Sensible vs Special - Golf R vs M2/M4/Cayman etc
Discussion
Hello all, I currently run a BMW m140i as my main car, and I recently went halves with my dad on a 2014 Touareg as a winter/tow car so I have access to that too. I am doing a reasonable amount of miles - probably around 15k a year and live up in NE scotland so lots of driving over tight and bumpy back roads, but also a decent amount of long runs as well.
The m140i suits my driving pretty well but I have had it nearly 2 years and am at the point I fancy a change, and I think I can get near enough what I paid for it after 26k miles.
But I find myself at a dilemma - a sort of heart and head dilemma
A lovely specced Golf R is currently for sale for a good price (3 door, manual, blue, prets - 58k miles for £13k) - I previously had a mk7 gti and it was great so I know I would really enjoy the R and it would suit my needs and wants very well, plus I'd save a bit of cash which I can put towards a house.
On the other hand, I could stretch my budget a bit and go for an m2/m4/cayman 981 or something more special around the £20-25k mark. However these are less practical, more hard core and would cost more to run, plus not maybe so ideal for the NE scotland weather and roads. But is it the time in life to just go for it before houses/families etc come along?
Does anyone have any words of wisdom? Should I stretch for a "proper" performance car and put up with the compromises or get the R and be happy with something different again and be great to drive, comfortable and cheaper to run?
The m140i suits my driving pretty well but I have had it nearly 2 years and am at the point I fancy a change, and I think I can get near enough what I paid for it after 26k miles.
But I find myself at a dilemma - a sort of heart and head dilemma
A lovely specced Golf R is currently for sale for a good price (3 door, manual, blue, prets - 58k miles for £13k) - I previously had a mk7 gti and it was great so I know I would really enjoy the R and it would suit my needs and wants very well, plus I'd save a bit of cash which I can put towards a house.
On the other hand, I could stretch my budget a bit and go for an m2/m4/cayman 981 or something more special around the £20-25k mark. However these are less practical, more hard core and would cost more to run, plus not maybe so ideal for the NE scotland weather and roads. But is it the time in life to just go for it before houses/families etc come along?
Does anyone have any words of wisdom? Should I stretch for a "proper" performance car and put up with the compromises or get the R and be happy with something different again and be great to drive, comfortable and cheaper to run?
Get the Cayman, I ran one as a daily for 2 years. Covered 20,000 miles across all 4 corners of the UK and utterly adored it. Running costs were only tyres and a service, very reliable and on a run you could get over 40mpg.
I only moved it on as I had done everything I wanted to do with it, chopped it in for an FK8 Type R which I love just as much.
I only moved it on as I had done everything I wanted to do with it, chopped it in for an FK8 Type R which I love just as much.
Obviously the running costs of a Cayman are going to be higher but its arguably one of the best sports cars ever made for the money really.
It it were to be a daily driver in all conditions the Golf probably makes more sense though and you can still have a lot of fun in it.
Problem for me with the M2/3/4 is how enjoyable they can be in the real world but your M140 can probably give you a good idea of that.
Maybe a few mods to the M140 would make it more enjoyable?
It it were to be a daily driver in all conditions the Golf probably makes more sense though and you can still have a lot of fun in it.
Problem for me with the M2/3/4 is how enjoyable they can be in the real world but your M140 can probably give you a good idea of that.
Maybe a few mods to the M140 would make it more enjoyable?
I'm in a similar place to you right now. I've had a Polo GTI for 3 years and fancy a change, so logically I started looking at the bigger hot hatches like Golf R/GTI's, but I also really like Caymans/M2's/etc. and feel like now is the right time - no kids or practicality requirements, working flexibly so no daily commute and so on.
My thoughts are that the M2/M4 are mega cars but possibly too much for the road most of the time, and don't feel particularly special unless you're pushing on, whereas the Cayman is a mid-engine Porsche and will feel special just sitting in it. A fast Golf of some sort won't be a car you'd regret, but is definitely the 'safe' option, and you might always be wondering 'what if'. An automotive version of the one that got away, especially if you end up in a place in life where you can't justify a sports car.
