Spec me a car, £15k budget

[Trif]

Hi,

I'm on the hunt for a car and am hoping you guys can help me decide. I don't have any specific requirements as such but to give you some idea of what I need:

It will do less than 4000 miles a year, 99% of journeys are less then 5 miles (25% will be less then 2 miles)
No commuting to work
It will be my only car
The top 2 tax bands depress me.
Preferably <5 years old, no more then 8 years old.
0-60 in under 7 seconds
Can't be too low as it will ground out on the dropped kerb onto my driveway (a BMW 1 series gets on OK, a Z4 will struggle)


So what would you go for?

Thanks.

[Trif]

No commuting, I live a short walk from work. Ideally I'd like to avoid the obvious boy racer cars and small hatches.

I test drove a ST a couple of weeks back and it was good fun but what was surprising is how much fun the black edition was that I tested back to back, a cheap lease on one of these was very tempting but I would feel out of place owning one.

[Trif]

How long would a diesel and a DPF last with my driving habits? I could add in a 20 mile journey once a month if I've not gone on a longer journey...

[Trif]

iva cosworth said:

Your short journey habit doesn't suit a diesel imo.

I know it's far from ideal but does open the option of 4x4's and large executive cars which I'd quite like to try.

techniques said:

A 2011 Cupra R with 260bhp and 26k miles.

This car ticks all your boxes for £13.7k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2015...

Such a strange car. From a distance it looks like a 80 year old man should be driving it to church on a Sunday with his wife and then when you get close it looks like his 18 year old grandson has inherited his first car.

mattshiz said:

Elise S2

I'd love one (especially having owned a VX220 but the prices seem to have become stuck 5 years ago. I did wonder if there are good discounts available for new cars that I could stretch to with finance. I expect I'd have the same low ride height issue.

smithyithy said:

S3?

The S4 is of interest. I'm sure they were 20k 2 years ago and more or less the same still.

[Trif]

Bump.

Trif said:

I know it's far from ideal but does open the option of 4x4's and large executive cars which I'd quite like to try.

Any more comments on the diesel option?

[Trif]

jamiebae said:

The heater will never get warm and the DPF will clog up so I wouldn't personally. What kind of thing are you looking at in terms of 4x4s? I'd swallow the tax and buy a petrol one (in fact, that's exactly what I did)

Good point on the heater, I was hoping the odd longer 20 mile journey might counteract the problems of short journeys on a DPF. Petrol ones seem thin on the ground and not appreciatively cheaper? On top of that I can't imagine them being easy to shift?

SydneyBridge said:

in light of your intended usage, dare I say a Renault Zoe

I'd love a electric car, particularly a Tesla style one. Or if we had a California style climate, a Twizy.

[Trif]

jamiebae said:

Which 4x4 do you want?

I have a secret liking to the X5. I was also slightly interested in a lease deal for a Jeep Grand Cherokee (£320/month) but it has expired now.

MattHall91 said:

Im reluctant to suggest anything fun as you probably won't get chance to enjoy it.

Will you even go from 0 to 60 during your short drives?

Decent all rounder would be mk6 Golf GTI.

I make the effort to go places, or take detours with a fun car. My last fun (and only) car was a VX220, I sold it and went without for 2 years. The problem is for the odd longer journey I borrow my Dads 1 series company car but he will be retiring soon so will no longer have that option.

shalmaneser said:

25% of journeys under 2 miles? Buy a bicycle. Under two miles will wreck most cars.

When you want to go for a proper drive, jump in your e46 M3. You can get a great one with all the necessary work done for that cash. Infact you may just be into M3 CS land, in which case you'll own an appreciating asset!

I do cycle, I also walk as much as possible (it's faster to walk to the Tesco Extra then it is to drive the 1 mile journey. Heck it's even quicker to walk to the international airport down the road then it is to drive there at busy times! - I seem to have built myself my own little world with everything on my doorstep...) Isn't the CSL mega money?