£40k in the bank... what to do...car choices...

[Cheburator mk2]

Nice dilemma I suppose...

I have £40k in the bank and I am thinking of getting a new toy for weekend fun. The 540i Touring stays as it belongs to SWMBO and we need a practical car with the new baby coming. The two 928s stay as one of them is a racer, while the other one is a classic in the making and has huge sentimental value to me...

Thus the Z4M Coupe is in danger of being replaced. I thought I will never sell it, but over the last 18mths I have developed an unhealthy facination with a particular automotive product from Kentucky. Open to other suggestions too though. Overal, the requirements are as follow:

1. Must be quicker than both the Z4MC (155mph) and the 928 racer (187mph)

2. Must be reliable - i.e. to take me to the Ring for Touristenfahrt, do 40 laps in a weekend and bring me back, just like the Z4MC does at present.

3. Must be able to fit in it - I am 6'5" and 112kg and to be reasonably comfortable for the odd driving trip in Europe

4. Could be a classic

5. Will live on the street in Blackheath

6. No cares on whether it is LHD/RHD

7. No Porsche 993/996 Turbos or new V8 M3 as they are boring to drive

8. Depreciation should be on the low-ish side

So far I have the following makes/cars on my list:

1. Corvette Z06
2. Porsche 996GT3 Mk1
3. Porsche 996GT2
4. BMW Z4MC with decent suspension/brakes/seats and ESS supercharger

Other suggestions gratefully accepted

[Jonboy_t]

Noble M400.

I'm 6'4" and drove the father in laws old GTO 3R round Brands Hatch and it was surprisingly spacious inside - oh yeah, and dammmmmm quick too!!!

[james_gt3rs]

Ultima GTR.

[Mermaid]

All good choices already. Here's one more.

M3 CSL

[Gummy Sagoo]

Strada 130TC

[adycav]

Beat me to it Mermaid.

[Jonboy_t]

Also something like a fairly recent S class should be in your league. Granted - won't handle like any of the other suggestions, but I believe the S600 is as near as makes no difference 6 seconds 0-60 and would be more than confortable for a 6'5"er!

[adycav]

This caught my eye recently:

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1381687.htm

/300bhp per ton

[CaptainSlow]

something with some imagine?

[adycav]

M6?

Stertch the budget just a touch and get a lightly used Nissan GT-R?

[Greenwich Ross]

CaptainSlow said:

something with some imagine?

Would he be ready for that level of performance?

[Mermaid]

adycav said:

Beat me to it Mermaid.

We both know really it is the only choice . The OP could even afford to buy an E30 M3, from the change, and leave the car permanently at the 'Ring.

[Cheburator mk2]

Mermaid said:

All good choices already. Here's one more.

M3 CSL

Great car, but a £10k E46 M3 with £15k of work/parts on it will murder a CSL, which seem to go for £25k these days

[GreigM]

Nissan GT-R (all boxes except depreciation ticked)
Ferrari 360

[300bhp/ton]

Cheburator mk2 said:

Nice dilemma I suppose...

I have £40k in the bank and I am thinking of getting a new toy for weekend fun. The 540i Touring stays as it belongs to SWMBO and we need a practical car with the new baby coming. The two 928s stay as one of them is a racer, while the other one is a classic in the making and has huge sentimental value to me...

Thus the Z4M Coupe is in danger of being replaced. I thought I will never sell it, but over the last 18mths I have developed an unhealthy facination with a particular automotive product from Kentucky. Open to other suggestions too though. Overal, the requirements are as follow:

Reckon you should either stick with your current idea

Or as you seem to have quite a breadth of variety already, look at totally different automotive thrills.

From something fairly obvious like:



To something totally different like:




Or maybe something more road friendly in the form of a classic or custom:

Cheburator mk2 said:

1. Must be quicker than both the Z4MC (155mph) and the 928 racer (187mph)

2. Must be reliable - i.e. to take me to the Ring for Touristenfahrt, do 40 laps in a weekend and bring me back, just like the Z4MC does at present.

3. Must be able to fit in it - I am 6'5" and 112kg and to be reasonably comfortable for the odd driving trip in Europe

4. Could be a classic

5. Will live on the street in Blackheath

6. No cares on whether it is LHD/RHD

7. No Porsche 993/996 Turbos or new V8 M3 as they are boring to drive

8. Depreciation should be on the low-ish side

So far I have the following makes/cars on my list:

1. Corvette Z06
2. Porsche 996GT3 Mk1
3. Porsche 996GT2
4. BMW Z4MC with decent suspension/brakes/seats and ESS supercharger

Other suggestions gratefully accepted

[Greenwich Ross]

GreigM said:

Nissan GT-R

+1

Edit - hullo neighbour! I live on the other side of the 'Heath from you

Edited by Greenwich Ross on Friday 16th July 12:28

[briSk]

• is 96 gt3 mk1 because of the view the mk1 is 'more collectable'??
• you have to at least try an Exige S. elises and vxs w/hardtops have plenty of room.. it's how good you end up finding the visibility.
• NSX

[Munter]

Just stop messing about and get the Corvette. You want it and if you get anything else you'll just go "well this is nice. But would the Corvette have been better".

Get the Vette. Go on. Do it. Don't make me come over there!

[Cheburator mk2]

adycav said:

M6?

Stertch the budget just a touch and get a lightly used Nissan GT-R?

Have looked into it, but I think the purchase price is just the tip of the iceberg here. Have mates with R34GTRs and their running costs were scary. Got a feeling the new one will be worse...

[Mermaid]

Cheburator mk2 said:

Mermaid said:

All good choices already. Here's one more.

M3 CSL

Great car, but a £10k E46 M3 with £15k of work/parts on it will murder a CSL, which seem to go for £25k these days

Fair enough, but you did say:

4. Could be a classic
8. Depreciation should be on the low-ish side

Edited by Mermaid on Friday 16th July 12:29