McLaren F1 GTR for sale, first cars for £5k..

... and once an auto, always an auto?

By Cam Tait / Tuesday, 10 February 2026 / Loading comments

It’s been a week since Sam talked us through his first impressions of Jaguar’s new electric GT, which seems sufficient time for the dust to settle. To the surprise of no one, it’s still proving just as divisive now as it did when the company launched that jazzy advert, which didn’t even feature the car in question. Or any, for that matter. Some say it’s the shot in the arm Jaguar needed, some say it’ll be the death of the brand, and some are still mad about the bedazzled dancers. We’ll obviously reserve our full judgement until the car has been driven on a proper piece of tarmac, which shouldn’t be too far away given a production model is due by the end of the year. Until then, these here forums will remain, as ever, a house divided.

Let's hope then that our first topic on today’s episode of The Gassing Station will deliver as close to a unanimously positive response as is possible, because it’s all about the McLaren F1 GTR that’s currently for sale on PH. Any F1 gracing the classifieds is cause for celebration, but a GTR is extra special. The car for sale, chassis 16R, competed in (and finished) the 1996 24 Hours of Le Mans, and has since been converted for road use by Lanzante. We also touch on the F1’s comprehensive service procedures and the things would-be owners need to consider when buying the holy grail supercar.

But if you’re operating with a slightly smaller budget, then this week’s buying challenge should be right up your alley. PHer CAH706 is after a first car for their 17-year-old son, and their shortlist of a Vauxhall Adam, Kia Picanto and Citroen C1 is a sensible, if dull one. Which is where we come in. Sam kicks things off with a trio of Audi TTs, ultimately settling on this surprisingly well-kept 1.8 for £3,990. The TT arguably doesn’t have the image problem it did a couple of decades ago, but nothing stands out in a college car park quite like a hot hatch. So I’ve gone for this 2005 Ford Fiesta ST, not only because I have one myself and know how good it is, but mainly for its low running costs and (potentially) more affordable insurance. Admittedly, our teenage years are long behind us, so if you think you can do better you can jump into the topic here.

On the complete opposite end of the scale, LotsOfLaughs has asked whether PHers have gone back to a manual car after buying an automatic. Surprisingly, on a forum that worships the H-pattern (and rightly so), there’s a good number of people who have turned their backs on it once introduced to a cobra head. We weigh up both sides, and you can too by reading through all the responses in the topic here. After you’ve had a listen to the pod first, obviously.

Listen here