Changing my FN2 daily driver... what car?
Discussion
Hey guys,
Just a quick one which echoes a lot of threads really... I enjoy my CTR FN2 GT - having come from a Focus ST3 and RS Megane, I've enjoyed the Honda ownership experience immensely, the nature of the engine is wonderful with a decent MPG, reasonable servicing costs (self servicing also easy enough) and reliability.
However, I'm at that time in my life where I need to be (a little) sensible and I'm looking at buying a house with my OH. The FN2 has around £2.5k finance remaining over the next year and a bit and I want to clear this now before we go through any hard applications for mortgages later in the year. It's not that I can't afford the payments, but more that I want to get a better mortgage deal primarily and with whatever car I buy, I can use the payments I was making on finance to effectively keep my new car well serviced and running sweet as a nut.
This is where I come unstuck though... assuming I take the 'silly' route of trading a car in, I'd be looking at anywhere from £3500 to buy a car with, and I could maybe stick £1000 of my own money into the pot to get a decent example of something. I feel I want to stay with a Honda but £4500 in my eyes is only going to buy me a leggy DC2 or S2000... though it should buy a very nice example of an ATR or possibly an OK example of an EP3 - I'm just struggling to find anything that is in budget and that seems to have a decent history or not moon-miles.
I've even started to consider whether I buy more of a vehicle to waft around in like an S60 T5, Mondeo ST220 or Legacy Spec B and then save up for something more special... I do a lot of travelling for karting events across the UK and I have a second job as a photographer as well, so it's always nice to have some relative comfort / toys for longer journeys and the FN2 is great apart from being a bit rough on badly surfaced or broken roads.
Am I silly to look at something a bit more special like an S2000 in this budget? I'll have the money to sort out things like the geo bolts if they're seized, but I don't want to be spending my budget to suddenly have belts, clutch, geo etc. to sort all at the same time because I've had to pick up a leggy example... I'd rather spend more and get one with decent histry / work done and then use the £150+ pcm I spend at the moment to give it a good going over in the first few months of ownership.
Help me stay in VTEC!
Just a quick one which echoes a lot of threads really... I enjoy my CTR FN2 GT - having come from a Focus ST3 and RS Megane, I've enjoyed the Honda ownership experience immensely, the nature of the engine is wonderful with a decent MPG, reasonable servicing costs (self servicing also easy enough) and reliability.
However, I'm at that time in my life where I need to be (a little) sensible and I'm looking at buying a house with my OH. The FN2 has around £2.5k finance remaining over the next year and a bit and I want to clear this now before we go through any hard applications for mortgages later in the year. It's not that I can't afford the payments, but more that I want to get a better mortgage deal primarily and with whatever car I buy, I can use the payments I was making on finance to effectively keep my new car well serviced and running sweet as a nut.
This is where I come unstuck though... assuming I take the 'silly' route of trading a car in, I'd be looking at anywhere from £3500 to buy a car with, and I could maybe stick £1000 of my own money into the pot to get a decent example of something. I feel I want to stay with a Honda but £4500 in my eyes is only going to buy me a leggy DC2 or S2000... though it should buy a very nice example of an ATR or possibly an OK example of an EP3 - I'm just struggling to find anything that is in budget and that seems to have a decent history or not moon-miles.
I've even started to consider whether I buy more of a vehicle to waft around in like an S60 T5, Mondeo ST220 or Legacy Spec B and then save up for something more special... I do a lot of travelling for karting events across the UK and I have a second job as a photographer as well, so it's always nice to have some relative comfort / toys for longer journeys and the FN2 is great apart from being a bit rough on badly surfaced or broken roads.
Am I silly to look at something a bit more special like an S2000 in this budget? I'll have the money to sort out things like the geo bolts if they're seized, but I don't want to be spending my budget to suddenly have belts, clutch, geo etc. to sort all at the same time because I've had to pick up a leggy example... I'd rather spend more and get one with decent histry / work done and then use the £150+ pcm I spend at the moment to give it a good going over in the first few months of ownership.
Help me stay in VTEC!
Got the S2000 & EP3 wrong way round there 
£4500 will get you a pretty ropey S2000 but a great EP3, especially pre-facelift. Check on Type R Owners & CTRO forums. Usually some right bargains in those forums & more likely to have been well looked after by them. Id say for that price get a EP3
£4500 will get you a pretty ropey S2000 but a great EP3, especially pre-facelift. Check on Type R Owners & CTRO forums. Usually some right bargains in those forums & more likely to have been well looked after by them. Id say for that price get a EP3
No sooner had I put my post up that I was contacted by someone selling a decent EP3 with 65k on it with a few mods already...
My only problem is selling the FN2 now, but this seller is happy to wait for a bit anyway so it's good news all round! Also had an offer of a S2000, but it's up at 140k miles... too high I feel for me to sensibly run it as a daily driver.
I had considered going a bit crazy and getting something other than a Honda... but the choice is so wide I'd be forever changing cars!! I think there will come a point where my daily will be just that, and then I'll have to buy something bat-**** crazy for the weekends like a bike powered kit car or just get on two wheels...
My only problem is selling the FN2 now, but this seller is happy to wait for a bit anyway so it's good news all round! Also had an offer of a S2000, but it's up at 140k miles... too high I feel for me to sensibly run it as a daily driver.
I had considered going a bit crazy and getting something other than a Honda... but the choice is so wide I'd be forever changing cars!! I think there will come a point where my daily will be just that, and then I'll have to buy something bat-**** crazy for the weekends like a bike powered kit car or just get on two wheels...
Gassing Station | Honda | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff