Hi gents
Few petrol heads on here so I thought I'd share my problem in the hope that more brains are better than one!
I'm looking to acquire a new toy: something quick, preferably convertible and preferably a solid investment. Budget is up to £60k.
A bit more about me: I grew up racing motocross and bought my first fast car at 23 - a lovely z3m that I shouldn't have sold, I then rattled through a Noble M12, track spec lotus elise 111s and have recently sold a lovely tvr Tamora with tuscan s engine
Suffice to say and with all due respect, I'm not into a pose mobile maserati or Aston. I would consider a ferrari 360 but I don't like the ferrari image.
I'm currently considering
Another tvr (I can't quite rationalise a sagaris but could get on board with tuscan or a 4.5 Cerb)
Aforementioned ferrari 360
Lotus exige S1 (there is a nice supercharged Honda powered one for sale but they're a bit basic for the money)
I also have a bit of a soft spot for classics (xk150, old Aston, ferrari 328)
Would prefer to steer clear from porsche (911 obvious choice), merc, bmw, audi r8 etc and must be rear wheel drive and preferably manual
Any ideas greatly appreciated
I know you said you aren’t interested in Porsche but have you seen th e new Cayman?
We (3 TVR owners) were looking at one at Le Mans Classic a couple of weeks ago and it’s a seriously nice looking car.
Of the old skool stuff - Healey 3000
Not so old - Honda S2000 is a real bargain and bullet proof except for stone chips
Something really different - Ultima Can-Am
Last edited by barreti; 20th July 2018 at 05:41.
I was very tempted by an ultima that a friend of mine had for sale - stunning car but vetoed by every female in my life hahaha.Originally Posted by barreti
I haven't actually driven the new cayman, my best mate has a 981 cayman s and it's a nice car. I'll check out the new cayman even if it is a turbo
Love the Healey idea...
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Last edited by oliverte; 20th July 2018 at 05:58.
V12 E-Type
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
For £60k?
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Or Lynx?
'Against stupidity, the gods themselves struggle in vain' - Schiller.
I know it’s a Porsche but....
Boxster Spyder?
3,4 litre
320bhp
Rwd
Inflation proof?
Last edited by GOAT; 20th July 2018 at 08:26.
AC Cobra Replica
Nearly new Mustang GT Convertible, then pour money into it until you run out.
Ariel Atom
If you can find one a Carver One. Not fast but more fun than should be allowed.
Hmm could be pushing it.
n2
"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. The third time it's enemy action."
'Populism, the last refuge of a Tory scoundrel'.
If 308 / 328 are in budget id go for that. Practical useable performance, relatively cheap to maintain, from an age before Ferraris were naff and can only go one way (unless the whole classic car bubble bursts).
The Boxster Spyder is very nice..... though I'm biased against Porsche after a rubbish dealer experience :-(
I'd also consider an Exige but, new, they are starting to look very silly money and probably a bit too extreme.
What about a very nearly new Evora 400?
Full fat Jag F type convertible
Of course there is a 600 bhp Noble M400, if you could live with one, but 60k won’t cut it now
Last edited by adrianw; 20th July 2018 at 08:57.
I like the porsche spyder - special car
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308 might be doable!
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You mention a preference against a newer Aston, but I have to say the standard V8 Vantage is the car by which I now judge all others.
Engaging when required and forgiving when not, comfortable, surprisingly practical and plenty fast (although not to the extent that it constantly goads you into losing your licence - you'll want the V12 for that).
My dad's had an N400 from new and its never missed a beat - the only cars he's owned that have been more reliable have been Hondas.
Plus I'd have said its on the subtle side of some of the options suggested, rather than being "posey".
Covette Z06....
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...z-2016/8810004
Or classic C3 Vette...
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...-miles/7992366
If I were looking for something old school it’d have to be a TR5 or possibly a TR6 at a push but I prefer the 5...
Atoms are a hoot short term , the ferrari is a solid safe bet but the servicing would shy me away . I was looking at something similar then gave up considering i was only going to do 2k ish a year . I still keep pondering over a 996 turbo though
The 4wd leaves me a bit cold... A bit soulless to drive but an absolute rocket no doubt
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1960's Sunbeam Tiger
Basically an Alpine but Carroll Shelby shoehorned a small block ford V8 and the Rootes group sold it as a Tiger, primarily for the US/Overseas markets.
I'd imagine it would be a solid investment you are looking for, but I would be biased in that personal opinion ;)
Not generally well known amongst classic car buffs, and £60k would pick you up a real nice sorted example.
What about the Jaguar F Type?
There are a plenty of convertibles on Autotrader, from well within to bang on budget, depending on how much power you want available to your right foot.
I was looking at these this morning!1960's Sunbeam Tiger
Basically an Alpine but Carroll Shelby shoehorned a small block ford V8 and the Rootes group sold it as a Tiger, primarily for the US/Overseas markets.
I'd imagine it would be a solid investment you are looking for, but I would be biased in that personal opinion ;)
Not generally well known amongst classic car buffs, and £60k would pick you up a real nice sorted example.
My mother had a sunbeam alpine in red that I used to go to school in!
