Crap cars that one day we'll all want: Vol 2

I'm back with another list of cars that I reckon one day we might all be lusting after, but for the moment at least are just the automotive equivalent of a sea sponge. Now some may cry that the cars I'm about to list are not crap per say, maybe just more boring than anything else, however it can't be denied that they are deep into their respective depreciation curves and for most people out there cars that are so cheap are just not worth a second look.

 

Toyota Rav 4

I'm going to begin with something controversial, the original Toyota Rav 4, arguably the first mass market and commercially successful SUV. But can an old SUV ever be desirable? A body style mostly hated by enthusiasts for killing off the conventional hatch/sedan/wagon it seems hard to comprehend right now, but I think the original Rav won itself a lot of admirers, it drove like a car not a 4x4 and allowed a generation of 90's kids to venture off road. And one day some of them might want one for old times sake. Not to mention that from a design stand point the Rav looked pretty good, especially in short wheel base 3 door form with a dash of 2 tone paint. Undeniably Toyota's SUV was a trend setter and right now with them costing as little as $1500 it might be good time to pick one up.

Volkswagen Transporter T4

Car number two isn't technically a car at all, it's VW's 1990's Transporter van. Can history repeat for VW's watercooled offering? Could prices skyrocket like they have for the aircooled Kombi? Honestly probably not to the same degree, a Transporter will never be a $100k vehicle but they do have a intrinsically cool vibe to them, with active families and surfers still drawn to them much like they were to the Kombi in the 60's and 70's. Right now they may just be another abused and neglected van but one day the Transporter will be desired by the very people who mistreat them nowadays! Right now $5000 will get you a good one, I don't see the prices falling much more so it might be worth investing.

Holden Barina XC

The Holden Barina, currently sold as a rebadged Korean Chevy isn't a very good car at all. However back in 2001 when Holden had more money the European built and imported Holden Barina (Opel Corsa) scooped a Wheels Car Of The Year Award, a pretty fine achievement. However that was 18 years ago and the XC Barina is now one of the cheapest used cars you can buy. A little over $1000 will get you into one. While the Barina will never be a classic Mini in years to come I think as the numbers dwindle, as they are currently, a cult following might emerge for Holden's little slice of European class. Pick up a tasty manual 3 door SRI today and you might be onto a winner.

Ford Laser KF/KH

Lastly I give you the Ford KF/KH Laser, a car which from my time in Australia I've gathered Aussies have a lot of affection for. However despite the admiration the early 90's Lasers numbers are in steep decline and values are not exactly climbing either, thus the little Ford looks pretty crappy these days, but did you know the KF/KH was the last compact ford to be built in Australia? Don't you think that the styling is kinda aging gracefully? And need I mention the sporty TX3 and Turbo 4x4 variants? The little Laser has all the makings of a collectible Ford much like the Mk1 Escort and seriously who thought in the 1980's when those cars were a throw away commodity that we would ever lust after one? Right now you don't even need $1000 to get into a functioning Laser.

Rare as unicorn poo, TX3 Turbo 

There we have it, 4 more cars that right now might all seem pretty lackluster, but in my humble opinion might one day ignite nostalgia in people. If I am correct, best to get one now before they all disappear or become horrendously expensive. 
                              

Super Cheap Euro's: Vol 3

If you haven't read my previous super cheap euro pieces then let me give you a quick run down. I'm convinced that European cars need not be expensive things to own or at the very least buy in this country. This means that every so often I search online for a bunch of bargain euro's to give you guys out there some inspiration. A European car for under $2000, here are an eclectic mix I found earlier, what could possibly go wrong?

Fiat Regata

Do you want to own something that literally no one will have ever heard off? Coming complete with a slice of slab sided but oddly stylish 1980's Italian design flair I give you the Fiat Regata. As far as I can figure out Fiat did actually sell the Regata down under and I can only speculate they did not sell many. Making this car a rare survivor, especially given it's outstanding condition and the fact it's only recently run out of rego. For $1000 (if I was closer) I'd have it bought.
1987 Fiat Regata; $1000

Peugeot 306 Cab

From an Italian car to one that was designed by one of the countries finest design studios. The regular 306 is pretty thanks to the Pininfarina styling, but chopping its roof off only makes it better. Roof down, leather seats poking out the 306 convertible reminds me of a gorgeous Riva speedboat, only with the useful ability to drive on land and of course cost a fraction of the price. There are both phase 1 and 2 examples available, with the phase 1 just a little bit more angular in appearance. The car I've chosen is a phase 2, painted gold, because if your impersonating a luxury speedboat, why not?
1998 Peugeot 306 Cabriolet; $1800 

