£15k... two cars or one?

[Niall0tdi]

Hi all, I'm deep into the 'what to replace my lease with when it finally ends' thoughts - so far the only known fact is that I don't want another lease car. I've been going round and round in circles a million times so wondered if you'd have any other suggestions to try and steer my thoughts.

Requirements:
- I do a one-day-a-week 250mile motorway commute and occasional big UK trips so needs to be relatively comfy for that and 30+ MPG. Like to have a blast on B roads at the weekend and want to do a euro driving road trip for my 30th next year
- Need to carry bike(s) easily and nice to be able to chuck stuff in a decent sized boot
- Puts a smile on my face and makes a half decent noise
- Looks 'nice' - subjective as hell, i know!... I'm not into Japanese stuff - please no MX-5s
- Running costs not an arm and a leg (i.e. not renowned for likely big, expensive problemS)
- Budget will be around £13-15k

Stuff that I've considered:
One Car:
- Mk7 Golf GTI: Does it all, but potentially will leave me wanting more fun... Feels like the sensible choice and probably my preferred option.
- BMW M135i: as per the GTI... bit less sure on this? Not quite as practical but obviously more enjoyment.
- Megane Cup(?) - doesn't float my boat in the looks department and not very practical boot capacity

Two Cars:
- Porsche Cayman 987 + a £2k estate: the Cayman's my 'affordable dream' car but have been put off by running costs and potential for big bills. Conclusion was that i'm not quite there in life for this yet.
- BMW 320d/2.0d A4 Avant/Skoda Octavia/Superb (c. £5k) + BMW Z4: not sure if the Z4 feels a bit too 'safe' as the fun car?
- BMW 320d/2.0d A4 Avant/Skoda Octavia/Superb (c. £5k) + a Boxster...? Still a bit wary of the bills.

With the above, what would you suggest? In a 2-car setup, I guess my biggest dilemma is what fun car to go for...

Appreciate any help!

[tomwilliams0326]

at your budget you could potentially go for a m140i which i would recommend
, however another down side to have 2 cars is going to be that you have twice the tires, 2 services, 2 mots, and twice as many things to go wrong.
It sounds like youre willing to compromise least on is the fun factor, so having something like a hot hatch sounds like all the boxes ticked.
I dot know your thoughts on cat cars, but getting a pre inspection and getting an i30n cat car is possible for around 15k, and they would tick the practical factor

[SturdyHSV]

V70 D5 for comfortable commute / trips / bikes / dumping stuff in boot ~£2,000

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2006-56-Volvo-v70-2-4-d...



Visually modified Maserati 3200 for weekend fun, euro trip, and an absolute maintenance time bomb to keep you on your toes ~£10,000

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Maserati-3200-3-2-V8-GT...



Leaves you with £3,000 to fix bits on the Maserati, and you own a fking Maserati

[edc]

I would look at a 986 or early 987 Boxster. They are well rounded and tick a lot of your boxes. Great cars to tour with as 2 boots, comfortable on the longer stretches but more than capable on the mountain passes. You can but from anywhere circa £5-12k for something decent leaving you enough for a regula car.

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd go the two car route but I'd go for a biggish car (I'm assuming the bikes will be on the roof) rather than an estate in particular, but I'd spend a bit more on it as this is where I'm going spend the majority of your time.

So for my first option I'd go for an all Nissan combination.

Daily

Infiniti M30d these come with everything including the kitchen sink (adaptive cruise heated/air cooled seats etc) spec wise & you also get something newish as well as a spacious comfortable way to dispense with 250+ mile trips:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103069...

Fun

370Z very much a drivers car not as sharp as the Cayman but not far off plus you have sensible running costs with a low bork factor, as well as a cracking V6.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102149...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012137...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102159...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2010-NISSAN-370Z-GT-V6-...

Convertible

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2011-11-NISSAN-370Z-GT-...

Option 2

Daily

Mercedes E350cdi Sport/Avantgarde

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101117...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012287...

Weekend

Z4 35i Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011246...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101238...

135i Coupe

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101117...

Option 3

Daily

Mercedes R Class Long Wheelbase all the estate you could ever want the looks are challenging but you won't care a jot once you're sat inside BUT the AWD hurts their fuel efficiency & the road tax cost vs the E Class & Infiniti above:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103170...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202007271...

Weekend

SLK 300

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102249...

SLK350

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103089...

Other daily's worth a look:

Jaguar XF Premium Luxury

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102139...

525d M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202011045...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/201910153...

