I am looking to purchase a Jap car for between 3-4 grand. I am looking for a releiable economical and cost effective car. Please provide me with your "helpful" comments

First off, Good luck mate - anyone who DARES to post a question asking for help with a Japanese car will have to put up with nonsense posts from some members. Disrespectful it may be, but unless you choose, well, pretty much anything except Japanese, you subsequently know nothing about cars.

But in answer to your post, my hopefully helpful response is:

What size are you looking at?
What maximum age?

As the man said

What size are you looking at?
What maximum age?

If it was a small runabout, I'd go Nissan Almera. As 2002/3 models can be had in your price range. Lot of kit unbreakable, and someone else has paid the depreciation. Not the greatest driving vehicle ever, but it has never pretended to be. You can get one cheaper than a similar age/mileage Micra, and remember the only true luxury in a vehicle is space.

Larger, then the last model Primera, Accord. See what is lurking on the main dealers forecourts, and try as many as you want.

Please always try before you buy, anything that doesnt seem 100%, look at something else.

Go to a place like the Great Trade Centre (or similar) and take a look around. Buy the car you like but make sure it's one with an engine less than 3.0L as you want economy

mazda 626
mitsubishi galant
subaru impreza
subaru legacy

Spend £5.00 on a train ticket to the casino, put £3000 on black, then when it comes up black, collect your £130,000, buy another £5.00 train ticket to the Aston dealer,where you can then buy a DB9 for £129,995.

Don't bother, find a VW passat. MUCH better car.

Shahid, can I apologise on behalf of the sensible members for the last two posts - 'fraid to say this is the poor standard of response we get now. Shame, this used to be a great forum - it's seriously gone downhill in the past few months.

...accord or civic mate...bulletproof and quality kit...ignore the hitler youth above....scoob great value cars too...i prefer these makes to other japanese as i really feel they have character that is missing from most far eastern products, but really, if ya wanna spend 3 0r 4 k on ANY jap product, you probably wont go far wrong....

quote:

Originally posted by dja771:
Shahid, can I apologise on behalf of the sensible members for the last two posts - 'fraid to say this is the poor standard of response we get now. Shame, this used to be a great forum - it's seriously gone downhill in the past few months.

dja you are a miserable tike. Where is your sense of humor? No personality, which is probably why you like datsuns.

Come on chap, I (along with pretty much everyone on here) seem to have a lot of enjoyment discussing all kinds of aspects of not only cars but driving, roads , everything... So why is it just you who only ever posts to moan? If you think its going down hill, and see fit to contribute nothing except whinging, then maybe this isnt the forum for you...

Three grand on black to win 130 grand? Let me know which casino you go to Palmira, cos the ones I go to only offer 2-1 on a colour at the roulette wheel!

Must be the one rich people go to.. If such a thing existed id probably lose anyway

Scoobies are good cars in reliability and fun but the boxer engines ain't the most economical.

FORGET a Scooby at this money. They can be had, but will probably need an engine rebuild as many models did not use forged pistons. Most have been modified (not bad in itself) so you may be looking at turbo rebuilds and cooling problems. A cheaper turbo'd option to look at is the Nissan 200SX and its RWD which I personally prefer. You might also be able to track down an import only Mitsubishi Lancer 1.8 Turbo (GSR I think its called), not as extreme as a full on EVO, still quick enough, cheaper to run, easier to live with.

Plenty of cheap but interesting jap models to consider:
Honda Integra
Honda CRX
Honda Civic VTi
Toyota MR2 MK 1 and 2
Toyota Corrolla GTi
Toyota AE86 Corolla Coupe (if you can find one!)
Toyota Celica (older model)
Mitsubishi Colt GTi
Nissan Pulsar/Sunny GTi
Mitsubishi Galant
Mazda MX-5
Mazda 323F
etc.

quote:

Originally posted by Palmira:

quote:

Originally posted by dja771:
Shahid, can I apologise on behalf of the sensible members for the last two posts - 'fraid to say this is the poor standard of response we get now. Shame, this used to be a great forum - it's seriously gone downhill in the past few months.

dja you are a miserable tike. Where is your sense of humor? No personality, which is probably why you like datsuns.

Come on chap, I (along with pretty much everyone on here) seem to have a lot of enjoyment discussing all kinds of aspects of not only cars but driving, roads , everything... So why is it just you who only ever posts to moan? If you think its going down hill, and see fit to contribute nothing except whinging, then maybe this isnt the forum for you...

Whatever

dont need to buy a turbo scoob to have a good car...imprezza sport and legacy in n/a form are good too....i actually disagree about em being sha**ed out at this money..if you want a turbo scoob, 3 or 4 k will buy you a good standard imprezza or legacy saloon/estate with a turbo...or go bonkers and buy a decent svx.....

biggbn i reckon most secondhand subaru impreza turbos are worn out - they get bought for one reason: to rant.

Difference is though Andy, most (I include myself) accept BMW make great cars - that is a fact. But for me they are just too common and do have the perception of being the default choice. I don't have an issue with people posting for advice on BMWs or any german car for that matter - if I can't offer a sensible response I won't reply, just a shame that this didn't work when someone asks a perfectly reasonable question about a Japanese car. Such a shame.

i agree most imprezzass will have had a hard life...but good unabused cars are out there..usually in less desireable (for chavs..) 5 dr form....trawl the classifieds and you will be amazed what comes up...andy mate i agree with you about the anti jap/anti german thing...but i really do think the anti jap one is getting out of hand...i for one have certainly never intimated to anyone who likes german cars that due to their chioce they know nothin about driving or cars..this accusation has more than once been posted to the jap car fans....getting a bit tiresome no?...why cant y'all accept that everyone is different and likes different things...and thats what makes the world an interesting place...

quote:

Originally posted by biggbn:
i agree most imprezzass will have had a hard life...but good unabused cars are out there..usually in less desireable (for chavs..) 5 dr form....trawl the classifieds and you will be amazed what comes up...andy mate i agree with you about the anti jap/anti german thing...but i really do think the anti jap one is getting out of hand...i for one have certainly never intimated to anyone who likes german cars that due to their chioce they know nothin about driving or cars..this accusation has more than once been posted to the jap car fans....getting a bit tiresome no?...why cant y'all accept that everyone is different and likes different things...and thats what makes the world an interesting place...

I've tried saying the same mate - it seems to fall on deaf ears - you just get accused of moaning.