£14k Weekend Car - Page 1 - Car Buying

DanG355

Original Poster

573 posts

229 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

I’m in a position where I have an absolute maximum budget of £14k to spend on a weekend car. £11k-£13k is ideal and would leave some contingency in the bank. Won’t be doing track days, just a car to enjoy driving on high days and holidays. Practicality is not important as long as a couple of overnight bags can fit in. My criteria is:

- Fun to drive
- As reliable as possible
- Not stupidly expensive to run (SL55, Maserati - Im looking at you!)
- Ideally under 80k miles - I know to buy on condition and history, but thinking about resale so humour me…
- Ideally a coupe but would consider a convertible or other body style
- Ideally a manual but would consider a good auto
- No larger than an E90 3-series as that’s about the largest car length I can fit in the garage

I’m 6ft3 but was perfectly happy in my previous Boxster 986 so size not too much of an issue.

Some candidates - would be good to hear from anyone who has owned one or more of these:
SLK55 AMG (auto only but that engine…)
987 Boxster 3.2 (a bit predictable but probably 1st choice)
987 Cayman 2.7 (scarce at my budget. 3.4 engine issues too scary for me)
Audi TTS (fast but are they fun?)
Nissan 350Z/370Z (find it hard to get excited by these but am open to opinions)

Any others to consider?

Belle427

11,746 posts

261 months

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Wednesday 27th July 2022

S2000

T5SOR

2,027 posts

253 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

I sit too high in an S2000 at 6’0, so 6’3 will be difficult. You can get some lower seat rails, which I am planning to do, but that is only 20-30mm.

plenty

5,036 posts

214 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

I bought a Z4M Roadster for comfortably under your budget albeit with well more than 80k miles, leaving cash to spend on mods. It's not razor-sharp out of the box but if you're considering an SLK or TT maybe handling isn't top priority anyway. It does have that glorious S54, bags of occasion and can be modded to improve the drive.

14k will buy an example under 80k miles.

Mr_Webb

61 posts

68 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

The Z4M is a good shout but would be the roadster at that budget - the coupe looks so much nicer IMO.

The roadsters are looking like really good value at the moment and must surely have bottomed out.

ZX10R NIN

30,402 posts

153 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

DanG355 said:

I’m in a position where I have an absolute maximum budget of £14k to spend on a weekend car. £11k-£13k is ideal and would leave some contingency in the bank. Won’t be doing track days, just a car to enjoy driving on high days and holidays. Practicality is not important as long as a couple of overnight bags can fit in. My criteria is:

- Fun to drive
- As reliable as possible
- Not stupidly expensive to run (SL55, Maserati - Im looking at you!)
- Ideally under 80k miles - I know to buy on condition and history, but thinking about resale so humour me…
- Ideally a coupe but would consider a convertible or other body style
- Ideally a manual but would consider a good auto
- No larger than an E90 3-series as that’s about the largest car length I can fit in the garage

I’m 6ft3 but was perfectly happy in my previous Boxster 986 so size not too much of an issue.

Some candidates - would be good to hear from anyone who has owned one or more of these:
SLK55 AMG (auto only but that engine…)
987 Boxster 3.2 (a bit predictable but probably 1st choice)
987 Cayman 2.7 (scarce at my budget. 3.4 engine issues too scary for me)
Audi TTS (fast but are they fun?)
Nissan 350Z/370Z (find it hard to get excited by these but am open to opinions)

Any others to consider?

Nissan 370Z good steer sweet engine with a good amount (ask Cerb how well they accelerate wink

georgeyboy12345

4,562 posts

63 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

Toyota GT86
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207127...

Vauxhall Monaro 5.7
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202203083...

BMW E46 M3 Cabriolet!
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202207268...

Honda S2000
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202206307...

Vauxhall VX220
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202204134...

Caddyshack

14,533 posts

234 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

When I read just the title of the post I was going to say 987 Boxster but I get that it might not make an exciting change.

KarlMac

4,626 posts

169 months

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Wednesday 27th July 2022

Come buy my Chimera. You can have it for £12.5k laugh

anonymous-user

82 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

Monaro

Caddyshack

14,533 posts

234 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

When I read just the title of the post I was going to say 987 Boxster but I get that it might not make an exciting change.

cerb4.5lee

43,750 posts

208 months

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[news]

Wednesday 27th July 2022

ZX10R NIN said:

Nissan 370Z good steer sweet engine with a good amount (ask Cerb how well they accelerate wink

) of go too & sensible running costs:

Definitely enough performance to get you into trouble! hehe

I love mine for sure. Great to drive with lots of character, and they sound nice too(especially with an aftermarket exhaust/intakes). Plus they are relatively cheap as chips to run as well(tax is in the top bracket though, but insurance and servicing costs are very reasonable).

They also ride really nicely and they have a very resolved chassis/suspension. I highly recommend them. smile