Sensible V6 for less than 2k?

Nomisf · 14 Aug 2007 at 13:17

broona said:
Thanks for the links, will give me something to read up on.

How reliable have yours been? Anything in particular to look out for if I'm going to view one? Thanks again.

No worries mate. Main things to watch out for:

Electrics: Check it revs smooth all the way through to the redline, the DIS packs can become faulty if the car has had a hard life.

Dont worry if it sounds "Tappety"(Valve Clatter) when it first starts, it goes once the engine has warmed up. Ive never found one that doesnt do it, and according to VX its normal (meh who am i to judge). Magnatec oil stops it =].

Other than that, they have been really reliable, not a major problem while owning either of them, apart from the front of other peoples cars being attracted to the boot =P

Will add anything else if i think of it , but as far as im aware just those bits, and the normal things you would look out for on a car =]

If theres anything else you want to know, just ask away, email is in trust. I am a self confessed Vectra fanboi =] Also if you want any interior pictures, or specifics , i have a folder full of them.

The Running Man · 14 Aug 2007 at 13:25

if your tempted with the primera GT, maybe look at the AlmeraGTi 2.0. Same engine, but its a proper Hatchback.

peter · 14 Aug 2007 at 16:18

v6 ghia x mondeo estate

2000 ( W ) much faster than the 2.0 i had before but needs to be spun up more!
good to drive cheap and reliable what more can you want. have been looking for a change but have not found anything that has the same combination of space and go without spending a Lot more.
Never seen another one on a w plate so must be one of the last ones.
just got back from france 35 mpg not too bad.

broona · 14 Aug 2007 at 17:43

Thanks again for all the replies, I can see the 'Trader website being perused a lot over the next few days, trying to find some of the recommendations closer to me!

So far, I'm tempted by (in no particular order) :-

Mondeo ST24/ST200/V6 Ghia X
Vectra V6 GSI/SRI
BMW E36 328i estate
BMW E30 325i estate
406 V6 estate
Mazda 323F 2.0 V6 ZXI

Would love the ST200, but probably just outside my price range for a reasonably decent one.

One of my mates, an ex Rover salesman, threw a spanner in the works today too, bringing up the MG ZS180, which are dropping to the 2k mark now, any 'sensible' opinions on them please?

scooby555t · 14 Aug 2007 at 20:01

have had a vectra GSI cant fault it and the v6 note

not had a single prob with it apart from abit of rust on the back arch

MNuTz · 14 Aug 2007 at 20:09

Not ideal for the family, although i have had a child seat and 2 dogs in the back of mine

You can get VW Corrados VR6 2.9 190bhp for £2K+

only suggested it as you havent put an age limit in your post.

Scania · 14 Aug 2007 at 20:19

328i Touring. Underrated. :cool:

broona said:
One of my mates, an ex Rover salesman, threw a spanner in the works today too, bringing up the MG ZS180, which are dropping to the 2k mark now, any 'sensible' opinions on them please?

My views on the Rover MG ZS....

Oh damn! you said sensible!

agw_01 · 14 Aug 2007 at 20:58

R124/LA420 said:
My views on the Rover MG ZS....

Oh damn! you said sensible!

(So tempted to flame you right now

)

But seriously, it's a lot of car for the money! Well worth considering.

broona · 14 Aug 2007 at 21:25

MNuTz said:
Not ideal for the family, although i have had a child seat and 2 dogs in the back of mine

You can get VW Corrados VR6 2.9 190bhp for £2K+

only suggested it as you havent put an age limit in your post.

I did put Golf in my first post, which was aimed at the VR6, so don't really mind the age. Only problem is picking up even a semi-decent Corrado for around 2k, they all seem to start at 3k+, hence why I put Golf instead, at least they're reasonably priced, just not quite as nice.

Charlie Bravo · 15 Aug 2007 at 10:13

I know it's not a V6 but hows about a 2.3 V5 Seat Toledo?

I get around 34mpg out of mine and it has all the extras (electric everything, cruise control, climate control etc)

It's got 150bhp, plenty of space (inc a massive boot) and only set me back £1995.

broona · 15 Aug 2007 at 10:24

Charlie Bravo said:
I know it's not a V6 but hows about a 2.3 V5 Seat Toledo?

I get around 34mpg out of mine and it has all the extras (electric everything, cruise control, climate control etc)

It's got 150bhp, plenty of space (inc a massive boot) and only set me back £1995.

Is that available in hatch form? If not, it would be no use I'm afraid, my dog's claustrophobic!

Dogbreath · 15 Aug 2007 at 10:52

broona said:
One of my mates, an ex Rover salesman, threw a spanner in the works today too, bringing up the MG ZS180, which are dropping to the 2k mark now, any 'sensible' opinions on them please?

Didn't realise they had dropped that much. Of all the 45 shaped variants, the ZS180 had the most sorted handling and the KV6 is a decent engine that doesn't suffer from head gasket issues (at least not the new ones in the MG's). I would definately blag a test drive if you can. Even Tiff Needel liked them. The saloon is the better looking car IMO, but lots of hatches around.

broona · 15 Aug 2007 at 13:23

Going to look at a 323 tonight, bit older than I want really, but at least it should give me a feel for the car.

Charlie Bravo · 15 Aug 2007 at 13:53

broona said:
Is that available in hatch form? If not, it would be no use I'm afraid, my dog's claustrophobic!

Whoops, forgot the hatch bit. Apologies mate

broona · 15 Aug 2007 at 13:58

Charlie Bravo said:
Whoops, forgot the hatch bit. Apologies mate

No problem at all, can't find a hatch with a V5 in it for less than 3k either, bummer!

broona · 15 Aug 2007 at 23:13

broona said:
Going to look at a 323 tonight, bit older than I want really, but at least it should give me a feel for the car.

Test drove it, on an N plate, but felt tighter and newer than my V plate 306 HDI.

Very nice to drive, but not really much in the way of power, even taking it up towards 6000rpm, very refined, pulled away at 800rpm in 4th, just never felt at all fast, not quite sure how fast I was expecting it to be though! :confused:

AndrewP · 15 Aug 2007 at 23:18

I went from a Xsara HDi to my ST200 - bit of a difference

. You might be pushing the budget, and there aren't too many around though.

Northwind · 16 Aug 2007 at 00:46

MNuTz said:
You can get VW Corrados VR6 2.9 190bhp for £2K+

Yep, though to be fair the Corrado's not a car to risk a dodgy example of, even the good ones can have their issues. Still ace though, and there's a few out there in this general price bracket. I was thinking about make 3 Golfs too... Seem to come in well under the budget, from a quick Autotrader search

o noes

Now I've gone and looked at the prices of Corrados again, I've managed to resist that for ages, cue another month of resisting just going and buying the nearest one in autotrader. Aargh, it's a dark green G60 and it's well within my budget, I'll need to nail my foot to the floor or something.

Nor · 16 Aug 2007 at 04:01

As some folk have said a MKI ZS 180 is definitely something to have a gander at. Get them for silly money with MG Rover going under. Just make sure you don't get one which is due to have its cambelts changed. Can be costly.

I have a MKII and the engine is very nice. The best bit of the car is the handling though. Goes around corners unbelievably well.

eracer2006 · 16 Aug 2007 at 05:17

golf vr6

drill airbox

enjoy

or a mate has an mx3 for sale, junked the 1.8v6 and has the 2.5 v6 KLZE with 210hp standard, which sounds like a F1 car...