Which car for £10K?

[BazMV6]

As a newbie, I'd better introduce myself first: I've been lurking on here since before Christmas, and went to the PH show in January. Based in Silverstone, working in Northampton - and pleased to see an active Northants section!

I am currently driving a 3.0 Omega MV6 which I need to keep for family outings, but looking for something a bit more fun when there's only me in the car. I do have a couple of ideas (which I'll share in due course) - but just wondered what other options I may have missed. I want something that I can use on a regular basis - nothing that needs to sit in the garage all the time for admiring only on short sunny weekend trips... Budget around the 10K mark.

I'm not looking to start a car war - please don't turn this into a "my car's better than yours" argument! Just looking for positive feedback and interesting ideas...

Cheers,
Baz.

[jumplead]

Up your budget to 13k, get rid of the Omega and replace it with a Monaro

Win win.

£10k can get you a lot of fun toys. The obvious answers are Lotus Elise, VXT, TVR Chimaera or a V8S, MX5 maybe?

Maybe something Jap and Turboed? Evo/Impreza

[central]

I'd say an Elise fits the bill perfectly.

Or there's this - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/346963.htm in Northampton. Jumplead can tell you about it.

And do a search on General Gassing for eleventy million "what car" threads.

[coolcatmaz]

Or this

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/328257.htm

[Alfahorn]

Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, should have enough change to give it a good service and a cambelt change.

[bigburd]

Welcome...nice to see you are local

[BazMV6]

Thanks for the welcome, and the comments so far. I forgot to say, I'm viewing this as my "middle-age-crisis car" - my wife thinks I'm too old for that already!

I don't want an EVO/Impreza - it's got to be a "proper" sports car. The VX was one of the cars on my list - a VXT if I can stretch to it. Also interested in TVRs - though I'd figured maybe the Cerbera, which seems to have a wonderful sound track to go with it. What are the main differences twixt Cerbera & Chimera? But not sure if this is such a "sensible" option for a hopefully quite frequently used car?

Baz.

[BazMV6]

MX5 too "girly" (oops - hope I haven't upset anyone already!). Monaro looks fun - maybe an Omega replacement further down the line?

[central]

BazMV6 said:

What are the main differences twixt Cerbera & Chimera? Baz.

Cerbs win fights in pubs, Chims are the car of choice for golfists, hairdressers and of course, homosexuals.




Don't forget Griffs come with chest wigs and medallions.

And Porsches are faster than all of the above.

[Longers]

central said:

BazMV6 said:

What are the main differences twixt Cerbera & Chimera? Baz.

Cerbs win fights in pubs, Chims are the car of choice for golfists, hairdressers and of course, homosexuals.




Don't forget Griffs come with chest wigs and medallions.

And Porsches are faster than all of the above.

To add to Mark's comments, obvious difference between Cerb and Chim = soft top! For a fun car I'd always go for "roof off ability". Other MAJOR difference is running costs; Cerb is MUCH more expensive

Oh, and I used to run a Chim as my everyday car and it was great (Ok, I am a golfist but not a gay hairdressing one ) Very refined / comfortable especially compared to a mates Elise that he drives everyday. Probably depends on what you want, mileage you'll be doing etc.

Longers

[central]

On a serious, note Ian is right, Cerb running costs are £3K/year PLUS insurance and fuel. And you'll struggle to find one under £10K anyway. And another obvious difference is Cerbs have room for two hamsters on the rear seats

Here's another alternative - Corvette C4

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/332505.htm

[BazMV6]

central said:

Cerb running costs are £3K/year

That's useful info. I'm not expecting to run a car on £200 a year (which is what I read someone hoped for recently) - but that sounds rather high. I'd spotted the hamster seats - and with a 6'3" step-son, realised they'd be good for the briefcase only.

The 'Vette looks interesting - but I bet it drinks "gas"...

And to answer another suggestion above, Alfas have never really done it for me...

So leaning heavily towards VX220 currently. And I've found someone on vx220.org who lives just up the road!

Baz.

[tyre_tread]

Hiya!

I must be the gay hairdresser with the Chimaera them but I shall have to sell mine according to Mark's criteria as I don't play Golf!

Still, at least my Chim doesn't have an embarrasing numberplate!

I recommend the Chim for the soundtrack as well as the performance and long distance abilitry when required. Although TVR's are generally criticised for relaibility issues its usually by people who've never had one and it turns into stories about friends of friends who say that theirs broke down.

The only real way to make a choice between your ideas is to drive them. So go and enjoy a few test drives.

[jumplead]

I would also recommend chatting to some actual owners of the cars, it helped me make up my mind when i was in a similar position to you.

The best place to get a mixed overview of both opinions and cars would probably be the PH Northants monthly meet which is next Sunday at Sywell Aerodrome from noon. Alternatively I believe the SELOC(Lotus guys) are meeting there tomorrow, and the TVRCC also meet there on the second Sunday of every month, I'm sure either of those clubs will gladly welcome a non owner and be more than willing to share information with you.

Central, I now know why I've not been playing golf since the Chimaera went through the Pearly gates of car heaven . No method to cart my golf bats to the golf pitch.

[jumplead]

BazMV6 said:

The 'Vette looks interesting - but I bet it drinks "gas"...

Baz.

We run a Monaro which has essentially the same engine in it although a newer revision.

We average 14-19mpg around town and on a long motorway haul have seen the cusp of 30mpg. On the other side of things at the drift day we did at Silverstone we averaged 1.4mpg so i guess it all depends on how heavy the shoe is on your right foot.

I'd guess the Corvette would return similar if not better than the Monaro.

[Matt172]

central said:

ctly.

Or there's this - http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/346963.htm in Northampton. Jumplead can tell you about it.

just saw that on the welford road in Kingsthorpe

[jamesuk28]

Alfahorn said:

Alfa Romeo 156 GTA, should have enough change to give it a good service and a cambelt change.

What he said

[SB - Nigel]

If you want trouble free B road driving to keep a smile on your face get a MX-5/Eunos keep your hair and beer belly like mine and no one will think you're a 'airdresser

(A good example) Chim is a sensible and fun everyday TVR choice

Being an ex-Griff owner (with neither chest hair or medallion) for manliness I would recommend a (a good example) TVR S (V8S for 50's style manliness) and save the extra money for servicing, maintenance and wear & tear of components and still have money left for beer or actually using the car

[central]

jumplead said:

BazMV6 said:

The 'Vette looks interesting - but I bet it drinks "gas"...

Baz.

We run a Monaro which has essentially the same engine in it although a newer revision.

We average 14-19mpg around town and on a long motorway haul have seen the cusp of 30mpg. On the other side of things at the drift day we did at Silverstone we averaged 1.4mpg so i guess it all depends on how heavy the shoe is on your right foot.

I'd guess the Corvette would return similar if not better than the Monaro.

The C4 Vette 6 speed manual does has a very high top gear, so will return 'good' figures on a long run.

Plenty more info on the Corvette forum. (ask for ZR1Cliff)

[central]

This Vette looks interesting -
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/314828.htm