Damn, another Toyota person joining us

A friend of mine bought a cressida new, it was a late 80's early 90's model, about the only thing it did well was blow head gaskets and crack heads. He traded it on a series 2 405 MI16 and now he remembers how much fun driving can be. But one thing he doesn't do, he doesn't go to a toyota site and talk about French cars.
 
Wow,
Thank goodness for David Cavanagh, all you guys with your un-biased opinions were starting to worry me wink although I did like Craigs post where he destroyed a Cressida :D

Poor young Tim is about to make one huge mistake eek! we should be helping him. I'm thinking a nice 2cv blush It's either that or some serious mods to the Cressida, bit of chassis work, hydraulic suspension, wack on a decent set of body panels from say a CX and for good measure refit the interior blush get rid of that Cressida badge, have to be a step in the right direction clown or on the other hand you could buy a very nice CX for that sort of money.

Just a thought

Cheers
Chris

<small>[ 01 May 2002, 10:38 PM: Message edited by: GreenBlood ]</small>
 
Thankyou for some un-biased information everyone :rolleyes:

But Nick was most helpful, thankyou :)

However, i would like everyone to remember i did not bring up the fact that i want a Cressida, Nick raised the issue himself, i am here to learn a bit about french cars, as you are well aware 2 of my friends are proud (too proud????) pug owners. So do not blame me for polluting your fine frog site. :eek:

RE citroen 2CV advice for my first car.... i think it looks interesting etc etc, but to me blush it seems like the car someone else owns, not myself? if you get what i mean.

Anyway, heres to hearing more about french cars on this site :D
 
huh by the way a C5 IS a Citroen!

and by the way I drive a Camry.
 
LOL :D , The whole point of this thread (if you read my very first post on it) was to get Tim interested in French cars, basically to swamp him with people talking about how wonderful their french cars are :p tongue :p

I think we'd better take Tim's advice and stop even contemplating something as sterile as a Cressida when we could be telling him what a wonderful car a 604 would make evil
 
:) :) :)
There is a 5spd 405 for sale at a reputable French car dealer nearby that I think Tim should look at, so come one everyone with a 405, tell him how wonderful they are to drive :D

(just don't tell him about the plastics quality inside tongue )
 
Tim,

I didn’t mean to sound cynical but what would you expect. I have driven a few early and later model Toyotas and quite frankly they leave me cold and uninspired. You will have to assess your own priorities in making your decision, If you are seriously interested in researching the pros and cons of French cars stick around and read some of the posts get into the archives and get a feel for the many aspects of owning, driving and maintaining a French car.

My experience especially with Citroen is that each car has its own personality no two cars are identical, you can get into one and it fits like a glove, goes like the clappers and rides like only a Citroen can, another car same age and model is just average? The same can be said for Peugeot, and although my experience with Renault is limited I guess the same applies. I don’t get the same sensation from any other car, most are very capable but leave me with the feeling that they would make a good Taxi.

If you have around $10,000 to invest in your next car you could do a lot worse than to investigate what that would get you, in Citroen, Peugeot or Renault. The French motor industry has been innovative for over 100 years. Safety, handling, comfort and performance can all be had in any of these marques. You will also get a sense of your own individuality and a camaraderie I can’t imagine with any other marque. The whole experience of sourcing parts whilst at times frustrating can lead to loyal friendships and a sense of achievement.

So get serious do your homework, get out there and drive a few cars, don’t be afraid of Citroen take a 16 valve BX for a drive you will be surprised how quick these funny frog cars are, have a look at Pug 405’s not sure what your $10g is going to get you in a Renault. Get on the board and ask specific questions and you’ll find that most members will give you honest (maybe a little biased) advice.

Cheers
Chris
 
Thankyou Greenblood. I have spent quite a bit of time looking through previous posts (at the cost of year 12 homework...). I actually have closer to $7,500 to $8,000 to spend, and thats at most really. I am not yet 18 so have not driven anything except my parents 1996 Camry, my sister (HORRID) 1981 Sigma (wagon) and my brothers VS commodore. So as you can tell, i really need to test drive more cars, and I can;t wait to do so. So, clearly my opinions of what car i want are highly likely to change.

