RE: £100K Garage: Ryan Thomas
Saturday 5th September 2015
Name: Ryan Thomas
Previously owned: Vauxhall Corsa SRI, Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DTI (awful), Mercedes 230E, VW Golf V5, BMW 120d.
Currently owned: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro since I moved to America
On the shortlist: "My first car to me was amazing, but in essence it was rubbish. 85hp when it was new - a fair few years before I got it! - but I had so much fun with it. My point is, I moved onto what I thought would be a sensible choice, a diesel Vectra. It was awful, awful to drive, awful to look at, and constantly broke down. After university, I stopped trying to be sensible and bought a Mercedes 230E W124. It was 20 years old and had a fair few miles on it too. However, my two friends and I loaded it up and went on a three-week European road trip in this car; it didn't let us down, was comfortable and could still do 125mph on the autobahn without a fuss.
Mercedes S500 W140
Cost: £5,995
Balance: £94,005
Why I chose it: "After I bought the 230E, I fell in love with this era of Mercs. When they engineered them properly! Obviously the only one that could possibly replace my 230E would be the S500. It's big, it's spacious and it has a V8; people who don't know cars would not look twice and I like that as well. It could be left anywhere, my mates could fit in comfortably and I could pick my grandmother up and she would think I had made it!"
Range Rover Vogue TDV6
Cost: £10,000
Balance: £41,505
Why I chose it: "I need something to pull the Radical! I love the look of these Range Rovers; they are incredibly comfortable and there's plenty of space for Radical parts when I inevitably run out of luck/talent. My dad had a Range Rover Sport TDV6 and it was a great car despite breaking down a few times... He liked it so much he now has the new Sport, petrol this time though. The TDV6 is a good enough engine, though I'm slightly concerned it may struggle with the extra bulk of the full fat Range Rover. But the idea is to pull stuff that is faster and more interesting so performance isn't that important! This one has low miles for its age and seems well looked after, even if they don't mention the service history."
Fiat 500 Abarth
Cost: £10,000
Balance: £1,755
Why I chose it: "My brother currently has one of these and they are great little cars. Something good fun to drive, easy to park and a little different to bridge the gap between my other choices. This one has the paint I like, leather, xenons, subwoofer (why not?), plus an engine upgrade to 160bhp. Finally, I like that it doesn't have the Abarth decals all over it; sometimes it's better to be a touch understated."
£100K Garage: Ryan Thomas
A Radical for track, a Range Rover to pull it, a pair of V8s and a cheeky little hot hatch for Ryan's £100,000
Previously owned: Vauxhall Corsa SRI, Vauxhall Vectra 2.0 DTI (awful), Mercedes 230E, VW Golf V5, BMW 120d.
Currently owned: 2012 Chevrolet Camaro since I moved to America
On the shortlist: "My first car to me was amazing, but in essence it was rubbish. 85hp when it was new - a fair few years before I got it! - but I had so much fun with it. My point is, I moved onto what I thought would be a sensible choice, a diesel Vectra. It was awful, awful to drive, awful to look at, and constantly broke down. After university, I stopped trying to be sensible and bought a Mercedes 230E W124. It was 20 years old and had a fair few miles on it too. However, my two friends and I loaded it up and went on a three-week European road trip in this car; it didn't let us down, was comfortable and could still do 125mph on the autobahn without a fuss.
"After this I tried to compromise between sensible and fun and ended up with a Mk4 Golf V5 as it was a bit of a bargain, had loads of options on it and was a good motorway cruiser to work and back.
"So on this basis the shortlist is something fun, something for when fun goes wrong and something sensible for everything else!"
Cost: £5,995
Balance: £94,005
Why I chose it: "After I bought the 230E, I fell in love with this era of Mercs. When they engineered them properly! Obviously the only one that could possibly replace my 230E would be the S500. It's big, it's spacious and it has a V8; people who don't know cars would not look twice and I like that as well. It could be left anywhere, my mates could fit in comfortably and I could pick my grandmother up and she would think I had made it!"
Radical SR3
Cost: £42,500 with its trailer
Balance: £51,505
Why I chose it: "Because I have never done a track day, and desperately want to! And in if you are going to do it, you have to do it properly. This would involve something that isn't road legal, in my mind. I have been to a track and seen some of these and they sounded great, with just enough fear factor too! That makes this is the not so sensible option. The deal-clincher for me is it comes with its own trailer. As let's face it, who wants to go shopping for a trailer?"
