Anyone else looking to buy at the moment?

You'll be surprised the build quality is not absolutely awful in the high end clios.

It is most definitely better than standard range models.

I guess I'm different when it comes to buying a car, I have a budget and I always spend it.

For ten grand as I said I'd be all over an s2000, some people can be left underwhelmed by them but it depends on driving style.

A nice gun metal or black one would be lovely.

I like that they aren't that common either.

If running costs weren't an issue I'd go for a tvr.

Another suggestion is of course lotus elise, has a wow factor for me, definitely turns heads, and not overly expensive to run.

i did consider the s2000 but i drove one previously and at normal speeds, it was very average. you have to drive it like a loon to get the vtec and fun out of it and as fun as that would be, it is not my driving style to wring the neck out of my car. i think they are looking a tad dated now.

yeah i would love a tvr 350c but reliability and costs make it a no no
 
Of course it's all opinion, and obviously you aren't obliged to agree with me.

I'm not bothered about what people think of my choice of car, my own girlfriend calls me a boyracer and most in the street would label me as one as I drive an evo.

I don't give a damn, I have near supercar performance and a big boot and 4 doors.

But I'm merely going by what are generally assoicated as boy racer cars.

I only brought it up because you said you didn't want a car that gave off a boy racer vibe and then mentioned a car with a body kit.

Any car where that has a body kit, especially one that's been added is going to give a boy racer vibe off.

Even a factory fit one like say the new focus rs has a boy racer vibe.

Anyway trying to get back on topic why did you get rid of the z4? Maybe it's not worth even thinking of the 3.0 z4 depending on why you got rid of the 2.5?

Is practicality an issue? Would a lotus elise not appeal?
 
i did consider the s2000 but i drove one previously and at normal speeds, it was very average. you have to drive it like a loon to get the vtec and fun out of it and as fun as that would be, it is not my driving style to wring the neck out of my car. i think they are looking a tad dated now.

yeah i would love a tvr 350c but reliability and costs make it a no no

Yeah that's the exact problem with them. Absolutely gutless in low rpms.

Some people drive them and think they are slow, as I said before it's driving style dependant.

I am always in the redline on my cars, I enjoy having to work to get the power, as opposed to say a powerful diesel where you can floor it at 40mph in 5th gear and it'll pull like a train.

I love having to drop it down a few gears and floor it.

Is diesel at all an option for you?
 
i guess that would justify the reason for me not wanting a clio then as its associated with all the people categories i dont want to be associated with :smashin:



the reason for me writing off the cars i have is based on my opinion of them and since it is myself who will be buying and driving the car i choose, i have only myself to satisfy.

It's a little conflicting for me, as you seem to be concerned with what people will think of you depending on the car you drive, but say that you don't care what people think in the second statement (effectively).

This is why Brembo is posting the replies above, as far as I can see.

It's totally your decision, of course! It's just that your messages are confusing :)
 
No, not the performance lines - general boggo. Experience of a number of Clios and heaps of Peugeots; nothing massive, as I say, but irksome and requiring a long elimination process in order to find out the root cause (you know the sorts of niggles I mean!).

Personally, a performance car should have reasonable "looks", but given that I would spend more time on the inside driving it than looking at it out of a window at home, I'd be more keen on something that doesn't rattle or feel cheap.

Sadly, older cars can do exactly that - rattle and be cheap feeling compared to modern standards.

In a 2k-8k position, I would definitely look at the MR2 MKII as a genuine driver's car. I only ever hear good things about them, despite their odd looks for some :) I'd also say the MX5 in a hard top, but OP says he'd prefer the Z4 3.0.

Starting to sound like OP would've been best off keeping the Z4 2.5!

i agree with everything you say.

i have driven the mx5 and they are a nice driving car but they look a bit girly.

i should of stuck to the z4 but i sold it so find myself in this predicament..... hence if i go back, it will have to be a step up rather than a step sideways.

the mr2 is a very cheap car and offers a lot of driver fun for peanuts which is why i have had at least 10 of these in the last 8 years
 
What happened to saving for a house? :laugh:

Got a house now, moving in 3 weeks :thumbsup:

When i say next i mean not until early next year i think, Big first house = massive mortgage so need to take it easy for a while. MR2 was off the road for over 2 years and i forgot how much fun it is so enjoying that for now.
 
i agree with everything you say.

i have driven the mx5 and they are a nice driving car but they look a bit girly.

i should of stuck to the z4 but i sold it so find myself in this predicament..... hence if i go back, it will have to be a step up rather than a step sideways.

the mr2 is a very cheap car and offers a lot of driver fun for peanuts which is why i have had at least 10 of these in the last 8 years

I personally wouldn't go for the same car even if it is a higher end model.

