A bit of flash for not much cash - what car

[otolith]

You also have to keep in mind that PH has some very particular ideas about cars and social class, which may or may not be shared by the people you are dating.

[CountZero23]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

It would certainly be wise for the OP to hang onto his shed if he went the classic route.

That said , you can't beat a blast in a fun car to a decent country pub as a second date.

[Vitorio]

PhilThePower said:

The 159's look gorgeous. I could live with sorting suspension out when needed as long as it isn't breaking down every 5 mins so that's encouraging.

The suspension foibles were mostly a 156/147/GT problem, those cars are known for treating the front upper wishbones as disposables, the 159 generation doesnt have the same rep, it is a completely different platform, and supposedly better in terms of reliability then the 156/147/GT (though also heavier and less sporty/dynamic to drive, especially the pre-08 models)

Speed 3 said:

Not a fan of the looks when it came out but its ageing well and that spec is mouthwatering:

Alfa Brera 3.2 SV Q4 £5k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

I still cant get myself to like the rear of a brera, the spider has a much nicer behind imho.

And engine wise.. I just cant think of what i'd really want in a brera, the 1750TBi i suppose? (for lack of better options)

[battered]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Dead right. I tried to do about 12k pa in a well-used one, I spent more time mending it than driving it. A clutch, a new engine, driveshaft UJs, suspension bits for a pastime, listening to the back axle whining. Periodic welding. Oh, great fun.

As a bit of fun going to the pub on a summer's evening and doing 3k miles pa, with a proper car in the wings, great. As a daily driver, I'd rather walk.

[Thankyou4calling]

CountZero23 said:

Had a beat up old Mk1 MX5s for years and was a 50/50 split between girls adoring it or thinking it was a rusty deathtrap. Both entirely reasonable points of view.

Plenty of safe options so far in the form of tidy BMW's, A3's and other VAG stuff.

Boxster is a good shout, my mum and sister were astonished when they found out you could buy one for less than 20k second hand

My shout would be a classic, decent Triumph Spitfires can be had in your budget

£3,950.00

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Triumph-Spitfire-1500-Ex...

MG's, Triumph Stag maybe.

Depends what kind of girl your after, if it's hipsters, art students or actually girls who like cars (they do exist) you'll be sorted.

A Triumph Spitfire! Seriously!

Either I've been transported back to 1978 and been re incarnated as a cast member in Man about the house or you are watching too many "Confessions of a window cleaner" type films.

A Spitfire either says "Ghey" or anorak.

It will rarely start, look stupid, let in water like a seive and you will be laughed at.

OP's best bet is a decent 3 series convertible, silver or black, big wheels, big stereo, automatic as new as he can afford.

[Thankyou4calling]

Thankyou4calling said:

Here we are.

This will get the old knicker elastic twanging.

Wipe clean interior in case you "Have a mishap"
Horrid colour leather that will have her posting selfies on insta.
TV to watch TOWIE and CBB

Gangsta rims

"System up with the top down, got the city on lockdown"

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[ZX10R NIN]

Thankyou4calling said:

Here we are.

This will get the old knicker elastic twanging.

Wipe clean interior in case you "Have a mishap"
Horrid colour leather that will have her posting selfies on insta.
Gangsta rims

"System up with the top down, got the city on lockdown"

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Is that how they list it on the advert?

I have to say the OP wanted "a bit of falsh for his cash" this seems to hit the brief.

[Shnozz]

I actually think that Beemer looks great. Nice engine in it, nice colour and the interior (which I would usually consider foul) actually seems to work with that exterior colour oddly.

Just a shame its an auto.

[Alex_225]

ZX10R NIN said:

I have to say the OP wanted "a bit of falsh for his cash" this seems to hit the brief.

I agree, it has that flashiness to it which the OP seemed to want.

Personally it's a fine line to be treading whereby you buy a car to look flash but it's on the cheap. It can look a bit too try hard.

I'm not sure many women would like a man to pull up in that, roof down and one arm on the wheel. Unless they're skin tone is orange haha.

[Thankyou4calling]

Shnozz said:

I actually think that Beemer looks great. Nice engine in it, nice colour and the interior (which I would usually consider foul) actually seems to work with that exterior colour oddly.

Just a shame its an auto.

Auto allows him to gently stroke his victims thigh whilst maintaining the direction of travel with his hand loosely draped over the wheel at 12 o'clock

[hotchy]

stuart-b said:

I've always thought that spending money on nice trips (weekends away) gets you far more "bang" for your buck than any car. This thread smells so desperate of "pretending to be something I'm not".

Offer to take "her" (objectively speaking, anyone you are interested in/has similar interest back) to dinner in a top restaurant in Paris for a weekend, Madrid, Vienna, Lisbon, wherever - spend a lot less and get a lot more (experiences) and run a car you can afford. Sounds a lot more fun in your 20's than trying to maintain some clapped out chav mobile.

