Quote from sam93 :

Would a E36 316i be a good choice if I was to pick one up for under a grand?

Assuming you can afford insurance running costs will be high if you go for a cheap old E36, parts are expensive, although they're relatively simple to work on for a modern car if you can do the work yourself.

Quote from S14 DRIFT :

It's not a chicken catcher. It's the chicken.

Lol, very much true lol. Better then getting the bus though.

Quote from sam93 :

So you think because a car is cheap and old it's going to be unreliable, what a load of bull lol. This is not always true.

Not always true, but we've had a few E36 M3s dragged into the workshop bought for £2000-3000 that were absolute sheds. BMWs are prone to being abused and being expensive cars to run often get bought by people who can't afford to maintain them properly. If you're buying a car for less than the bill for any major work then think twice about what you're going to do when you need to pay it.

Quote from ajp71 :

Not always true, but we've had a few E36 M3s dragged into the workshop bought for £2000-3000 that were absolute sheds. BMWs are prone to being abused and being expensive cars to run often get bought by people who can't afford to maintain them properly. If you're buying a car for less than the bill for any major work then think twice about what you're going to do when you need to pay it.

Before I buy any car I am sure my Dad will check it all over before hand to make sure it's all good. If something does go wrong with it when I own it, I will fix it, not taking it to a garage lol.

If I was to spend £1,000 to £1,500 on a E36 316i coupe, I should get a decent car.

Don't get a BMW. You'll look like a chav, and no one will let you out at junctions. Having said that, it would make you popular with bouncers and 11 year old girls, which may be the image you're cultivating?

Quote from tristancliffe :

Don't get a BMW. You'll look like a chav, and no one will let you out at junctions. Having said that, it would make you popular with bouncers and 11 year old girls, which may be the image you're cultivating?

Lol, how did you know I was looking for that exact image lol - Tristan, you know us all too well.

I was thinking of a BMW as I want something different from everyone else for a first car and something that is alright for a couple of years rather then a shopping trolley. If I was to get a hatchback I would want the 1.4 Civic. Yeah, it may be a ricer car, but yah ho.

Quote from sam93 :

Lol, how did you know I was looking for that exact image lol - Tristan, you know us all too well.

I was thinking of a BMW as I want something different from everyone else for a first car and something that is alright for a couple of years rather then a shopping trolley. If I was to get a hatchback I would want the 1.4 Civic. Yeah, it may be a ricer car, but yah ho.

an EG or an EK civic?

Id suggest an EK, cause it is the next gen from EG, and stopped production in 98, so it is relatively new. Don't know about the insurance or car costs though, so don't hit me.

Looked some prices up, you could get a decent '96 one for just over £2k, 1,4 55kW, 132k km on the odometer. But that seems to be out of your price range.
EG's are cheaper, but will obviously need more maintenance.

I would give another vote for a Peugeot 306, but i would recommend the 1.9 TD. They a bulletproof reliable by and large as far as the engine is concerned. They also always score high in reviews for handling balance and feedback through the steeringwheel so they are engaging to drive. If u want to tune them for more power don't get the HDI get the earlier TD ones. Also if you can, get the D-turbo 'sport' model as it has the same spring/damper rates as the S16/GTi-6 model, but does bump it up to group 5 insurance.

Quote from Fuse5 :

an EG or an EK civic?

Id suggest an EK, cause it is the next gen from EG, and stopped production in 98, so it is relatively new. Don't know about the insurance or car costs though, so don't hit me.

Looked some prices up, you could get a decent '96 one for just over £2k, 1,4 55kW, 132k km on the odometer. But that seems to be out of your price range.
EG's are cheaper, but will obviously need more maintenance.

I was looking at the EK model, can pick them up for a grand but they aren't in very good condition lol.

I may have to up my budget to £1,500 anyway so I can afford a decent 97-99 E36 316i.

Quote from no_one :

I would give another vote for a Peugeot 306, but i would recommend the 1.9 TD. They a bulletproof reliable by and large as far as the engine is concerned. They also always score high in reviews for handling balance and feedback through the steeringwheel so they are engaging to drive. If u want to tune them for more power don't get the HDI get the earlier TD ones. Also if you can, get the D-turbo 'sport' model as it has the same spring/damper rates as the S16/GTi-6 model, but does bump it up to group 5 insurance.

