What car...first?

[Rick101]

Hi,

Hopefully coming into some money in the next few months. I've given up on skrimp and save, decided life's too short and decided to but those cars I've always dreamed of owning.

I'll have a pot of about 15K. That's to buy, cover all running costs and also a bork fund.

Already have a diesel Octavia for work and wifes MX5 for sunny days out. I can buy something silly!This will be a third car, a performance car, a very low mileage garage queen.

What i'd really like to do is try several cars for 6-12 months each. Minimal depreciation is important as is low borkage factor. I'll prob go for the more mainstram and proven cars to start with and the slightly more risky purchases towards the end. I don't want my adventure to end prematurely!

Car wise I'm tempted by (in least borkage order)

E46 M3
Elise S2
996
XKR
TVR Tuscan

I'm after a bit of advice if anyone has done similar before.

Thanks

[tehguy]

C6 S6

[Rick101]

Is that the Audi S6 /RS6?

Yes, good suggestion. Probably towards the TVR end if the list.

I'll also need to find a 'good' insurer. Would be looking for an agreed value policy as I'll hopefully by buying the better quality cars out there. Track day cover would be nice too.

[Matt UK]

In order to meet your requirements I'm going to say a Caterham - it fits the bill perfectly on every criteria you have!

[Rick101]

Not something I'd thought about and scares me somewhat but you may well be right.

What are they like for depreciation?

[Fox-]

tehguy said:

C6 S6

It's a fast cruiser not a garage queen weekend car. A very good car and IMHO one I'd pick but not against that shortlist with the OP's criteria. It's a crushingly competent (Yet achingly expensive) everyda car.

[Benbay001]

Rick101 said:

Not something I'd thought about and scares me somewhat but you may well be right.

What are they like for depreciation?

Caterhams? Excellent!

[Axionknight]

Rick101 said:

Not something I'd thought about and scares me somewhat but you may well be right.

What are they like for depreciation?

You wont shed much value from a well looked after Caterham at all, have a nosey at the used prices - very solid residuals, they make "man maths" all the more easy!!

[RobM77]

If it's a third car and a garage queen then I think you'd be disappointed by the likes of the M3, 996 etc - they're completely refined everyday cars. I'd go for something like an Elise or a Caterham; those cars are miles more fun to drive and the running costs are much lower (especially for the Caterham). I've had two Caterhams and neither lost much money or cost much at all to service and run. If you do get an Elise or Caterham though make sure it's a good one and get a proper geo alignment done, new tyres and run the correct tyre pressures (set them cold at home, none of this driving to the garage and using cold pressures out of the handbook to set warm tyres nonsense) - I've driven examples of both cars with those three things not sorted and they were surprisingly bad.

[sawman]

put 15k into a 4 cylinder morgan and you will get it back when you sell (if you can find one for 15k)

[Rick101]

Reason I have the M3 and 996 is simply they are benchmark cars. Not as extreme as the later ones but surely a must have in your car history.

I doubt I'll get chance again so getting them out the way now.

[Strawman]

I don't think depreciation is really the issue with these sort of cars more the cost to change from one to another. That depends on how well you can pick a good example then haggle the price down followed by how well you can sell the car six months later.

[GetCarter]

Rick101 said:

E46 M3
Elise S2
996

I've owned these (actually the Elise was an S1, but not that much different).

E46 M3 is one of the best cars ever made. Loved it. Bought two of them from new. 4 proper seats, great drive and not silly money to keep.

Elise is much more 'in your face' ... a track car, hopeless for Tesco runs.... but quicker than the M3 on twisties.

996. Boring inside - fabulous grip and a proper drivers car.

I'd test drive all three as they are VERY different.

[Zoobeef]

What about a vx220/turbo?

[kambites]

Of the cars you mention, only the TVR is even approaching silly enough to be a third car, IMO.

[Yelsob]

As previously mentioned - if the car is to be something to be enjoyed, get something that isn't as humdrum as the Beemer/porker... You already have 'all-rounders' in the garage... TVR is a good shout - it's an occasion every drive - my uncle has has a few and every drive stirred up something inside! Don't settle for mediocre...

[RocketScience]

Chimaera 500.

[gog440]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...

Classic car insurance FTW.
I am 43 in an ok ish area, my 350i lives in the garage,I put my OH on the insurance (which put it up by nearly a 3rd) and for 3000 miles a year it costs me............£143 for insurance or approximately 2 tanks of juice

This leaves you the other 7k for fuel and repairs.
You cannot beat driving a very loud TVR through a tunnel with the roof off.

Depreciation free motoring as these really cannot get any lower in price.

[V88Dicky]

May I suggest adding a little muscle into the mix?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/v...




A reliable 550hp car for 12k can't be bad.

[slippery]

tehguy said:

C6 S6

Are these seriously available for only 15k now?