Are you looking for a nice starter car and you have €3,000: these are original ones to start with

Of course, thirst and driving don’t go together, so we are looking for a used car that is spacious enough to take three or four passengers. This way you always have someone with you who can or wants to be the BOB. If the fuel costs can also be shared, then it makes little difference whether the car itself is a somewhat heavier user. Our ideas if your budget is three grand? See below:

Alfa Romeo 33 1.4IE L – 1994 – 138,292 kilometers – €2,950

Exactly 30 years ago, this writer made his AutoWeek debut as an intern. One of the first cars he drove was an Alfa Romeo 33 that had been embellished by its owner with, among other things, a wooden gear lever knob – without a shift diagram on it. Quite difficult, because where was that damned reverse gear? Memories come to mind when looking at this Alfa Romeo 33: slightly darker in color, but still nice and sleek in cut. The biggest asset is of course the screeching boxer engine – a dying breed. Besides that, it is said that every car enthusiast must have owned an Alfa Romeo at some point, so why not the HP-NX-59? The photos show a somewhat dusty four-wheeler, but one of the honest kind: in 30 years only two owners who together have traveled less than 140,000 kilometers with it. The interior photos show a neat interior, so this Italian appears to have always been well cared for.

With today’s many hundreds of EV horsepower, 90 horses may seem quite poor, but don’t forget that this family car weighs less than 940 kilos. The many glass all around ensures that everything seems to go faster than in reality and otherwise there is the boxer roll (at 100 km/h 3,300 rpm, at 130 km/h no less than 4,300). Maybe that’s the reason an audio system is absent? In short: a real character box in apparently excellent condition. Nice to start your car career, but we understand any raised eyebrows at the thought of a 30-year-old Italian. The time when Alfas were already rusting in the brochure was long gone in 1994. And the alleged (un)reliability? The fact is that you have to get to know a boxer-33 like that. Never run full throttle with a cold engine (applies to water and oil), that kind of thing.

Signaling

Brand Alfa Romeo
Type 33 1.4IE L
Construction year March 1994
Mileage 138,292
Asking price €2,950
Where to buy? HVM Netherlands, Voorthuizen

Technical data

Engine 4 cyl. boxer, 1,351 cc
Max. assets 66 kW/90 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. couple 113 Nm at 4,500 rpm
Luggage compartment 400 l/1,200 l
Max. trailer braked 1,000 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:13
0-100 km/h 11.5 sec
Top speed 178 km/h

All data according to factory specifications

Daihatsu Young RV 1.3-16V XTI – 2004 – 164,147 kilometers – €2,399

A Japanese first car is almost never wrong: starting, running, driving… He just always does it. As a result, Japanese people, especially the smaller models, often have the image of being boring. Reason to portray this Daihatsu Young RV. It looks like a square box, but the special window line does it justice. As if the designer drank a little too much sake while sketching. Anyway, we have only seen such a side view on the Citroën C2. The Young (yes!) RV is a bit more compact than the Alfa. In terms of performance, they are not inferior to each other, but the Daihatsu (also a dying breed, by the way) is a lot more economical, thanks to its curb weight of only 862 kilos. We also dare to say that the 13-PV-DF (two ex-owners) will be cheaper to maintain, and not only because it is ten years younger, but has covered a few more kilometers. You then quickly return to the dilemma of heart (33) versus head (Young RV). Does this nice little cart have nothing more to offer? Yes, because the features show its younger age: two airbags, electric windows all around (in the 33 it’s a bit of a swing in the back), electrically adjustable exterior mirrors… Plus an aftermarket radio. The fairly high construction provides no less than 1.5 cubic meters of stowage space when the furniture is folded down.

The downside of the high carriage is the driving characteristics that are not completely in line with the motor skills. Shifting goes smoothly enough, but it is mainly the not sharp steering, the comfortably tuned suspension and damping (which causes it to lean) and the seats that offer little lateral support that stand in the way of overly enthusiastic driving. Nice gimmick: the rear seat is higher than the front seats, so that rear passengers have a good view forward – and therefore what the driver is up to. Tough men, take note: Japanese red paint can sometimes turn pink…

Daihatsu Young RV

Signaling

Brand Daihatsu
Type Young RV 1.3-16V XTI
Construction year December 2004
Mileage 164,147
Asking price €2,399
Where to buy? Autobedrijf Oosting, Emmen

Technical data
Engine 4 cyl. in-line, 1,298 cc
Max. assets 64 kW/87 hp at 6,000 rpm
Max. couple 120 Nm at 3,200 rpm
Luggage compartment 240 l/1,500 l
Max. trailer braked 1,000 kilos
Avg. consumption 1:16.7
0-100 km/h 10.3 sec
Top speed 176 km/h

All data according to factory specifications

Buick Regal Limited – 1994 – 93,906 kilometers – €2,750

If you have enough friends to transport and/or share the fuel receipt, you could also start your automotive career with an American. One person doesn’t like it at all, another (like our Michiel Willebrands) runs away with it. What do you think of this Buick Regal? A size smaller than the Park Avenue that our Lars Krijgsman owned, but with a length of 4.95 meters it is still a nice battleship. Fun fact: we know the current Regal better as… Opel Insignia! An almost indestructible 3.8 V6 rumbles in the forecastle. 170 hp is delivered to the front wheels via a four-speed automatic transmission. It turns this rolling sofa, look at those thickly upholstered seats, into a wonderfully smooth cruiser that works best on long, quiet roads. With cruise control enabled, fuel thirst can still be curbed somewhat. In addition to cruise control, this genuine Yank has many more trinkets on board that the above-mentioned cars can only dream of: ABS, air conditioning, radio/CD player, wood inlays in the dashboard and on the doors, and alloy spoke rims, for example. The HG-LJ-98 is the same age as the Alfa 33 (but still has two airbags on board), was delivered new in our country at the time and has since worn out three owners who would have driven it less than a ton. But beware: according to the RDW, the odometer reading is illogical. You should have that looked at. Furthermore, we could say that American cars are also a dying breed on our road network – if Tesla had not been there. Green metallic paint and a light gray interior: quite a tasteful combination. It’s just a pity that the steering wheel looks so chewed up… But if we tell you that the late André Hazes senior owned a Buick, then this Brabant used car must be fine, right?

Signaling

Brand Buick
Type Regal Limited
Construction year January 1994
Mileage 93,906
Asking price €2,750
Where to buy? Car company M. Hellings, Leende

Technical data
Engine V6, 3,791 cc
Max. assets approx. 125 kW/170 hp at 4,800 rpm
Max. couple 305 Nm at 3,200 rpm
Luggage compartment enough!
Max. trailer braked nb
Avg. consumption 1:9.4
0-100 km/h 10.2 sec
Top speed 200 km/h

All data according to factory specifications

Which 3 grand starter car appeals to you most?

For the younger ones among us: what do you start with if you have three grand to spend? A reliable Japanese in a striking jacket, an Italian with a raspy boxer under the hood or a softly swishing sofa? Or do you know how to spend your three grand better? And for the older ones among us: what did you start with, what would you like to start with now with a budget of €3,000 or which cheap four-wheeler provides you with warm, sweet memories? We look forward to hearing from you again!