£15k sports car
Discussion
I’ve collected a few cars over the last few years and I like to rotate the cars every few years in order to sample all different makes/models.
I always try to make sure that each car has its place in the collection and none are too similar. I’ve currently got a mk1 MX5 NA as my traditional 90’s roadster, a RS Clio182 as my hot hatch, it’s bigger Meg RS250 Cup as my everyday car/track car and a 4x4 for family utility stuff.
With my final x2 cars I’ve decided to sell and buy a single car to replace them both as I was finding it was always one or the other and neither were ever getting used much! I had a 987 Boxster S (sold today) and a R230 SL500 about to be sold (hopefully) in the next few weeks. I’ve enjoyed using both cars but the time is right to move on. I’m budgeting around £15k which could flex a little higher for the right car. I don’t want anything too new and like to find cars that have lost most of their depreciation or are even appreciating in some cases.
The current short list is as follows; Lotus Elise (probably S2 as S1 above budget now!), BMW Z4M or E46 M3, Porsche 987 Cayman, Impreza STI/Mit Evo (if in budget!). I’m trying to find a car that complements the others in the garage and is not too similar. Prefer RWD as I have the two RS’s for FWD (although 4WD is good too). Any thoughts, suggestions welcome.
I always try to make sure that each car has its place in the collection and none are too similar. I’ve currently got a mk1 MX5 NA as my traditional 90’s roadster, a RS Clio182 as my hot hatch, it’s bigger Meg RS250 Cup as my everyday car/track car and a 4x4 for family utility stuff.
With my final x2 cars I’ve decided to sell and buy a single car to replace them both as I was finding it was always one or the other and neither were ever getting used much! I had a 987 Boxster S (sold today) and a R230 SL500 about to be sold (hopefully) in the next few weeks. I’ve enjoyed using both cars but the time is right to move on. I’m budgeting around £15k which could flex a little higher for the right car. I don’t want anything too new and like to find cars that have lost most of their depreciation or are even appreciating in some cases.
The current short list is as follows; Lotus Elise (probably S2 as S1 above budget now!), BMW Z4M or E46 M3, Porsche 987 Cayman, Impreza STI/Mit Evo (if in budget!). I’m trying to find a car that complements the others in the garage and is not too similar. Prefer RWD as I have the two RS’s for FWD (although 4WD is good too). Any thoughts, suggestions welcome.
That's not a straightforward choice!
If you are selling a Boxster maybe a Cayman would be too similar?
But if you want something light and don't mind it being fairly basic your budget may go further on a VX220 than an Elise.
I bought a Z4M Coupe 18 months ago for less than £15K and love it but at current price levels you'd probably only get a leggy one, although a Z4M Roadster might fit the bill. Likewise good E46 M3s seem to be getting out of that budget now.
Whatever you choose just enjoy it.
If you are selling a Boxster maybe a Cayman would be too similar?
But if you want something light and don't mind it being fairly basic your budget may go further on a VX220 than an Elise.
I bought a Z4M Coupe 18 months ago for less than £15K and love it but at current price levels you'd probably only get a leggy one, although a Z4M Roadster might fit the bill. Likewise good E46 M3s seem to be getting out of that budget now.
Whatever you choose just enjoy it.
Well, I'm biased. I have a Mitsubishi Evo. Mine's a fairly modified 8. The prices have recently gone a bit berserk. However, I don't think it's beyond the wit of man to find an Evo ( probably a 7 as things stand ) in that budget. If you haven't tried / had one, you should.
I also have a Mk1 MR2. A very different proposition to the above. Not fast. But remarkable. Try one if you haven't already.
I also have a Mk1 MR2. A very different proposition to the above. Not fast. But remarkable. Try one if you haven't already.
Thanks for all the comments so far.
I did briefly see a cheap (£12k) S1 Elise at the weekend but was in very poor condition and would likely of cost £1,000s to get it where I would have wanted it (lots of damage to the fiberglass clamshell amongst many other things!). What it did do was cement the Elise as a definitive potential as well as it’s brother, the VX220. I could possibly stretch to a Turbo too which I’d imagine would be pretty insane.
The other car on the short list is the 987 Cayman S, although I’m a little unsure whether it will all be pretty much as it was with my 987 Boxster S thereby defeating the object of having a change.
