Discussion
It sounds like the Z4 would suit you better than an MX5, with its comfort and hardtop, but it will potentially be a lot more money to run. I assume there aren't any Z4s with main dealers in the budget you've set and most non franchise insurance warranties are of questionable value.
Pretty much all NC MX5s are likely to be rusty underneath, as will early NDs. Don't they do a targa version of the ND? Buy an ND and budget for a wire brush and comprehensive rust protection treatment.
I think you should go for a Z4. Plenty for sale, so haggle a good deal. Then put money aside each month in case something expensive goes wrong.
Pretty much all NC MX5s are likely to be rusty underneath, as will early NDs. Don't they do a targa version of the ND? Buy an ND and budget for a wire brush and comprehensive rust protection treatment.
I think you should go for a Z4. Plenty for sale, so haggle a good deal. Then put money aside each month in case something expensive goes wrong.
370Z looks nice but it's not for me. I can't get past that tax band, even if it doesn't make too much difference to overall cost.
It's a real shame about MX5's and rust. A rust bucket just isn't what I want these days. I've had them in the past and once the rot starts it's a losing battle. Can't believe even the ND suffers.
Z4 is looking good. I wouldn't want to go any older than the E89. And I think I'd rather the facelift 4 pot turbo than the earlier 6 pot cars. I'm used to turbo now and quite like having low down torque. A 28i would be more than enough for me. I'll have a look into potential issues with them but there is a good local indy nearby who looked after my E92.
Then there's that Audi TT. A 2.0 tfsi quattro in S line trim on 19's looks really nice to me. They seem good quality and most reviews are positive. I've checked MOT history on a few for sale and most are very clean so they must be reliable? It would probably mean spending 15k or so but that's still less than I was planning to until recently.
It's a real shame about MX5's and rust. A rust bucket just isn't what I want these days. I've had them in the past and once the rot starts it's a losing battle. Can't believe even the ND suffers.
Z4 is looking good. I wouldn't want to go any older than the E89. And I think I'd rather the facelift 4 pot turbo than the earlier 6 pot cars. I'm used to turbo now and quite like having low down torque. A 28i would be more than enough for me. I'll have a look into potential issues with them but there is a good local indy nearby who looked after my E92.
Then there's that Audi TT. A 2.0 tfsi quattro in S line trim on 19's looks really nice to me. They seem good quality and most reviews are positive. I've checked MOT history on a few for sale and most are very clean so they must be reliable? It would probably mean spending 15k or so but that's still less than I was planning to until recently.
LightningBlue said:
These can be forgotten about but a Mini Cooper S Roadster would be a lot of fun. These cars are fantastic down twisty roads, excellent handling and steering with a well-matched responsive engine. Just depends if you want a well rounded car - they’re hard riding so for daily use won’t be everyone’s idea of fun. Need to check engines carefully for timing chain and tensioner issues but my Coupe was reliable.
I concur lots of fun and if you come from a hot hatch then what’s not to like ?
Edited by blue al on Friday 26th April 20:41
Love the s2000 but it’s just too old now for me to consider using daily.
Also like the Abarth 124 although they are more expensive. And I’m guessing they fair no better against rust than the MX5?
I did a bit of research on the Z4 28i. Apparently it’s the N20 engine which did have known timing chain issues until 2015 when some revisions were made. Does anyone know how much of a problem this is?
Other than that I’m not finding much wrong with the Audi TT apart from it not being RWD or having a manual gearbox! Some reviews mention the steering is a bit vague which appears to just be an Audi thing. Engine appears to be good. DSG is supposed to be the one to have with the 2.0 engine and Quattro. I’d quite like to drive one.
Also like the Abarth 124 although they are more expensive. And I’m guessing they fair no better against rust than the MX5?
I did a bit of research on the Z4 28i. Apparently it’s the N20 engine which did have known timing chain issues until 2015 when some revisions were made. Does anyone know how much of a problem this is?
Other than that I’m not finding much wrong with the Audi TT apart from it not being RWD or having a manual gearbox! Some reviews mention the steering is a bit vague which appears to just be an Audi thing. Engine appears to be good. DSG is supposed to be the one to have with the 2.0 engine and Quattro. I’d quite like to drive one.
ChrisH72 said:
Z4 is looking good. I wouldn't want to go any older than the E89. And I think I'd rather the facelift 4 pot turbo than the earlier 6 pot cars. I'm used to turbo now and quite like having low down torque. A 28i would be more than enough for me. I'll have a look into potential issues with them but there is a good local indy nearby who looked after my E92.
