# What would you buy if...



## ben toney (Jun 17, 2008)

You had a budget of £9000 Ian

Needs to be fun to drive and sporty looks. 

. To many options I've gone mad trying to work out what I want?


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## Dannbodge (Sep 26, 2010)

Monaro vxr


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## floydlloyd (Feb 24, 2013)

A nice lowish mile e46 M3 preferably an individual of some sort


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## B17BLG (Jun 26, 2012)

a camel


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## R14CKE (Aug 10, 2012)

B17BLG said:


> a camel


A camel running down the A500 would be a funny sight but you would need more than 9k

I would have go for sierra sapphire cossy


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## B17BLG (Jun 26, 2012)

R14CKE said:


> A camel running down the A500 would be a funny sight but you would need more than 9k
> 
> I would have go for sierra sapphire cossy


one here for $7500 in florida!!!
http://www.camelphotos.com/cgi-bin/ads.cgi?ct=adult_dromedary&md=second&id=220&min=&max=


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## R14CKE (Aug 10, 2012)

B17BLG said:


> one here for $7500 in florida!!!
> http://www.camelphotos.com/cgi-bin/ads.cgi?ct=adult_dromedary&md=second&id=220&min=&max=


Wtf! I stand corrected, in the Middle East like Dubai u would need more


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## Naddy37 (Oct 27, 2005)

Smart Brabus Roadster :argie:


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## nick.s (Dec 21, 2009)

Honda S2000?


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## Porkypig (Jun 20, 2012)

Boxster S, simples.


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

One night with a mid class hooker and a £500 206 ?


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## tom_sri (Sep 20, 2009)

Z4 3.0si SPORT COUPE
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-Z4-3-...9662465?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cd14f2401


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Clio RS200 for fun and small but practical.

Golf Gti ED30 for larger

e90 330i for larger

e320cdi estate for a family wagon

s2000 for a screamer


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## D.Taylor R26 (Feb 5, 2012)

Depending on what kind of running costs your wanting theres so many tempting options. Clio 200 would be my personal shout unless you can stretch it further to an M3 or boxster s


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## e_king (Oct 11, 2012)

B17BLG said:


> a camel





R14CKE said:


> A camel running down the A500 would be a funny sight but you would need more than 9k
> 
> I would have go for sierra sapphire cossy





B17BLG said:


> one here for $7500 in florida!!!
> http://www.camelphotos.com/cgi-bin/ads.cgi?ct=adult_dromedary&md=second&id=220&min=&max=





R14CKE said:


> Wtf! I stand corrected, in the Middle East like Dubai u would need more


:lol::lol::lol:. This made my morning. How would you know these things. And "Camel Classified Ads" lol


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## Willows-dad (Jul 12, 2012)

BMW z3 m coupe, so ugly they're beautiful. 9k is the tail end, but it doesn't have to be a dog, and IMO they're becoming an appreciating classic.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

ben toney said:


> You had a budget of £9000 Ian
> 
> Needs to be fun to drive and sporty looks.
> 
> To_o_ many options I've gone mad trying to work out what I want?


You spelled my name wrong.
For nine grand I'd buy a TVR of some sort.


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

Call me a pessimist (I am), but are many suggestions often given to these threads really optimistic considering the budget?

Not meaning to single you out robertodon, but can you get a nice example of GTi ED30 for 9 grand? 

Or an M3 that isn't 11 billion years old?


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

-PJB- said:


> Not meaning to single you out robertodon, but can you get a nice example of GTi ED30 for 9 grand?


The question is, why would you want to? .
There are however, after a brief glance. A few on Auto Trader below 10k. A couple without the silly "yeah but its a Golf" 9 billion miles.


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## Dixondmn (Oct 12, 2007)

Does it have to be small? 

how about a 2.7 Jag S-Type?


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

Id spend a little more and go for a 60 plate 335d Msport.
Id have the saloon though


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## Tricky Red (Mar 3, 2007)

possul said:


> Id spend a little more and go for a 60 plate 335d Msport.
> Id have the saloon though


Get one for me if you can buy for 'a bit more' than £9,000.


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## possul (Nov 14, 2008)

Tricky Red said:


> Get one for me if you can buy for 'a bit more' than £9,000.


yeah scrap that, I must of had a drink or something last time I was browsing the classifieds! Only 2006 shape I can find now!
Maybe 330d m sport!


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## msb (Dec 20, 2009)

Something M Power all day long probably a E46 M3 or a E39 M5!


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

Fiat 500 Abarth, Fiat Punto Abarth, Mini Cooper S, Ford Fiesta Zetec S, Lotus Elise, Porsche Boxter, Astra VXR, Skoda Octavia VRS, Seat Leon Cupra, Mazda MX5, Lease a Mercedes SLK for £250 per month ....


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

-PJB- said:


> Call me a pessimist (I am), but are many suggestions often given to these threads really optimistic considering the budget?
> 
> Not meaning to single you out robertodon, but can you get a nice example of GTi ED30 for 9 grand?
> 
> Or an M3 that isn't 11 billion years old?


