40K car choice

[SPiston]

I have a budget of up to £40k for a car that I plan to keep for 5 years. 5k miles per annum. 2 seats enough.
A slight concern is residuals, fuel is not an issue.


I have been thinking of the following:

BMW 1M (demo car)

M3 Competition package

BMW M3 CSL for about £30k

Cayman S Gen 2


Comments welcome – plan to buy the car in the next couple of months.

[Dalto123]

Hi, there are a lot of cars out there to get for that sort of money. I've had a little look around on Autotrader and found these:

First is a new look (2009) CL500. 388bhp, 12,000 miles, nice spec, £37,000:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

If you want something a bit more sporty theres this:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

A 2008 911 Carrera S 3.8. Again very nice spec, ahould hold value better than Merc and go pretty damn fast.

Or this:
2008 BMW M3. 420bhp V8, nice car £31,000 http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Or the convertible:
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Or perhaps an Aston?

2004 DB9 33,000 miles, recently serviced and nice colour combo at £39,995
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

You can get a slightly newer Aston by getting the V8 vantage. This is a 2006 car with 29,000 miles on the clock: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2011...

Hope this helps, or have I made the choice harder

[andye30m3]

out of your short list I expect the CSL will hold its value best with the limited millage you'll be doing

But with £40K I think I'd be going for a 996 GT3, Think thats what I'll be going for if I sell the CSl and E30 at the end of the year.

[R11ysf]

Sagaris?

[Mermaid]

The E92 M3 is awesome bit of kit, but may depreciate more than the rest.

[300bhp/ton]

SPiston said:

I have a budget of up to £40k for a car that I plan to keep for 5 years. 5k miles per annum. 2 seats enough.
A slight concern is residuals, fuel is not an issue.


I have been thinking of the following:

BMW 1M (demo car)

M3 Competition package

BMW M3 CSL for about £30k

Cayman S Gen 2


Comments welcome – plan to buy the car in the next couple of months.

Huge choice at £40k.

Suspect the 1M is likely to lose a fair bit over that time period. 2-3 years less so.

CSL is hard to judge. It's fairly unique and special, so desirable to those in the know. But e36 M3 prices are rock bottom and regular e46 M3 prices are dropping daily. Will these affect the CSL?

Honestly, I don't know. But lets say in 5 years time you'll be able to pick up a normal e46 M3 for £4k. Is a CSL really going to be worth £26,000 more?

[vixen1700]

http://www.munichlegends.co.uk/component/option,co...

After being blown away by being in one of these at the weekend, I'd say a CSL. Not cheap, mind.

[chris7676]

M3 CLS, will keep the value best.

[StottyZr]

If I had that money sitting in my bank with your requirements I would go straight for a Aston Martin V8 vantage. C'mon, look at your suggestions. How boring is an M3 in comparison?

[LongLiveTazio]

Late model NSX and some change left over for going touring?

[Ozzie Osmond]

SPiston said:

I plan to keep for 5 years. A slight concern is residuals,

You have problem there. Any new car you buy will lose at least half its value - rough guide is 50% depreciation in first 3 years.

Running costs on a used car for £40k would be something of a lottery with potentially big bills.

On balance in your situation I'd spend £30k on a used car and set aside the remaining £10k to spend on an extended warranty and/or repair costs.

[kambites]

Ozzie Osmond said:

rough guide is 50% depreciation in first 3 years.

I would have said 50% compound depreciation every three years, not just the first three.

[Mermaid]

LongLiveTazio said:

Late model NSX and some change left over for going touring?

sounds good - better than a CSL at £30k?

[George H]

SL65 AMG
http://pistonheads.com/sales/2899750.htm

Although an Aston is where my money would be going, but they have already been suggested.

Edited by George H on Friday 5th August 11:55

[Ozzie Osmond]

kambites said:

I would have said 50% compound depreciation every three years, not just the first three.

I was being kind! Yes, for most cars 50% every 3 years is about right so ultimately ther'e a lot to be said for buying cheap cars which are easy to fix if you don't like depreciation!

[alfa pint]

I'm not knocking the M3, as it's a fine fine car.

But for 40 grand, I'd want something exotic and memorable.

Maserati - quite a lot of the newer, sorted ones at that price, might even get a quattroporte.
911, poss 2nd hand turbo
aston martin V8
newish jag xk, poss r? at that price
slk amg?

You can pick up M3s from 5k upwards now, so they do depreciate.

[Robbo101]

OP, wasnt in your original list BUT have you considered a V8 Vantage ? Have just dipped below the £40K threshold & surely wont depreciate to the same degree as some of the others cars mentioned (CSL excepted). Think you'd only get the 4.2 litre for that sort of money, but surely one of the most beautiful cars ever made ? As for the noise, was a passenger in an early Roadster a couple of years back, pure Opera.

[MrOrange]

kambites said:

I would have said 50% compound depreciation every three years, not just the first three.

I would be *very* surprised if a 40k Vantage (06 plate) would drop to £20k by 2014. But you will need to set aside a sizeable chunk to run it.

[Nagra]

This....



Or this.....

[Gad-Westy]

I'd agree with the 996 GT3 idea. Cannot see these losing a penny any time soon.