Sunday 16th August 2020

£100k Garage | Ed Scott

Here's how a PHer brave enough to take an F355 on track spends one hundred grand

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Name: Ed Scott
Previously owned: RX-7 FD, RX-8 R3, NA MX-5, 987.2 Boxster S and a few boring Sheds.
Currently owned: 2018 Mustang GT, Skoda CitiGo, E30 320 race car
On the shortlist: I'm not really looking for practicality, fuel economy or residuals; my priority would be to buy something Italian next. I also want a convertible for sunny days and something a bit luxurious for longer runs would be preferred, too...

The Shed - Mercedes-Benz C240 (W202)
Cost: £994
Balance: £99,006
Why I chose it: To me, this is the last good-looking C-Class. And while this one's 22 years old, it's a low spec example so there's less to go wrong, and it looks to be well so presumably somebody's cared for it during those 170,000 miles. Cars this old can sometimes only be one MOT away from their next big bill, but for under a grand, this simple, slushbox machine looks like a safe bet to be a reasonably refined and comfortable daily driver.

The Brave Pill - Bentley Continental GT (Mk1)
Cost: £18,999
Balance: £80,007
Why I chose it: A Bentley for under twenty-grand. Who'd turn that down? I love the Continental GT because to these eyes, not many things this side of a Rolls-Royce look so elegant. This car's massive and refined W12 engine combine with a cabin sporting comfy leather seats, so it looks like the perfect way to soak up miles on a cross-continental voyage. This one I found for sale has relatively low miles and seems to be in good condition. What could go wrong? [Best we don't answer that, Ed!]

The one still on sale - Mazda MX-5 (ND)
Cost: £11,900
Balance: £68,107
Why I chose it: My £1,000 MK1 MX-5 is probably the best car I've ever owned; I'd still own it now had I not killed it at Rockingham. I've always lusted after another and a fourth-generation ND is where my money would go. Rear-wheel drive, a manual 'box and punchy 132hp 1.5 (obviously, I'd have the 2.0 if it were in budget) in a convertible car that weighs little more than a tonne. Stupendous!

Ferrari F355
Cost: £64,995
Balance: £3,112
Why I chose it: I love Ferrari and to me, the F355 is one of the finest cars the company has ever produced. It's utterly gorgeous. Every panel is perfect, and the interior is equally as beautiful with the open-gated manual lever being the cherry on top of a very nice Maranello sponge. The 3.5-litre V8 has so much character and sounds sublime at full chat. That the handling fixed everything wrong with the 348 that came before it makes me believe the F355 has to be one of the greatest supercars in history. My three-grand leftovers would have to be spent on some track days in both the Ferrari and MX-5. I wonder which would be more fun...

[Turini]

Brilliant selection, lots of metal for the money and each has its obvious merits. Is it me or do 355 values seem reasonable at that money as they can only go in one direction over time..?

[V12GT]

Good choices there, but the bork factor on the Bentley is huge!

I love the 355 and the ND MX-5. Hadn’t realised that these had dropped to only £12k and it looks good in that colour too.

[AlmostUseful]

Definitely one of the best fantasy garages for a while, not necessarily the choice of cars (I wouldn’t want the C Class for example) but because of the type of cars, there is very little crossover.

8/10, I could live with this garage (but I’d prefer the MX5 with the targa/hard top roof)

[DoubleD]

The 355 just seems to get better with age, seems too cheap as well!

[Deathmole]

Great list! Some good choices and I too was surprised at the price of the MX5.

I am gonna stick my head above the parapet and say that I prefer the 360 to the 355 and would plump for one of them instead; I wouldn't blame anyone for choosing the 355 either.

[hammo19]

Personally I think the best garage so far.......I have one of the cars on the list and it’s just such a sense of occasion.

[85Carrera]

I think that must be the first time one of those footballer Bentleys has been called elegant ...

[Jex]

Why wouldn't you take an F355 on the track?
Here's me in mine at Donington.

[Mr Tidy]

That's a great selection.

After buying a 1994 C280 in 2000 and being completely under-whelmed by it I might choose a different shed and would possibly prefer a GT86 to the MX5 but that's just detail really.

I love the Bentley and Ferrari choices!