Keeping up appearances without being boring.

[piemuncher]

Something strange happened to me the other day.

As a background, I run a small consultancy in the construction industry at the Prime level in the South East. I have never particularly cared about what people think and have turned up to meetings on an old Vespa, an old BMW Cafe Racer, a Porsche 944 and my trusted 2004 Range Rover.

I arrived at a meeting the other day with a client on a private road with only 3 cars parked on it. Outside of the house were the developers cars - Black Jags, the engineers car - Black BMW 7 series, and the Architects car - Black Porsche Cayenne. I currently drive a 2002 Mazda MX5 as I have a fun route to work and like top down action (mainly as I leave work late, and it's the only sun that I ever get!). For the first time in my life, I was embarrased, to the point where I drove out of the road and parked 5 minutes walk away, even declining the offer of a lift to my car afterwards.

I'm ashamed that I did that, but I did it. I'm the knob that wears shorts in the winter and used to ride a Mobylette - I don't do embarrased!

My fellow Director drives a new lease car (as I have in the past) and has made the fair point that if we are getting paid not insignificant sums of money to run peoples projects, we should at least put up a professional front.

I don't like leasing a car, I don't like direct debits and generally I don't like new things. The Mazda is a fun car and pretty much does all I need it to, whilst the Range Rover (which my wife drives as she will not drive a manual) is our tip, holiday and weekend transport.

If you had a budget of £5k (perhaps up to £10k if very good), what fun, preferably convertible, preferably RWD and most importantly NON EMBARRASING car would you get?

Or... would you get a 3 series diesel and keep the rustbucket MX5 on the drive for the weekend? My wife wouldn't allow that in a million years.

I'm trying to preserve credit and savings as we are in the process of moving house...

[kambites]

I'd probably keep the MX5 and buy a ~5k Golf or something to take to customer sites.

If it must be a single car, an early 987 Boxster is probably about as good as you'll manage? I think they're under £10k, although you wont get one for £5k.

ETA: Or you could always go down the "look like a car enthusiast" route and buy a Caterham/Elise as an only car.

Edited by kambites on Monday 24th April 11:05

[swisstoni]

You are projecting your own prejudices into the minds of others who probably don't give a toss about you or what you drive.
Keep your car and your £5k.

[TooMany2cvs]

piemuncher said:

If you had a budget of £5k (perhaps up to £10k if very good), what fun, preferably convertible, preferably RWD and most importantly NON EMBARRASING car would you get?

Seems like a no-brainer to go classic.

Architect, y'say? I know you said RWD, but hit that early 90s stereotype with a Saab c900 T16 convertible... Then there's Boxsters, 3s/Zs, SLKs/CLKs/SLs - or a bit more left-field (but FWD) with Fiat Barchettas?

Or just a two-second wander through CarAndClassic finds...
Twin cam Moggy Thou - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C861954
TR7 v8 - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C861295 or http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C860797
Vitesse - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C859924
RX7 turbo - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C816662
Corvette - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C835611
FWD, but definitely different - Lancia Beta - http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C804499

Most tastes covered there.

[Nickbrapp]

An executive should drive a executive car like a huge merrrcedesss

[caelite]

I'd agree with the above, running costs will be fairly dramatically higher but you can't go wrong with an older Boxter for 5-10k. Chuck a private Reg on it and non car folks (I.e the type who may criticise an Mx5) will be none the wiser.

[xjay1337]

Why should you care?
Buy / drive what you enjoy.

[ChilliWhizz]

Classic would be the way to go for me, and usually puts a smile on people's faces....

Bit left field I know.....

This, with consultancy name sign-written on it
Morris Minor

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C861953


Or this....
Series Landy

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C826794


Or this...
Alpha

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C657198


Another Alpha....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C860483


Or..
Merc

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C840554

[AyBee]

Nicer mx-5? Or a boxster or lotus elise - both cars with a private plate will look like much more £££, you still get to hoon to work but still look flash when you get there

[herewego]

piemuncher said:

Something strange happened to me the other day.

As a background, I run a small consultancy in the construction industry at the Prime level in the South East. I have never particularly cared about what people think and have turned up to meetings on an old Vespa, an old BMW Cafe Racer, a Porsche 944 and my trusted 2004 Range Rover.

I arrived at a meeting the other day with a client on a private road with only 3 cars parked on it. Outside of the house were the developers cars - Black Jags, the engineers car - Black BMW 7 series, and the Architects car - Black Porsche Cayenne. I currently drive a 2002 Mazda MX5 as I have a fun route to work and like top down action (mainly as I leave work late, and it's the only sun that I ever get!). For the first time in my life, I was embarrased, to the point where I drove out of the road and parked 5 minutes walk away, even declining the offer of a lift to my car afterwards.

I'm ashamed that I did that, but I did it. I'm the knob that wears shorts in the winter and used to ride a Mobylette - I don't do embarrased!

My fellow Director drives a new lease car (as I have in the past) and has made the fair point that if we are getting paid not insignificant sums of money to run peoples projects, we should at least put up a professional front.

I don't like leasing a car, I don't like direct debits and generally I don't like new things. The Mazda is a fun car and pretty much does all I need it to, whilst the Range Rover (which my wife drives as she will not drive a manual) is our tip, holiday and weekend transport.

If you had a budget of £5k (perhaps up to £10k if very good), what fun, preferably convertible, preferably RWD and most importantly NON EMBARRASING car would you get?

Or... would you get a 3 series diesel and keep the rustbucket MX5 on the drive for the weekend? My wife wouldn't allow that in a million years.

I'm trying to preserve credit and savings as we are in the process of moving house...

It's the other guys who should have been embarrassed.

[Cupramax]

ChilliWhizz said:

Another Alpha....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C860483

Alfa, you 'tard

[tejr]

10yo+ Jag XK

[ChilliWhizz]

Cupramax said:

ChilliWhizz said:

Another Alpha....

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C860483

Alfa, you 'tard

[LordGrover]

Putting the whys and wherefores to one side, as I don't really understand it, how's about a Z4?
Should get a half tidy E85 at £5-10,000 - maybe a leggy E89 even.

[jhonn]

Lexus SC430 - but if a bit 'bargey' you could consider a BMW Z4.

However, if you're happy driving the Mazda then you should just stick with it, or upgrade to a newer one - if you compromise and buy something that doesn't give you as much pleasure, you'll end up resenting it.

[Bennet]

Use the 944. Spend the £5k making it look brand new.

[Snails]

Personally I would stick with what you have if you enjoy it,

However, if you were to switch, I think a BMW Z4 Coupe would fit the bill, although admittedly I have a slight bias. I don't think you'd lose much if anything when you come to sell, prices seem to be firming up off the back of the rises seen on the Z4M Coupe.

The roadsters are around 4-8k. with 8k being the price of a well looked after 3.0si. The 3.0i and the 2.5 can be found for 4-6k

Edited by Snails on Monday 24th April 12:47

[Bennet]

Snails said:

BMW Z4

Excellent looking thing, but depends if the OP can live with the numb steering and non-existent suspension.

[Lowtimer]

Don;t go newer, go older.
An old Merc, if straight and shiny, will always looks as if it fits in.

Random example (not picked with any care, just top of the google list)

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C857002

[funkyrobot]

OP, you are right. It's very important to project the right image with your vehicle.

I personally would go for a Micra K11. Useful in that you could also top up the income with a few pizza deliveries whilst you are around London.