What 4 seat super(-ish)car? - £20k
Discussion
Guvernator said:
Sorry but a lot of these cars in this thread aren't what I'd call super-ish. Yes quite a few have the performance but not many have the looks or the drama required for a special car so that excludes fast estates or most German uber saloons IMO.
OP I have been looking for something very similar but have slowly come to the realisation that there isn't a car that does everything we want i.e.
1) Decent to drive
2) Looks good
3) Has reasonable running costs
4) Is reliable
5) Semi-practical with enough space for two adults and a child
6 A bit special as in it gives you a good feeling to drive\be in\look back at it.
Unfortunately I've found it's usually a case of pick any 4 of the 6 above at most. A Maserati probably comes closest in terms of looks,specialness and practicality but running costs and reliability are a question mark plus you can't get them with a manual gearbox.
I've sort of given up in the end. You do have a 355 to do the looks\special stuff though so maybe just give up some of that and just buy the default choice which is a German uber saloon.
Sounds like we are certainly on the same wave length! OP I have been looking for something very similar but have slowly come to the realisation that there isn't a car that does everything we want i.e.
1) Decent to drive
2) Looks good
3) Has reasonable running costs
4) Is reliable
5) Semi-practical with enough space for two adults and a child
6 A bit special as in it gives you a good feeling to drive\be in\look back at it.
Unfortunately I've found it's usually a case of pick any 4 of the 6 above at most. A Maserati probably comes closest in terms of looks,specialness and practicality but running costs and reliability are a question mark plus you can't get them with a manual gearbox.
I've sort of given up in the end. You do have a 355 to do the looks\special stuff though so maybe just give up some of that and just buy the default choice which is a German uber saloon.
The only cars that fit most of the criteria are:
Aston Martin DB7 i6 (but they're all dropping to pieces)
TVR Cerbera (they will drop to pieces on a day to day basis)
Porsche 911 996 (which will last forever but I dont like them)
Jaguar XK 4.2 (but too many about and are only available as an auto)
Maserati 3200GT (potential bankrupcy)
I've just sent an enquiry about a straight six Cerb. If I can find a good one then maybe I'll just run that and give the 355 a break for a year.
James19181 said:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...
Plenty of cash left over for recovery service and garage bills
ETA: I may have gone O/T a bit, but I just think that's awesome
Its a box!Plenty of cash left over for recovery service and garage bills
ETA: I may have gone O/T a bit, but I just think that's awesome
Crusoe said:
Saved the best till last, bit of budget creep but worth it for a right hand drive ghibli cup with upgraded engine, would make a great pair with the 355 though maybe strip the paint from the wheels.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
Way over the £20k budget and will probably take another £30k to run it for a year!http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
ITP said:
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/a...
Yorkshire you say, thats where the GTA I mentioned is!
Not really that rare though is it? Yorkshire you say, thats where the GTA I mentioned is!
Crusoe said:
or the lotus equivalent 1970s elan +2 few on the car and classic site some with lots or rebuild history.
http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C614236
Wow! Didn't think they were in budget! I like that a lot!http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C614236
ITP said:
Well there are less than 250 left in the uk, with only about 350 ever registered. You will see more ferraris and lamorghinis tan GTA's by about a factor of 10 in my experience. Thing is most people don't know what a GTA is..
I get what you mean but it is effectively a beefed up 156. Great car, good looking, but just doesn't look sleek and impractical enough if you get what I mean?sputnik said:
Really? No 355 parts seem to fit mine. 
Suspension actuators for a start, except you wouldn't know this because you wouldn't ever want to buy them as a Ferrari part. The only difference is one has a prancing horse badge on them and one has a Trident on them..... oh and yours are £400 a pop and mine are £600 each! (if memory serves correctly). But they are the same part.
UPDATE: 
Crusoe said:
mini supercar looks and just about space for kids in the back, lotus evora? A bit over budget just now but you might get close for a higher mileage private sale.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
Just a bit too much over the budget or I'd have been all over that!http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...