Any other ideas????
I did briefly see a cheap (£12k) S1 Elise at the weekend but was in very poor condition and would likely of cost £1,000s to get it where I would have wanted it (lots of damage to the fiberglass clamshell amongst many other things!). What it did do was cement the Elise as a definitive potential as well as it’s brother, the VX220. I could possibly stretch to a Turbo too which I’d imagine would be pretty insane.
The other car on the short list is the 987 Cayman S, although I’m a little unsure whether it will all be pretty much as it was with my 987 Boxster S thereby defeating the object of having a change.
Any other ideas????
You are not going to get a S2 Elise or S1 for 15k, VX220 is your best bet but if its your only car and a daily i wouldnt recommend it really
Other than that if its going to be a daily id go for a GT86, you have done the porsche thing and your other options are alot more expensive to run & have potential of fairly large bills too somrthing worth considering!
Other than that if its going to be a daily id go for a GT86, you have done the porsche thing and your other options are alot more expensive to run & have potential of fairly large bills too somrthing worth considering!
Having had a VX220 before I moved to the US, when I came back I didn't want to run one as a daily (but then I'm almost 50, so that may also have played a part in that decision).
I still wanted to do track days etc, but in something slightly more refined. Hence I went for a Cayman, in my case for the budget I could have got a 987.1 S, but having a read about them etc, it made far more sense to stretch the budget a little and get a 987.2 base model. The difference in performance between the two and even to a lesser extent between the 2.7 and 3.4 987.1, was something I'm never likely to notice, even on track, who can really tell 0.5 second quicker time to 60!?!
So, if you find a VX220 too raw, (they're still the best "fun per pound" you can have in a car in my opinion), I'd look at the base Cayman models, either a newer and fresher 987.1 2.7, or see if you can up the budget a little to get you into a 987.2 2.9, which is widely regarded as the best value for money Cayman currently.
But, if you really do want a VX220 and can live with it every day, no reason why you couldn't, plenty of owners do, then don't be too hung up on getting a Turbo over an NA, what the Turbo gains in power it loses a bit in handling. For your budget you may be able to find a very well sorted Supercharged VX if power is your thing. However, unless you plan to go on track, it's not really worth it for the B-Road blasts, you'll have just as much fun with a standard 2.2 NA.
I still wanted to do track days etc, but in something slightly more refined. Hence I went for a Cayman, in my case for the budget I could have got a 987.1 S, but having a read about them etc, it made far more sense to stretch the budget a little and get a 987.2 base model. The difference in performance between the two and even to a lesser extent between the 2.7 and 3.4 987.1, was something I'm never likely to notice, even on track, who can really tell 0.5 second quicker time to 60!?!
So, if you find a VX220 too raw, (they're still the best "fun per pound" you can have in a car in my opinion), I'd look at the base Cayman models, either a newer and fresher 987.1 2.7, or see if you can up the budget a little to get you into a 987.2 2.9, which is widely regarded as the best value for money Cayman currently.
But, if you really do want a VX220 and can live with it every day, no reason why you couldn't, plenty of owners do, then don't be too hung up on getting a Turbo over an NA, what the Turbo gains in power it loses a bit in handling. For your budget you may be able to find a very well sorted Supercharged VX if power is your thing. However, unless you plan to go on track, it's not really worth it for the B-Road blasts, you'll have just as much fun with a standard 2.2 NA.
I'm in a similar boat...
One car I haven't seen mentioned is a 370Z. Not an out and out sports car, but I've had the 350Z and I liked it, OK, it's not a scalpel sharp sports car but the torque and especially the noise were extremely amusing.
Otherwise I was looking at the same things you were, S2000, Elise S2 (just about doable for 15k), Z4 Coupe or Z4M Roadster, etc.
I reckon the Cayman would be too similar to the Boxster.
One car I haven't seen mentioned is a 370Z. Not an out and out sports car, but I've had the 350Z and I liked it, OK, it's not a scalpel sharp sports car but the torque and especially the noise were extremely amusing.
Otherwise I was looking at the same things you were, S2000, Elise S2 (just about doable for 15k), Z4 Coupe or Z4M Roadster, etc.
I reckon the Cayman would be too similar to the Boxster.