Infact I'd scratch the mr2 off the list too, try something new and different.

Best bet is to test drive as many cars as you can, I know for me personally you know when you get into a car and think yep this is me.
 
Got a house now, moving in 3 weeks :thumbsup:

When i say next i mean not until early next year i think, Big first house = massive mortgage so need to take it easy for a while. MR2 was off the road for over 2 years and i forgot how much fun it is so enjoying that for now.

Good effort :smashin: I refuse an absurd mortgage, so getting closer to my £20k deposit target for sensible rate (hopefully the GF will match that amount soon as well, if she stops shopping!).

Means I'm running my Focus into the ground; no new car for at least 3 years yet, but a lot can change in that time...
 
Of course it's all opinion, and obviously you aren't obliged to agree with me.

I'm not bothered about what people think of my choice of car, my own girlfriend calls me a boyracer and most in the street would label me as one as I drive an evo.

I don't give a damn, I have near supercar performance and a big boot and 4 doors.

But I'm merely going by what are generally assoicated as boy racer cars.

I only brought it up because you said you didn't want a car that gave off a boy racer vibe and then mentioned a car with a body kit.

Any car where that has a body kit, especially one that's been added is going to give a boy racer vibe off.

Even a factory fit one like say the new focus rs has a boy racer vibe.

Anyway trying to get back on topic why did you get rid of the z4? Maybe it's not worth even thinking of the 3.0 z4 depending on why you got rid of the 2.5?

Is practicality an issue? Would a lotus elise not appeal?

well not necessarily on the bodykit. the m sport bodykit on the bmw coupe is very nice and subtle for me and makes it look a lot nicer. doesnt look at all boy racer...... but again my opinion and you may disagree

i got rid of the z4 as the ride was very harsh and crashy, and the one i had was a bit rough around the edges so better to get rid and buy a nicer one from the offset if i decided to go that way

i guess my definition of boyracer is european hot hatch, cap wearing, loud exhaust, no performance, halfords kitted, chav type driver..... hence why the majority of french cars were ruled out

the lotus is ok but i think its a bit small, underpowered (i prefer cars with around the 200bhp as standard mark) although i know it can be argued that its fine for the power to weight ratio, and predominantly the fact that a 15 year old car is still priced at 6k+, interior is basic i.e lacking air con and other creature comforts
 
I personally wouldn't go for the same car even if it is a higher end model.

Infact I'd scratch the mr2 off the list too, try something new and different.

Best bet is to test drive as many cars as you can, I know for me personally you know when you get into a car and think yep this is me.

i think this is why i started this thread to help me go for something else but having owned some of the cars mentioned before, it kinda draws you back to them when you think about it

lol at the mortgage comments..... i've had 4 mortgages in as many years and its a pain in the bum getting the deposit together :D
 
Why an S14a Nissan? They are very old now, I have owned a few of them in my time and loved them a lot but I wouldn't go near one now. Why not go for the S15 Silvia instead?
 
Is diesel at all an option for you?

yes it is an option i would consider but until recently diesels werent done in coupe form so at the moment are out of my budget

i did consider a 535d but its large and heavy but great performance and economy, loads of creature comforts and great build quality

maybe in a few years when the new generation audi and bmw diesel coupes drop below the 10k, i would be more likely to consider them
 
the lotus is ok but i think its a bit small, underpowered (i prefer cars with around the 200bhp as standard mark) although i know it can be argued that its fine for the power to weight ratio, and predominantly the fact that a 15 year old car is still priced at 6k+, interior is basic i.e lacking air con and other creature comforts

Yeah the elises are generally very raw, as you say underpowered engine in terms of power but due to the weight of them very quick and handling is great.

i think this is why i started this thread to help me go for something else but having owned some of the cars mentioned before, it kinda draws you back to them when you think about it

From your posts I guess you defo want something with creature comforts e.g a few toys, quick, look arguably nice and not have to thrash the car to get anywhere?

