Which £7k weekend toy. Performance and fun required

[eltax91]

Hi all

I am thinking, this winter, of selling my Defender (current weekend fun) and getting something a little more performance orientated. The Landy is great fun and off roading is a giggle, but with my first child on the way time will limit me. I've been considering a 7-a-like kit car and these are very much in the frame, but I'm wondering what the collective PH brain can offer up for my cash. So, criteria:-

• £7k budget
• Reasonable to insure (Landy on a classic policy with 4kpa mileage allowance is under £200)
• Performance orientated - so a good chassis and reasonable power
• RWD

Convertible would be a bonus, but not a necessity.

That's about it. Do your worst.

[p4cks]

VX220? Having a Defender will put you in good stead for another leaky, rattly stbox.

[DanDC5]

VX220

Or if you need more seats I have an Integra Type R that would be perfect for you

[eltax91]

p4cks said:

VX220? Having a Defender will put you in good stead for another leaky, rattly stbox.

Hmmm, not a bad shout. Will they be available on limited mileage "cheap" policies? Or am I looking at tripling the insurance bill?

[DanDC5]

Limited mileage will always bring prices down for stuff like that. Best just shopping round with a few specialists.

[nottyash]

Ive got a Honda S2000 on a policy with 2 yrs NCB, and still only £250. Great fun, especially with the weather like it is

[Jasandjules]

TVR Chimaera or Lotus Elise

[scotty_d]

TVR- Chimaera Close the thread now .

• £7k budget- Check

• Reasonable to insure (Landy on a classic policy with 4kpa mileage allowance is under £200)

Yup i had mine on one and Now my Cerbera for mine at age 24 i was around £350 a year with track day cover 5k per year

• Performance orientated - so a good chassis and reasonable power- Check

• RWD-Check

Loads of power great sound ticks all the boxs and hold there value well re-sale will be much what you paid for it in years to come and pretty basic cars to work on.

[Iwantoneofthose]

Why not ask over in the kit car forum?
Kit cars are generally cheaper to insure than 'normal' cars too.

[Snowboy]

All the usual suspects really.

S2000
VX220
BMW Z/M 3/4
Lotus Jobby
TVR
Old Porshe
MR2
MX5

You could go a bit leftfield with an Alfa Spider, Fiat Barchetta, or a Westie.
You could probably get into some sort of Morgan replica kit car for that money too.

Alternatively get a lightweight V8 Landie and show the motorbike boys how to do real wheelies.

[eltax91]

Jasandjules said:

TVR Chimaera or Lotus Elise

I've been drooling over chim's all evening now!

Elise is the very bottom of the market at that money. Anyone any experience of low end Elise? Would a tidy s1 start to appreciate now? Or at least be depreciation proof?

Also, at this money, is it brave pills time for both these choices?

[billzeebub]

Chimaera if a luxury. If regular use S2000 or Boxster, or maybe an E46 M3

[eltax91]

billzeebub said:

Chimaera if a luxury. If regular use S2000 or Boxster, or maybe an E46 M3

It's a sort of semi luxury. I just started a new job and the bosses have said they will waive the car allowance rules and let me keep my old octavia, but I need a second car as a standby as I can't have an excuse for not going on site, they rest of my colleagues all have under 3 year old cars within warranty.

What's your reasoning behind the TVR if a luxury? I wanna hop in and drive it of a weekend! Is a 7k chim likely to spend all its life on axle stands with me under it?

[billzeebub]

eltax91 said:

billzeebub said:

Chimaera if a luxury. If regular use S2000 or Boxster, or maybe an E46 M3

It's a sort of semi luxury. I just started a new job and the bosses have said they will waive the car allowance rules and let me keep my old octavia, but I need a second car as a standby as I can't have an excuse for not going on site, they rest of my colleagues all have under 3 year old cars within warranty.

What's your reasoning behind the TVR if a luxury? I wanna hop in and drive it of a weekend! Is a 7k chim likely to spend all its life on axle stands with me under it?

I would like to make it clear that I have never owned a Trevor, I just reason that a Chim, to me, would respond better to being kept under cover, and will need more preventative maintenance and loving care than an equivalently priced Boxster/S2000 (for example). £7k is a decent budget for a Chim, and I have been looking at using one for a long time( since 1994) but the best ones are double that or more. In essence I think TVRs respond better to proactive rather than reactive ownership. Anyway, the Chim would still be top of my list with your budget and requirements

[V8Smith]

For weekend fun, try a TVR V8S as just as quick as a Chim but much more fun as a weekend car due to being more raw. Very rare so hold value better, better looking imho, classic insurance and an awesome fun car to own, very chuckable. I had one for 5 years, bought an S2 as a stop gap until I could find a griff, loved it so much bought a V8S instead.

Wortha look for sure

[Dalto123]

How about this? MK Indy (cater ham like car) with the running gear of a TVR Tuscan. I think this'll have all the performance you want . I must admit that it is over budget but it's great car:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3887467.htm

Hope the link has worked from iPad

[edo]

Not much more to add:

TVR Chimaera
TVR S
Westfield
MX5 (of course).

If you go Chim: Chassis, Chassis. Better to spend a bit more for a good one, since a bad one will ruin you.

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3876310.htm

[eltax91]

Dalto123 said:

How about this? MK Indy (cater ham like car) with the running gear of a TVR Tuscan. I think this'll have all the performance you want . I must admit that it is over budget but it's great car:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3887467.htm

Hope the link has worked from iPad

That looks immense!

[roystinho]

S1 elise
Z3M roadster
S2000
Boxster

Not too hot on my TVRs, but if you can get one I imagine they're all pretty fun (?)

[Dalto123]

eltax91 said:

That looks immense!

Indeed, well worth the money IMO, but if you could get it in your budget it would be a steal