What's the best V8 powered car for under $10k?

[290GTP]

Originally Posted by RAPID_BA

But how many km did it have? You would be hard pressed to see a mint au3 220 with less than 110000km for under $10k

My mate has a budget but he doesnt want the cheapest car for a particular model, wants a car in top condition as new.

Did you even check the link? AU2 220 with 105000 kays for $8500. Body kit aside there's not a lot of difference between the series 2 & 3.

[G6ET8U]

Originally Posted by FalconXR6

This is depressing living in Tas when it comes to cars !

For $10k our options are au series 1 xr8, vt ss, mostly with high-ish km's (over 160) or late 90's, early noughties v8 luxo's.

There's no way were getting a vx ss, au3 xr8 or t-series for $10k or under !

I've actually been on the hunt for a slick el, ef or au3 xr8 for some time and there's just nothing about that's $10k or under with under 200 thou km's !

Just for fun here...

You know when the plane leaves with tourists heading home you are allowed to leave too yeah?

Officially you don't even have to leave the country. Magic

Jack

[RAPID_BA]

Originally Posted by 290GTP

Did you even check the link? AU2 220 with 105000 kays for $8500. Body kit aside there's not a lot of difference between the series 2 & 3.

A standard factory version would be much better. He might get $7000 for it

[Trek]

ZH Marquis, XC GXL

Failing that, BA Fairlane or XR8.

[Cashie]

Originally Posted by Falcon SXR8

Personally wouldn't touch a ls1 they were abit dodgey when new let alone 10 years later, shure they might have been quick but being .2 sec quicker over the quarter mile doesn't seem so fun when you are on ls1 forums asking " why is my motor rattling " or "why is my motor chewing so much oil " or joining the 500 page long thred about what oil keeps the ls1 the quietest : ) Thats not to say there are no good ones there a great motor when put together right.

I would just go a windsor powered ford latest model you could get maybe an au xr8 with the 220 motor or the fairmont gear in au or ba for luxury.

I'm guessing you haven't owned too many LS1s then?
Having owned 8 LS1 powered vehicles over the years and never had a noisy or oil using example I can highly recommend them (after the usual used car checks). For the money they are excellent used car buys IMO.

[Professor Farnsworth]

Originally Posted by Falcon SXR8

or the fairmont gear in au or ba for luxury.

oh no you didn't..

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

WAY overpriced for 220,000KM

Lot's of car for the money there, and it's clean and well presented.

Very classy.

[Professor Farnsworth]

if people want to pay 10 grand for a fairlane with 220 thou on it then be my guest, i'm not stopping anyone.

[Buntz]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

if people want to pay 10 grand for a fairlane with 220 thou on it then be my guest, i'm not stopping anyone.

If they are 220k ks of love, that's better than 100k ks of abuse.

I've driven low ks Falcons that were nasty as... coz the previous owner didn't give a stuff. So ks aren't really the problem so much as history and condition.

[Professor Farnsworth]

you're not understanding what i'm saying. I have no problem with high KM cars, i bought my AU with 243,000 on it and it's still tight. I once bought an EL Ghia V8 with 345,000km on it! My point which i've said a few times is it's not worth 10 grand given the KM. I'm more than aware of km not being the be-all and end-all of buying criteria. Been there done that many times. Fact is, at the end of the day the KM reading be it granny km or Schumacher km, will make a large difference in the minds of most buyers.

[Franco Cozzo]

Everyone is obsessed with total kilometers, it won't tell you the full story. Would you rather a car which has done 120,000KM, been driven in stop start traffic its whole life and missed one or two services or would you buy the car with 220,000KM which has a full service history with 90% of its driving country highway?

Give me the car that's spent its life in 4th at 2000RPM rather than up and down gears every 2 seconds and long periods of idling or lots of short trips.

[Cheese3]

Agree , I've always bought cars with low km's and before i bought my TL i was iffy to consider it because it had 205,000km on the clock . . . The car is tight as a drum and so smooth and no noise anywhere . . . It has changed my whole perspective on high km cars . . . i had no issue handing over $12k+ for the car which is only 1 or 43 made with the high km's . . .

If you want something nice and the owner knows its a good car be prepare to pay the close to the asking . . . if the owner is happy to slash his original price you must ask yourself "why , whats wrong with the car? why the hurry to get rid of it?"

[GT0132]

If your mate can hold off a little longer it won't be long before BA GT's will be within grasp of his budget the way the market is unfortunately.

