Fun toy - Caterham, Westy, Elise, Exige? What else?

[boombang]

After a few years without an interesting car I'm now looking for a fun toy for weekend road use, it might venture onto track but I don't want a track focussed car by any means.

I was set on getting an Emira but our main car was stolen earlier this year and the replacement is a jack of all trades, meaning a lower budget toy fits better.

Budget isn't fixed but capped at £45k absolute max. and I would like to spend a lot lot less. If for example I was going for a Westfield I doubt I'd break £15k unless there was something perfect.

Depreciation and running costs are more important if spend higher up budget, it might be I need to sell this back off in 12-24 months for another purpose. If go lower end I there should be no pressure to sell on.

Car will be garaged but needs to be relatively small footprint although no issues with width for door opening.

Thoughts so far:
- Caterham, premium over Westy in initial price but less likely to have quirks in the build
- Westy, happy to have another but needs to be more sorted than my last and more power, I would only consider fuel injection for this one too.
- S2 Elise R, prices well up since last looked and it's not an Exige - but with it being (nearly) watertight I am sure I would use it more.
- S2 Exige, I remember a nice 2007 model being sub £30k many moons ago, that would have been a good buy! I think if they hadn't come up in price I'd be buying one right now and not really questioning it.

I'm not sure if the default response is MX-5, but having driven one it's just not special enough for me, even if it was a lovely handling car.

My last toy was an elderly 130bhp 500kg 4AGE engined Westfield SE, fun when it worked but always a job to do and some of them biggies. If that's a baseline I want more power / performance, an LSD, and although would appreciate an element of comfort it wouldn't be essential.

Wider car history includes a VX220 turbo, it was fast but power delivery didn't quite suit the car and the ABS was horrific - I only didn't buy an S2 Exige S then as had a single car garage and couldn't get the door open wide enough to get out (at time didn't think an Elise was fast enough...)

Any more ideas or considerations?

[ecs0set]

TVR?

[Cascade360]

This is what I would go for, if playing near the top of your budget:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12249243

[Smitters]

This is a cracking pub-conversation.

In no way as a result of searching the classifieds... and thus alphabetical is entirely by chance...

Alfa 4C
BMW M2/Z4/Z4M
Jag F-type
Morgan
Boxster/Cayman/911

Incidentally a mate just paid sub £10k for a Boxster and absolutely loves it - they find it sits perfectly in the "special, but not so special I won't take it shopping" category, which I think is useful if it's a weekend car and not just an occasional b-road blast type thing.

Have you considered building a car?

[TheAlastair34]

I have a 7 type kit car (all be it a early live axle car with 350bhp) a Elise 111r & a S1 Evora

All three are within your budget but i was to have only one it would be the Evora as its practical, liveable daily but still drives very well and rides better than the Elise, yeah its not as fun on the narrow roads as the Elise is and it lacks the near death experience of a seven but is fantastic as a whole package, looks great too i think and offer great value for money VS a 911.

So depends what you really want to use it for?

A Westy or Caterham as you know are driving nirvana for about 6 times a year, the rest the Elise will be better, Exige looks better but for me no roof & 8,500rpm and more road biased ride of the Elise is better.

Ive also had a VX220 but mine was a NA but i totally understand your view, great cars 80% as good as the Lotus equivalent but let down by the engines in both guises for me.

Prices for Elise have risen but if you look at them vs what else there is out there they have been undervalued for some time IMO

[Glenn63]

I think I’d be going for the best I could in budget Elise cup 250 and keep forever. Nearly new so (hopefully) fairly reliable, removable roof for added drama, light weight so easy on consumables etc.

[ZX10R NIN]

For me there are a couple of cars that pick themselves for me.

Lotus wise I really like the Evora it's a great steer, you won't feel short changed going for the N/A version either.
Prices are pretty stable & haven't jumped to much, I also feel that they're the easier car to sell out of the Lotus range:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111209...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108206...

Evora S

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110198...

Noble GTO great steers that are holding their money pretty well:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109077...

Airel Atom

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/255230772093?hash=item3...

Zenos E10

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110158...

Leftfield:

If you can live with LHD then the C6 Z06 is a very hard car to look past, they're handling is easily on par with a 997 GT3 & then there's that engine to add to the mix which then makes it a very special car:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108015...

Lotus Europa

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111219...

[georgeyboy12345]

Mazda MX-5's can be special with a few choice modifications

Here's an ND with a BBR Super 220 conversion
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111099...

Or buy this rust-free NB...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106023...

...then take it to Rocketeer, who will put a Jaguar AJ30 V6 in it
https://www.rocketeercars.com/why-v6-power


Caterhams

2005 1600 Super Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109207...

2015 360S
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109167...

2016 420R
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108035...


Some other ideas, getting progressively more track-focused

Porsche Cayman S
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108266...

Alpine A110
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111169...

Keeping it French, but slightly more left-field - Venturi Atlantique 300
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102128...

TVR Tamora
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202012177...

TVR Griffith
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106193...

Lotus Elise 220 Sport
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110088...

Alfa Romeo 4C
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202108136...

Lotus Exige V6 Cup
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202109217...

Zenos E10
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106244...

Supercharged Ariel Atom with 310 bhp
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202110188...

[cerb4.5lee]

Some very lovely cars getting mentioned on this thread for sure.

