two for £20k?

richard plumb · 17-11-2009, 9:18 AM

I'm looking for suggestions for two cars for a budget of £20k. Thats roughly what I'd get for selling my 07 330ci and my wife's 02 Focus. I want to try and do two things - slightly redress the balance of my fairly new, high spec car, and her fairly old, low spec car. Also, I want to see if I can squeeze something fun out of it.

I'm thinking something like an E46 3-series saloon for her. Msport for looks, saloon for practicality. I'd consider a coupe if rear legroom is the same as the saloon as we need to get both our kids in the back (still little but growing). Nothing too big engine wise, but I'd prefer a petrol 6-cyl if poss, so a 320i? Then that can be the 'practical' car for trips up to the midlands to visit my parents, shuttling the kids around etc. Not sure of age but needs to be reliable and ideally the facelift E46 so 53 minimum? Also needs to be an automatic

Then for me - having got the 'BMW' badge for the wife satisfied, and the 'practical' badge satisfied, what can I get for the change thats fun? Can I manage a Z4, or MX-5 or maybe an Elise? Needs to be able to handle the daily work commute and maybe occasional motorway miles, but also be fun. Might even be open to getting a Scooby again (fond of the 53 'blob' models),

Open to suggestions bascially. What would your ideal 2-car garage be that mixes daily practicality with fun?

un1eash · 17-11-2009, 9:43 AM

I use my 2007 2.0i Z4 everyday to commute to work. Was tempted by the elise/vx220 but dont think i could live with them everyday. Compared to the MX-5, people will argue the MX-5 is a better drive but i test drove both and the Z4 won hands down on comfort, performance, quality and looks. I'd have an MX-5 2.0 sport but when i put it side by side with the Z4 it was an easy choice.

Decadence · 17-11-2009, 1:02 PM

Mazda3 MPS, 2 years old for £10k plus BMW for the other £10k. I don't like roller-skate little cars so a fast saloon and a practical fast hatch would be my choice.

lmccauley · 17-11-2009, 2:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard plumb

Then for me - having got the 'BMW' badge for the wife satisfied, and the 'practical' badge satisfied, what can I get for the change thats fun? Can I manage a Z4, or MX-5 or maybe an Elise? Needs to be able to handle the daily work commute and maybe occasional motorway miles, but also be fun. Might even be open to getting a Scooby again (fond of the 53 'blob' models),

Open to suggestions bascially. What would your ideal 2-car garage be that mixes daily practicality with fun?

As is normal on threads like this, I'm going to recommend the same type of car that I own

For £9,500 you could get this: Porsche : Porsche Boxster 3.2S 6 speed Fun and practical, and not too expensive to run if you have a local independent specialist.

FZR400RRSP · 17-11-2009, 2:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmccauley

As is normal on threads like this, I'm going to recommend the same type of car that I own

For £9,500 you could get this: Porsche : Porsche Boxster 3.2S 6 speed Fun and practical, and not too expensive to run if you have a local independent specialist.

That's a well smart car for the dosh.
Good spot.

apolloa · 17-11-2009, 2:35 PM

Not sure about the costs but I know one thing, you'll HATE using an elise every day to commute, far too uncomfortable.
But you are looking at a 53 plate 320i, can you buy one for 10k? So I would say a Z4 if you can find one for the right price. Or an MX5.

lmccauley · 17-11-2009, 2:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

That's a well smart car for the dosh.
Good spot.

The guy selling it is on boxa.net, so you can check up on its history. The guy really does wash/wax it regularly!

With the replacement glass window in a new hood, and full leather interior, it's decently equipped, and the mileage isn't too high (or too low!). Stick it on a private plate, and most people wouldn't know that it wasn't the current model.

richard plumb · 01-12-2009, 12:28 PM

Just been having a look around. Assuming I spend 9k on a decent E46 coupe/saloon for the missus, that leaves 10-11k for my car. Didn't think there would be much about for that price, but I was surprised. All of the below are around 10k

- Subaru Impreza STI 03/04 (my preferred shape)
- Evo VII
- BMW Z4 03/04 (roadster though - I'd prefer a coupe)
- Nissan Skyline R34 GTT (would kill for a GTR but too expensive)
- Lotus Elise 02/03

Lots to choose from. Surprising really

lovegroova · 01-12-2009, 1:23 PM

You can get a lovely Honda S2000 for that kind of money.

