Car Dilemma... Views Please!

[CRW4]

Recently returned to the UK from the US, and in need of a car or cars. My wife is sorted with a Disco to ferry the kids around in. Before leaving I had a holy grail spec '97 C2S that I should never have sold and now cannot afford to (or rather cannot bring myself to) repurchase. The 993 worked for me when we lived in London, but we're now down in Guildford and with 4 kids I think I need two cars -- one workhorse (in addition to the Disco) for lugging the kids / stuff around, which is practical but still a lot of fun to drive; and something more interesting for times (mainly weekends) when it's just me + my wife or one of the kids. I don't need a daily driver, as South-West trains does (or often doesn't) take care of my commute.

Budget is 20k +/-5 for the workhorse + 20k +/-5 for the more interesting.

Here's what I've considered:

Workhorse:

- mid / late 2000s S6 Avant or early 2000s RS6 (likely lots of trouble) or RS4
- M5 Touring
- E class estate (either older E55 AMG or more recent model E350)

Fun car:

- Trad Brit sports car like well sorted TR6 or MGA (stick it in the garage and only bring it out on those 7 days a year when the weather is glorious....)
- Lotus Elise
- 993 Targa (prices still seem reasonable and I've always fancied one, even if they are unfashionable)

To complicate things further, I've also still tempted to bin the two car brief and throw it all into 1 car, in which case front-runners would be:

- Gen 1 997 Turbo manual or immaculate, low mileage 997 4S
- 2007/8 Audi R8

As you can see, I am a bit all over the place. Any advice / words of wisdom would be much appreciated!

[carl_w]

I can't see why you need two workhorses plus a fun car. If it's just you, missus + 1 kid you can always shoehorn one of them (depending on who is smaller) into the back of a 2+2. You have 6 people. You can cope with all combinations with just 2 cars.

[goneape]

You have enough money to throw at this 1st world problem that you don't need PH advice.

FWIW as you're clearly a Porsche man that needs at least 4 seats and some luggage space what about a Panamera?

You could then have a Citroen xsara picasso or some such PoS for the tip runs etc.

[poing]

carl_w said:

I can't see why you need two workhorses plus a fun car. If it's just you, missus + 1 kid you can always shoehorn one of them (depending on who is smaller) into the back of a 2+2.

Nail the other 3 kids to the roof?

[carl_w]

poing said:

Nail the other 3 kids to the roof?

Put them in the Disco?

[lamboman100]

GTR.

[CraigyMc]

Why is the disco not the workhorse again?

[poing]

carl_w said:

poing said:

Nail the other 3 kids to the roof?

Put them in the Disco?

Then lock the doors and take the fun car, genius!

Sorry OP not being much help but frankly you are spoilt for choice with your budget, personally I'd adjust the budget in favour of the fun car and buy an Aston V8 and a £10k daily.

[carl_w]

poing said:

Then lock the doors and take the fun car, genius!

I'm not seeing any combinations that can't be solved with a Disco and a 2+2:

6+0 -- 6 in Disco
5+1 -- 5 in Disco, 1 in 2+2
4+2 -- 4 in Disco, 2 in 2+2
3+3 -- 3 in Disco, 3 in 2+2
2+4 -- 4 in Disco, 2 in 2+2
1+5 -- 5 in Disco, 1 in 2+2
0+6 -- 6 in Disco

I'm assuming that in all cases the OP isn't relying on one of the kids to drive one of the cars, and furthermore that none of them are large enough to not fit in the back of a 2+2 as if they are they should be sorting out their own transport.

[Jim AK]

poing said:

Then lock the doors and take the fun car, genius!

Sorry OP not being much help but frankly you are spoilt for choice with your budget, personally I'd adjust the budget in favour of the fun car and buy an Aston V8 and a £10k daily.

^^^This^^*

If you feel you need another workhorse what about a Merc W211 E320 CDI with a Brabus chip?

My father has one & I'm amazed at the difference over a standard E320. £10k would be plenty for a late model.

He also runs a 2000 AM Vantage.

[MrBig]

poing said:

Sorry OP not being much help but frankly you are spoilt for choice with your budget, personally I'd adjust the budget in favour of the fun car and buy an Aston V8 and a £10k daily.

What he said!!

That budget could even run to an early DB9! XKR Jag? Nissan GTR? VXR8? Maserati Gran Turismo? M3? S7? The world is your oyster. Probably comes down more to what maintenance costs you can stomach?

Look forward to hearing what you do go for though!

Plop £10k on a new Dacia Duster for station dumper/tip run duties and throw it away when the warranty expires

[CRW4]

Thanks for all the input. Those who questioned need for 2 x workhorses are probably right. So I've decided to prioritise the fun weekend car, and then see if the need really does arise for a second bigger car. Checked out a very nice TR, but decided it's just too primitive. Like the idea of an AM V8, and hadn't thought of that; will check a few out. Also stopped by Bell and Colville today and had a look at an Elise S... going for a drive in one later this week. All good stuff.