Help me choose...

[jargle]

Hi all

I have a 993 C2 garaged, which I love to drive 'properly'. I have a Range Rover Classic for daily messing about. My wife has a 5 door B-class, family wagon. And I have a motorbike.

Problem - I don't use the Pork enough. I don't like putting motorway miles on the 993. The RRC is unrealistic for longish drives to wherever I am working - currently 150 mile round trip. It is also v tight for parking where I live, so I am thinking of dropping to two cars.

Maybe...selling the 993 and RRC, and buying a more modern performance car that I would drive daily. can be 2 seater, convo, whatever. Maybe a diesel? Don't expoect it to be as focused as a 993. Spend - £25 - 30K ish. Would need to be that tricky combo of fun to drive, good M-way cruiser and attractive (to me). Part of me says wait until the Nisaan GT-R becomes cheaper...

Options;

- BMW ? Never had the bug but friends rave.
- Don't like the styling of the 996
- Nothing too exotic/playthingy e.g. bargain Ferraris.

All suggestions welcome!

J

[Ashley1111]

Nice Jaguar XK 4.2? fast enough, practical, plenty of toys, look great......

[SammyW]

E90 M3? Seems to be plenty of tidy examples with fairly low mileage for £30k.

[Arthur Daley]

Focus RS and pocket the change?
If the commute was B roads I would say a Renaultsport Clio 200.
Audi RS4 is another possibility.

[jargle]

Hmmm interesting, thanks. Am looking at Jag ads, and also M3. I get the Focus idea but need something that can eat the miles smoothly...the MPG thing is an issue, 750 miles a week at mo.

Keep 'em coming !

[delboy735]

jargle said:

Hmmm interesting, thanks. Am looking at Jag ads, and also M3. I get the Focus idea but need something that can eat the miles smoothly...the MPG thing is an issue, 750 miles a week at mo.

Keep 'em coming !

BMW 535 D.
Perfect.

[chriscoates]

Another vote for the M3, mpg is not brilliant though. I would go for a saloon because they are much rarer than the coupe.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2693880.htm

I would also suggest a Jag XK, you can get a low mileage example like this for sub-£30k:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2696592.htm

A third more sensible choice with fuel economy in mind is a Merc E350 CDI Coupe:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2726409.htm

[jargle]

Delboy, yes I have just been looking at one, very nice.
Chris, very interesting - hadn't thought of that Merc, nice looking motor.

I am still wondering how I get the 'driver involvement' thing, I may test drive that Merc and I've just put a call in to an old pal who had an M3 - which I suspect is the most involving car mentioned so far.

XKR convertible looks nice, except I worry that I'd end up wearing a cravat and looking like Roger Moore...

and a mate of mine just said, keep the 993 you plum and buy an old diesel Golf..

needless to say my wife already doesn't care at all about this. I have patiently explained that is like her choosing an iron. One must research.

[Mr Sparkle]

M3 CSL too impractical?

[vladcjelli]

Jaguar XF for me please.

Either fast SV8

or frugal 3.0 diesel luxury

[jargle]

M3 CSL.....mmmmmm tasty....just read up on it on Wikipedia. Cardboard boot floor to save weight - that's hard core. The only downer is that is seems to only come with paddle shift, which is just too F1 for me. I am going to dig around and see what options exist on M3s with manual.

XF - yes genuinely lovely motors but I don't need the 4 door saloon gig so prefer to go a little more self-indulgent.

Thanks everyone for your comments!

[rah1888]

I don't think the CSL actually had a cardboard floor.

I seem to remember the boot mat was made out of recycled cardboard material and was lighter than the boot mat in the standard M3.

[bozmandb9]

Range Rover Supercharged, probably 2007. Fantastic on the motorway, supercharged fun, luxury, sense of occasion, practical. The car for all seasons, I have one, just got back from family holiday in France and it was perfect.

Only downside is fuel economy, but mine runs on LPG to give equivalent to 30mpg.

Could even pair it with a little MX5 as a runabout!

Well somebody had to suggest an MX5!

Just re-read your post and saw your comment about parking, however I think you'll find the new FFRR is very easy to park anywhere, probably much more so than the RRC!

Edited by bozmandb9 on Saturday 16th April 21:38

[mattmoxon]

C6 Corvette?

[Old Gregg]

chriscoates said:

Another vote for the M3, mpg is not brilliant though. I would go for a saloon because they are much rarer than the coupe.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2693880.htm

Ooh, yes please. I've only ever seen a couple of the saloons. Love 'em.

[adycav]

jargle said:

a mate of mine just said, keep the 993 you plum and buy an old diesel Golf..

Your mate speaks sense.


Don't spend thirty odd grand on a diesel, you will regret it I reckon.

[jargle]

Ady - I think you're right re diesel. You're a long time dead.

I am seriously taken with M3 CSL possibility - looks like they have normal boxes as well as paddles. I'm going to have a sniff around a couple for sale near me. Just found a YouTube clip of the exhaust note, sounds bonkers. I wouldn't be tracking it, and I wonder if they're caned a lot.

Having said that, I will be giving the menoporsche a severe spanking tomorrow ooh you naughty girl :-)

[chriscoates]

jargle said:

Ady - I think you're right re diesel. You're a long time dead.

I am seriously taken with M3 CSL possibility - looks like they have normal boxes as well as paddles. I'm going to have a sniff around a couple for sale near me. Just found a YouTube clip of the exhaust note, sounds bonkers. I wouldn't be tracking it, and I wonder if they're caned a lot.

Having said that, I will be giving the menoporsche a severe spanking tomorrow ooh you naughty girl :-)

No, the CSLs were SMG only, it was the CS that had the manual option. It wasn't as hardcore but it looked the same because it had the same wheels - think of it as having a few CSL toys but with the regular M3 luxuries. The CSL does make a fantastic noise though!

[ukwill]

jargle said:

Ady - I think you're right re diesel. You're a long time dead.

I am seriously taken with M3 CSL possibility - looks like they have normal boxes as well as paddles. I'm going to have a sniff around a couple for sale near me. Just found a YouTube clip of the exhaust note, sounds bonkers. I wouldn't be tracking it, and I wonder if they're caned a lot.

Having said that, I will be giving the menoporsche a severe spanking tomorrow ooh you naughty girl :-)

If you don't intend to take it on track, I wouldn't bother with the CSL. (Especially if you're doing 150m round trip per day).

I'd keep the 993, sell the rangey and buy something with the proceeds to give you a bit of day to day fun.

[tomvcarter]

M3 no competition.
V8 muscle with stunning handling, 8.05 round the ring (same as an R8).