Buying advice for 10-12k

[mhibbins]

Having read the 6k for some evoness thread I can see that there are plenty of opinions kicking around here so I wondered if I could tap this rich vein of experience...

I've currently got a tvr s3 which I tend to use when the weather isn't so good as my main form of transport is a fireblade. I don't want to spend the winter on the bike again - it's too cold and I didn't enjoy it last time. The reason for selling the s3 is that while I love it too bits, it's absolutely sh*te at the commute which is currently 45 miles of motorway. I can stand the noise (pardon), I can stand the tramlining (A34 lorry grooves) but I can't stand doing the whole trip at 50mph if it's p*ssing it down which it always is.

So, when it's gone, I'll have between 10-12k to spend and I'd like some ideas from you lot if you would be so kind. I'd like sportness built in (obviously) and I love the chuckability of the s3. I'd like performance (the s3 is a bit weak here). I don't mind the odd leak. I don't need it to be utterly reliable but I don't want to be recovered all the time (I'm happy fixing the s3 but it has never left me stuck anywhere). It needs to be able to be driven at more than 50mph in the rain (either the wipers are terrible in the s3 - and I've tried rain-x - or the angle of the screen is all wrong or something... it's just awful at clearing lot sof water). It absolutely *has* to be rear wheel drive. I'm not terribly keen on autos. It's going to get used everyday from early October through to April and then it's going to get occasional use through the summer, mainly for long trips.

I've looked at...

- Mitsubishi gto - I found this really dull to drive
- Nissan 300zx - not bad but why are they all autos?
- TVR V8s - presumably same rain diffusion problems as my s3?
- TVR Griffith 4.0 - yet to drive one (can't afford a 500)
- TVR Chim 4.0 - driven a 4.5 and liked it a lot, will the 4.0 feel a bit weak?
- BMW 850i - these are *soooo* gorgeous but mainly autos and not that quick (on paper), haven't driven one
- Lotus elise - never driven one, can now get one for about 12k, always thought they were a bit 'girly' looking but am prepared to be convinced - need to find one to test drive.
- Subaru imprezza wrx - did nothing for me, probably the most tedious car I have ever driven although it was clearly very fast.

Anyone got any comments or suggestions please?

Thanks,

Mark

>>> Edited by mhibbins on Monday 1st July 13:50

[mhibbins]

quote:Integra Type-R?

Front wheel drive aren't they? I definitely don't want another fwd car.

Thanks anyway,

Mark

[mhibbins]

quote:For that sort of money I'd have either a Supra Twin Turbo or, even better an RX-7.

I love the look of the rx-7 but that engine frankly scares the willies out of me. Everyone keeps telling me that they will last and last if you look after them but I still see a disproportionate number advertised with new engines. Ro-teknics quote about 3k for a rebuild including fitting which is quite a lot imo.

Mark

[mhibbins]

quote:Chimaera's wipers have all the problems you describe about your S3. I RainX the windscreen to get any kind of wet weather visibility...Chimaera is properly practical too with a huge boot. The Elise wouldn't give you that - the luggage space being the passenger seat.

The wet weather use has to be a prime consideration as I'll drive it mainly in the winter - getting a test drive in the rain for any of these cars is nigh on impossible, hence the questions.

The luggage space isn't a consideration at all though as when I'm with the family we go in the mondeo estate (which still, amazingly, never seems to be big enough ).

Mark

[mhibbins]

quote:You could get a good 89/90 944 Turbo for about £8k, spend about £2k on it and end up with a 320 bhp/330 lbft practical car. A stock 250 bhp 951 does 0-60 in about 5.5 and 160+ while still managing to do 30+mpg on the motorway.

A fine plan but I'm trying to steer clear of modifying a car too much because my insurance will go through the roof. I'm 'only' 33 and I have a honda fireblade to insure too. Insurance is stupid, I got a quote of 900 to insure a 300zx import but a quote of 400 to insure a 1998 corvette! Only problem is that I can't afford to buy the corvette... doh.

Also, from my experiences of an old shape 200sx, modified turbo 4-cyls tend to be rather on/off... would this be the case with the 944?

Mark

[mhibbins]

LOL

[mhibbins]

quote:Why not get an early Chim?

It was on my short-list but Don said that his suffers the same fate as mine in the wet, ie you can't see out of them when it rains heavily.

[mhibbins]

quote:A friend of mine has recently bought a Porsche 964 Carrera 4. Interested?

