Cayman, T350 or 350Z??
Discussion
Hi all
I have a 944S and a Lancia Montecarlo, both of which have been brilliant cars in their own very different ways.
I am fortunate enough to be getting a decent company car soon, but it has to be combine the qualities of my 2 cars: rwd, have superb handling, feel quick, preferably with a decent boot as I am constantly hauling crap about and look the part.
Exige- too much like the Monte
VX220 - it's a Vauxhall
Clio V6 - not as quick as you'd think, no beauty
Bm 330 coupe - nice car but loads about and a bit soft
M3 - maybe
The general plan is to lease and then buy from the leasing company at the end of 3 years.
Realistically I have a budget of 33-35K, but there is a lack of cars on the market that fit my criteria. The 350Z should tick all the boxes but..erm, don't know if I could live with that badge- Honda, Mitsubushi maybe...but Nissan? However, the car is pretty grunty to drive, feels like a modern 944 - anyone owned one who can tell me I'm just being a snob?
The TVR looks great if slightly 'max powered' - but all I ever hear is how bits fall of all TVRs and how they cost a fortune to run...again, anyone got one who can comment? The lack of toys and no driver aids definitely appeals to me as I 'm not a fan. I think they are around £38K though.
As for the Cayman, it's out of my budget, looks like a Boxster (no offence, but I hate the look of them)possibly long waiting list - but it's a Porker and will have an enduring appeal I'm not sure the other 2 will have. It's currently my prefernce....
Can anyone add cars to the list to help deepen my quandry? No convertibles or 4 wheel drive.
Your thoughts would be appreciated guys!
I have a 944S and a Lancia Montecarlo, both of which have been brilliant cars in their own very different ways.
I am fortunate enough to be getting a decent company car soon, but it has to be combine the qualities of my 2 cars: rwd, have superb handling, feel quick, preferably with a decent boot as I am constantly hauling crap about and look the part.
Exige- too much like the Monte
VX220 - it's a Vauxhall
Clio V6 - not as quick as you'd think, no beauty
Bm 330 coupe - nice car but loads about and a bit soft
M3 - maybe
The general plan is to lease and then buy from the leasing company at the end of 3 years.
Realistically I have a budget of 33-35K, but there is a lack of cars on the market that fit my criteria. The 350Z should tick all the boxes but..erm, don't know if I could live with that badge- Honda, Mitsubushi maybe...but Nissan? However, the car is pretty grunty to drive, feels like a modern 944 - anyone owned one who can tell me I'm just being a snob?
The TVR looks great if slightly 'max powered' - but all I ever hear is how bits fall of all TVRs and how they cost a fortune to run...again, anyone got one who can comment? The lack of toys and no driver aids definitely appeals to me as I 'm not a fan. I think they are around £38K though.
As for the Cayman, it's out of my budget, looks like a Boxster (no offence, but I hate the look of them)possibly long waiting list - but it's a Porker and will have an enduring appeal I'm not sure the other 2 will have. It's currently my prefernce....
Can anyone add cars to the list to help deepen my quandry? No convertibles or 4 wheel drive.
Your thoughts would be appreciated guys!
ultramarine91 said:
...I have a budget of 33-35K...
As for the Cayman, it's out of my budget, ...It's currently my prefernce....
The Cayman will end up costing you upwards of £55k after you have spec'd the essentials. Hence its way over budget. However will without a doubt be most prestigious and hold its value the best.
If you're thinking of an M3, why not consider an S4 or and RS4. Much less chav image, and a better car inside and out too.
Sounds like you are a badge snob (no offence) so that counts out mainstream (ford/vaux/honda/nissan etc) so a new car for £35k with a "badge" could be a struggle, esp when you dial in your other criteria such as superb handling, big-ish boot and quick.
How about the hotter RWD Audi's?
Rump.
How about the hotter RWD Audi's?
Rump.
The new 350Z has the 300bhp of the GT4 version and has nicer lights. I test drove a 280bhp one last year it wasn't bad at all. If the dealer had been a bit more flexible, I would have bought it. As he wasn't, I bought a 996. The 350Z does not come close to the 996, not in any area.
Residuals are probably the single biggest difference and whilst that wasn't a big consideration at the time, its one worry that I don't really have now. Its also something that made a £40k car cheaper to own than a £30k car that would be worth £20k after two years.
Residuals are probably the single biggest difference and whilst that wasn't a big consideration at the time, its one worry that I don't really have now. Its also something that made a £40k car cheaper to own than a £30k car that would be worth £20k after two years.
E46 M3 seems to be the best bet there. Cayman will be out of your price range, or at least the S will, which will be the only one to have. Maybe even consider a BMW 130i... when I was at the ring a few weeks back a 118d was whipping everything in the wet, so they're obviously handly little machines. New R32 Golf may appeal too.
RX8 suffers from 350z japanese syndrome but is an interesting one to throw into the mix. You could also get ricer Mitsubishi Evo FQ-3xx which are awesome to drive apparently, but the image is even more bling and you get raced by every tosspot at the lights.
I'd avoid the T350. Just can't see it hanging together for 3 years. They are nice enough in small doses; drove one on track, but you could just tell it wouldn't be great to live with over the long term.
All in my less than humble opinion
PS Ignore Mitsubishi Evo and R32 if 4WD are massive no-nos.... remember that the Evo behaves like a RWD car and is very driftable tho'.