Uhm, it's French lol. Reliable and French don't go together and they seem to crumple like shit in a crash.

The 306 was from an era when the French could make cars. My 306 was ultra reliable. It was the 307 and newer that were rubbish.

Quote from tristancliffe :

The 306 was from an era when the French could make cars. My 306 was ultra reliable. It was the 307 and newer that were rubbish.

My sister had a 306 Diesel, fantastic car.

Mine was 1.6 petrol. Certainly not 'rapid' but quick enough for me at the time. I was only about 20 and therefore incapable of handing more than about 120hp on four wheels (not that most 20 years would admit that at the time. Myself included).

Quote from tristancliffe :

Don't get a BMW. You'll look like a chav, and no one will let you out at junctions. Having said that, it would make you popular with bouncers and 11 year old girls, which may be the image you're cultivating?

Strange. I've got a BMW and I'm a bouncer (read: Doorman), but the 11 year old girl thing is a no-no...far to old, anyway...

I still vote for the 316, you are looking at about £1000 for a decent one anyway, remember this is a 10+ year old car, £1000-£1500 is about right for a good one.

Tristan - How is BMW chav? To be honest, its very hard to buy a first car that isn't chav. Atleast he isn't thinking about going down the usual Saxo/106/Cosra route.

Quote from Bawbag :

You obviously have the money for the insurance so why don't you go for say a small 2k car and half the insurance of some BMW? Atleast with a newer car your not gunna worry about reliability, or the expensive road tax, or the tyres, or the fuel.....well, not as much anyhow.

As a fairly new driver, I would say that £2k to insure a half decent car is the norm. I know about of first time drivers paying circa £2000 for insurance and I am in a much lower risk area than Sam. Amazingly, a BMW was cheaper for me to insure than something smaller.

Reliability - The E36 is fairly reliable. The build quality and quality of components are second to none. Things to look out for are rusty rear arches, overheating as the original water pumps had a bit of plastic in then that always broke, but the later ones come with a metal bit so they are more durable. Anyway, if anything is a miss, like someone said, they are simple to work on, I changed a PAS pump all on my tod in about 20 minutes with not a great deal of mechanical knowledge. There are tons of breakers around, as well as BMW specialists, there are also countless forums, a few even dedicated to the E36 itself.

Expensive road tax? It will cost no more than any 1.6 made before 2001.

Tyres? I had 225/45/17 on the front and 245/40/17 on the back, I used to get part worns at £25 each.

Fuel - They arent that bad on fuel so he won't have to worry about that. I for one and I'm sure Sam feels the same, I'd rather pay (and I did) that little bit extra here and there to drive a BMW than to pay a bit cheaper and driver a Pug 205 diesel.

Quote from The General Lee :

Strange. I've got a BMW and I'm a bouncer (read: Doorman), but the 11 year old girl thing is a no-no...far to old, anyway...

I still vote for the 316, you are looking at about £1000 for a decent one anyway, remember this is a 10+ year old car, £1000-£1500 is about right for a good one.

Tristan - How is BMW chav? To be honest, its very hard to buy a first car that isn't chav. Atleast he isn't thinking about going down the usual Saxo/106/Cosra route.



As a fairly new driver, I would say that £2k to insure a half decent car is the norm. I know about of first time drivers paying circa £2000 for insurance and I am in a much lower risk area than Sam. Amazingly, a BMW was cheaper for me to insure than something smaller.

Reliability - The E36 is fairly reliable. The build quality and quality of components are second to none. Things to look out for are rusty rear arches, overheating as the original water pumps had a bit of plastic in then that always broke, but the later ones come with a metal bit so they are more durable. Anyway, if anything is a miss, like someone said, they are simple to work on, I changed a PAS pump all on my tod in about 20 minutes with not a great deal of mechanical knowledge. There are tons of breakers around, as well as BMW specialists, there are also countless forums, a few even dedicated to the E36 itself.

Expensive road tax? It will cost no more than any 1.6 made before 2001.

Tyres? I had 225/45/17 on the front and 245/40/17 on the back, I used to get part worns at £25 each.

Fuel - They arent that bad on fuel so he won't have to worry about that. I for one and I'm sure Sam feels the same, I'd rather pay (and I did) that little bit extra here and there to drive a BMW than to pay a bit cheaper and driver a Pug 205 diesel.

