Fleet consolidation – What do it all car?
Discussion
A house move means that I’ve got to cut down the fleet due to a lack of parking but a move to commuting by train means I no longer need some ultra efficient commuter white good.
Therefore my Skoda Octavia and my current temporary track car (A Hyundai coupe v6 with LSD) need to merge into one car.
Requirements are
· Budget about £5-£6K
· Good for 2-4 track days a year (The low number means it doesn’t have to be super cheap on consumables and I’m happy to spanner to keep costs down but bear it in mind).
· At least 4 doors
· Reasonable load space (Needs to pass the annual Christmas tree test)
· Reasonably reliable
· Will handle only being used a weekends and being parked outside on the street all week
· Nothing to flash or “look at me”
· Nothing too nice or mint condition as its going to spend its life outside parked on the street.
· Not super low as the girlfriend refuses to drive my Z4 for this reason and I’m trying to get her in to fast cars
· Good on the motorway as it will be used for big trips about once a month.
· If possible not FWD unless it really doesn’t know what under steer is
Current thinking is the 100K mile Audi 4.2 S4 manual or similar mileage BMW 130. Rally replica 4x4 estates et al were overruled by the missus.
(I don’t use the Z4C for track days because it’s mint condition, its worth too much and the tyres cost a £1K a set)
Therefore my Skoda Octavia and my current temporary track car (A Hyundai coupe v6 with LSD) need to merge into one car.
Requirements are
· Budget about £5-£6K
· Good for 2-4 track days a year (The low number means it doesn’t have to be super cheap on consumables and I’m happy to spanner to keep costs down but bear it in mind).
· At least 4 doors
· Reasonable load space (Needs to pass the annual Christmas tree test)
· Reasonably reliable
· Will handle only being used a weekends and being parked outside on the street all week
· Nothing to flash or “look at me”
· Nothing too nice or mint condition as its going to spend its life outside parked on the street.
· Not super low as the girlfriend refuses to drive my Z4 for this reason and I’m trying to get her in to fast cars
· Good on the motorway as it will be used for big trips about once a month.
· If possible not FWD unless it really doesn’t know what under steer is
Current thinking is the 100K mile Audi 4.2 S4 manual or similar mileage BMW 130. Rally replica 4x4 estates et al were overruled by the missus.
(I don’t use the Z4C for track days because it’s mint condition, its worth too much and the tyres cost a £1K a set)
I saw this in the smoker barges thread, http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
445 bhp , 6 liters, V12, 4 doors, RWD, £6,800
Track days maybe, 4 doors, reasonably reliable, not too flash, not too mint, not super low, good on the motorway, not FWD
445 bhp , 6 liters, V12, 4 doors, RWD, £6,800
Track days maybe, 4 doors, reasonably reliable, not too flash, not too mint, not super low, good on the motorway, not FWD
tercelgold said:
I saw this in the smoker barges thread, http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2012...
445 bhp , 6 liters, V12, 4 doors, RWD, £6,800
Track days maybe, 4 doors, reasonably reliable, not too flash, not too mint, not super low, good on the motorway, not FWD
The potential for Bork is high with that shirley ?445 bhp , 6 liters, V12, 4 doors, RWD, £6,800
Track days maybe, 4 doors, reasonably reliable, not too flash, not too mint, not super low, good on the motorway, not FWD
anonymous said:
[redacted]
Good suggestion, but saloon only? Mazda 3 MPS an alternative maybe?tercelgold said:
760i
Track car? Ha ha![quote=(steven)]Rally replica 4x4 estates et al were overruled by the missus.
CaptainSlow said:
Impreza Wagon - Bug or Blob
330i Touring also a possibility?
ETA - I can't understand why the quote has gone weird???
Edited by muppets_mate on Friday 24th August 21:48
Saloon doesn't float my boat. Maybe the aforementioned e46 330 Touring?Is 4 doors essential?
If not then DC2 ITR is perfect - properly big boot (bigger than MkV Golf, albeit high lip), soaks up trackdays, happy used daily or occasionally and old enough now not to attract the wrong sort. There are a couple of 4-door versions around, but they're a saloon not a hatch so possibly less practical boot-wise. ATR is a decent alternative and they're less desirable so under-budget.
Alternatively:-
- Some sort of STi-wagon? (Is there such a thing?)
- late-model Megane R26-whatever - the later the better, by all accounts. Albeit boot there isn't overly generous.
- Import Stagea GTR Estate or similar? There's a white one (R33 running gear from the looks) that's always at Gaydon when I'm there...hell of a sleeper!!!
- (Again 2-door, but) Mk1 Focus RS???
I'd probably say don't do Golf GTi - I use Becs' quite frequently and while it's a good car, it's not a trackday car - control weights and feedback not good enough, and the lack of a diff is obvious enough on the road...
I also think 4-doors and trackday-capable is really restricting things...are both essential, or could you e.g. hire a caterham for 2-3 days a year?