BMW 3 Series

Want to be part of BMW history for not a lot of money? Then the 3 Series is your answer. With over 10 million made you could buy into that staggering statistic. Of course they are popular for good reason. For years only BMW offered buyers the combination of luxury and driver involvement, wrapped up in a solid Teutonic looking package. With so many around it's no real surprise they are cheap however, it also means there is choice galore. I've picked a manual, it is a drivers car after all.
1993 BMW 318i; $1500

Citroen Xantia

It's not quite Fiat Regata weird but the Xantia exists in a similar "what the hell are you driving" realm. Classic wedge shape draws from it's Citroen DS ancestry, similarly the hydropneumatic suspension that debuted in the DS ensures all of our roads imperfections are ironed out. Now the car I've picked does need some work, but it is awfully cheap and has been advertised since October last year, someone buy it please.
1996 Citroen Xantia; $400

Saab 9000

To round off this eclectic mix of cars and guessing some of you may be laughing so hard at my suggestions already I thought why not include a car from a defunct manufacturer. Yes I give you the Saab 9000, however don't right the car off just because Saab does not exist anymore. The 9000 was one of the most over engineered cars of its time. Despite agreeing to platform share with Fiat/Lancia/Alfa to save money Saab engineers totally reworked their quarter of the foursome, making it stronger and re positioning things to make the 9000 one of the safest places to be should you happen to have a crash in the 1980's. The car soldiered on until 1998 however the example I've found comes from 1995. Being sold by what seems to be an honest dealer the 9000 is a trade in and has been given a mechanical once over. It's also a super rare manual car. The kms are high but that's probably why it's so cheap.
1995 Saab 9000; $1650     

Super cheap euro's volume 3, from Fiats to Saabs hopefully I have helped to showcase there really is a lot of choice for car enthusiasts in Australia.

Top 5: big speed, little money

Did you know that there is one other place outside of Germany's autobahns where you can legally drive your car as fast as you want? That place is right here in Australia, a 276km stretch of the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory (NT) which has had its speed limit lifted since 2014. And this got me thinking, can you buy a car that can crack 250km/h for under $10000? If you fancy a really long road trip here are 5 cars that'll do exactly that in the NT.

Toyota Soarer

Let's start with the car most likely to actually get you to the middle of Australia, the 90's Japanese super coupe with a reputation for never breaking. Available with 3 engines between 1991 and 2000 the Soarer you'll need to track down to break the 250km/h barrier is the 2.5 litre twin turbo straight 6. In standard form it could do the 0-100km/h sprint in 6.9sec before surging onto 260km/h, here's one I found earlier for a bargain $4,800.

Nissan 300ZX

My second choice is another Japanese super coupe, complete with a couple of turbo's, the Nissan 300ZX. Again don't buy the wrong car in your search for speed, the one you need is the V6 twin turbo, The thing was so fast Nissan limited it to 249km/h from the factory although period road tests saw the car top out at 267. However with the limiter removed some reckon the 300 is good for 290km/h plus. Here's a garish yellow one I found in WA for $7,000.

BMW 540i E39

4.4 litres of naturally aspirated V8, that's all the E39 5 series needs to take it to a electronically limited top speed of 250km/h. Remove the limiter and you might see another 10 to 20km/h out of one. Besides the rather ballistic turn of speed though, these cars offer a whole lot more and are staggering value for money nowadays. Released in 1996 the early ones can now be picked up for under $7000 and come with all the bells and whistles you'd expect of German luxury sedan; heated leather pews, cruise control, climate control, some even came with a very 90's car phone and inbuilt TV! Here's a loevly looking face lifted 1999 540i Sport I found for just $8,000.

 

Audi A8 V8 D2

In much the same vain as the BMW above, only larger, Audi's A8 is a no holds bared full on luxury limo. The first gen D2 car is also a bit of a rarity, arriving in the mid 90's just before Audi's popularity started to take off. It's relative unknown existence means prices are very reasonable for a car with a 4.2 litre V8, famous Quattro AWD and self leveling suspension. Again the top speed is electronically limited to the magic 250km/h but the car is capable of more. This long wheel base version, offering back seats passengers the option to fully recline can be had for just $8,500.

