cliftyhanger
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 09:28 AM |
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Choosing a car....help please
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 
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gremlin1234
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 10:13 AM |
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the normal answer would be mx5, but you already have the spitfire
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joneh
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 11:18 AM |
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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.
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ken555
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 12:23 PM |
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Toyota GR Yaris ?
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myke pocock
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 01:07 PM |
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Second for MX5. Fun and comfortable. By your reconing my bits are falling off and I stiil have fun in it.
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 04:38 PM |
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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
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big_wasa
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 05:01 PM |
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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 
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dmac
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 05:27 PM |
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quote:
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
I couldn't justify the money for an old ford, but I'd have a new one if I could afford one
https://mst-cars.com/
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Ugg10
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 05:34 PM |
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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]
---------------------------------------------------------------
1968 Ford Anglia 105e, 1.7 Zetec SE, Mk2 Escort Workd Cup front end, 5 link rear
Build Blog - http://Anglia1968.weebly.com
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 05:49 PM |
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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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rdodger
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 06:17 PM |
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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!
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Johnmor
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 06:23 PM |
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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.
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 06:38 PM |
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quote:
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.
Bikes terrify me. And the wife says no, which is perfectly fine by me.
Deffo no lardy cars, I like the feeling of a car that makes you fee alive, I just don't get that with fast saloons. So a fast heavy merc etc is
out.
Likewise a modern audi etc won't do it for me. Nice cars etc, but not my bag.
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02GF74
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 07:12 PM |
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What is your budget?
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steve m
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 07:43 PM |
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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
Thats was probably spelt wrong, or had some grammer, that the "grammer police have to have a moan at
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jelly head
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 07:57 PM |
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quote:
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.
My wife has one - remapped to 300hp but it's the low down torque that's really impressive, propper sh*t off a shovel but can get unsettled
on bumps in the corners, oh and unfortunately the boot area is tiny - rear diff and battery under the floor...
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 08:01 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
What is your budget?
Not my cup of tea....
Think more long the lines of a proper porsche (ie not a SUV or 4 door) 
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Johnmor
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| posted on 25/2/21 at 08:48 PM |
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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
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02GF74
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| posted on 26/2/21 at 02:24 AM |
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^^^^^ 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.
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cliftyhanger
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| posted on 26/2/21 at 04:11 PM |
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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
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Fandango
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| posted on 2/3/21 at 07:50 PM |
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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.
"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." Hunter S Thompson
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