At this stage i want a 4 door sedan, with somewhat effortless performance (I feel the urge to apologise...), nice handling (probably the cressida's worst department, comfort and reliability. I do not want a 505, if for no other reason than because two of my friends own them. 405 fails most of my above requirements, and the fact is, most french cars i want are simply too expensive. However, I will endevour to testdrive the Citroen BX

Thanks for the interest.

Cheers
 
Ok Tim, i'll get off you back and don't want this to get silly clown , but I think that most here would say that a 405 meets the comfort and handling criterior, although not the performance. On the reliability front I can't say, but it would seem by looking at the posts here on AussieFrogs, that the Mi16, and possibly some of the diesels can be a bit problematic, but haven't read anything really bad about the SRi (which is no bad thing).

Oh well, keep us all informed on the Cit BX. Ask on the Cit board what they all think of them :)

:)
 
Ooooh, this is beginning to sound familiar... Sergetov, I was in the same situation, i'm 17, and was looking for a 1st car. Had my eyes set on a 205 GTi, or a 405 Mi16. 205 turned out to be too impractical, and a good mi16 was beyond my budgetry constraints. Standard 405 didnt have the grunt or the luxury to really appeal to me. Ended up buying a 89 mazda 626 turbo, cost me about $6.5k all up, under what i was planning to spend. Its a nice car with every option imaginable, and goes pretty hard, but, well its got the personality of a cardboard box. It will do for a while, but I sure as hell dont see a reason to be keeping it. I dont regret buying it, but hopefully i will be able to buy a rough 205 and work on it for a few years as well as the mazda.... Good luck, and be sure to explore all avenues!
 
Tim,

We've got 3 BX's and I am on my second one. My first was a 16Trs. Best described as "nippy" in 5 speed manual form but felt as though it was working hard with 4 up.
When I sold it, the speedo had 250,000 on it. It wasn't burning oil, didn't rattle & returned 7.3 litres/100klm on a run and 10/100klms around town. It had no rust, suspension was still tight - it was a good all round little car. Doors were as tinny as a sardine tin which was disappointing after owning CX's for years. When I sold the car, the girl who bought it had it thoroughly tested and bought it ahead of other cars around at the time. On delivery, I advised her who to see to get it serviced & who not to; guess who she took it to? He had tried to sell her a car that wasn't up to the standard of mine so-he proceeded to rip her off something shocking. She rang very upset at some of the things he had found "wrong" but unfortunately for him, my car had been owned previously by one of the best reputed Cit mechanics in the country and he picked all his work so I referred her on to him & heard no more.
My present car is a BX 16 valve for which I pay around $350 per year comprehensive insurance eek! Don't get too excited at that! At 18 you'll be lucky to even get comprehensive insurance either on a 16 valver or an Mi16 and if you do, you would be closer to $3500 than $350. I have age, multiple policies and a long, clean driving record going for me.
My suggestion would be to look at a Pug 405 or a BX 19. One of my sons (Adrian S) has just bought a BX 19 TZi with 90K klms on the clock. An absolute dream to both look at & drive. Will do 105kph in second gear, handles like a sports car and gives 7.1L/100 klms on a run using Optimax. It sits on the open road at 135+ like it would do it all day.
You have one big advantage, you are in Melbourne & have Dave Cavanagh at French Connection who is also a member of this board so if you get ripped off by some of the cowboys down there you've only yourself to blame. My boys have been brought up around Citroens and between them own 5 cars, 4 of which are Cits; the fifth being a Lancer & the one who owns that was making noises like "I wish I'd have bought a BX" the other day.
Hope that is some help to you.

Alan S
 
what about a reno 750 with a turbo v6 from a 604 in the back.that would have to go.straight anyway dont know about corners. eek!
 
$8-7k on a first car? effortless power?, practicality?

muahahaha

Since when have these been the concerns of a new driver?!? :D

If there were ever a time to buy a cheap impractical car that is a heap of fun.....now would be the time surely (safety concerns aside for a moment)?

Here we are arguing the virtues of cars with character (in the good sense approve ) with individuals that haven't necessarily had the opportunity to spent enough time on the road to recognise the difference in day to day ownership/travel between cars, beyond written stats, 0-100 figures etc.....

