The Old "what Car?" Game

[mowflow 67]

Having changed jobs my mileage has dropped from 400 miles a week to about 10 miles a week. Therefor "renting" an over priced German uber taxi no longer made any sense so i've taken a f***ing bath in the depreciation and handed it back.

 

With my wallet still stinging I've set myself a top limit of £10k for something else. Requirements are drivers car, fun, fast, makes cool noises, not too fragile (I need to know that when i go out and turn the key it won't give me grief, the odd broken part is acceptable) would be handy if it can take 2 very small children although not a deal breaker as their are other cars in the drive, garage, hidden from the wife at friends houses etc.

 

Not wanting to give away my considerations so far so anyone got any suggestions?

[Ryan 99]

Honda Civic?

[dcc 855]

10k for a fun car, I'd be considering an Evo 9 and then some money to make it a bit more pokey

 

A friend had a 7 with a few basic mods taking it to 390 ish bhp - the laugh factor was mental with the shear pace of the car.

[Jon_Bmw 13]

E46 M3 with a couple of grand to one side for emergencies.

[Malc 45]

£10k gets a late nineties 996 Porsche 911, come on that must be worth a look!! Ok running cost might be high but what the hell it's a 911.

[welshpug 1,657]

205

[mowflow 67]

I actually did think about getting another (actually running) 205 but its probably harder to find than anything else I can think of.

 

E46 m3 is the current front runner. Not sure about highly boosted jap stuff. I just imagine a lot of time fannying about with turbo related nonsense.

 

Might look at an integra. Have had several ep3s but don't feel like another and the fn2 does nothing for me.

 

The IMS Porsche thing doesn't scare me so 911 would be OK. Just can't find one with a decent interior/exterior combo for that money.

[welshpug 1,657]

How about an M5, you'll get an usable 34 or a 39 for 10k easily.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

Less than that Welsh, a mate of mine has recently bought a V8 E39 for less than half of that budget.

[nveeate 78]

BMW 130i?

[Jon_Bmw 13]

Both e34 and e39 m5s can be ruinous if you get a bad one. Even good ones will chew money. A big end knock turned into a 7k engine build on an s38b38 for someone I know. Parts prices are frightening and usually specific bmw on the 3.8. Probably the worst 'common' thing an e46 m3 could do is split the boot floor. It's a 1500 fix.

[eddie bullit 37]

Honda DC5 / Renault R26 / Boxster / MX5 BBR turbo / Holden HSV.

[2-Pugs 57]

E39 M5. One of the best all rounders out there. A future classic. I speak from happy experience

[HERMAN 33]

Monaro vxr ?

[willis 18 1 Cars]

Do not go near an E39 M5! I had a 535 and it needed something replacing every month. It was a lovely car but just sooooooooo expensive.

[2-Pugs 57]

You must have been unlucky Will!

[Rams_gti6 12 1 Cars]

Focus st, ticks all your boxes. Get a nice one for less than 10k aswel

[mowflow 67]

Seems to be a lot of love for the BMW line here. I've had a few BMWs over the years but have never had an M. I think I might have to scratch that itch. I know 2 guys that have had e39 M5s and neither had major problems. That proves nothing apart from their luck I suppose.

 

I think if a Monaro pops up close enough for a test drive I'll be on it like stink on s*ite.

[mowflow 67]

Love this.

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201406104901037/sort/locasc/usedcars/postcode/g37pj/make/bmw/model/m5/radius/1500/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/price-to/11000/page/2?logcode=p

 

Would it ruin me?

[welshpug 1,657]

nice, though its not a proper "M5", so doesn't have the expense that most later M cars have over their lesser variants, it wont cost much more than a 520 to fix.

[Simes 248 2 Cars]

Another fan of BMW here, can be expensive to own........

 

How about a 540i? Or 545??

Cheap (but thirsty)

[Jon_Bmw 13]

Its not what I would call a proper M5 as it doesn't have the Motorsport 4v per cylinder engine. Proper e28 m5s are circa 20k now. The one in your link has the m30 12v boat anchor. A nice enough thing but don't let anyone tell you it is like an m5.

 

If you are going to get an M it has to have the Motorsport engine. The S54 in the e46 is arguably the best of any M engine. I am biased as I have that engine in an M Coupe though! Touch wood now that most will have either had rod bearing recalls or blown to smitherines in an earlier life, so now they are quite reliable. Not bad for over 100bhp per litre and something that will nudge 200k miles.

[Jon_Bmw 13]

I was too slow typing on my phone.

 

I have had a manual e39 540i and it was a brilliant car. I had it 2.5 years and did 25k mikes in it. I spent circa £700 over that time keeping it together. Nothing expensive broke, just an accumulation of things really so I think I did quite well. Although I did all the jobs myself otherwise the labour costs would have made the jobs very expensive. Its no M car and struggles to hide its weight in corners.

[Tom Fenton 1,542]

I love my E61 535d. One day I will own an E60 V10 M5

[jackherer 543]

I've got an E39 540i 4.4 V8 that had low mileage and FSH when I got it but as others have said it has a constant trickle of broken expensive parts, nothing serious but there is always something. I also do all the jobs myself and it would be way too expensive if I was paying someone else. It's a nice enough car but nothing special and it's surprisingly fragile.