Not quite as good as a Boxster S but more fun at UK road speeds IMHO.

The Honda is also a lot cheaper to run, if that's important.

lmccauley · 01-12-2009, 5:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovegroova

You can get a lovely Honda S2000 for that kind of money.

Not quite as good as a Boxster S but more fun at UK road speeds IMHO.

Yeah, S2K is definitely worth looking at. A lot of owners love them. I test drove an S2K and a Boxster S, but found the Box much better to drive, so it's obviously a personal thing, as you say.

Quote:

The Honda is also a lot cheaper to run, if that's important.

Yeah, I've just put new 19" Michelin Pilot Sports on my Box...

But, they can be reasonable to run, if you have a good, local specialist. For example, major service for mine would have been about £300 all-in, compared to more than double that at an OPC.

Scott_Mac · 02-12-2009, 11:26 AM

Honda S2000 over a Boxster any day of the week..... the Boxster whilst a stunning car, frankly, bored me, the S2000 has an air of excitement about it, cabin is a little claustrophobic but it's a far more involving and spine tingling car. Buy an 03 model onwards though as that has the revised suspension (also a glass rear window) - earlier cars were a bit twitchy in the wet!

I've just ended 7 years of Lotus Elise ownership, mine was an S1 and very much track spec so not ideal.... you can use them everyday but it dulls the experience a little. As for comfort, once you're in (not always an easy thing!) i actually find them one of the most comfortable seats out there, yes they're noisy and bumpy but they're perfectly fine for everyday use - an 02/03 will be an S2 so even more suitable than an S1 is for daily driving. As an out and out driving experience there isn't anything else to touch them, but on a winters morning when it's cold and frosty outside an Elise is the last place i'd want to be heading.

FZR400RRSP · 02-12-2009, 11:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmccauley

Yeah, I've just put new 19" Michelin Pilot Sports on my Box...

No need to spend that money.
My car has 265/30 ZR19's on the back.
Michelin Pilot Sports are stupid money, well over £200 a pop.
I'm getting Falken FK452s fitted on Friday, at £134 each.
The Falken FK452s are highly rated by umpteen people.

http://www.tyrereviews.co.uk/Article...gterm-test.htm

un1eash · 02-12-2009, 12:03 PM

Z4 coupes are nice but get yourself a roadster sport with the hardtop, they look great with it on and you get the best of both worlds, coupes came out in 2007 and are all 3.0si so your looking at atleast 17k+ for one.

Another vote for FK452s aswell, all the Z4 boys use them when they ditch the RFTs and we just put a full set on the sisters octavia.

lovegroova · 02-12-2009, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

No need to spend that money.
My car has 265/30 ZR19's on the back.
Michelin Pilot Sports are stupid money, well over £200 a pop.
I'm getting Falken FK452s fitted on Friday, at £134 each.
The Falken FK452s are highly rated by umpteen people.

falken fk452 longterm test at tyre reviews - the online tyre guide

S2000 is still cheaper to run, even if expensive Bridgestones are used. Even more so if the budget Falkens are fitted.

Sensible 16" or 17" wheels you see.

(well under £100 each)

FZR400RRSP · 02-12-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovegroova

Sensible 16" or 17" wheels you see.

(well under £100 each)

Oh, that's just wrong, teeny tiny wheels like that on a sports car.

Scott_Mac · 02-12-2009, 12:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

Oh, that's just wrong, teeny tiny wheels like that on a sports car.

Handling vs grip....

My Elise had 225/45ZR16 on the rear and 195/50ZR15 on the front....

lovegroova · 02-12-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

Oh, that's just wrong, teeny tiny wheels like that on a sports car.

Unsprung weight is much reduced...

Having driven a 986 Boxster S with 19" wheels, I can say that the small wheels and higher profile tyres are an excellent idea. That Boxster was "horridly crashy" (technical term there).

The salesman suggested that with the big wheels, the PSM system was necessary - total cost of wheels and PSM was in the thousands. Rip off artists they are.

How much are brake pads and discs for a Boxster?

Epicurus · 02-12-2009, 12:42 PM

No idea, but I got charged about £300 to have my Cayman S discs refurbished at a Porsche Dealer!

richard plumb · 02-12-2009, 1:32 PM

do they do Z4 roadsters with auto gearboxes? My wife would quite like to drive it too, although not an essential.

