New Job = New Toy upto £30k - Page 1 - Car Buying

Monday 9th May 2022

Hi all,

Been lurking on this forum a couple of months and advice I see looks good so thought i'd try my luck.

I'm a site based construction manager who has recently moved site, was driving 3000miles a month to now driving 300 miles. So I have decided to swap my Toyota Avensis company car to have a bit of fun for a couple of years.

With a budget of £25-30k (£35k for something special), im looking for something with a bit of acceleration and i'm a sucker for a nice interior, so probably not much older that 3-4years. I'll be buying the car so ideally something that will hold value reasonably and also reasonably reliable that it's not going to be known to break a lot and cost me an arm and a leg to fix.

Cars I have been considering so far:

BMW M2/M240 - top end of budget, feel small?
Merc C43 - again top end of budget, been reading should get the facelift 2018 onward model.
Golf R - fairly common?
Audi S5?

Also completely the opposite im toying with a bigger, slower vehicle such as a BMW X4, Merc GLC?

As you can tell i'm pretty uninformed when it comes to cars so any help and advice is appreciated.

Thank you.

Brett748

977 posts

194 months

Monday 9th May 2022

M2 would be where my cash went. M cars will weather the depreciation storm which may come after the used car bubble and it is a special car.

ZX10R NIN

30,431 posts

153 months

Monday 9th May 2022

If you go for the top of the range from a Manufacturer then although they'll cost a bit more to run they will depreciate less whereas you more run of the mill/warm models will depreciate (something like a C43/S4 etc) more.

M4 Competition:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204154...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202112100...

Lexus RC F:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203304...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202205085...

Magnum 475

4,110 posts

160 months

Monday 9th May 2022

My dosh would head towards a Ford Mustang. 5.0 V8, epic soundtrack and NA, not a turbocharger in sight smile

You’ll get a decent one for between £30k & £35k. Could be one of the last chances for a V8. You might have to settle for 4 - 5 years old, but that’s not exactly “old”.

richatnort

3,198 posts

159 months

Monday 9th May 2022

I’ve been looking at TT s recently for the lower end of that car and could be a good all rounder for you.

Canon_Fodder

1,775 posts

91 months

Monday 9th May 2022

Merc A45 is toy-ish and I like the interiors of these...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203013...

georgeyboy12345

4,569 posts

63 months

Monday 9th May 2022

Canon_Fodder

1,775 posts

91 months

Monday 9th May 2022

OP don't go "bigger, slower".... Age will give you both of those in due course, trust me

I like the F-type idea above

easycompany

Original Poster

7 posts

51 months

Monday 9th May 2022

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Going to have a look at a couple of M4 but those F-Type are something else. Didn’t even know you could get one for that money. Does anybody have any experience with them? The 2.0ltr still look quick but should I just go for the 3.0 v6!?

M.F.D

927 posts

129 months

Monday 9th May 2022

A nice M2 would be brilliant at this money.

If interested in a hatch, Megane 300 Trophy is an excellent car. Avoid the Golf R if you want something fun/entertaining.

nickfrog

25,160 posts

245 months

Monday 9th May 2022

Yes M2 but the interior may feel a little low rent or dated. I don't think it is but it was basically launched in 2012 with the 1 series.

But I think it would meet all the other criteria best.

georgeyboy12345

4,569 posts

63 months

Monday 9th May 2022

easycompany said:

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Going to have a look at a couple of M4 but those F-Type are something else. Didn’t even know you could get one for that money. Does anybody have any experience with them? The 2.0ltr still look quick but should I just go for the 3.0 v6!?

You'd have to go for the V6!

SWoll

22,623 posts

286 months

Monday 9th May 2022

Top end of budget but < 4 years old, properly special and will almost certainly hold it's value with your limited mileage.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201041...

PTF

4,456 posts

252 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022

I had the same thing happen to me last year. New job. More money. And with COVID i thought i'd splash out.

I went manual M2. Loved it. Absolutely great car.