>> Edited by domster on Thursday 3rd November 10:22
RX8 suffers from 350z japanese syndrome but is an interesting one to throw into the mix. You could also get ricer Mitsubishi Evo FQ-3xx which are awesome to drive apparently, but the image is even more bling and you get raced by every tosspot at the lights.
I'd avoid the T350. Just can't see it hanging together for 3 years. They are nice enough in small doses; drove one on track, but you could just tell it wouldn't be great to live with over the long term.
All in my less than humble opinion
PS Ignore Mitsubishi Evo and R32 if 4WD are massive no-nos.... remember that the Evo behaves like a RWD car and is very driftable tho'.
>> Edited by domster on Thursday 3rd November 10:22
350Z is IMHO the modern 944- only with a far superior engine note. Only probs are as stock it is a tad soft, very similar ride to my old S2- only thing is that car had about 140k on standard shocks so hardly taut! Not realy mega quick either seat of pants id say S2 level, a chipped turbo is a lot swifter.
I do rate the 350z, it is however a tad overweight, the door handles that come from a 1950s American fridge are not too bad, tho the daft radio aerial sticking out of the rear wing is a stupid afterthought.
Have you thought of a Monaro?
I do rate the 350z, it is however a tad overweight, the door handles that come from a 1950s American fridge are not too bad, tho the daft radio aerial sticking out of the rear wing is a stupid afterthought.
Have you thought of a Monaro?
kryten22uk said:
The Cayman will end up costing you upwards of £55k after you have spec'd the essentials. Hence its way over budget. However will without a doubt be most prestigious and hold its value the best.
agree with the choice but you must have a bad dose of boxtickitis - £44k list so perhaps £48k max for nice spec
david968s said:
Adam, go and have a play on the Porsche car configurator and when choosing options, think about what people will be looking for when it comes to resale. Getting under the £50k mark is pretty tough!
Agree with Adam
Mine comes out at about 48K, not 55k. Essential not the correct word, if the car looks good that's the most important thing to most buyers. Sat Nav and various other weighty add-ons make the car more saleable that's all, but will cost you more up front and you won't get it back when you come to sell.
Gone for
PASM
Sport chrono
Partial leather
Rear wiper
19's
Met. Paint
Sport steering wheel
Embossed seats
Coloured seat belts
Not bothered about sat Nav for 1800 large (not when you can have a portable system for about 400 quid, which are getting cheap all the time btw), electric arse warming seats, Bose and bighter lights
Might even drop the 19's, but there look sooo good. It is easy to get carried away though
>> Edited by bumcrack on Thursday 3rd November 18:34
Gents, thanks for all of your threads. The problem I have is I have to buy new as it's what the lease company need, and it has to do 20k mikes a year, which I failed to mention. 50k for the cayman just isn't going to happen, as I like it but don't adore it.
The 350Z with some mods looks favourite, level pegging with an M3 or Alpina 3 series, which are around 40k.
I love the quality of my old Porsche and know a few mates who have (older) M3's..the quality ain't the same. Maybe I am being unrealistic, I thought 35k was a generous busget for a high quality marque but never thought about new before. I also thought all Audis were fwd or quattro?
What I need is a car that looks like a Montecarlo, goes like a TVR, is built like and as easy to live with as a Porsche and cost Nissan money!
The 350Z with some mods looks favourite, level pegging with an M3 or Alpina 3 series, which are around 40k.
I love the quality of my old Porsche and know a few mates who have (older) M3's..the quality ain't the same. Maybe I am being unrealistic, I thought 35k was a generous busget for a high quality marque but never thought about new before. I also thought all Audis were fwd or quattro?
What I need is a car that looks like a Montecarlo, goes like a TVR, is built like and as easy to live with as a Porsche and cost Nissan money!
bumcrack said:
Agree with Adam
Mine comes out at about 48K, not 55k. Essential not the correct word, if the car looks good that's the most important thing to most buyers. Sat Nav and various other weighty add-ons make the car more saleable that's all, but will cost you more up front and you won't get it back when you come to sell.
Gone for
PASM
Sport chrono
Partial leather
Rear wiper
19's
Met. Paint
Sport steering wheel
Embossed seats
Coloured seat belts
Not bothered about sat Nav for 1800 large (not when you can have a portable system for about 400 quid, which are getting cheap all the time btw), electric arse warming seats, Bose and bighter lights
Might even drop the 19's, but there look sooo good. It is easy to get carried away though
I did say 'upwards of', but agree that no option is essential. However I think not choosing Sat Nav is suicide though; you will lose more than the 1800 on resale. And putting an aftermarket 400 quid jobby in would put people off more than if it had nothing. My bro just spec'd his with pretty much the above but with Bose and SatNav, which brings it to around 52k. And that wasnt particularly heavily spec'd.
ultramarine91 said:
I also thought all Audis were fwd or quattro?
What I need is a car that looks like a Montecarlo, goes like a TVR, is built like and as easy to live with as a Porsche and cost Nissan money!
The Audi A8 is rwd from memory. The more powerful S8 is AWD I think.
I still think an M3 would fit the bill or you could save a few quid and get a BMW 130i. And if you are being eminently sensible, spend your 40k on a BMW 5 series 535d Sport estate. Cheaper to run than an M5, not far off the pace with a twin turbo engine with 413 ft/lbs torque, decent rwd handling, plus the labrador goes with you. The saloon is a grand or two cheaper, but I reckon the residuals will be with the estate. I love estates me.
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