Dad's going JDM TYTE - But I need your help!

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BenRB26
Yeah, so basically my dad's taking a job closer to home but with less pay, so this means he cannot afford to keep his 2005 Nissan Navara/Frontier any more, so he as looking to buy a car with these criteria:

- Under £5000 (Circa $10000)
- Sporty (Not OTT, he's 46, doesn't want to appear to be having a mid-life crisis)
- Carries 4 People
- Comfortable, he covers a lot of miles on motorway each day
- Reliable, same reason as Comfort
- Available with models newer than 2000

So after some browsing of www.autotrader.co.uk we came up with these cars:

- Skoda Octavia 1.8T vRS
- MG ZT(-T) 2.5
- Ford Mondeo ST220

...after this I found out that he doesn't need a large car as he only needs it for travelling up the motorway daily, not really for carrying stuff. So a newcomer arrived on the list:

- Ford Cougar 2.5

...I thought this was a good car for him as it matched the criteria, but then I read some owner reviews and gathered opinions and realised it sucks. However my dad still <3s it nonetheless.

However, I went ahead and started looking at alternatives, all of them seemed pretty crappy (Tigra anyone?) and I started losing hope until I came across a car which a lot of us know all too well...

...the Nissan Silvia S14 Kouki (^.^)

I told my dad about this and how it is x1283298372329368438796396439469 better than the Cougar but he's having none of it.

This is where you, the members of GTP come in, I need to convince my father to purchase a Nissan Silvia S14 Kouki. PLEASE HELP ME! So far I have these points...

- Ford Cougar is a woman's car
- Nissan Silvia has a smaller engine (2.0l Turbo compared to Cougar's 2.5) yet it can still outrun the Cougar
- Nissan is JDM TYTE!
- Nissan looks better
- Ford Cougar is a Ford - They fall apart after you get to the end of the road, sad but true

...but I need more! Any ideas?


Ps: When he gets home tonight I'm going to be showing him pictures of some sweet Koukis, so if you have any please post them up too
 
So it must be a 4cyl? Don't get a Silvia, doesn't that give the whol mid-life crisis look?
Get the Skoda, that will work fine. Forget Japanese cars :yuck:

Note: I have personal distaste for Japanese cars, nothing personal or insulting to them.
 
the Cougar didn't work over here, either. not the one you guys got (but at least the Colours were better)

mabey a Toyota? heck, drive him crazy and suggest a bB
did you consider Hondas?
I'm not even gonna mention a Vaux. wonder if they have as fall apart rep as US chevys do?
 
Doesn't have to be a 4cyl. I dunno about the Silvia being a mid-life crisis car but I've seen many 40+ year olds driving it, it isn't over the top, it's kind of a mature sports car (:P)

EDIT: @Sniffs - I suggested bB but he's a hater unfortunately, my dad isn't really a Toyota fan, he reckons that they are boring and slightly over-priced, I also don't think that there's any Toyota models that would suit him apart from the Avensis which I believe he has a personal hatred for. We also considered Hondas but the only one he would have is the Accord, and even then he would only have the later model, and we couldn't find any decent specification ones in his budget. He also despises Vauxhalls
 
Ford Cougar


How about a Subaru Legacy? Avoiding any of the plentyful Japanese market imports, he should still be able to get a decent, well spec'd one in his price range.
 
Legacies get high on-going costs according to my mechanic (because of AWD that wears easier than most or something to do with AWD anyway), are you sure he'd want one?
 
nd 4 holden spd
Legacies get high on-going costs according to my mechanic (because of AWD that wears easier than most or something to do with AWD anyway), are you sure he'd want one?
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Yes but they are pretty bullet-proof to start with so costs should even out to a similar level to a Ford or a Vauxhall.
 
A Vauxhall of that budget would probably use an interference motor anyway, bends heads when the timing belt snaps (and it happens). Only the new Vauxhalls got better motors, much better.
What about a Saab? Saabs get sold in UK don't they?
 
