best IMO is pretty hard, and if I was spending that amount of money I wouldn't be going for a fiat I'm afraid
theres no one winner IMO, and all do different things and different running costs, but that aside, the shortlist...
alfa 147, pick any
alfa 145, pick any after 1996
alfa 166, pick a v6 model with tiny front lights
saab 9-5 estate, aero if poss, 2.3t of any other spec if not.
saab 9-3 hatch (upto 2003) not as good riding or good anything as the 9-3ss, but aero/viggen models pack a deadly turbocharged torquesteering punch. basically they can't handle the power, which makes them all the more fun :worship:
volvo s60,pick any petrol turbo model MANUAL, auto's are the spawn of satan. nice looking/built car, really did volvo a good thing and raked in the mular for them.
now onto some more dreamy, yet still under £5k and practical machines...
AUdi URs6, dear god, the noise, the build quality, the complete lack of driver feedback, and the howl of a 200bhp+ 5cyl supercharged allwheeldrive monster on 255mm by 17" chunks of rubber. you WILL NOT get a better built more reliable motor that puts a smile on your face. mile for mile they hold value + offer better reliability than any ferrari I can currently think of, and any newer audi (rs2, whcih is older, is off course more powerful and has porshe everything on them, hence why they are stil £10k+ and the bigger urS6 is £7k down.)
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?i...channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&sa=N
want something more fuel efficiant, but still built like the provibial toilet outbuilding? go for a 2.5tdi (don't bother with the early 1.9's too small), or a petrol 2.6/2.8 v6, or on a really late R plate you'll find the more modern (but flat sounding/performing 2.4, and there are rumours of a few dozen 2.7twinturbo S4 motor's being put into LATE s6's to shift them on, on a R/S plate, find one of them and RING ME STRAIGHT AWAY).
anyway, whatever you can afford to insure/tax. I wouldn't spend more than £1500 on a small car, just a pure waste of money to be spending dough on something made out of cheap russian tin. If you want to spend proper money, buy a proper car, and some more of those proper cars.
any BMW 7series. ANY, although the late 80's model, AND the late 90's models are my fav, pick any engine.
any bmw 5series, first models (really quirky styling but I love em) or early 90's model will do you proud for under a grand for a minter. or you may be able to pick up a 1997> model for under budget, pick a big diesel estate and you could run it for a year and sell it for same money quite easily. so yeah, tax is £200, but its not devaluing one penny :slayer:
other than that not much really.