What car - help please

[SpydieNut]

Hi all - I would appreciate suggestions for my next car. I bought my A3 1.9 tdi (130) new in 2003 and have put 170k miles on her. She's been reliable, economical and I like the way she looks. It's not an exciting car to drive and it feels like you're abusing her if you thrash it a bit. She's also now getting to the stage where some money will need to be spent (new clutch and DMF, as they've never been done and they are getting a bit noisy and the take of the clutch is high. I think new brake calipers, bushes and maybe suspension-as they are all also original). The timing belt also needs changing in the next 6 months. So probably £1500-2000.

I always thought a 2nd hand Porsche (996 or boxster) would be what I went for, with a budget of up to £10k. I know a decent 996 for that may not be easy to find though.

But the stories of engine failures really has me re-thinking this. I realise most people only report problems, but for a car that was meant to be the useable everyday supercar, there seem to be a lot of failures. Don't get me wrong, I'd still love one, but couldn't stomach a re-build cost. I guess I could get one after a good deal of research and buying a good warrenty.

What other options are there-my requirements are as follows

Reliable
Comfortable and well built
Something fun in the twisties if i feel like a hoon, but also OK for motorway stretches and general commuting every day.
Averaging mid-high 20s mpg (my commute is 72 miles a day, of which 68 miles is motorway)
Ideally 6 or 8 cylinders (always wanted more than a 4 pot)
Possible to do some basic spannering on myself.
Don't really need more than 2 seats, but not averse to more either.
Up to about 10 years old and 100k miles

I can think of a good few cars, but most would be more than my purchasing budget.

Any suggestions would be great

[AmitG]

I'll kick off with: Jaguar XKR (1998 - 2002)

Reliable if you buy right (there are a few well known, rectifiable faults, and a supportive owners club)
Awesome B-road weapon, but also able to do long motorway runs in reasonable comfort
30mpg on the motorway
Supercharged V8
Spannering it yourself - depends on your abilities I guess, but the basics are surely do-able (they are slightly old-school)
2 seats (rear seats are IMHO good for luggage only)
10K GBP might get you a 2002 model with less than 100k miles. The 2003 onwards are better, but the budget would need to be increased. Or go for the XK, which is not supercharged.

Example here: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

[SpydieNut]

Thanks AmitG - I'll check them out.

Ok ok, I get the feeling by the lack of replies that my initial wish list was too optimistic.

So how about this

£10k max purchase price (less is OK too )
4,6 or 8 cylinders
reasonable running costs - aim for min 22-25mpg average
reliable and well built
up to 10yrs old and 100k miles
slightly special and fun to drive when the mood takes.

Any easier?

[Willy Nilly]

Wouldn't the running costs of an XKR make your eyes bleed after the Audi? If you can afford it go for it, but it would be quite a jump.

[kiethton]

Just a few ideas from the top of my head:

BMW E46 M3
Vauxhall Monaro
Merc CLK 55AMG
Nissan 350z

[RobM77]

I realise you see them everywhere and it's an obvious choice, but a BMW 330i seems to suit and actually exceed your criteria. They have a balanced chassis, a beautiful straight six engine, they're reasonably reliable (not as good as a Honda or Toyota of course, but they're ok - and yes, you can do much of the work yourself if you want to) they offer the practicality of your trusty old Audi and in terms of comfort they're amongst the quitest cars in their class (the E46 was actually the quietest) - I went in a 2003 S Class last year and it wasn't as quiet above about 40mph as my E90 3 series. Plus they'll easily average low to mid 30s mpg wise if most of your driving is out of town.

Alternatively, save up for a bit longer to get yourself a rescue fund, find a good Porsche Indie for servcing and then buy the best 996 you can in your budget

Edited by RobM77 on Tuesday 12th November 13:35

[LordHaveMurci]

Glad I'd never heard of all the RMS/IMS/Bore Scoring issues with 996's before I bought mine 4.5yrs ago or I may never had achieved my boyhood dream of 911 ownership!

[underphil]

AmitG said:

I'll kick off with: Jaguar XKR (1998 - 2002)

Reliable if you buy right (there are a few well known, rectifiable faults, and a supportive owners club)
Awesome B-road weapon, but also able to do long motorway runs in reasonable comfort
30mpg on the motorway
Supercharged V8
Spannering it yourself - depends on your abilities I guess, but the basics are surely do-able (they are slightly old-school)
2 seats (rear seats are IMHO good for luggage only)
10K GBP might get you a 2002 model with less than 100k miles. The 2003 onwards are better, but the budget would need to be increased. Or go for the XK, which is not supercharged.

