For the first time, I don't know what car to buy next

[95JO]

Humour me...

Usually, shortly after buying a car and getting used to it and what not, I'll already have my eye on the next one. I'd be scouring the classifieds, watching/reading reviews, reading owners forums, doing insurance quotes and generally day dreaming about my future car...

I am still doing this, however I'm doing this for a pretty vast array of cars nowadays - As mentioned earlier, I've usually pinned it down to a specific make/model pretty early, but recently I've been very indecisive. This isn't a big deal of course and there are far worse situations to be in, but it's leaving me feeling a little deflated, I love the hunt for the best used example with all of the right history, spec and of course price - I even enjoy the insurance quotes!

I'm thinking maybe this is because I'm a bit older now and insurance for the most part isn't a huge limitation and my budget is up at around £35k (preferably sub £30k) so there's sooo much more on offer than what I'm used to...

I've been looking at a range of BMW M cars as it feels the natural progression from my current M235i... Such as early, yet clean F80 M3's, F82 M4's and F87 M2's. I've always loved the thought of potentially owning one of these cars, however now that I am able to I just don't feel as enthused as I should be, the M2 for example is too similar to my M235i in terms of interior/engine, however the thought of a manual gearbox with the superior looks and chassis is appealing... The M3/M4's at my price point are lacking the latest iDrive with Apple CarPlay which I think I'd like in a "new" to me car, so I've looked in to the Competition variants and these really do take my fancy, but can I justify an extra £5k-£8k for some nice 666M alloys, cool seats, improved chassis components and Apple CarPlay functionality? I don't know!

Then, I've also been looking in to Porsches... Firstly, manual 996 C4S', but I'm scared of potential running costs (completely ignoring potential IMS issues as I'd only buy one which has had the fix) as I tend to do around 15k miles per year... But equally, they're far less likely to depreciate during my ownership so should save some ownership costs in that respect. I've also been looking at 997.1/997.2 C2S' and 981 Cayman S' with sport chrono, similar reasons making me hesitant... Plus, Porsche ownership would be new to me, the potential of something going wrong outside of a warranty is scary!

Also, a slightly lamer option in many ways, but I do feel there's an itch to scratch... FL 8V RS3 Hatch/Saloon, there's something about that 5-pot engine that makes the promise of understeer worthwhile, maybe... Funnily enough they're also by far the cheapest to insure, which is weird considering the theft risk! Which leads me on to the main reason I'm hesitant to buy one, that and the understeer, of course. However, I have read that the FL hatch and saloon in particular don't suffer from it half as much as the pre-FL...

Some other cars that I have flirted with but not as much as the aforementioned; W204 C63 Coupe, E92 M3, S2 Exige, Evora, B7 RS4. None of these are exciting me as much as a manual S3 Exige does... But for a nice example, they're still way out of budget!

PH, point me in the right direction if you may...

Budget of £35k for a newer car (e.g. M3/M4 Competition Pack) - Dropping to around £30k for an older car so save some money for potential maintenance (e.g. 996 C4S)
At least 5 cylinders (please no MK2 Focus ST/RS suggestions )
Below 35k miles on a newer car, or below 100k on an older example
Coupe preferred but not too fussy
Auto/Manual

TL;DR: Too many options, don't know what to do...

[TurboBlue]

I think you are going to get many suggestions which are only going to confuse you further; so, here are two rather opposing ideas to start:

New, 69-plate, 100 miles; warrantied Nissan 370Z Anniversary (so decals and black bonnet too) for £30k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2007, 35,000 mile, Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 - also for £30k
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

[ZX10R NIN]

Drivers cars come in many forms & what suits me may not be special so I'd suggest trying out as many as possible.

I'd also say a 370Z but the Nismo version:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

I had an F80 M3 non comp & to me that car was one I didn't gel with, it also didn't feel as special (when driving) as my brothers well fettled E90 M3 but I've sourced them for people who love them.