   

HSV Clubsport 15th Anniversary

I couldn't write something about an outback Aussie road without including a proper Aussie hero capable of 264km/h could I? I give you the VX Holden Commodore in fettled with HSV form. With a 5.7 litre LS1 V8 up front the Clubsport is a proper muscle car. Straight line speed  and a bellowing bent 8 exhaust note makes it an ideal candidate for a top speed run. They're relatively abundant and cheap too, this ones a bit rough around the edges and can be had for $6,500

A few words of advice before you go out a buy one of these cars though. The stretch of road in question is a 31 hour drive from Sydney and 26 hours from Melbourne, that's a commitment already. Secondly there are no local amenities once your past Alice Springs and importantly no petrol stations, so best bring a Tim Tam and a jerry can. Thirdly seriously consider if your bargain performance car is reliable enough to get there, do 250km/h without exploding and get you home again, these cars are good but some are pushing 20 years old. Lastly the road surface on the Stuart isn't flawless, it dips and undulates so mashing the go faster pedal isn't all you need to do, it will take concentration and skill to vmax your motor up the highway. With all that in mind though it's still hard to disagree that these 5 cars offer some serious oomph for very little dollar. All cars found on carsales.com.au

4 Alternative Budget Hot Hatches

Hot hatches, what's not to love about them? They combine practicality and performance, usually for very little financial outlay. Trouble is some of the worlds best are harder to find than unicorn poo in Australia or depressingly never made it here in the first place, I'm taking about Peugeot 205 GTI's, early Golf GTI's, Renault 5 Turbo's and Ford's XRI range of hatches. So what Aussie alternatives are out there for the budget hot hatch connoisseur? Let me share with you 4 of my favourites.

Ford Laser TX3 Turbo

Based on a Mazda 323 the Laser range was a massive sales success for Ford in Australia over 5 generations. And naturally at the height of the 80's hot hatch war Ford couldn't resist strapping on a Turbo, some all wheel drive hardware and an X badge. Available in a sportier 3 door body style with obligatory rear spoiler, skirts and alloy wheels the TX3 actually has more than a passing resemblance to Ford of Europe's Mk3 Escort. With a turbo charged 117kw 1.8 litre and a kerb weight of just 1180kg the TX3 was good for 0-100km/h in 8.4seconds. The 4 wheel drive also meant the Laser was that little bit more sure footed than it's rivals on the twisty stuff. A truly forgotten hot hatch hero if ever there was one that you can pick up now for less than $3000, a future classic perhaps?

Toyota Corolla GTI

Twin cam's, 16 valves and the engine code 4A-GE, 3 phrases that should raise the heart rate of any die hard car guy. Unfortunately though if you were brought up in the last 20 years the words Toyota Corolla are more likely to put you to sleep than set your heart racing. But imagine a time when all those words were thrown together! What appeared was a Corolla that deservedly wore a GTI badge on its boot. 100kw of naturally aspirated 1.6 litre goodness teamed to a light body and willing chassis saw the early 90's Corolla do a rather good job of being an every day performance car. 0-100km/h took a little under 10 seconds so although it wasn't blistering it had just enough fun factor to distract you from what was at best bland styling, the AE93 Corolla GTI is a rare gem which can be had for as little as $1500 nowadays, if you don't mind fixing one up like the car in the pics.

Holden Barina GSI

Holden's European cousins Opel/Vauxhall thought it was a good idea in the mid 90's to tune the engine they put in they're tiniest car and give it a set of 3 spoke alloys, what they created was the Corsa GSI, a car which thankfully Holden imported and sold here as the Barina. The Barina measures a mere 3.7 meters and has a dry weight of less than 1000kg, these figures are good from a handling point of view and when you slot in a 1.6 litre 16 valve engine which loves to rev, your left with a recipe for the perfect winding road warrior. The lady in the picture is certainly happy with hers.

Suzuki Swift GTI

My last choice makes do with just 1.3 litres and 74kw but it is arguably the most back to basics hot hatch on this list. With a willingness to rev, some period body modifications and a set of bucket seats the Swift GTI really isn't a whole lot more. And the great thing is it doesn't need to be, I've been passenger in a basic Swift (GLX if you want to get technical) which was driven briskly and can honestly say without sounding too clichéd it lives up to the name! A surprisingly balanced car that with a shot of GTI'ness makes it all the better. You can get one for under $3000 and I cant recommend one enough.  

       
Coming from a era when 16 valve's, twin cam's and liberal usage of the letters S and X implied your car was better than everyone else's I hope my little run down has given you something to think about, especially if you find yourself sad at the lack of retro hot hatches Down Under. Naturally certain people might not agree with my 4 cars and for obvious reason, a least one of them looks like an utter pudding, but what lies beneath are ultimately fun and engaging cars with a liberal dosage of nostalgia. Perfect for tearing up a good road, without breaking the bank. Whack their names into Gumtree.com.au and see what I mean.