Example here: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

A one and three quarter tonne B road weapon, doesn't sound likely!

[RobM77]

underphil said:

AmitG said:

I'll kick off with: Jaguar XKR (1998 - 2002)

Reliable if you buy right (there are a few well known, rectifiable faults, and a supportive owners club)
Awesome B-road weapon, but also able to do long motorway runs in reasonable comfort
30mpg on the motorway
Supercharged V8
Spannering it yourself - depends on your abilities I guess, but the basics are surely do-able (they are slightly old-school)
2 seats (rear seats are IMHO good for luggage only)
10K GBP might get you a 2002 model with less than 100k miles. The 2003 onwards are better, but the budget would need to be increased. Or go for the XK, which is not supercharged.

Example here: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

A one and three quarter tonne B road weapon, doesn't sound likely!

The E92 M3 manages it! I must admit though, I'm as suspicious as you that a Jag weighing that much could be much good down a bumpy B road (do they really weight that much?!).

[SpydieNut]

Thanks all-some good suggestions there.

I have to agree that, as nice as it would be, running an 8 cylinder everyday for 17k miles a year would be a stretch too far. One day I'll have one as a weekend toy maybe. Even the not-bad 30mpg of the 330i as above will double my fuel bill.

But you know what? I've been driving a diesel for 10.5years now and while it's done everything I wanted, it's a bland, soul-destroying thing for a petrolhead to drive and life's too damn short. So I need to get back into a petrol engined car and I need it to excite, involve and stimulate me on every drive.

I'd love a Lancia Delta Integrale, but really don't think it fits my needs at present.
Likewise an M-powered BMW - always lusted after an older M3.

My cambelt change is only due in about 7 months, so I may well do the winter in mine (especially as I've just put her winter wheels on today) and save a bit more, then look at what I'd really like to own, a 911. I will just have to research, buy well and get a good 3rd-party warrenty.

[RobM77]

Do be wary of what's happened to modern petrol cars in your time away. Most now have a lag between throttle pedal movement from fully up/closed to another position and the engine responding as it should (i.e. instantly!), and in the rare cases where they don't have a lag (the CTR FN2 that my wife's just bought for example), they often have a very weird and unnatural response (in that example, the CTR FN2 is non linear for the first inch or two, which takes ages to adjust to and to be fair always feels odd, even when you're used to it. She's keeping the car, but she just wished it didn't do it). Another common one is a car hanging on to revs after you back off - beware of wheelspin in the wet for instance - you can't control it in some cars because they won't let you back off straight away, which is pretty annoying in a powerful RWD car in the wet, unless you just leave DSC on of course. My first experience of this was with an E46 330ci, one of BMW's first forays into drive by wire throttle back in the year 2000 (I believe the 5 series started it for BMW three years prior to that) - it was so bad (around a second or so before response, both on and off the throttle) that I sold the car on after just a few months. I then started test driving a lot of cars, and as a result of my dissapointments, stuck with cable throttle designs from older or simpler cars for many years. Things have got a lot better now, so I bought a Z4C back in 2009, but ultimately the throttle lag (small as it was) and clutch delay valve (another recent development since you bought your car) pissed me off too much and I sold it on. After testing an E46 M3 and finding the throttle lag unacceptable, I'm now back in a diesel until such time I have another stab at a petrol car. Things have changed a lot in ten years... buy wisely!

[jay140285]

Why not spend what you need to on the Audi and keep that for the commute and good mpg, after all you know the car inside out.

Then buy something like an Elise VX220 for pleasure for 7 / 8k, surely the money you will save by still running the audi will off set the insurance / taxing of 2 cars.

Thats how my man maths would do it.

[JPatkinson18]

off the top of my head I would suggest

honda S2000
Audi RS4 (B5)
Ford Focus ST
Impreza P1

to name a few, happy car hunting

[SpydieNut]

OK - thanks guys. I've had a long hard think about it and, despite the appeal of shiny new metal, my car is very sound, so I think I am going to just do the bits and pieces it needs over the next 6-12 months and then it will be A1 again.

I keep telling myself that no matter what the car is, I really wouldn't have more fun in one over another when I'm just cruising down the motorway at 70mph. It may be newer, more comfortable etc, but it's going to cost £8-9k to change and then cost more in fuel, VED, insurance, tyres etc etc, so I may as well take that money and buy a proper driver's car (thinking Caterham etc) for weekend blasts.

thanks again though for your ideas

[Krikkit]

Why not something bigger and waftier for the commute? Not as good on the B-roads, but a nice ride goes a long way to making a commute more fun.