Yeah they do but it's the same case with the Accord but it's the 9-3
 
nd 4 holden spd
A Vauxhall of that budget would probably use an interference motor anyway, bends heads when the timing belt snaps (and it happens). Only the new Vauxhalls got better motors, much better.
What about a Saab? Saabs get sold in UK don't they?
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Saabs are just Vauxhalls in party dresses these days anyway.
 
What about a Mitsubishi Lancer? Should fit your criteria but I don't really know how much the newer models would cost..... :nervous:
 
I did actually look at Mitsubishi Lancers but the newest I could find was a 1994 Evolution IV
 
I think if my dad was to get a Lancer it would be the Evolution as, let's be fair, the other Lancer models are pretty low spec

At this point I should mention that my dad would have to have a car with leather seating
 
TheCracker
How about a Subaru Legacy? Avoiding any of the plentyful Japanese market imports, he should still be able to get a decent, well spec'd one in his price range.
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Did they do the fancy turbocharged estate over in the UK? There is a video of it floating around on the intertubenet of the world, dog fighting with some kind of turbocharged Gallant estate too.

That would be awesome. Probably pretty reliable too. Not to mention unique.

Why not, right?
 
YSSMAN
Did they do the fancy turbocharged estate over in the UK? There is a video of it floating around on the intertubenet of the world, dog fighting with some kind of turbocharged Gallant estate too.

That would be awesome. Probably pretty reliable too. Not to mention unique.

Why not, right?
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To be honest, i'm not sure if they've ever officially sold a turbocharged Legacy in the UK. Most i've seen are either N/A 2.0, 2.5 or the much less common 3.0's. There are plenty of RHD Japanese imported Turbos, like i mentioned above, but they have questionable histories so should probably be avoided.
 
benzoboy
I think if my dad was to get a Lancer it would be the Evolution as, let's be fair, the other Lancer models are pretty low spec
At this point I should mention that my dad would have to have a car with leather seating
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LOL. If this is a car for a highway commute, you do NOT want a Evo. Normal cars FTW.
 
TheCracker
To be honest, i'm not sure if they've ever officially sold a turbocharged Legacy in the UK.
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We just got ours with the last generation update. Kinda makes me want to pick up an old Legacy and shove a WRX powerplant underneath it...
 
YSSMAN
We just got ours with the last generation update. Kinda makes me want to pick up an old Legacy and shove a WRX powerplant underneath it...
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According to Wiki, both the UK and US had turbo versions of the 1st gen model (upto '95). My knowledge of Legacy powerplants would seem to be a bit of a grey area. We do now get a diesel boxer Legacy in the UK which i presume is a TD.
 
406 Coupe V6 SE

benzoboy
- Under £5000 (Circa $10000)
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Check

benzoboy
Sporty (Not OTT, he's 46, doesn't want to appear to be having a mid-life crisis)
Click to expand...
Check - It's sporty enough when it wants to be

benzoboy
Carries 4 People
Click to expand...
Check

benzoboy
Comfortable, he covers a lot of miles on motorway each day
Click to expand...
Check - V6 SE has leather Recaros as standard

benzoboy
Reliable, same reason as Comfort
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Kinda check - Mine is 10 years old and still going strong

benzoboy
Available with models newer than 2000
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Check

And its spanking gorgeous too.
 
I would strongly, strongly advise against buying anything 2001/Y or newer.

In 2009 the VED bands are being reorganised, backdated to 2001. An acquaintance has a 2001/Y Jaguar S-Type 3.0. It currently falls in Band F (£195 this year, £210 next time he tries to tax it) but in 2009 it'll be placed in Band M (£440 per year). Pre-2001 cars will still fall in the normal £185 band or discounted sub-1.6 band.

2000/X or older. You know it makes sense.
 
