RE: ?100K Garage: James Lee

RE: ?100K Garage: James Lee

Wednesday 1st February 2017

£100K Garage: James Lee

GTI, GT-R, Corvette and M5 see to James's by the decades choices



Name: James Lee
Previously owned: Saab 900, Peugeot 406 Coupe, BMW Z4 Coupe, Nissan Qashqai
Currently owned: Audi S4 Avant
On the shortlist: Mercedes C63 AMG estate, Tesla Model S, any V8 mid-engined Ferrari...

70s:Chevrolet Corvette (C3)
Cost:
£34,950
Balance: £65,050
Why I chose it: "I've always loved old Corvettes - particularly the C3. Admittedly buying one in the UK doesn't exactly feel like great value, and we're not spoilt for choice, but isn't that the point of a fantasy garage? Though it wouldn't otherwise be my first choice, getting a convertible makes sense alongside the other cars here - it's very much the occasionally sunny summer's day car."


80s:VW Golf GTI Mk1
Cost:
£12,490
Balance: £52,560
Why I chose it: "A great combination for a classic choice: practical, reasonably priced and fun. What's not to like?  My first memory of being driven at speed as a passenger was by my neighbour in a Mk2 GTI, so owning its older brother would be a trip down memory lane. Also by having just over 100bhp, it's nice to have a car in the garage I could actually drive flat out - unlike the next two!"

90s: BMW M5 (E39)
Cost:
£11,995
Balance: £40,565
Why I chose it: "I started off by repeatedly trying to put together a garage with a Ferrari F355, a daily driver that I'd really enjoy using and some decent classics too. I couldn't quite make it work though, so instead went with an E39 M5 as a fun yet sensible daily driver and kid lugger, plus a 2000s sports car in addition. Wood trim wouldn't have been my first choice, but requiring it to be pre-2000 does reduce the options a little..." [Sadly James's first choice of M5 was sold; this is perhaps the best replacement staying in the 90s - MB]

2000s: Nissan GT-R
Cost:
£39,990
Balance: £575
Why I chose it: "Once I figured out that I couldn't make Ferraris or Lambos work within budget it was down to this, a 911, or an R8 as my choice for the 2000s - and for me the GT-R is just that little bit more special (and potent!)."

 



Author
Discussion

dinkel

Original Poster:

26,884 posts

257 months

Wednesday 1st February 2017
quotequote all
Great choice for the C3 Corvette: early ones are my favorite.

Last monday in a Dutch showroom:

1966 Chevrolet Corvette C2 Sting Ray 327 crowd pleaser.

HybridAero

1,340 posts

99 months

Thursday 2nd February 2017
quotequote all
Great garage, apart from the Corvette. I'd swap that for an old Aston or Bentley of the same era. Still cool though!

rtz62

3,340 posts

154 months

Friday 3rd February 2017
quotequote all
Blinding choice imho 👍