10K budget. Help.
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Discussion

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Hi all, just signed up to piston heads today (although I've been lurking for years!). I am 20 years old and currently drive a 2011 ford focus ST-2. I need some help in deciding which car to buy next. Basically I think the ford is just a bit too much car for me at the moment (I only work 5 miles away from home) and its costing me a bit too much with monthly repayments etc. My plan is to sell the car, pay off the money left and buy something outright. I'm looking at having around 10k to play with after all my money is sorted (not including insurance).

Now my question is what car to go for. I'm not set on spending the full 10K on a car, but i want something fun and cheapish to run. It can be 2 or 4 seats not really fussed. So far (and i don't know why) i really want either a cliosport 200 or a R26 megane. These seem to fit the bill for being cheapish and a good drive. Im also strongly considering a 2006-2007 350Z. Now i know people are going to say E46 M3 or a cerb, but unfortunately insurance prices rule them two out.

So any suggestions would be welcome! Thanks Rich.

Pebbles167

4,572 posts

181 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Mazda MX-5

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
Pebbles167 said:
Mazda MX-5
meeeehhhhh I know they are great cars (and to be fair ive never actually tried one) but i'm just not a big fan to be honest. Could be worth a test drive i suppose.

Codswallop

5,258 posts

223 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Cheap and (very) fun to drive = Toyota MR2 Mk3. Get a 2 seater while you can get away with one (in terms of practicality).

Clio RS200 is a great car too though.

samu23

42 posts

187 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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I had a 350Z at 20, great car and great introduction to RWD. You'd get a good HR engined car for that budget

Insurance surprisingly cheap at 20 as well.

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
Codswallop said:
Cheap and (very) fun to drive = Toyota MR2 Mk3. Get a 2 seater while you can get away with one (in terms of practicality).

Clio RS200 is a great car too though.
Never looked at the MR2's.. im on it now.

MissChief

7,982 posts

197 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Thought about an S2K? Will get a lovely one for £10k. Example: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...

Will also suit your username. It's like it was meant to be!

deltashad

6,731 posts

226 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Test drive a cliosport 200 or a R26 megane

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
samu23 said:
I had a 350Z at 20, great car and great introduction to RWD. You'd get a good HR engined car for that budget

Insurance surprisingly cheap at 20 as well.
Yeah insurance is £850 for a 313 zed at 20 and £4000 for a S2K ?! no idea why the zed is so cheap/ the S2K is no much!! but the zed is definitely tempting.

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
MissChief said:
Thought about an S2K? Will get a lovely one for £10k. Example: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...

Will also suit your username. It's like it was meant to be!
haha like i said in the previous post, i would love an S2K but insurance is just silly money.

Axeboy

386 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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MissChief said:
Thought about an S2K? Will get a lovely one for £10k. Example: http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/h...
Totally agree. Might be able to get a decent one on a little less than budget?

jamieduff1981

8,092 posts

169 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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TBH nobody in the right mind would recommend an M3, let alone a Cerb to a 20 year old with apparently (from supplied info) only front wheel drive experience from a chance of death perspective and looking to reduce costs from a Ford Focus from a finance perspective. I've never owned an M3, but Cerbs bite hard and running costs are of the order of rendering insurance costs irrelevant. If insurance quotes exceed the usual annual running costs then that's because you'll almost certainly write it off. As a fan, I don't like them written off wink

Still, the junior sports cars mentioned above would be well worth serious consideration. I learned to drive properly in an MX5. A mid engined MR2 would also be interesting.

73mark

774 posts

156 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Civic I-vtec type s 1.8

Mx5 1.8

Astra I vvt Sri 1.8

All between £7000-£8000
Leaves enough for insurance

Edited by 73mark on Sunday 13th April 22:07

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
jamieduff1981 said:
TBH nobody in the right mind would recommend an M3, let alone a Cerb to a 20 year old with apparently (from supplied info) only front wheel drive experience from a chance of death perspective and looking to reduce costs from a Ford Focus from a finance perspective. I've never owned an M3, but Cerbs bite hard and running costs are of the order of rendering insurance costs irrelevant. If insurance quotes exceed the usual annual running costs then that's because you'll almost certainly write it off. As a fan, I don't like them written off wink

Still, the junior sports cars mentioned above would be well worth serious consideration. I learned to drive properly in an MX5. A mid engined MR2 would also be interesting.
haha I know mate, i would never buy one for that exact reason (even if i could insure them). I only say this because of the numerous posts Ive read in previous treads saying reading 'buy a cerb, thank me later' wink But yes.. i do only have FWD experience. Just had a look at MX5's.. they are definitely priced right.

Shenanigans

2,964 posts

218 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Why not try out a Z4? I'm 22 and pay £600 for mine. Can get a decent, 60-70k miles, 2.5/3ltr for just over £6-7K.

I was quoted silly money for turbo subaru's and focus st-3's.

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
Shenanigans said:
Why not try out a Z4? I'm 22 and pay £600 for mine. Can get a decent, 60-70k miles, 2.5/3ltr for just over £6-7K.

I was quoted silly money for turbo subaru's and focus st-3's.
Insurance is reasonable on Z4's aswell, I just prefer the 350z for some reason. I can also get reasonable quotes on evo's and scoobies! I just image the upkeep cost of these to be immense.

vtecgobwah

Original Poster:

39 posts

149 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
quotequote all
mmmmmm whats the general consensus on these things ? Seem to fit all my requirements and always liked them!

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

mattshiz

461 posts

170 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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s1 lotus elise

Actus Reus

4,312 posts

184 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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Mk.V Ed. 30 Golf GTi.

Though I'd have the S2K myself - always fancied one for some reason.

MissChief

7,982 posts

197 months

Sunday 13th April 2014
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I Must be the 'right' age (40 later this year) as the insurance for me on an S2k is no higher than the E46 M3 quotes I ran a couple of months ago?