Another what car thread...

[TheAngryDog]

I create more of these threads than I do anything else I think.

Having shelved the F10 M5 idea for a while (want to spend money on the house) I have pretty much decided on one of the following;

E9x M3
B8 S4
Vectra VXR (bear with me)
Focus ST (again, bear with me).

I know that none of the cars are that comparable, but that is why I have decided it is one of these. Let us go through my rationale.

M3. It is an M3 and I've never owned one, it is a V8 and I can get one with a manual gearbox. It may not be as fast in a straight line as my E55 but it'll be much better in the corners and I will be able to track it if I want to. I have also never owned a car that revs over 7k. Quick cars but are they as quick as a modified S4?

B8 S4. Awd, supercharged but a V6. But is that a bad thing? Pretty reliable (manual) and not slow when mapped and had a pulley upgrade. Big enough for long trips and should still be fun in a straight line and with a few handling modifications, should do OK around corners. Supercharger whine for days with an intake.

Vectra VXR. It is a Vectra. I can leave it anywhere, not really care about it. Big enough, V6 Turbo and tuneable. I don't think they're ugly and they aren't as bad as Clarkson makes them out to be. Cheaper than the S4 and M3 which are similarly priced. Manual box. Pretty cheap.

Focus ST. I've never had a hot / warm hatch really. T5 engine for noise, manual, tuneable, ST3 spec is decent. Plenty around and quite cheap. Can leave it anywhere and not care about it. Big enough for most jobs.

I had not really considered an M3 until this week tbh. I know I could get a 335i, tune it etc for less, but I'd rather have the M3 as it is just a better car. The S4 may not be an RS4, but the V6 with a remap is as quick, if not quicker, and with a pulley is capable of showing it who is boss.

Help!

[Croutons]

1) Drive some

2) Don't underestimate the difficulty of selling an E55. Could take a while, esp after a short period of ownership.

3) Don't buy a 3K Vectra. If you mean Insignia VXR, they're surprisingly good. But if you think selling a 10K (?) E55 and buying an 11K Insignia is a good idea, you are beyond help.

[TheAngryDog]

E55's sell OK TBH. Plus I wouldn't be asking 8k.

It would be a 5k vectra. An 11k insignia is not something I'd entertain.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd go for Vectra they're (if you're saving the pennies) underrated & you can get a very good one for your budget, if not that then the Focus is a peach I loved mine.

[TheAngryDog]

Saving money isn't a big concern tbh. All 4 cars appeal for different reasons.