[boombang]

cerb4.5lee said:

Some very lovely cars getting mentioned on this thread for sure.

Damn right, thanks everyone for contributing, really appreciate it and there are some suggestions I simply wouldn't have thought of!

Having a good look and think, I'm going to have a good look at budget and confirm max spend without likely needing to sell. Keep getting drawn back to the Exige S2, as it's a car I've wanted for 17 years now, but I think there might be a better suggestion on this thread

[CMacC]

boombang said:

cerb4.5lee said:

Some very lovely cars getting mentioned on this thread for sure.

Damn right, thanks everyone for contributing, really appreciate it and there are some suggestions I simply wouldn't have thought of!

Having a good look and think, I'm going to have a good look at budget and confirm max spend without likely needing to sell. Keep getting drawn back to the Exige S2, as it's a car I've wanted for 17 years now, but I think there might be a better suggestion on this thread

What about a VX220 - The turbo in particular with the additional torque is a monster on dry B roads, just need to watch it on wet ones!
I loved mine, and the only thing stopping me having another is that I want something that I can fit the kids in the back of!

[boombang]

Covered that in original post, VX220 n/a and turbo both ticked, neither was 'right'. Had an n/a first, liked it but the engine quickly ran out of puff and didn't suit the car. Got a turbo and although it was rapid the more time I spent driving it the less I enjoyed it.

boombang said:

Wider car history includes a VX220 turbo, it was fast but power delivery didn't quite suit the car and the ABS was horrific - I only didn't buy an S2 Exige S then as had a single car garage and couldn't get the door open wide enough to get out (at time didn't think an Elise was fast enough...)

Edited by boombang on Tuesday 23 November 09:56

[Shnozz]

Cascade360 said:

This is what I would go for, if playing near the top of your budget:

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/12249243

If its a single garage (the OP refers to limited width) then you might struggle with one of these. I test drove a friend's example some years ago (when he wanted £20k for it sob) but found there wasn't enough room to open the door to get out in a single garage.

If the OP is concerned by running costs at the top end of his budget that too would make me nervous with a Noble, as would parts availability.

[boombang]

Likely to be ok, as in original post.

I have a wide double garage that's slightly deeper than normal, but I've got some gym kit in there along with bikes and some racking for storage.

Sure I can clear enough space to get a car in and get door open, but I don't want something really wide to be honest, as much for using the car on B roads as the garage space.

boombang said:

Car will be garaged but needs to be relatively small footprint although no issues with width for door opening.

[Shnozz]

ZX10R NIN said:

For me there are a couple of cars that pick themselves for me.

Lotus wise I really like the Evora it's a great steer, you won't feel short changed going for the N/A version either.
Prices are pretty stable & haven't jumped to much, I also feel that they're the easier car to sell out of the Lotus range:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202111209...

That is my old car. Bought it about 2014 for £28k IIRC, sold it a few years later for the same via Job Seal (might have "lost" £1k or so via SOR).

I had the SR wrap done, installed the later Alpine unit and the silver Exige gear nob.

Was a great car. See its also had another clutch at 42k - that would be its second!

[Shnozz]

boombang said:

Likely to be ok, as in original post.

I have a wide double garage that's slightly deeper than normal, but I've got some gym kit in there along with bikes and some racking for storage.

Sure I can clear enough space to get a car in and get door open, but I don't want something really wide to be honest, as much for using the car on B roads as the garage space.

boombang said:

Car will be garaged but needs to be relatively small footprint although no issues with width for door opening.

Apologies - teach me to speed read of a morning.

[Shnozz]

Out of interest OP, what is leading you to the Exige S2 over the V6 S3?

With the way in which S2 Exige prices have risen the price gap is negligible (albeit S3 prices have also risen but seemingly less).

My last S2 Exige cost me £16.5k. Supercharged too and on Ohlins - again, sob sob.

[boombang]

Shnozz said:

Out of interest OP, what is leading you to the Exige S2 over the V6 S3?

With the way in which S2 Exige prices have risen the price gap is negligible (albeit S3 prices have also risen but seemingly less).

My last S2 Exige cost me £16.5k. Supercharged too and on Ohlins - again, sob sob.

Looks, long term lust and cost really - I do take the point about closing price but looking like £45-50 for an S3 in colour and spec I'd want, and I'm pondering how likely I'd be to use something like that properly rather than have it sat in the garage.

[Belle427]

I’d go Exige if you fancy it, much more useable then a Westy etc.
I am drawn to a Noble though and think that’s what I’d choose personally.

[Shnozz]

boombang said:

Looks, long term lust and cost really - I do take the point about closing price but looking like £45-50 for an S3 in colour and spec I'd want, and I'm pondering how likely I'd be to use something like that properly rather than have it sat in the garage.

Fair points. I am yet to own an S3 but from what I have read the running costs are a step up from the S2, as perhaps one would expect given its a 3.5 V6 versus a 1.8 and everything is just a bit bigger and hence a bit more expensive. That said, compared to anything else these are still a bargain to run. When I look back on the running costs of my S2 Exige it was remarkable really.

When the S3 was first released I thought it looked a bit stretched in the middle and didn't have the "just right" proportions of the S2. However, as time has gone on I see the S3 as being a bit more grown up rather than that pocket rocket S2. That said, I really don't think you can go wrong with either. I test drove a S3 a few weeks ago with a view to having one as an interim car before the Emira is built.