Weekend toy for a tall guy (and family) ideas

[reevo17]

To all you petrol heads out there I need ideas for my next weekend toy. I had to sell my mustang as couldn't fit a child behind my seat and wife dictates it needs to be family friendly.

Nothing American has caught my eye yet so started looking at hot hatches

Mk2 focus ST went straight on my list but I read many reports of cracked cylinder liners so am cautious that I could face a bill for a new engine now they're out of warranty. Is this a big issue?Being a fast ford will they hold their prices or will they become instant chav magnets? I love the looks of the car but not sure how they will be viewed in a few years..
Love the pop and crackle of the exhaust but mpg is shocking apparently

Megane Renault sport f1 team R26 (to give it its full title) - rarer than focus in my parts and more track orientated - are these liveable on B roads? What about build quality and French electrics and leaks

Golf gti edition 30. If I was to choose a daily driver this would be it, but as a weekend toy is it a little bland? It looks like any other golf. However the idea of dsg manual seems fun!

Golf r32 mkv- poor handling? Modern classic? Expensive to run?

Mg zt 260 - mustang 4.6 v8 - limited numbers produced and limited parts. Love the idea of a special car and a Q car but parts seem rare for these rwd cars?! Prices seem to hold well around £9000

E46 m3 - running costs?! Prices are on the up? Classic already

E34 M5? Worth considering

I'm 6ft 7 so that's my seat all the way back job. Kids 1 and 3yr old in car seats...

Want something that'll hold its price / not drop much further and being a toy something a little special. Something we can all go out in but at the same time when I'm alone I can really really enjoy! I have a company car (40,000 miles a year) and the wife the big family mover so this really is a toy to put the fun back in driving

Does anyone have Any experience with the above or other suggestions that I haven't considered? American or not all ideas welcome.

Budget £8-9000

Thank you in advance for any contributions

[roca1976]

oops didn't read the budget. Monaro?

[reevo17]

Hi Roca,

I've considered this as from what I've seen they have bags of room in the bag but it seems they may be out of budget / high insurance

Crazy as I can get a corvette insured for £300 buy as monaro is a UK car insurance is crazy

[ZX10R NIN]

Hi Reevo

I'm 6'7 & have had a Focus ST I used it as a track car it was 360bhp with no problems at all the cylinder block issue is something that affects heavily boosted car & even then it's something that can be cured before hand if you're going for 400bhp plus.

The fuel side of things isn't that bad averaging around 28mpg it was well worth that for the engine note.
The real weak point is the intercooler which is straight off a diesel Mondeo & suffers with heat soak so leaving a bit in the budget to change that would be a must for me.

Another car worth considering is a CLK55 AMG or if you can find one a C55 AMG with regards to the child seat my OH is 5'6 so the child seat goes behind her.

The Megane RS250 is also one worth considering as the best handling hot hatch they're worth a look.

2010 Focus ST-3 70k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2008 Focus ST-3 68k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2010 Megane RS250 Cup 65k
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2003 CLK55 AMG
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[reevo17]

Thanks mate, I really appreciate the reply.

That's very reassuring regarding the focus. The plan would be stock or a mountune car, but like most things I guess never say never!

I had never consider the merc, I guess I just dismissed them as out of budget but that's some real food for thought and one worth looking into further. Whether they'll bottom out in price like the S class etc who knows but the note would be worth it!

Ps glad to hear from a fellow giant! What else do you drive?

[Freds]

Welcome to the 6ft 7 club 'brother'

[ZX10R NIN]

reevo17 said:

Thanks mate, I really appreciate the reply.

That's very reassuring regarding the focus. The plan would be stock or a mountune car, but like most things I guess never say never!

I had never consider the merc, I guess I just dismissed them as out of budget but that's some real food for thought and one worth looking into further. Whether they'll bottom out in price like the S class etc who knows but the note would be worth it!

Ps glad to hear from a fellow giant! What else do you drive?

Mine was tuned by Graham Goode Racing but Mountune will do just as good a job I had an Airtec Intercooler on mine.

I drive a few cars I find the CLK's more enjoyable to drive than the E500 they just feel a bit more special plus the E seems feel more heavy.

With the CLK55 they're pretty much bulletproof make sure the gearbox fluid has been changed if it hasn't it's around £150-200 from an Indy, bushes wear but they're not crazy money.

An X pipe is the bare minimum on a 55 as they're very quiet a map K&N's will see you with around 400bhp/400lbft, from there a diff would be my next port of call.

[ispcarsurvey]

In the same vein as the CLK55, C55's are also in budget. Plus more family friendly. Have the estate version and struggle to think what I'd replace it with as such great VFM.