Best driver's cars for under £5k?

[white_goodman]

Although I would concede that the choice of modern family cars is probably better now than it has ever been and I don't particularly want my wife and children driving around in a 20 year old car due to the lack of safety equipment. For me, there have been very few great, affordable driver's cars since about 1995! Most modern cars are too big, heavy, refined and unresponsive for my liking. Sadly some of the great drivers's cars that I lusted after as a boy seem to have reached the bottom of their depreciation curve and bounced back up out of reach such as Audi Quattros, E30 M3s, Delta Integrales and Sierra/Escort RS Cosworths. Porsche 911 values (of any age) and Lotus Elise values also seem to be staying resolutely firm. However, give me £5k to spend on a DD and there are still some great driver's car bargains to be had. I would be quite happy with any of these as a DD or (road tax, insurance and parking notwitstanding), I could buy all of these for the price of a new M3! So what are your favourite used driver's cars for less than £5k? (It was supposed to be a top 10 but it turned into a top 12 as I didn't know which two to eliminate)! Here are some suggestions:

Honda Integra Type-R (for dry trackdays) and Subaru Impreza RB5 (for wet trackdays)
BMW M3 E36 and classic Saab 900 Turbo (for travelling quickly yet discretely)
Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9 and mk2 VW Golf GTi 16v (despite their low power outputs by modern standards, still my top hot hatches of all time - can't really fault them!)
Alfa Romeo 156 GTA and Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo for style, speed and noise.
Ford Capri 2.8i Special just because I've always wanted one.
Jaguar XJS 4.0 Celebration and Mercedes-Benz SL320 for luxurious wafting.
MGF VVC for top-down fun.

What are your favourite sub £5k driver's cars and why?

[moribund]

No good value, daily-driver drivers car list would be complete without an RX8, Shirley?

Modern, safe, reliable (buy wisely, like my PZ which is for sale ) very lightweight, super low c-of-g, rear wheel drive, 4 doors and 4 proper seats.

They all have nice things like carbon fibre prop shafts and an LSD. The 231ps models have a 6 speed box. The PZ limited edition has even better handling with lowered Eibach/Bilstein suspension and a nicer sound too.

[s m]

I'd probably go for one of the ones you mentioned and see if i could get a Sapphire 2wd Cosworth or Merc 190E 2.3/2.5-16

The RX8 appeals too from all accounts and would be a lot newer

[GravelBen]

You forgot the MX5 and MR2.

[Jacobyte]

The Delta Integrale is not out of reach.

£5K will get you an OK 16v or a very good 8V. The 8V is the one to have; almost bulletproof engine, lighter, more chuckable, less understeery when at the limit, cleaner looking lines and rarer.