Yet ANOTHER what car...? £15-25k for a daily blast...

[walm]

My wife can't stand the Exige S - too uncomfortable. And I have already got bored with the 987 Boxster S I had before that.
Also - I should probably move to 4 seats or 2+2 so I can take the kids (little) now and again.
(If I had 5 seats it would be a slight bonus since I could take the whole family - although we have a beastly XC90 for that...)

I drive about 30 miles a day on lovely empty A-roads and take the very occasional long journey.
So my choices appear to be:

RS4 Convertible (everybody seems to hate this - not sure why - looks impossible to sell)
RS4 Avant (universally loved, probably my top choice right now - could fit the whole family in)
E46 M3 Convertible (cheaper but getting old now)
E90 M3 Convertible (high depreciation)
996TT Convertible (zero depreciation but look dated and it would be leggy)
997 C2S Convertible (high depreciation)

I don't really care about mpg, expensive tyres or regular servicing (those are inevitable) although I would like to avoid whopper bills and I have a pretty extreme aversion to depreciation (hence much Lotus love!).

Would love the PH collective thoughts!

[ORD]

I'm pretty surprised that you are bored of the 987 Boxster S and want to switch to a heavier car having considered a Lotus! The BMW will feel extremely compromised relative to the 987. A London cab compared to a Boxster.

[walm]

Sorry - that wasn't clear.
I already have the Lotus - it's time for a change.
The issue is that owing to an expanding family I am being forced beyond a 2 seater so it will have to be 4 or 2+2 which really means heavier cars with a bigger engine as far as I can tell.

[braddo]

Stretch the budget to an early Evora on the basis that depreciation will be zero?

[ewenm]

GT86 as an alternative to the power-focused options.

[james_gt3rs]

braddo said:

Stretch the budget to an early Evora on the basis that depreciation will be zero?

[Boydie88]

Why so much dull German?!

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

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

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

[Robert Elise]

james_gt3rs said:

braddo said:

Stretch the budget to an early Evora on the basis that depreciation will be zero?

+2
OP, you're right about depreciation concern. So stretch to a Lotus.

Why did you include just one tin top? and an audi at that...

[jamieduff1981]

Cerbera

[braddo]

ewenm said:

GT86 as an alternative to the power-focused options.

Good call.

Supercharger fitment possible at a later point if desired.

[walm]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Evora - if I had £30k I would probably go GTR to be honest - not sure I could persuade the missus on another Lotus - she REALLY hates this one.
GT86 - I imagine lots of depreciation to go on these plus I am not sure I can cope with something that does 0-60 in nearly twice the time of the Exige!
VXR8 - that does look interesting - I might have to do some research here - thanks.
Jag - this brand is out since I am not 50+ years old .
Camaro - not sure about resale-ability plus my daily drive has quite a lot of corners!
Cerb - terrified of the reliability issues here. Love them though.

On the tin-top issue - I really really want a convertible - I have the roof off the exige as much as possible (it was chilly this morning at 6am and 80mph!).... but I simply LOVE the stealth of an RS4 Avant - it has a goddam R8 engine in it for goodness sake! The ultimate family wagon.
Hence if I am going to miss out on a rag-top then I may as well go all the way to practical - so 5 seats and a boot which probably kills all saloon options since none are as good as the Audi as far as I can see...

[Robert Elise]

braddo said:

ewenm said:

GT86 as an alternative to the power-focused options.

Good call.

Supercharger fitment possible at a later point if desired.

interesting car (i have one), but it's not a 2+2 really and depreciation still high. An added SC would also depreciate heavily too.
That said, if you can keep it for 5 yrs+ TCO would be low.

[deltashad]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

Slightly out of budget and a little cramped, targa. What do you think of 911's? Even a 993?

[OutOfSync]

1. Honda NSX (best to drive)

2. Jag XKR (practical and lower mileage)

3. SL55 AMG (German alternative to the Jag)

[Boydie88]

walm said:

Thanks for the suggestions.

VXR8 - that does look interesting - I might have to do some research here - thanks.
Jag - this brand is out since I am not 50+ years old .
Camaro - not sure about resale-ability plus my daily drive has quite a lot of corners!

Ha! I'm 25 and would love a XK :P
As for the Camaro, I'll buy it off you! But can't imagine they'd be too hard to sell on as there is so few of them available?

[walm]

deltashad said:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2013...

Slightly out of budget and a little cramped, targa. What do you think of 911's? Even a 993?

Like the targa idea - very much!

993 bills scare me (in budget = starship miles) but they are a work of art with most likely appreciation not depreciation despite the miles!

[walm]

OutOfSync said:

1. Honda NSX (best to drive)

2. Jag XKR (practical and lower mileage)

3. SL55 AMG (German alternative to the Jag)

I am not sure any of these have more than 2 seats - google-fu is eluding me because the pictures all seem to be of the front seats!
NSX - surely the engine is right there!

[aspirated]

An AMG 6.2 V8 is what you need, C63 would be my choice

[OutOfSync]

walm said:

OutOfSync said:

1. Honda NSX (best to drive)

2. Jag XKR (practical and lower mileage)

3. SL55 AMG (German alternative to the Jag)

I am not sure any of these have more than 2 seats - google-fu is eluding me because the pictures all seem to be of the front seats!
NSX - surely the engine is right there!

Didn't realise that the extra seats were a requirement - RTQ fail ...

If you're looking for 4/5 seats and speed at the £20k point then it'll be hard to beat the German V8 offerings I'd guess.