Enjoyable, sporty daily that can live in South London

[anonymous-user]

Hi all, I live in South London (Battersea), and currently have a 993 manual with very low miles, that lives in an underground carpark nearby, plus a work vehicle that I use for everything else.

The thing is, I’ve had a few fun cars (a couple of 993s, 360, vantage, db11) that have had to live in a garage or underground parking, and invariably I find I just don’t use them enough. Then I get fed up, pay a big service or bill, and then sell them! Rinse, repeat, et cetera.

What I really want to try and do, is get something that I can park outside where I live most of the time. The theory being, if it’s on the street, I will use it a bit more! While I have historically had an affinity with fruity cabriolet/topless vehicles, i’m not wet to anything at the moment. Likewise, everything I have had has been manual, but I fear now the time has come to get something more usable in town.

Basically, I’m trying to find a sporty, enjoyable car, that I can use, sometimes as a regular vehicle, naughty weekends away, I’m not worried too much about massive bills, or it being nicked. I went into Hexagon classics today who I get on well with, and looked at a couple of 997s including a GTS, Cabrolet, and a manual coupe. They also had a 2016 AMGGT coupe, which is apparently a great thing to drive. I’m not wedded to anything in particular, but I wondered if anyone had any thoughts in the 50 to 70 K range? I do like the 997s and they feel great but as there are so many and quite a few leggy ones about, I wondered if maybe something else might be a better fit. No kids, one dog that is fine in the front footwell.

Thank you!

[123DWA]

Sounds like a Boxster/Cayman ticks a lot of boxes for you. Theres enough of the street parked that they don't stand out

[Silvanus]

How about an AUdi TT RS, amazing engine, very quick, practical and usable day to day.

[braddo]

There's an AMG GT near me which sometimes lives on the street and the main issue for London is that they're so wide - on-street parking is going to be asking for parking scrapes, I'd say. Audi R8s are probably in the same bucket.

Plenty of Porsches and a smattering of Astons and Lotuses living on the street in SW London. Perhaps you've seen the Sagaris that has lived outside for years! For me I'd avoid convertibles - avoids extra potential for leaks, vandalism, and having less green stuff growing on the car in the wet cold months.

Maybe a 911 Targa if you fancy some open air still.

Have you considered an Evora? Something different to what you've had before but will still be very easy to live with.

[blueovercream]

What about an Alpine?

[ZX10R NIN]

Emira, these are a cracking steer & will make a great daily:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311164...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306208...

Alpine 110:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311204...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312104...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202311023...

4C:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312144...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309141...

Supra GR Pro:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312014...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309252...

Evora:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202309212...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202310183...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307079...

[PositronicRay]

This is London, do you need performance, dynamics or handling? Drama is where its at, buy an Aston.

[RD-1]

Why not keep the 993 and get something like an Abarth 595, Cooper S JCW, Boxster, TTS or something similar to use daily?

[grumbledoak]

I think the key question is: "What is stopping you leaving the 993 on the street?"

If that is really what you want to drive, how are you not going to be disappointed with taking second best every day?

[fflump]

Why a 993=underground parking while 997=street parking?
911, Vantage, F-type are suitably inconspicuous for a well healed street.
Something like a Cali T may be less so but decent sense of occasion for crawling through London traffic in.

[braddo]

grumbledoak said:

I think the key question is: "What is stopping you leaving the 993 on the street?"

If that is really what you want to drive, how are you not going to be disappointed with taking second best every day?

There is also that option! There's one near me.

It could live on the street for say 8 months and find a garage to rent each winter if you didn't want to keep it out all year round.

[braddo]

PositronicRay said:

This is London, do you need performance, dynamics or handling? Drama is where its at, buy an Aston.

Err, people do drive their cars out of London...

[Kickstart]

Given the recent increase in insurance premiums and how random they seem to be for different cars/addresses, I would probably suggest getting a few quotes to see all the target vehicles are insurable at a reasonable cost

[PositronicRay]

braddo said:

PositronicRay said:

This is London, do you need performance, dynamics or handling? Drama is where its at, buy an Aston.

Err, people do drive their cars out of London...

Yeah but, by the time you've got to Purley it's time to come home.

[anonymous-user]

Kickstart said:

Given the recent increase in insurance premiums and how random they seem to be for different cars/addresses, I would probably suggest getting a few quotes to see all the target vehicles are insurable at a reasonable cost

This has definitely caught me by surprise! 993 still fine at 1600, but everything else I wanted 5.5k and up! What is going on?

[braddo]

PositronicRay said:

Yeah but, by the time you've got to Purley it's time to come home.

The A23 is a pig. But on a weekend morning the A3 can get you to Guildford in 40-50 mins from Battersea.

[braddo]

tedward said:

Kickstart said:

Given the recent increase in insurance premiums and how random they seem to be for different cars/addresses, I would probably suggest getting a few quotes to see all the target vehicles are insurable at a reasonable cost

This has definitely caught me by surprise! 993 still fine at 1600, but everything else I wanted 5.5k and up! What is going on?

Perhaps try a quote for an Evora? They still have a conventional key I think so they're not as vulnerable to theft as a lot of modern cars with keyless start/entry.

By coincidence I got a quote on a 612 Ferrari today purely out of curiosity, and it was very reasonable (parked on the street in SW London), less than £1000.