Just my 2c

Your missing the point. He doesnt want a sophisticated woman to take home to mum after a lovely weekend away. He wants a only way is essex, blonde mindless baffun thats very attractive and filthy girl to have a good time with one night and replace with a new girl another night. 24 and divorced means hes been tied dowm and not done that during the uni years. Go have fun.

[battered]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

There isn't a woman born, outside of a BMW dealership sales team, who knows what "E46" means. There are even fewer who care. The important bit is the blue and white badge. You get round the year plate with a cheap perso plate, if you really want to go the whole hog.

[TwistingMyMelon]

When I had an Mx5 I used to get quite a few women interested and come up and chat, whether they were interested or not , but some were very flirty

I then got a W124 coupe, nice spec, propper classic look, nice pillarless coupe, I was only 25. People used to tell me I looked like a grandad/Drug dealer/antques dealer/man of taste. Often mechanics and sophisticated gents would come up to me and chat about the car. I got the car because I liked it, not to impress women/other people I don't care what others think hence owning an Mx5

Had good run of dates when single with that car and the spacious backseat saw lots of action, not sure if women liked it or not or my dazzling charm and wit got them in there!. The neighbor's young son told me that "my mum loves your car and my dad hates you"

Since then had a run of boring hatchbacks Audi/Seat/Honda/Mazda but happy in a relationship and had no interest from anyone out driving, let alone women! I think the cars would bore their own shadow TBH

If I was single again (hopefully not) I wouldn't bother impressing birds with a car, only gets you so far. Its like painting over rotten wallpaper, its soon gonna rot though . having said that if I was single and had more time I would get a Merc R129 500sl, not to impress anyone, just that I bloody love them. Im sure it would attract older more discerning women though.

Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Tuesday 23 August 11:51

Edited by TwistingMyMelon on Tuesday 23 August 11:52

[battered]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

I bet they don't. How do I know? Because *I* don't, and I'm interested in cars. Not BMW models, that's all.

They will pick up on new vs old, but that's a condition thing.

[Shnozz]

TwistingMyMelon said:

I was only 25.

Had good run of dates when single with that car and the spacious backseat saw lots of action

You were 25 and entertaining women on the backseat?! Were you grooming?

Is this normal? I didn't have any backseat knee tremblers beyond 18. I can't imagine in my mid-20s suggesting hopping in the backseat like some American high school movie.

[TwistingMyMelon]

Shnozz said:

TwistingMyMelon said:

I was only 25.

Had good run of dates when single with that car and the spacious backseat saw lots of action

You were 25 and entertaining women on the backseat?! Were you grooming?

Is this normal? I didn't have any backseat knee tremblers beyond 18. I can't imagine in my mid-20s suggesting hopping in the backseat like some American high school movie.

I'd just got out of a long term relationship and was seeing a 19 year old nympho who still lived at home, if she wanted it in the back seat round the corner from her house then she got it! I wasn't going to ask "oh I say is this normal darling...shouldn't we stick to some light petting whilst your mother and father watch tv in the room next door"

[CX53]

Got in to a bit of a childish race with an Audi TT on my way to work yesterday. It was a Mk1 but very clean and clearly well looked after, in quite an interesting colour, and had a private plate which wasn't too naff. I reckon you could probably do a lot worse for your budget. The engine in the 3.2 sounds really nice.

I reckon where you've got to go a bit older due to budget, this might be the key. Find the cleanest example of something, the old E46's look pretty good as long as they're clean and standard, any messing about with them strays in to council territory.

I also saw a lease deal for the Leon coupe 1.4tfsi, it looks the part, goes alright, and it was around the £200 pm mark if I remember rightly, with nationwide vehicle contracts.

[johnwilliams77]

CX53 said:

Got in to a bit of a childish race with an Audi TT on my way to work yesterday. It was a Mk1 but very clean and clearly well looked after, in quite an interesting colour, and had a private plate which wasn't too naff. I reckon you could probably do a lot worse for your budget. The engine in the 3.2 sounds really nice.

I reckon where you've got to go a bit older due to budget, this might be the key. Find the cleanest example of something, the old E46's look pretty good as long as they're clean and standard, any messing about with them strays in to council territory.

I also saw a lease deal for the Leon coupe 1.4tfsi, it looks the part, goes alright, and it was around the £200 pm mark if I remember rightly, with nationwide vehicle contracts.

What use is a lease deal to him considering he has a st credit history?

[CX53]

It doesn't matter so much with leasing, I was approved a year or so back with a st credit history, I think as its a lease and they can just take the car back they aren't so bothered. Not sure if this would be the same with PCP too, but leasing certainly is easier than getting a bank loan, as I found out.

[battered]

That makes sense. Even with a lousy credit score they will ensure that your startup deposit covers them for a few months' lease fees and they will take it back if you default. If they take a car worth £3k-4k and then monthly lease fees of £300, they stay ahead for the first year at least.