What fun daily driver?
Discussion
I asked about Fiat 124s a couple of days ago, but have decided to expand my search considerably.
This is to replace a daily runaround - which works fine for short journeys but bores me to death on longer ones. I have a fun car too, but the runaround needs to be something I enjoy driving - which the current Audi TT isn't.
Practicality isn't that important - I don't need rear seats but am happy to have them. I do want enough boot space to fit the shopping in though.
40+mpg would be nice, but I can live with half that.
Hard top convertible is a big plus - soft top is OK, but not a big fan (the TT is a soft top) - coupe is OK for the right car.
It won't do a lot of miles - current runaround has done 8k miles in 3.5 years.
I'd prefer it was no older than 2015 at most - my TT is 2010 and the main reason I'm thinking of changing it is because it's got an expensive problem which is purely down to age. I'd also prefer the mileage was below 50-60k miles.
Most important is that I enjoy driving it - it must be fun. But equally - if I drive a 200 mile round trip I want to enjoy it - but also be fairly comfortable.
Probably needs enough power to weight that it will do 0-60 in about 6s or less.
I don't really want FWD - it annoys me in the TT
Budget is fairly flexible - I'd like it to be £10k - 15k but I think that's unrealistic given my age / power requirements. So maybe £25k-ish
So - cars I've browsed in the last few days :
Fiat 124 - I've always really like the look of them. Never driven one, but I expect it is fun - but they do seem a bit compromised (one review said they don't even have heated mirrors). The car would be used all year - but is actually used more in winter than summer, so not sure it's the best choice.
MX5 - Same comments as the Fiat really - with the disadvantage that I am not really sold on the looks. Plus the issue of future rust. But it would be cheap to run which is a plus.
Alfa Giulia - Really just because I had an Alfa once before (spider) and I liked it. But I suspect that - other than being an Alfa - this would be a bit dull and ordinary (I'm ruling out the quadrafilio thing)
Mercedes SL400 - these look nice, with folding hard top - but they're generally a little older than I want
Nissan 370z - there is actually one quite close to here and it's a car I've considered in the past. But reviews of them aren't all that positive, and having had a good look at the advert I don't think they're really for me - the interior is very much of a type. I want something a bit more grown up
Alpine A110 - a colleague suggested these and it would probably be great - but out of budget
BMW Z4 (the new shape - I really like the look of them, but they only just come into budget. And I also wonder how much fun they'd really be. Not sure that it justifies the £25k spend above my Audi (I'm assuming the Audi is worth next to nothing).
BMW M4 - this is the current favourite. Never had a BMW although have a friend who had an M3 years ago, and is a big fan of his current BMW. Budget would get something around the 2016-2017 range with about 50k on the clock - and even hard top convertible. Definitely make enough power and I would expect to enjoy driving it - the downside being I expect running costs will be a step up (although the TT is about £360 road tax which is ridiculous).
Any other suggestions - or thoughts on the above?
The one issue I do have is that - for the mileage / use I make of the runaround, an old TT is probably a good fit and spending £25k is insane. But I would like something that I'm happy to drive further on the rare occasions I need to - and man maths means I figure I'm simply moving the money into an asset - not "spending" it.
This is to replace a daily runaround - which works fine for short journeys but bores me to death on longer ones. I have a fun car too, but the runaround needs to be something I enjoy driving - which the current Audi TT isn't.
Practicality isn't that important - I don't need rear seats but am happy to have them. I do want enough boot space to fit the shopping in though.
40+mpg would be nice, but I can live with half that.
Hard top convertible is a big plus - soft top is OK, but not a big fan (the TT is a soft top) - coupe is OK for the right car.
It won't do a lot of miles - current runaround has done 8k miles in 3.5 years.
I'd prefer it was no older than 2015 at most - my TT is 2010 and the main reason I'm thinking of changing it is because it's got an expensive problem which is purely down to age. I'd also prefer the mileage was below 50-60k miles.
Most important is that I enjoy driving it - it must be fun. But equally - if I drive a 200 mile round trip I want to enjoy it - but also be fairly comfortable.
Probably needs enough power to weight that it will do 0-60 in about 6s or less.
I don't really want FWD - it annoys me in the TT
Budget is fairly flexible - I'd like it to be £10k - 15k but I think that's unrealistic given my age / power requirements. So maybe £25k-ish
So - cars I've browsed in the last few days :
Fiat 124 - I've always really like the look of them. Never driven one, but I expect it is fun - but they do seem a bit compromised (one review said they don't even have heated mirrors). The car would be used all year - but is actually used more in winter than summer, so not sure it's the best choice.
MX5 - Same comments as the Fiat really - with the disadvantage that I am not really sold on the looks. Plus the issue of future rust. But it would be cheap to run which is a plus.
Alfa Giulia - Really just because I had an Alfa once before (spider) and I liked it. But I suspect that - other than being an Alfa - this would be a bit dull and ordinary (I'm ruling out the quadrafilio thing)
Mercedes SL400 - these look nice, with folding hard top - but they're generally a little older than I want
Nissan 370z - there is actually one quite close to here and it's a car I've considered in the past. But reviews of them aren't all that positive, and having had a good look at the advert I don't think they're really for me - the interior is very much of a type. I want something a bit more grown up
Alpine A110 - a colleague suggested these and it would probably be great - but out of budget
BMW Z4 (the new shape - I really like the look of them, but they only just come into budget. And I also wonder how much fun they'd really be. Not sure that it justifies the £25k spend above my Audi (I'm assuming the Audi is worth next to nothing).
