Newbie... and I've got a budget of around £11k for a new toy

Newbie... and I've got a budget of around £11k for a new toy

Author
Discussion

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Morning guys and girls

This is my first post so I suppose I better introduce myself.....

I'm Alex, 24 originally from NW London.

My car history over the last few years has is.....

1st Car (2007) - 1998 1.2 Renault Clio

2nd Car (2010) - 2007 Ford Focus ST500 (MR290 + Clubsport)


3rd Car (2013) - 1972 Chevrolet Nova with a built 402/396 big block, TH350 transmission and a 8.5inch 10 bolt rear.


4th Car (Current) - 1969 Chevrolet Chevelle SS396 4 speed (genuine, documented, concourse restored)


5th Car (Current - although technically the GFs) - 2011 Alfa Romeo MiTo Cloverleaf (what an awesome little car!)


Anyway, to give you a run down of how I came across each one.......
The Focus was my first baby, and I spent 2 years throwing everything at it. It was immaculate, brilliantly reliable and very fun to drive and I regret getting rid of it.
The story with the Nova was.... I saw it on eBay on a Friday, viewed it on Sunday, it was on my drive on Wednesday and the Thursday before all of this I wasn't planning on buying a new car. So the Focus to stripped for parts, returned to standard and sold. Moving on, the Nova proved to be a little more hassle than I originally had hoped and to get to the standard I would of liked, required money I didn't want to spend. Typically I had all of the little mechanical niggles resolved and sold it when it was running the best it ever had! Anyway, the plan was to wait a while - whilst me and the GF bought a place - but as I'm sure most of you can relate to, this was unrealistic and was never going to happen. So I decided I wanted a '69 Chevelle and found the tangoed beast on TeamChevelle.com advertised by a retired Police officer in a little town in Minnesota. I had an inspection done on the car and it concluded that the car was, in their words, immaculate and show quality. So a deal was struck and it arrived about 2 months later.
Unfortunately the moment it arrived and I saw just how unbelievable the car was I concluded I wasn't gonna keep it very long. I sh*t myself every time I drove it and didn't like the thought of it getting dusty! I thought I would of enjoyed something as nice as it was but it was just too nice. Couple that with the unbeliveble amount of paper work and historical documents, it's probably best in a collection.... so it's currently for sale... which brings me to where I am now....

I had a deposit on a nice '71 Nova over in NY but due to the exchange rate dropping over the last 4-6 weeks I've been priced out of the deal so am going to wait until it picks up again. Until then - after the Chevelle sells - I'll have a a budget of around £11k to spend on something to keep me entertained until I can afford to bring something over again.

I need something that's gonna get me what I paid for it when I come to sell....

My very short list so far, and both cars I've always fancied, are...

E46 M3
MK1 Focus RS

I'm aware of the issued to look out for in terms of the M3 and have a good specialist that could look after an RS for me.

It'll only be a weekend toy so wear and tear will be minimal and the car will be garaged.
So what I'm asking is are there any better options? Has anyone owned both? Which would you recommend? Pros and cons? Talk to me people!

Thanks for reading my life story!

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Both good cars but it seems odd to pick a big heavy practical four-seater for a weekend toy?

parabolica

6,703 posts

183 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
kambites said:
Both good cars but it seems odd to pick a big heavy practical four-seater for a weekend toy?
Variety is the spice of life; both of those happen to be on my list to own/experience at some point in my life. Just because it's a weekend toy doesn't mean it has to be stripped down, raw and balls-out.

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
parabolica said:
kambites said:
Both good cars but it seems odd to pick a big heavy practical four-seater for a weekend toy?
Variety is the spice of life; both of those happen to be on my list to own/experience at some point in my life. Just because it's a weekend toy doesn't mean it has to be stripped down, raw and balls-out.
Of course; it just seems a pitty to own such cars and not use them as daily drivers. Especially the M3, it's a fantastic daily. smile

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
My little £850 Clio is my 4 mile a day daily driver to a from the train station, hence my new purchase will just be my weekend fun

Silverbullet767

10,680 posts

205 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Seeing as you like big V8's, how about a Vauxhall Monaro?

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
BowtieBoris said:
My little £850 Clio is my 4 mile a day daily driver to a from the train station, hence my new purchase will just be my weekend fun
Fair enough, they're certainly both great cars in their own ways.