My other pick is the RC-F it's a car that get's under your skin & it also happens to be a cracking car

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

If you're happy to forego some practicality it's pretty hard to look past an Evora S

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Evora

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

[95JO]

TurboBlue said:

I think you are going to get many suggestions which are only going to confuse you further; so, here are two rather opposing ideas to start:

New, 69-plate, 100 miles; warrantied Nissan 370Z Anniversary (so decals and black bonnet too) for £30k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2007, 35,000 mile, Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 - also for £30k
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I must admit I’m really not a fan of 370Z’s, especially not a brand new one that will suffer serious depreciation! Thanks for the suggestion though.

I did briefly look in to V8V’s, however much like the older Porsche’s the potential bork factor is enough to put me off!

[cerb4.5lee]

95JO said:

TurboBlue said:

I think you are going to get many suggestions which are only going to confuse you further; so, here are two rather opposing ideas to start:

New, 69-plate, 100 miles; warrantied Nissan 370Z Anniversary (so decals and black bonnet too) for £30k
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

2007, 35,000 mile, Aston Martin V8 Vantage 4.3 - also for £30k
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

I must admit I’m really not a fan of 370Z’s, especially not a brand new one that will suffer serious depreciation! Thanks for the suggestion though.

I can't say that I blame you in fairness. I'm a big fan of the 370Z...but the 50th Anniversary looks like a complete dogs dinner to me. A terrible colour scheme for sure.

[blueovercream]

Firstly the S2 Exige is a great car and I certainly found it exciting. Needs a fair bit of commitment to use as a daily though.

How old are you prepared to go?

Porsches... I think running costs from an independent would be mostly sensible. Maybe too old - 968/968 Clubsport?

BMW's... Z4 M Coupe? You could get a nice one for your budget. There's couple of higher mileage Z3M Coupes sneaking in there too. E46 M3 CS? There's also two lovely 1M's for £35k in the classifieds.

[95JO]

blueovercream said:

Firstly the S2 Exige is a great car and I certainly found it exciting. Needs a fair bit of commitment to use as a daily though.

How old are you prepared to go?

Porsches... I think running costs from an independent would be mostly sensible. Maybe too old - 968/968 Clubsport?

BMW's... Z4 M Coupe? You could get a nice one for your budget. There's couple of higher mileage Z3M Coupes sneaking in there too. E46 M3 CS? There's also two lovely 1M's for £35k in the classifieds.

Yeah, that's why an S2 Exige isn't a main contender, despite the shear fun factor I'm sure it would provide... My girlfriend took one look at the interior and refused to sit in it I'm afraid it'd end up sat in the garage until the weekend, also I've read mixed reports so I'd have to check it out for myself, but I think at 6ft 4 I might struggle to sit comfortably in one...

To be honest, I'm not comfortable going any older than 20-25 years old... I can appreciate a Z4M but they just don't do it for me, ugly! Z3M, uglier still!

Ah, 1M's... I forgot to add them to my list - I have seen a handful fall in to my budget over the last few months and they are tempting, but would my annual mileage destroy their value? Maybe a little bit, but then they're holding their money well so that should negate some of that... Cheap to insure as well.

I think fundamentally I need to go out in as many of these cars as possible, for as long as possible, but arranging to do so in most of these cars is near on impossible without having to pretend you're going to buy it for an hour or so, which I just cba with...

[95JO]

ZX10R NIN said:

Drivers cars come in many forms & what suits me may not be special so I'd suggest trying out as many as possible.

I'd also say a 370Z but the Nismo version:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

I had an F80 M3 non comp & to me that car was one I didn't gel with, it also didn't feel as special (when driving) as my brothers well fettled E90 M3 but I've sourced them for people who love them.

My other pick is the RC-F it's a car that get's under your skin & it also happens to be a cracking car

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

If you're happy to forego some practicality it's pretty hard to look past an Evora S

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Evora

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...



https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

Thanks for the suggestions as always ZX10R NIN...

370Z is a no-go for me! Likewise with the RC-F, I can appreciate the RC-F however, it's a real head turner and definitely a car you don't see every day, I think I've only ever seen 1 on the road! But, it's too "old man" for me...

