What Weekend Car - 20k Budget

[pilchard8]

I currently own a mk4 Supra running around 400bhp and Im looking to change into something else. Budget is around 20k.

Criteria:

MPG doesn't matter as this will used for shows/weekends only.
Seats/Practicality doesn't matter, most extreme il go is probably an Elise as I need a roof for storing on drive and I dont want to mess around with covers or kitcar
Similar Bhp per tonne as current car
RWD/4WD
Something that can handle well and not too heavy
Special/rare, no German saloons etc.

A few options Ive come up with:

Evo 9 GT/MR - Covers a alot of my criteria, may sound a bit flat compared to what Im used to
R33 GTR - Same as above, feels a bit more special, under budget
Lotus Elise/Exige - Always wanted one, may seem sluggish to what Im used to, need a go in one

Any other suggestions?

[Iamnotkloot]

A TVR of some description? They fit the criteria.

Or a Noble GTO. Hmmm, though the budget may be tight on these.....

[kambites]

You should be able to find a Honda powered Elise for £20k. A naturally aspirated one will be running around 250bhp/tonne (so broadly similar to your current car) but if you get bored you can bolt on a supercharger for another few grand which will give you around 400bhp/tonne. This sort of thing:

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...


A TVR of some sort would be a good option too.

[tejr]

TVR would tick the boxes.. You can't really beat them for specialness vs cost.

Are MZ3's still under £20k? I would love one + they are a great investment and rare.

NSX would be cool, but I think they have gone too far north of £20k. Won't meet your bhp/tonne needs either, but they are super cool.

[Tuvra]

The Mintest one of these you can find:-

[LaurasOtherHalf]

Z4 M coupe

[Jasandjules]

TVR Chimaera. V8 convertible, much bang for buck.

[StangGT]

If you can find an SC elise in budget, it should be quick enough. They are tweakable as well.

They drive superbly. I miss mine.

[300bhp/ton]

Tuvra said:

The Mintest one of these you can find:-

He said weekend car...

[300bhp/ton]

pilchard8 said:

I currently own a mk4 Supra running around 400bhp and Im looking to change into something else. Budget is around 20k.

Criteria:

MPG doesn't matter as this will used for shows/weekends only.
Seats/Practicality doesn't matter, most extreme il go is probably an Elise as I need a roof for storing on drive and I dont want to mess around with covers or kitcar
Similar Bhp per tonne as current car
RWD/4WD
Something that can handle well and not too heavy
Special/rare, no German saloons etc.

A few options Ive come up with:

Evo 9 GT/MR - Covers a alot of my criteria, may sound a bit flat compared to what Im used to
R33 GTR - Same as above, feels a bit more special, under budget
Lotus Elise/Exige - Always wanted one, may seem sluggish to what Im used to, need a go in one

Any other suggestions?

Personally not convinced an Evo or an R33 are a step up from what you have. Just an alternative. The Evo, while very talented, is at the end of the day a normal, mundane, mass market saloon car. The only thing that makes them special is the engine.

Which to me makes the Evo more a daily type car, not weekend entertainment or show cars.

£20k gives you a large scope of cars tbh. So have you considered what it is you are wanting different to the Supra?

For the record, I like all the cars you mention, but I suspect an R33 will offer 95%+ the same thrills and sensation as your Supra. So one would have to ask, why bother?

The Lotus' are very different and will offer a very different sensation, but might not be for you, if you are wanting more of a GT sized and styled car.

A TVR, like others have said, is likely to be a great compromise. Feisty, fun, hugely entertaining, but still offering lots of power too.

Although I'd probably treat TVR ownership a bit more like owning a classic car. It's not that they will be unreliable, but will likely want more planned maintenance and tinkering than a Supra does.

[Ryvita]

Z4M convertible or coupe if you want something muscley with good cruising manners, or Exige S (The old 4-cyl one) if you want something more track-y.

I had the Exige, currently have the Z4, for similar weekend duties. Both fulfilled their brief excellently. Other than that TVR sounds like it fits the bill as a half-way house between those two. Maybe R34 GTS-T or GTR if you wanted to stay Jap? Maserati 4200? S2000? Jag XKR?

[Tuvra]

300bhp/ton said:

Tuvra said:

The Mintest one of these you can find:-

He said weekend car...

Ohh do fk off, only you could make such a stupid comment. How on earth is a 500bhp Supercharged AMG (that sounds like it does) with an open top not be a weekend car?!?

As for your comments:

• GTR same as a Supra?
• An Evo "a normal, mundane, mass market saloon car"
• How can you comment on a TVR's reliability versus a Supra when you haven't appeared to own either?

[SuperVM]

Corvette C6?

[300bhp/ton]

Tuvra said:

Ohh do fk off, only you could make such a stupid comment. How on earth is a 500bhp Supercharged AMG (that sounds like it does) with an open top not be a weekend car?!?

As for your comments:

• GTR same as a Supra?
• An Evo "a normal, mundane, mass market saloon car"
• How can you comment on a TVR's reliability versus a Supra when you haven't appeared to own either?

Get out of bed the wrong side today, or did you want to go and pick your toys up now and put them back in the pram.

[Tuvra]

300bhp/ton said:

Get out of bed the wrong side today, or did you want to go and pick your toys up now and put them back in the pram.

Its just you 300, every time you spout your nonsense it gets right up my nose.....

[300bhp/ton]

Tuvra said:

Its just you 300, every time you spout your nonsense it gets right up my nose.....

Yet you think it's fine for you to act the bully, name call, piss take and post stupid pictures all the time or quote my posts with some rude comment attached to them.

Either grow up, or grow some balls if you aren't prepared to take the same kind of replies you make.

Now, I'm more than happy to be civil and call quits on this nonsense, but that will of course take both of us to achieve it.

[tejr]

Tuvra said:

As for your comments:

• GTR same as a Supra?
• An Evo "a normal, mundane, mass market saloon car"
• How can you comment on a TVR's reliability versus a Supra when you haven't appeared to own either?

To be fair, I kind of agree with 300. Apart from the TVR / Supra reliability thing!

[pilchard8]

Thanks for the suggestions.

I was considering a Cerbera/Chimaera and I was going to put on my shortlist but the lack of mechanical knowledge and possible big maintenance bills put me off. Also it will be a summer car so stored out on the drive in winter and I read they dont like been stood for months. It could all be say say but the general stereotype of tvrs put me off even though the pros outway the cons. May have to ask in the TVR sub forum.

I know what you mean about the evo/r33 not been special enough but performance wise they would be similar in the straights to my supra and far superior in the corners due to my lack of driving ability and confidence in the supra.

I had a mk1 mx5 as a daily last year and I loved that, still miss it now, so im guessing an higher power elise/exige will be even better.

Im still open to suggestions, going to have a look round a few and go from there.

[Boydie88]

Might as well go for a tuned VX220 Turbo... for the same price as an Elise you would have a near identical car with an extra 100 horses.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/v...

Edited by Boydie88 on Thursday 5th May 13:06

[TVRJAS]

I wouldn't let the lack of mechanical knowledge put you off owning a TVR. I don't have any,but hasn't stopped me owning three of them.

I have learned a few things over the years,but if I do have any problems then I just phone my local TVR specialist. I think the majority of us are covering 3-6000 miles per year,so every 12 months it gets booked in for a service and any little faults I'm not happy with ask them to look at.

Had my latest Chimaera 400 for just short of three years and have a full blog of the costs in my profile. The rewards of TVR ownership I think helps if you like to be involved in the social side of the TVR club or enjoy going to car events. It's not a must do,but the social side of TVR really is hard to beat.