Buying a cheap Porsche like in Top Gear

[bouncer_the_dog]

Get a Volvo T5, tune it t 350-450bhp and let it sleep and eat
Safe as houses... relatively cheap insurance... excellent build quality....theives wont look twice if you remove the T5 badge....it will eat scoobies and mitzies and spit out ferraris

It's a nice idea but my dad has a Volvo. I've got to get an old and knackered porsche!!

 

[cybertect]

heavier / slower than a golf equivalnent iirc

The VR6 Corrado is faster to 60 mph than a 2 door MK3 Golf VR6, weighs about 50 Kg less and handles much better.

I do like the G60 version, though - nearly bought one on more than one occasion. I have a weakness for superchargers.

e2a: I'm a couple of years out of touch with the market, but I probably wouldn't buy a £1200 Corrado VR6 either unless I really knew it well. You'd get a decent 16V and possibly a G60 for a couple of hundred more if you're lucky, though.

 

[pogofish]

Lots of cheap Porsches round here - Probably because it is seen as the "starter" car for those who made a bit of cash on the rigs.

IME, nearly all of them are neglected and thrashed to fuck. Avoid!

 

[8ball]

IME, nearly all of them are neglected and thrashed to fuck. Avoid!

I would certainly guess the 'thrashed to fuck' bit.

Anyway, the 'poor man's Porsche' is the 924.

I'd love a Corrado.

 

[moose]

So get a Corrado! Too many people dream about cars that are utterly affordable, but a bit out of the ordinary, and they never take the plunge. Just do it

 

[stupid dogbot]

I would certainly guess the 'thrashed to fuck' bit.

Anyway, the 'poor man's Porsche' is the 924.

Innit. My neighbour has one (it isn't that one), loves it to bits by the look of it. Appears to be an utter shithole to me.

 

[5t3IIa]

Get a red one

 

[stupid dogbot]

Get a red one

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1103775.htm

 

[subversplat]

Have you bought it yet, ffs?

 

[Griff]

Try Footman James for cheap insurance. But to be honest buying a cheap 944 isn't really a good idea.

Buying a cheap 911 would be a disaster. By cheap I mean £8k.

 

[Kanda]

Try Footman James for cheap insurance. But to be honest buying a cheap 944 isn't really a good idea.

Buying a cheap 911 would be a disaster. By cheap I mean £8k.

You can get a Boxter for 6k these days.

 

[Badgers]

Get a Volvo T5

Fastest car I have ever driven

 

[Griff]

You can get a Boxter for 6k these days.

 

[Kanda]

True. But more fun and reliable than a knackered 924.

 

[stupid dogbot]

I wasn't seriously suggesting a 924...

Lol @ tags, btw... "potential disaster"

 

[Griff]

True. But more fun and reliable than a knackered 924.

Yeah.

A quick trawl through Pistonheads came up with this as the cheapest Boxster:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1108620.htm


I'd rather have a Honda S2000 if that sort of thing was my bag.

 

[bouncer_the_dog]

Actually I am intrigued by a t5 after watching that Youtube... Dad would be pleased I had followed in the family tradition of Skodas and Volvos (until I gave him a lift)

 

[Griff]

Actually I am intrigued by a t5 after watching that Youtube... Dad would be pleased I had followed in the family tradition of Skodas and Volvos (until I gave him a lift)

Had a police T5 Estate drive past me on the M1 a few years back. Had to be the fastest thing I've ever seen on a British road. Must have been doing over 150-155.

Do get through front tyres though.

 

[stupid dogbot]

I've been round Snetterton in a T5, when they first came out (the pale yellow estate with the black wheels). As a passenger. Jeez.

 

[8ball]

So get a Corrado! Too many people dream about cars that are utterly affordable, but a bit out of the ordinary, and they never take the plunge. Just do it

I've only just got the Micra but maybe one day, when I know a bit more about cars . . .

 

[bouncer_the_dog]

So what do I look for when I I look for a T5 (my chum has been telling me cheap Porsche horror stories although I contend that when it breaks it would be cheaper to just get another one)

 

[Griff]

So what do I look for when I I look for a T5 (my chum has been telling me cheap Porsche horror stories although I contend that when it breaks it would be cheaper to just get another one)

http://www.volvoforums.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46939

 

[Griff]

Here's a cheap bit of black T5 estate.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1145834.htm

 

[Roadkill]

I'd be prepared to bet that a T5 saloon would be a fair bit cheaper than an estate. That's usually the way with old Volvos. People lose interest in the saloons, but the estates are perpetually in demand as cheap, sturdy load-luggers. Even an old 240 estate will set you back four figures if it's in good condition, and that went out of production in 1993...

*e2a* The T5 had just come out when my dad was trading his 240 estate in. The salesman - and I - did try and persuade him at least to have a go in the T5, but it was a bit lairy for his taste. Maybe informing him it had twice the power of his 240 and would do 150mph wasn't the best of ideas. Besides, he was buying secondhand and even used base-model 850s were a bit out of his price range. He settled for a dull but capacious and reliable 940 instead...

 

[G. Fieendish]

450bhp going through the front wheels?

<e2a> I reckon that sounds lethal, considerably more so than another jolly Scandinavian jape, which is fitting tuned T5 engines into older Volvo models - 200s, 700s and 900s - which are rear-drive. The 240 is particularly popular, since back in the 80s it was a successful racing car and there are plenty of bits out there with which to uprate suspension, brakes etc etc. Many of them will fit 700s and 900s as well, though. I must admit, as something of a fan of old Volvos, the idea of a hefty, comfy old 240 which will see off a Porsche when you're in the mood does appeal.

I wonder if anyone tried this jape with a Volvo 340/360 series manual...
Reason, due to the original 340, (effectively being a DAF) having a CVT (Variomatic) transmission, the engineers at Volvo, effectively had to fit a transaxle (combination gearbox/diff) to the vehicle, due to weight distrubution issues...
Result, the vehicle had nearly Porsche 928 levels of handling, but to Volvo's image at the time, this was never promoted, although two 340's were fitted with Douvrin V6's for rallying...

 

[Roadkill]

Result, the vehicle had nearly Porsche 928 levels of handling, but to Volvo's image at the time, this was never promoted, although two 340's were fitted with Douvrin V6's for rallying...

Having done a fair few miles in a 340, I don't think I'd describe the handling as Porsche-like tbh. It's quite well balanced, but the rear suspension is crude and it's all set up too soft. It's a comfortable ride, but it rolls like a ship in a storm and it's not hard to lose the back end on a greasy road. With some stiffer springs and shock absorbers it'd probably handle very well though. More power than the standard one wouldn't come amiss, but then there are one or two kicking about with 1.7 turbo engines, which sound like fun, and the engine bay's quite big so even a T5 lump might go in...

 

[stupid dogbot]

It'd like riding a cow that had had Desert Orchid's heart and lungs transplanted...

 

[Chz]

I seriously looked at a 944S4 once before going for a similar vintage 635CSi. The non-turbo 44s are fairly solid and reliable, by sports-car standards. They'll also easily outhandle any Volvo (and I like Volvos, but come on!). A much more balanced and stable car than either the 928 or 911 ever were. If you're going to go that way, get an S4 version. You'll love it.

FWIW, the reason I went with the Bimmer was mostly on parts costs. All the mechanicals of an old 6-series are from the 5 and relatively cheap. The 44 was definitely more fun.

 

[Griff]

This 944 isn't the cheapest, but you could probably haggle below £3k for it and it looks a nice car.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1099034.htm