Help! Decisions, decisions...

[Pierre2k]

To butcher a famous movie quote, "help me PH, you're my only hope".

Some background. During lockdown, both me and my wife have been home working. We've always been a 2 car household, but around Sep'20, got rid of one (10 years old, due a service/MOT, few probs needed sorted). One car has been fine, but I'll soon need to get a car with a phased return to hybrid office working.

I've intended to get one for ages, but lack of new supply, and insane used prices have made me hold off as long as possible, but looks like I finally need to take the plunge.

Budget is flexible. Ideally £30k - £40k (no finance req.), But could stretch higher of necessary. Absolute max would be £60k, with some finance.

I've considered cars all over the spectrum.
- Mustang (ICE ver), but used prices are extremely high and availability is slim
- Tesla Model 3. Doesn't seem worthwhile unless you're a company car driver. Not sure about depreciation as battery tech improves rapidly.
- Mercedes C or E class coupe. Decent looking, nice interiors, but a bit obvious and dull.
- Maserati Granturismo. Brave pill, caution to the wind, max budget. Can't see any of the 2018 face lift cars in budget though
- Maserati Ghibli. Feel with a Maserati you can't go diesel, but most models seem to be either diesel, or the lacklustre hybrid model (trofeo kills the budget)
- Alfa Romeo Giulia. But different and less beige than a Mercedes. Could easily get a decent Veloce, but concerned about Alfa's reliability and depreciation record...? Also think I'd constantly wish for a Quad, which could take another brave pill for an older model.
- Porsche Cayman. Would have to be above 4 cylinders, ruling out the lower end 718 models. Again, used prices are bonkers just now.

As you can see, ranges from electric to gas guzzler, 2 seater to saloon.

We have a Kia Sportage for family duties, so really the door is open to anything for a 2nd car. I have a 30 mile each way commute, but only likely 2 days a week, so not fussed about MPG. About my only criteria is wanting something a bit different/special (i.e. not a BMW which, even at M-perf level is about as exciting to me as a wet weekend in Skegness), and reliable. Don't mind used, maybe max. 4 years old, but ideally younger.

Pretty vague, but I'd welcome suggestions and ideas from the PH community, and also any experiences.re: reliability. I don't buy cars often, so want to make sure it's the "right" one, whatever that means...

Thanks all.

[Pierre2k]

Thanks everyone, some excellent suggestions and great to get the input of the PH community! Appreciated.

Some initial thoughts:

Fflump – I note you reference a 5 year warranty on a Guilia QF? Do they all have this or was it just certain years? Certainly be interested in consider one if I knew it still had, say, 2 years of warranty left to run. Also, that is a truly stunning Ghibli. Pretty much my ideal spec (V6 petrol, cream leather, Blu Emozione paint, sport trim, rather than lusso etc). About the only thing I’d have personally chosen differently is I like contrasting red brake calipers, but they aren’t everyone’s cuppa, and I think that interior is one of the best I’ve seen. Beautiful vehicle. How old is it, and how have you found general build quality/reliability?

LordFiathead – Like the look of the Model 3 performance, though as ZX10RNIN says below you, there is part of me that fancies this last chance to get something a bit special with an ICE engine. A good shout though.

ZX10RNIN – Had never considered a Lexus RCF, but nice looking car. To be honest, Lexus doesn’t massively do it for me as a marque, but I can easily see the appeal. Nice looking car, and presumably incredibly solid Japanese build quality. The F-Type is a great suggestion I hadn’t looked at much. I know it again probably puts me in the minority, but I significantly prefer the headlights on the facelift, which puts me off the old version a bit, but still gorgeous. The 370z Nismo is a total left field choice, but a great option to consider at the cheaper end.

Georgeyboy12345 – Thanks for the suggestions. The Kia Stinger is an interesting one. I’ve been really impressed by our currently Sportage overall, it’s incredible warranty, fully loaded features compared with rivals, solid build etc. Makes this a particularly interesting choice. I’ll admit to total brand snobbery here, but I just wonder if it’s intangibly “special” enough, and I say that as someone more than happy to recommend Kia in general to anyone.

Overall, my thinking (read: heart, not necessarily head), draw me towards a Ghibli or Guilia Quad. The Guilia Quad with 1+ years warranty remaining would be really interesting. The Maserati has some definite kerb appeal for me, so I’ll see what’s out there. I’d love a Maserati Granturismo, but I really prefer the 2018 onwards face lift, and whilst they were in budget (just), when I got rid of my old car back in Sep’20, they are well out of reach now (if they weren’t I’d probably have one on the drive already). The Jag f-type is probably the other main contender for me, if only the 2020 facelift cars, in V8 P450 form, would drop below the £60k mark (though slightly nervous about depreciation/reliability on JLR products, rightly or wrongly). Thanks for everyone’s input so far.