I've only driven the Focus very briefly (the M3 rather more), but from that I'd say the Ford feels more "special" than the BMW in that to me it feels more distinct from the rest of the range. The BMW is undoubtedly a more complete all-round package, but I suppose that's not necessarily what you're looking for in a weekend car.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 18th December 09:34

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Silverbullet767 said:
Seeing as you like big V8's, how about a Vauxhall Monaro?
I did flirt with that idea but for what ever reason they don't do it for me. Maybe its the whole Vauxhall thing (no offence to any Vauxhall owners!) I'd sooner have the pretty much identical Pontiac GTO of the same body style/year. Can choosing a Pontiac over a Vauxhall be badge snobbery confused

Silverbullet767

10,680 posts

205 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
BowtieBoris said:
Silverbullet767 said:
Seeing as you like big V8's, how about a Vauxhall Monaro?
I did flirt with that idea but for what ever reason they don't do it for me. Maybe its the whole Vauxhall thing (no offence to any Vauxhall owners!) I'd sooner have the pretty much identical Pontiac GTO of the same body style/year. Can choosing a Pontiac over a Vauxhall be badge snobbery confused
If it makes you feel any better, you can change the Vauxhall badges for Holden ones, seeing as that's what it is anyway hehe

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
kambites said:
Fair enough, they're certainly both great cars in their own ways.

I've only driven the Focus very briefly (the M3 rather more), but from that I'd say the Ford feels more "special" than the BMW in that to me it feels more distinct from the rest of the range. The BMW is undoubtedly a more complete all-round package, but I suppose that's not necessarily what you're looking for in a weekend car.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 18th December 09:34
I've never driven either - maybe that'll be the decider - but I can appreciate they're both very different animals.
The reported 'rawness' of the RS is quite a big draw...

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Silverbullet767 said:
If it makes you feel any better, you can change the Vauxhall badges for Holden ones, seeing as that's what it is anyway hehe
laugh

GaryNoGrip

1,444 posts

174 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
BowtieBoris said:
Silverbullet767 said:
Seeing as you like big V8's, how about a Vauxhall Monaro?
I did flirt with that idea but for what ever reason they don't do it for me. Maybe its the whole Vauxhall thing (no offence to any Vauxhall owners!) I'd sooner have the pretty much identical Pontiac GTO of the same body style/year. Can choosing a Pontiac over a Vauxhall be badge snobbery confused
The only part that is Vauxhall is the badge, if you can get over that then go test one, you may just fall in love....

kambites

67,460 posts

220 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
Try to get a decent length test drive in both, then.

The M3 is a car which grows on you - apart from the engine (which is clearly a gem the first time you drive it) the rest of the car feels much like any other 3-series until you take the time to appreciate the quality of the details of the way it's set up. On a short test drive, I'm sure the Focus will impress much more because it's rather less... subtle in its talents.

james_gt3rs

4,816 posts

190 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
What about an Evo or Impreza?

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
james_gt3rs said:
What about an Evo or Impreza?
My only reservations about both are the interiors (I appreciate the interior in the Focus looks like a child has been let lose with a blue crayon) but it's a car I've always loved and the 2 japs aren't. As mentioned with the Monaro, a test drive may change my mind but they're not cars that I personally would chose from the off.

Also, they're both cars I'm not very familiar with at all. Any suggestions what would be the one to go for in terms of specs?

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
kambites said:
Try to get a decent length test drive in both, then.

The M3 is a car which grows on you - apart from the engine (which is clearly a gem the first time you drive it) the rest of the car feels much like any other 3-series until you take the time to appreciate the quality of the details of the way it's set up. On a short test drive, I'm sure the Focus will impress much more because it's rather less... subtle in its talents.
With it only being a temporary thing (I'm probably looking about 12 months until the £-$ exchange rate picks up) 6 months in each isn't out of the question.

MKnight702

3,095 posts

213 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
What about a sports car for weekends?

For example, Lotus Elise, Westfield SEi or similar?

Westfield would get my vote, buy well and you could probably sell in a year without losing anything.

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
MKnight702 said:
What about a sports car for weekends?

For example, Lotus Elise, Westfield SEi or similar?

Westfield would get my vote, buy well and you could probably sell in a year without losing anything.
Small sports cars aren't my thing if I'm honest. A little too hardcore for me too.

billzeebub

3,862 posts

198 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
BowtieBoris said:
MKnight702 said:
What about a sports car for weekends?

For example, Lotus Elise, Westfield SEi or similar?

Westfield would get my vote, buy well and you could probably sell in a year without losing anything.
Small sports cars aren't my thing if I'm honest. A little too hardcore for me too.
In that case you need a TVR Chimaera. Comfortable GT. Big boot too, it won't lose money. It's the next car on my ownership list.

BowtieBoris

Original Poster:

26 posts

121 months

Thursday 18th December 2014
quotequote all
billzeebub said:
In that case you need a TVR Chimaera. Comfortable GT. Big boot too, it won't lose money. It's the next car on my ownership list.
Again, another car I'm not very clued up/familiar with. Isn't subframe rot quite common? The unreliability reputation has always put me off.