With £6.5k To Spend, What Would You Buy?

[kyepan 291]

Early Porsche boxster?

before the balancer shaft problems

 

Porsches best kept secret.

[Richy_cti 0]

if its for your lady get the mx5 of a rag top TT you got to remember it has to be pretty lol

[kyepan 291]

mx5 bbs turbo... perhaps, not too barry'd up though.

 

bit of a sleeper.

Edited July 16, 2010 by kyepan

[ninjasid 0]

BMW 3 series E46... the M3 or even the 330 which is really nice but not as expensive to run and service!

[gtmotorsport 0]

Another vote for BMW (3 series), I can say from my experience that you will probably only ever lift the bonnect to service and clean. As much fun as the Mini is to drive the loan car Mini I had when my BMW was in for a service went mad when it rained. It sat on my parents drive locking and unlocking itself until they came and picked up.

 

Stay away from petrol turbos if you don't want to have another car to work on. Always wanted an Impreza Type R, but not the bills of insurance, running costs, parts, etc before you get into engine rebuilding.

[weejp 0]

Another vote for BMW. but this time a 1 series.

 

We recently purchased a 118d, and I've been very happy with it. RWD fun, practical and looks the business, I understand not everyone's cup of tea, but they've grown on me over the years. Very reasonable running costs, and even has a start button - great novelty at first...

 

You should be able to get one on your budget, if you look hard enough.

[jimistdt 1]

Perhaps madame would like a Civic Type-R with Recaro seats and a rather ostentatious spoiler for £6,100?

 

Edited July 16, 2010 by jimistdt

[AJA_GTi 0]

mx5 bbs turbo... perhaps, not too barry'd up though.

 

bit of a sleeper.

 

Is this a special edition or aftermarket installation? Do you know the power output from these?

 

Cheers,

[kyepan 291]

Is this a special edition or aftermarket installation? Do you know the power output from these?

 

Cheers,

bit of both

 

http://www.mx5-3rdgenerationlimited.com/bbrturbo.htm

 

imagine you did a turbo conversion very well, with proper mapping, careful installation, decent intercooling etc, that's what you get.

 

The 1.6 is rev happy. (i have a 1.6) wind it up and it sings.. it just lacks a bit of mid range... hence ripe for a turbo conversion.

 

Audi TT 1.8T 1999, 177bhp, 1340kgs = 132BHP per tonne

 

BBR 1.5 MX-5, 150bhp, 985kgs = 152BHP per tonne

 

makes sense to me.

[maturin23 10]

Tom - she wants a MINI.

 

I love all the suggestions so far, but she's a woman and she wants a MINI.

 

She'll buy a MINI.

[Atari Boy 11]

Tom - she wants a MINI.

 

I love all the suggestions so far, but she's a woman and she wants a MINI.

 

She'll buy a MINI.

 

100% agree. It a done deal, don't try and fight it - you will loose.

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

I would be inclined to agree, but it is nice to get some other comparable suggestions.

 

She isn't keen on a soft top for some reason, even though I think she would quite like it.

 

She also isn't a fan of "most" of the hot hatches- too many chavs round here I think taint the image for her.

 

We'll see, but I won't be suprised to see a CooperS on the drive before too long.

[TT205 42]

Main thing I'd say is that unless she is the opposite to Daxed superb 'woman driver' description then I wouldn't encourage her towards high power rear wheel drive

[AJA_GTi 0]

bit of both

 

http://www.mx5-3rdgenerationlimited.com/bbrturbo.htm

 

imagine you did a turbo conversion very well, with proper mapping, careful installation, decent intercooling etc, that's what you get.

 

The 1.6 is rev happy. (i have a 1.6) wind it up and it sings.. it just lacks a bit of mid range... hence ripe for a turbo conversion.

 

Audi TT 1.8T 1999, 177bhp, 1340kgs = 132BHP per tonne

 

BBR 1.5 MX-5, 150bhp, 985kgs = 152BHP per tonne

 

makes sense to me.