I think with regards to thrashing a car, I'd avoid the civic type r, it really has to be thrashed to get a lot out of it, similar to say the clios, I know you don't want one anyway.

I guess for me and my eventual next car I want something personally that is quick but that has a sense of occasion, that whether I'm driving slow or fast makes me feel good.

Using a clio sport as an example, when you're stuck in traffic or going slow you're just stuck in a shopping trolley at the end of the day.

Whereas something like an elise just feels more special for me.

Did you see the vx220 mentioned? Quick, rare and will defo turn heads.

Or maybe a porsche boxster, they aren't overly expensive to runif you use specialists.
 
Why an S14a Nissan? They are very old now, I have owned a few of them in my time and loved them a lot but I wouldn't go near one now. Why not go for the S15 Silvia instead?

again, i've had a couple and they were quite nice and better the devil you know

the s15's are valued quite high for what they are. with a decent spec r being over 6k
 
Yeah the elises are generally very raw, as you say underpowered engine in terms of power but due to the weight of them very quick and handling is great.



From your posts I guess you defo want something with creature comforts e.g a few toys, quick, look arguably nice and not have to thrash the car to get anywhere?

I think with regards to thrashing a car, I'd avoid the civic type r, it really has to be thrashed to get a lot out of it, similar to say the clios, I know you don't want one anyway.

I guess for me and my eventual next car I want something personally that is quick but that has a sense of occasion, that whether I'm driving slow or fast makes me feel good.

Using a clio sport as an example, when you're stuck in traffic or going slow you're just stuck in a shopping trolley at the end of the day.

Whereas something like an elise just feels more special for me.

Did you see the vx220 mentioned? Quick, rare and will defo turn heads.

yes, you are spot on with all of the above mate and going by that the vx220 falls in the same category as the elise as it is essentially the same car with a different body on it and a tad more power. i would consider the vx220 turbo but i have noticed that being rare has driven up the prices over the past 3 years and the comfort issue would bug me
 
Good effort :smashin: I refuse an absurd mortgage, so getting closer to my £20k deposit target for sensible rate (hopefully the GF will match that amount soon as well, if she stops shopping!).

Means I'm running my Focus into the ground; no new car for at least 3 years yet, but a lot can change in that time...

We went 10% deposit on a £205k house, rate is a bit rubbish due to the amount we wanted limiting our lender options but its only for 2 years and not that much more a month compared to £15% deposit which would of taken another 8-9 months to save. Got a bargain house for the money, makes my friends in London sick knowing how much house you can get for £200k.

An elise wont be for everyone as they are very raw, S1's in good condition fetch around £8-10k and alot are going over seas due to high demand. My local lotus dealer cant even keep hold of cars at the moment, they have about 5-10 used ones for sale.

I would never say there underpowered, even the 120bhp can hit 60 in under 6 seconds considering they only weigh less then 800kg, i'm looking at the earlier S2 with 160bhp which will hit 60 in 5 seconds which is faster then my 350Z GT 300 was. Yes there not fast top end but then who drives faster then 70mph ;)
 
yes it is an option i would consider but until recently diesels werent done in coupe form so at the moment are out of my budget

i did consider a 535d but its large and heavy but great performance and economy, loads of creature comforts and great build quality

maybe in a few years when the new generation audi and bmw diesel coupes drop below the 10k, i would be more likely to consider them

A 535d is an awesome machine,obviously not the sort of car you'd want to take down a country road but very powerful espeically after a remap.

Or how about a boring everyday car and a weekend toy, then you can have the best of both worlds.

It's hard finding a car that has to tick a lot of boxes.
 
We went 10% deposit on a £205k house, rate is a bit rubbish due to the amount we wanted limiting our lender options but its only for 2 years and not that much more a month compared to £15% deposit which would of taken another 8-9 months to save. Got a bargain house for the money, makes my friends in London sick knowing how much house you can get for £200k.

An elise wont be for everyone as they are very raw, S1's in good condition fetch around £8-10k and alot are going over seas due to high demand. My local lotus dealer cant even keep hold of cars at the moment, they have about 5-10 used ones for sale.

