Which zs to go for?

[Ritchy]

ah ur from the zr site! i was talking to ya! probably slightly more reliable than the zr

[l11ke]

yeah thats me! just trying to gather as much info together as i can

[Ritchy]

well window regulators can become sticky, you want to get a plus model if you can, obv look for head gasket faults, look at the bodykit for any damage as theyre hard to get replacement bits now, heater resistors in the one and 2 position inop, easy fix, rear brake calipers can sieze, alarm sounder can get water in it on the mk2 so worth taking to bits and resealing it, heat shield on the exhaust can come loose at the bottom lol, ehmmm, look for rear bumper sag on the mk2, again cheap fix, but wa to batter the price down

[l11ke]

nice, really like the looks of the mk2, dont see many about

[arwilson80]

Deffo the 180... Has least problems. Although you may end up with a few if you haven't a job to fuel & tax (£215/yr) it.

[Ritchy]

the 180 has the vis problem, and the rattly plenums, the leaking thermostat and the expensive belts change,

[Dan1971]

Originally Posted by ritchyp

the 180 has the vis problem, and the rattly plenums, the leaking thermostat and the expensive belts change,

• 180....

Vis motors can be repaired by yourself or my old man can repair them for beer tokens.

You can get a brand new plenum off the 'bay for £450 which includes both vis motors, or a second hand one for circa £200 from a breaker.

Belt change is £350 from stamford's recommended mobile mechanic and so now compares favourably to the 4 cylinder cars. Mk 2's are getting near the 6yr - 90K mile recommended change so factor in that expense if/when you're looking to give some leverage on price.

Door handles. When you open the door - a common fault will show where the handle surround comes away from the actual door slightly. Again - there is a fix - but another leverage area - or a fix from a dealer before you take it away.

Tax is £215 so long as the car is registered pre-March 2006 - so anything up to an "06" or "56" plate.

The 180 is a truly awesome under-rated car. The tuning potential is not as great as perhaps something with a turbo, but a few mods around induction - exhaust and decat will get you to around 190-195, so long as everything else works properly. Add a remap as Stamford had done - 200+ .

Don't know how old you are mate so insurance can put some off - I'm 39 and pay £280 fully comp protected with business use.

Car does 30 mpg on a run - but can drop to under 20 if you listen to the V6 go through the motions as it was meant.

Every car has it's issues. But we've all got one - And - you'll love it. If you can afford it - go large - 180 all day long - but for the looks and less running costs - I can't imagine there being a lot between the 110 and 120 performance wise , but make sure that you get one with the full 180 kit - bodykit and 11 spoke alloys. If you do some mileage - Don't forget about the diesel. A few on here running well and probably more tuning potential !

You'll also still have access to loads of knowledge on these cars via this and all of the other related sites ... so go for it.

[stamford]

Excellent post Dan!

Not much more to add. I would suggest you hook up with a few members local to you to get a feel for what's on offer, 120, 180, TD, mk1 and mk2.

Budget will play a big part in your decision, if you have around £3k plus to spend then you are made.

Hasn't the 1.6 got a ford based gearbox that isn't as good as the PG1 fitted to the 1.8? Or am I thinking of the 1.4?

[l11ke]

Originally Posted by Dan1971

• 180....

Vis motors can be repaired by yourself or my old man can repair them for beer tokens.

You can get a brand new plenum off the 'bay for £450 which includes both vis motors, or a second hand one for circa £200 from a breaker.

Belt change is £350 from stamford's recommended mobile mechanic and so now compares favourably to the 4 cylinder cars. Mk 2's are getting near the 6yr - 90K mile recommended change so factor in that expense if/when you're looking to give some leverage on price.

Door handles. When you open the door - a common fault will show where the handle surround comes away from the actual door slightly. Again - there is a fix - but another leverage area - or a fix from a dealer before you take it away.

Tax is £215 so long as the car is registered pre-March 2006 - so anything up to an "06" or "56" plate.

The 180 is a truly awesome under-rated car. The tuning potential is not as great as perhaps something with a turbo, but a few mods around induction - exhaust and decat will get you to around 190-195, so long as everything else works properly. Add a remap as Stamford had done - 200+ .

Don't know how old you are mate so insurance can put some off - I'm 39 and pay £280 fully comp protected with business use.

Car does 30 mpg on a run - but can drop to under 20 if you listen to the V6 go through the motions as it was meant.

Every car has it's issues. But we've all got one - And - you'll love it. If you can afford it - go large - 180 all day long - but for the looks and less running costs - I can't imagine there being a lot between the 110 and 120 performance wise , but make sure that you get one with the full 180 kit - bodykit and 11 spoke alloys. If you do some mileage - Don't forget about the diesel. A few on here running well and probably more tuning potential !

You'll also still have access to loads of knowledge on these cars via this and all of the other related sites ... so go for it.

Thanks for the info bud. Whats the 6yr - 90K mile recommended change? Im 21 bud but dont think insurance will be too bad. Paying £700 for my astra.

Whats the average sort of mpg? as i dont want to be spending a fortune on petrol.

I could afford one if i wanted mate, hopefully have £9.5k from my astra. But the whole point of downgrading is to save some money! But on the other hand i dont want to get a 1.8 and have a load of trouble.
Is the 120 big enough for a big car?