I'm yet to decide a winner between heart and head, so will be interested to see what other replies you get!
My thoughts are that the M2/M4 are mega cars but possibly too much for the road most of the time, and don't feel particularly special unless you're pushing on, whereas the Cayman is a mid-engine Porsche and will feel special just sitting in it. A fast Golf of some sort won't be a car you'd regret, but is definitely the 'safe' option, and you might always be wondering 'what if'. An automotive version of the one that got away, especially if you end up in a place in life where you can't justify a sports car.
I'm yet to decide a winner between heart and head, so will be interested to see what other replies you get!
I had a Golf R and and shortly after it I got an M4.
Golf R was great as a practical performance daily. Decent turn of speed (and plenty of people tune them to make them properly quick), reliable and did everything asked of it. However I can't hand on heart say it ever really felt as special to me as the M4 - in terms of performance, aesthetics (I'm a sucker for cars with flared arches and wider bodies), and general overall driving feel.
Life's too short, so I'd say get the M4/Cayman/etc now whilst you have the choice before you're forced into something that will fit in kids and dogs too.
Golf R was great as a practical performance daily. Decent turn of speed (and plenty of people tune them to make them properly quick), reliable and did everything asked of it. However I can't hand on heart say it ever really felt as special to me as the M4 - in terms of performance, aesthetics (I'm a sucker for cars with flared arches and wider bodies), and general overall driving feel.
Life's too short, so I'd say get the M4/Cayman/etc now whilst you have the choice before you're forced into something that will fit in kids and dogs too.
I daily a 981 and love it....Super comfortable ride, really nice cabin, great MPG, plenty quick enough and superb handling. It's also hugely practical for what it is, we often do the weekly shop in it. And occasionally a COSTCO run and them trolleys hold a lot!
Zero issues since i bought it in March 2025 and 8k miles since However, I'm waiting for a quote from a Porsche specialist for it's first service in my ownership which will include plugs on 54k miles. Happy to share that info on here if you want.
Zero issues since i bought it in March 2025 and 8k miles since However, I'm waiting for a quote from a Porsche specialist for it's first service in my ownership which will include plugs on 54k miles. Happy to share that info on here if you want.
Could you keep the BMW and get something cheaper on the side?
My bro has had his MX-5 for years... fancied a change so bought a Boxster. Loved it for a couple of months then ultimately decided it didn't offer enough over his Mazda so got rid. I guess, the MX-5 gave him enough of the top down experience he needed! Appreciate you didn't ask about convertibles, but just something different as an idea.
My bro has had his MX-5 for years... fancied a change so bought a Boxster. Loved it for a couple of months then ultimately decided it didn't offer enough over his Mazda so got rid. I guess, the MX-5 gave him enough of the top down experience he needed! Appreciate you didn't ask about convertibles, but just something different as an idea.
I had a Golf R for 2 years, it's a great car in that it does everything very well but it's very flat if you get me. Mine was remapped so bloody quick, especially from low speeds, but never really exciting apart from the acceleration and banging through the DSG. It felt like a normal hatchback that just happened to be really fast.
I'm getting much more enjoyment from my Jag XE S-about the same power but far more involving and exciting in dynamic mode and much comfier with everything dialled back.
I'm getting much more enjoyment from my Jag XE S-about the same power but far more involving and exciting in dynamic mode and much comfier with everything dialled back.
Thanks for the replies. I have been looking at Porsches and m cars for a while and would really like one - think it’d have to be manual though. Maybe I do just sell my m140i and hold out for one of them and stretch the budget while I can. I can always sell it soon after and probably lose little to no money on it if I need to I suppose. And a golf R would probably be a car I’d drive in years to come but maybe less so a Porsche or an m car.
