Which fast convertible for 15k?
Discussion
One of these-
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3783717.htm
Great to drive (although i would personally have a coupe) shouldnt depreciate (if that is a concern) reliable, comfortable........and so on
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3783717.htm
Great to drive (although i would personally have a coupe) shouldnt depreciate (if that is a concern) reliable, comfortable........and so on
300bhp/ton said:
Open minded then you put down silly pointless requirements.... 
Seriously though, rather than basing it on age (which lets face it, anything out of warranty is pretty equal risk), some stupid metric for a pointless performance stat, something so stupid "reliable'ish" come on WTF does that mean??
and then the material it's built from 
Surely a better way to be open minded is to say about your driving style (are you a hooligan, or more about precision and clipping apexes?), where you'll be using it and when (track days, shows, motorways, city driving, country lanes, etc.) and what sort of thing appeals (loud shouty styling, sleek, aggressive, something that blends in and is unobtrusive).
Then some actual limitations such as:
-how many people will go in it how often
-if you need to fit anything big in it
-a monthly fuel budget
-a yearly maintenance budget
-and what sort of depreciation costs you'll endure
I bet you have a pie chart working all of this out Seriously though, rather than basing it on age (which lets face it, anything out of warranty is pretty equal risk), some stupid metric for a pointless performance stat, something so stupid "reliable'ish" come on WTF does that mean??
and then the material it's built from Surely a better way to be open minded is to say about your driving style (are you a hooligan, or more about precision and clipping apexes?), where you'll be using it and when (track days, shows, motorways, city driving, country lanes, etc.) and what sort of thing appeals (loud shouty styling, sleek, aggressive, something that blends in and is unobtrusive).
Then some actual limitations such as:
-how many people will go in it how often
-if you need to fit anything big in it
-a monthly fuel budget
-a yearly maintenance budget
-and what sort of depreciation costs you'll endure
I am the only person of importance going in it!
I have a run around as well, so don't need to worry about luggage
Weekend only car so not an issue
Not worried about yearly maintenance as I can work on them myself.
I am allergic to depreciation.
I am work in the emergency services and my specialism is RTAs, hence why I am after a modernish car and nothing fibreglass.
What appeals to me in a car is too varied to pin down, all I know is if I like it, I like it!
I live in London, so I have such a rare opportunity to explore my driving style it is really limited to days in the country.
300bhp/ton said:
Mark300zx said:
You call it Vague, I call it open minded 
Preferences are
Two seats
0-60 5ish seconds
Reliable ish
Under ten years old
Nothing Fibreglass
Open minded then you put down silly pointless requirements.... Preferences are
Two seats
0-60 5ish seconds
Reliable ish
Under ten years old
Nothing Fibreglass
Seriously though, rather than basing it on age (which lets face it, anything out of warranty is pretty equal risk), some stupid metric for a pointless performance stat, something so stupid "reliable'ish" come on WTF does that mean??
and then the material it's built from Surely a better way to be open minded is to say about your driving style (are you a hooligan, or more about precision and clipping apexes?), where you'll be using it and when (track days, shows, motorways, city driving, country lanes, etc.) and what sort of thing appeals (loud shouty styling, sleek, aggressive, something that blends in and is unobtrusive).
Then some actual limitations such as:
-how many people will go in it how often
-if you need to fit anything big in it
-a monthly fuel budget
-a yearly maintenance budget
-and what sort of depreciation costs you'll endure
You amaze me.
Mark300zx said:
Chris71 said:
I think the moral from that story is not to crash...
Very true unfortunately there are other cars on the road!300bhp/ton said:
Open minded then you put down silly pointless requirements....
Seriously though, rather than basing it on age (which lets face it, anything out of warranty is pretty equal risk), some stupid metric for a pointless performance stat, something so stupid "reliable'ish" come on WTF does that mean?? and then the material it's built from
Surely a better way to be open minded is to say about your driving style (are you a hooligan, or more about precision and clipping apexes?), where you'll be using it and when (track days, shows, motorways, city driving, country lanes, etc.) and what sort of thing appeals (loud shouty styling, sleek, aggressive, something that blends in and is unobtrusive).
Then some actual limitations such as:
-how many people will go in it how often
-if you need to fit anything big in it
-a monthly fuel budget
-a yearly maintenance budget
-and what sort of depreciation costs you'll endure
Jesus, talk about What-car Hitler.Seriously though, rather than basing it on age (which lets face it, anything out of warranty is pretty equal risk), some stupid metric for a pointless performance stat, something so stupid "reliable'ish" come on WTF does that mean??
and then the material it's built from Surely a better way to be open minded is to say about your driving style (are you a hooligan, or more about precision and clipping apexes?), where you'll be using it and when (track days, shows, motorways, city driving, country lanes, etc.) and what sort of thing appeals (loud shouty styling, sleek, aggressive, something that blends in and is unobtrusive).
Then some actual limitations such as:
-how many people will go in it how often
-if you need to fit anything big in it
-a monthly fuel budget
-a yearly maintenance budget
-and what sort of depreciation costs you'll endure
Leave the f
king bloke alone.He wants a quick convertible.
He has 15k to spend.
He want suggestions, yet you feel the need to interrogate incessantly.
I bet you're a right barrel of laughs.
A tweak of the Z4/M theme. Alpina Z4S Roadster. There are other examples nearer £10k.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3828385.htm
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3828385.htm
Mark300zx said:
I bet you have a pie chart working all of this out
I am the only person of importance going in it!
I have a run around as well, so don't need to worry about luggage
Weekend only car so not an issue
Not worried about yearly maintenance as I can work on them myself.
I am allergic to depreciation.
I am work in the emergency services and my specialism is RTAs, hence why I am after a modernish car and nothing fibreglass.
What appeals to me in a car is too varied to pin down, all I know is if I like it, I like it!
I live in London, so I have such a rare opportunity to explore my driving style it is really limited to days in the country.
Coolio I am the only person of importance going in it!
I have a run around as well, so don't need to worry about luggage
Weekend only car so not an issue
Not worried about yearly maintenance as I can work on them myself.
I am allergic to depreciation.
I am work in the emergency services and my specialism is RTAs, hence why I am after a modernish car and nothing fibreglass.
What appeals to me in a car is too varied to pin down, all I know is if I like it, I like it!
I live in London, so I have such a rare opportunity to explore my driving style it is really limited to days in the country.
I guess the point that sticks out the most to me is:
"I am allergic to depreciation"
On that basis you need to be looking at niche cars, either new'ish or more than likely old'ish. But sadly that might impede the constraint on safety construction.
I guess a sensible question is, would you consider a rollcage and racing seat/harnesses?
There are some truly fantastic cars already mentioned in this thread, although spending £15k on some will likely lead to high depreciation. Do you know how long you are likely to own it for?
For example a 3.0Si BMW Z4 is a brilliant car, but spending £15k on one and keeping it for 5 years would likely hit you very heavily in the depreciation part. Even something like a Porsche Boxster is likely to lose a packet when you consider early examples can be had for around £5k.
Lotus Elise's and VX220's seem to be fairing quite well on the depreciation front. A nice VX220T probably wouldn't be a bad bet on all the points you've mentioned so far. The only things to consider are, it's not a hooligans car if you want to be wheel spinning or power sliding about, it's a precious tool and will reward smooth driving. The motor also lacks the sporty sound than many other cars might offer up and some would find a VX220 too compromised to get in/out of and a little too spartan.
Thinking depreciation wise, a Corvette C5 or a Mustang convertible might fit the bill. The Stang in vert form won't be the sharpest driving tool though although aftermarket mods could liven it up a great deal.
How about another left field option?
You might have to do a little hunting to find one, but they do turn up. Available as a full vert or as a coupe with a removable panel. Both available in GXP turbo guise and the vert as a lesser powerful n/a too.
Pontiac Solstice and Solstice GXP
Personally I think they look fantastic!!!
They run a 2.4 litre 4 pot, so sadly not the best sounding, but offering up good mpg.
The original was aimed at a MX-5 type market and all the reviews I've read loved the car, even a Japanese motoring magazine placed it above a MK3 MX-5.
The GXP's run a turbo 2.0 litre engine (I think the same as the VX220T) with 260hp, although there was a dealer fit 295hp upgrade available (and a lot more in the aftermarket).
