10k 'interesting' daily driver

[Ilovejapcrap]

Integroo said:

Vauxhall Monaro. Think you will get a decent one for 11-13k? 5.7l V8, shouldn't depreciate, reputation for being reasonably reliable, five seats and large so practical etc.

Saw one today very cool

[coldel]

Mr Tidy said:

My weekend/fun car is a BMW Z4 Coupe, but if the OP wants back seats that wouldn't work!

Maybe a 335i Coupe would work?

Good shout but he is in an S3 at the moment and wants something a bit different I think a 335i would drop into the not old enough/interesting enough category.

[cookington]

ZX10R NIN said:

A 370Z fall right into your budget & is very good drivers car that also has character.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

If you want to go down the JDM route then there are some corkers:

ST205

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-celica-gt-four-S...f:1

Toyota Chaser

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Toyota-Chaser-JZX100-Ma...f:1

R33 GTS

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-Skyline-FACELIFT...f:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-Skyline-GTST-SIN...f:0

Silvia

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Nissan-Silvia-S15-...CsAAOSw5wFcKORf:rk:6f:0

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nissan-s15/312430004550...f:1

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/nissan-silvia-s14/15333...f:0

When looking for a practical JDM would be the Civic Type R FD2:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-Honda-Civic-2-0-i-...f:1

Or you could go for a UK STI:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...


Practical:

Infiniti G37

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Appreciate the legwork but most are 2 door and aren't to my taste. All interesting though!

mikey P 500 said:

No one suggested a porsche 996 yet for 10k would be a better shout than a 944 in my opinion.

Never liked the headlights on the 996, a 911 should have round lights IMO.

coldel said:

Good shout but he is in an S3 at the moment and wants something a bit different I think a 335i would drop into the not old enough/interesting enough category.

What he said.

I intend to have a BMW at some point, I've always been a big fan of the E92 335i, I prefer it to the M3, but I hate the lack of kit you get as standard. Would have to be an E30 325i or an F30 M3 I think.

[coldel]

I think you really have a very small number of options available. You are in a fast modern car already in the S3. If you do not want two doors, nor something newish, nor something two seats, but still very quick and under 10k, not going to cost and arm and leg to run and maintain then the options are pretty limited. Not sure why two doors is an issue, I used to have an R33 Skyline and used it to ferry my newborn around in with the wife in the front!

It seems to me you had 80% decided on the Forester before you started the thread and was just sense checking before getting one?

[designforlife]

coldel said:

I think you really have a very small number of options available. You are in a fast modern car already in the S3. If you do not want two doors, nor something newish, nor something two seats, but still very quick and under 10k, not going to cost and arm and leg to run and maintain then the options are pretty limited. Not sure why two doors is an issue, I used to have an R33 Skyline and used it to ferry my newborn around in with the wife in the front!

It seems to me you had 80% decided on the Forester before you started the thread and was just sense checking before getting one?

Quite, maybe this should have been a thread asking for opinions on the Forester!

You could always get a 4 door skyline or 4 door integra DC2 if the door thing is crucial, both will be better steers than a forester STi. Tbh an impreza would be a better starting point. Hell, I would go with a Chaser JZX100 for the practicality and 2JZ over a forester STi any day of the week.

Do you want boaty handling?

[V8RX7]

coldel said:

If you do not want two doors

Except for the 944 obviously

[stevekoz]

I don't think anyone has already mentioned this car looking through the thread.

It seems to me you are after 4 doors, practicality with good steer and fairly swift. I get the feeling this may fit your criteria quite well -

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-Honda-Civic-2-0-i-...f:0

The miles on this are above 100K and that is what puts it into your budget bracket. Usually a standard one will put you back 11-13k. However, i don't think that is unreachable if your budget is 10k. I wouldn't let 100k on a vtec unit put me off at all.

But regarding the car. They are plenty swift running the k series vtec 2 litre NA engine. In this guise it pushes out 225bhp - and is much happier and smoother for it compared to its cousin the FN2 (which i have). Which also includes an LSD which the fn2 didn't for the most part till very late production. The additional stability and traction combined with the higher output made for a sub 6 second 60mph dash (5.9 i believe). It is an extremely good drivers car by all accounts. You will likely not see another one the entire time you own it. It will likely not go down in value if you take care of it so could save you money in the long run. As well as being massively reliable to boot. Easy to work on if you need to.

For me if i was after a practical swift but different and interesting daily steer that ticked boxes. This would be it.

[BUG4LIFE]

OP, I use my Forester STi as my daily drive [40ish miles a day].

It would certainly feel different to your S3 but it is an event every time you get behind the wheel. Knowing that most people haven't got a clue what it is [or how fast it is] and the people that do know really respect it, makes it a great car to own.

JDM is just cool.