Thanks but no, I have a real blind spot when it comes to 911s. I just don't like them.

Thanks anyway.

[mhibbins]

quote:What about a Porsche 928. The forgotten porsche !

Oooo, I like those a lot. What age/condition would I be looking at for 10K (has to be a manual)?

[mhibbins]

Thanks for that. I'll look out for one.

[mhibbins]

quote:You want RWD, but dont like BMW's or Porsches

I didn't say eirther of those things, I just don't like 911s.

quote:(except the 928 - remember its a £70K car that generates £70K car bills - if you buy a bad one it can be crippling, not to mention exhaust/brakes/tyres, group 20 insurance and 18mpg - reality check !)

Yes but is it going to be any more expensive than the griffith or the chim I was going to buy? RUF 3, any idea on that?

Thanks,

Mark

[mhibbins]

quote:Matt sad to see you leaving the S ranks, are you sure that V8S isn't the way to go, you know it makes sense

I'd love one but it's unlikely to shift rain any better than my s3 although it obviously addresses the performance issue

quote:If you can put up with the blandness of an estate then what about a T5, yes I know FWD but bl**dy quick when all’s considered.
Failing that how about one of the best kept secrets.... a Omegod , RWD, 210bhp, 150mph (well 149ish then!) all the lamps buzzers and bells, traction, leather, air, etc and not that far short of the Bm5 in the handling department particularly if you get the MV6, try one you might be surprised.

Sorry, I drove an omega a while back and hated it. We bought a v6 ghia x mondeo estate instead which is a much better car imo (although fwd) and way cheaper to run than the volvo. We still have the mondeo so we don't need another barge.

quote:Failing that the 200zx turbo is a bit of a nutter if you want a coupe, not sure if it's FWD or RWD though.

It's rwd, I had the old shape car but not for very long. We put a massive exhaust on it and a huge turbo and had a bit of fun in it but I wouldn't want another one... I'm looking for something a bit different and special.

Cheers,

Mark

[mhibbins]

Thanks very much for all your advice and ideas. The ones which piqued my interest the most so far as alternative to my original fave (the griff 4.0) for doing the winter commute are...

Mazda rx-7 (despite my fears over the engine longevity)
Porsche 928

Any more ideas of comments on the above?

Thanks,

Mark

[mhibbins]

RUF 3,

quote:I ran my last 928 from 27k mls to 104k mls over 3 years with nothing unexpected going wrong. Looked after properly they are virtually bulletproof.

Would you mind giving me a rough idea of running costs over this period... nothing exact, just a general idea of costs. I'm not too worried about petrol costs as everything I'm looking at is about the same but I'm more interested in servicing costs (did you do any of the servicing yourself or did you get a garage to do it for you?), parts that wore out a lot like brakes and so on, cost of bigger stuff they may have worn out such as radiators and clutches. Any information you can give me that would indicate how expensive a 928 is to run compared to the other stuff I'm looking at.

Thanks for you time,

Mark

[mhibbins]

quote:I have almost reduced the choice to either a BMW E36 M3 or a Porsche 968. The Porsche offers quite an impressive compromise of low running costs (less than the M3), performance, exclusivity and reliablility. I would suggest having a careful look at one of these as well as the 928.

I'll have to add these to the list of cars I need to test drive. The v8 of the 928 appeals more than the straight 4 of the 968 and while i'm happy with LHD my wife would baulk a bit (tempting to say tough luck but I'd like her to enjoy driving it when a big bill comes in )

quote:If you come across a gem in this price range - let me know !

No problem.

Mark

[mhibbins]

Thanks very much for that, I was fearing much worse. I'll be going to have a look at an auto s4 near here to get a better look at a car this weekend.

Thanks for your time,

Mark

[mhibbins]

I'm happy doing work myself so that's good news. Are the workshop manuals readily available?

Mark

[mhibbins]

Will do. I have to wait to buy one until I put the engine and gearbox back in my tvr s3 which will be in about a month or two but at least that gives me plenty of time to look around. Thanks for all the help so far.

Just out of interest, have any of you taken your 928s on a trackday?

Mark

[mhibbins]

quote:This is especially true in the rain when you sit in your multi adjustable leather seat, with the Aircon keeping the glass clear, no water leaks, wipers that clear the screen up to 160mph, but you may miss the damp carpet mingled with GRP smell that we are all familiar with !!

[Sharp intake of breath]... easy