Need help finding the next thing...
Discussion
I need some help here gents. The E12 has been sold and the 944 is rally stripped and has no back seats. I need some swank wheels for the summer euro road trip and the market has moved on so much over the last 18 months I'm not sure where to start.
Whatever it is it needs to be able to:
Cruise at 90mph comfortably for hour after hour.
Have plenty in the tank above 90mph. I do mean plenty.
Be a riot in the twisties.
Have room for 2 adults and 2 kids, one on a booster seat and the other in a proper kiddy seat.
Cost around 15k ish, ideally 10-12.
A decent boot for luggage.
Sound amazing, no 4 pots
Must be RWD, ideally with a LSD.
Be something stylish, unusual and beautiful.
Hold its value at the very least, ideally appreciate.
Things I don't care about: mpg, insurance, all that jazz.
Whatever the car it will have a proper going over by Talkwrench so it's mechanically fit. I also don't want a project so not looking to do bodywork, welding etc.
Some ideas so far; Datsun Z, Porsche 928, Fiat Dino, Porsche 944 Turbo.
Are Mondials still cheap? When I did the DS a nice 308 GT4 Dino could be had for teens.
Any ideas much appreciated. This was last year and the 911 is coming again. Needs to keep up working on the assumption that both those cars were almost identical in performance and both were bouncing off the limiters down through Le Mans...
ETA: Just been looking at Mercedes 500SEC online. Seem to meet most if not all the prerequisites.
Whatever it is it needs to be able to:
Cruise at 90mph comfortably for hour after hour.
Have plenty in the tank above 90mph. I do mean plenty.
Be a riot in the twisties.
Have room for 2 adults and 2 kids, one on a booster seat and the other in a proper kiddy seat.
Cost around 15k ish, ideally 10-12.
A decent boot for luggage.
Sound amazing, no 4 pots
Must be RWD, ideally with a LSD.
Be something stylish, unusual and beautiful.
Hold its value at the very least, ideally appreciate.
Things I don't care about: mpg, insurance, all that jazz.
Whatever the car it will have a proper going over by Talkwrench so it's mechanically fit. I also don't want a project so not looking to do bodywork, welding etc.
Some ideas so far; Datsun Z, Porsche 928, Fiat Dino, Porsche 944 Turbo.
Are Mondials still cheap? When I did the DS a nice 308 GT4 Dino could be had for teens.
Any ideas much appreciated. This was last year and the 911 is coming again. Needs to keep up working on the assumption that both those cars were almost identical in performance and both were bouncing off the limiters down through Le Mans...
ETA: Just been looking at Mercedes 500SEC online. Seem to meet most if not all the prerequisites.
Edited by benjj on Sunday 15th February 16:45
Lotus and Jag don't really do it for me. Well, a Mk2 3.4 or 3.8 would.
Bitter SC, erm, couldn't live with the looks, I'm a dandy at heart.
Cerb is too small in the back, XJC not my thing.
Bentley, hmm, very appealing but suspect cornering at 1g+ while trying to overtake the 911 above would be difficult and that is the plan.
Bitter SC, erm, couldn't live with the looks, I'm a dandy at heart.
Cerb is too small in the back, XJC not my thing.
Bentley, hmm, very appealing but suspect cornering at 1g+ while trying to overtake the 911 above would be difficult and that is the plan.
Classic yanks: interesting, not considered. Would love a Charger but suspect a good one would be a bit pricey.
Plus, despite what I said above, a Charger would be rather expensive at the pumps. This trip will be around 4000 miles in 15 days.
The E12 above managed to average 21mpg on that trip which was acceptable.
Plus, despite what I said above, a Charger would be rather expensive at the pumps. This trip will be around 4000 miles in 15 days.
The E12 above managed to average 21mpg on that trip which was acceptable.
velocemitch said:
Budget might not be quite there for a really quick Twinspark equipped 105 Ben, as standard the TS engine will knock out about 150, you need to spend a lot to get it up towards the performance level to match the 911. Cramped in the back too, especially on the drivers side given that you are..er.. powerfully built!.
Diplomatically put. Yes, needs to be 250hp minimum I reckon or there abouts.
Some interesting ideas here gents, thank you.
