I am in my mid 50's, have a great fun car already (spitfire/st170 which is quick enough for that chassis, gets used for trackdays and holidays etc plus teh wife likes it)
Day to day I am using my MILs old honda jazz, ideal for lugging work stuff around and seems super reliable. Quite happy with that. I have no ego for my everyday hack.

What I am thinking about is another fun car. Something that would fit with the others, and put a smile on my face. I nearly went down the boxter/cayman route a couple of years ago, but both daughters weddings put paid to that. However, I have some inheritance and savings, so wondering what to consider. After all, I reckon we have decent supplies of petrol for about 10 years, and I hopefully have 15 years before bits start dropping off me. So I might as well have some fun.

I don't want a kit, or another classic. Needs to be reliable (usual caveats about anything interesting) So a sports car or hot hatch? Fast big saloons are out. And whatever it is needs to make me feel alive. (had a go in am Aston DB7, didn't do it for me. Likewise the newish V8 mustang was quick, but uninteresting).

It may be I buy a car, and change it after a while depending on how I like it. Who knows.

So fire away with suggestions. Bit of a thought exercise for now, but I need ideas!

Ta

the normal answer would be mx5, but you already have the spitfire

I'm hankering after something similar. Currently looking at the Cayman, 996 or a stretch to the 997. Possibly an Elise.

I've found this guy which is actually halfway between us both:

https://philipraby.co.uk/home/specialist-collection/cars-for-sale

He seems to have a finding service as well.

Toyota GR Yaris ?

Second for MX5. Fun and comfortable. By your reconing my bits are falling off and I stiil have fun in it.

Ah, should have said, the wife has a lovely mk2 MX5 (bought about 18 months ago, one older owner under 50K with hardtop. Just a small patch of welding needed on a sill, or rather the wing over the sill. All done, MoT man couldn't find it despite me telling him No filler either....)

The porsche thing seems a sound bet. I was wondering about a Z4? are they any good? Elise sounds like a possibility too. Thinking 15K ish should be available. Hmm, all food for thought.

Thanks chaps

I am thinking Porsche Cayman or Bmw Z435I for me as I feel very nearly done with thre kitcar thing. But as a big guy I need to sit in one first.
Rules out mx5, Elise ect for me.
As a curve ball I really do fancy another Subaru Impreza.
I also fancy an old ford but they are silly money and I can't bring myself to spend 10k on somthing I used to pay £50 for

quote:

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Originally posted by big_wasa

I also fancy an old ford but they are silly money and I can't bring myself to spend 10k on somthing I used to pay £50 for

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For a around £15k you can get an Audi S1 2015 ish model with 30-40k on it, 2.0l turbo, 230hp 4wd, extremely quick and fairly practical, 4 door available if needed. Bit left field but a very quick car. Plus, easy to get service and reliable and if the mood/insurance etc. takes you they can be chipped to 300hp.

Example - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202008102321085?onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&postcode=bn124xf&in clude-delivery-option=on&sort=price-asc&radius=1500&advertising-location=at_cars&make=AUDI&model=S1&page=3

Bang for buck may be a SLK55AMG if you can get over the image, practical hard top as well. Not the best for driving pleasure or excitement but that 5.4l v8 has to put a smile on your face when you plant your right foot.

Example - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102169117489?aggregatedTrim=SLK55&include-delivery-option=on&postcode=bn124xf&sort=price-asc&a mp;radius=1500&make=MERCEDES-BENZ&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&model=SLK&advertising-location=at_ cars&page=1

Happy hunting.

[Edited on 25/2/21 by Ugg10]

How about a motor bike? Few things are quite as raw and entertaining. In your mid 50's a big thumping cruiser might be up your street and due to the racket they make and the relative low speed are quite safe so long as you have a brain. After I got mine no car has ever come close to it for fun. Mine cost just a couple of thousand and running costs were so low as to be irrelevant.

TVR with the loudest V8 you can find. Might as well use the petrol as fast as you can. Would give you something to fix too!

Merc CLK 55 AMG,

Had one for a few years and should have kept it, bit of a sleeper if you dont know your Mercs, fun, sounds fantastic, convertible for summer and 4 seats if you sometimes need them.

Reliable, ideal for a chap in his 50s.

quote:

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Originally posted by Mr Whippy
How about a motor bike? Few things are quite as raw and entertaining. In your mid 50's a big thumping cruiser might be up your street and due to the racket they make and the relative low speed are quite safe so long as you have a brain. After I got mine no car has ever come close to it for fun. Mine cost just a couple of thousand and running costs were so low as to be irrelevant.

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What is your budget?

Ive driven the Benltley Continental many times, awsome piece of machinery, averages 12mpg, it has four seats, but the rears are only suitable for a Barbie doll, the engine sound of the W12 is awsome, and the one we had the rear tyres lasted about 3k

Apart from that, i would have one, and servicing etc was a lot cheaper than BMW, and they picked the car up from your house/work, all included
also, i am not aware of any of our cars ever had to go back once a month to the dealers, unlike a lot of cars we own

quote:

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Originally posted by Ugg10
For a around £15k you can get an Audi S1 2015 ish model with 30-40k on it, 2.0l turbo, 230hp 4wd, extremely quick and fairly practical, 4 door available if needed. Bit left field but a very quick car. Plus, easy to get service and reliable and if the mood/insurance etc. takes you they can be chipped to 300hp.

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quote:

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Originally posted by 02GF74
What is your budget?

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Lancia Delta Integrale

Had a white 8v 1987 Kat

Fast , simple, rare, very go cart like,

Defo should have kept that one,

I suppose the budget wont stretch to one of them nowadays


Bought mine for £2700 sold it for £6000

Nedd minimum £25000 now

^^^^^ yeah, even prices for volvo 850 R are going a bit mad.

It's gotta be z4, 911, boxster, slk, tt, nissan 350/370, astra vxr, c30 T5, fiat 500 abarth.

The shortlist looks like
Cayman
996
Z4
TT??
I may even have a look at a couple of hot hatches. Fiesta ST or even a Focus ST. May go see a few others too, when allowed.

Interesting stuff though

I have recently parted with my Honda S2000. Mega reliable, not fast, but involving to drive, and brings a smile with the howling F20 engine.

Values are on the rise, I had mine 4 years and sold it for the same 6.5k I paid. I would have kept it but they tend to rot, and mine was no exception.