I would never say there underpowered, even the 120bhp can hit 60 in under 6 seconds considering they only weigh less then 800kg, i'm looking at the earlier S2 with 160bhp which will hit 60 in 5 seconds which is faster then my 350Z GT 300 was. Yes there not fast top end but then who drives faster then 70mph ;)

We're hoping to get a 20-30% deposit on a house of a slightly lower value in the North-West, with some change for "fixing" things :)

Elise is a fab car, but not for everyone if you are tall, or have issues with room. I'm only 6', but my proportions make some cars an impossibility.

For example, my head sticks out of an MX5 with the roof down, so I can't see anything other than the top of the screen! The VX220 is slightly harder to fit in than an Elise from what I understand.

Definitely worth a look at, but you might well have to sacrifice a few of those comforts and toys.
 
My opinions, for what it is worth...personally I think you are barking up the wrong tree...

bmw e46 coupe - must have nice wheels, m sport bodykit and leather - not special
impreza wrx - 01 onwards, must have nice wheels, high line spoiler and exhaust - "hey everyone, look at me"/tit
impreza type r - must have nice wheels, exhaust and bodykit - An otherwise empty life/sad
mr2 turbo - must have bodykit, exhaust and nice wheels - Wide open for ridicule, embarrassing
civic type r - standard spec is fine - Yawn
rx8 - 231bhp model with leather - Nice car but not special
200sx - must be touring version, s14a model, nice wheels - Old, not special
z4 - must be 3.0 version with leather as my last one was 2.5 - Ho-Hum/So what?

You would probably have your own opinion if I listed all the cars I currently own so it is entirely personal how you view the ones in your list.
 
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A 535d is an awesome machine,obviously not the sort of car you'd want to take down a country road but very powerful espeically after a remap.

Or how about a boring everyday car and a weekend toy, then you can have the best of both worlds.

It's hard finding a car that has to tick a lot of boxes.

i have my astra coupe for an everyday car and its competent for a daily drive, ticks most boxes. the second car has to have some of that and be a little different/ special
 
My opinions, for what it is worth...personally I think you are barking up the wrong tree...

bmw e46 coupe - must have nice wheels, m sport bodykit and leather - not special
impreza wrx - 01 onwards, must have nice wheels, high line spoiler and exhaust - "hey everyone, look at me"/tit
impreza type r - must have nice wheels, exhaust and bodykit - An otherwise empty life/sad
mr2 turbo - must have bodykit, exhaust and nice wheels - Wide open for ridicule, embarrassing
civic type r - standard spec is fine - Yawn
rx8 - 231bhp model with leather - Nice car but not special
200sx - must be touring version, s14a model, nice wheels - Old, not special
z4 - must be 3.0 version with leather as my last one was 2.5 - Ho-Hum/So what?

You would probably have your own opinion if I listed all the cars I currently own so it is entirely personal how you view the ones in your list.

fair enough, everything is subjective and lairy cars are open to ridicule. which is why i am trying to achieve a balance/ compromise on all things. according to your opinion the cars listed are at either extreme. however, having owned some of these cars before, i can speak from experience. at the end of the day if you listed your cars, i could likewise pick holes in them as to why i wouldnt like them or wouldnt fit my criteria

i dont understand your criticism of the impreza type r, it is a very exceptional car when it comes to performance and handling, has looks that arent ugly and is also practical enough to use as an everyday car. calling it or the person driving one sad/ having an empty life is like saying everyone who owns a dull daily runabout is dead on the inside and has no taste
 
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Renault Spider?

Maybe outwith your budget, I don't know.
I just know I like 'em!:cool:
 
yes i can say that is a nice car but out of my budget by a long shot lol
 
If you have an everyday car forget a z4, and cars like type r.

A weekend toy should be special.

A car like a z4 is an everyday car, same with honda s2000 etc.

I say lotus elise, kit car etc

Or why not go for a classic car or is that not your thing?

None of the cars mentioned really on this thread are special or have a major sense of occasion.

Ooh I've thought of one, how about a gtm Libra or Spyder?

Very rare, and I'd say taking it out on weekends etc would be special, and they are well within budget.

here's a spyder

Can be had for just under 7 grand http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2272302.htm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SF5ReqtKjBU
 
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Someone said Honda S2000 - more comfortable than an Elise but more fun/raw than a Z4.
 

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