Car of The Week: Volkswagen Bora 4Motion

Car guys like myself love an oddball, particularly one from a manufacturer we adore. For me one such car is the 2.8 litre V6 4Motion Mk4 Volkswagen Golf (hears parents sigh). That's right, the 4Motion, not the full phat R32, rather its understated sibling tickles my fancy. Unfortunately though with VW never officially importing any I was disappointed by the lack of such oddballs in Australia. However a little bit of scouting around reveals the Golfs booted cousin the Bora made it down under and guess what, you could get it with that glorious 2.8 up front. Making it a perfect candidate for the long awaited return of car of the week.

All about the engine

It is all about that 2.8 litre V6; the sound, the power, the effortlessness of how it can devour kilometres. On paper the 4Motion seems like an unnecessary vehicle, but I for one am delighted it exists. Sold from 2001 to 2005 the 150kw V6 Bora could crack 100km/h in 7.6secs and surge onto a 240km/h top speed, 270Nm of torque and a lovely 6 speed manual also means the Bora makes light work of overtaking too. Then of course there is the sound, a gentle rumble at idle that turns to a operatic high note when you rev it out, there is not a better sound than a naturally aspirated engine doing its work. Yes it could be argued that a small sedan with 4 wheel drive and a stonking great V6 under the bonnet seems excessive, especially when a 4 cylinder Bora has the same quality fit and finish. But honestly the engine makes the car, it's the equivalent of taking a lovely Bratwurst roll and adding hot mustard, it turns every drive into an occasion.

What's it like inside

Mk4 Golfs and cars that share their platform are very well screwed together, sound deadening is good, materials high quality and the thunk of the doors is second to none. I know this from having owned a number of them and been passenger in many more. However I can tell you that its the little things that set the booted Bora apart from normal Golfs. Quality features like illuminated air vent controls, chrome rings around the dials, wood trim (albeit a bit tacky) and wonderfully supportive sports seats in the 4Motion give the Bora an air of luxury to go with the performance.

How does it drive

Historically Mk4 Golf based cars have been criticised in the driving department, roly poly handling and a lack of steering feel have been some of the things said of the them. I however would have to disagree, while not quite the playful puppy dog of earlier 1980's Golf's/ Golf based cars, Mk4's are never the less fun to drive, you just have to adjust your driving style. The chassis is good with the car never feeling unsettled at speed, such stability inspires confidence and with smooth steering inputs instead of jerky jabs at the wheel a Mk4 Golf/Bora can make good progress. The 4 Motions Haldex all wheel drive system adds to that stability. Not only does it provide a feeling of security when the weather turns nasty but a feeling of sure footedness when your really giving it some on a good stretch of road. The only downside of the V6 is the weight of the engine itself over the front wheels, under steer is easily induced if you go into a corner too hot, best to read the road ahead and adjust the throttle appropriately before turn in to settle the car. Here's Matt Farrah driving one to give you an idea of what I'm going on about.

Volkswagens Bora V6 4Motion; a wonderfully made, soulful sounding car that's better to drive than you might think. It's an oddball that's so much more interesting not to mention that bit rarer than its opposition and it turns every drive, no matter how mundane the destination, into an occasion.

Go get yourself one

I don't know about you but I've convinced myself I need one and luckily there are a few to choose from in every state ranging from $2500 for a broken one to $8000 for decent one. Here is my pick from carsales.com.au. This 2003 car has by all accounts led a very sedate, loving life with it's second owner. Reading this offsets any worries I'd have regarding the 223,000kms and the bad points mentioned seem like very easy fixes. For $4000 this car is an absolute bargain.

2003 Volkswagen Bora V6 4Motion, $4000
      

Car of the Week: Holden Astra Convertible

Sometimes chopping the roof of a car to make a convertible can have a horrible end result. The proportions get messed up and if the maker decides to fit a folding hard top said car is usually left with a massive derrière, take the Renault Megane CC for example. However, at other times a manufacturer nails it and my long overdue car of the week is my case in point, the Holden Astra Convertible.

The Holden Astra Convertible, unfortunately only Europe got the Coupe

The Mk4 Astra was a strong seller for GM the world over, taking the fight to the Ford Focus and VW Golf in the hatch back grudge match of the late 90's. But despite strong sales the Astra always looked a little plain Jane. Thankfully in 2001 GM fixed this by turning to Italian styling house Bertone and asking them to turn the bland Astra into a Coupe. What resulted was a handsomely proportioned, elegant two door Coupe and fabric roofed convertible variant. And between 2001 and 2006 Holden got a hold of that convertible. Now almost 10 years after production ceased Holden's Mk4 Astra cab makes a tempting proposition. Let me explain.