Also, the hardtop would be an essential as I'd drive it mostly like that. Does it compromise rear boot space a lot with the hood down/hard top on?

lovegroova · 02-12-2009, 1:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard plumb

do they do Z4 roadsters with auto gearboxes? My wife would quite like to drive it too, although not an essential.

Also, the hardtop would be an essential as I'd drive it mostly like that. Does it compromise rear boot space a lot with the hood down/hard top on?

Autos are relatively rare, but available.

No difference to boot space with the roof down.

Think carefully about the hardtop. Quite a lot of the S2000 folk with them just end up with a lump of aluminium sat in their garage as soft top motoring is very infectious. Any sunny day, even in December will result in the roof going down.

un1eash · 02-12-2009, 2:13 PM

Yes the Z4's do come with an auto box and you can also upgrade to flappy paddles for around £300-400 if it doesnt already have them.

You only loose a few inchs of space at the back of the boot when the top is down but other then that the boot is massive for a roadster.

Hardtops sell for around £800-900 on the used market and summer time is the best time to buy. Not many people sell the hardtop with the car as it doesnt add much value.

lmccauley · 02-12-2009, 4:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovegroova

Unsprung weight is much reduced...

Having driven a 986 Boxster S with 19" wheels, I can say that the small wheels and higher profile tyres are an excellent idea. That Boxster was "horridly crashy" (technical term there).

The salesman suggested that with the big wheels, the PSM system was necessary - total cost of wheels and PSM was in the thousands. Rip off artists they are.

I would have been quite happy with the standard 18" wheels, but a car came along at the right price, and it just happened to have 19"s (which do look lovely, I have to admit).

As to which tyre brand to use - that's a perennial subject of contention on boxa.net

In the end, I decided to stick with N-rated MPS2, same as on the front. Blackcircles don't seem to have the Falkens in my size (265/35R19).

Quote:

How much are brake pads and discs for a Boxster?

At an OPC - lots (about £1500 front & back, IIRC).
Buy the OEM parts yourself and get fitted at a good independent - a lot, lot less.

lovegroova · 02-12-2009, 4:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmccauley

At an OPC - lots (about £1500 front & back, IIRC).
Buy the OEM parts yourself and get fitted at a good independent - a lot, lot less.

Yikes. I was right about the rip-off artists part.

I buy the pads for £30 a pair from my dealer and fit them myself - takes less than an hour all round. They are £85 a pair fitted.

Discs are expensive although you cn buy non-oem items from brakes international front discs are £31+vat each.

Discs and pads all round are £180 delivered...

lmccauley · 02-12-2009, 5:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lovegroova

Yikes. I was right about the rip-off artists part.

I buy the pads for £30 a pair from my dealer and fit them myself - takes less than an hour all round. They are £85 a pair fitted.

Discs are expensive although you cn buy non-oem items from brakes international front discs are £31+vat each.

Discs and pads all round are £180 delivered...

A quick check shows Boxster S pads from Textar (identical to OEM) are about £65 per pair inc VAT, Sebro discs about £80 each, so that's about £450 inc VAT exc fitting for pads & disks all round.

The "usual trick" (according to boxa.net experience) that OPC's pull when they service a car is to say that pads and/or disks need changing. What they actually mean, is that the component won't last all the way to the next service in 2 years/20,000 miles time, so for your convenience they will change them now.

Of course, if you're paying £10kish for a Boxster, then it will be a 986, so that's 2 year/12,000 mile service intervals, rather than 2 year/20,000 miles.

FZR400RRSP · 02-12-2009, 5:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lmccauley

At an OPC - lots (about £1500 front & back, IIRC).

Oooof!....
You could probably buy some well fancy kit (Brembo?) and still be quids in.

lmccauley · 02-12-2009, 5:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FZR400RRSP

Oooof!....
You could probably buy some well fancy kit (Brembo?) and still be quids in.

Yeah, see my last post - the OEM parts for the S (which are reckoned to be very good) come to about £450 inc VAT.

Now ask how much an official Porsche battery is, compared to the better Bosch one

You can definitely do Boxster on a budget (ask Artie Fufkin), but you can also have your trousers taken down if you are happy to hand over your credit card at an OPC.