What 'Exciting' 4 seater for £5K-6K?
Discussion
Or do I just modify my current car?
My Toyota Soarer is worth around £2.5k and was bought with a few modifications a couple of months back. I really like Toyota Soarers, I've owned a few in the past and know the cars well. For a further 'investment' of £2,500/£3,000, I'd have an extremely well sorted car (refreshed suspension, big brakes, 400hp+, bodywork tidied up, etc), the sort of spec I always dreamed of having back when I had my first one in my teens. But now I'm getting closer and closer to starting the project, I'm getting cold feet and wondering what I could buy instead?
Budget would be £5,000-£6,000 (Although I am willing to listen to suggestions from a slightly higher price bracket)
Needs to be quick - Current car has just shy of 380hp and want to stay as close as possible to that sort of performance.
Ideally a manual.
A bit of modifiability would be nice. Don't want to go crazy, but an established aftermarket would be nice, even if it is just for dreaming.
Suitable as a 'toy' - It will not a daily and would exist pretty much solely for putting a smile on my face every time I drive it. I'm also keen on doing track days again, but can only justify one car.
No worries about MPG (I do 3-5k a year), age or running costs bar perhaps insurance. I am 23. I would like to try a 'newer' car though, I've never owned anything made before 1995!
To my mind, in terms of a 'sporty' car not an awful lot seems to fit my brief? Evos 7/8 and E46 M3s are the only cars I can think of that suit what I'm after, but could still be setup to be very competent on track, but both are out of my budget. If I was to drop wanting to use the replacement on trackday I could go 'sensible' and look to pick up big, powerful barge like a X350 XJR. I've test driven a couple and think that they are brilliant cars, but with nearly no aftermarket and no chance of using it on track, I imagine I would get bored extremely quickly.
I know many people see modifying as a waste of money and that I should buy a 'better' car, but given from what I want from a car, I don't think anything 'better' exists for this sort of money?
My Toyota Soarer is worth around £2.5k and was bought with a few modifications a couple of months back. I really like Toyota Soarers, I've owned a few in the past and know the cars well. For a further 'investment' of £2,500/£3,000, I'd have an extremely well sorted car (refreshed suspension, big brakes, 400hp+, bodywork tidied up, etc), the sort of spec I always dreamed of having back when I had my first one in my teens. But now I'm getting closer and closer to starting the project, I'm getting cold feet and wondering what I could buy instead?
Budget would be £5,000-£6,000 (Although I am willing to listen to suggestions from a slightly higher price bracket)
Needs to be quick - Current car has just shy of 380hp and want to stay as close as possible to that sort of performance.
Ideally a manual.
A bit of modifiability would be nice. Don't want to go crazy, but an established aftermarket would be nice, even if it is just for dreaming.
Suitable as a 'toy' - It will not a daily and would exist pretty much solely for putting a smile on my face every time I drive it. I'm also keen on doing track days again, but can only justify one car.
No worries about MPG (I do 3-5k a year), age or running costs bar perhaps insurance. I am 23. I would like to try a 'newer' car though, I've never owned anything made before 1995!
To my mind, in terms of a 'sporty' car not an awful lot seems to fit my brief? Evos 7/8 and E46 M3s are the only cars I can think of that suit what I'm after, but could still be setup to be very competent on track, but both are out of my budget. If I was to drop wanting to use the replacement on trackday I could go 'sensible' and look to pick up big, powerful barge like a X350 XJR. I've test driven a couple and think that they are brilliant cars, but with nearly no aftermarket and no chance of using it on track, I imagine I would get bored extremely quickly.
I know many people see modifying as a waste of money and that I should buy a 'better' car, but given from what I want from a car, I don't think anything 'better' exists for this sort of money?
Ignoring absolute number of horses for a second and looking at power to weight and fun factor:
SUBARU LEGACY BP5 GT Spec B Twinscroll JDM (2003)
Toyota GT4 - http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
More dull but quick:
BMW E39 M5 V8
Audi A4 (B6) S4
SUBARU LEGACY BP5 GT Spec B Twinscroll JDM (2003)
Toyota GT4 - http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/t...