Fair few ED30's getting around that budget now, or if you want the K04 turbo rather than the standard Golf GTi you could get a Leon Cupra.

Plenty of decent e46 M3's for 9k too

But running costs can get high on an M3, tyres & brakes aren't cheap.

Oh and spending 15K on an ED30 doesn't guarantee a Nice example, many 80K+ mileage cars are sometimes better than a 25K mileage car


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## Joe the Plumber (Sep 4, 2012)

Subaru Impreza STi, preferably a JDM 2 Litre Blob version, such as this:

http://www.hurstcars.co.uk/used-cars/subaru-impreza-bedford-201318511869496


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Joe the Plumber said:


> Subaru Impreza STi, preferably a JDM 2 Litre Blob version, such as this:
> 
> http://www.hurstcars.co.uk/used-cars/subaru-impreza-bedford-201318511869496


Nice, such a shame the target for theft etc. is so high on them.

My UK turbo was nothing but great at what it did and nearly 100% reliable over 2.5 years (just a rear sticking caliper)


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## floydlloyd (Feb 24, 2013)

-PJB- said:


> Call me a pessimist (I am), but are many suggestions often given to these threads really optimistic considering the budget?
> 
> Not meaning to single you out robertodon, but can you get a nice example of GTi ED30 for 9 grand?
> 
> Or an M3 that isn't 11 billion years old?


You could easily buy a nice e46 for £9k maybe around 2004. Dont really know what you are talking about.


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## mk2jon (Mar 10, 2009)

mk1 or mk2 escort


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

Having a budget of £9000 car buy serious performance. 

It's another thing running a £9000 performance car on a budget.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Kerr said:


> Having a budget of £9000 car buy serious performance.
> 
> It's another thing running a £9000 performance car on a budget.


Depends on how much it cost originally.

Gawd knows why someone would buy a golf over an m3.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

RisingPower said:


> Depends on how much it cost originally.
> 
> Gawd knows why someone would buy a golf over an m3.


Fully agree with the second point.

Some of the cars recommended cost an arm and a leg to run.

If you have a budget of £9000 for a car, I would guess most people would struggle with £1000 for insurance, £1000 for a service, £1500 for brakes , £4000 per year for petrol plus covering wear and tear items on a costly car.


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## Joe the Plumber (Sep 4, 2012)

Very good point. My pet Subarus can be a little on the expensive side to run, although you can get good deals on insurance and servicing if you hunt around. But V Power is always dear, and they do like a drink.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

Kerr said:


> Fully agree with the second point.
> 
> Some of the cars recommended cost an arm and a leg to run.
> 
> If you have a budget of £9000 for a car, I would guess most people would struggle with £1000 for insurance, £1000 for a service, £1500 for brakes , £4000 per year for petrol plus covering wear and tear items on a costly car.


As I said, it depends on how much the car cost originally. I don't think most of them cost an arm and a leg to run, m3 isn't even as bad as that.

Tyres weren't that expensive, brakes were no worse than the zed for half decent parts.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

E46 m3 budget £1k per year for general stuff and servicing and you will be fine. Its just if tyres, brakes and a big inspection service all came together then yeah: £2k + gone like that.


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## Rayner (Aug 16, 2012)

For me it would be a Boxster s (make that more than likely WILL be lol)

Or maybe a TVR...
Or maybe an Impreza...
Or maybe an Alfa...
Or maybe a BMW...

Nah... it's gotta be a Porsche!


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## s29nta (Mar 9, 2013)

Honda s2000?


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

E34 m5


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

floydlloyd said:


> You could easily buy a nice e46 for £9k maybe around 2004. Dont really know what you are talking about.


Geniune question. I am sure you can get a lot of car for 9k, although everyones definition of a nice example of a lot of car is probably different.

My gut feeling with the high end/high spec (thus old/high mileage) options given is that a 9k car that is likely to cost 2k in replacement, repair and consumables in the first year, it actually an 11k car in my book.


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## McClane (Dec 9, 2010)

robertdon777 said:


> E46 m3 budget £1k per year for general stuff and servicing and you will be fine. Its just if tyres, brakes and a big inspection service all came together then yeah: £2k + gone like that.


Ha, I hadn't actually read your post before writing the above. Seems the gut feeling was fairly on the money!!


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

robertdon777 said:


> E46 m3 budget £1k per year for general stuff and servicing and you will be fine. Its just if tyres, brakes and a big inspection service all came together then yeah: £2k + gone like that.


If they all came together, sure. Then again, it depends on who you use.

I think if any service came with brakes and tyres on a car it wouldn't be cheap.

Heck, say if I had brakes, tyres, big service on the zed (standard tyres), it probably would be > £1.5k. Same goes for the z4.

The inspection 2 can be had for ~£500 iirc, which really, isn't that bad for a service you have very very rarely.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

As a few other have already said….

What people fail to realise, and they are usually ones on the internet that have never actually ran older "high spec / high performance" cars is that it's the easiest thing in the world to actually buy the car... it's the costs that come with running it you have to worry about...