If you go mainstream 2.0d for your daily then the Insignia in Elite Nav spec is the pick of the bunch as you'll get a sensible mileage one vs age for sensible money:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103029...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102159...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101248...

As you may have notice some will bring you to 16 but haggling will get you nearer to 15k.

As a car for 250 mile round trips the Infiniti would get my vote as would the 370 for euro trip duties but it'll come down to what you want, as you can see there's a lot of choice.

My weekend alternate is the Astra GTC VXR they have a big boot & are a smidge behind the Cup Chassis 250/265/275 BUT you get a more modern car with a great set of Recaro's as standard:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101228...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101137...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012147...

[PH User]

Niall0tdi said:

One Car:
- Mk7 Golf GTI: Does it all, but potentially will leave me wanting more fun... Feels like the sensible choice and probably my preferred option.
- BMW M135i: as per the GTI... bit less sure on this? Not quite as practical but obviously more enjoyment.
- Megane Cup(?) - doesn't float my boat in the looks department and not very practical boot capacity

The Meganes boot is very nearly as big as the Golf and is bigger than the BMWs. The BMW has the best engine of the 3, but the Mégane is the best fun for driving. The Golf.....erm.....has the best cruise control.....maybe.

[Boringvolvodriver]

My take is that getting one car to meet those requirements would be pretty tricky and will result compromises in some shape or form.

I would spend the bigger proportion of the budget on the car that you will enjoy driving most and presumably for the road trip.

If you can find a good one, then maybe a Volvo V50 with the D5 engine - enough room for bikes on roof - for the daily

As for the weekend - as ZX10 mentioned, the Astra is a good call, or would that maybe work as just one car?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102088...

ETA link to Astra - looks pretty good.

Edited by Boringvolvodriver on Thursday 18th March 19:49

[PH User]

Why would you want an Astra as a weekend car? Yes it's a good hot hatch, but it's no weekend car!

[Niall0tdi]

Thanks for all the responses so far! Some great thought starters in there and appreciate all the comprehensive thinking + links... very kind.

Astra’s don’t float my boat I’m afraid - a bit too chavvy for me and the interiors look pretty messy.

Megane - again doesn’t do it for me in the styling and interior looks a bit ‘flimsy’.

Got me thinking more about Boxsters - so that’s cool. Seems I could get a good’un for around £8k leaving enough spare for a half decent daily and some maintenance.

Keep thinking back to the M135i.... anyone got experience with these? Seems like a pretty special car and could be the one to do it all. I’m a little worried that I might begin to resent it when ploughing along on the motorway though? I had a 500 Abarth and - whilst a bit more extreme - i couldn’t hack it for all that motorway mileage.

[ZX10R NIN]

If you want a do it all car then go for a 335i Touring/S4 (they handle as well) & you'll be less compromised you'll appreciate the lower NVH on a longer run.

Do it all one car options:

335i M Sport Touring

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102078...

330i M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012227...

S4

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012086...

CLA 250

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103150...

Leon Cupra 280

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202101228...

Audi S3

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102088...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103049...

Golf R

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103140...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102259...

[PH User]

An M135i will easily plod along on a motorway, but I thought you were worried about boot space?

[Uncle boshy]

https://www.pistonheads.com/news/ph-driven/vw-golf...

[PH User]

I think you should stick to looking for 2 cars. An estate is all very practical, but you wouldn't take it out for a Sunday morning drive!

[Mr Tidy]

I would have thought an M135i might cover both bases, but I've never even driven one!

I really wanted a Z4M Coupe but knew I needed a vaguely sensible car for elderly parent taxi duty with a frame/wheelchair so I got an E91 325i for that purpose, albeit for 15.5K.

Personally I'd go for the 2 car option, that way the "weekender" just feels so much more special.

[cerb4.5lee]

Mr Tidy said:

Personally I'd go for the 2 car option, that way the "weekender" just feels so much more special.

I'm definitely in your camp as well.

[FWIW]

ZX10R NIN said:

330i M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012227...

If this was an auto...

[cerb4.5lee]

FWIW said:

ZX10R NIN said:

330i M Sport

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012227...

If this was an auto...

It is fascinating to see how different we all are. I'm chuffed to actually see one with a manual!(especially with the current generation being auto only).

[Jules Sunley]

PH User said:

I think you should stick to looking for 2 cars. An estate is all very practical, but you wouldn't take it out for a Sunday morning drive!

My weekend car is an estate, but I say this tongue in cheek and not in this budget criteria

Interesting thread this, question and responses. Will think if I can add any other options in the mix