Tough choices

[Wrex]

OK after mourning over the loss of my beloved WRX for 4 months, and the recent departure of my company car, I am in the horrible position of chosing another car.


Like everyone, I have a limited budget. At this stage it sits at around 8 or 9 thousand.

I have it narrowed down to 4 different cars:

A BMW 323i or 325e 85-88 model. Nice car, look great and should'nt lose to much when I resell it. Down side is manuals are hard to find and they are getting on in years.

Next on the menu is a 90-93 Cressida Grande. Comes with all the bells and whistles and a nice 3.0 V6. Down side - hard to find.

Also in the range is a EF/EL Falcon/Fairmont (95+). Big car 4.0 straight 6. A little boring but after I drop it and throw some wheels on it it should scrub up alright.

Finally we have the VR/VS Commodore/Berlina/Calais (94+). Same as the falcon but with a Holden badge on it. Down side - it's a holden, upside - it will annoy Moffat.


Opinions, advice, experiences & recommendations please

[Airhead]

What to buy with 8 large - what Wrexy? A mid nineties 900SS Ducati of cause. Might evemn score a SL version for that money. They pull women like you wouldn't believe - most of which aren't adverse to the occassional bit of body art.

Oh, for those challenged in manhood department, from the list mentioned above:

Go for the Toyota Cressida (all those guys in their seventies with white uniforms and bowls hats can't be wrong!), or a good Beemer. A late eightes Beemer six cylinder that decides to shat itself is rebuild city - with an appropriately nauseous pricetag.

Despite having fond memories of a VS2 Commodore (company car) and a Falcon EF2 Fairmont (family car) I would steer away from them. You need to feed further up the food chain.

[Airhead]

As for mourning the WRX - they are like the thing I am sitting on.

Very common.

[bella]

don't go for the old bmw's - great cars but man, they look old. and they're too heavy.

as i don't know the equivalents over here, go for whatever's fastest, and stick some bad ass suspension on it and nice wheels. then you get the best car

[mtpanorama]

Here is what you want

[evo]

Originally posted by bella
don't go for the old bmw's - great cars but man, they look old. and they're too heavy.

Personally I still think they are great looking cars! Better than any cookie-cutter thing BMW makes now. Go for the 323i. Just be sure you have thourough inspection done on it. While these cars are bullet proof, most of them have had the snot driven out of them and there will be a lot of wear and tear on the pieces if that's the case.

I own an 85 323i and it's got over 300,000km on it, but it still runs great. Granted it burns a lot of oil and all the suspension bushings are worn out. But it's still very reliable. And at 2500 lbs, it's not that heavy... plus it'll do 210 km/h and get there pretty fast too.

[429CJ]

What kind of car is an australian Cressida?
Only Cressida I've ever driven was 1978 model, looking pretty much like this:

[Wrex]

errr, thats a little older than I thought 429cj.

[GTV27]

Cressida's have a straight six, Vienta's have a V6 - I'd steer clear of both of them though (granpa territory).

Also Avoid the 325e - they had a nasty unleaded spec 2.8 litre engine that refused to rev. 323i or 325i are both top cars, but getting old. A 325is may be outside the budget, but good if you can stretch.

For that money, go for an EF/EL XR6 Falcon (if you can find one in reasonable condition).

[Wrex]

The 1992 Cressida Grande.

.

[Wrex]

The BMW 323i

.

[GTV27]

Yep, that's a Cressida. I remember test driving a couple of those about 5 years ago and they seemed nice and smooth and comfortable, lovely straight six engine - but zilch character. I bought an Alfa 33 instead - not that I'd recommend that little italian tragedy to anybody.

[Wrex]

The EF Falcon

.

[Wrex]

The VSII Commodore

.

[Wrex]

When I'm finished with any of these babies, I want them to look like this


.

[Diabando]

Wrexy....I swear, if you get the Cressida, I will officially disown you.

The beemer looks a tad old.

Ford or Holden - much of a muchness, but both will suit your needs.

How about a Bronco?

[EERO]

Wrexxy, should you buy the Holden, would we have to change your Nom de Web to "Calais?"

[garcon]

Would a 85 to 88 3 series really cost 8-9 k $ Aus?!

I reckon you'd be talking more like £800 - £900 here! Oh, and they're all ed!

Mind you they do rust a bit more up here in the wetlands...

If that era Commodore (circa 94?) is built and goes anything like as well as our equivalent Vauxhall/Opel Senator (the last decent car Vauxhall sold until the VX220 IMHO), then I'd look no further than that...

I still miss my '92 Senator 24v

[Wrex]

*Stand there with a baseball bat in hand*

Originally posted by EERO
Wrexxy, should you buy the Holden, would we have to change your Nom de Web to "Calais?"

You just try it buddy


Garcon, yeah the beamers are a bit expensive. They range from abour 7 and go all the way to 11 or 12 in some cases. Shying away from the them now, I have one more Cressida to look at and then its down to the Fords & Holdens.

I hate slumming it

[429CJ]

If looking only the looks of the car, I'd choose the Falcon.

[Wrex]

Yeah , none of them are stunners thats for sure.

[EERO]

Wrex, seriously, why not a Honda? I'm not sure what's available in the Australian market, but everyone I know who's had a Honda has been pleased as punch. An Integra perhaps?

[AussieV8]

Wrex have you considered a 1992 Mazda 929 3ltr V6 on par with the Cressida but better. (Oneyed zoom zoom fan).

[DAVID PATERSON]

Wrex,

Stay away from the Beemer, nice car, but so expensive if anything goes wrong. The EL is much better than the EF and the VS is much better than the VR, if you're not huge and you don't plan to heavy tow, i'd reccommend the Holden.

However, my uncle had a Cressida Grande about 10 years ago and it was such a nice car. No street cred whatsoever, but it went well and was so nice to be in.

Have you considered a Skyline?

[garcon]

Nissan Cedric??