what car 4-7k?

[midgeman]

Hi guys,

Im regretably selling my splitscreen camper, need some money to pay off a loan and pay for my new bike
So Ill be left with some cash, I dont want to spend all of it but if I do spend a sizeable chunk then Im looking at 6-7k, anything from 4k to 7k really.

A friend has a TVR S3 and another mate has a CRX - modified! So Id like something that will keep up with these, be useable take to shops sort of thing, but doesnt need to be a daily as I have a works van for that. Will be accepted on PH meets, dash to the coast, Goodwood etc, but wont break the bank to run and can be insured by 20 year old (nearly 21 which i know will make a difference)

At the moment if I spend all my money Im thinking chimaera of elise s1 territory?? Origonally I was thinking golf GTI 20VT or wouldnt mind trying a Celica - the newer shape, but I love the sound of the S and chim, bit more meaty and 'super car' like but hey, looking for ideas. I like being a bit different, not a fan of jap but need ideas!

Thanks

[MGZRod]

EP3 Civic Type-R?

[Martin_Hx]

MGZRod said:

EP3 Civic Type-R?

Might be high on a 21 yr old, i'd check !

[TDutchy]

Audi S4 2.7, I am looking at these currently. 21years old, 0 no claims in a crap postcode = £1500. Not bad for circa. 275bhp!

[McSam]

TDutchy said:

Audi S4 2.7, I am looking at these currently. 21years old, 0 no claims in a crap postcode = £1500. Not bad for circa. 275bhp!

My plan exactly, I could insure one of these for £1200 at 20 with 2 years' NCB. Apparently you'd get 25mpg or so, which with four doors, five seats and 5.6 seconds to 62mph, isn't a bad combo

[midgeman]

mm I did consider getting an A3 once, will have to look at those, dont need a 'family' sized car but decent power and practicle car too if needed

[zippyprorider]

S1 elise willnot be realistic to insure, im about to buy an s2 and with 3 year no claims and 24years old still comes to 1700 pa! (oh and a s1 is no cheaper to insure), what about a focus rs mk1?

Andy

[DanGPR]

EP3 was suggested, but you could get a DC2 or EK9 in your budget, depends on your preference. Good cars.

Could get a pretty nice 225bhp S3 in your budget, or an alfa 147 GTA , if you could stomach the running costs!

[midgeman]

I had thought that the lotus might be a bit too much, cant remember what the cheapst quote on that was when i did it but the S4 has just come out at 2k!

No idea what those number mean Im afraid..

Edited by midgeman on Tuesday 6th July 22:55

[Mansell90]

Mini cooper S (just got one at 20 and is reasonable to insure)
Seat leon cupra R
325/328/330ci
suzuki swift sport (I had one at 19, cheap to insure and a good laugh)
renaultsport clio 182
Toyota mr-2
Vx220 (not sure how insurance on these compares to an elise)
Mx-5 (suprised no-one has suggested this yet )

[midgeman]

Never been keen on the mini, expensive for what it is to my mind
Love cupra's
bmer bit big but do like them, my mate with the S3 has a 318IS
swift ...
Clio, interesting little car, wouldnt mind trying one but still not 'enough' for me really
mr2 - hmm contender, cheap fun
vx220, definate contender but insurance probably a no no
mx-5 yea ok but i had an mgf and think id rather one of those, shock i know! but again a possable contender just a bit 'common'

needs to really be worth selling a splitscreen vw for though, it is my pride and joy though i have the bike for posing i suppose.

[Emsman]

Porsche 944 or 928?

Alpine GTA/A610

[S Line Luxury]

TDutchy said:

Audi S4 2.7, I am looking at these currently. 21years old, 0 no claims in a crap postcode = £1500. Not bad for circa. 275bhp!

THIS

[midgeman]

I cant insure the audi not for less than 2k,

944 could be a good idea.. insurance shouldnt be too bad

[scotty_d]

I would have to say the TVR Chim or a S i bought my Chim at 22 not looked back 3 years later costs me £337 a year to insure and cant look past TVR's now if i were to change the car.

[Major T]

Good what car!

Don't really know about insurance, some cars can be surprisingly cheap. I guess steer clear of the stereotypical boy-racer hatches.

VX220
Elise
MR2 Turbo
Celica GT4
BMW E36 328
E46 330
Z4 3.0

[McSam]

midgeman said:

I cant insure the audi not for less than 2k,

944 could be a good idea.. insurance shouldnt be too bad

Really? That's quite odd.. Although I guess it depends who you're getting quotes from. I use Admiral and have never found anything cheaper, put two named drivers on and you're well away. The S4s are far cheaper to insure than they should be, IMHO, so I can't see a 944 being less, since - two-litre or not - it still has the badge on it.

Interesting to see, though

EDIT

Major T said:

I guess steer clear of the stereotypical boy-racer hatches.

Actually, this is probably why the S4's so good on insurance.

Edited by McSam on Wednesday 7th July 09:47

[Matt_N]

midgeman said:

I cant insure the audi not for less than 2k,

944 could be a good idea.. insurance shouldnt be too bad

What about an A6 Bi-Turbo?

Same engine as the S4 just a bit detuned and in a bigger car.

Still group 17/18 though.

[midgeman]

I just did a compare the meerkat thing for it, though will have to play around with options, mileage, TPFT/comp etc, that was a fully comp price so should be less with TPFT.

I like my golfs but thats it really where hatches are concerned, dont want to look like a 17 yr old fool again. Id have a caterham to tick most of the boxes but I have a bike which to me is next best thing to a caterham so not much difference really. Might have to look at a couple of chims..

[300bhp/ton]

midgeman said:

I just did a compare the meerkat thing for it, though will have to play around with options, mileage, TPFT/comp etc, that was a fully comp price so should be less with TPFT.

I like my golfs but thats it really where hatches are concerned, dont want to look like a 17 yr old fool again. Id have a caterham to tick most of the boxes but I have a bike which to me is next best thing to a caterham so not much difference really. Might have to look at a couple of chims..

Classics and kits are great insurance wise.

If it's not a daily, why not look at something like this:



Sadly this one is up for more money than you said. But there was a yellow one up for £6000 recently and they do crop up at this price range.

It's a GTM Libra. It's a mid engined lightweight sports car, very much a good alternative to an Elise.

Good points are, they look great, go very well. Being light also means cheap to run fuel wise. And they are cheap and easy to maintain. Many of the parts are Rover (as they are on S1 Elise's). So no need for specialists or main stealerships.

Performance wise it'll easily match the cars yo mention in your OP.

Other benefits are residuals, a car like this won't lose money really (if you buy at the right price). But critically insurance will be a lot cheaper than it will on something like a Golf GTI or Civic Type R. But you'll need to phone some specialist insurers, not just use the internet.