Cost: £10,000
Balance: £41,505
Why I chose it: "I need something to pull the Radical! I love the look of these Range Rovers; they are incredibly comfortable and there's plenty of space for Radical parts when I inevitably run out of luck/talent. My dad had a Range Rover Sport TDV6 and it was a great car despite breaking down a few times... He liked it so much he now has the new Sport, petrol this time though. The TDV6 is a good enough engine, though I'm slightly concerned it may struggle with the extra bulk of the full fat Range Rover. But the idea is to pull stuff that is faster and more interesting so performance isn't that important! This one has low miles for its age and seems well looked after, even if they don't mention the service history."
Aston Martin Vantage
Cost: £29,750
Balance: £11,755
Why I chose it: "Just look at it. Can these really be £30K now?! It looks fantastic, has the V8 with a glorious exhaust bellow, and it's a manual. A proper British sports car in my mind. Nothing more to say, I have wanted one of these for a long time now so it was most definitely going into my £100K Garage. My current car here in the States is a Chevrolet Camaro and it is fantastic fun so I am thinking along the same lines."
Cost: £10,000
Balance: £1,755
Why I chose it: "My brother currently has one of these and they are great little cars. Something good fun to drive, easy to park and a little different to bridge the gap between my other choices. This one has the paint I like, leather, xenons, subwoofer (why not?), plus an engine upgrade to 160bhp. Finally, I like that it doesn't have the Abarth decals all over it; sometimes it's better to be a touch understated."
"The remaining balance I would spend on a trailer hitch for the Range Rover and a helmet for driving the Radical."
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Discussion
these are some great choices but could i suggest maybe parking up the radical for about 5 years and using the fiat on track instead...its abit like buying the fastest superbike as your first bike and expecting not to kill yourself. But hey, its a fantasy garage so i suppose it doesn't really matter.
Huge percentage of budget gone on a track car for me but then everyones priorities differ....But Finally someone who has bought a track car for the track and not some tinkered with road car thats been bugging me for quite some time!!
Why waste money on a road car just for the track? Surely its better to buy one thats purpose built for the job especially when you have enough cash to cover your other needs!!!!
Great job for this point alone!!!
Why waste money on a road car just for the track? Surely its better to buy one thats purpose built for the job especially when you have enough cash to cover your other needs!!!!
Great job for this point alone!!!
Itsallicanafford said:
these are some great choices but could i suggest maybe parking up the radical for about 5 years and using the fiat on track instead...its abit like buying the fastest superbike as your first bike and expecting not to kill yourself. But hey, its a fantasy garage so i suppose it doesn't really matter.
I understand your point but the Radical is used in most of the race schools as is one of if not the best car to learn in...Or so I´ve been toldItsallicanafford said:
these are some great choices but could i suggest maybe parking up the radical for about 5 years and using the fiat on track instead...its abit like buying the fastest superbike as your first bike and expecting not to kill yourself. But hey, its a fantasy garage so i suppose it doesn't really matter.
I understand your point but the Radical is used in most of the race schools as is one of if not the best car to learn in...Or so I´ve been toldpirategaz said:
I understand your point but the Radical is used in most of the race schools as is one of if not the best car to learn in...Or so I´ve been told
It's a fair point, but I assume in a race school there will always be an instructor with you? I'm sure you would get instruction but pretty soon you will be on track on your own, in the fastest car on track as a novice, IMO you would have alot on your plate to deal with!Nice cars, but as above, I can't help thinking I would spend a lot less on something less extream and more fun for the track. But each to their own.
However, the RR and the Aston, at that price, all I can think is "what can possibly go wrong". One for a specific job I can understand, but both, when you have £100k, seems, well, something you would only do with imaginary money.
However, the RR and the Aston, at that price, all I can think is "what can possibly go wrong". One for a specific job I can understand, but both, when you have £100k, seems, well, something you would only do with imaginary money.
SteveSteveson said:
Nice cars, but as above, I can't help thinking I would spend a lot less on something less extream and more fun for the track. But each to their own.
However, the RR and the Aston, at that price, all I can think is "what can possibly go wrong". One for a specific job I can understand, but both, when you have £100k, seems, well, something you would only do with imaginary money.
Maybe an atom would be better unless you planned to compete. At least with an atom you can take it out on a sunny day too.However, the RR and the Aston, at that price, all I can think is "what can possibly go wrong". One for a specific job I can understand, but both, when you have £100k, seems, well, something you would only do with imaginary money.
From a 60+ year old TVR owner and track day enthusiast - what a good choice of cars for one so young.