 

Interesting reading - cheers,

 

(ps i can only imagine doing a good turbo conversion lol)

[kyepan 291]

Main thing I'd say is that unless she is the opposite to Daxed superb 'woman driver' description then I wouldn't encourage her towards high power rear wheel drive

 

as Anthony once said to me, you could read a book before you have to dial in the opposite lock on an mx-5, you really can't spin them unless your doing something incredibly stupid.

 

 

Say for instance, launching it off a roundabout onto a motorway sliproad at about 50 in the pissing rain when its wearing pirelli p6000s, then stamping on the throttle as hard as you can.... then it might come round on you a bit sharpish.

 

cough.

 

 

But as ian says... if she wants a mini... you're going to end up with a mini, just make sure you get the later 16v turbo version, not the earlier Chrysler 8v push rod supercharged thing... they were rubbish, and DRANK the fuel.

 

J

[Paulmac19 4]

Hi Tom you could always stick a few quid to it and buy her this Pistonheads link

just tell her you couldn't help yourself she will understand

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

But as ian says... if she wants a mini... you're going to end up with a mini, just make sure you get the later 16v turbo version, not the earlier Chrysler 8v push rod supercharged thing... they were rubbish, and DRANK the fuel.

 

J

 

Was looking at buying a Cooper S a few months back, £6.5k won't get you the new one with the turbo, only the supercharged one.

 

I decided against it, but, like a few people have said, if she wants a mini she will get a mini!

 

Something to note about them, if you were thinking of getting a Cooper rather than the S is that the engine in the ONE is the same as Cooper. The ECU in the One is programmed to open the throttle by 68%, so with a remap, it is basically exactly the same performance, upping it from 90 to 115 Bhp. Ridiculous, but true! So might be worth getting a newer Mini One and putting a set of alloys on it, they are quite a lot cheaper.

 

In the end, I thought outside the box and bought a Mercedes CLK - not sure if that would float her boat, but my mrs loves it, in fact, she is 'out for a drive' now! Your budget would stretch to a new shape one, probably a manual, probably a 200K or a 270D. Best car I have ever owned.

[GLPoomobile 958]

Have been following this topic, and I find it hard to believe that some of the suggestions here can be had for £6.5k. Are people just throwing any suggestion in to the ring here, or can you really get stuff like E46 M3s and Porsche Boxsters for that money? I haven't checked it out, but I'm doubtful

[TurboSam 5]

Hi Tom you could always stick a few quid to it and buy her this Pistonheads link

just tell her you couldn't help yourself she will understand

 

Lovely 205, nice mark up too - it sold on ebay only a couple of weeks ago for £3.2k!

[hexhamstu 9]

Hi Tom you could always stick a few quid to it and buy her this Pistonheads link

just tell her you couldn't help yourself she will understand

Shouldn't have phase 2 lights?

[Paulmac19 4]

Lovely 205, nice mark up too - it sold on ebay only a couple of weeks ago for £3.2k!

 

I wondered if that was the same one hes not greedy nice profit if you can get it!

In that case you better hurry up Tom this will be £10.000 next week

[GLPoomobile 958]

Shouldn't have phase 2 lights?

 

My white 89 F reg (ex) 1.6 has ph2 lights as well. I would have assumed they'd been converted, but I have photos of it from when it was owned by a previous anally retentive owner and it was in pretty much concourse OE condition (right down to the tractor ride height), and had the PH2 lights then, too. So I don't think it was converted as the guy obviously went to great lengths to keep it standard and exceptionally clean.

 

89 was the mix 'n' match year though.

[DaveW 6]

Have been following this topic, and I find it hard to believe that some of the suggestions here can be had for £6.5k. Are people just throwing any suggestion in to the ring here, or can you really get stuff like E46 M3s and Porsche Boxsters for that money? I haven't checked it out, but I'm doubtful

 

Real early boxsters ive seen from about 5k+ like a 97 2.5..

[mainline 2 1 Cars]

Have been following this topic, and I find it hard to believe that some of the suggestions here can be had for £6.5k. Are people just throwing any suggestion in to the ring here, or can you really get stuff like E46 M3s and Porsche Boxsters for that money? I haven't checked it out, but I'm doubtful

 

E46 M3, no chance.

 

Boxster, yes absolutely.