I wouldn’t rule out the 6pots, the N52 is brilliant and much better engine than the 2.0Point to note is that the 1.8,2.0,2.8 are the same engine just in different states of tune
I would think twice about paying a premium for the 2.8 when a £200 map on one of the others gives you the same
Worth bearing in mind that the folding hard top can be troublesome as they age although there are a couple of specialists that can sort them reasonably
ChrisH72 said:
Other than that I’m not finding much wrong with the Audi TT apart from it not being RWD or having a manual gearbox! Some reviews mention the steering is a bit vague which appears to just be an Audi thing. Engine appears to be good. DSG is supposed to be the one to have with the 2.0 engine and Quattro. I’d quite like to drive one.
We had a brand new Audi TTS S-Tronic(DSG) Coupe back in 2012. It was a lovely thing to sit in and live with, plus it went well enough with a 0 to 60 in 5.2 seconds as well I thought. I echo the reviews regarding the steering though, and I wasn't a fan of the steering at all, and weirdly for a car with 4WD it didn't give you a lot of confidence in the corners for me(because of the steering). We did 68k miles in it, so we got to know it, but just be aware that they can be pretty thirsty(the TTS anyway). Ours was only used for long journeys and it only returned 27mpg overall, and for me that was quite low for a 4 cylinder 2.0 turbo engine I thought.
As reference...the 4 cylinder 2.0 turbo in the F56 Cooper S did 40mpg overall in my hands, and the F82 M4 with its 3.0 straight 6 twin turbo is doing 29mpg in comparison. The 370Z is only doing 22mpg though...so I can cope with the lower mpg figures occasionally to be fair!
I wouldn’t rule out the N52 Z4 although it’s getting a bit older and I’d expect running costs to be higher. There’s loads of 23i manuals around at cheap prices but not many 30i which I think is the one I’d want. I was aware that all the 2.0 were the same but thought the 28i was only available in higher spec so might be easier to get one with everything on it. I’ve never remapped a car before and it doesn’t appeal to me. Always thought if you want more power just buy a faster car!
Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
I still can't help feeling that a 987 2.7 Boxster should be getting some consideration. All of the cars you are looking at have a potential to throw up a big bill, but the Porsche will undoubtedly depreciate considerably less and potentially make more financial sense as well as being he best actual roaster on the list?
This looks a nice example. High spec, FSH, proper N rated tyres all round etc. With your mileage you're unlikely to lose much in value over 2-3 years of ownership, just get a pre-purchase inspection done.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404138...
This looks a nice example. High spec, FSH, proper N rated tyres all round etc. With your mileage you're unlikely to lose much in value over 2-3 years of ownership, just get a pre-purchase inspection done.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202404138...
I just can't help but think of that guy on here who had a pre purchase inspection report only to have complete catastrophic engine failure shortly after buying!
I did look at a 981.2 last year. It did feel a bit old on the inside despite an asking price of about £17k. From there I went to see a new mx5 ND and thought it was lovely. But long term rot worries me. To be honest if it weren't for the rust I'd just buy an mx5.
I do get the whole depreciation/maintenance thing. Depreciation is a known quantity so its easy to budget for. Maintenance is a lottery. You could run an old porsche for years and nothing go wrong in which case it's a win. Or you could get engine failure after 6 months and its game over.
I did look at a 981.2 last year. It did feel a bit old on the inside despite an asking price of about £17k. From there I went to see a new mx5 ND and thought it was lovely. But long term rot worries me. To be honest if it weren't for the rust I'd just buy an mx5.
I do get the whole depreciation/maintenance thing. Depreciation is a known quantity so its easy to budget for. Maintenance is a lottery. You could run an old porsche for years and nothing go wrong in which case it's a win. Or you could get engine failure after 6 months and its game over.
ChrisH72 said:
Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
There are a couple of chaps on here with Mk3 TTS's, and from what I've read from their experiences...the Mk3 TTS is far better on fuel than the Mk2 TTS I believe for sure. I personally love the shape of the Mk3 TT as well.
ChrisH72 said:
I just can't help but think of that guy on here who had a pre purchase inspection report only to have complete catastrophic engine failure shortly after buying!
I did look at a 981.2 last year. It did feel a bit old on the inside despite an asking price of about £17k. From there I went to see a new mx5 ND and thought it was lovely. But long term rot worries me. To be honest if it weren't for the rust I'd just buy an mx5.
I do get the whole depreciation/maintenance thing. Depreciation is a known quantity so its easy to budget for. Maintenance is a lottery. You could run an old porsche for years and nothing go wrong in which case it's a win. Or you could get engine failure after 6 months and its game over.
Buy an ND then and get it professionally rust protected.I did look at a 981.2 last year. It did feel a bit old on the inside despite an asking price of about £17k. From there I went to see a new mx5 ND and thought it was lovely. But long term rot worries me. To be honest if it weren't for the rust I'd just buy an mx5.