[cookington]

coldel said:

I think you really have a very small number of options available. You are in a fast modern car already in the S3. If you do not want two doors, nor something newish, nor something two seats, but still very quick and under 10k, not going to cost and arm and leg to run and maintain then the options are pretty limited. Not sure why two doors is an issue, I used to have an R33 Skyline and used it to ferry my newborn around in with the wife in the front!

It seems to me you had 80% decided on the Forester before you started the thread and was just sense checking before getting one?

The extra doors are more for adult passengers than little ones, we both have elderly relatives we occasionally transport. Even at 30+ its quite undignified rolling out of the back of a 3 door. The S3 is my first car out of 5 that has had more than 3 doors.

My heart is reasonably set on a Forester but I thought I'd throw it out for discussion to see if I'd overlooked anything. I know deep down that the E30 and 944 are out of the question I just needed talked out of them!

There's still a chance that my head will overrule my heart and I'll end up in a leased or PCP'd fiesta ST, golf R or Volvo S60.

[coldel]

cookington said:

The extra doors are more for adult passengers than little ones, we both have elderly relatives we occasionally transport. Even at 30+ its quite undignified rolling out of the back of a 3 door. The S3 is my first car out of 5 that has had more than 3 doors.

My heart is reasonably set on a Forester but I thought I'd throw it out for discussion to see if I'd overlooked anything. I know deep down that the E30 and 944 are out of the question I just needed talked out of them!

There's still a chance that my head will overrule my heart and I'll end up in a leased or PCP'd fiesta ST, golf R or Volvo S60.

Would like to have seen the oldies climbing in and out the 944 then

To be honest sounds like given all the restrictions you have in place you are going down the bog standard 4 door modern car/Forester route.

[cookington]

BUG4LIFE said:

OP, I use my Forester STi as my daily drive [40ish miles a day].

It would certainly feel different to your S3 but it is an event every time you get behind the wheel. Knowing that most people haven't got a clue what it is [or how fast it is] and the people that do know really respect it, makes it a great car to own.

JDM is just cool.

The above is exactly why I'm considering one. More interesting and hopefully more playful than the S3 but with similar power and AWD traction.

When I upgraded from the Focus ST to the S3 it was a £200 a month increase. I offset this with man maths against the amount I was spending per month on maintenance and modifications on the Focus.

I would try to find a Forester that already had the 'essential' modifications done.

[BUG4LIFE]

cookington said:

BUG4LIFE said:

OP, I use my Forester STi as my daily drive [40ish miles a day].

It would certainly feel different to your S3 but it is an event every time you get behind the wheel. Knowing that most people haven't got a clue what it is [or how fast it is] and the people that do know really respect it, makes it a great car to own.

JDM is just cool.

The above is exactly why I'm considering one. More interesting and hopefully more playful than the S3 but with similar power and AWD traction.

When I upgraded from the Focus ST to the S3 it was a £200 a month increase. I offset this with man maths against the amount I was spending per month on maintenance and modifications on the Focus.

I would try to find a Forester that already had the 'essential' modifications done.

You'd want one like mine then! The previous UK owners added all the mods you'd want. Here's a pic for ya...

[cookington]

BUG4LIFE said:

You'd want one like mine then! The previous UK owners added all the mods you'd want. Here's a pic for ya...

I've only seen black, white, grey and blue, assuming they are the only colours they came in?

Not sure I could live with the upkeep of black, blue with gold wheels is the front runner atm for obvious reasons.

[designforlife]

This was parked outside my mate's place a couple days ago... STi swapped XT, running 340bhp.

All about them sleepers.

[cookington]

designforlife said:

This was parked outside my mate's place a couple days ago... STi swapped XT, running 340bhp.

All about them sleepers.

That's cool AF.

Assume it won't be the same dynamically as the STI unless all that's been swapped over too.

[designforlife]

Identical albeit running more power i think...a lot of the sti stuff just bolts on.

I have another friend with an XT being rebuilt at the moment, thats having some engine work and will be around 300bhp...he's had a few sti bits fitted...i think he's going with STi suspension.

[V8RX7]

designforlife said:

This was parked outside my mate's place a couple days ago... STi swapped XT, running 340bhp.

All about them sleepers.

That looks like my old car (which had 275bhp when I sold it) you didn't happen to catch the reg no ?

[designforlife]

Not off the top of my head, was over Enfield way..

Always see these XTs in champagne gold...nice low key looking car.

[V8RX7]

designforlife said:

Always see these XTs in champagne gold...nice low key looking car.

Ah but is it ?

Depending on the light it looks champagne or grey

It said grey on my V5 - it was described as grey in the advert but when I arrived to view it, I wasn't convinced

But yes, blending into the background was the reason I bought it

[nunpuncher]

Must be getting a lot of work done to need 2 skips outside the house.