You are not buying a £9k car... you will be buying a 30/40/50/60K car at a reduced price...

Case in point.... Jag XK / XKRs are now getting really cheap, but you need to factor in at least £1,200 to fit the tensioner issue - if it's hasn't been done... and if you can't prove it's been done, then you should really do that.... it's a £5 part by the way... 

Far too many times I see champagne cars being run on lemonade money.

However, if you can do simple maintenance yourself (services for example) then you can run it on decent enough money… my S8 for example, being ran on super is costing about £40 pence per mile… pretty good for the type of car, and it want’s for nothing, nor has any issues…

It all comes back to how you chose the car – mileage is a complete misnomer, 

How you care for the car – Don’t think you can run it on BS parts

And finally, how much you want to do yourself – this can save time and money in the long run.


OP, my advice to you is decide what type of car you really want, then work from that…. Getting ideas from people online that don’t run these types of cars is the wrong thing to :thumb:do (IMO)


:thumb:


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## Freddie (Mar 17, 2013)

+1 on making sure you are aware of all running costs etc....

But ill put forward a Nissan 350z a


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## angel1449 (Apr 15, 2012)

skyline r33 gtr v spec


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## DJ X-Ray (Sep 2, 2012)

TVR.Taking into account you can either afford,or you've got the know - how to maintain it.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

RisingPower said:


> If they all came together, sure. Then again, it depends on who you use.
> 
> I think if any service came with brakes and tyres on a car it wouldn't be cheap.
> 
> ...


True, you'd be better off looking for a specialist to service it and buying a 10K e46 that didn't need brakes and tyres and had just had a service rather than a 9K one with 3mm of tread and well worn brakes needing a service.

TBH if you were buying a 9K one and keeping it 3-4 years I'd just find a cheaper service place and supply my own parts. The M3 will only be worth about 6K in 3-4 years and by then the person that will purchasing from you won't expect a fully stamped BMW history car.

They are quite high to insure though, that's the problem with any M car, oh and the 22mpg (if you're light footed)


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

I think a Leon Cupra would be a good all round buy. (if you can get past plastic interior quality)

Well Built.

Quick and very tunable for cheap.

Good brakes to start with.

Spacious.

Very well styled.

Not bad running costs and 28mpg, I found them dirt cheap to insure too for some reason: less than £250 when an M3 was £850

For 9K a 5 year old one without too many miles is easily possible.


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

In my biased opinion I'd go for something like this.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305146758846

They cost similar money to run as a hot hatch. I own one so can speak first hand.

28mpg average with mid to high 30s on the motorway. Most expensive service was £430 after haggling. Consumables like brakes can be bought cheaply too. I got them on one of Eurocarpart's deal and discs, pads and sensors all round were £300. That is for Pagid which is OEM.

Insurance quotes I get are less than a hot hatch.

That's an SE model but all SE coupes come with M Sport suspension and seats. The only difference is cosmetic. It also has good spec.

0-60 5.4secs 0-100mph in 12.4secs is fast enough for the road. A Focus RS is 5.9 and 14.2 for comparison.

Very tuneable too. Quite a lot running 420-450bhp with the boundaries being pushed to near 900bhp with stock internals.

The only thing with older versions of the 335i, they are in the £450 top tax bracket which puts people off. However I think that if an extra £200 per year is a deal breaker, you can't afford the car anyways.

It isn't a M3, but as a balance of performance, image, value, age and running costs, the 335i is almost impossible to beat.


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## RisingPower (Sep 21, 2007)

robertdon777 said:


> True, you'd be better off looking for a specialist to service it and buying a 10K e46 that didn't need brakes and tyres and had just had a service rather than a 9K one with 3mm of tread and well worn brakes needing a service.
> 
> TBH if you were buying a 9K one and keeping it 3-4 years I'd just find a cheaper service place and supply my own parts. The M3 will only be worth about 6K in 3-4 years and by then the person that will purchasing from you won't expect a fully stamped BMW history car.
> 
> They are quite high to insure though, that's the problem with any M car, oh and the 22mpg (if you're light footed)


Yeah well, it was 1100 for me iirc a couple years back, probably less now.

Mpg, well, a 3.0z4 isn't exactly frugal.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Kerr said:


> In my biased opinion I'd go for something like this.
> 
> http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201305146758846
> 
> ...


And the 335i will feel faster than the e46 M3 90% of the time. The e46 M3 can feel lethargic if found out of it's power band and in a high gear.


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

focus rs mk1


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## Alex_225 (Feb 7, 2008)

I guess it depends on if you want something as an all rounder as your only car or something that's just a toy. 

I mean if it's an all rounder then a hot hatch like a Megane R26 or Clio 200 would tick my boxes but as above you've got Focus RS' in that bracket amongst other hot hatches. 

If it was a weekend only car I'd want something with two seats and rear wheel drive. I have a soft spot for the Honda S2000.


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## big ben (Aug 25, 2009)

i would be trying to get a Lotus Espirit http://hdwdb.com/walls/lotus_esprit_s4s_wallpaper_2-other.jpg

That is one of the only cars i would swap for mine


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