I would have had a Noble rather than the Radical, purely so i can actually take it to work from time to time, but as I get regularly monstered by Radicals on the track, I can see where you are coming from.
S Class Merc - good call. I would have bought the next newer model, but that's down to personal choice.
Range Rover - what's not to like?
Small fizzy car - ditto. I often think, while sitting out the wet part of track days (TVRs are NOT good on track in the wet), that i wish I owned a front wheel drive hot hatch as well as my TVR. Golf GTI would do me, but I like your thinking with the Fiat, as you already know you like it.
Aston Vantage - yes please!!!!!
I would have had a Noble rather than the Radical, purely so i can actually take it to work from time to time, but as I get regularly monstered by Radicals on the track, I can see where you are coming from.
S Class Merc - good call. I would have bought the next newer model, but that's down to personal choice.
Range Rover - what's not to like?
Small fizzy car - ditto. I often think, while sitting out the wet part of track days (TVRs are NOT good on track in the wet), that i wish I owned a front wheel drive hot hatch as well as my TVR. Golf GTI would do me, but I like your thinking with the Fiat, as you already know you like it.
Aston Vantage - yes please!!!!!
Mike29 said:
snuffy said:
Aston Martin Vantage
Cost: £29,750
Why I chose it: "Just look at it. Can these really be £30K now?!
I take it you're not driven one then ?
Looks glorious, sounds glorious. Is comfortable. 'Ok' to drive but not that exciting. Worthy of a place in a 100k stable.Cost: £29,750
Why I chose it: "Just look at it. Can these really be £30K now?!
I take it you're not driven one then ?
Itsallicanafford said:
these are some great choices but could i suggest maybe parking up the radical for about 5 years and using the fiat on track instead...its abit like buying the fastest superbike as your first bike and expecting not to kill yourself. But hey, its a fantasy garage so i suppose it doesn't really matter.
Very much this- if you turned up at a TD with a Radical you'd need to know what you are doing in that you need some to be able to have the basic speed so you can exploit the aero capabilities. Trundle round getting passed by quicker driver in more mundane stuff and you'll be a laughing stock ("... all the gear, no idea"). Change it to a well-worn but sorted Caterham Academy or ex Graduates car in which you can learn 'circuit craft' in, spend the £30k saved on some track driving tuition and something else nice for the road. You'll have just as much (...if not more) fun. All IMO (and entirely theoretical- we can all dream) of course 
. This is a proper 100k choice, bang on for me.
I'd probably spend less on a track car and add a fast road / sportscar as well, but otherwise bob on. Love the W126.
As for the all the gear no idea thing - definitely true if you have a Radical and no track experience, but he's saved £1800 left over, surely enough for some private track time and tuition?
I'd probably spend less on a track car and add a fast road / sportscar as well, but otherwise bob on. Love the W126.
As for the all the gear no idea thing - definitely true if you have a Radical and no track experience, but he's saved £1800 left over, surely enough for some private track time and tuition?
LayZ said:
This is a proper 100k choice, bang on for me.
I'd probably spend less on a track car and add a fast road / sportscar as well, but otherwise bob on. Love the W126.
As for the all the gear no idea thing - definitely true if you have a Radical and no track experience, but he's saved £1800 left over, surely enough for some private track time and tuition?
Yeah agreed a good mix of old and new and some interesting stuff too- I think I'd want the £1800 as a contingency fund for the Vantage! Still disagree on the Radical though. I suppose my point is, yes, you can use some of the budget on track time and tuition, but after this you will either a) have some natural / taught ability to be able to drive the thing at maybe at least 9/10ths, which will mean you will blow everything else on track into the weeds and things will get quite boring, quite quickly, or (b) the ability won't be there and the lovely SR3 will quickly be an expensive pile of broken bits as any biggish 'off' in a Radical is going to be a pretty high speed stuff, both messy and expensive. I'd probably spend less on a track car and add a fast road / sportscar as well, but otherwise bob on. Love the W126.
As for the all the gear no idea thing - definitely true if you have a Radical and no track experience, but he's saved £1800 left over, surely enough for some private track time and tuition?
Whereas a £10k ex-race Seven will be more forgiving and progressive whilst still being quicker (on overall lap time) than a lot of stuff on most trackdays. Plus (unlike the SR3) there is more likely to be some similar cars about with whom you can lap and really gauge where you gain / lose time- IMO having such 'dices' (note: not racing Mr TD Organiser
) is where the real fun of trackdays exists. And if you bend it, it's cheap to fix / replace. Hell, with £40k+ you could buy 2 or 3 more and rent them out to pay for your track days. Mmmm 
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