I don't mean anyone any offence.....BTW wink

<insert broken record msg here>
Drive everything....because you may have a 7-8k budget doesn't mean you have to spend it:)

Oh and if nothing else a 405 should be a fair bit more economical than Cressida....now there's a P plate concern

Either way, the Cressida will always be a better Cressida than the 405 is..... :rolleyes:
________
properties for sale Pattaya
 
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Look, I'll admit it now, I want to study economics next year, and wish to work in that feild. My enlish teacher says i write like an accountant, some of my friends think i save like one. DTwo, thankyou for missing the point completely. I would have thought the days of throwing endless amounts of money away on "character" where over. I simply cannot afford that, i'll get into that when i am rich and retired :D

Its great to hear others have faced a similar predicament, cheers Chris, i have spent a fair bit of time in a Telstar TX5 Turbo, and it seemed to me to handle like a dog, but man did it sound, and go, like an AWESOME car.

Alan S, i hear your comments about insurance, it is for that reason i am now considering a Nissan Skyline Ti (R31). My parents have offered to allow me to use them for the cressidas insurance if i do get it. But basicly, i my first choice at the moment is Cressida, second Skyline.

Some chap from aussiefrogs offered to sell me an Mi16 for 9K, id love one, but as Chris said, its just too much money. The thing is i guess, if i get a cressida now, it gives me time to save for something more interesting (i am a closet 205Gti lover...) as a "weekend" car....

Thanks for all the interest everyone!

Cheers!
 
After 1 year on my P's, having had an XF Falcon and a N12 Pulsar, I test drove several cars over a few months before settling on a 405.
These include: M-Benz 180E, 280SE, VR Commodore, ED Foul-Can, several Jaguar XJ6's, Rover 3500SD1, Alfasud Sprint, Alfa 164, BMW 318, Mazda 626 and a Mazda Astina.

The Peugeot stood out because
- it looked damn fine. As nice as the Alfa 164, if not quite a Series III Jaguar.
- very comfortable seats with nice, supple long travel suspension.
- tidy handling (no excessive roll or dive) with good steering feel, small turning circle, good visibility.
- honest engine. No powerhouse, but good torque spread and flexibility. May be rather insipid around town with a/c on, but excellent pick-up above 80km/h.
- good fuel consumption, and the engine doesn't overpower the chassis (164, Saab 9000 turbo....)

I was willing to sacrifice some performance, but hey it gets me from A-B without being an obstacle. It's got enough thrust when you really need it (on the wrong side of the highway at 110+).
It was a couple of months later when I found out that the 405 will leave a convoy consisting of a Honda Civic VTiR, Toyota RAV4, Honda CRV, Holden VS Calais, BMW 320i and a Mitsubishi Mirage for dead on a winding dirt track. It even ventured off-road, through a ditch which beached a Subaru Outback.

<small>[ 05 May 2002, 11:16 PM: Message edited by: Jez 405 ]</small>
 
Sergetov, you get me just about pissing my pants, how unbelievably similar to my situation you are presently in. You say you were reasonably impressed with a telstar tx5 turbo? What year?? I just bought a mazda 626 turbo 4 wheel steer (1989), and to tell you the truth the handling is well above average for a jap car of the time (probably to do with the 4WS), especially for the relatively few $$$ i paid. It could be more economical (400km on a 50litre tank), but i need to get it tuned up and serviced. It flies, and leaves most cars for dead at the lights as well as all my friends on trips :D :D (the most important thing). But the most important thing - its bloody comfortable (sunroof, elec windows/mirrors, power steer, adjustable suspension modes on buttons, a/c, cruise control etc) and is great for cruising around in and filling the back up with my gear, i can even sleep in it. A mate of mine has a non turbo, it still has a bit of pickup, and is a bloody nice car and he got his for $5k... all up, mine has set me back around $7k plus stereo,rego etc, but there you go, you can get a practical car with power and comfort for 7-8k. sure, it doesnt have loads of character, and it isnt a 205 in the handling stakes, but it sure as hell represents better value for money for the first car buyer.

my advice sergetov, buy a cressida/similar now and buy the pugs in 5 years when you are raking in the $$$$ as an accountant...

i'm plannning on doing eco at uni next year too! :D :D :D :D
 
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