WHAT CAR? :: £10k – Girlfriend – Fun

[DonnyMac]

Here’s another What-Car thread for you.

The girlfriends Micra is close to be smelted so I’m looking around for a car that is –

• Small
• Convertible
• ‘Cute’ (I don’t know either)
• 4 seats (preference)

I’d like to buy one that is classless and a touch sporty so I can jump into it to go to the bank or the shops on the odd occasion.

£10k is the desired budget but less is good, more is okay if special.

Cars already on the list –

• Fiat 500 Abarth
• Mini Cooper Works
• Beetle Turbo

Curved ball (as 2 seaters)–

• Porsche Boxster 2.7/3.2?
• Smart Fortwo Brabus

Her preference is the 1.8T Beetle and although I’m not fully against it, being based on the 1997 Golf GTi must mean the others on the list are more modern (more reliable?) platforms.

Help!

[dm46]

scirocco may be in budget. the beetle 1.8t is very good and tuneable

[Ilikebeaver]

I couldn't think of anything else I would consider apart from the mini.

My family has a cooper s works convertible and loves it. It sounds fantastic too.

[dm46]

honda s2000

[Rich_W]

DonnyMac said:

Her preference is the 1.8T Beetle and although I’m not fully against it, being based on the 1997 Golf GTi must mean the others on the list are more modern (more reliable?) platforms.

Help!

Based on the Mk4 Golf. 1998-2004 shape. Generally bomb proof. Later cars got a facelift. Differnet lights. Arches have an "edge" rather than fully rounded. st to drive and st to park since you can't see the edges properly. Get her to choses something better.

[iva cosworth]

<PH Stereotype alert>

Need pics of the girlfriend before any advice can be provided

[DonnyMac]

iva cosworth said:

<PH Stereotype alert>

Need pics of the girlfriend before any advice can be provided

See profile

[DonnyMac]

Rich_W said:

st to drive

I've heard this, which makes my mini hoon to the bank and back undesirable.

Rich_W said:

...and st to park since you can't see the edges properly.

I've heard this too, which will make the car very angular after about 3 months of her driving.

Grrr.

[DonnyMac]

DonnyMac said:

iva cosworth said:

<PH Stereotype alert>

Need pics of the girlfriend before any advice can be provided

See profile

I have permission to post this -

[dm46]

bang tidy

[HeatonNorris]

dm46 said:

scirocco may be in budget. the beetle 1.8t is very good and tuneable

'Rocco isn't a convertible.

But the Beetle is a good call - not the last word in driving experience, but well built, and the 1.8T is a superb engine.

It's also the only one which has half reasonable rear seats.

[iva cosworth]

DonnyMac said:

iva cosworth said:

<PH Stereotype alert>

Need pics of the girlfriend before any advice can be provided

See profile

Very nice and wearing the obligatory T shirt

BTW i work in Croydon too.

[DonnyMac]

HeatonNorris said:

dm46 said:

scirocco may be in budget. the beetle 1.8t is very good and tuneable

'Rocco isn't a convertible.

But the Beetle is a good call - not the last word in driving experience, but well built, and the 1.8T is a superb engine.

It's also the only one which has half reasonable rear seats.

Essentially what I'm looking for is confirmation (or otherwise) that I won't be buying a pig if we go for the Beetle as she has her heart set on it.

[HeatonNorris]

DonnyMac said:

Essentially what I'm looking for is confirmation (or otherwise) that I won't be buying a pig if we go for the Beetle as she has her heart set on it.

Well, a couple of things worthy of note in the MkIV Golf - it set new standards for refinement in the family car class, and the 1.8T engines will do over 200k miles with no issues. (Mine was on 180k miles when I sold it - that was in a 1998 Passat).

[DonnyMac]

HeatonNorris said:

DonnyMac said:

Essentially what I'm looking for is confirmation (or otherwise) that I won't be buying a pig if we go for the Beetle as she has her heart set on it.

Well, a couple of things worthy of note in the MkIV Golf - it set new standards for refinement in the family car class, and the 1.8T engines will do over 200k miles with no issues. (Mine was on 180k miles when I sold it - that was in a 1998 Passat).

Good, and thanks.

We're off for a long weekend but will test the Bug 1.8T and Mini Works back-to-back next week - I'll post up a pic of the winning car soon after.

Thanks & night all,
Donny

[R34RWD]

Should have visited ebay brought a mr2 t-bar about 900 quid and kept the change

[Dave Hedgehog]

a sybian

[RyanB88]

S2000, Z4 3.0, Boxster

[DonnyMac]

Well, that didn't take long...

We test drove the Mini Works and neither of us liked it, I had my knees around my ears, the rear two seats were really a parcel shelf and the car didn't so much drive down the road but bounce from bump to bump - so we decided against it.

Never did take the Beetle out.

But, after 2 months wait, this turned up yesterday -



It is very nice indeed - really pokey for a 2.2l shh Diesel .

Thanks for all the advice/opinions in this thread that we completely ignored

[matthias73]

Rich_W said:

DonnyMac said:

Her preference is the 1.8T Beetle and although I’m not fully against it, being based on the 1997 Golf GTi must mean the others on the list are more modern (more reliable?) platforms.

Help!

Based on the Mk4 Golf. 1998-2004 shape. Generally bomb proof. Later cars got a facelift. Differnet lights. Arches have an "edge" rather than fully rounded. st to drive and st to park since you can't see the edges properly. Get her to choses something better.

My boss has one. Fun car, and hers looks awesome, but at 6.2 feet I don't fit in the back, at all.