TameRacingDriver said:
I'm in a similar boat...
One car I haven't seen mentioned is a 370Z. Not an out and out sports car, but I've had the 350Z and I liked it, OK, it's not a scalpel sharp sports car but the torque and especially the noise were extremely amusing.
I'm completely biased but I've really enjoyed my 370Z Roadster for the last couple of years big time. It has a full custom exhaust/HFCs/stillen gen 3 intakes so it never fails to make me smile in the noise department for sure.One car I haven't seen mentioned is a 370Z. Not an out and out sports car, but I've had the 350Z and I liked it, OK, it's not a scalpel sharp sports car but the torque and especially the noise were extremely amusing.
It isn't something that you grab by the scruff of the neck, but that isn't to say that it isn't fun to drive though. I personally much prefer the 370Z in comparison to the Z4M Roadster that I used to have as well.
TameRacingDriver said:
I'm in a similar boat...
One car I haven't seen mentioned is a 370Z. Not an out and out sports car, but I've had the 350Z and I liked it, OK, it's not a scalpel sharp sports car but the torque and especially the noise were extremely amusing.
Otherwise I was looking at the same things you were, S2000, Elise S2 (just about doable for 15k), Z4 Coupe or Z4M Roadster, etc.
I reckon the Cayman would be too similar to the Boxster.
I would second the 370Z. Different to the Boxster/Cayman, more of a GT sports car, so not more of the same again, but still great fun to drive.One car I haven't seen mentioned is a 370Z. Not an out and out sports car, but I've had the 350Z and I liked it, OK, it's not a scalpel sharp sports car but the torque and especially the noise were extremely amusing.
Otherwise I was looking at the same things you were, S2000, Elise S2 (just about doable for 15k), Z4 Coupe or Z4M Roadster, etc.
I reckon the Cayman would be too similar to the Boxster.
Thanks for all the info.
Just to be clear, this isn’t going to be my daily (or even a 2nd car) but something that will most likely only be used in the summer (dry) that I want to feel pretty special. Practicality isn’t important and as I’ve got my two FWD RS’s, ideally I want RWD.
Im still thinking S1 Elise/VX220 as my preference. Both special cars that offer different things to my other cars. I think the 987 Cayman would be too similar to my old 987 Boxster and I’m not sure that the 35(7)0Z is special enough. Probably a good choice if it was going to be a daily or my only sports car but just not convinced it will feel that special (unfair really as I’ve never driven one!).
I have thought about some left field choices; TVR Chimeria or even a E60 M5 (although worried about the V10 maintenance costs not to mention the SMG gearbox!). And someone mentioned an Evo or STI. Not sure my budget would stretch to a decent Evo but should be in the ballpark for an Impreza STI (of which I had back in the late 90’s!).
Hmmmm, will keep on thinking
Just to be clear, this isn’t going to be my daily (or even a 2nd car) but something that will most likely only be used in the summer (dry) that I want to feel pretty special. Practicality isn’t important and as I’ve got my two FWD RS’s, ideally I want RWD.
Im still thinking S1 Elise/VX220 as my preference. Both special cars that offer different things to my other cars. I think the 987 Cayman would be too similar to my old 987 Boxster and I’m not sure that the 35(7)0Z is special enough. Probably a good choice if it was going to be a daily or my only sports car but just not convinced it will feel that special (unfair really as I’ve never driven one!).
I have thought about some left field choices; TVR Chimeria or even a E60 M5 (although worried about the V10 maintenance costs not to mention the SMG gearbox!). And someone mentioned an Evo or STI. Not sure my budget would stretch to a decent Evo but should be in the ballpark for an Impreza STI (of which I had back in the late 90’s!).
Hmmmm, will keep on thinking
VX220 it is then 
I bought mine in 2003 - considered an S1 but even back then a leggy K series put me off (conversions are now available obviously) no ABS, no servo'd brakes etc
Probably the best thing about the VX experience is the owners - a great community (Not saying the Loti lot aren't)
I bought mine in 2003 - considered an S1 but even back then a leggy K series put me off (conversions are now available obviously) no ABS, no servo'd brakes etc
Probably the best thing about the VX experience is the owners - a great community (Not saying the Loti lot aren't)
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