What to buy?

[sm34uk]

This may sound like a slightly strange thread but it's time to change the car. My 996 Carrera4 has been a bit of a trooper and rocked up 195k miles and she needs to go; not because of the age and mileage of the car but because my dog is getting old and she can no longer curl up in the back seat! So, the choices I have narrowed it down to are:
Mercedes C63 AMG coupe
BMW M6 cabriolet
Lotus Evora
Criteria is nothing more than a flat back seat, performance and a budget of c£30k. It has to be a daily driver as it is also my car for work so likely to be 20k miles a year in all weathers. Welcome your thoughts, so far the ranking is 1. C63, 2. Evora, 3. M6. Other half's only restriction is that she has to like the colour and can't be over budget.

[BoRED S2upid]

Evora. I like to be a bit different and you don't see enough of these on the roads.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd 2nd the Evora right up until you said 20k Daily at which point it has to be the C63 the M6 is a great car but they can hoover up large chunks of money in a hot second.

For me it has to be Palladium Silver I really think it suits the car.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

The standard Silver is okay but the above colour would be my pick.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[Strudul]

VXR8?

[Yiliterate]

Jaguar XFR or Lexus ISF

[sm34uk]

Thanks for the other suggestions; apparently there are more criterion than I'd otherwise previously been told about!

If it's not a convertible, then it has to be a coupe. As the Karmann Ghia is supposedly near finished then that does scratch the convertible itch so the preference is now a coupe; who knew...

[ZX10R NIN]

Leftfield Coupe GT Options:

2012 CL500 4.7BiTurbo 24k 435bhp A map will see you hit 510bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2007 CL63 24k 525bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2012 650i M Sport 410bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2004 Bentley GT 24k 552bhp (not sure about the rear seats)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 Maserati Gran Turismo 405bhp 45k (these are reliable but make sure the Variator fix has been done)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Or an alternative to the C63 is the RS5 (I'd take the C63 but I'm bias) but all of these are dependent on the rear seats.

2011 RS5 445bhp 19k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[lukeharding]

I'd go for the Evora every time...the Lotus option just always seems so much more special.

[sm34uk]

ZX10R NIN said:

Leftfield Coupe GT Options:

2012 CL500 4.7BiTurbo 24k 435bhp A map will see you hit 510bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2007 CL63 24k 525bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2012 650i M Sport 410bhp

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2004 Bentley GT 24k 552bhp (not sure about the rear seats)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

2008 Maserati Gran Turismo 405bhp 45k (these are reliable but make sure the Variator fix has been done)

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Or an alternative to the C63 is the RS5 (I'd take the C63 but I'm bias) but all of these are dependent on the rear seats.

2011 RS5 445bhp 19k

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

Liking the Maserati, although having had an Alfa previously, it wasn't something I had considered given my experience of that car. There is one fairly close to me so will go and have a look. Certainly they have an aura about them but do they have the reliability needed for a daily? Head says no; heart says yes please!

[ZX10R NIN]

The Maserati's can take the miles easily the gearbox's are very robust (a simple fluid & filter change every 30-40k) the big job on the 4.2's are the cam variators (in basic terms the oil ways weren't big enough) replacing the bushes can be expensive (there are uprated versions available) my services were between (for my 4.7 Sportline) £700-1200 but that was at an Independant (Giallo Cars 01732 364444) I can't recommend them enough (they've carried out the Variator update on my friends 4.2 Quattroporte) their work & advice was always spot on I covered 45k in mine before selling it.

[Stuart70]

ZX10R NIN said:

The Maserati's can take the miles easily the gearbox's are very robust (a simple fluid & filter change every 30-40k) the big job on the 4.2's are the cam variators (in basic terms the oil ways weren't big enough) replacing the bushes can be expensive (there are uprated versions available) my services were between (for my 4.7 Sportline) £700-1200 but that was at an Independant (Giallo Cars 01732 364444) I can't recommend them enough (they've carried out the Variator update on my friends 4.2 Quattroporte) their work & advice was always spot on I covered 45k in mine before selling it.

Are Giallo still around? I noticed that ADG appear to have decamped out to East Peckham... not sure if the servicing followed suit?

[ZX10R NIN]

As far as I'm aware Giallo are still there.

[sm34uk]

ZX10R NIN said:

The Maserati's can take the miles easily the gearbox's are very robust (a simple fluid & filter change every 30-40k) the big job on the 4.2's are the cam variators (in basic terms the oil ways weren't big enough) replacing the bushes can be expensive (there are uprated versions available) my services were between (for my 4.7 Sportline) £700-1200 but that was at an Independant (Giallo Cars 01732 364444) I can't recommend them enough (they've carried out the Variator update on my friends 4.2 Quattroporte) their work & advice was always spot on I covered 45k in mine before selling it.

Thanks for this, the missus has given it the thumbs up (over a glass of wine or two admittedly) so am going to be looking for one over the next week or so; just to see what is out there.

[ZX10R NIN]

You won't regret it make sure there's documentation of the Variator work being carried out (if it's been done properly it'll be logged with Maserati) if it hasn't get a price for it to be done & try to take that off of the price or at least negotiate hard to get at least half, also once you've had it a while get the Larini centre section so you can release the lovely engine note.