£20k - What do you buy?

[e21Mark]

If you had £20k to spend on something, RWD and fun on both road and track, what would you go with? I suggested a BMW of sorts, but while I'd go E30 M3 there are obviously faster options available. Anyway, I figured I would ask here and see what suggestions people come up with?

[kiethton]

If its just fun I'd be looking at a Lotus or Caterham

Alternatively at higher running costs a ropey Tuscan/T350 or a decent Chim..

Are nobles just in budget also - would muller a trackday!

[willisit]

This has been a figure I've had in use for some time. I've looked at:

BMW E90 M3
Porsche 996 C4S
Porsche 997 C2S
Nissan 370Z

I even have a spreadsheet to compare running costs (they're similar).

That money also buys much newer metal (with warranties!) like an Astra VXR with no miles on it.. apples and oranges, certainly, but £20k is a lot money (*to me).

Still can't decide, but I'm a few months away from really worrying about it. When I do, the only thing I can suggest is to drive everything and hope the head and heart agree.

[chrispmartha]

With my biased head on - Cayman/Boxster?

[e21Mark]

kiethton said:

Are nobles just in budget also - would muller a trackday!

• Go's to search Noble*

[Tickle]

An Elise S2 135r.... with Honda K20 conversion?

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/l...

What a combo!

[GreatGranny]

Personally I would struggle to look at anything else.

Has everything I need in a car.
Would have to have a decent warranty though :-)

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/p...

[TIGA84]

996 turbo.

4wd I know...........

[KungFuPanda]

A well sorted 996 C2S.

[ewenm]

I'd go for a Caterham 7 every time.

If that's too focused, then perhaps an Elise/Exige instead.

Edit: One advantage of a Caterham over the junior supercars being suggested is that the running costs are peanuts in comparison so more of the cash can go on buying the right car rather than running it - light weight, simplicity and relatively low power have their advantages.

Edited by ewenm on Friday 21st March 12:58

[Lazygraduate]

KungFuPanda said:

A well sorted 996 C2S.

I don't believe such a thing exists?

I'd go for a Z4M Roadster personally and spend the rest on petrol and hooning

[Davey S2]

kiethton said:

Are nobles just in budget also - would muller a trackday!

Servicing every 6000 miles iirc and consumables are not cheap.

You would need a healthy slush fund to track one regularly.

[chrisp84]

GT86!

[mike-r]

Borrow a bit more from the bank and buy a Z06 Corvette.

[Lee540]

For me, Mercedes SL55 AMG

[RizzoTheRat]

Multistrada Pikes Peak, and couple of grand left over.

[epom]

22B if I could get a decent-ish one for that money.

[Snowboy]

S2000.
Caterham.
Lotus
TVR


It's a track toy, so you want fun more than you want to scrape a second off the lap times.
So forget BMW's or anything "precision".
Get the car a 12 year old would want and they have some fun.

I'd want something silly and a little bit tail happy.

[Quickmoose]

968 CS

[ahenners]

I'd say a nice E92 335i. Pretty quick and reasonable running costs. Should get a nice one for well under 20k and have some change to run it/buy warranty.