Discussion
Everybody loves a 'What Car' thread...
So I moved to Sydney about 2.5 years back, selling the Mk5 Golf R32 and modified VX220 Turbo I had at the time. I was only coming for a year originally, and given the high price of cars here compared to the UK I was not in a rush to spend a lot on not a lot. Anyway, 2.5 years later I'm still here and looking at applying for Permanent Residency. And most importantly it's making me very unhappy not having a toy! I have come to terms with the high price of European cars, but as I'm not sure how long I am going to stay in the country I don't want to tie too much of my savings up in a car.
The Brief: Manual, convertible, preferably 4 seats, preferably German, ideally naturally aspirated, $30-50k, weekender not daily, special / fun but not too flash to worry about leaving on the street (Bondi Beach).
Originally I wanted an E46 M3 convertible, but nice one's are few and far between and manual cabs seem to be almost non-existant. I really want the pleasure of a manual shift rather than SMG or such. This got me looking at 996 convertibles, and Boxster S's- both cars I would have considered a few years ago to be a bit 'soft'. I guess that's getting older and needing different things from a car! 996 is probably my least favourite edition, and I have never been a fan of cooking spec Porsche's, but it is currently my favourite choice as it would be fun to cruise around in in the summer. I have been looking at a Boxster S to keep in the UK and the choice here is very limited. There are a couple of nice 986 S's in the price bracket, but the fact they are only a 2 seater is a bit of an inconvenience. I have also considered E90 series 335 cabs, but they do not feel special enough. A B7 RS4 came up but the colour combo was really not too my taste. I would like an older 930 series Porsche, but I worry about the air-cooled engines in sumer traffic and on longer trips as well as the lack of A/C. Has anyone had much experience running one? There are a few Elise's in the budget, but having owned the VX220 it's not a very practical proposition for this country especially as my only car that would live on the street.
As manual convertible car's seem to be few and far between, other options I have considered are E46 M3 Coupe, 996 Coupe and S3. If I was a bit more committed to being here longer term, an E92 M3 cab would probably be my 1st choice. As options that would be fun to cruise in and also go camping and haul my bicycles etc, I have looked at Range Rover Sports and Land Rovers.
I am not big into Jap cars, and given how stringent the traffic cops are out here I am looking for something that is swift and fun to cruise the beaches in with friends over the summer, rather than the the fastest possible machine for my money. Are there any other options I have overlooked? Is it easy to bring in cars from other states?
And if anyone suggests the default Pistonheads answer of MX5- they get a slap
Cheers
DC.
So I moved to Sydney about 2.5 years back, selling the Mk5 Golf R32 and modified VX220 Turbo I had at the time. I was only coming for a year originally, and given the high price of cars here compared to the UK I was not in a rush to spend a lot on not a lot. Anyway, 2.5 years later I'm still here and looking at applying for Permanent Residency. And most importantly it's making me very unhappy not having a toy! I have come to terms with the high price of European cars, but as I'm not sure how long I am going to stay in the country I don't want to tie too much of my savings up in a car.
The Brief: Manual, convertible, preferably 4 seats, preferably German, ideally naturally aspirated, $30-50k, weekender not daily, special / fun but not too flash to worry about leaving on the street (Bondi Beach).
Originally I wanted an E46 M3 convertible, but nice one's are few and far between and manual cabs seem to be almost non-existant. I really want the pleasure of a manual shift rather than SMG or such. This got me looking at 996 convertibles, and Boxster S's- both cars I would have considered a few years ago to be a bit 'soft'. I guess that's getting older and needing different things from a car! 996 is probably my least favourite edition, and I have never been a fan of cooking spec Porsche's, but it is currently my favourite choice as it would be fun to cruise around in in the summer. I have been looking at a Boxster S to keep in the UK and the choice here is very limited. There are a couple of nice 986 S's in the price bracket, but the fact they are only a 2 seater is a bit of an inconvenience. I have also considered E90 series 335 cabs, but they do not feel special enough. A B7 RS4 came up but the colour combo was really not too my taste. I would like an older 930 series Porsche, but I worry about the air-cooled engines in sumer traffic and on longer trips as well as the lack of A/C. Has anyone had much experience running one? There are a few Elise's in the budget, but having owned the VX220 it's not a very practical proposition for this country especially as my only car that would live on the street.
As manual convertible car's seem to be few and far between, other options I have considered are E46 M3 Coupe, 996 Coupe and S3. If I was a bit more committed to being here longer term, an E92 M3 cab would probably be my 1st choice. As options that would be fun to cruise in and also go camping and haul my bicycles etc, I have looked at Range Rover Sports and Land Rovers.
I am not big into Jap cars, and given how stringent the traffic cops are out here I am looking for something that is swift and fun to cruise the beaches in with friends over the summer, rather than the the fastest possible machine for my money. Are there any other options I have overlooked? Is it easy to bring in cars from other states?
And if anyone suggests the default Pistonheads answer of MX5- they get a slap
Cheers
DC.
Gassing Station | Australia | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff