The Highlands and the ´right´car
Discussion
So, we´ve bought a home in the highlands. It´s remote (on the NC500!), with loads of single track roads on the way there, and all around. Two lane roads are still available, but not on my doorstep. Thankfully all the roads wear tarmac these days, and are not gravelled!
It has been a while since we had a car for weekend blasts/fun, and the UK is truly blessed with affordable motors, no matter what the flavour, so I am caught between many makes and models. The issue is, so many are just massive these days. Just look how bloated the 911 has become, especially since the 964/993.
What would the PH collective advise as to a manual cabrio or coupe? I am really after some potentially left field ideas, and it would be great if you have driven the NC500, too. In the past I had a Crendon 427SC AC Cobra replica, various old school BMW´s and 4wd Jap rockets (which leave me cold these days). I really love driver involvement and a lack of electronic assistants.
Budget is circa £80k. I am happy to spend considerably less, of course.
Please, fire your suggestions at me. I´d really appreciate it.
Cheers,
PHH
It has been a while since we had a car for weekend blasts/fun, and the UK is truly blessed with affordable motors, no matter what the flavour, so I am caught between many makes and models. The issue is, so many are just massive these days. Just look how bloated the 911 has become, especially since the 964/993.
What would the PH collective advise as to a manual cabrio or coupe? I am really after some potentially left field ideas, and it would be great if you have driven the NC500, too. In the past I had a Crendon 427SC AC Cobra replica, various old school BMW´s and 4wd Jap rockets (which leave me cold these days). I really love driver involvement and a lack of electronic assistants.
Budget is circa £80k. I am happy to spend considerably less, of course.
Please, fire your suggestions at me. I´d really appreciate it.
Cheers,
PHH
I live just off the NC 500 Ring Road too. I have an Audi A6 Allroad for daily use and KTM 625 for when the weather is good. Good luck with whatever you choose. The right car for these roads is something with plenty of side wall rubber and good ground clearance. It also helps if you don't really care what it looks like as long as it's fun to sit in or on. 
t! Leggerly said:
I live just off the NC 500 Ring Road too. I have an Audi A6 Allroad for daily use and KTM 625 for when the weather is good. Good luck with whatever you choose. The right car for these roads is something with plenty of side wall rubber and good ground clearance. It also helps if you don't really care what it looks like as long as it's fun to sit in or on.
I would agree. Having stayed in and around Applecross/Shieldaig and the surrounding area you want something that you can cram into the passing places easily and not worry about damaging wheels or tyres. Also something that is good in the winter months because during the summer any hoon is likely to be rather stop start negotiating all the motorhomes etc.Lovely area.
PotHoleHater said:
So, we´ve bought a home in the highlands. It´s remote (on the NC500!), with loads of single track roads on the way there, and all around. Two lane roads are still available, but not on my doorstep. Thankfully all the roads wear tarmac these days, and are not gravelled!
It has been a while since we had a car for weekend blasts/fun, and the UK is truly blessed with affordable motors, no matter what the flavour, so I am caught between many makes and models. The issue is, so many are just massive these days. Just look how bloated the 911 has become, especially since the 964/993.
What would the PH collective advise as to a manual cabrio or coupe? I am really after some potentially left field ideas, and it would be great if you have driven the NC500, too. In the past I had a Crendon 427SC AC Cobra replica, various old school BMW´s and 4wd Jap rockets (which leave me cold these days). I really love driver involvement and a lack of electronic assistants.
Budget is circa £80k. I am happy to spend considerably less, of course.
Please, fire your suggestions at me. I´d really appreciate it.
Cheers,
PHH
Ripple bonnet 2cv... It has been a while since we had a car for weekend blasts/fun, and the UK is truly blessed with affordable motors, no matter what the flavour, so I am caught between many makes and models. The issue is, so many are just massive these days. Just look how bloated the 911 has become, especially since the 964/993.
What would the PH collective advise as to a manual cabrio or coupe? I am really after some potentially left field ideas, and it would be great if you have driven the NC500, too. In the past I had a Crendon 427SC AC Cobra replica, various old school BMW´s and 4wd Jap rockets (which leave me cold these days). I really love driver involvement and a lack of electronic assistants.
Budget is circa £80k. I am happy to spend considerably less, of course.
Please, fire your suggestions at me. I´d really appreciate it.
Cheers,
PHH
PotHoleHater said:
The issue is, so many are just massive these days. Just look how bloated the 911 has become, especially since the 964/993.
PHH
Porsche 993 - width 1796mm, widebody variant 1852mm, PHH
Porsche 992 - width 1852mm
A whopping 60mm extra at worst, its all an optical illusion, the middle of the car if you measure door to door has got wider but the widest part of the car over the rear arches hasn't really changed.
So just go ahead with a 992, a Dakar sounds like exactly what you are looking for with a bit of budget creep.
To stay in budget try a Boxster with the smallest wheels you can get.
Edited by Letstryadifferentcareveryyear on Wednesday 17th December 20:43
Good points on the ground clearance and meaty tyres above. It's a shame you've went off 4WD Japanese cars as an Evo or Sti with group N4 gravel suspension spring to mind - loads of suspension travel and some Braid/Speedline wheels with lots of sidewall. Well, you've asked for leftfield 
If Japanese 4WD doesn't suit then something older and RWD but still rally inspired, like a restomod Escort?
If Japanese 4WD doesn't suit then something older and RWD but still rally inspired, like a restomod Escort? Letstryadifferentcareveryyear said:
PotHoleHater said:
The issue is, so many are just massive these days. Just look how bloated the 911 has become, especially since the 964/993.
PHH
Porsche 993 - width 1796mm, widebody variant 1852mm, PHH
Porsche 992 - width 1852mm
A whopping 60mm extra at worst, its all an optical illusion, the middle of the car if you measure door to door has got wider but the widest part of the car over the rear arches hasn't really changed.
So just go ahead with a 992, a Dakar sounds like exactly what you are looking for with a bit of budget creep.
To stay in budget try a Boxster with the smallest wheels you can get.
Edited by Letstryadifferentcareveryyear on Wednesday 17th December 20:43
Leggerly said:
I live just off the NC 500 Ring Road too. I have an Audi A6 Allroad for daily use and KTM 625 for when the weather is good. Good luck with whatever you choose. The right car for these roads is something with plenty of side wall rubber and good ground clearance. It also helps if you don't really care what it looks like as long as it's fun to sit in or on.
Hey, neighbour! Sidewalls are important, for sure. I can´t imagine me having anything with a wheel size of over 18" for starters. More likely it´ll be 16 or 17. We will probably go back to an XC70 for a daily as our last one was just superb. The Audi equivalent has always interested me, too, however. Is is proper Quattro, or a Haldex unit like the Volvo?
Sway said:
Nomad!
Advantage of having the slightly higher seating position for better visibility.
This would be a great choice if you've got inside storage.Advantage of having the slightly higher seating position for better visibility.
That or a Caterham on 15" wheels - supremely narrow to fit into passing places etc and you can move about in a lane to avoid the worst bits of road damage.
How about a 997.2 Cayman or Boxster. Well inside budget and you could comfortably stretch to an R or Spyder.
Ideally if you can get a set of 18" or even better 17" wheels, they are light-ish, compact, ride and handle well and have good visibility. Size is more akin to the classic air-cooled 911s. Plenty of space and comfy enough on longer runs,
Not in the Highlands but here in N Wales the size makes it ideal for the narrow lanes and not so expensive that you would be too precious about pulling in to tight spots.
Ideally if you can get a set of 18" or even better 17" wheels, they are light-ish, compact, ride and handle well and have good visibility. Size is more akin to the classic air-cooled 911s. Plenty of space and comfy enough on longer runs,
Not in the Highlands but here in N Wales the size makes it ideal for the narrow lanes and not so expensive that you would be too precious about pulling in to tight spots.
normalbloke said:
Highlands? It d be a Yeti on 15 steels. Or a Brabus Unimog that has the capability of driving right over or straight through a campervan or tent box laying in the road
I didn´t know Brabus had played with a Unimog! Still, a Mog would be on the list for winter, but I like the old school versions.Gassing Station | Car Buying | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff