Which cars to replace my entire garage?

[MagicalTrevor]

Slight change to the usual 'what car' thread, more a 'what entire garage thread'.

To save you checking my profile, I currently have

• 2005 Lotus Elise 111S - Weekend toy
• 2004 Mk1 Ford Focus 1.6 Zetec - Weekday shed
• 2001 Renault Clio 172 (Ph1) - Wife's car, was meant to be my toy but she nicked it

I love the Lotus but it was bought to scratch an itch and it's not going to get used over the winter (occasion sunny dry days) and I was planning on selling it in the Spring anyway. The Focus owes my nothing, it's a well looked after car and is find to get me the 30 miles to work and back. The Clio is great fun, is also well looked after and has many miles left in her.

So the brief is to replace all three cars with at the very least a car for me an the Mrs.

• I want to scratch the 'big engine' itch next so one car has to be a minimum 6 cylinder but a V8 is highly desirable
• I'd quite like a track toy but I'm loathed to track the Elise in case of damage (sacrilege to some, I understand!)
• The Elise is a bit too good on the road (think GT86 and how much fun they're reputed to be)
• Mrs doesn't like Saloon cars ("anything with a boot")... so this means estates, hatches and sports cars only
• Don't want anything too fancy (i.e. the highest value car) for the Mrs because it will just get scratched in the work carpark (full of mongs!)
• Budget is the total of selling all the cars plus maybe a bit extra. Around £18k rounded up

My first thought was:

1. Audi S4 Avant (B6 or B7) with a nice 4.2l V8 or a BMW 330i/335i Touring - This would be my car
2. Renault Clio 197/200 for the Mrs, more likely the 197 due to budget. She also likes the Fiat 500
3. Keep the Clio 172 and modify for the track

Any better ideas?

[chongwong]

• what*

[jamiebae]

Keeping the Clio for track is a good idea, it's not worth much and you know the history.

I'd go for a supercharged Mini Cooper S over the 197 as it feels more 'special' and the supercharger whine is really addictive.

I've spent the last 6 weeks with a 6 pot (diesel) E91 Touring as a daily driver, and it's a really fantastic car. The chassis is great, you can play with it on roundabouts and it will feel like a step up from anything you have at the moment. Some of them (mine for example...) are pretty dismal in terms of spec, M Sport is much nicer than SE, and if you do go for an SE make sure it has leather, Bluetooth etc as they're all optional.

[MagicalTrevor]

MajorTom said:

Toyota GT86 x3

I like the cut of your jib, but your maths don't quite work

[the stigs dad]

Golf r32 or a r36 estate? And a polo gti or fiesta st for the mrs.

[Dracoro]

MajorTom said:

MagicalTrevor said:

MajorTom said:

Toyota GT86 x3

I like the cut of your jib, but your maths don't quite work

£6k each = £18k?

If you can find any for £6k, I'll take 3 of them

[JackTheLaddddd]

Definetly look into an abarth if she likes the 500

[Dracoro]

MajorTom said:

Dracoro said:

MajorTom said:

MagicalTrevor said:

MajorTom said:

Toyota GT86 x3

I like the cut of your jib, but your maths don't quite work

£6k each = £18k?

If you can find any for £6k, I'll take 3 of them

That's what they'll be going for second hand, once people realise how overpriced they were new.

Better wait about 5 years then! Not sure the OP wants to wait that long!

[Kaizer]

Abarth 500 is a very good car. We had ours coming up to 4 years now and nothing went wrong, and it's a very fun car, and its no slower than your 172.

However, getting a secondhand one will blow most of your budget away, so a Mini Cooper S is a better option.

And than a Porsche Boxster/Cayman for yourself.

[MagicalTrevor]

I should have said that it's the 500 Abarth that she likes but knows that the 197/200 is a better drive. Are they that good though, always thought they were reported to be a bit vague in its handling

Like the Monaro suggestion, unfortunately it has a boot...!

[Kaizer]

MagicalTrevor said:

I should have said that it's the 500 Abarth that she likes but knows that the 197/200 is a better drive. Are they that good though, always thought they were reported to be a bit vague in its handling

Like the Monaro suggestion, unfortunately it has a boot...!

In pure handling term the 172 will beat it, better throttle adjustability, better balance. But it is great fun hassling it on any road, not unlike the original Mini.

[MagicalTrevor]

Gaz. said:

Ah, I misunderstood you, I presume you're both driving both cars as circumstances allow/dictate/whatever (what me & MrsG do)

Is not strictly 'his & hers' cars, they're there to share but we do tend to stick to 'our' cars.

Somebody mentioned a Cayman. I'd be really keen on one but have heard quite a bit about 'scoring' issues on the engines? This kind of puts me off the older (I.e. in my price bracket) models. I do also like the BMW Z4M Coupe.

Another minor consideration is depreciation. I've been fortunate with the Elise that its still worth what I paid for it and the other two cars haven't moved much, if at all!

[bobbo89]

Gaz. said:

When, exactly?


Anyway back to the task in hand:

Missus:



http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Yourself:



http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

What he said!

Couldn't have called it better!

[MagicalTrevor]

The Monaro gets a thumbs up from me... And a thumbs down from her

[User33678888]

This E55..
http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

has a 5.5 Supercharged V8 for you sir, and leaves £7.5k for a hot hatch. Perhaps this BMW 130i will do? http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...

Only slight negotiation is required to get both within budget, and is a serious set of cars. Keep the Clio for when it snows

[TTmonkey]

MagicalTrevor said:

The Monaro gets a thumbs up from me... And a thumbs down from her

Well as long as she's wearing the trousers mate, why not ask on Mumsnet and see what they advise?

[ajprice]

M5 - http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...
500 Abarth - http://classifieds.pistonheads.com/classifieds/use...