You are speaking sense lol.

I am thinking of getting a 1995-1999 316i coupe. I did an insurance quote with Quinn last night and it came out as £1,760. I also done one with spoiler/bodykit/optional alloys as a lot of people seem to put the M-tech kit on it and the price was still the same lol, that is also paying monthly which I prefer then paying it in full.

Try and get one that is 1997-1999 because that is the facelift era, nothing much, different grille and side repeaters, but much better in my opinion.

Defo go down the route of Mtech kit and a decent set of BMW alloys. Also, if you can, get a coupe, they are much better looking.

Quote from The General Lee :

Try and get one that is 1997-1999 because that is the facelift era, nothing much, different grille and side repeaters, but much better in my opinion.

Defo go down the route of Mtech kit and a decent set of BMW alloys. Also, if you can, get a coupe, they are much better looking.

I do really want the 1997 upwards, they seem to be like £1,500+ though lol, saying that is the ones that have under 100k miles. I like the Hartge kits really but they are bloody expensive, their split rims are lovely lol.

Coupes are the better looking ones deffently and the Mtech kit makes it a lot more nicer also.

Corsa 1.4 16v cdx? Same performance as a Sport with 1/2 the insurance cost..... Just lower it and put Sport seats in and you have a better and cheaper sport....

I did that with a Cav CDx 16v a few years ago instead of getting another Sri.. Saved me £900 on insurance.... Id also get 105mph in 3rd instead of the Sri's 92... Great for overtaking lol...

Or
http://www.vauxhallownersnetwo ... k/showthread.php?t=190970

1.0 12v on the owners docs lol

Quote from The General Lee :

To be honest, its very hard to buy a first car that isn't chav.

Dude.

My vote is for an Astra, tbh.

Quote from Foilpact :

Or
http://www.vauxhallownersnetwo ... k/showthread.php?t=190970

1.0 12v on the owners docs lol

Sure, he could do that. He's screwed when he has a crash though as it would make his insurance invalid.

simple answer
GET.LADA.NIVA
its the ultimate car

Quote from Nathan_French_14 :

Sure, he could do that. He's screwed when he has a crash though as it would make his insurance invalid.

Maybe... My Astra v6 was a 2l on th docs and i still got a payout when a woman drove into th back of me. They were a little funny about the cone filter being a mod but didnt see the quad cam v6 lol...


Just dont drive like a cock and you shouldnt plow into anyone or end up in someones garden... Tho playing LFS for years before even getting behind the wheel of a car might be a bad thing....

Quote from Foilpact :

Maybe... My Astra v6 was a 2l on th docs and i still got a payout when a woman drove into th back of me. They were a little funny about the cone filter being a mod but didnt see the quad cam v6 lol...


Just dont drive like a cock and you shouldnt plow into anyone or end up in someones garden... Tho playing LFS for years before even getting behind the wheel of a car might be a bad thing....

No offence, but your a dick. Its guys like you that are pushing the premiums up for drivers around the UK. No matter which way you look at it, your uninsured, FACT. If you have a crash and kill someone, you are in VERY deep shit.

The reason is because as far as your insurance broker is concerned, your car should have not been on the road due to the undeclared modifications. And dont think they would not know. If they find any reason to believe the car's engine is not stock (even if it looks stock), they are able to strip the engine and check the specs with OE specifications.

Dont think your safe if you dont have a crash either. If a cop pulls you over and checks your engine stamp code and compares it to the one on your reg document, then your buggered. He can easily ring your insurance company or the DVLA to check whether you have declared that V6 in your engine bay. You will then go down for driving without insurance, which will put points on your licence and give you a hefty fine at the very least. Your car will then be impounded and crushed if you do not collect.

@ Sam, dont listen to this dork. Keep your car legit and safe and enjoy your first car for a year or two. Then you can upgrade to a faster, nicer car legit and not have to worry about cops pulling you over and checking your car.

shite, just realised my insurance was invalid on my scooter with that technigas exhaust and bored engine I knew you had to notify them but totally slipped my mind, ah well, i dont use it anymore so looks like i got away with it

Good post Nathan. I agree.

Lol at tuning a scooter. 33mph becomes 34mph! Wow!