchised specialist.

Example: new timing belt, tensioner, tensioner idler, water pump, and replacement of all drive belts and tensioners £399 - http://www.powerfiat.co.uk/services.htm

EDIT:

Oh, and make sure that the car comes with the genuine red master key (apparently some are fake). This may not matter so much with the later cars.

.

[chrisis200]

My friend had a rover coupe turbo which was fast, an if your friends into rovers problem solved ;) think there called bobcats or something

[Ryo]

my white transit ive over taken may a so called sports cars, on the M1 :)

[shake]

my white transit ive over taken may a so called sports cars, on the M1 :)

budging people out the way doesn't count.

the rovers were called "tomcat"s

[dave1]

My wife has a car which leaves Golf GTI's etc. at the lights. FWD and usually need 2nd gear to pull away as if you rev too hard in 1st the front wheels spin. Bought it new in 1997,and has been driven properly and is a lot quicker than others that I've driven. Engine is 130bhp Mitsubishi DOHC 1834cc,full Recaro front/rear,lotus tuned suspension. Corners really well. All the boy racers want to burn her off, probably because of the badge but very few manage it if we are in the mood to give it a little blast (when conditions allow ).

Proton Persona Penang SRI (4 door saloon)

[chrisis200]

Your right shake my mistake seen some cheap on pistonheads;)

[P4UL T]

just buy an ex hire car or van

there the quickest things around

lol, very true

[tonker]

Saab 9000 Aero or Griffin. 0-60 in under 7 seconds, very well equiped and when you inevitabely crash the thing at least it won't fall apart like a Fiat.

Usualy owned and look after by proffesional people, so as long as you get service history they can prove to be very relaible. Great fun leaving the boy racer and BMW fraternity wandering why a "grandad's" car is leaving them in its wake. Cheaper insurance too.

for under a grand)

[Anees]

His Ford Focus is up for sale at £2100 so as soon as that gets sold a purchase can be made.

I am having second thoughts about the Fiat. I spoke to my mate that is a mechanic and he said the they are basically "s**t" with many niggly problems and not that fast.

Will show him the other cars suggested.

Anees :)

[LennyLexus]

Cross off the GTO, they weigh nearly 2 tonnes and arent that fast at all.

282 bhp 5.7 seconds and 155 top end, thats not fast?

Thats the top spec one.. which for £2k would be an absolute smokin' rotter.

Those figures are largely missleading. Yes of course its a fast car, its a 3.0 twin turbo! but its quick to 60 cuz its 4wd, and its sheer power gives it good top end as its weight is less of a penalty. But read between those figures, and ook at the power to weight, 280 brake, 1900 kg thats about 150bhp/tonne, even my Wifes fiesta St isnt far behind that! Where it really counts (accelerating, ovetaking power etc) it fulls flat on its lardy arse. A standard redtop nova gives close on 200/tonne, 0-60 in about 6-6.5 (highly driver pependent) and top end of 140 (will bounce of the the rev limiter in 5th). Sit at 60mph on the m/way it will also give you 40mpg!

Loggy your figures are misleading, the gto was between 1400-1730kg!! the top spec was 315bhp!! so that give est 0-60 of (1730/315) of 5.5secs, and your right the 4wd drive helps put the power down better. I doubt your wifes fiesta does 0-60 in 6 secs??

[shake]

mate has a scooby 1999 for sale @ 1850ovno... needs a new headgasket we think as it slowly drinks water. has full ppp from factory. drives totally fine, just need to keep an eye on the water level.

pm me if you think he'd be interested

[Rikos]

My mate has a scooby for sale also but i think he wants about £3500 for it has 320 bhp though

[Ryo]

Shake if people are going to to either sit in the middle or the outside lane for no reason what so ever, dawdling along at 60 when the inside lane is clear they deserve to be lets say drove over

oooooo its get on my nerves

[grease monkey]

T5 volvo

[lutonmatt]

T5 volvo

i am with you on that just about to buy a v plate volvo c70 2.3 t5 hope to pay about 1500 for it ok needs a knock looking at but its clean and has loads of stuff on it should get it on thursday

but if you want fun and fast and good car in all get a ls400 they drift well well mine did loads of speen and now to dear on the insurance

[Monster-Mat]

maestro turbo :)

if you can find decent one or rover coupe turbo

[Anees]

Looks like my cousins "fast" car is going to be a Lexus GS300 Sport mk1. :o I don't think these are that quick really but he seems to have fallen in love with one he has seen on eBay.

Must say they do look very nice. Going tomorrow evening with him to look at it ;)

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LEXUS-GS-300-SPORT-A...id=p3286.c0.m14

The wheels are nice and rare to get second hand (I should know!)

[Steve]

thats a tasty motor for that price.

sport is worth more than that, has the big rear wheels too. He needs to look at that car pronto b4 it goes.

[John Lawley]

Cross off the GTO, they weigh nearly 2 tonnes and arent that fast at all.

282 bhp 5.7 seconds and 155 top end, thats not fast?

155mph offical, they go much faster my old one and my mates both hit 175mph on satnav (runway).....till the gearbox and transfer box break.

dare i say it LS400? doughnuts sideways and only £300-1000 :)