Up to £12k to spend on sporty hatch or coupe

[Dewi-asl8m]

I have been toying with the idea of replacing the Scirocco for a while now and yesterday finally sold it. I have been looking at BMW 220i and 420i m sports as well as the 1 series m sport and Audi A3 s line. I am looking for a petrol rather than a diesel (Don't mind diesel but I only do about 6k miles a year). I am looking for something 2014 or younger. My budget is up to £12k which I could stretch a little. Any suggestions on alternatives or views on the cars I have just mentioned will be appreciated.

[Court_S]

Early M135i? Pretty much the same interior as the 2 series but with more poke. Not perhaps the prettiest things but they’re pretty quick with a lovely engine.

For a bit less you could get a late 135 coupe. Of the previous shape. Again it’s a cracking engine and some of the later cars had the DCT gearbox which I think is great.

[SCEtoAUX]

GT86 if you don't want outright power. £12k will just about get you a main dealer car with a full history and perhaps 60k miles. Not many at main dealers mind you but they do crop up.

Looks lovely and with the reliability of Toyota, there shouldn't be any nasty surprises.

[AshVX220]

SCEtoAUX said:

GT86 if you don't want outright power. £12k will just about get you a main dealer car with a full history and perhaps 60k miles. Not many at main dealers mind you but they do crop up.

Looks lovely and with the reliability of Toyota, there shouldn't be any nasty surprises.

Agreed, OP for the money you want to spend if you want a coupe I'd go for a GT86, great fun straight out of the box.

[Dewi-asl8m]

Thanks for the feedback. I've heard good things about the GT86 but I'm not really fussed on the looks. Another option is buying something like a 2009 E92 325i for about the same price as I sold my Scirocco and keeping that for a year

[smithyithy]

There's a Z4 roadster within those parameters.. Not the most powerful, but 2 door, hardtop, RWD, petrol and manual. I'd image a more involving drive than a 2er or 4er coupe..

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[Deep Thought]

Dewi-asl8m said:

Thanks for the feedback. I've heard good things about the GT86 but I'm not really fussed on the looks. Another option is buying something like a 2009 E92 325i for about the same price as I sold my Scirocco and keeping that for a year

If i was going to go to the trouble of running a six cylinder petrol BMW, i'd go 330i (for the extra power and purity of no turbo) or 335i

[Deep Thought]

370Z GT.

[Mike335i]

If you can get beyond the age issue, 12k would buy a lovely pair of 986 Boxsters, one for daily use and another for spares.

Would also stretch to a 987 Boxster.

Cars after 2014 aren't that interesting anyway, not if you like driving anyway.

[Deep Thought]

Mike335i said:

If you can get beyond the age issue, 12k would buy a lovely pair of 986 Boxsters, one for daily use and another for spares.

I think that would be serious overkill...

Mike335i said:

Would also stretch to a 987 Boxster.

... would be my choice if going down that route

[Mike335i]

Deep Thought said:

Mike335i said:

If you can get beyond the age issue, 12k would buy a lovely pair of 986 Boxsters, one for daily use and another for spares.

I think that would be serious overkill...

Mike335i said:

Would also stretch to a 987 Boxster.

... would be my choice if going down that route

I wasn't actually being serious haha, just making the point that buying older buys so much more and more interesting.

[Deep Thought]

Mike335i said:

Deep Thought said:

Mike335i said:

If you can get beyond the age issue, 12k would buy a lovely pair of 986 Boxsters, one for daily use and another for spares.

I think that would be serious overkill...

Mike335i said:

Would also stretch to a 987 Boxster.

... would be my choice if going down that route

I wasn't actually being serious haha, just making the point that buying older buys so much more and more interesting.

You are right though. At around the £6K mark you could buy a very nice 986 and run it with little or no depreciation. I bought an 03 2.7 for £6750 a couple of years ago and sold it a year later for £6850. Only needed a number plate light for MOT.

I'd quite like a 987 though, and as you say, early ones are well within budget.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd say look at the best drivers hot hatch which is the Megane RS250/265 with the Cup Chassis:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Or a 370GT:

GT Ultimate

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

GT

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...