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These were peanuts ten or so years ago - yet another car I wish I'd bought when I had the chance!
OP what will you use it for? I took a Honda S1 Elise around the North Coast 500 in early June and it was a hoot but I'd rather have been in something quieter.
If you are looking to track the car the exige is the best of your list, peanuts on consumables because it's so light and it's the only one that will really deliver in terms of feel etc. But... it's not a convertible as you wanted, and if you buy an exige I'd keep it standard, fitting a Honda in it long term will kill some of its investment potential.
If you want purely a fast road car and not a Porsche, how about a used Aston Martin or Bentley GT cabrio for your budget?
Personally I'd consider slashing the budget and get a Z4M roadster for 20k, it won't lose a lot of money and you have a healthy reserve to tweak/maintain it.
Depends what you want from a car. I have a very modified Healey which looks mostly standard but goes a lot faster, is lighter, has handling, brake and wheel upgrades and drives superbly. It's not fast compared to something new but the steering is heavy, it constantly tries to throw you off the road, doesn't have seatbelts, the brakes aren't great (and lock up easily), it doesn't have much grip, all the controls (steering, gearbox, pedals) are pretty primitive and unassisted and any kind of accident wouldn't look pretty. There's nothing quite like spanking the hell out of it on some country roads and with the right upgrades (not that difficult to do) you can make the car work really well (the engine sits behind the front axle and it's a very planted car anyway) and I get more of a thrill from driving it than I have in pretty much everything else I've ever driven.
On the other hand I have (here it comes!) a modified MX-5 which so far has had the best (adjustable) dampers (about £800), brakes (£120 for pads - standard discs are fine due to weight), lightweight wheels and decent tyres (about £800 again), the best plug-and-play ECU (£600) and a few other bits and pieces done. It needs an LSD (it's a UK car and came with an open diff) and then a TD04 turbo from a Subaru plus a decent manifold etc and you have 240bhp with a few things to play with on the ECU like launch control and you can even make the exhaust crackle and pop if you want to sound like a c0ck. I'm going for 180bhp as standard and the full 240 at the touch of a sport button. In a car weighing about 950kg (remove the roof and passenger seat and it's closer to 900) you can imagine how well that goes.
You do tend to be in one of two groups when it comes to the Mazda's image, it usually comes down to whether you care or not. I can't get past the power-to-weight ratio on a car that weighs so little and handles so well. And once it's turbocharged I'll have a choice of ways to try to fall off a road backwards!
Incidentally I also drive a friend's XK120 and it's neither as fast as the Healey nor as involving to drive. Sure, you can pull up its petticoats and spank its pert little bottom but it's not particularly satisfying for either of you. I would imagine a 150 would be even less happy about it. If you haven't tried or lived with a classic car you should think very hard about one as an alternative to a 360, Exige or similar. It's a completely different type of car and requires a completely different approach to driving. I have thought about buying some standard 4 1/2" wide wire wheels and having crossply tyres fitted and then going off drifting round roundabouts and driving it as it would have been driven in the 1950s but it's probably a little bit too silly on modern roads populated with so many ABS-equipped SUVs. Plus you find with old cars people see the old car rather than the speed you're travelling and pull out right in front of you...
Last edited by Foxy100; 20th July 2018 at 15:44.
"A man of little significance"
An Evora Sport 410?
This is a beauty albeit a little over budget - https://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...om-new/8471476
Understated, no image/ponce factor to deal with, light, fast (300bhp/tonne+), sounds great and looks beautiful.
AND HERE IT IS!
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...t-spec/8874182
and a write up that reads pretty well.....
https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/...-pdk/road-test
Last edited by GOAT; 20th July 2018 at 16:41.
I'm biased but a VX220 is a solid car to put money into and none of the reliability issues that the rover K series will give you.
There are three options, the NA (150bhp) which will make you work for the speed but is bombproof. The turbo which will be a great road car, has 197bhp and a load of torque. Then the VXR which is the pinnacle model, limited to 65 cars originally and comes with some nice seats and other trick bits.
If you go for the NA, you can later supercharge it to 250bhp easily or buy one already done. Then you have all the performance of the exige, convertible and cheap to maintain.
I've owned my NA for 8 years and it's a great car. Supercharged it 18 months ago and really enjoy it.
The car isn't as practical as your normal golf clud lugger type car but is an absolute hoot to drive. You won't need to commit as much to purchase it but it'll give you all of the enjoyment that the full Lotus variant would. I've thought about changing mine a few times to something more Lotus but every time I go round the options the only car that offers enough difference and similar power is a 2-11.
I've thought about the v8 vantage a couple of times as a fun car but the ones I've driven have felt a bit slow. They aren't a slow car but in comparison the VX and my daily (BMW 335i Coupe), they just aren't fast enough to justify the extra they would cost. Other option would be an old 911 and then back date. A bit of a project but I think quite rewarding. Prices seem to be steadily going up with the likes of 911Rennsport and Project9 doing the conversion to a donor car.