BMW M4 - this is the current favourite. Never had a BMW although have a friend who had an M3 years ago, and is a big fan of his current BMW. Budget would get something around the 2016-2017 range with about 50k on the clock - and even hard top convertible. Definitely make enough power and I would expect to enjoy driving it - the downside being I expect running costs will be a step up (although the TT is about £360 road tax which is ridiculous).
Any other suggestions - or thoughts on the above?
The one issue I do have is that - for the mileage / use I make of the runaround, an old TT is probably a good fit and spending £25k is insane. But I would like something that I'm happy to drive further on the rare occasions I need to - and man maths means I figure I'm simply moving the money into an asset - not "spending" it.
Gastons_Revenge said:
Considered a Toyota GT86? Like you I had a Mk2 Audi TT before getting fed up of aging VAG car problems + frustrating understeery FWD handling. I knew the 86 was the perfect replacement from the first minutes of the test drive.
I've not browsed them but they are certainly a possibility. I do quite like the look of them.cerb4.5lee said:
I've got an F82 M4 and a 370Z Roadster, and I recommend them both. I've had the M4 over 4 years now, and I've the 370 for over 6 years too.
I think 370z Roadster is out - I looked a while ago, and they seem to stop around 2011. Coupe's are not so bad - the one near me is a 2019 with very low miles and up for £25k. Maybe I should take a look.How does the M4 compare to the 370Z? I assume they're very different cars.
davek_964 said:
I think 370z Roadster is out - I looked a while ago, and they seem to stop around 2011. Coupe's are not so bad - the one near me is a 2019 with very low miles and up for £25k. Maybe I should take a look.
How does the M4 compare to the 370Z? I assume they're very different cars.
Yeah and they are a fair bit different to each other as you say, especially with the 370 being a manual and the M4 a DCT. I really enjoy them both though. How does the M4 compare to the 370Z? I assume they're very different cars.
John D. said:
Other one I've been looking at is a Z4M Coupe. Mainly for the looks and the engine. I'd expect a Cayman to be a better steer though.
I've had my MC over 5 years now and love it, but it's my fun days car. Using it as a daily would just feel like a bit of a waste, and they are quite needy in terms of maintenance, plus it's £760 a year Road Tax! By all accounts a Cayman is more capable, the M being a bit edgy but that's part of the appeal for me.
Going back to the OP I'd also choose an M2 over an M4, unless it has to be a convertible.
The current Z4s are a lot more GT than sports car, although they can be hustled down a Scottish B Road quickly enough if you're in the mood as I found out following a couple on a recent weekend trip!
GT is ok as long as I enjoy driving it (in fact GT that I enjoy driving is probably more suited than a sports car).
This is the daily runaround remember - I already have a sports car for fun. I just don't want the daily to be something I don't actually want to drive if we're going any distance - which is the case now
This is the daily runaround remember - I already have a sports car for fun. I just don't want the daily to be something I don't actually want to drive if we're going any distance - which is the case now
davek_964 said:
I think 370z Roadster is out - I looked a while ago, and they seem to stop around 2011. Coupe's are not so bad - the one near me is a 2019 with very low miles and up for £25k. Maybe I should take a look.
How does the M4 compare to the 370Z? I assume they're very different cars.
Look for the Nismo model it (imo) worth seeking out.How does the M4 compare to the 370Z? I assume they're very different cars.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
The goal posts have moved slightly. We were at a car show today, and a few of the cars I've considered were there - either on show or in the general car park.
The wife was not really impressed by them - we saw MX5, 124, M4 and a few others. The one car she did like was a 2012 Vantage.
I had a 4.3 from 2015 to 2019 and liked it a lot - and have always thought I'd have another Aston although I wasn't planning it to be now.
The wife's opinion was that's what I should buy though. I did point out that it rather exceeds the budget I'd planned but that was apparently fairly unimportant.
So, it seems that's now top of the list. It is a car that I know will tick all of my boxes so in that regard it's a safe choice.
It does mean the budget increases - I'll limit it to about £40k I think. It means I will probably fail in the minimum age I set - it's likely to be in the 2010 to 2012 range I think, maybe up to 2015 if I'm lucky (I'd like mileage under 60k).
Think I'd prefer convertible if the right car comes along even though it's soft top but would be happy with coupe too.
Will start seriously browsing the classifieds. No rush, which is a good position to be in I guess.
The goal posts have moved slightly. We were at a car show today, and a few of the cars I've considered were there - either on show or in the general car park.
The wife was not really impressed by them - we saw MX5, 124, M4 and a few others. The one car she did like was a 2012 Vantage.
I had a 4.3 from 2015 to 2019 and liked it a lot - and have always thought I'd have another Aston although I wasn't planning it to be now.
The wife's opinion was that's what I should buy though. I did point out that it rather exceeds the budget I'd planned but that was apparently fairly unimportant.
So, it seems that's now top of the list. It is a car that I know will tick all of my boxes so in that regard it's a safe choice.
It does mean the budget increases - I'll limit it to about £40k I think. It means I will probably fail in the minimum age I set - it's likely to be in the 2010 to 2012 range I think, maybe up to 2015 if I'm lucky (I'd like mileage under 60k).
Think I'd prefer convertible if the right car comes along even though it's soft top but would be happy with coupe too.
Will start seriously browsing the classifieds. No rush, which is a good position to be in I guess.
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