Bang for Buck - Suggestions?
Discussion
Calling all PHers!
I'm due to change jobs in a couple of weeks and am fortunate enough to be getting a company car for the first time. As a result I have the opportunity to do 'dispose of' my current car.
Now, the sensible thing to do would be to sell it and use the money to pay off the credit card, stick it in the bank to put towards a house deposit or help pay for this wedding thing I have coming up. However, having a second car for my fiancee would actually be pretty handy (if for no other reason than justifying what's about to follow below to her) and I've had a 'sports car' itch that I've been desperate but unable to scratch for a long time. I'm therefore considering swapping for something that's a bit more of a 'toy'.
My only issue is that the value of said current car represents my total budget for something new. It's a 82,000 mile C2 VTS that I'll probably be lucky to get £3000 for. Fuel economy isn't too much of a concern as usage will be very light - 8 miles a day for the other half to get to work and back and then a bit of running around at the weekends - but I can't afford to pay an arm and a leg for insurance (would make driving hard anyway, unless it was an auto) or general running/maintenance costs. Also, as it's a 'toy', practicality isn't a concern and I'd rather opt for a coupe/convertible over an above-average-temperature hatch.
Now you may have already skipped to the reply box, right index finger hovering over the M key, left poised over the X and ready to move to the 5 immediately afterwards. I have, of course, thought of this. It's the obvious choice, ticks all the boxes and I have by no means ruled it out. However, having driven the Eunos Roadster my in-laws-to-be bought recently I thought it was great fun to drive but just plain slow. Which is exactly how I'd describe the car I already have. There is also the last generation MR2, which is a step in the right direction but looks a bit like a frog or an MG TF 160 which is probably exactly what I'm after, I've secretly always thought was quite nice looking but would inevitably spend all my time defending, explaining that it was chosen because of it's drivetrain arrangement and that I don't cut hair for a living. My opinion of Celicas is that they're ugly AND slow.
What I want is something that is geniunely brisk (sub 7.5 second 0-60), has some credentials as a driver's car and is also cool BUT costs less than £3000 and won't constantly need more spent on it. Rear-wheel drive would be lovely. Tuning could be an option but I've got no experience with this and I'm not sure what affect it's likely to have on insurance. Oh, and the soon-to-be-missus finds Beemers a bit vulgar.
Does such a car exist? There must be something out there I haven't thought of! Answers on a postcard...
I'm due to change jobs in a couple of weeks and am fortunate enough to be getting a company car for the first time. As a result I have the opportunity to do 'dispose of' my current car.
Now, the sensible thing to do would be to sell it and use the money to pay off the credit card, stick it in the bank to put towards a house deposit or help pay for this wedding thing I have coming up. However, having a second car for my fiancee would actually be pretty handy (if for no other reason than justifying what's about to follow below to her) and I've had a 'sports car' itch that I've been desperate but unable to scratch for a long time. I'm therefore considering swapping for something that's a bit more of a 'toy'.
My only issue is that the value of said current car represents my total budget for something new. It's a 82,000 mile C2 VTS that I'll probably be lucky to get £3000 for. Fuel economy isn't too much of a concern as usage will be very light - 8 miles a day for the other half to get to work and back and then a bit of running around at the weekends - but I can't afford to pay an arm and a leg for insurance (would make driving hard anyway, unless it was an auto) or general running/maintenance costs. Also, as it's a 'toy', practicality isn't a concern and I'd rather opt for a coupe/convertible over an above-average-temperature hatch.
Now you may have already skipped to the reply box, right index finger hovering over the M key, left poised over the X and ready to move to the 5 immediately afterwards. I have, of course, thought of this. It's the obvious choice, ticks all the boxes and I have by no means ruled it out. However, having driven the Eunos Roadster my in-laws-to-be bought recently I thought it was great fun to drive but just plain slow. Which is exactly how I'd describe the car I already have. There is also the last generation MR2, which is a step in the right direction but looks a bit like a frog or an MG TF 160 which is probably exactly what I'm after, I've secretly always thought was quite nice looking but would inevitably spend all my time defending, explaining that it was chosen because of it's drivetrain arrangement and that I don't cut hair for a living. My opinion of Celicas is that they're ugly AND slow.
What I want is something that is geniunely brisk (sub 7.5 second 0-60), has some credentials as a driver's car and is also cool BUT costs less than £3000 and won't constantly need more spent on it. Rear-wheel drive would be lovely. Tuning could be an option but I've got no experience with this and I'm not sure what affect it's likely to have on insurance. Oh, and the soon-to-be-missus finds Beemers a bit vulgar.
Does such a car exist? There must be something out there I haven't thought of! Answers on a postcard...
sim16v said:
944 Lux with the change put towards a contingency fund
EFAJob done! 30mpg on a run, decent boot, rear seats big enough for emergency use, pretty reliable, sublimely balanced.
As a daily driver on a £3k budget I'd look at getting a really good example of one of the less expensive 8-valve models and having some change left over, rather than going in at the cheaper end of the S2/Turbo spectrum.
Insurance will be peanuts on a classic policy.
MR2 Turbo. £2k will get you a 220+BHP (with scope for more) mid-engined, RWD turbo beast which will scare you six ways til Christmas. All turbo's are imports so should be full of toys. (some versions have steering fog lights, alcantara, strut-braces, climate, T-tops etc) You'll need a racquet bag and some very tight white shorts to go with the car, but you'll get to the tennis lesson very very quickly indeed.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3051386.htm
Plus £500 change for (classic) insurance.
As an example, my insurance was £200 cheaper on a (non-turbo) MR2 (fully comp) than on a diesel Cavalier (TPFT).
I sound like a fanboy, but bang for buck, that is where my money would go.
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3051386.htm
Plus £500 change for (classic) insurance.
As an example, my insurance was £200 cheaper on a (non-turbo) MR2 (fully comp) than on a diesel Cavalier (TPFT).
I sound like a fanboy, but bang for buck, that is where my money would go.
Thanks everyone. Liking the 944 suggestion and I hadn't really considered going for something a bit older. I think an 80's Porsche is going to take some beating in the cool stakes! Think a Mk2 MR2 Turbo would also be worth looking into.
Papa Hotel, I'm afraid you may well be right. My £3K target was purely based on a What Car valuation and a conversation I had with a dealer when I was looking at trading it in a few weeks back (he was prepared to give me £2800 and figured a private sale ought to be worth a little more) so not exactly scientific! It's a 2006 56 by the way. Owned from new so these numbers are making me want to cry a little.
Papa Hotel, I'm afraid you may well be right. My £3K target was purely based on a What Car valuation and a conversation I had with a dealer when I was looking at trading it in a few weeks back (he was prepared to give me £2800 and figured a private sale ought to be worth a little more) so not exactly scientific! It's a 2006 56 by the way. Owned from new so these numbers are making me want to cry a little.
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