What 2 car 80s/90s/00s garage?

[white_goodman]

So one more for Christmas week if you get bored! Imagine you're back in the above decades, you need:

1) A practical car with at least 4 seats, decent-sized boot, suitable for everyday use and family duties if you have one.

2) A fun runabout, which can have 2 seats if you prefer.

You can consider your financial/personal circumstances to be on a par with what they are now (inflation adjusted of course), so it's 2 cars that you could have realistically afforded to own "in period" rather than a money no object kind of deal. The cars you also pick have to be from that decade, so if the cars you drive now are pre-2020, you have to update them to something 2020 or newer. You can go back earlier if you wish but I'm going to start with the 80s, as that's the decade in which I was born and I don't know enough about pre-1980s cars. You can actually pick cars that you did own "in period" or cars that you own now provided they are from the correct decade and remember that you're imagining you're in that time period, I'm not asking you to own an 80s/90s car in 2024.

I was a kid in the 80s/90s, so will pick cars that I would have liked my parents to own in period.

80s:

Practical - Ford Sierra XR4x4

Fun - mk1 Vauxhall Astra GTE (white) or Peugeot 205 GTi 1.9

90s:

Practical - Land Rover Discovery 300TDi or Volvo 850 T5-R Estate (in yellow)

Fun - Yellow Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo or Honda Integra Type-R

2000s:

Practical: BMW 330i Sport Touring manual (E46)
Fun: MINI Cooper S (Supercharged)

2010s:

Practical: Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG (6.2) Estate
Fun: Ford Fiesta ST (mk7)

2020s:

Harder, as everything is so expensive. Can't afford a C8 RS6, new E-Class Estate or a Defender 110. I quite like the latest Civic Type R but 50k is still out of my budget.

Could probably just stretch to a used BMW M340i xDrive Touring as my "practical" car.

My wife would quite like a MINI Clubman as a fun runabout but she already has a 2021 Mazda CX5, so I'm going to choose a "fun" car for myself.

GR Yaris, GR86 or ND2 MX5 RF I reckon. I'll go GR86, as I've owned an MX5 and fancy something NA and RWD.

Pre-1980, I guess I'd go with a couple of Fords of some description (Escorts/Cortinas/Capris) and maybe a big Rover/Triumph/Jaguar if budget allowed.

So what 2 car garages would you have gone for?

Merry Christmas one and all!

Edited by white_goodman on Tuesday 24th December 22:11

[InitialDave]

What's my budget? Edit: Ok, I understand, assuming I had my current job "in period", I'd still be ok, if that's playing by the rules.

Family duties would be a Lotus Carlton, Saab 9000 Aero, or modified E30 Touring.

Toy would be a Suzuki Cappuccino.

Edited by InitialDave on Tuesday 24th December 22:12

[white_goodman]

InitialDave said:

What's my budget?

Family duties would be a Lotus Carlton, Saab 9000 Aero, or modified E30 Touring.

Toy would be a Suzuki Cappuccino.

Whatever you think you could have afforded based on your current financial position translated to that era (taking inflation into account).

Edited by white_goodman on Tuesday 24th December 23:28

[InitialDave]

white_goodman said:

Whatever you think you could have afforded base on your current financial position translated to that era (taking inflation into account).

Understood, was being dozy/too quick to reply before reading.

[white_goodman]

InitialDave said:

What's my budget? Edit: Ok, I understand, assuming I had my current job "in period", I'd still be ok, if that's playing by the rules.

Family duties would be a Lotus Carlton, Saab 9000 Aero, or modified E30 Touring.

Toy would be a Suzuki Cappuccino.

Edited by InitialDave on Tuesday 24th December 22:12

All cool choices and seem doable. Assuming a Lotus Carlton would be M5 money in today's terms, that wouldn't be doable for me but they were/are a very cool car!

[InitialDave]

white_goodman said:

All cool choices and seem doable. Assuming a Lotus Carlton would be M5 money in today's terms, that wouldn't be doable for me but they were/are a very cool car!

I'm cheating on the Carlton, I could afford one in "the 90s", but not new in like 1991. They were the equivalent of like £100k off the floor.

[Mr Tidy]

1980s

Practical: Ford Scorpio 2.8i
Fun: Ford Capri 2.8i

1990s

Practical: Mk3 Vauxhall Cavalier SRi
Fun: MK2 Golf GTi 16V

2000s

Practical: BMW 330i
Fun BMW Z4M Coupe

I've stuck to cars I have owned, but not at the same time. Apart from the last two which I still have, so now I'm out of ideas!