Edited by Crusoe on Friday 29th May 10:36
Steven_RW said:
OP: I think some of your requirements are contradictory. Thus why you can't find the solution.
You want rare, but reliable, but sporty, but fun, but 2+2, but not a porsche etc.
If these cars existed we would ALLL be driving them, at which point they wouldn't be rare.
:-). I read the whole thread and some cool cars have come up, but the chap that highlighted you could have 4 of the 6 sounds like he is on the right page.
Good luck.
SRW
Wouldn't say is contradictory, there are quite a few cars that fit the bill but not necessarily the budget. If my budget was £35k then there are plenty of cars to choose from like the Masser GT, Lotus Evora, Aston DB9 etc.You want rare, but reliable, but sporty, but fun, but 2+2, but not a porsche etc.
If these cars existed we would ALLL be driving them, at which point they wouldn't be rare.
:-). I read the whole thread and some cool cars have come up, but the chap that highlighted you could have 4 of the 6 sounds like he is on the right page.
Good luck.
SRW
But there are a few that are in budget too, TVR Cerbera, Aston DB7 (although they all need work if in budget), Lotus Elan 2+2 (although a bit too old and unreliable) BMW M6, Masser 3200/4200, Jag XK. There's been some great cars mentioned here. Not all of them are to my particular taste but as usual the PH lot have come up with some cracking ideas.
They all have some sort of issue with them in some way but I'm willing to compromise on certain aspects. I'm off to look at a Cerbera tomorrow which means I will have to compromise on reliability. But I'm used to having problems with that after 7 years of Ferrari ownership!
Well I don't mess about.....
I'VE JUST BOUGHT A TVR CERBERA SPEED SIX!!!! 
The car I went to see didn't disappoint. My god, the Cerbera is such a good car and very very underrated! Very driveable, f**kin fast, comfy and feels so special.
When I said I wasn't supercar-ish well this isn't 'ish'.... Its a proper supercar! The looks, interior and performance are all supercar worthy! I love it and I cant wait to collect her. Its having some work done first as James Agger or James Agger Autosports is a bit of a perfectionist. Which works fine for me! The car is in exceptionally good condition, especially chassis. There were the odd bits that needed attention but they were pointed out to me straight away and I was told they would be done. The only reason they hadn't is because they hadn't had the car in very long.
Anyway, thanks for all of the input guys. If you're ever in the same position as me then please do go and drive Cerbera. So much more of an event than the DB7 I nearly bought!
Heres' a cheeky pic I took of it before I left. So excited!!!!
I'VE JUST BOUGHT A TVR CERBERA SPEED SIX!!!! The car I went to see didn't disappoint. My god, the Cerbera is such a good car and very very underrated! Very driveable, f**kin fast, comfy and feels so special.
When I said I wasn't supercar-ish well this isn't 'ish'.... Its a proper supercar! The looks, interior and performance are all supercar worthy! I love it and I cant wait to collect her. Its having some work done first as James Agger or James Agger Autosports is a bit of a perfectionist. Which works fine for me! The car is in exceptionally good condition, especially chassis. There were the odd bits that needed attention but they were pointed out to me straight away and I was told they would be done. The only reason they hadn't is because they hadn't had the car in very long.
Anyway, thanks for all of the input guys. If you're ever in the same position as me then please do go and drive Cerbera. So much more of an event than the DB7 I nearly bought!
Heres' a cheeky pic I took of it before I left. So excited!!!!
Cheers guys!
Not exploded yet but getting very close. These first 29 hours have dragged since we shook on the deal...... Only about 300 hours to go!
Just can't wait to get behind the wheel again. Still shocked at how special it felt compared to cars I've driven costing 20 or 30 times more. They are such an underrated car! How are they worth less than £20k? It's as fast as a Lamborghini Gallardo in a straight line but with that gorgeous interior and the fact it's 2 wheel drive and no driver aids feels so much moe engaging to drive.
Not exploded yet but getting very close. These first 29 hours have dragged since we shook on the deal...... Only about 300 hours to go!
