Next car quandary ...

[coldel]

Well I went and sold my gorgeous E85 Z4. Actually went via an ad on here, so thank you again PH ads for selling my car!
I felt the need to try something else, even though I had it just 14 months, I had an E86 the year before that so effectively 2 1/2 years of Z4 ownership experience.

I've got a few ideas, but have to say I haven't been at such a crossroads in weekend car buying for years. Usually I have a clear idea of what I want. So here goes a bit of a brain dump...

I want to spend really no more than £10k, ideally it would be in and around the £6k-£8k mark. I can spend more yes, but my weekend car literally does 2k miles a year and I dont want 20 grands worth of metal sitting there doing not a lot and costing a hundred quid plus a month to insure, tax, parking permit etc.

So my car history has been Scirocco 1.4tsi, Nissan 350z, VX220 NA, Skyline R33 GTST, Toyota Celica GT4, VX220 Turbo, BMW E86 Coupe 3.0si, E85 3.0si. I want something different and fun for the weekend, I am open to:

-Coupe or Convertible
-Any engine size but ideally ULEZ compliant
-No moon milers please or car ads where it is literally the cheapest car on the market out of 1000s of that make/model
-Not repeating any of the previous cars
-Open to FWD AWD as long as the car is something a bit different

Some of the ideas that I have been bouncing around my head (and this demonstrates why I am in my quandary)

Get an E89 Z4!
BMW 330 Clubsport (super rare but are they worth the extra £s over an M Sport)
Peugeot RCZ R (but appreciate this would be a cheap one)
Mazda MX5 mk4 or Fiat 124
Porsche Boxster or Cayman (987)
Audi S5
Renaultsport Megane 250 Cup

As I say, at the moment I am all over the place.

Ultimately I want something fun, something that sticks out a bit, that is a bit different, and brings an exciting ownership experience to it. Its purely a weekend car.

[Baldchap]

coldel said:

Ultimately I want something fun, something that sticks out a bit, that is a bit different, and brings an exciting ownership experience to it. Its purely a weekend car.

I recently bought an RX8 that ticks all these boxes.

£10k would buy you the mintiest of minters. My 13k absolutely spotless 40th Anniversary was £7500...

Not ULEZ compliant, though.

ETA: I think they're at the bottom of their depreciation curve, too.

[coldel]

Yeah I would imagine you want the engines on those done before buying one and budget for the refurbs in future. I watched AutoAlex and he loved his RX8. But I do live right on the border of expanded ULEZ and drive into it 3 times a week so its a non negotiable unfortunately.

[coldel]

Actually jut checked the RX8 R3 and they pass ULEZ ...

[Baldchap]

coldel said:

Actually jut checked the RX8 R3 and they pass ULEZ ...

Quite rare, sadly. I couldn't find one when I got my 40th.

[Baldchap]

coldel said:

Yeah I would imagine you want the engines on those done before buying one and budget for the refurbs in future. I watched AutoAlex and he loved his RX8. But I do live right on the border of expanded ULEZ and drive into it 3 times a week so its a non negotiable unfortunately.

They're more reliable that the media would have you believe, if (and only if) they've been used properly.

There are 100k original engines out there, but they've been owned and used by people who understand them, rather than like 'a car'.

[coldel]

The running costs of RX8s always concerned me, by design they need rebuilds of the tips. Then there is having to keep a 4L tank of oil in the boot to keep it topped up Nice looking cars, but yes if not kept in 100% condition, prone to failures.

[Sycamore]

I went to a GT86 from my Z4 and really liked it. Felt like a bit more grown up MX5. The Z4 wasn't exactly too good to throw around.

If wanting it as a weekend car the GT86 might be a little bland though. I used it as my only car and it was great. I'd imagine some are around the 10k mark now

Alfa Romeo Spider? I think they look great

Edited by Sycamore on Friday 20th September 11:21

[coldel]

I am being drawn towards an E89 28i
But also been looking at those pretty Fiat 124s!

[cerb4.5lee]

I think I'd be going in the direction of the E89 Z4 to be honest. I don't think that they're the last word in driving involvement from what I read, plus it think it will feel more grown up than the E8x Z4 as well. However I have always really liked them though, and I've always fancied one myself.

[CG2020UK]

Bit different for you and in my opinion the best small hot hatch

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409123...

[ZX10R NIN]

370Z:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408293...

GT86:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202407292...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409194...

TTS:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409023...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409134...

Abarth 124:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409103...

[Nickp82]

coldel said:

The running costs of RX8s always concerned me, by design they need rebuilds of the tips. Then there is having to keep a 4L tank of oil in the boot to keep it topped up Nice looking cars, but yes if not kept in 100% condition, prone to failures.

If they’re not for you they’re not for you but there are a lot of myths surrounding RX-8s.

A Mini R56 or some of the VAG TFSi will use more oil.

Buy a good RX-8 R3 and doing 2k a year you will likely never need a rebuild.

Fuel economy and road tax are horrendous but insurance tends to be ok

But nothing drives like them , they’re great fun

[tomsugden]

If you don't mind the Cat S status and the VED, this is an astonishing car for the money

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202409023...

[coldel]

That Cat S Jag looks a bit of a money pit and would be almost impossible to sell on privately, albeit a nice car
Whats the difference between Abarth 124 and a normal 124? I must admit I am liking them!
370z, maybe.
GT86, I do like but they really do lack the grunt I would want if the car wasnt a low slung MX5 type car.

[ZX10R NIN]

coldel said:

That Cat S Jag looks a bit of a money pit and would be almost impossible to sell on privately, albeit a nice car
Whats the difference between Abarth 124 and a normal 124? I must admit I am liking them!
370z, maybe.
GT86, I do like but they really do lack the grunt I would want if the car wasnt a low slung MX5 type car.

With the 370 I'd suggest you take a read of Cerb's thread:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

The Abarth benefits from a better suspension setup as well as the full fat power output for the 1.4T & imo they just look better.

[coldel]

ZX10R NIN said:

coldel said:

That Cat S Jag looks a bit of a money pit and would be almost impossible to sell on privately, albeit a nice car
Whats the difference between Abarth 124 and a normal 124? I must admit I am liking them!
370z, maybe.
GT86, I do like but they really do lack the grunt I would want if the car wasnt a low slung MX5 type car.

With the 370 I'd suggest you take a read of Cerb's thread:

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

The Abarth benefits from a better suspension setup as well as the full fat power output for the 1.4T & imo they just look better.

Thanks, I am well versed with a 370z, I used to own a 350z and was admin with thousands of posts on the 350z/370z forum

[ZX10R NIN]

Well you won't need to read the thread then

[coldel]

It’s a good read to be fair though!

[997_Sussex]

147 GTA

Or

986 Boxster S