Looking for a unique and fun 2 or 2+2 seater for under £30k

[Roo]

I wouldn't have a GT500 at that price as it will have the old 5.4 in it.

You'd be better off with a supercharged GT.

[Podie]

rehab71 said:

Marcos?

Stretch the budget / negotitate.... 500bhop - 1999 Marcos Mantis GT Spyder - Supercharged



http://www.redlinesportscars.com/marcoscars.php

[jimxms]

Podie said:

Stretch the budget / negotitate.... 500bhop - 1999 Marcos Mantis GT Spyder - Supercharged



http://www.redlinesportscars.com/marcoscars.php

Oh wow!

Now that really is something special. If its a dealer I may be able to finance 5-6k to make it happen.....

I know nothing about these cars so I'll have to do some reading up. I assume they use an engine made by another car company?

[Jasandjules]

Get a 4.0 TVR Chimaera. If you want the "punch" of acceleration steer away from the 5.0 which is a lot faster but delivers the power so smoothly you don't appreciate it. The 4 however, if you hold in gear at 3,000 revs then floor it, well, it is fun..........

[jimxms]

Grey Ghost said:

OP, the car below will tick most of your boxes:

http://www.powersperformance.co.uk/used/slug/43-t3...

The warranty on the engine is excellent (not that you'll need it) and I'd expect if you arranged to see the car it would be a worthwhile visit

Thats a beauty! I just showed it to the wife and she hated it though.

Time for a new wife me thinks.

[Speed 3]

300bhp/ton said:

The biggest difference is still going to be usability, running costs and durability.


This isn't to say TVR's are unreliable. Just that they are far more likely to require more attention more often.


All you have to do is look in the TVR section at what people claim as average yearly running costs. I wanted a Cerbera (still do), but when people start saying they'll cost you minimum £1000/year every year to run. And that was the lowest estimates, many people claimed they spent £3000/year to run them.

A Corvette, well it'll want a service once a year. But that's easy to do and pretty cheap. And that's about it. And you can pretty guarantee that you could jump in it any time, any weather than it'll start and get you to where you are going and back again. Without a 2nd thought.


By comparison I suspect running a TVR is more akin to running a classic car. Perfectly doable, just a little more fickle.

This is all true and over a short time frame you can catch a cold with a TVR if you are unlucky and/or buy unwisely but over 3 years + it'll work out and with zero depreciation but highly likely appreciation, the costs overall will be lower than any Yank muscle.

[Speed 3]

jimxms said:

Grey Ghost said:

OP, the car below will tick most of your boxes:

http://www.powersperformance.co.uk/used/slug/43-t3...

The warranty on the engine is excellent (not that you'll need it) and I'd expect if you arranged to see the car it would be a worthwhile visit

Thats a beauty! I just showed it to the wife and she hated it though.

Time for a new wife me thinks.

Either that or a trip to the opticians for her......

[rehab71]

Podie said:

rehab71 said:

Marcos?

Stretch the budget / negotitate.... 500bhop - 1999 Marcos Mantis GT Spyder - Supercharged



http://www.redlinesportscars.com/marcoscars.php

My FIL has a Marcos and they're bloody rare and a head turner. A lot are Rover V8's I think

[minipower]

jimxms said:

Oh wow!

Now that really is something special. If its a dealer I may be able to finance 5-6k to make it happen.....

I know nothing about these cars so I'll have to do some reading up. I assume they use an engine made by another car company?

It has a Ford derived V8. My old Marcos with 60bhp feels quite quick due to the low slung seating position and your ass being an inch off the ground. This thing with 500bhp must feel ballistic!

[Grey Ghost]

jimxms said:

Grey Ghost said:

OP, the car below will tick most of your boxes:

http://www.powersperformance.co.uk/used/slug/43-t3...

The warranty on the engine is excellent (not that you'll need it) and I'd expect if you arranged to see the car it would be a worthwhile visit

Thats a beauty! I just showed it to the wife and she hated it though.

Time for a new wife me thinks.

Take her to see it and then have her sat in the passenger seat whilst the owner demonstrates it. If she likes fast cars she will love this one, it will be like being in a video game with one of Dom's 4.3 engines running at full chat

As shown on the advert the engine has a bullet proof warranty until April 2018 as long as you go back to Dom and his team each year for the servicing, which is no hardship at all

[Podie]

jimxms said:

Podie said:

Stretch the budget / negotitate.... 500bhop - 1999 Marcos Mantis GT Spyder - Supercharged



http://www.redlinesportscars.com/marcoscars.php

Oh wow!

Now that really is something special. If its a dealer I may be able to finance 5-6k to make it happen.....

I know nothing about these cars so I'll have to do some reading up. I assume they use an engine made by another car company?

There are various cars and various engines... Ford and Rover V8s are pretty common. There were some some Rover turbo cars too I think.

I'd love one, buy Mrs Podie thinks they're ugly so no deal.

[mikeveal]

Here you go:
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/20131203030...

Its not fast in a straight line, but I have it on good authority that they feel much faster than they are.

[jimxms]

So........I've gone and bought a Corvette

2008, one owner, 20k miles, jetstream blue, z51 performance pack, manual.

[cerb4.5lee]

Very nice and I love them enjoy it and have fun.

[Grey Ghost]

jimxms said:

So........I've gone and bought a Corvette

2008, one owner, 20k miles, jetstream blue, z51 performance pack, manual.

I rather like that

[jimxms]

Grey Ghost said:

I rather like that

Thank you. First port of call is a wheel refurb. They aren't bad, but the rest of the car is mint. I'm thinking of gunmetal grey/shadow chrome....



I think it works pretty well.

[chris watton]

jimxms said:

Grey Ghost said:

I rather like that

Thank you. First port of call is a wheel refurb. They aren't bad, but the rest of the car is mint. I'm thinking of gunmetal grey/shadow chrome....



I think it works pretty well.

Love it! Well done on your purchase, and it is very refreshing to see something a little different other than an identikit German Euro barge.

[Grey Ghost]

jimxms said:

Thank you. First port of call is a wheel refurb. They aren't bad, but the rest of the car is mint. I'm thinking of gunmetal grey/shadow chrome....



I think it works pretty well.

These guys have a great rep and have done work for me before:

http://www.lepsons.com/