What to buy? Something sporty for b-road hoons, £16k budget

[kris-foster]

Pretty much what the title says, I'm getting ready to buy a new car and would like some input on what to go for. Main pointers for my search are:

• ~£16k of a budget (Anything under would be a bonus obviously)
• I want a "drivers car" Something that will be fun and responsive to drive. Doesn't need to be giving Ferrari's a run for their money obviously, but something with a bit of welly.
• I don't commute big miles, but it would be my "daily".
• Currently unmarried and without kids so practicality not an issue. Long as it has a passenger seat and a boot big enough for a few carrier bags at Tesco I'd be happy.

I'm a big Porsche-phile so naturally been gravitating forwards a 07/08 987 S, I've been salivating as I save for a couple of years now but now I approach the point where I can pull the trigger, I'm not as married to the idea as I once was. I've been looking at alternatives but would appreciate any suggestions from the floor.

Cheers.

[StangGT]

How about a Subaru BRZ?

[Ecosseven]

How about a 370z or BMW Z4?

If you want a bit more practicality then a GT86 / BRZ might be a good option.

[kris-foster]

Ecosseven said:

How about a 370z or BMW Z4?

If you want a bit more practicality then a GT86 / BRZ might be a good option.

Z4 is an interesting choice. Never struck me as drivers cars (short of the M badged, of course) but some very nice examples in my price range. 370z never particularly interested me, I have liked the look of the GT86/BRZ's I've seen but I'd need a test drive to see what I really thought. Nice, but nice enough to beat a CaymanS out of contention?

[ZX10R NIN]

If you want a B Road blaster then the Z4/370Z are not that kind of car the Z4 in particular gets caught short by not having enough suspension travel on B Roads when pressing on, the 370Z less so but it's still a heavy car.

Now if it's a B Road blaster you want then for me it has to one of these three:

2011 Megane RS265 Trophy with the Recaros

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

2012 Clio 200 Raider

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

2013 GT86 TRD

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

2012 GT86 D4S

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

The Megane Trophy would be the one I'd be buying.

[james_gt3rs]

Evo?

[kris-foster]

Id prefer something more obviously "sporty" than an Evo, and the interior looks, well, crap.

RS Megane is a good call, I had a '13 diesel 1.6 and I loved it. Heard nothing but good things about the RS models.

I'd love to track whatever I bought, but living in Northern Ireland opportunities are few and far between, Dublin has the only decent sized track to my knowledge.

[ZX10R NIN]

Yea you've only got Mondello but if you jump on the ferry Oulton Park is an option & if it's track work you're looking to do then the Trophy wins hands down.

[ORD]

Hot hatch.
Any tidy Lotus in budget.
Cayman / Boxster

Nothing else is worth a look given your wants and needs.

[Parry12345]

Honda S2000? Revvy n/a engine, rwd, 245bhp, no longer being made so should depreciate slowly, meant to be excellent cars to drive.

[300bhp/ton]

For B road use a Lotus Elise surely.

That said, a TVR might be mighty tempting or even a Corvette.

Or if you want to save some pennies, a smart Brabus Roadster. Not all that quick in a straight line, but a superb B road basher.

[doogle83]

I wouldn't choose an Elise as a daily personally but it'd be my #1 choice as a second car.

I have a very similar choice to make except I need a 2+2 (however unusable the rear seats may be) and for that reason the only two things on my test drive list are a GT86 and a Megane RS.

[caelite]

Just go for the Porsche, they aren't my cup of tea but it is obviously what you are into, you have the means to purchase one and the situation where one is suitable, why settle for a compromise of what you want?

Cayman and Boxters are great cars.

[JS1500]

996.
Judging by the interest on the interweb prices are only going one way.
An early 3.4 C2 with LSD and M030 seems to be the one everyone wants.
I bought a 3.4 C4 without sunroof for the stiffer shell and couldn't be happier with it. And it replaced a V8 Vantage.
In your budget, but not for long. Just do your research.

[Hackney]

Parry12345 said:

Honda S2000? Revvy n/a engine, rwd, 245bhp, no longer being made so should depreciate slowly, meant to be excellent cars to drive.

This.

Hasn't dated at all. Plenty around. Scope for mods if that's your thing.
Honda reliability.

I had an '06 which is after the facelift and it does improve the looks in my opinion. That's when handling revisions and drive by wire came in IIRC

[Adz The Rat]

You honestly won't care how the interior in the Evo looks if you get it in its groove on a good road.

[300bhp/ton]

Adz The Rat said:

You honestly won't care how the interior in the Evo looks if you get it in its groove on a good road.

I actually don't mind the interiors to any great extent. But my issue with the Evo is the same as the Impreza.

When you aren't hooning and just driving normally, they are pretty dull uninteresting Jap saloon cars. And to have real fun in them results in silly silly speeds.

Hugely capable cars, which of course can be fun, just not fun while remaining legal and sane on public roads.

[superlightr]

300bhp/ton said:

For B road use a Lotus Elise surely.

That said, a TVR might be mighty tempting or even a Corvette.

Or if you want to save some pennies, a smart Brabus Roadster. Not all that quick in a straight line, but a superb B road basher.

yep the Elise would be good but if you really want some fun and one of the best handling cars out there then a Caterham 7 is hard to beat. A bit more hardcore then the Elise but you will smile everytime you drive it - perhaps a little less in the rain.

I was doing 12000 a year in my 7's and have to say if you are a pistonhead you have to have a 7 in your life at least once. Its right in your budget for a good car, it is practical, will hold its value and trust me you wont ever forget the fun you had in it. Get to 90 years old and someone asks you the most fun car you ever had - 100% you will say it will be the 7.

get one for a few years - you wont regret it.

Edited by superlightr on Thursday 25th May 09:22

Edited by superlightr on Thursday 25th May 09:23

Edited by superlightr on Thursday 25th May 09:24

[poordecisions]

Z4M


Though I am slightly compromised as I have just bought one.

[seadragon]

Clio V6 but might be hard to get one in your price range.

Have always wanted one, would be awesome :-)