Just can't wait to get behind the wheel again. Still shocked at how special it felt compared to cars I've driven costing 20 or 30 times more. They are such an underrated car! How are they worth less than £20k? It's as fast as a Lamborghini Gallardo in a straight line but with that gorgeous interior and the fact it's 2 wheel drive and no driver aids feels so much moe engaging to drive.
Guvernator said:
Congratulations on the purchase. You've made me want to go and have a look at one now!
Out of interest, what made you choose one with a speed six engine over a V8, aren't the 8 cylinder engined cars more reliable?
I chose the Speed Six because it's supposedly a more user friendly car if being used daily as a commuter. The V8's are more all out Supercars that have mental performance and stiffer suspension and quicker steering rack. Which is great for irregular use but would probably p**s me off every day.Out of interest, what made you choose one with a speed six engine over a V8, aren't the 8 cylinder engined cars more reliable?
The speed six is still an immensely fast car but softer..... Not that you could ever describe a TVR as a 'soft' car in any sense. And dare I say it's also that little bit more economical? Engine problems wise, if the speed six engine has had the correct updates then it should be fine reliability wise. They're cheaper to service than the AJP8 too.
Well just to give a final update to the thread, I collected my under £20k super-ish-car. Except I can now honestly say its a Supercar, no 2 ways about it.
Sleak lines of a supercar - Check!
Stupid mental performance - Check (Its quicker than my F355!)
A true drivers car - Check
Rare - Check (less than 3000 made)
I love it! Its such an event to drive and feels so special inside with that swooping dash and tons of leather. It sounds glorious, more V12 rather than straight six. And its a car that I cant walk away from without looking back at it because its so pretty!
Thanks for all of the replies on here PHers. Was great to have the extra input and I'm so glad that I was corrected with my views on the Cerbera by a few.
Anyway, here she is at the Supercar Driver Pizza Night last week at the Cadeby Inn near Doncaster where she was appreciated by lots of other supercar owners and enthusiats!
Tucked up in her room!
Sleak lines of a supercar - Check!
Stupid mental performance - Check (Its quicker than my F355!)
A true drivers car - Check
Rare - Check (less than 3000 made)
I love it! Its such an event to drive and feels so special inside with that swooping dash and tons of leather. It sounds glorious, more V12 rather than straight six. And its a car that I cant walk away from without looking back at it because its so pretty!
Thanks for all of the replies on here PHers. Was great to have the extra input and I'm so glad that I was corrected with my views on the Cerbera by a few.
Anyway, here she is at the Supercar Driver Pizza Night last week at the Cadeby Inn near Doncaster where she was appreciated by lots of other supercar owners and enthusiats!
Tucked up in her room!
Definitely worth 'investing' in one now! Thats the best way to get the wife to agree too. My wife now trusts my man maths because she let me take a risk with my last car on the basis I could sell it a year later for a bit more.... it actually doubled in value!
They shouldn't be ridiculously expensive to run if you get a sorted Speed Six engine and look after the chassis. And values are creeping up already. When the new TVR's are released next year then there will be a lot more interest in the brand and I can see them becoming quite desirable again.
To be honest, with the performance and the fact its raw unlike anything available today, they're becoming extremely desirable now anyway without the brand. What else looks as good, goes as quickly, costs a decent amount to run (incomparison to Ferrari, Lambo, Aston etc), has a decent level of practicality, feels as special, for anywhere near as little as a Cerbera or other TVR's cost to buy?
They shouldn't be ridiculously expensive to run if you get a sorted Speed Six engine and look after the chassis. And values are creeping up already. When the new TVR's are released next year then there will be a lot more interest in the brand and I can see them becoming quite desirable again.
To be honest, with the performance and the fact its raw unlike anything available today, they're becoming extremely desirable now anyway without the brand. What else looks as good, goes as quickly, costs a decent amount to run (incomparison to Ferrari, Lambo, Aston etc), has a decent level of practicality, feels as special, for anywhere near as little as a Cerbera or other TVR's cost to buy?
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