But i'm itching to get on track again in something properly fast, and i don't want to track the M2, so it's for sale at Junction17 in Peterborough at the moment.

nickfrog

25,160 posts

245 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022

SWoll said:

Top end of budget but < 4 years old, properly special and will almost certainly hold it's value with your limited mileage.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201041...

That's a really good find, awesome option indeed. They have a 5 year warranty haven't they? I would be a bit nervous without a (proper) warranty.

43,829 posts

208 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022

PTF said:

I had the same thing happen to me last year. New job. More money. And with COVID i thought i'd splash out.

I went manual M2. Loved it. Absolutely great car.

But i'm itching to get on track again in something properly fast, and i don't want to track the M2, so it's for sale at Junction17 in Peterborough at the moment.

That has ruined my idea of a mini "M car" meet up with you now then! smile

You didn't seem to have it all that long?

What fast track car are you thinking about getting then? driving

43,829 posts

208 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022

nickfrog said:

SWoll said:

Top end of budget but < 4 years old, properly special and will almost certainly hold it's value with your limited mileage.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202201041...

That's a really good find, awesome option indeed. They have a 5 year warranty haven't they? I would be a bit nervous without a (proper) warranty.

I'd love to experience the engine in these. driving

I'm not usually a fan of 4 door saloons, but these always look great when I see them though. cool

PTF

4,456 posts

252 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022

cerb4.5lee said:

PTF said:

I had the same thing happen to me last year. New job. More money. And with COVID i thought i'd splash out.

I went manual M2. Loved it. Absolutely great car.

But i'm itching to get on track again in something properly fast, and i don't want to track the M2, so it's for sale at Junction17 in Peterborough at the moment.

That has ruined my idea of a mini "M car" meet up with you now then! smile

You didn't seem to have it all that long?

What fast track car are you thinking about getting then? driving

Ah yes. It does somewhat ruin that plan!

The M2 was awesome. But i found i simply didn't do as much with it as i had planned, and my kids were complaining about us not going bike riding enough.

I had planned to track it, but didn't want to once i'd got it as it felt to me much more like an amazing road car.

It felt like a jack-of-all-trades kind of car, which is exactly what an //M car is suppose to be! It was fast, comfy, fairly economical (35 mpg on a run), looked ace, sounded lovely. But it wasn't that great at the day-to-day stuff like ferrying kids about, taking my bike(s) anywhere, doing the commute.

So i'm looking at going back to Caterhams (i raced them on and off for 10 yrs), or maybe an Elise of some kind.

I've bought a Yeti as a family wagon and potential towcar

43,829 posts

208 months

Tuesday 10th May 2022

PTF said:

cerb4.5lee said:

PTF said:

I had the same thing happen to me last year. New job. More money. And with COVID i thought i'd splash out.

I went manual M2. Loved it. Absolutely great car.

But i'm itching to get on track again in something properly fast, and i don't want to track the M2, so it's for sale at Junction17 in Peterborough at the moment.

That has ruined my idea of a mini "M car" meet up with you now then! smile

You didn't seem to have it all that long?

What fast track car are you thinking about getting then? driving

Ah yes. It does somewhat ruin that plan!

The M2 was awesome. But i found i simply didn't do as much with it as i had planned, and my kids were complaining about us not going bike riding enough.

I had planned to track it, but didn't want to once i'd got it as it felt to me much more like an amazing road car.

It felt like a jack-of-all-trades kind of car, which is exactly what an //M car is suppose to be! It was fast, comfy, fairly economical (35 mpg on a run), looked ace, sounded lovely. But it wasn't that great at the day-to-day stuff like ferrying kids about, taking my bike(s) anywhere, doing the commute.

So i'm looking at going back to Caterhams (i raced them on and off for 10 yrs), or maybe an Elise of some kind.

I've bought a Yeti as a family wagon and potential towcar

Thanks for your reply. smile

Exciting times ahead then in something like a Caterham or an Elise etc for definite. thumbup

Those type of light cars have always eluded me for some reason, however I did really enjoy the drive of my FILs Caterham big time(that was only on the road though). driving

43,829 posts

208 months