Another "what car?" thread - it is a Friday after all!!

[VerySideways]

Right, i've just driven the Tuscan (desperately needing a service) to TVR Power in Coventry... and loved every second of it

So, what can i get for less than £10k which is going to be cheap to run, reliable, vaguely economical and not depreciate too badly. I'm skint these days remember.

I had been thinking E30 M3, MR2 (soft top - add a turbo to it), or MX5 (again add a turbo to it).
Or another Chim (which would be my fourth!!!!).
Or a Harley.
Or a hotrod of some description with a big american V8 in it.

HELP!!!



Let the games commence...

As is SAS tradition, there's a few beers in it for the first person to post something which i actually end up buying.

[ph1l5]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1191942.htm

I know its a bit above your 10 grand limit but you never know you might be able to haggle.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1143056.htm

Edited by ph1l5 on Friday 4th September 09:09

[VerySideways]

ph1l5 said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1191942.htm

Not that keen on the wedge to be honest, especially since that's at Chim money...

[ph1l5]

hm ok I will keep looking.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1222090.htm

Edited by ph1l5 on Friday 4th September 09:17

[sleep envy]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1187673.htm

haggle hard

[identti]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1222789.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1211042.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1187673.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1225598.htm

[twiglove]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1201085.htm

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1148021.htm

Edited by twiglove on Friday 4th September 09:36

[nonuts]

Chim's are too slow unless you get a well sorted one 450 or above IMO.

Z4? - http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1218954.htm
Z3M Roadster? - http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1214311.htm

S2000? - http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1221569.htm
(although I don't actually think they're that great for what I suspect you'd be using it for)

[nonuts]

identti said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1222789.htm

Fook, didn't realise 350s had got down to £10k!

[touching cloth]

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1155695.htm

[nonuts]

touching cloth said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1155695.htm

Scratch the bks I suggested and get this!

[VerySideways]

I've had a bike engined kit before - brilliant fun, and unbeatable bang for the buck. Not too keen on that Tiger, but it's got me thinking again...
M coupé is lovely, and that one is well known and looked after. But is it different enough to the 130?
M roadster is tempting, if a little ghey.
968CS just doesn't float my boat. Great for every day, but not "special" enough for a toy.
Stock Clio V6 won't keep up with my 130.
350 is nice but in my experience they don't hold up well long term - shakes and squeeks and rattles. And slower than the 130 again.
Not keen on the S10, low rider is out of budget, but i like where you're heading!
Not a fan of the S2000 at all. Too slow, too peaky, too annoying.
Z4 is nice, but not special and not quick. Needs to be one or the other (if not both).

No sign of John_R yet

[VerySideways]

nonuts said:

touching cloth said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1155695.htm

Scratch the bks I suggested and get this!

I've been looking at that advert for a week already...

[nonuts]

Bearing in mind what you've said above, I'd stop looking for anything that's quicker than the 130 and look for something convertible (as you clearly want one) and cool.

Classic maybe?

[identti]

VerySideways said:

nonuts said:

touching cloth said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1155695.htm

Scratch the bks I suggested and get this!

I've been looking at that advert for a week already...

It's stunning but if you go along the lines of the other things, it's not quicker than the 130 and is only a 4-pot.

[touching cloth]

That's kinda the point though. An E30 M3 is a car to cherish due to it's cachet and kudos, it doesn't need to be the fastest or lairiest - as Ben alludes to, why look for another car to do that when the 130 does its sleeper version of that so well already. Pete has and will hoon the 130 a lot anyway, more so now with Quaife and of course the previously done big brakes, he may as well get something that ticks other boxes. An E30 M3 is a classic and something that you would want to take to shows or up to the Ace etc but not necessarily rag the arse out of the thing every weekend (occasionally you will of course, car's should not just be garage queens after all ).

[VerySideways]

The E30 M3 is one of those schoolboy poster cars for me - it's a legend, it always will be, and i've driven a few and loved them. They aren't fast, they don't have crazy high mechanical grip, but in the same way that the motoring press always go on about the MX5 (which i never found to be that amazing) the E30 M3 has a quite remarkable balance. It's neutral and poised and has enough power to enjoy the chassis without overwhelming it, it sounds great (for a 4 pot) and goes well enough in a straight line but it's simply a joy to throw down a B road on a Sunday morning.

Robbie - i doubt i'd keep up with you on the 4494 in a stock E30 M3, but i'd have a blast just trying

Damn, the more i think about it, the more it makes sense.

I'm still intrigued by the classic soft top idea though. Only looked at Alfa Spiders so far (mid 80's stuff). What did you have in mind?

[John D.]

E30 M3 gets my vote

[chevy-stu]

V8 Capri ... ? bit more than £10k, but I reckon he'd deal..

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FORD-CAPRI-6-3L-V8-X-PACK_W0...

[sleep envy]

VerySideways said:

Robbie - i doubt i'd keep up with you on the 4494 in a stock E30 M3, but i'd have a blast just trying

you'd be surprised what you keep up with on a good/interesting road

I collected a few italian V12 and V8 scalps in mine