£15k fun car...what's your choice

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empzb

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Bit of fun/may help me narrow down some options while the GTS fund grows a bit.
If you were going to spend upto £15k with smiles for miles in mind, what would it be?

Mine... probably a 370z. After having a 350 years ago, it was a hoot - so while not having driven the later model if it's slightly better in every way, I cant imagine it not being a good laugh (although the 350 was also so flawed in many ways and b roads were a nightmare!). The way you could get the back out almost on demand, the sound it made and the event of it all was a great smile per mile car.
 
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mgtsroar

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I had a 350z with nismo kit when they first came out!! Pre ordered it and waited for 6 months for it to arrive! It was my first car after uni and I loved the noise and fun drifting it round corners! Didn't keep it long though as it kept having problems with the infotainment system and sold it after 18 months for an sl500 which didnt handle quite as well:) .... still miss the 350Z!!
 
JonW

JonW

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Great question...

… if purely as a toy car (so something else is the daily), then I’d consider:

Porsche Boxster
Lotus Elise
BMW Z4M
 
rockits

rockits

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9,179
I bought a fully refurbished TVR Chimaera 500 for about that kind of money. It weighs 1060kg has 320bhp and zero driver aids so plenty of fun. Not so much around these days still with that old school and analogue feel with a whacking great big Rover V8 to boot.

MX-5?

Depends what kind of thing you are looking for really as there is tons around but all very different.
 
alfatwo

alfatwo

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allandwf said:
My remapped Abarth 595 Competizione. Over 225bhp and 285lbs torque in a tiny thing!
Click to expand...
Tell me more Al... I was thinking of buying one. Is it reliable with that kind of boost pressure.
That must be well over 1.2 bar!
That would wipe the floor with any old Maser..

Dave
 
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alfatwo

alfatwo

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5,517
They are nice looking cars Andy..

But my dad would turn in his grave if I ever bought a German car!

Dave
 
lifes2short

lifes2short

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2009/10 ford focus 2.5 RS not quite down to 15k but close and hold their value well now, you'll certainly get some smiles from one of those
 
jayblue

jayblue

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452
Lotus Elise. A light, well balanced car with less power that needs to be driven hard is always the most fun in my experience. Just make sure you can get in and out ok first!

If you have any sort of an eye on practicality, creature comforts or need to use it as a daily driver just go for the best hot hatch you can get for 15K (or less)

Pretty hard to choose a bad one so just pick the one that mixes speed, handling, equipment and refinement best for you.
 
Andyk

Andyk

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61,189
JonW said:
Great question...

… if purely as a toy car (so something else is the daily), then I’d consider:

Porsche Boxster
Lotus Elise
BMW Z4M
Click to expand...

What Jon said......Elise is probably the most fun you can gave for 15k......I would also add a QP Sport GTS and maybe an AMG SLK55, C63 AMG (lots of fun with that power to the rear wheels), BMW M3 V8, BMW E46 M3.......Mini Copper Works GP ( 2 seat model)...Abarth 695.....So many great cars in this price bracket now.
 
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empzb

Member
Messages
229
Andyk said:
What Jon said......Elise is probably the most fun you can gave for 15k......I would also add a QP Sport GTS and maybe an AMG SLK55, C63 AMG (lots of fun with that power to the rear wheels), BMW M3 V8, BMW E46 M3.......Mini Copper Works GP ( 2 seat model)...Abarth 695.....So many great cars in this price bracket now.
Click to expand...

Yup, 15k gets a lot of car!
 
E

empzb

Member
Messages
229
rockits said:
I bought a fully refurbished TVR Chimaera 500 for about that kind of money. It weighs 1060kg has 320bhp and zero driver aids so plenty of fun. Not so much around these days still with that old school and analogue feel with a whacking great big Rover V8 to boot.

MX-5?

Depends what kind of thing you are looking for really as there is tons around but all very different.
Click to expand...

For me, the old school feel and engagement are what make cars 'fun'. Big power doesnt hugely excite me, I'm more of a hoom around at legal speeds (sideways when the mood takes me) making them most of my senses, be it steering feedback, sounds, changing gears, smell of petrol, wondering what that sound was etc. Actually a TVR really fits that bill.

One of the most fun cars I've driven was a 80s fiat panda. Absolute death trap but could have foot down wherever, hear and felt everything, cornered like it was going to fall over so needed to be awake if you did try to make it move. Up there is also a mk2 fiesta with no brakes (friend didnt tell me it was only handbrake or engine braking ffs).

Most newer cars are too competent, refined, insulated. Probably why the 370z appeals as its older tech, agricultural in comparison to most newer metal.
 
F

foibles

Member
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511
Not had the 370z but had a few of its siblings... Both the mundane skyline v35 350 and the significantly better 370, which if you get it in SP model variant has a heck of a lot of fruit for limited outlay. The vh37 is miles above the 35, as with the 370z. Like the 370z, its a coupe, but there's also the same car under the maligned Infiniti badge called the G37 which can be had in coupe or convertible.

But for me it would be the

Toyota MR2 sw20 turbo 5spd...series 4 or 5. Should preserve its value making that GTS fund less depleted.

Or

Mazda RX7 series 7 (series 8 wont come in under budget)

I've not had a tvr chimera but the 500 sounds like an interesting option too.
 
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