Weekend car up to £6k.
Discussion
We are all PH'ers, so I am sure I am not alone in spending too much time thinking about the next car purchase. My next one is some way off, as I have some saving to do, but I would like to busy myself researching options and getting to know the market.
I am aiming to have up to £6k to spend on a weekend car. It will be a coupe or convertible, manual, 5/6 cylinders or more, enjoyable to drive and reasonably quick, not in £500+ tax band (or <06), must fit in a modest single garage, possible to do some DIY maintenance and servicing.
Some of those which I consider are worthy of consideration:
Coupes
Fiat 20VT - owned one before. Would happily have another, but might be better to try something different.
Alfa Romeo GTV V6 - keen to try an Alfa and a Busso engined one would be the pick for me.
Alfa Romeo GT V6 - as above, but might be a bit heavy?
VW Corrado VR6 - possibly looking/feeling a bit old now.
Nissan 350Z - too heavy? Not sold on the looks.
Audi TT V6 - front heavy.
BMW 328i Sport (E36) - finding a good, sound, unmolested one?
Convertibles
BMW Z3 2.8 - Z4 might be a better option.
BMW Z4 3.0 - like the styling and the engine
Porsche Boxster 2.7 or 3.2S - concerned about maintenance costs. Can a good one be had for this money?
I would welcome any comments on this list given my criteria and of course suggestions of any I have not thought of.
I am aiming to have up to £6k to spend on a weekend car. It will be a coupe or convertible, manual, 5/6 cylinders or more, enjoyable to drive and reasonably quick, not in £500+ tax band (or <06), must fit in a modest single garage, possible to do some DIY maintenance and servicing.
Some of those which I consider are worthy of consideration:
Coupes
Fiat 20VT - owned one before. Would happily have another, but might be better to try something different.
Alfa Romeo GTV V6 - keen to try an Alfa and a Busso engined one would be the pick for me.
Alfa Romeo GT V6 - as above, but might be a bit heavy?
VW Corrado VR6 - possibly looking/feeling a bit old now.
Nissan 350Z - too heavy? Not sold on the looks.
Audi TT V6 - front heavy.
BMW 328i Sport (E36) - finding a good, sound, unmolested one?
Convertibles
BMW Z3 2.8 - Z4 might be a better option.
BMW Z4 3.0 - like the styling and the engine
Porsche Boxster 2.7 or 3.2S - concerned about maintenance costs. Can a good one be had for this money?
I would welcome any comments on this list given my criteria and of course suggestions of any I have not thought of.
I'm in a very similar boat to you and looking for similar cars although a bit more on the 2 seater RWD convertible front. I will admit i've had the same apprehensions over the 350z, also your criteria about <500 road tax would mean a very narrow window of the 350z's as i've seen some that are £305 per year tax and the younger ones pre-370z that are 500+
I've had a soft spot for the BMW z's for a while now even if the early z4 doesn't have the looks of it's older z3, that 3.0 engine is something i must try. Also your ideas of alfa v6's is one similar and if they'd made a RWD v6 i'd have made my mind up.
Good luck in your search, can't add much only that you're onto some good cars and personal preference is going to decide it mainly.
I've had a soft spot for the BMW z's for a while now even if the early z4 doesn't have the looks of it's older z3, that 3.0 engine is something i must try. Also your ideas of alfa v6's is one similar and if they'd made a RWD v6 i'd have made my mind up.
Good luck in your search, can't add much only that you're onto some good cars and personal preference is going to decide it mainly.
t suggestion, but what about something a bit "outside the box" like an MX5 with a V6 swap. Seen it done before, they look a right hoot. If you can spanner it yourself, that'd be a tight fit for the price, theres a company called rocketeer, currently a reader's car thread about them, they do 3.0 jag engined mx5s. For a factory fit full setup 11k with you supplying car, i think a fit yourself is just on the boundary of 6k. Good out of the box idea but sadly financially out of reach.
Could always try going for forced induction, 6k will get you one very rare mr2 turbo or even a gt4 but can fully understand the want for more displacement/cylinders.
Could always try going for forced induction, 6k will get you one very rare mr2 turbo or even a gt4 but can fully understand the want for more displacement/cylinders.
MrBrightSi said:
If you can spanner it yourself, that'd be a tight fit for the price, theres a company called rocketeer, currently a reader's car thread about them, they do 3.0 jag engined mx5s. For a factory fit full setup 11k with you supplying car, i think a fit yourself is just on the boundary of 6k. Good out of the box idea but sadly financially out of reach.
Could always try going for forced induction, 6k will get you one very rare mr2 turbo or even a gt4 but can fully understand the want for more displacement/cylinders.
Damn, thought as much. Still, i think the V6 MX5 would be absolutely perfect for OP.Could always try going for forced induction, 6k will get you one very rare mr2 turbo or even a gt4 but can fully understand the want for more displacement/cylinders.
Apart from that, I'm struggling to think past the 350Z. Either that or a busso Alfa.
ZX10R NIN said:
Tbh if OP is worried about the weight of a 350, and he is right they are quite heavy, then i would think that CLK has no chance.An MX-5 with an engine transplant is a possibility. It is something I have thought about and having owned a couple of Mk1 5s before I know a bit about them.
The Rocketeer kits look great, but are costly.
My main concern with this is finding a good solid base car, or the welding and restoration work required to bring a less than perfect example up to scratch. The mechanical work I would enjoy.
The Rocketeer kits look great, but are costly.
My main concern with this is finding a good solid base car, or the welding and restoration work required to bring a less than perfect example up to scratch. The mechanical work I would enjoy.
ZX10R NIN said:
Beautiful - but i think that will go for well in excess of the O/Ps budgetI'd go for either the 350Z - these havent dropped in value below £5K ish for some years now OR a Boxster.
I went for the latter in Aug 2016. Ran an 04 2.7 in Silver with Black Leather for nigh on a year as a weekend car. Bought it for £6,750, sold it for £6,850. No maintenance costs other than tyres and a number plate light
I went for the latter in Aug 2016. Ran an 04 2.7 in Silver with Black Leather for nigh on a year as a weekend car. Bought it for £6,750, sold it for £6,850. No maintenance costs other than tyres and a number plate light
daemon said:
ZX10R NIN said:
Beautiful - but i think that will go for well in excess of the O/Ps budgetPersonally I think it's worth around 8+k (obviously dependent on condition of course) but it's not the right time to be selling one of these.
Well in my mind depending on the cause of the crash because a front bumper alone is £1680 on it's own before you take into account the £240 each for the two pieces of mesh around the fog lamps & then there's the centre section that's £400 all before VAT & you can see why cars like this can end up cat'd.
It's worth less because of it though.
It's worth less because of it though.
MrBrightSi said:
I will admit i've had the same apprehensions over the 350z, also your criteria about <500 road tax would mean a very narrow window of the 350z's as i've seen some that are £305 per year tax and the younger ones pre-370z that are 500+
Not that narrow. Anything from 02 to mid-06, so early DEs and maybe a RevUp if you're lucky, but not really restricting considering a 6k budget anyway.Pistonheader101 said:
daemon said:
Pistonheader101 said:
That clk55 is cat d
Has the dealer that in the listing? Naughty if he hasnt.... and that its not prevalently mentioned.Or did you look it up?
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