[GT0132]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

you're not understanding what i'm saying. I have no problem with high KM cars, i bought my AU with 243,000 on it and it's still tight. I once bought an EL Ghia V8 with 345,000km on it! My point which i've said a few times is it's not worth 10 grand given the KM. I'm more than aware of km not being the be-all and end-all of buying criteria. Been there done that many times. Fact is, at the end of the day the KM reading be it granny km or Schumacher km, will make a large difference in the minds of most buyers.

What this bloke says is right.....High kms, while not an issue for some , is an issue for most, and the price must reflect that.

All other things being equal, the perception is that a low km car will be more reliable and need less coin spent earlier on major repairs.

[RAPID_BA]

I find it really funny how people try and justify high km with saying its always been serviced and its granny km on the highway. The truth is they dont know. Of course the previous owner will say its been babied all its life despite having 220,000km

Then they assume the low km car was never serviced and thrashed.

Its more likely the lower km car was cared for but again we dont know

We can however make the assumption they have treated similarly good or bad and that high km is worse than low km.

One of the oldest tricks in the book is to put a new shiny set of wheels on a high km car, otherwise you would never move them. They always seem to have a nice set of wheels dont they?

If my mate opens the gates to all the high km cars he could just about buy anything for $10k but he wants something with some sort of usable life left

[DJM83]

Originally Posted by RAPID_BA

I find it really funny how people try and justify high km with saying its always been serviced and its granny km on the highway. The truth is they dont know. Of course the previous owner will say its been babied all its life despite having 220,000km

Then they assume the low km car was never serviced and thrashed.

Its more likely the lower km car was cared for but again we dont know

We can however make the assumption they have treated similarly good or bad and that high km is worse than low km.

One of the oldest tricks in the book is to put a new shiny set of wheels on a high km car, otherwise you would never move them. They always seem to have a nice set of wheels dont they?

If my mate opens the gates to all the high km cars he could just about buy anything for $10k but he wants something with some sort of usable life left

Or buy a car and try to move it on for a profit

I agree with km's though, high kms turn me away. But that said after buying a new car, my next car will be new aswell so kms wont be a problem.

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by RAPID_BA

I find it really funny how people try and justify high km with saying its always been serviced and its granny km on the highway. The truth is they dont know. Of course the previous owner will say its been babied all its life despite having 220,000km

Well if you buy a car from a country area, chances are its going to be country highway kilometers aren't they?

Then you check the service manual for stamps.

[Falcon SXR8]

Originally Posted by Cashie

I'm guessing you haven't owned too many LS1s then?
Having owned 8 LS1 powered vehicles over the years and never had a noisy or oil using example I can highly recommend them (after the usual used car checks). For the money they are excellent used car buys IMO.

No never owned one myself but had 2 in the family one chewed oil and the other ended up sounding like a tractor the piston slap was so bad. You have had a great run no doubt and they are a great engine but they did have issues so need to be carefull.

[Falcon SXR8]

Originally Posted by Professor Farnsworth

oh no you didn't..

ha ha took me some time to work out what i did wrong

[RAPID_BA]

Originally Posted by Falcon SXR8

No never owned one myself but had 2 in the family one chewed oil and the other ended up sounding like a tractor the piston slap was so bad. You have had a great run no doubt and they are a great engine but they did have issues so need to be carefull.

I've owned two ls1 cars and 4 Windsor powered cars, all low km.

The ls1 motors were all good, they do have a little valvetrain noise but it's an alloy motor you will hear more. But they make some really crazy power and more fuel efficient than any Windsor. I also think the lack of low down torque is a myth. Mine just bites and bolts as soon as you crack the throttle.

The windsors though are reliable motors, their biggest problem was the ls1 and also the ford i6. In comparison Windsors just a little lacking in the top end department and more thirsty as well. But produce nice torque and sound good, make great cruisers, more of a luxurious feel being effortless and low revving than built for speed/revs. But nothing wrong with them. Don't read about too many mechanical issues with them. If there is one motor I'd trust with high km it would be a Windsor v8

[JimStone]

Fairlane by Tickford - basically a long wheel base 195kW/410Nm EL GT with GT40P top end, adaptive shift transmission and plush leather interior, only 106 numbered cars built.

This ones a bit over budget, but if you keep an eye open they do pop up in the 10k range on occasion

http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/de...5&sort=default

[Falcon SXR8]

Originally Posted by RAPID_BA

I've owned two ls1 cars and 4 Windsor powered cars, all low km.