[white_goodman]

Mr Tidy said:

1980s

Practical: Ford Scorpio 2.8i
Fun: Ford Capri 2.8i

1990s

Practical: Mk3 Vauxhall Cavalier SRi
Fun: MK2 Golf GTi 16V

2000s

Practical: BMW 330i
Fun BMW Z4M Coupe

I've stuck to cars I have owned, but not at the same time. Apart from the last two which I still have, so now I'm out of ideas!

That's a great list of cars, particularly the current 2. Has nothing newer within your budget tempted you though? Newer BMW? I am a little behind with my own car (it's a 2016) but we did manage to find a 2021 car for my wife, which we both liked!

[GeordieInExile]

1880s:- Saab 900 turbo and Peugeot 205 Rallye
1990s:- Volvo 850 T5 estate and Peugeot 106 Rallye
2000s:- Saab 9-5 Aero estate and Mini Cooper S

[Dapster]

80s 280TE and 205 1.6






90s 850R and Corrado 16v






00s 530i and Edition 30

Edited by Dapster on Wednesday 25th December 00:27

[Rob 131 Sport]

80’s
Practical: BMW E30 325i Sport (had a 320i SE)
Fun: Fiat Mirafiori Sport (Owned one)

90’s
Practical: BMW E34 535i Sport
Fun: Fiat Uno Turbo

00’s
Practical: BMW E46 330i Sport (owned one)
Fun: Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo

I’m rather keen on BMW’s and Fiats. Great cars.

Edited by Rob 131 Sport on Wednesday 25th December 22:01

[anonymous-user]

GeordieInExile said:

1880s:- Saab 900 turbo and Peugeot 205 Rallye

In the 1880s you'd be more likely to have these beauties..

[Mr Tidy]

white_goodman said:

Mr Tidy said:

1980s

Practical: Ford Scorpio 2.8i
Fun: Ford Capri 2.8i

1990s

Practical: Mk3 Vauxhall Cavalier SRi
Fun: MK2 Golf GTi 16V

2000s

Practical: BMW 330i
Fun BMW Z4M Coupe

I've stuck to cars I have owned, but not at the same time. Apart from the last two which I still have, so now I'm out of ideas!

That's a great list of cars, particularly the current 2. Has nothing newer within your budget tempted you though? Newer BMW? I am a little behind with my own car (it's a 2016) but we did manage to find a 2021 car for my wife, which we both liked!

Thanks.

I've had both the current ones since 2019 and my budget is more limited now as I'm retired.

My 330i became a Cat N last year so is worth very little.

Later BMW choices are also limited by my preference for manual gearboxes. I like the idea of an M140i, 340i or M2 to replace the 330i, but that would mean selling the Z4M which I just love for its shape, rarity and epic S54 engine - so it's staying!

[FilH]

Not what you asked for exactly


But my current 2 car garage fits in here

90s fun , a fairly modded sapphire cosworth, also fairly practical!

And 00s practical , a Mondeo ST220 estate. And also a little bit fun.



Wouldn't mind sticking an 80s mk2 fiesta in somewhere tho.

[white_goodman]

Mr Tidy said:

Thanks.

I've had both the current ones since 2019 and my budget is more limited now as I'm retired.

My 330i became a Cat N last year so is worth very little.

Later BMW choices are also limited by my preference for manual gearboxes. I like the idea of an M140i, 340i or M2 to replace the 330i, but that would mean selling the Z4M which I just love for its shape, rarity and epic S54 engine - so it's staying!

Yeah, I don't blame you there. Z4M has one of the all time great engines in a relatively inexpensive car.

A 981 Cayman is possibly a bit better dynamically but a less special engine.

Jaguar F-Types are relatively cheap and do the numbers but a less special engine and rare in manual.

Ford Mustang GT would be an interesting alternative but more of a GT car.

Lotus Emira V6 is pretty awesome but £££ more.

Toyota Supra is the spiritual successor to your car I guess (and now available in manual), although personally I think for the money, the GR86 might appeal to me more despite the cylinder deficit.

Edited by white_goodman on Thursday 26th December 00:47

[Mr Tidy]

white_goodman said:

Yeah, I don't blame you there. Z4M has one of the all time great engines in a relatively inexpensive car.

A 981 Cayman is possibly a bit better dynamically but a less special engine.

Jaguar F-Types are relatively cheap and do the numbers but a less special engine and rare in manual.

Ford Mustang GT would be an interesting alternative but more of a GT car.

Lotus Emira V6 is pretty awesome but £££ more.

Toyota Supra is the spiritual successor to your car I guess (and now available in manual), although personally I think for the money, the GR86 might appeal to me more despite the cylinder deficit.

Edited by white_goodman on Thursday 26th December 00:47

That pretty much sums up my thoughts too!

A Cayman might be a bit too capable - I like the fact that the Z4M can be a bit "spiky".

And I do wonder about a manual Supra as a successor if/when the numbers work out.