Evora S, meh, I can't gel with the looks, plus it kind of feels like a halfway house between the full Lotus experience and a comfortable/quick sports car, so I think if I was going down the Lotus path it'd have to be an S2 Exige in my budget, if budget was no object it'd be an S3 Exige Cup 430

[irocfan]

I'll stay clear of my normal LHD ideas.... sort of. What about a Mustang?

[95JO]

irocfan said:

I'll stay clear of my normal LHD ideas.... sort of. What about a Mustang?

Bleugh, no way

[Zooks]

no love for Audi's?

2016 on Mk3 TTRS is a great coupe.

[anonymous-user]

What about an F Type 3.0 V6 S?

Only 2 seats, but you do mention Cayman.

[nickfrog]

95JO said:

I've been looking at a range of BMW M cars as it feels the natural progression from my current M235i... Such as early, yet clean F80 M3's, F82 M4's and F87 M2's. I've always loved the thought of potentially owning one of these cars, however now that I am able to I just don't feel as enthused as I should be, the M2 for example is too similar to my M235i in terms of interior/engine, however the thought of a manual gearbox with the superior looks and chassis is appealing... The M3/M4's at my price point are lacking the latest iDrive with Apple CarPlay which I think I'd like in a "new" to me car, so I've looked in to the Competition variants and these really do take my fancy, but can I justify an extra £5k-£8k for some nice 666M alloys, cool seats, improved chassis components and Apple CarPlay functionality? I don't know!

I was in a similar situation to yours and ended up in an original M2. I actually prefer it to the Comp. Nicer noise and power delivery while a little lighter. And under £30k AUC with the cheaper warranty to follow. I think some ahd the Apple Car play facility too but that shouldn't be a deal breaker IMO.

The engine feels like a good improvement compared to my M135i LCI but the chassis is in a different league.

It's probably the safe choice compared to the other options but only a test drive will tell you if the car is special enough. IME it is but we all have different expectations!

[anonymous-user]

Out if that selection only the Lotuses (Lotae?) and perhaps the M2 would be of any interest at all. The rest are auto barges.

German cars do seem to be very common nowadays though so something alternative/leftfield would be my preference.

[jrock78]

This!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Stunning drive and great fun - worth the risk!

[95JO]

Zooks said:

no love for Audi's?

2016 on Mk3 TTRS is a great coupe.

981 Cayman S is the furthest I'll go down the hairdresser path!

[95JO]

nickfrog said:

I was in a similar situation to yours and ended up in an original M2. I actually prefer it to the Comp. Nicer noise and power delivery while a little lighter. And under £30k AUC with the cheaper warranty to follow. I think some ahd the Apple Car play facility too but that shouldn't be a deal breaker IMO.

The engine feels like a good improvement compared to my M135i LCI but the chassis is in a different league.

It's probably the safe choice compared to the other options but only a test drive will tell you if the car is special enough. IME it is but we all have different expectations!

I must admit a manual M2 is tempting as like you say, sub £30k nowadays and Apple CarPlay is there... I'd just be worried that I'd regret the decision after living with it a few months and wishing I would've opted for an M3/4 for the extra "package" as such... Glad to hear positive feedback on the M2 though, especially from someone with a similar former car, but then again I've never seen any negative feedback!

[nickfrog]

95JO said:

981 Cayman S is the furthest I'll go down the hairdresser path!

Really surprised anyone still uses that line. It was very silly 20 years ago already.

[95JO]

jrock78 said:

This!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Stunning drive and great fun - worth the risk!

They are beautiful cars, I must admit... And whilst they're just out of budget, I'd maybe stretch as they're relatively new... But, most affordable ones are just out of warranty now and as you say, there's a risk involved, not one I can afford to take at that price range I don't think!

[AlexNJ89]

I'm in a very similar situation to you.

Other cars on my shortlist that you haven't mentioned:
BMW i8
Ford Mustang 5.0 V8
BMW M6
Alfa Giula QV