At present the main contenders have to be the 560 SEC and the 928. I could live with the slushbox in the Merc but not in the Porsche. That probably means the Merc is the most likely contender.
Ghibli - hmm, interesting too, will have a look. Wasn't expecting stuff like that to be in budget.
An AMG Hammer would be my absolute holy grail at the moment I think but waaaaaay out of budget. May have a look at some smoking hot 80's Merc saloons too.
At present the main contenders have to be the 560 SEC and the 928. I could live with the slushbox in the Merc but not in the Porsche. That probably means the Merc is the most likely contender.
Ghibli - hmm, interesting too, will have a look. Wasn't expecting stuff like that to be in budget.
An AMG Hammer would be my absolute holy grail at the moment I think but waaaaaay out of budget. May have a look at some smoking hot 80's Merc saloons too.
The Fiat Dino is actually the one I really want but prices have crept up. They were 8k cars for a snotter just 3 or 4 years ago. A not bad one could be had for teens. Will have a look around again just in case.
190 Cossie - yes, big like for those, got to be a manual dog box though.
I'd forgotten how fun car buying is, it's been well over a year since I've bought anything.
190 Cossie - yes, big like for those, got to be a manual dog box though.
I'd forgotten how fun car buying is, it's been well over a year since I've bought anything.
Hells bells, I never knew the R129 had a couple of rear seats, just assumed they were 2 seaters.
To add a bit more info, on these summer road trips the wives and kids fly down to the south of France and the husbands drive down via London (drinking), Le Mans (drinking), south/central France (drinking) and collect the families from the airport. The rear seats are really only needed for an hour hop here or there for a few weeks on holiday.
So, looks like I'm off R129 shopping.
To add a bit more info, on these summer road trips the wives and kids fly down to the south of France and the husbands drive down via London (drinking), Le Mans (drinking), south/central France (drinking) and collect the families from the airport. The rear seats are really only needed for an hour hop here or there for a few weeks on holiday.
So, looks like I'm off R129 shopping.
Rangeroverover said:
I've had both a 928 and a 500 sec, the 928 doesn't have much room for all the child related crap one has to cart about, not too sure about getting a childseat in the rear. But it is an awesome car to cover long distances in and handles in such an easy benign way that keeping up with sportier stuff is no drama.
The SEC is a car you "waft" about in, the brakes will cook really quite fast if you are going for it on the twisty bits and it will be dragging its doorhandles if pushed hard.
It is dead comfy but by no means able to keep up with 928 or similar.
For me one thing that is a must for long trips, particularly with kids is decent aircon, 190 cosworth might do it but feels woefully slow when fully loaded with people and luggage.
If the back seat works with kiddy seats, pack light and go for a 928, keep it for a year or two and it will be free motoring.You could always go for a maserati
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
That's great, thanks very much. It does kind of write of the SEC in that case, sounds way too wobbly.The SEC is a car you "waft" about in, the brakes will cook really quite fast if you are going for it on the twisty bits and it will be dragging its doorhandles if pushed hard.
It is dead comfy but by no means able to keep up with 928 or similar.
For me one thing that is a must for long trips, particularly with kids is decent aircon, 190 cosworth might do it but feels woefully slow when fully loaded with people and luggage.
If the back seat works with kiddy seats, pack light and go for a 928, keep it for a year or two and it will be free motoring.You could always go for a maserati
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...
Talkwrench has suggested a BMW 850 CSi and there is one up for c.17k. I've been in his and the 350+bhp is pretty intoxicating, as is the V12 soundtrack.
I keep coming back round to a manual 928 though, just can't seem to get away from the idea.
Had a slight change of plan with this. I'm going to change the daily to a 997 C2 coupe with a few choice mods (suspension, arbs etc, nothing visible) and buy a classic race car.
Not sure which way I'm going yet but will be looking at some classic saloons for HSCC racing etc. Possibly Lotus Cortina, maybe a big American mentalist.
Not sure which way I'm going yet but will be looking at some classic saloons for HSCC racing etc. Possibly Lotus Cortina, maybe a big American mentalist.
mark.c said:
That will never do, it will start every time, won't smell of petrol, it won't try and rust before your very eyes and it will go around corners with clinical precision.....you'll hate it...I give you six months 
The race car won't! I'll spend 10k getting it ready for the Spa 6hrs and s
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