Best handling / drivers car - £20k or less

[rallyeS2]

Morning folks,

I’m looking for a car within these parameters as a summer commuter / occasional track day car.

Max budget - £20k less is better
Age - not too bothered
Will be stored outside
Will use daily when I feel like and possible track day and a Ring trip at some point. Could do with some luggage space for a long weekend.
Fuel economy / tax not an issue.
Will be a 3rd car alongside a Discovery for family duties so practicality not a big issue although open top stuff like Caterham probably not ideal for a work commute!

Appreciate any ideas!

[Horsey McHorseface]

[Truckosaurus]

MX5 But the RF version with the folding targa top.

An old Cayman/Boxster.

A Z4 with the folding hard top.

GT86/BRZ - 20k should get a facelifted post-2017 example.

370Z (but expensive on roadtax at that price point)

All should be decent for commuting in the sunshine or doing a road trip with some luggage. Interesting engines (except for MX5)

[Belle427]

Lotus Elise but the keeping outside may require it to have a hardtop.
Just enough space for some bags in the boot!

[Martyn76]

Renault Clio 182/Cup/Trophy? Practical, comfortable, good down a B-road and on track.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304266...

[Crudeoink]

As above, a 987.1 (upto 2008) Cayman S is within budget. Or you could just about get into a 987.2 (2009 -2012) Boxster S for that money, also after 2009 the PDK was offered to replace the tiptronic slushbox auto's. A 911 996 would also be available for 20k. All very daily-able cars for the money and plenty quick enough on track. At the more extreme side of the scale, an Elise or VX220 might be an option, albeit slightly less comfortable as a daily driver.

[keo]

Elise or VX220

[Belle427]

VX220s are bargains I think.
There is a lovely black Turbo for sale near me currently on ebay for roughly £18k but there is probably a better deal to he done.

[itcaptainslow]

Belle427 said:

Lotus Elise but the keeping outside may require it to have a hardtop.
Just enough space for some bags in the boot!

Elise may also have issues with paint osmosis being stored outside.

As wonderful as they are, I’d pick the Cayman for the OP’s requirements. Not much luggage fits in the Elise!

[CarlosFandango11]

Truckosaurus said:

MX5 But the RF version with the folding targa top.

An old Cayman/Boxster.

A Z4 with the folding hard top.

GT86/BRZ - 20k should get a facelifted post-2017 example.

370Z (but expensive on roadtax at that price point)

All should be decent for commuting in the sunshine or doing a road trip with some luggage. Interesting engines (except for MX5)

A MX5 NC leaves enough budget to fit a BBR supercharger, to vastly improve the engine, and coilovers.

Edited by CarlosFandango11 on Wednesday 24th May 11:23

[coldel]

For the BEST handling you need to be looking at an Elise or VX220. If you want something relatively more comfortable then look at Caymans, but they relatively do not give you that same buzz of driving an Elise chassis.

I've had two VX220s and stored them outside, not had problems with osmosis (it generally will have appeared already if its going to appear) and been great cars.

[rallyeS2]

Thanks for all the suggestions so far,

Cayman S had cropped up but IMS / bore scoring concerns pushed me towards the 987.2 2.9 engine.

I’ve had a 2.7 987 boxster when they were new and I never truly thrashed it from a track driving point of view, so never really got a feel for it at ten tenths. I’m older and the car will be much cheaper than I paid back then so I’m probably more likely to drive it harder.

Some other interesting suggestions I hadn’t considered, Elise had come up in my searches but had forgotten about the vx220.

At very top end of budget, what’s the consensus on the M2 (albeit a high mileage / categorised one at my budget) they seem fast but possibly not the last in handling finesse?

[juice]

Megane Cup-S ?

[eddietiv1]

If handling is your priority its hard to look beyond an elise or vx220, ive owned both and both pure bliss, you just can't beat a sub 1 ton car for feel.

[Dblue]

RS 250/275 Megane - fabulous chassis , cheap to run and tinker with, great on track

[nickfrog]

juice said:

Megane Cup-S ?

That was my first thought. Trackable out of the box too.

[rallyeS2]

The cup-s seem to be in hens teeth territory but I do like the already track focused options they seem to have - ohlins suspension, akrapovic exhaust and recaro buckets. Not sure about the styling but I’ve driven worse looking cars!

I need to try and get myself a drive of an Elise, I’ve been round oulton park in an S2 exige but as a passenger….

[Mr E]

eddietiv1 said:

If handling is your priority its hard to look beyond an elise or vx220, ive owned both and both pure bliss, you just can't beat a sub 1 ton car for feel.

They’re brilliant.
I wouldn’t fancy European touring in mine

[Jiebo]

Martyn76 said:

Renault Clio 182/Cup/Trophy? Practical, comfortable, good down a B-road and on track.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202304266...

This made me laugh, £15k for this. It wasn't that long ago they were £2k bangers. Must be out of your mind to buy this over a cayman

[nickfrog]

rallyeS2 said:

The cup-s seem to be in hens teeth territory but I do like the already track focused options they seem to have - ohlins suspension, akrapovic exhaust and recaro buckets. Not sure about the styling but I’ve driven worse looking cars!

Most don't have ohlins or Akra, neither of which make much difference on track. But plenty of Cup-S are called something else, like 265 Trophy (just 10 ponies less) or even "275 Nav" if they have the Cup chassis option. What you want is the Cup chassis and the LSD (ie the Cup chassis) irrespective of what the car is called or if it is std or an option, confusing or what?. Even a 265 non Trophy would fit the bill with the Cup option.