I keep having notions of changing the VX but unless I spend mega money, there isn't really much that will give the same power to weight, same fun factor but without the poser first image. Plus modern cars all seem a bit dull now. Perhaps some sort of x63 type car from Mercedes. But then they're a bit to GT-like.
Actually, the list for a replacement is:
Lotus 2-11
Ariel Nomad
911 back date
Top contributions everyone - I've got some more research to do
Im just off to have a razz in my mates exige 350 s. Will report back
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I really like the look of the s3 exige but the tales of gear box issues are scary. Think someone was quoted 5k to replace a clutch recently. Mad when you think it's just a toyota part.
Dare I say it, the auto with the latest software appeals a bit.
Right on budget
https://auction.catawiki.com/kavels/...a-427-s-c-1967
Lots of good suggestions already but as above, important to pin down the exact type of use you're likely to have.
Given your history of cars and attitude to Aston/Maser, I really think you'd be underwhelmed by a 360. It will pale in comparison to the speed and feel of the Noble and probably won't be a thrilling as your TVR. That's in addition to the fact that it doesn't sound to your taste in appearance and will be very expensive to run. It does sound good though, especially with a Tubi or Capristo, much better than an F430.
I would forget the solid investment bit with a newer 350 or 380. Too many variants and LEs.
I know you say you don’t like the Ferrari image but have you thought about a 355, they can be had for £60k but prices are on the way up. I don’t think they have the same image issues as the 360. And if you like the 328 then I can only imagine you quite like it.
Pretty sure that’s the way I would go if I were in your super fortunate position!
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God that’s stunning!!!
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Man after my own heart. I've had my VX 6 years and 4 of them supercharged. About 260bhp and can lap Spa in 3 minutes. For 10-15k I think they are unbeatable value.
Prices for the F355 have been on the up for the last 4/5 years- IMO they have peaked and could start to drop- At 60k you’ll only get a F1 car which is not really a ‘drivers’ car, bit of a knack to driving them. Manual is the way to go but you’ll spend a considerable amount more for a nice one.I know you say you don’t like the Ferrari image but have you thought about a 355, they can be had for £60k but prices are on the way up. I don’t think they have the same image issues as the 360. And if you like the 328 then I can only imagine you quite like it.
Pretty sure that’s the way I would go if I were in your super fortunate position!
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I've had a good long drive on twisty Scottish roads in both generation boxster spyders and what amazed me most was how similar to a boxster S they felt. I really don't think they're worth the premium.
Possibly be sent to petrolhead hell for this but I thought the 981 Cayman S was much more fun.
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Exige V6 with a budget of £60k. Get a used one inthe £40k to £45k bracket and you won't lose much in depreciation. Any colour but yellow, the yellows seem hard to shift. (I've been watching the classifieds for quite a while on these).
Or an Evora if you've not had one. S, Sports Racer or even better the 400.
This is the forum of below £20k = MX5 and above £20k = Porsche. I actually concur 100%, this is just sound advice.
Honda NSX?
I know Porsche isn’t your thing but for £60k I can’t get past;
1) 911 back date based on a 90’s air cooled 911
2) Any air cooled 911
3) Porsche Spyder
Yep I like Porsche. Watch some of the Magnus Walker stuff on You Tube. Classic 911’s and back dates are a safe and fun place to put your money
Escort cosworth
M3 csl
Ya not likely to loose any money
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Unless I have missed it , the one that might tick all your boxes is an Audi R8.
I would be seriously considering one if a two seater wasn’t currently a no go for me.
Comparatively rare, but very well sorted tech and with a glorious engine. Fantastic to drive also.
So clever my foot fell off.
I don’t doubt it- but the point was ( I thought) to buy something which had the broader appeal of rarity/unusual and a bit more overall ownership pleasure, along with the hope of retained value
In this respect I reckon a Spyder might be a good bet?
Maintenance costs for these are much higher than the 360 / 430. I love the 355 for its looks but couldn't forgive its running costs for the performance it provides.I know you say you don’t like the Ferrari image but have you thought about a 355, they can be had for £60k but prices are on the way up. I don’t think they have the same image issues as the 360. And if you like the 328 then I can only imagine you quite like it.
Pretty sure that’s the way I would go if I were in your super fortunate position!
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The exige was fabulous but exactly like my old elise inside. I was expecting a little more creature comforts (okay it has aircon and electric windows now...)
How about a porsche 996 gt3?
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Which company would you recommend for the back dated/restomod air cooled 911? I have been looking at PS recently, but not sure who has a good reputation. I am not talking Singer money, but within the OP's original budget request.
Honda NSX or one of these bad boys
https://www.pistonheads.com/classifi...wer-sv/7186917
I love the TR5 as well. I had one until not long ago but sold it in a rising market. Cost me around £20k and they are worth well over double now. She was in Valencia Blue ..
I had a 987 Boxster S, a great car but didn't get enough use so just sold that but missed, particularly in this weather!
I started looking at the XJS v12s. These are around £20k and am certain this is going to be a future classic.
Mk 2 Audi TTS or RS
Bullet proof and very quick every day all weather cars. The RS is rare and sounds amazing.
TTS
where to upload pictures online
TTRS
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