Does anyone have any other suggestions they would recommend? Something exciting to drive but still useable and not ruinous to run
Does anyone have any other suggestions they would recommend? Something exciting to drive but still useable and not ruinous to run
CrippsCorner said:
Could you keep the BMW and get something cheaper on the side?
My bro has had his MX-5 for years... fancied a change so bought a Boxster. Loved it for a couple of months then ultimately decided it didn't offer enough over his Mazda so got rid. I guess, the MX-5 gave him enough of the top down experience he needed! Appreciate you didn't ask about convertibles, but just something different as an idea.
I have also considered selling the beemer, getting something cheaper and just keeping it over the summer for example. An mx5 could be a good option or like a 987 Boxster/cayman to tick the Porsche box. Then sell it on once I’ve had my fun and get something more sensible like a golf RMy bro has had his MX-5 for years... fancied a change so bought a Boxster. Loved it for a couple of months then ultimately decided it didn't offer enough over his Mazda so got rid. I guess, the MX-5 gave him enough of the top down experience he needed! Appreciate you didn't ask about convertibles, but just something different as an idea.
Couple of comments.
Firstly, all this "powerful cars are boring unless you're at 10/10ths" talk is rubbish.
I have a "too powerful" Giulia Quad and it's brilliant at any speeds. Even a trip to pick up the weekly shop is more of an event in the quad than most cars.
Took it round the NC500 a couple of years back. It was epic, and I didn't need to get it up to three digit speeds to love it.
In short if you want an M car, get one. Put some winter tyres on when appropriate and it'll be fine year round.
As an alternative, £25k seems to be about the bottom of the decent GR Yaris market.
That'd probably be my choice for year round performance in Scotland
Firstly, all this "powerful cars are boring unless you're at 10/10ths" talk is rubbish.
I have a "too powerful" Giulia Quad and it's brilliant at any speeds. Even a trip to pick up the weekly shop is more of an event in the quad than most cars.
Took it round the NC500 a couple of years back. It was epic, and I didn't need to get it up to three digit speeds to love it.
In short if you want an M car, get one. Put some winter tyres on when appropriate and it'll be fine year round.
As an alternative, £25k seems to be about the bottom of the decent GR Yaris market.
That'd probably be my choice for year round performance in Scotland
JQuattroCK said:
I have also considered selling the beemer, getting something cheaper and just keeping it over the summer for example. An mx5 could be a good option or like a 987 Boxster/cayman to tick the Porsche box. Then sell it on once I ve had my fun and get something more sensible like a golf R
I've considered a 987.1 to scratch that itch, and frankly scared away with the costs for maintaining them. I've got quite deep pockets, but spending £2-3k on the refresh of a few suspension components, or repairing something thats broken as its 20 years old, isnt my idea of fun.Had an MX5 that was 14 years old, and parts were cheap and was totally reliable. Biggest problem is rust.
I had one of the very first Mk7 GTI’s and moved on to an M2. I’ve since moved on cars again.
Can honestly say the M2 is a fantastic car. It’s a proper laugh to drive day to day and I really miss it. I daily drove mine, done track days and proper trips and it was honestly faultless. Day to day it’s a car that loves to be naughty and won’t hesitate to give you oversteer with a fantastic sound basically a grown up RWD Fiesta ST.
The OG N55 (2018 and older) cars are bulletproof and will have basically identical costs to your M140i but offer a significantly improved driving experience. M2 Comp and M4 with S55 engine jump massively in costs.
Numbers on paper are modest but on the road the performance gap versus my remapped GTI was massive. A lot of people really don’t understand how fast M cars are compared to most other cars. On track the M2 is fantastic really well balanced and predictable.
Negatives are boring interior, really loud exhaust and stiff ride round town. For winter you’ll need proper winter wheels and tyres (pick up cheap used) and you’ll have no issues with snow. Also very high skill requirement to drive fast in a world where everyone now likes AWD so they can pretend they are a fast driver (as a bang average driver).
