Petrolhead daily driver but still sensible?

Petrolhead daily driver but still sensible?

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Discussion

Jamescrs

4,450 posts

64 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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If your worried about rust being an issue you may as well forget the NB MX-5, believe me I own one. I don't think a rust free NB exists and they rust from the inside out so what may look negligible on the outside could be a big issue underneath. Don't get me wrong I love mine, its a great laugh but they all have rust to one degree or another

irocfan

40,153 posts

189 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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Chainsaw Rebuild said:
Is the Ford Mustang available where you are?
In the UK at that price level you're looking at a pre-2000 SN95, maybe a V8 but more likely a V6

blearyeyedboy

6,252 posts

178 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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GTdrive said:
Because that's what I want. wink

To me this is reason enough, and won't upset people who can't tell the difference. smile

As they say, if one must ask....you don't need it.
I think you've missed the point of some posters. We get why RWD is attractive. We really do.

But if you can't afford steak, sometimes you need to order a pasta dish instead. It can be a nice pasta dish, but it's not steak.

There are few choices you have:
1) The brand of steak you don't like. (BMW)
2) Look around for a very unusual steak (Toyota Altessa or similar, but you'll likely be disappointed when it's not available)
3) Have a different steak, maybe buffalo? (RX8, Lexus IS, MX5, Something American), but it won't be what you want and it'll leave a funny taste.
4) Have a really nice pasta dish (there are lots of good FWD cars out there, which won't be the same experience but is still nice).
5) Have a quite nice fish dish (AWD)
6) Don't eat
7) Find more money for the steak you want.

I really wish you well, but you need to face up to to the fact your money won't buy the steak you want to eat.

Everyone's different, but I'd prefer good pasta to poor steak.

Davie_GLA

6,521 posts

198 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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Can i ask: What experiences have you had that have made you discount the ENTIRE BMW brand?

Chosen correctly and properly maintained they are by far the best choice for your requirements.

Stuart70

3,910 posts

182 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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Jaguar XE

Not sure if within budget, but available as Manual and RWD

Only diesel though...and unlikely within budget, sorry.

AlexiusG55

655 posts

155 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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I assume a 924 is either out of budget where you are, too old, or both.

If lack of back seats isn't a dealbreaker, MR2 or Smart Roadster? Hardtops reasonably available for both.

Gareth1974

3,408 posts

138 months

Wednesday 22nd January 2020
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Mercedes CLC ticks a lot of boxes (RWD, cheap, available in petrol with manual gearboxes), but not likely to be an exciting driving experience https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Mr Tidy

22,065 posts

126 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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ZX10R NIN said:
Yea but he doesn't live in the UK & he doesn't want a BMW either wink
True, but I think I acknowledged that in my post!

Regardless of the tax situation I'd still rather have a BMW 330i than an IS250, but if the OP rules out BMWs he's left with the Lexus option - good luck with that, it might work so long as he isn't in a hurry! laugh

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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irocfan said:
you might sneak an SLK350 with some luck failing that you could go VERY marmite and try a Crossfire (even in great condition they're cheap enough to make up for slightly poorer economy)
Crossfires here are double the budget for high mileage ones and triple for anything under 100K. And manuals are rare.

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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irocfan said:
In the UK at that price level you're looking at a pre-2000 SN95, maybe a V8 but more likely a V6
Yep. Same here. Because it's rare, people think they have a premium car or something and ask too much. For nearly double the budget you can sometimes find very high mileage V6s 2005-2006 ones. But a rare thing.

Even 90's V6 Firebirds, which used to be dirty cheap are now starting from 5 grand. Crazy.

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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Davie_GLA said:
Can i ask: What experiences have you had that have made you discount the ENTIRE BMW brand?

Chosen correctly and properly maintained they are by far the best choice for your requirements.
This is one of those trick questions with no correct answer... isn't it?

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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Mr Tidy said:
True, but I think I acknowledged that in my post!

Regardless of the tax situation I'd still rather have a BMW 330i than an IS250, but if the OP rules out BMWs he's left with the Lexus option - good luck with that, it might work so long as he isn't in a hurry! laugh
Curious to know why you would prefer the less reliable car?

Davie_GLA

6,521 posts

198 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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GTdrive said:
This is one of those trick questions with no correct answer... isn't it?
It really isn't. You mentioned too many bad experiences but the same can be said for any marque. What was the event that made you finally think "BMW are the evil, i'll never buy another"

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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Gareth1974 said:
Mercedes CLC ticks a lot of boxes (RWD, cheap, available in petrol with manual gearboxes), but not likely to be an exciting driving experience https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
Not a single CLC within budget here at the moment. Mostly diesels. All auto.

And I agree with you. Despite RWD and possibly manual, a boring hatchback and not that good looking to boot. Wouldn't mind if within budget if found a petrol manual. Not willing to pay more for what it is.

