Which car- Fun practical runabout

[jonesey]

Evening all- I need a car for me to run about in locally/5k miles a year. Needs to be fun, ideally something to put a smile on the face but also throw the kids in the back now and again. Budget 10-15k tops.

Current cars are:
Family car -New Defender
Fun/Trip car- 996 c4s
Fun/Track- Clio 182

I’d bought the best Clio I could find for this duty but it’s just too compromised.

Current thoughts are:

Golf R32
4 door M3 (with budget creep)
E55 Amg
Leggy RS6

Any thoughts gladly received

LJ

[ZX10R NIN]

From what you've listed a VXR8 really ticks a lot of boxes & with your low annual mileage you'll hardly lose anything depreciation wise:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202105162...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/265160319751?hash=item3...

C63

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202103089...

RS4

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104131...

CLS55 AMG

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202102179...

E63 AMG

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202104281...

[RoVoFob]

jonesey said:

Evening all- I need a car for me to run about in locally/5k miles a year. Needs to be fun, ideally something to put a smile on the face but also throw the kids in the back now and again. Budget 10-15k tops.

Current cars are:
Family car -New Defender
Fun/Trip car- 996 c4s
Fun/Track- Clio 182

I’d bought the best Clio I could find for this duty but it’s just too compromised.

Current thoughts are:

Golf R32
4 door M3 (with budget creep)
E55 Amg
Leggy RS6

Any thoughts gladly received

LJ

Why not blend traits of the R32, 182 and M3 to get the BMW 130i? Way under your budget, something like 200kg lighter than the R32, much less compromised than the 182 but small and light enough to still feel agile, while sharing some of the engineering quality of the M3.

Yes, I’m biased as a three-time 130i owner, but it’s a unique prospect; lighter and more powerful than the R32, with a bigger boot (despite what Clarkson said at the time) and much more viable than the other recent RWD hatch, the Clio V6. Mine even has three sets of Isofix points...

[narbles]

Yep I have also suggested 130i mutliple times recently in response to these types of thread. The performance, practicality and specialness can't be beat, and I really don't understand why they're not thought of more highly?

[Disco You]

Focus ST
BMW M135i/140i

Depending on how small the kids are:
Audi S1
Mini Cooper S
Previous gen 1 series coupe 135i

[mbwoy84]

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/11622375

or the wagon equivalent if the extra practicality is required.