The ford cougar sucks and I doubt you would be able to convince him to get a 200sx. Your best best is the octy or a fabia vrs and just get it remappaed for kicks. Its fast, cheap to run and reliable.

As for the car tax issue famine is right. If looking at a 2001 model it would make more sense to go for a 2000 model instead as it will hold its value better in the future and be cheaper to run.

Blame labour the lefty looney stealth taxing tree hugging b*stards for that one.
 
what about Golf IV/Passat VR6 4motion? BMW 3-series would probably be nice too. but stay away from Opel/Vauxhalls. Saab is ok though, and Volvo..
 
I'd agree with an S14, they're in the price range, sporty, reliable and some could be found with a leather interior. Funnily enough, the only one I have seen in the flesh with such a specification was a UK import...
They are quite good looking as well, the pre-FL is more subtle and therefore less midlife crisis-like but the FL is better looking. Plus they are quite relaxed cruisers on the motorway. They would seat 4 but not really in comfort though. And only if the rear seat passengers are short.

And amputees.
 
I find it ironic that the Cougar which started life as a Contour which started life as a Mondeo has made its round back to the UK.

I'd say get a Cougar, they can be made very fast, they are comfy, and I rather like the interior. Just get a dark colour, light colours don't flatter the rear end much.
 
daan
406 Coupe V6 SE


Check


Check - It's sporty enough when it wants to be


Check


Check - V6 SE has leather Recaros as standard


Kinda check - Mine is 10 years old and still going strong


Check

And its spanking gorgeous too.
Click to expand...
:drool:

oh, sorry. those kinda curves make me brain dead. Peuge was the last frenchy to survive in the US, I think.
I was trying to keep in mind which vehicles are sold in the UK (not to mention model names)
would a 206RC work?
 
Revheadnz
They would seat 4 but not really in comfort though. And only if the rear seat passengers are short.

And amputees.
Click to expand...
That's a good point. The 200SX is sadly lacking in legroom in the rear seat area.

Get a 406 Coupe V6 SE 💡
 
Muzaffar Musa
But Famine did bring out a good point. How bad is the road tax there? Sounds really ridiculous to me...
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Currently the system is:

Before March 1st 2001:
Up to 1,549cc - £120pa
Over 1,549cc - £185pa

March 1st 2001 and after:
BAND A - Up to 100g/km CO2 - £0pa
BAND B - 101-120g/km CO2 - £35pa
BAND C - 121-150g/km CO2 - £120pa
BAND D - 151-165g/km CO2 - £145pa
BAND E - 166-185g/km CO2 - £170pa
BAND F - 186g/km CO2 and above - £210pa
March 23rd 2006 and after:
BAND G - 225g/km CO2 and above - £400pa

However, as of April 1st 2009 (and it isn't a joke, sadly), it all gets reorganised... The pre-2001 rates stay the same (but rise in line with inflation), but the post-2001 rates get totally boned:



March 1st 2001 and after:
BAND A - Up to 100g/km CO2 - £0pa
BAND B - 101-110g/km CO2 - £20pa (£0 for year 1)
BAND C - 111-120g/km CO2 - £30pa (£0 for year 1)
BAND D - 121-130g/km CO2 - £90pa (£0 for year 1)
BAND E - 131-140g/km CO2 - £110pa (£115 for year 1)
BAND F - 141-150g/km CO2 - £120pa (£125 for year 1)
BAND G - 151-160g/km CO2 - £150pa (£155 for year 1)
BAND H - 161-170g/km CO2 - £175pa (£250 for year 1)
BAND I - 171-180g/km CO2 - £205pa (£300 for year 1)
BAND J - 181-200g/km CO2 - £260pa (£425 for year 1)
BAND K - 201-225g/km CO2 - £300pa (£550 for year 1)
BAND L - 226-255g/km CO2 - £415pa (£750 for year 1)
BAND M - 256g/km CO2 and above - £440pa (£950 for year 1)
 
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