The ls1 motors were all good, they do have a little valvetrain noise but it's an alloy motor you will hear more. But they make some really crazy power and more fuel efficient than any Windsor. I also think the lack of low down torque is a myth. Mine just bites and bolts as soon as you crack the throttle.

The windsors though are reliable motors, their biggest problem was the ls1 and also the ford i6. In comparison Windsors just a little lacking in the top end department and more thirsty as well. But produce nice torque and sound good, make great cruisers, more of a luxurious feel being effortless and low revving than built for speed/revs. But nothing wrong with them. Don't read about too many mechanical issues with them. If there is one motor I'd trust with high km it would be a Windsor v8

Yep the early windsors in stock e series form were pretty sad but they never went up against ls1 or turbo sixes back then. In 220kw and 250kw form were a great engine out of the factory.

[RAPID_BA]

Originally Posted by JimStone

Fairlane by Tickford - basically a long wheel base 195kW/410Nm EL GT with GT40P top end, adaptive shift transmission and plush leather interior, only 106 numbered cars built.

This ones a bit over budget, but if you keep an eye open they do pop up in the 10k range on occasion

http://www.carsales.com.au/dealer/de...5&sort=default

Im astounded. You would offer that up as a genuine good buy when I just sold my LTD of the same shape for less than half price? My car had Less than 100,000km against this cars 265,000km? The LTD interior was like brand new and more luxurious.. I sold it for less than half the price of that!!! Ill bet anything my LTD was a better car (mechanically, condition wise, power)

[RAPID_BA]

Originally Posted by Falcon SXR8

Yep the early windsors in stock e series form were pretty sad but they never went up against ls1 or turbo sixes back then. In 220kw and 250kw form were a great engine out of the factory.

True from the AU up the windsor did have to get out of its comfort zone. The 220kw 5.0 were a good bit of gear but the 250kw T3 5.6 motor I read had patchy build quality, massive fuel thirst and apparently the piston bores would oval after a few thousand km leading to oil consumption issues. The 220kw 5.0 cars can be had for well under $10k but the 250kw 5.6 cars wont be under $10k

[auxr]

May as well get on the bandwagon - under 10K - a no brainer - AU XR8 series 2 or three.
For sheer practicality,economy & fun factor, can't beat a 220 tickford windsor.

Brother has had HSV LS1 clubbies - kept updating but I have kept the XR8 - for many reasons I can't let it go - closest thing to a modern old school muscle car in sound.

If you are not in the market for sheer outright drag strip bragging rights, best cruiser on the market.

[anto]

My old 220 had better fuel economy than our FGXR6 so not sure where you get idea they had bad fuel economy.
As for finding a low km clean example for under 10k , theyre very few and far between. For under 10 your int the upper 100's and 200 Km range.

[blk6t]

Originally Posted by Cashie

I'm guessing you haven't owned too many LS1s then?
Having owned 8 LS1 powered vehicles over the years and never had a noisy or oil using example I can highly recommend them (after the usual used car checks). For the money they are excellent used car buys IMO.

Agreed, owned a few myself and yes a good engine, reliable and consistent power. People bag out the old pushrod tech but some advantages are to be had over the DOCH V8's...and for the money a LS1 is cheap to buy.

Still don't sound as good as a Ford V8 with a good exhaust.....

[Cheese3]

Originally Posted by RAPID_BA

True from the AU up the windsor did have to get out of its comfort zone. The 220kw 5.0 were a good bit of gear but the 250kw T3 5.6 motor I read had patchy build quality, massive fuel thirst and apparently the piston bores would oval after a few thousand km leading to oil consumption issues. The 220kw 5.0 cars can be had for well under $10k but the 250kw 5.6 cars wont be under $10k

Yes , because reading about it in a magazine must make all of your statements true . . .

[Professor Farnsworth]

lol @ oval'd cylinders after "a few thousand km"

[FTE217]

Originally Posted by RAPID_BA

True from the AU up the windsor did have to get out of its comfort zone. The 220kw 5.0 were a good bit of gear but the 250kw T3 5.6 motor I read had patchy build quality, massive fuel thirst and apparently the piston bores would oval after a few thousand km leading to oil consumption issues. The 220kw 5.0 cars can be had for well under $10k but the 250kw 5.6 cars wont be under $10k

You have NFI re the 5.6 motors

Big Damo re high k's check the log book stampings yer I can go to my mechanic mate and stamp every 10k service time to have the log book filled up nice and pretty

High k's for some isn't a concern but for me not a chance we are all different.....funny thread though.