One of these would certainly be rare in the UK and I suspect retain it's value rather well.
Chris71 said:
While TVRs might not be bristling with airbags and ladden with NCAP stars we're hardly talking about something of crisp packet construction either. Fair enough if they're not your thing, but if you are tempted and it's just the fibreglass concern holding you back then my suggestion would be: get one and leave it to the insurance companies to worry about what happens in the unlikely event that someone drives into you. The chances are - unless you're really young - you learnt to drive in something with no more structural integrity, and you survived that...
Like I said I have seen post 2000 TVR in a crash and I remember thinking to myself, this had absolutely nothing going for it terms of protection, both sills had completely broken and the car was virtually in two separate halves, both occupants were in a very bad way and this was not a good advert for TVR. I think their injuries were not something insurance companies could look after, after a decade specialising in this work this has to be one of the most memorable RTAs I have been to, only because of the poor car construction.I agree life has risks, but if I wanted to take it to it's logical conclusion then I could get a bike, I have decided my cut off point and I think that is probably the end result of seeing accidents that people think will never happen to them.
I am glad we all live in a free society and you can decide exactly what you want to drive
300bhp/ton said:
You might have to do a little hunting to find one, but they do turn up. Available as a full vert or as a coupe with a removable panel. Both available in GXP turbo guise and the vert as a lesser powerful n/a too.
Pontiac Solstice and Solstice GXP
Personally I think they look fantastic!!!
They run a 2.4 litre 4 pot, so sadly not the best sounding, but offering up good mpg.
The original was aimed at a MX-5 type market and all the reviews I've read loved the car, even a Japanese motoring magazine placed it above a MK3 MX-5.
The GXP's run a turbo 2.0 litre engine (I think the same as the VX220T) with 260hp, although there was a dealer fit 295hp upgrade available (and a lot more in the aftermarket).
One of these would certainly be rare in the UK and I suspect retain it's value rather well.
Redeemed!Pontiac Solstice and Solstice GXP
Personally I think they look fantastic!!!
They run a 2.4 litre 4 pot, so sadly not the best sounding, but offering up good mpg.
The original was aimed at a MX-5 type market and all the reviews I've read loved the car, even a Japanese motoring magazine placed it above a MK3 MX-5.
The GXP's run a turbo 2.0 litre engine (I think the same as the VX220T) with 260hp, although there was a dealer fit 295hp upgrade available (and a lot more in the aftermarket).
One of these would certainly be rare in the UK and I suspect retain it's value rather well.
I love that and have never heard of it.
Does it have similar weight to an MX5?
300bhp/ton said:
Dusty964 said:
Not content with spouting your usual list of American motors, you are now actually suggesting what an individuals list of criteria should be when deciding on a car??
You amaze me.
And you bore me. Shall we call it quits?You amaze me.
Lets get back to questioning the very motives for buying a car, then unleashing the unique 300 list of second rate tat on the poor sod.
Dont worry though- one day im sure someone will listen- and then you can rejoice as another goddamyankeetwobitmuthaf
kin' car hits the roads y'allMark300zx said:
Chris71 said:
While TVRs might not be bristling with airbags and ladden with NCAP stars we're hardly talking about something of crisp packet construction either. Fair enough if they're not your thing, but if you are tempted and it's just the fibreglass concern holding you back then my suggestion would be: get one and leave it to the insurance companies to worry about what happens in the unlikely event that someone drives into you. The chances are - unless you're really young - you learnt to drive in something with no more structural integrity, and you survived that...
Like I said I have seen post 2000 TVR in a crash and I remember thinking to myself, this had absolutely nothing going for it terms of protection, both sills had completely broken and the car was virtually in two separate halves, both occupants were in a very bad way and this was not a good advert for TVR. I think their injuries were not something insurance companies could look after, after a decade specialising in this work this has to be one of the most memorable RTAs I have been to, only because of the poor car construction.I agree life has risks, but if I wanted to take it to it's logical conclusion then I could get a bike, I have decided my cut off point and I think that is probably the end result of seeing accidents that people think will never happen to them.
I am glad we all live in a free society and you can decide exactly what you want to drive
Maybe something like a BMW M Coupe (Z3) or Z4MC or even a Lotus Europa S would be better cars to consider?
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