Really recommend a test drive in one!
Can honestly say the M2 is a fantastic car. It’s a proper laugh to drive day to day and I really miss it. I daily drove mine, done track days and proper trips and it was honestly faultless. Day to day it’s a car that loves to be naughty and won’t hesitate to give you oversteer with a fantastic sound basically a grown up RWD Fiesta ST.
The OG N55 (2018 and older) cars are bulletproof and will have basically identical costs to your M140i but offer a significantly improved driving experience. M2 Comp and M4 with S55 engine jump massively in costs.
Numbers on paper are modest but on the road the performance gap versus my remapped GTI was massive. A lot of people really don’t understand how fast M cars are compared to most other cars. On track the M2 is fantastic really well balanced and predictable.
Negatives are boring interior, really loud exhaust and stiff ride round town. For winter you’ll need proper winter wheels and tyres (pick up cheap used) and you’ll have no issues with snow. Also very high skill requirement to drive fast in a world where everyone now likes AWD so they can pretend they are a fast driver (as a bang average driver).
Really recommend a test drive in one!
If you know and can afford the costs of the Porsche (and don't need the practicality) - then Cayman all the way. But then, I get tired of seeing all the pop-pop Golf R's driven by d
heads near me which taints my view of them, I suppose.
heads near me which taints my view of them, I suppose. zippy3x said:
Couple of comments.
Firstly, all this "powerful cars are boring unless you're at 10/10ths" talk is rubbish.
I have a "too powerful" Giulia Quad and it's brilliant at any speeds. Even a trip to pick up the weekly shop is more of an event in the quad than most cars.
I mean, I'd disagree and it's the reason I sold my Quad. It was a beautiful car, and incredibly easy to drive, but lacking the drama unless in race mode and pushing on .... but pushing on in 500bhp gets you to silly speeds very, very quickly. To top it off, it never felt like you were going as quickly as you were either. For context, this was a 2020 which are apparently more refined than the earlier 16/17 models I believe.....also stepped in from a 4C, so again, context.Firstly, all this "powerful cars are boring unless you're at 10/10ths" talk is rubbish.
I have a "too powerful" Giulia Quad and it's brilliant at any speeds. Even a trip to pick up the weekly shop is more of an event in the quad than most cars.
I ve had an M2 Comp and a 981 Boxster (for 7 years!), my thoughts.
M2 was dull as dishwater, and in manual the anti stall ruins the low speed driving experience.
981 was absolutely epic, a truly phenomenal engine and a very capable chassis. A wonderful car all around, but for 15k/yr that s a lot of miles on a car creeping up on an age where things start to go wrong.
Personally, I d go down the Golf for your use case, focus on the house and have a goal of the 981 as a special occasion car a few years down the line when the house is sorted.
M2 was dull as dishwater, and in manual the anti stall ruins the low speed driving experience.
981 was absolutely epic, a truly phenomenal engine and a very capable chassis. A wonderful car all around, but for 15k/yr that s a lot of miles on a car creeping up on an age where things start to go wrong.
Personally, I d go down the Golf for your use case, focus on the house and have a goal of the 981 as a special occasion car a few years down the line when the house is sorted.
Proper M cars are all great but, if you only need two seats, the Caymen is the only proper sports car. Will offer a completely different driving experience compared to your recent cars.
If you will be encountering snow and ice for several months a year the Golf R will be quickest and safest (and a bit dull compared to the others). My G87 M2 in the cold and wet loses traction when my foot is barely touching the throttle pedal, whereas my wife's Golf GTi is much more sure footed.
Maybe winter tyres for the Caymen?
If you will be encountering snow and ice for several months a year the Golf R will be quickest and safest (and a bit dull compared to the others). My G87 M2 in the cold and wet loses traction when my foot is barely touching the throttle pedal, whereas my wife's Golf GTi is much more sure footed.
Maybe winter tyres for the Caymen?
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