More dull but quick:
BMW E39 M5 V8
Audi A4 (B6) S4
Vaud said:
More dull but quick:
BMW E39 M5 V8
I totally get the Audi, but in what way is an E39 M5 duller than an AWD Subaru estate?BMW E39 M5 V8
E36 M3? Seats 4 in comfort, excellent drive, you'd have the pickings of decent ones for that kind of money and probably a bit of slush fund left over.
Skyline GTS-T or S14 200SX if you like to tinker?
Edited by ManOpener on Friday 27th June 12:56
Keep your soarer because I think you will regret changing to another car and it will cost you about a grand or two to do that anyway. If about two and half grand means you have the car you always promised yourself go for it you clearly like the car and will keep it for many more years. I don't think your Soarer will depreciate either as they are quite old and rare.
Slightly leftfield and no doubt not what you're after considering the cars you've mentioned, but how about a MINI JCW? I came to one after a highly modified MX5, running 270bhp. The MINI is great fun in all situations, I keep thinking of replacing it but can't come up with anything more fun without spending serious cash. Easy and cheap to modify and low running cost.
Leins said:
ManOpener said:
...but in what way is an E39 M5 duller than an AWD Subaru estate?
I'm thinking the same. No experience of these Legacy estates myself, but they must be pretty special if they make an E39 M5 seem dull, so looking forward to the answer to thisHave you considered some Yanky metal eg Mustang?
Thanks for the suggestions chaps. I'll give my thoughts on what has been discussed.
RX7 - Would have been perfect if they were a bit bigger/the rear leg room with the optional cushion was a bit more reasonable. Its a crush to get 4/5 people in the Soarer and they are far bigger cars.
Legacy - is good shout, I've always liked them. Although The all later twin scroll models seems to be right at the top of my budget or in most cases beyond taking them into Evo territory?
GT4 - Looked at these long and hard before. Definitely a car I'd like to own, but at this point one would feel like a Side/down step. They are very different cars, but in terms of what I like I'd always take a modified Soarer over a GT4.
E39 M5 - Believe it or not I didn't even consider a M5. Thought one of that wasn't a utter shed would be completely out of budget, but it seems they are available for between 5-6k. Definitely more research required on this one I think.
Integra - These are pretty much my 'anti-car' when it comes to niche enthusiast stuff. I've literally got no interest in them whatsoever. If I wanted a hardcore FWD B road carver I'd much rather spend my money on a track day spec hot hatch. Plus I actively dislike peaky NA engines, much preferring the mid range grunt of a turbo car.
B5 S4 - Another car that I've considered in the past. I always thought they made a good alternative to an evo or Impreza impreza. I would be expecting a decently spec'd car with K04 Turbos, so 450hp odd, 4WD, eye watering 0-60 times all for 5/6k. Just the sort of thing I'm after. I have heard they are supposed to be a bit dull to drive? My mum's non turbo 1.8 certainly was, although is not perhaps the best comparison
.
RX7 - Would have been perfect if they were a bit bigger/the rear leg room with the optional cushion was a bit more reasonable. Its a crush to get 4/5 people in the Soarer and they are far bigger cars.
Legacy - is good shout, I've always liked them. Although The all later twin scroll models seems to be right at the top of my budget or in most cases beyond taking them into Evo territory?
GT4 - Looked at these long and hard before. Definitely a car I'd like to own, but at this point one would feel like a Side/down step. They are very different cars, but in terms of what I like I'd always take a modified Soarer over a GT4.
E39 M5 - Believe it or not I didn't even consider a M5. Thought one of that wasn't a utter shed would be completely out of budget, but it seems they are available for between 5-6k. Definitely more research required on this one I think.
Integra - These are pretty much my 'anti-car' when it comes to niche enthusiast stuff. I've literally got no interest in them whatsoever. If I wanted a hardcore FWD B road carver I'd much rather spend my money on a track day spec hot hatch. Plus I actively dislike peaky NA engines, much preferring the mid range grunt of a turbo car.
B5 S4 - Another car that I've considered in the past. I always thought they made a good alternative to an evo or Impreza impreza. I would be expecting a decently spec'd car with K04 Turbos, so 450hp odd, 4WD, eye watering 0-60 times all for 5/6k. Just the sort of thing I'm after. I have heard they are supposed to be a bit dull to drive? My mum's non turbo 1.8 certainly was, although is not perhaps the best comparison
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