A thing of beauty, really...

A thing of beauty, something I never thought I'd say about an Astra but after a day staring at them in for sale ads I really do think this car is a looker. That long tail adds a real elegance to the Astra's form and by electing for a fabric roof rather than a metal folding one the Astra's lines aren't ruined, roof up or down. On the right set of wheels the car sits really nicely too and I was always a fan of the Astra's front splitter for some reason.

Easy to fix

Being based on the hum drum Astra also has it's benefits, like the availability of cheap parts. There are literally thousands of Mk4 Holden Astra's out there so should something go wrong a part shouldn't be hard to come by nor expensive. In saying that though the big selling Holden proved to be pretty reliable in the first place so provided you buy right a well maintained cabriolet shouldn't need too much tinkering. Also the benefit of being a cab means original buyers might not have used them as hard as they would have a normal hatchback, more of a weekend cruiser than a daily commuter tool. So km's might be fewer and wear and tear less.

Turbo makes up for cheap interior

Two engines powered the Astra Convertible, a 2.2 litre four cylinder and a more powerful 2 litre turbo. The Turbo cars are rarer due to a smaller production run but worth looking for if you want something with a bit more overtaking potential. Naturally though, chopping the roof of a car doesn't do wonders for it's structural rigidity so although the Astra might be fine in a straight line round corners expect scuttle shake and more than a fair bit of flex. A cheap interior lets the Astra down too, a boring layout and hard plastics painted silver are the order of the day, while the option of red leather seats might not be to everyone's taste. My advice, get the roof off, look around, stick to a leisurely cruise and just enjoy the sensations of top down motoring.

    

Go get yourself one   

I have found a Turbo Astra, quite hard given there are only 9 listed on Carsales! This one comes from a dealer and has very low km's give it's age. Not a great description and it does have the polarising red leather interior, however for the price it might be worth a look if you want a cheap reliable convertible for summer.

2003 Holden Astra Convertible, $5990  

Car of the Week: Chrysler 300C

Last week I changed my blogs theme a little, deciding I would feature cars that I found worthy or interesting even if they weren't European. So this week see's my first break from tradition, the impossibly "boss" Chrysler 300C.

Not all American

Built in Austria from Mercedes bits you can tell with the 300C that I'm easing into this non Euro thing! However styling wise, there is no denying the 300 is all American; low roof, narrow windows and pumped wheel arches, painted black the 300C looks like it drove straight out the pages of a comic book. Pure gangster, there is no question this Chrysler has presence on the road.

Under the bonnet

Some of the engine choice was suitably American too, with a 250kw 5.7 litre HEMI V8 offered from launch this engine spawned a 317kw 6.1 litre unit in the 2006 SRT-8 variant, just in case you wanted more power. For people who wear sensible pants though there was also a 3.5 V6 petrol available or a Mercedes sourced 3 litre V6 turbo diesel. All the engines have a more than adequate power output of course, with the diesel still making 160kw and 510Nm of torque.

Comfort is another thing the 300C does very well, for long distance cruising and sweeping back roads the big Chrysler makes for excellent company however that American stereotype of bad handling rings true if the road gets even remotely technical. Road tests reported that the 300C got easily flustered when the going just got slightly tough and that the light steering didn't do much to in still confidence behind the wheel.

What's it like inside?

Inside things are plush and the car was generously kitted from standard with electric memory heated seats, xenon lights, cruise control, duel zone climate control, parking sensors and a decent sound system. Despite the leather surrounds though don't expect quality as once again it is a product of mid noughties throwaway America, plastics will be cheap and scratchy and switchgear flimsy and light. But never mind, you'll be spending too much time intimidating people with its looks rather than fussing over interior quality.

Chrysler's 300C; big, bold and ever so slightly in your face. The interior might be a what's what in cheap plastic and there's a good chance it will get scared by a tight right hander but you you'll struggle to get modern American muscle for less.

Go get yourself one

My first American meant I had to go big for this weeks pick of the classifieds didn't I? So while sensible diesels can be had for under $15,000 today I felt only a full phat 5.7 litre HEMI 300C would do. For a little over $16k this blacked out beauty sitting on 22's could be yours, with rego until Feb and relatively low 183,000km's this car looks like it's been someone's pride and joy and now it could be yours!

2006 Chrysler 300C 5.7 HEMI, $16450