I've had it with unreliable daily drivers...

[minimax]

...so it's over to you guys for a spot of help.

the beetle died today (all right, you all told me it would happen :D) and i've had enough frankly!

so i'm shopping for a new car, the only criterior are that it must be:

interesting
fast
tidy handling
[b]reliable[/b]
less than circa 15k (it's only a daily hack!)
tidy looking
waterproof (or at least make a reasonable stab at it)
preferably RWD

that's about it :D

any suggestions folks?

I'm currently thinking S2 elise but I may be drawn by a VX220

[minimax]

Balmoral Green said:

I must be missing something (although I suspect I may already know what ) If you have £15K to spend on a car, why dont you just get the Ginetta fixed and tidied up?

I said i'm in the middle of a fit of pique all right?

I will fix the Ginetta up but in the mean time (and to have a reliable, economical, waterproof car) I want something practical(ish) too... I really am sick of p1ssing about getting cabs everywhere just to go and pick my cars up and I worked out on the A1 today that i've wasted 3 weeks of work time in the last 6 months chasing about fixing or otherwise f**king about with the mini etc.. so it's as much about reliability as my sanity!

[minimax]

S2000! fantastic honda reliability! keep them coming!

and a ragtop is not necessary

[minimax]

thanks for the useful comments folks, i'm going to the lotus dealer while i'm in newcastle on the weekend and i'm also going to drop by the VX220 dealer. I have been considering all things from a 3-series to a BMW mini including a civic type-R and a few others

I think the lotus is forerunner while followed by the VX (VX more able to stand up to thrashings shirley being as it's less stressed and a bit 'chunkier'???)

also tempted by a 968, alfa GTV and a AMG 36 I saw in the classifieds...

[minimax]

LongQ said:

minimax said: ... while i'm in newcastle on the weekend ... Travelling by train I assume? Would be one hell of a taxi fare! (Or has Herbie come back to life?)

by train... unless my man fixes the mini on saturday... having said that, I think it's best that I go by train just in case I come back via lotus power

although to be honest that's not very likely since I haven't the time spare for more than a natter and a test drive, I haven't been up to my place there for so long my diary is full! and I promised to meet people at the beach all day sunday so that day's out

[minimax]

Balmoral Green said:

andy4200 said: Or how about one of these As it happens, out Tom is very familiar with those lately, having spent a lot of miles in BG this year.

it's tempting!

i'm currently at work looking through autotrader at bentleys while holding on the phone to adrian flux for a VX quotation

might get one for a mulsanne turbo while i'm at it

I'm wincing at the potential servicing bills on a bentley though and tbh if I turn up at work in one of those nobody is going to do business with me!

[minimax]

LongQ said:

minimax said: I'm wincing at the potential servicing bills on a bentley though and tbh if I turn up at work in one of those nobody is going to do business with me! When you have finished with the insurance quotes you could try Shell to see if you can get a bulk order discount on fuel as well. 15k for the car, 15k pa for insurance, 15k pa for fuel ... and the budget for minimax maintenance schedules ... priceless?

it's only £686 fully comp with 3 points and 5 years NCB on a VX as opposed to £1200 for an elise so the VX is currently edging it

plus when I do bust it the VX is going to be easier on the wallet to fix

[minimax]

andy4200 said:

minimax said: it's only £686 fully comp with 3 points and 5 years NCB on a VX plus when I do bust it the VX is going to be easier on the wallet to fix bargain thats about the same as the cerb. out of curiousity how was insurance on the westie when you had it. I'm still hankering after a 7 but i'm looking at mini's with urges to strip it out and rebuild it with carbon fibre bits and tuned engine. the 7 route has the RWD factor and donuts though.

at age 19 1700cc crossflow with a certified 128bhp value 5k and no NCB applicable it was £228 in a dodgy postcode in newcastle so I shouldn't think it'll be that much for something special like a JPE caterham or an R500

i'd let you have a go in my mini if it was working, a tuned mini is just so much fun!

[minimax]

LongQ said:

Bump. Test drive analysis required ...

oh the test, the test drive!!!

fantastic! is the best way to describe it, it was very odd going quickly but not hearing anything in the way of sound effects, bar the limiter

took out a 111R and a 111S k-series (I think???) the difference was marked above about 4000rpm but under that they were both quite docile.

been so busy at work and travelling to newcastle I'm hardly having time to post! i'm test driving a vx220 on thursday

further updates pending!

[minimax]

fish said:

Tom Have you not sorted it yet, either get an S2000 or a VX heres one at a good price : www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/44207.htm James

damn it. I was in maldon yesterday I could have looked it over...severe time constraints and 3 working cars (shock! horror!) have meant that I haven't devoted as much time as I wanted to looking...and i've had to keep re-arranging that test drive in a mustang

11.5k is v.v.v cheap though! oh dear...some thought required urgently!