Looking at cars for sale locally/NPoCP

". ." (xllx)
01/22/2015 at 17:24 • Filed to: NPoCP

And the selection is not great. I set the filters to show cars with more than 200 hp for under $6700.

Here are some of the not utterly terrible results:

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , $4500

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , $6000

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , $4200

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , $6700

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , $5100

!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , $5050

That's what's left after eliminating everything that I wouldn't ever want, everything with an LPG conversion and everything that's an obvious POS.

Anything you'd call a NP here?

DISCUSSION (31)

davedave1111 > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:29

That A8's probably a fair price, but you'd have to be insane to buy it.

. . > davedave1111
01/22/2015 at 17:30

Yup. It's also a US import so it's probably horribly dodgy.

TotallyThatStupid > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:35

Love the Audi - beautiful car - but it frightens me deeply.

Will with a W8 races an E30 > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:38

The RX-8 is probably the most reliable car on that list. Maybe you should loosen your standards a bit??

However, at $6,700 that's NP all day in the US.

duurtlang > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:41

Given the hp demand I bet you want something that's fun. If so, skip the Opel and ML. You probably also want something that at the very least resembles some reliability and not-horrendous maintenance costs. So skip the A8 and Mazda, and probably the S4. That leaves the Golf.

I'm surprised by the very wide diversity of vehicles in your list though. And why no LPG? I'm a very happy LPG driver myself, as it cuts my fuel costs in less than half.

. . > Will with a W8 races an E30
01/22/2015 at 17:41

I'd argue that the Vectra would probably be the most reliable and make the most sense as a DD. The problem is that it's a Vectra.

. . > duurtlang
01/22/2015 at 17:44

There's a lot of stigma attached to LPG over here and petrolheads who cherish their cars generally avoid it. Also, few people realise that with an LPG conversion come maintenance problems and never get round to stuff like adjusting their valves.

Also, somehow the ML has more appeal to me than the Golf does, but maybe I'm just weird in the head. Also, I'm not a fan of Golfs.

Will with a W8 races an E30 > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:45

Maybe - I know absolutely nothing about it. Although 2004 era GM isn't really known for quality....

Spoon II > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:46

My vote is for the two Audis or the VW

davedave1111 > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:46

Heh, my little brother just got himself involved in trying to sell on some Polish-registered Mitsubishi Shogun he found cheap - only it turned out to be a Middle East spec. Is that even legal on the road there?

MultiplaOrgasms > duurtlang
01/22/2015 at 17:48

I guess he is a man who likes to have a spare tire and occasionally put stuff in the boot, y'know.

. . > davedave1111
01/22/2015 at 17:49

Must be since it was registered. We have the same requirements as the rest of EU.

Steve in Manhattan > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:53

Opel pretty reliable?

davedave1111 > . .
01/22/2015 at 17:54

That's what I figured, but I wondered if fraud is rife. Maybe people just declare it as EU-spec and no-one checks, or something.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:02

And SM70 would argue the A8 is the most reliable.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:03

A8, a fellow Opponaut loves his.

RallyWrench > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:08

That golf could be a good bet. Great engine, good trans, and a much better car than most non owners think. I had an 04 vr6 6 speed and put 150k on it trouble free. I'd still have it if it was a 5 door, but we didn't get that spec here.

Klaus Schmoll > Steve in Manhattan
01/22/2015 at 18:10

They really got their shit together with this gen, the problem is that by this time their reputation was down the gutter so nobody bought one. As a used car they actually are quite a good proposition, since noboby wants to touch them with a ten foot pole they are relatively cheap for what you get.

. . > RallyWrench
01/22/2015 at 18:13

I've heard some horror storries about VR engines. Any truth to those?

Klaus Schmoll > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:14

The Opel probably is the best buy here. A good reliable car for a very reasonable price, also the newest one after the Mazda which is just an engine rebuild waiting to happen. But it's an Opel, so I wouldn't want to be seen dead in one. There's nothing on that list that I would buy myself, maybe the Golf if I had to.

