According to me the best car ever made was the E30 M3. It gets 90% of things 90% right IMO, so i would like one. Here's a list which i would like to have as they do 1 - 2 things better than the E30 M3: Alfa 33 16v Audi coupe 1.9S or 2.2 Gt 5 cyl - sound E36 M3 Lotus Exige s1 - chassis + steering heaven! AMG c34, 36 - class Caterham with 1.6 K-series engine Ferrari F355 F1 - looks, interior, sound (flat plane crank 3.6 V8 @ 8500 r.p.m. = ) - but needs Exige steering, stack 270 degree steeper motor instruments and a BMW or Porsche handbrake and contols. Honda s2000, for the engine only. Porsche 944 turbo or s2 - interior not the best... Porsche 911 (any)
Actually, if i think the best replacement for most VAG cars, with a bit of poke AND RWD AND German build quality AND fun. You have to be open minded about the image...... bmw 318 Ti compact Bearing in mind: my driving isn't good enough to notice the comparative inadequacies of the rear suspension w.r.t. a saloon/coupe 3 series.
Dad had an E21 323i from new in the late 70s/early 80s. He loved it to bits but it cost a fortune to run. Still like them.
Theres a lot of cars popping up in pictures here that people plainly couldnt afford, otherwise they'd have one already. As an actual viable alternative to my VAG car I'd have to side with the majority on here and go to BMW.
Not always a case of "can't afford" - more a case of "haven't got the time to look after a classic." When I'm old and retired, I think an old school Escort Mexico, an old 911 or maybe an old M3 would be on the cards.
Interestingly, I've been looking at new forecourt Golf GTI's, which are around 27K with options. 27K will get you an imported, duty paid Shelby Mustang GT500 500Bhp V8 with Eaton supercharger and WAY more electrical gubbins than a VW Golf. Now THAT is an alternative to VAG.
The shelby does 21 miles per US gallon, which is 17.5 Imperial (UK gallons) A UK VAG Car is normally approximately a 55 litre tank which is 12 imperial gallons. Based on a Mk4 GTI with a remap, from personal experience and that of other owners, 25mpg is average. Giving you 300 miles from a full tank. That tank, filled from empty in my area with premium super will cost you 106.9 per litre. So thats 58.80 total. Approximately 19.6p per mile. A Shelby gas tank is 60 litre capacity, which would cost 64.14 to fill. At 17.5 mpg you get 228 miles per fill. So thats 28p per mile. Based on the average of 10K miles per annum, fuel for the Shelby will cost 2800, and fuel for the Golf 1960. Meaning fuel costs over an average year are 840 more expensive for the import car. You could service the Shelby from a UK independant from the start as UK dealers will not guarantee any work carried out on LHD US import cars, so instantly the servicing is WAY cheaper. Insurance on the Shelby will be similar for a 30 year old professional as you can insure it via specialist US import insurers for the approximate price of a UK group 17 car. Over 5 years total cost of ownership starts to even out as the resale value of the US import is vastly higher than the 5 year old Golf GTI. (UK prices for Shelby's are 40K) Don't think I havent already been over this idea with a fine tooth comb!
Only fly in the ointment is that a mk5 GTi is actually pretty fuel efficient and get well over 30mpg. You'll also pay a lot for for road tax and insurance. And tyres. Not trying to be a spoilsport but it's easy to overlook stuff when a potential 500bhp is on offer!
Yup, 40K is the standard UK company import price. However, its 40K in dollars in the USA. Importing in a proper car container is only actually 450 from NY state to a UK port. Also, if you can pay someone thats a UK citizen on a US visa to own the car for 6 months then import it into the UK, you dont pay ANY duty or import. Duty and import would be approximately 6K on your 21K value. However, as I say, pay someone to sit on it for 6 months in the US, give them $5K and you've instantly saved 3.5K. It does help that a very good friend of mine works for Ford dealer in the US and already sends over AC Cobras, but even for a normal person, its still roughly equivalent to buying a top spec Golf.