If not then DC2 ITR is perfect - properly big boot (bigger than MkV Golf, albeit high lip), soaks up trackdays, happy used daily or occasionally and old enough now not to attract the wrong sort. There are a couple of 4-door versions around, but they're a saloon not a hatch so possibly less practical boot-wise. ATR is a decent alternative and they're less desirable so under-budget.
Alternatively:-
- Some sort of STi-wagon? (Is there such a thing?)
- late-model Megane R26-whatever - the later the better, by all accounts. Albeit boot there isn't overly generous.
- Import Stagea GTR Estate or similar? There's a white one (R33 running gear from the looks) that's always at Gaydon when I'm there...hell of a sleeper!!!
- (Again 2-door, but) Mk1 Focus RS???
I'd probably say don't do Golf GTi - I use Becs' quite frequently and while it's a good car, it's not a trackday car - control weights and feedback not good enough, and the lack of a diff is obvious enough on the road...
I also think 4-doors and trackday-capable is really restricting things...are both essential, or could you e.g. hire a caterham for 2-3 days a year?
Excellent stuff, keep the suggestions coming…
Anyway they are old cars now, not sure if using them mid-winter to go to tesco would count as sacrilege or not.
The alternative is I get the missus to trade in her 56 plate Corsa for a Diesel estate but she would want something newer with less miles and the same MPG which would require more cash.
DonkeyApple said:
At a certain point in your life a man doesn’t have any involvement in where he lives. He just has to finance it. 
It's not quiet that bad but 4 cars between the missus and me was always going to be a struggle and given I’m going to drive none of them in the week, maybe a bit much.anonymous said:
[redacted]
Good shouttercelgold said:
V12 car porn
Tasty but not sure it’s the answerbillywhizzzzzz said:
e36 m3 evo
Would consider a M3 4 door but they are getting very rare. There are 2 nationally on autotrader at the moment, one of which is left hand drive with 200K on the clock and the other has an interesting interior and is pretty strong money. Anyway they are old cars now, not sure if using them mid-winter to go to tesco would count as sacrilege or not.
muppets_mate said:
330i Touring also a possibility?
Maybe although I thought these had a nasty habit of ripping their diffs out when used on track? That and there are only 5 manual ones on the trader under £6K.Everyone said:
A hot hatch
Yeah, I know. Maybe I’m being a FWD snob but they don’t excite me. The golf prices are too similar to the S4 for me to consider but the Megan is a good shout. DonkeyApple said:
Because of the track days I would swerve Audis. They just aren't a rewarding drive.
Would an S4 be THAT bad? I know the cooking models have a bad reputation for handling but I would have thought an S4, if not as good as the equivalent M3, would bring something to the party. The alternative is I get the missus to trade in her 56 plate Corsa for a Diesel estate but she would want something newer with less miles and the same MPG which would require more cash.
[quote=(steven)]
Would an S4 be THAT bad? I know the cooking models have a bad reputation for handling but I would have thought an S4, if not as good as the equivalent M3, would bring something to the party.
The alternative is I get the missus to trade in her 56 plate Corsa for a Diesel estate but she would want something newer with less miles and the same MPG which would require more cash.
[/quote]
S4 is a really nice car and I'd have one ahead of a 330. But, on a track if you drove them back to back you would find the 330 infinitely more rewarding, it's just such a well balanced rwd car.
I'd swerve the m3 as money is a factor and by the time you find one in your target range I'd suspect it to be quite tired. Whereas you can probably find a peach of a 330. They are usually well spec'd also.
Would an S4 be THAT bad? I know the cooking models have a bad reputation for handling but I would have thought an S4, if not as good as the equivalent M3, would bring something to the party.
The alternative is I get the missus to trade in her 56 plate Corsa for a Diesel estate but she would want something newer with less miles and the same MPG which would require more cash.
[/quote]
S4 is a really nice car and I'd have one ahead of a 330. But, on a track if you drove them back to back you would find the 330 infinitely more rewarding, it's just such a well balanced rwd car.
I'd swerve the m3 as money is a factor and by the time you find one in your target range I'd suspect it to be quite tired. Whereas you can probably find a peach of a 330. They are usually well spec'd also.
[quote=(steven)]
Would an S4 be THAT bad? I know the cooking models have a bad reputation for handling but I would have thought an S4, if not as good as the equivalent M3, would bring something to the party.
[/quote]
Had both - currently have an S4 avant and LOVE it. Noise, torque, power, v8, build quality, 4wd, cabin - can't fault it. Now used to the dynamics which although v different from a rwd bmw with 50/50 distribution - you quickly get used to how to drive it fast - slow in fast out works best
Would an S4 be THAT bad? I know the cooking models have a bad reputation for handling but I would have thought an S4, if not as good as the equivalent M3, would bring something to the party.
[/quote]
Had both - currently have an S4 avant and LOVE it. Noise, torque, power, v8, build quality, 4wd, cabin - can't fault it. Now used to the dynamics which although v different from a rwd bmw with 50/50 distribution - you quickly get used to how to drive it fast - slow in fast out works best
billywhizzzzzz said:
e36 m3 evo
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/4075697.htm
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