Steve in Manhattan > Klaus Schmoll
01/22/2015 at 18:16

I think you have your answer. I suppose you should ask your mechanic to list everything the Mercedes needs, then make a decision. And have the Opel checked out as well, before you buy it. The standard Car Talk advice.

. . > Klaus Schmoll
01/22/2015 at 18:16

That's exactly how I feel about those cars as well. There's nothing on this list I want.

Steve in Manhattan > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:24

And that Opel would look great with whatever factory alloy wheel they sold ... probably.

RallyWrench > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:31

Internet hyperbole, nothing I'd call horror. I think they're one of the best engines VWAG has ever produced, and would own another without hesitation. The timing chain guides on older 12V engines are weak points, and tend to have issues around 100k, and the plastic "crack pipe" under the intake manifold and the plastic thermostat housing can crack, but should be considered preventative measures anyway, like any cooling system plastic. The 24Vs (03 up) do not seem to have chain guide issues in the same way. If you don't change the oil on time & don't use synthetic, the 24vs will sludge the cam adjusters, which can wreak havoc, but that qualifies as abuse. I drove the wheels off my '04, including track days, autocrosses, and lots of backroads, and I had a software tune enabling more revs & improved throttle response within weeks of buying it. I had it from '05 until 2013, and wish I could have kept it, but needed more doors. Great car.

Klaus Schmoll > Steve in Manhattan
01/22/2015 at 18:48

I think you wanted to tell that to Borsuq.

Eazy-O > . .
01/22/2015 at 18:48

Let's ask Mr. Trollhättan face:

Kinja'd!!!

Above, a blingy 9-5 2.3T:
> 2006 year
> 260 hp
> 188k km
>wagon, chrome on blaak.

> 16999 PLN / 4537 US$

> http://otomoto.pl/saab-9-5-aero-…

If you're buying for 6700$, do you really have money to upkeep any of the cars pictured above, assuming they will be dailied? I would rather go depreciated-gussied-up-swedish-jet-wannabe in that case. I think some interesting things could be done with the chrome, perhaps blacking it out? There's a shit ton of other depreciated Swedish metal out there as well.

Steve in Manhattan > Klaus Schmoll
01/22/2015 at 18:49

You are correct, sir!

. . > Eazy-O
01/22/2015 at 18:52

Are't the turbos ridiculously bork prone in those?

Eazy-O > . .
01/22/2015 at 19:18

Mine seems to be fine... *crosses fingers*. To be fair I'm running the smaller Garett T25 albeit on a similar basic engine, but I've not heard many complaints over the Mitsubishi TD04 department.

I dunno, to be honest most SAAB owners moan about trannies and electrical gremlins more than anything. Also, SID displays. Wanting to get an LSD. Some alternators. The odd DI cassette. Tire wear. And fuel consumption. Latter 2 apply only to those that flog it. :D

Of course if your owner in question owns a 9-5 with the dreaded Isuzu designed 3.0 V6 TiD, they're screwed. Many a government official from my country was left stranded after these things grenaded themselves in Renault Vel Satises. Those seeking a blend of comfort and economy (i.e. diesel and cushy seats) should look no further than the excellent 1.9 TiD (JTD from FIAT/Alfa). But then forget the 200+ hp. That's what petrol is for. At least in this car.

. . > Eazy-O
01/22/2015 at 19:25

Oh dear oh dear, that V6. It's absolutely legendary. Within a few years junkyards got filled with pristine looking Vel Satis' that were just missing an engine. What's even more fun is that manufacturers using that engine knew full well about all the problems it had, but didn't give a damn since they grenaded just after going out of warranty. The motor had a million and one problems and if they didn't scrap it at around 200k km cylinder sleeves were pretty much guaranteed to drop and kill it.

Eazy-O > . .
01/22/2015 at 20:38

It would appear you know your botched attempts of platform sharing powerplants, master Borsuq. :D There's a local 9-5 with the engine changing hands about once per year or two. I don't know why it hasn't been scrapped yet. Could probably sell the rest of it for more money.