Opinions looking for a new sports car...Audi, BMW or Porsche

Opinions looking for a new sports car...Audi, BMW or Porsche

Author
Discussion

j1mmy

Original Poster:

48 posts

96 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
Hey there,

A few years back I sold my much loved S2000 to invest in the Skyline GTR market which I have done,however i don't get the same enjoyment i did from the S2000 out of my Skyline. So i feel I need to fill that hole. I've been looking at the following and after some opinions or if you have any experiences you could share. Around the £12k mark, something around 250 BHP is ideal.

Audi TTS - the 2.0 TFSI I hear can suffer from eating oil is this common?

BMW Z4 30is - Havnet heard anything bad about these although i have little knowledge?

Porsche Boxster Either 2.7 or 3.4?

Any others to consider?

MKnight702

3,095 posts

213 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
I find most modern cars too uninvolving at sensible speeds. Have you looked at a Caterfield?

telecat

8,528 posts

240 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
My budget was bigger but I was looking at similar cars. I had the later TTS on my list but it just was not fun. I went for a BMW M240i manual. It's a lot more fun than the TT and given that the current TT is better than the Old one I would say the Z4 may be a better bet. The Porsche alternative would be better still.


Edited by telecat on Monday 13th August 15:09

Zippee

13,438 posts

233 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
The 3.0 Z4 is a cracking little car. Personally I'm not a fan of the TT of that age and I wouldn't call that model/engine a sports car.
A Boxster, in S spec is also a brilliant package but will be a lot more costly to maintain than the Z4.

luckystrike

536 posts

180 months

Monday 13th August 2018
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Zippee said:
The 3.0 Z4 is a cracking little car. Personally I'm not a fan of the TT of that age and I wouldn't call that model/engine a sports car.
A Boxster, in S spec is also a brilliant package but will be a lot more costly to maintain than the Z4.
This is solid advice.

Without wishing to sound daft, what about another S2000?

lj04

371 posts

190 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
Try a elise. Thank me later.

ian in lancs

3,769 posts

197 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
Zippee said:
The 3.0 Z4 is a cracking little car. Personally I'm not a fan of the TT of that age and I wouldn't call that model/engine a sports car.
A Boxster, in S spec is also a brilliant package but will be a lot more costly to maintain than the Z4.
this!

hooblah

539 posts

86 months

Monday 13th August 2018
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So z4 3.0 Vs boxster s?

j1mmy

Original Poster:

48 posts

96 months

Monday 13th August 2018
quotequote all
As people say the Z4 is definitely cheaper for parts looked at brakes etc and they are much more on the Porsche. An Elise interesting choice are they as reliable as a BMW or a Porsche though?

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
I think it depends on how you plan to use it, OP.

If you want to do track days an Elise is probably the best option.

But if you just want to have some fun on quiet A and B roads a Z4 might be a good choice. (mind you I am biased as I have a Z4 Coupe). laugh

ian in lancs

3,769 posts

197 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
In an accident, I'd rather be in a Z4 with all its bags and safety features!

nunpuncher

3,363 posts

124 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
I had a 3.0 Z4 as a "fun" car and it was fairly boring. Poncing around with the roof down was novel but other than that it was rather average.

During the process of buying that car my list was Boxster, S2000, Elise... I'm not even sure why I ended up with the Z4. I discounted the Porsche due to it's horrendous bork factor. Looking back I REALLY wish I'd taken my time, looked a bit harder and got an s2000 or an Elise.

So since you've had an s2000 I'd say get an Elise or even a VX220. The BMW will recapture absolutely nothing of the s2000 other than open air motoring.

Mafffew

2,149 posts

110 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
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MX-5 plus a few mods perhaps?

SpudLink

5,669 posts

191 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
I love my Z4 3.0 coupe, but I’m not sure I’d recommended it as a ‘fun’ car. It’s a great compromise as a usable everyday car that’s a bit special, and has a lovely engine. I chose it over the Caymen S, not because it’s better, but because it was cheaper to own (which has proved to be the case) and better looking (I’m shallow like that). But for pure driving fun, you need something that weighs under a ton. You really need to try an Elise or VX220 before you decide.



CABC

5,526 posts

100 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
my feeling of Zs is not that they're 'bad sports cars', rather that they weren't even designed to be that in the first place. more country lane/boulevard cruisers as a response to the slk.
I'd go Lotus or Porsche 2.7/2.9 (experts on here will tell you these are slow though...)

j1mmy

Original Poster:

48 posts

96 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
it doesn't need to be extremely quick I have a 500bhp R32 Skyline for that. I just want something that's got a bit of go in it say at least 0-60 6 secs, nicely handling, good looking and rewarding to drive. Its more of an A or B road car unlikely to do many track days, but many 1 or 2 you never know.

I've looked at Elise in the used section here. Do I want to be going S2? Are those Toyota engines any good?

Herbs

4,912 posts

228 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
Where are you based?

I tried to send you a PM but it's not permitted. I've owned 5 Z4's, an S2000, 3 Elises, 2 SLK's and Porsche (I like my 2 seaters!!!) so happy to discuss real world pro's and cons for each.

Feel free to message me about it. thumbup

hooblah

539 posts

86 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
fk that. Discuss it here, not through pm's.

Herbs

4,912 posts

228 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
hooblah said:
fk that. Discuss it here, not through pm's.
And have it descend into an argument like most other threads ? Nah, you're alright hehe

CABC

5,526 posts

100 months

Tuesday 14th August 2018
quotequote all
Herbs said:
Where are you based?

I tried to send you a PM but it's not permitted. I've owned 5 Z4's, an S2000, 3 Elises, 2 SLK's and Porsche (I like my 2 seaters!!!) so happy to discuss real world pro's and cons for each.

Feel free to message me about it. thumbup
do it here!
there are many sensible people on here too... 5 Z4s is a lot. did you mod suspension?
i'll start (with not as much experience as you though):
Elise - purity at it's best. best sunday car by a country mile. quite civilised too, for a road trip. but still noisy, small and bare.
Porsche - less pure but still shows true pedigree. great for blast, much better for road trip. Always a good feeling.
S2000 - modern classic with a vtec trick that's not to everyone's liking. quality and fun.
Z4 - great with a 6 pot. chassis not rewarding for spirited drives.
SLK - 2 cars in 1. neither is a sports car. (not original, but true). 6 pots make good sense, but not for sunday blat still.