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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blearyeyedboy said:
I think you've missed the point of some posters. We get why RWD is attractive. We really do.

But if you can't afford steak, sometimes you need to order a pasta dish instead. It can be a nice pasta dish, but it's not steak.

There are few choices you have:
1) The brand of steak you don't like. (BMW)
2) Look around for a very unusual steak (Toyota Altessa or similar, but you'll likely be disappointed when it's not available)
3) Have a different steak, maybe buffalo? (RX8, Lexus IS, MX5, Something American), but it won't be what you want and it'll leave a funny taste.
4) Have a really nice pasta dish (there are lots of good FWD cars out there, which won't be the same experience but is still nice).
5) Have a quite nice fish dish (AWD)
6) Don't eat
7) Find more money for the steak you want.

I really wish you well, but you need to face up to to the fact your money won't buy the steak you want to eat.

Everyone's different, but I'd prefer good pasta to poor steak.
Interesting analogy, specially considering I'm a vegetarian.

Look! If I wanted a FWD I would not need to come here. I could just go to any dealer lot, round up the 5k options, close my eyes and throw a stone. Would probably buy the cheapest and newest or lowest mileage. Something like a Kia Picanto or something.

But I'm not doing that. Zero chances!

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Jamescrs said:
If your worried about rust being an issue you may as well forget the NB MX-5, believe me I own one. I don't think a rust free NB exists and they rust from the inside out so what may look negligible on the outside could be a big issue underneath. Don't get me wrong I love mine, its a great laugh but they all have rust to one degree or another
That bad uh? Really sorry to hear that, as with the lack of options, I was strongly gravitating towards a MX5. I would prefer rear seats. But between losing the rear seats or being forced to drive FWD or an auto, I prefer letting go from the rear seats.

And if going for a MX5, apart from the newest one, which is out of budget, my favorite is the NB. Never cared for the more flat NC and it's probably out of budget too. The NA is nice, but a bit old now and I don't care much for the pop ups. I like pop ups. But on the MX5 I think the NB looks nicer.

Maybe that's the reason the NBs are the cheapest. For all the reputation for reliability and build quality Japanese cars have, it is surprising to hear that about the NB. Really sorry. So no chance of a rust free one and they rust from inside out. Possibly the worse news when it comes to reliability.

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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AlexiusG55 said:
I assume a 924 is either out of budget where you are, too old, or both.

If lack of back seats isn't a dealbreaker, MR2 or Smart Roadster? Hardtops reasonably available for both.
Isn't the Smart roadster full of problems? I seem to remember reading about reliability problems and other issues.

Yes MR2 roadster can be had every day of the week within budget. Sometimes even only half the budget. I always wondered why they go so cheap. As I have heard they are solid on reliability and fun to drive. I know they are not fast. Not fantastic looking either. I much prefer the look of a MG TF. But they are not really ugly. All together they are one of the few cars here which seem under priced in my opinion. Always wondered why.

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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All together, not considering reliability or running costs, these are basically all the RWD manual models that can be bought here within budget and not older than 1990:

MX5 NA and NB
RX7 1st generation. But rare within this price. Maybe problem cars. But I have seen them recently with a fresh MOT selling within budget.
RX8
MG F and TF
MR2 roadster
Lexus IS200
S-type 3.0 V6 manual. I find it interesting Jaguar made a petrol V6 saloon with a manual, but couldn't be bothered to put a manual in the XK8. This shows everything which is wrong with Jaguar and why they were taken over by foreign companies. Why they are still in financial trouble and why they can't compete with the Germans. Total lack of sense.

Besides that, all sorts of Mercedes are also available within budget. But of my interest it would probably only be 190e and C124. The rest within budget are the round eyes ones from the 2000s, which rust to the ground.

Lexus IS250 are very rare, specially manual. But they exist and sell for just under double the budget with some luck. But they all seem to be very high mileage. It seems like Lexus owners like to drive their cars as much as possible. I guess Toyotas can take that without a problem.



Edited by GTdrive on Thursday 23 January 14:31

vtecyo

2,122 posts

128 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
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This is laughable. Why on earth would you want a manual S Type? Or an old RX7 as a daily driver? Also genuinely interested as to why you hate BMWs so much when it ticks literally every single one of your boxes. I'm predicting either "because I do", or "because I said so" as the answer.

Edited by vtecyo on Thursday 23 January 15:35

GTdrive

Original Poster:

165 posts

50 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
vtecyo said:
This is laughable. Why on earth would you want a manual S Type? Or an old RX7 as a daily driver? Also genuinely interested as to why you hate BMWs so much when it ticks literally every single one of your boxes. I'm predicting wither "because I do", or "because I said so" as the answer.
You know what is actually laughable? The part that I tell you to go back to my post and point where did I say I want an old RX7 or S-type as a daily driver and you can't. Because you obviously can't read!