£100K Garage: Paraic Scanlon

A gorgeous Datsun 260Z, a C63 wagon for daily duties and much more besides in Paraic's fantasy garage

Name: Paraic Scanlon (Paraicj)
Previously owned: "A sad ragtag pair of VAG tat. A '00 Polo 1.0 bought from my Mam and rolled in a ditch and an '02 Leon 1.4 that took a beating without ever letting me down."
Currently owned: "An '03 Audi A3 1.8T that has just enough shove to keep me interested."
On the shortlist: "Hundreds of hours whiled away on classifieds. Realistically though, a Panda 100HP, a Swift Sport or equivalent little warm hatch. Or a 90s Boxster... I do like a bit of older metal though, so there might be a few less modern choices!"

Datsun 260Z
Cost: £9,995
Balance: £90,005
Why I chose it: "The reason I decided to write in. Already in running condition, but ripe for a good do-over. There's a 240Z for £20K that looks gorgeous in blue but is heavily modded, including a V8. This one is so original, and relatively clean. It just has the right proportions. For now I'd be happy with a full mechanical refresh to make sure it's driving right, then work on the paint and rust as I drove it as often as possible. It'll never win a Stat Attack, but the idea of toddling off toward Wales in it fills me with joy. I think it would probably need a solid £5-6,000 to get it up to scratch, and a lot more to be perfect, so I'll stop my spending as close to £90,000 as possible!"

Mercedes C63 AMG
Cost: £25,995
Balance: £64,010
Why I chose it: "Some days, an old coupe won't cut it. I like a lot of sports, some of which require load-lugging. Kayaking, biking and climbing all need a big boot and what. Showing up at the top of some whitewater or a crag with this beast would make me happy. The black leather will hopefully hide more scuffs than a cream interior, and it has intelligent lights, which sound both nice and dangerous. It will devour motorways the length and breadth of the land, and beyond. It will be comfortable and exciting at the same time. I honestly don't see the downside. (Whistles noisily and hums to block out mentions of MPG.)"

Lotus Elise SC
Cost: £26,995
Balance: £37,015
Why I chose it: "Topless fun is a must, as is improving my driving. So, into the PH search for a fast, precise £30K convertible. 'Hmmm,' I said, 'There are a lot of Porsches.' Now, I like Porsches, but I was deliberately looking for a car that I would never use day-to-day and instead would like to try on track. Not racing, I am not insane, but an actual track-biased piece of kit that didn't need a trailer. Caterhams and Ariels are a bit hardcore for a wimp like me. Got to be a Lotus, right? An Elise, since I would die in an Exige. Quick flick around, found this one. In blazing Burnt Orange, with both Touring and Sport packs. Perfect. I could actually see myself driving this far too often for my own good."

Triumph Bonneville
Cost: £13,995
Balance: £23,020
Why I chose it: "So many reasons. Most straightforward, a suburb-city centre commute means a motorbike makes sense. I'm also running low on space to park my new-found convoy. I don't want a sports bike (see dying in an Exige point above), am too lanky for a scooter, and modern streetfighters don't excite me. But a genuine original Bonnie? Yes please. Probably too valuable to really use as a commuter tool but it's free money! Perfect lines, enough go to always be fun but not terrifying. Completely restored and ready to drive. OK, so I'd have to actually get a bike licence, but those are easy, right? Brilliant."

Saab 900 S Aero Turbo
Cost: £3,500
Balance: £19,520
Why I chose it: Firstly, it is astonishingly good value if it is in the condition it is advertised at. A beautiful mix of functionality and cool. As an academic, I am duty-bound to own a Saab at some stage; I can see myself buying a jacket with leather elbow patches to celebrate. It's local too, which is nice. None of the other Saabs for sale have the same impact, this has it all but a leather interior. That square instrument binnacle is particularly excellent. In terms of when I'd actually use it, I'm not sure, but that's not really the point! It's possible this would be garaged beside the Datsun and see very seldom use. With the Merc for adventures, the Lotus for the track, the Bonnie for the commute and the 260Z for the feel this is definitely a vanity car. My sense of vanity is definitely skewed..." [Someone got in before Paraic unfortunately and it's sold. There also isn't another 900 like it on PH].

Suzuki Swift Sport
Cost: £8,990
Balance: £10,530
Why I chose it: "A toss-up between this and the less polite but possibly more fun Panda 100HP. Unfortunately there's a terrible selection of Fiats in the classifieds at the moment, and my mind was made up on seeing this one in blue. It makes it look a bit more grown up without being dull I think. A car for the everyday runs, I would shed tears at every scratch and bang on the others but this is my uncared-for youngest child. Also I have a feeling it would be useful for a couple of track days before graduating to the scary world of rear-drive lightweight power in the Elise! Missing the odd apex, or a brief run-in with a high kerb wouldn't dent my enthusiasm as much if it happened in a little shopping trolley!"

"This leaves me with £10K running costs. The majority will be thrown at the Z to make it my perfect driveable classic, with the rest on track days, driver training and probably fuel for the Merc!"