Impossible Question: The £15k Car...
Discussion
Right, so I'm lining up my next car purchase and have theoretically assigned £15k to it. I was looking at a 3.6 996 but have now been put off by scary stories of engine rebuilds (been there, can't do it again). So now where do I go?
The caveats:
- Must have 4 seats.
- Must not come with scary stories of engine rebuilds.
- Not necesarily a sports car but must be 'special' (think Top Gear cool wall)
- Can't be a 'hot' version of another car (M3/5, Focus RS etc)
- Must have been built this century (ie 2000 onwards).
- I don't care about running costs (servicing/tyres/tax/MPG).
- I might think of some more rules as we go on...
As a guide, think 996. It could be a Maserati 3200 - except I've had one of those (see 'been there' comment above!). A TVR Cerbera could fit the bill but I've had one of those too.
I am currently thinking around a Maserati Quatroporte (scary?), Range Rover Sport (special enough?), an S5 (worried about breaking my own rules on 'hot' versions there), XF SV8 (and again!!)
I'm after thoughts for inspiration rather than an actual answer...
Thanks!
The caveats:
- Must have 4 seats.
- Must not come with scary stories of engine rebuilds.
- Not necesarily a sports car but must be 'special' (think Top Gear cool wall)
- Can't be a 'hot' version of another car (M3/5, Focus RS etc)
- Must have been built this century (ie 2000 onwards).
- I don't care about running costs (servicing/tyres/tax/MPG).
- I might think of some more rules as we go on...
As a guide, think 996. It could be a Maserati 3200 - except I've had one of those (see 'been there' comment above!). A TVR Cerbera could fit the bill but I've had one of those too.
I am currently thinking around a Maserati Quatroporte (scary?), Range Rover Sport (special enough?), an S5 (worried about breaking my own rules on 'hot' versions there), XF SV8 (and again!!)
I'm after thoughts for inspiration rather than an actual answer...
Thanks!
Mr MXT said:
Why can't it be a 'hot' version of another car?
Because I don't want it to be!!! Call me shallow but I suppose I want it to be noticeably special to everyone, not just car people. I suppose that stems a bit from having my old CLK 430, that is just an old Merc to most people, but is a 4.3 V8 to me.
Edited by swindorski on Monday 4th February 15:35
swindorski said:
Mr MXT said:
Why can't it be a 'hot' version of another car?
Because I don't want it to be!!! Call me shallow but I suppose I want it to be noticably special to everyone, not just car people. I suppose that stems a bit from having my old CLK 430, that is just an old Merc to most people, but is a 4.3 V8 to me.
If you like the 996 then why not get a nice, tidy, later model 3.4? I believe they are less prone to IMS and bore scoring. Keep an eye out and get a cherished one for around 11K, get it inspected and get the bores scoped. If you have a car with 90k+ miles on it with no scoring the chances are that it will be good forever. And I think the 3.4's actually look better than the 3.6's.
Then 4k in your war chest. How about that?
Then 4k in your war chest. How about that?
swindorski said:
Because I don't want it to be!!!
Call me shallow but I suppose I want it to be noticably special to everyone, not just car people. I suppose that stems a bit from having my old CLK 430, that is just an old Merc to most people, but is a 4.3 V8 to me.
It also makes sense to buy a car that is what it was designed to be in the first place. Not, in the case of your Merc, a diesel German taxi, that was turned into a coupe and then strengthened to take a hulking great v8!Call me shallow but I suppose I want it to be noticably special to everyone, not just car people. I suppose that stems a bit from having my old CLK 430, that is just an old Merc to most people, but is a 4.3 V8 to me.
(A bit of an exageration but I think you get the point)
Some useful thoughts there (and some not so...)
I think the 996 is worth further investigation but it's living with the fear of failure more than the actual cost of repair.
XK(R) - Good job. It looks as though I could trade out the supercharger and squeeze in to the new shape...
Bentley - Ticks the boxes but it might be a bit too much...
Merc CL - Good, but it could be a bit too similar to the CLK.
Monaro - Great car for the money, the wife would vito it.
I've also just thought of a 6 series...
I might print them off and create a cool wall on my whiteboard in the office!
Keep 'em coming - thanks!
I think the 996 is worth further investigation but it's living with the fear of failure more than the actual cost of repair.
XK(R) - Good job. It looks as though I could trade out the supercharger and squeeze in to the new shape...
Bentley - Ticks the boxes but it might be a bit too much...
Merc CL - Good, but it could be a bit too similar to the CLK.
Monaro - Great car for the money, the wife would vito it.
I've also just thought of a 6 series...
I might print them off and create a cool wall on my whiteboard in the office!
Keep 'em coming - thanks!
Edited by swindorski on Monday 4th February 16:00
swindorski said:
DanielSan said:
Monaro VXR?
Good call, however...New rule;
- Wife is a badge snob!
I'd probably get away with it if she hasn't heard of it - ie Holden - but a vauxhall has no hope!!
Gaz. said:
I do think it is a shame that a £9.99 badge set stops you buying a Monaro when it ticks all your boxes.
I do agree, and it's easy just to blame my wife's badge snobbery, but then we come back to that 'special' part. It's that almost inexplicable thing, the X factor if you will. Let's be honest, when buying any of the cars listed above, logic goes out of the window at a very early stage!
DanielSan said:
swindorski said:
DanielSan said:
Monaro VXR?
Good call, however...New rule;
- Wife is a badge snob!
I'd probably get away with it if she hasn't heard of it - ie Holden - but a vauxhall has no hope!!
No one will mistake it for anything else either (well apart from the VX service desk who will tell you Movanos didn't come with a V8
)Edited by Vulgar LS2 on Monday 4th February 16:18
swindorski said:
Because I don't want it to be!!!
Call me shallow but I suppose I want it to be noticeably special to everyone, not just car people.
I'd go with that. Not necessarily for other people's benefit, but for my own. A go-faster hatchback, for example, however accomplished, usually still feels like a go-faster hatchback until you really wring its neck.Call me shallow but I suppose I want it to be noticeably special to everyone, not just car people.
Depending on where you place the boundaries, what about an Evo? Not sure you could even buy a basic Lancer over here during the heyday.
Or an Integrale? Okay, forgot about the noughties requirement there, but it's pretty damn special and if you're brave enough for a 3200 GT or a Cerb then it's not too much of a leap mechanically.
Holden Monaro?
Infiniti G35? (Four seat 350Z basically...)
Some sort of modified Defender?
You're right. It's relatively easy to think of cars that fit the bill that are older or only seat two people, but a genuinely interesting four seater from this century - 996 aside - quite tricky.
Don't mention to wifey that the Vauxhall Holden is a coupe Omega with an engine derived from a unit shared with an American van! 
Seriously though, your criteria fits the 3.6 996 perfectly, and a warrantied example bought wisely won't be the hassle that internet conjecture would have you believe.
Shame that your "derived from" rule eliminates cars like the E46 M3. To rule it out based on what other people might think is to miss out on one of the most fabulous engines ever to be fitted to a road car, and a sublime and friendly rwd chassis ..... that needs to be treated with respect of course
Seriously though, your criteria fits the 3.6 996 perfectly, and a warrantied example bought wisely won't be the hassle that internet conjecture would have you believe.
Shame that your "derived from" rule eliminates cars like the E46 M3. To rule it out based on what other people might think is to miss out on one of the most fabulous engines ever to be fitted to a road car, and a sublime and friendly rwd chassis ..... that needs to be treated with respect of course
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