I do get the whole depreciation/maintenance thing. Depreciation is a known quantity so its easy to budget for. Maintenance is a lottery. You could run an old porsche for years and nothing go wrong in which case it's a win. Or you could get engine failure after 6 months and its game over.
I have wondered about buying the newest ND I can and getting it undersealed. ND2 sport nav plus start around £16k for a 2019 car. Surely that would be safe enough?
How much is it roughly to get rust protection done?
It must be possible to sort out because there are loads of old MX5's around. I've checked MOT history on several NCs and rust isn't mentioned. Most are clean with no advisories so they surely can't be that bad?
Another consideration I have is that my wife would need to be comfortable driving it. There would be times I would need to take the family car leaving her with the roadster. She's not a car person at all. I'm sure she'd be okay in a TT as she had an A3 as a company car years ago and liked that. MX5 would be fine as well. Z4 perhaps less so with the low seat and long bonnet. Boxster I'd say not, she'd be terrified of it. And whatever it is parking sensors would be essential!
How much is it roughly to get rust protection done?
It must be possible to sort out because there are loads of old MX5's around. I've checked MOT history on several NCs and rust isn't mentioned. Most are clean with no advisories so they surely can't be that bad?
Another consideration I have is that my wife would need to be comfortable driving it. There would be times I would need to take the family car leaving her with the roadster. She's not a car person at all. I'm sure she'd be okay in a TT as she had an A3 as a company car years ago and liked that. MX5 would be fine as well. Z4 perhaps less so with the low seat and long bonnet. Boxster I'd say not, she'd be terrified of it. And whatever it is parking sensors would be essential!
ChrisH72 said:
I wouldn’t rule out the N52 Z4 although it’s getting a bit older and I’d expect running costs to be higher. There’s loads of 23i manuals around at cheap prices but not many 30i which I think is the one I’d want. I was aware that all the 2.0 were the same but thought the 28i was only available in higher spec so might be easier to get one with everything on it. I’ve never remapped a car before and it doesn’t appeal to me. Always thought if you want more power just buy a faster car!
Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
I actually have a TT mk3 now, coupe and manual with the 2.0TFSI - these are really great all rounders, comfortable everyday and decent down a b road. Just don’t expect the best driver involvement, the Mini I mentioned earlier in the thread was far more playful and communicative down a twisty road, but the TT looks fantastic, has a tremendous interior and tech (things like nav, Apple CarPlay and far more can be added easily and cheaply if it doesn’t already have it), and the engine allows for easy overtaking and delivers very good economy. There’s nothing to dislike about them really. Good info on the TT. It would be the mk3 that interests me and I’d assume they moved the game on from the mk2? I’m not sure if the VAG 2.0 tfsi was changed at all in the mk3? Not too fussed about it being a TTS. They are lovely but start around £20k which is a bit much. The 230bhp one would be fine I’m sure. My mileage is fairly low so mpg isn’t a huge problem.
I quite like the look of this one.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024030873...
Typically with German cars you have to seek out the spec you want. I'd need heated seats and parking sensors. Sat nav is nice. That one seems to have some kind of air scarf in the seats which would be good. Not local though.
I've been looking at the coupe too in case the wife really digs in about not having rear seats. I know they're not much use but they are at least there not that I'd be using them I'm sure. I'd really rather the soft top though. Apparently the hood is very well insulated so it'd be a decent year round car I think.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024030873...
Typically with German cars you have to seek out the spec you want. I'd need heated seats and parking sensors. Sat nav is nice. That one seems to have some kind of air scarf in the seats which would be good. Not local though.
I've been looking at the coupe too in case the wife really digs in about not having rear seats. I know they're not much use but they are at least there not that I'd be using them I'm sure. I'd really rather the soft top though. Apparently the hood is very well insulated so it'd be a decent year round car I think.
ChrisH72 said:
I quite like the look of this one.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024030873...
Typically with German cars you have to seek out the spec you want. I'd need heated seats and parking sensors. Sat nav is nice. That one seems to have some kind of air scarf in the seats which would be good. Not local though.
I've been looking at the coupe too in case the wife really digs in about not having rear seats. I know they're not much use but they are at least there not that I'd be using them I'm sure. I'd really rather the soft top though. Apparently the hood is very well insulated so it'd be a decent year round car I think.
Lovely man, I'm a big fan of the tt. I'd love one of the bonkers five pot ones. Maybe tomorrow, because I'm gonna win the lottery!! http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/2024030873...
Typically with German cars you have to seek out the spec you want. I'd need heated seats and parking sensors. Sat nav is nice. That one seems to have some kind of air scarf in the seats which would be good. Not local though.
I've been looking at the coupe too in case the wife really digs in about not having rear seats. I know they're not much use but they are at least there not that I'd be using them I'm sure. I'd really rather the soft top though. Apparently the hood is very well insulated so it'd be a decent year round car I think.
Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff