Capri or Corvette?

[mat777]

In a couple of year's time when I get my first few paycheques I will have around 5K to get a car that I will want for everyday driving in all weathers. I want it to be a multi-cylinder (ie. >4) FR coupe with controllable tail happiness but dont want anything dull and modern - it has to be a modern classic and easy to do my own work and servicing on. It also has to make a good noise! I understand insurance will be somewhat more than I currently pay for a 30yr old Land Rover but it still has to be affordable for a 22/23 yr old graduate salary

For 5k I could have either an ok Capri 2.8 V6 (British, more economical, right hand drive, easy to get parts for but very rust prone) or an early C4 corvette (More stylish, fab 80s LCD dash, v8 that sounds like Thor gargling hammers, properly head turning and much quicker than a Capri, with a rot free plastic body).

Thoughts either way?

[mat777]

Thanks for the sensible replies people. I'd just like to point out that I'm not trolling, I just like planning things in advance and daydreaming various scenarios in my head!

To answer one of the first questions, I would p[refer a Corvette but I realise that in some aspects a Capri might be considered a more sensible option, hence why I couldnt choose. I'd really love a Bandit trans am but they are out of my budget, and was once advised a Capri would be infinitely better than a T/A. but its not american though, and a Corvette is!

[mat777]

yonex said:

elevated him to godlike status and provided shagging on tap

Say no more!

• goes off to scour classifieds for a capri*

[mat777]

yonex said:

LuS1fer said:

Au contraire. I had no problems in 3 years of ownership. I doubt the same could be said of the Essex Express if you want to deal in stereotypes.

'Essex Express' lol

That Vette would be better in any other colour than 'look at me red'. The C5 carries it off but not the C4 IMO.

edit.... and why are we comparing something that is £10K against what would probably be £4000 of Capri?

Edited by yonex on Thursday 19th April 16:29

..Because you can have a decent C4 for a lot less than 10k (and it even sort of looks OK in red)...

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3486063.htm - privately sold ones are even less, and its even less again for the ugly bloated (not so good in red) post facelift ZR1-lookalike ones as pictured earlier


As for the image stereotypes.. if it really boils down to it then anyone who has seen the pic in my profile would probably agree that I'd rather be sterotyped as a wannabe cowboy (even though I am waaaaay too intelligent to be a redneck and I am also an athiest) than an Essex Gary! I must say though that the 2.8i in that advert looks properly stunning!

I also gather that the Vette does handle kind of ok in the corners (in a skittish-in-the-wet RWD way), mainly because America's idea of a sports car is a car with absolutely no give in the suspension?

Edited by mat777 on Saturday 21st April 20:17

[ChemicalChaos]

rowanxx said:

It's been two years, OP, what did you get?

Christ, this is a bit of a blast from the past.

Unfortunately, this thread was written whilst I was still studying away optimistically for my first degree and only had a year left. Since then, I've repeated a year, given up and started another degree - with at least 2 years left now after this one finishes. As such, I haven't bought anything yet, but have sadly watched the boat sail pricewise on both cars a lot sooner than predicted in this thread!
(oh, and to cap it off - my Land Rover that I was driving back then started to fall apart, so I blew the 5k on a newer Land rover as I need at least one working 4x4 in my fleet at all times)

[ChemicalChaos]

LuS1fer said:

rowanxx said:

Found this thread after looking for topics on Capris; as I am hopefully getting one at the end of this year after starting my apprenticeship! Seems these can be had for around 2 grand whilst the corvettes are at least 4/5 grand up

It was always an odd choice. The Vette is really in a different league.

At the time of writing, decent examples of both were hovering around the £5k mark (for a prefacelift C4, and a 2.8i Capri). Now, 'vettes and nice Capris have risen (£10k for a mint 2.8, nearly £15k for some vettes!) whilst the scruffy and/or tired Capris seem to have fallen to about £2-3k