Family man's weekend wheels - 2 seats or 4?
Discussion
cailean said:
Why on earth would you buy a car that you can't go out with your family? Bizarre to me.
I think you may just have single-handedly answered my question! I'm sure I can find a 4 seat car without having to make too much compromise. I think first point of call will be to see if 'we' fit in a 996, and if not, then search out a decent Maser and pray it's a good'un. Unless of course a decent LC comes in under budget - now that would be special. Have also considered a jap rocket, would have to be an Impreza for the noise. Had an original UK turbo and loved it, could quite fancy an RB5 or P1. Decisions decisions!sawman said:
for this exact purpose peter wheeler gave is the cerbera and colin chapman provided the elan plus 2. wheeler was a big chap so fitting in should be ok.
I took the 4seater option with a morgan though the kids are bigger than the op's. and even european road trips are possible on addition to active sprint racing and appreciating values.
This.I took the 4seater option with a morgan though the kids are bigger than the op's. and even european road trips are possible on addition to active sprint racing and appreciating values.
Cerb would be (was) my choice although a Spyder enhanced Elan+2 was on the cards for ages, including a test day in one at Bruntingthorpe.
Anything else is just transport.
Tricky one.
It is important to make sure your 'fun' car is usable enough to actually get it out the garage relatively frequently. Four seats didn't really figure for me, but I can vouch for the fact that if you don't have, say, enough room for luggage or good enough weather protection to leave it out overnight the touring credentials of a sports car soon suffer...
On the other hand, I firmly believe that if you're going to go to the expense of having a second car just for fun it has to come with more sense of occasion than anything you could realistically drive to work. Personally Monaros, M3s etc would be out for me on those grounds - they're fabulous things, but more fantasy daily drivers than weekend toys.
Dunno if the rear seats in the Cerbera are big enough, but that would be my nomination. Failing that, I'm sure someone has already said it, but - slightly disappointing engine aside - the 968 Sport does a fair job of being an interesting 2+2.
It is important to make sure your 'fun' car is usable enough to actually get it out the garage relatively frequently. Four seats didn't really figure for me, but I can vouch for the fact that if you don't have, say, enough room for luggage or good enough weather protection to leave it out overnight the touring credentials of a sports car soon suffer...
On the other hand, I firmly believe that if you're going to go to the expense of having a second car just for fun it has to come with more sense of occasion than anything you could realistically drive to work. Personally Monaros, M3s etc would be out for me on those grounds - they're fabulous things, but more fantasy daily drivers than weekend toys.
Dunno if the rear seats in the Cerbera are big enough, but that would be my nomination. Failing that, I'm sure someone has already said it, but - slightly disappointing engine aside - the 968 Sport does a fair job of being an interesting 2+2.
Not long after my son came along, I traded my Chimaera for an E39 M5. Though I am still a big fan of the Chimaera and TVRs in general, I haven't regretted changing it for the M5 for a second. The one thing I have done though is put a more 'vocal' exhaust on it (Hayward & Scott) to give it a little more sense of occasion.
In terms of not being exciting enough when stationary, I sort of know what you mean. However, for me, sad though it might sound, there is one thing that always makes me look back over my shoulder when walking away...the wheels. Those dished alloys in shadow crome; probably my favourite feature of any car I've owned. And for me, that's enough...
In terms of not being exciting enough when stationary, I sort of know what you mean. However, for me, sad though it might sound, there is one thing that always makes me look back over my shoulder when walking away...the wheels. Those dished alloys in shadow crome; probably my favourite feature of any car I've owned. And for me, that's enough...
I'd be considering a skyline if I were in your position. That said I'd also be seriously considering the 911 and the maser (though the scary stories about big bills would mean a long conversation with a specialist).
The skyline image is a million miles from the other stuff, but I imagine that a well sorted one would be a massive event to drive.
The skyline image is a million miles from the other stuff, but I imagine that a well sorted one would be a massive event to drive.
Yiliterate said:
Not long after my son came along, I traded my Chimaera for an E39 M5. Though I am still a big fan of the Chimaera and TVRs in general, I haven't regretted changing it for the M5 for a second. The one thing I have done though is put a more 'vocal' exhaust on it (Hayward & Scott) to give it a little more sense of occasion.
In terms of not being exciting enough when stationary, I sort of know what you mean. However, for me, sad though it might sound, there is one thing that always makes me look back over my shoulder when walking away...the wheels. Those dished alloys in shadow crome; probably my favourite feature of any car I've owned. And for me, that's enough...
Not sad at all, I get that, it's the little details that matter. Am planning to test drive 996, e46 M3, e39 M5, maser 3200gt, cerbera, impreza p1 and lotus Carlton, that's the list to choose from currentlyIn terms of not being exciting enough when stationary, I sort of know what you mean. However, for me, sad though it might sound, there is one thing that always makes me look back over my shoulder when walking away...the wheels. Those dished alloys in shadow crome; probably my favourite feature of any car I've owned. And for me, that's enough...
Ozzie Osmond said:
That should annoy a good handful of sellers then....
Oh yes you're right, really I should make the decision to part with my hard-earned cash on the significant investment of a potentially lethal machine without doing with it what is was designed and built for? Give me a break...No point trying the Cerb or 996 Porsche. I'm three inches shorter than you and we'd only just fit in a Cerbera with the kids in the bucket seats and not their bulky childseats. With a new-born you'll be using a rear facing child seat and these won't go in the back of a Cerbera - I've tried. Would have to go in the front passenger seat, relegating your wife to the back seat, which is fine.......for about 5 minutes.
Didn't l;ike the suggestion of an E24 M635csi?
Can't see why you can't track a Maserati 3200/4200 occasionally - how bad can they be?
Didn't l;ike the suggestion of an E24 M635csi?
Can't see why you can't track a Maserati 3200/4200 occasionally - how bad can they be?
Yiliterate said:
Not long after my son came along, I traded my Chimaera for an E39 M5. Though I am still a big fan of the Chimaera and TVRs in general, I haven't regretted changing it for the M5 for a second. The one thing I have done though is put a more 'vocal' exhaust on it (Hayward & Scott) to give it a little more sense of occasion.
In terms of not being exciting enough when stationary, I sort of know what you mean. However, for me, sad though it might sound, there is one thing that always makes me look back over my shoulder when walking away...the wheels. Those dished alloys in shadow crome; probably my favourite feature of any car I've owned. And for me, that's enough...
I like that a lot!In terms of not being exciting enough when stationary, I sort of know what you mean. However, for me, sad though it might sound, there is one thing that always makes me look back over my shoulder when walking away...the wheels. Those dished alloys in shadow crome; probably my favourite feature of any car I've owned. And for me, that's enough...
rainmasterb said:
cailean said:
Why on earth would you buy a car that you can't go out with your family? Bizarre to me.
I think you may just have single-handedly answered my question! I'm sure I can find a 4 seat car without having to make too much compromise. I think first point of call will be to see if 'we' fit in a 996, and if not, then search out a decent Maser and pray it's a good'un. Unless of course a decent LC comes in under budget - now that would be special. Have also considered a jap rocket, would have to be an Impreza for the noise. Had an original UK turbo and loved it, could quite fancy an RB5 or P1. Decisions decisions!My kids are 3 1/2 and 16 months and I am 6ft 2in. I drive an X5 to allow me to sit as far back as I want without the kids being an issue....I don't commute and don't have enough"me" time to justify a sporty car too!
Good topic and lots of good suggestions. My budget started out at £15K but then our finances changed and I'm now looking at half that, if not less.
My ideal car weekend car is a V8, flat-6 or V6, manual, convertible, has to be petrol and manual, galvanized body, some crash protection, without a reputation for expensive engine failures. Preferably RWD, but 4WD or FWD if necessary.
If I can't get the wife and 2 children in, I will hardly ever use it.
How about a manual 928S4 or GTS? Or an aircooled 911 3.0/3.2?
My ideal car weekend car is a V8, flat-6 or V6, manual, convertible, has to be petrol and manual, galvanized body, some crash protection, without a reputation for expensive engine failures. Preferably RWD, but 4WD or FWD if necessary.
If I can't get the wife and 2 children in, I will hardly ever use it.
How about a manual 928S4 or GTS? Or an aircooled 911 3.0/3.2?
Thanks. I drive a 5-series (company car, they're all BMW's round here) and my wife drives a golf, so I'm not sure it'd feel different enough. And the straight-6 BMW is too smooth for me, I like a bit of raw-ness/character in an engine. I'll look at R32'S again though, tonight's classifieds/youtube research project 
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