[Drisser]

What would you guys consider a good buy as a fun weekend car that will be reliable but feel slightly special enough to to take out at the weekends, without costing a fortune to buy or run and something that won't lose much money.

At some point I will prob sell on the fiat coupe and either keep the 330d as a long term daily driver and do the above.. Or consider swapping the 330 for an M3 or M2 and maybe buy something cheaper to keep the commute mileage down..

If I keep the 330d though it's such a good all rounder I would want something fun and compact for the weekend, so I am thinking hot hatch or compact coupe / roadster, manual box.. Up to about £15k

Golf R32 mk5
Honda S2000 .. Prices creeping up
E46 M3 .. Very tempting
Audi TT mk2
Boxster .. Undeniably good but quite dates at that price..
Mk7 golf gti .. Not quite 15k yet but quite like these..

Or better to save for the new shape M3, trade in the 330d and run a golf tdi 3-4 days a week to work ? Just I would need to lay out another £20k plus for an M3 in top of my 330 when its paid for..

[Tengocity]

this is what I spend most of my waking hours thinking about. I don't think you can lose on anything like Elise, Boxster, older M cars, S2000, VX220 as their prices will only go up now I reckon.

[pjs]

Boxster. I bought a 2.7 5 speed 2006/06 in Feb 2015 for 11k and love it. 5000 miles since, not just a weekend car. Smiles per ££ ratio is massive

[Grant_7]

From your choice, I would go with either the S2000 or the E46 M3.

My weekend/fun car actually fulfils your criteria perfectly:

• Completely reliable (not exactly much to go wrong!)

• Cheap to run

• Holds its value (still insured for more than I paid for it)

• Feels very very special (I cannot emphasise this enough!)

[Hooter]

Originally Posted by Grant_7

From your choice, I would go with either the S2000 or the E46 M3.

My weekend/fun car actually fulfils your criteria perfectly:

• Completely reliable (not exactly much to go wrong!)

• Cheap to run

• Holds its value (still insured for more than I paid for it)

• Feels very very special (I cannot emphasise this enough!)

Looks ripper mate!

What are the specs?

[Tengocity]

I'd love a caterham, especially for track days but I'm just not sure about for on the road. Id want something that the wife and I could still use for a weekend away still, so some luggage space would still be a requirement for me. And I hate to say it but I really really wouldn't want to be in an accident in one.
One day hopefully I'll be in a position to have one just for track days though!

[Grant_7]

You can take them touring - plenty of people do - and the boot is fine for a weekends' baggage. My Wife loves it, not because of passengering in it, but because it always puts me in such a good mood.

Originally Posted by Hooter

What are the specs?

It's a Supersport, so a little 1.6L Ford Sigma engine producing 140bhp. However it only weighs 520kg so shifts along nicely

Oh, and it's LOUD too

[FarmerD]

I constantly ponder this too. Never make my mind up so ultimately saving myself money through procrastination!

I've been drawn to a NC MX5 with BBR throttle body conversion. Very reliable and cheap/plentiful spares, tight handling, lsd, two seats, space for luggage, 225bhp. Nice

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by FarmerD

I constantly ponder this too. Never make my mind up so ultimately saving myself money through procrastination!

I've been drawn to a NC MX5 with BBR throttle body conversion. Very reliable and cheap/plentiful spares, tight handling, lsd, two seats, space for luggage, 225bhp. Nice

Have always had a soft spot for the MX5, and have had 2 of the Mk1s, one just used as a track car. I've been looking at them too, mainly because I can get one for cheap and not feel bad about modding it significantly and then thrashing the pants off it!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by Grant_7

You can take them touring - plenty of people do - and the boot is fine for a weekends' baggage. My Wife loves it, not because of passengering in it, but because it always puts me in such a good mood.

It's a Supersport, so a little 1.6L Ford Sigma engine producing 140bhp. However it only weighs 520kg so shifts along nicely

Oh, and it's LOUD too

The touring issue is more that I live in Herts and would want to take it to Europe or home to Scotland, or across to Wales, and there is no danger the wife will do that in one!

[ewanmac]

Originally Posted by pjs

Boxster. I bought a 2.7 5 speed 2006/06 in Feb 2015 for 11k and love it. 5000 miles since, not just a weekend car. Smiles per ££ ratio is massive

+1

I bought a 3.2 Boxster S last summer. It's a 2005 55 plate with only 34k miles. Fully loaded and £15k from a specialist dealer with a 1 year warranty.

It's absolutely superb and I actually think it's dated less than most of the other cars you mention. As it's the 987, it still look very fresh from the outside and the dash also still looks pretty modern despite being an 11 year old design. The only thing that shows up its age is the sat nav - the graphics look dated and the PCM system is the one thing that reminds you it's an 11 year old car.

[Grant_7]

Originally Posted by FarmerD

I've been drawn to a NC MX5 with BBR throttle body conversion. Very reliable and cheap/plentiful spares, tight handling, lsd, two seats, space for luggage, 225bhp. Nice

That's a great suggestion.

[Ice Man]

I would strike the golfs off the list straight away. I spend many sleepless night wondering the same thing, always seems to come back to an S2000 or a boxster, Elise would be nice but after something at least slightly practical. Always regretted chopimg in my Z3 for a golf r32 so would seriously consider a Z3m to

[SkyJawa]

S2K from that list, brilliant cars!

[Drisser]

Originally Posted by ewanmac

+1

I bought a 3.2 Boxster S last summer. It's a 2005 55 plate with only 34k miles. Fully loaded and £15k from a specialist dealer with a 1 year warranty.

It's absolutely superb and I actually think it's dated less than most of the other cars you mention. As it's the 987, it still look very fresh from the outside and the dash also still looks pretty modern despite being an 11 year old design. The only thing that shows up its age is the sat nav - the graphics look dated and the PCM system is the one thing that reminds you it's an 11 year old car.

No reliability issues from boxster owners? The 987 looks a bit fresher and plenty around at £15k I agree

[TodmordenLad]

Sticking my neck out here and prepared to be shot down but how about a John Cooper Works Mini. For £15k you can easily get an approved used one with relatively low mileage.

I've never owned one but have test driven one and they are a blast. Not a comfy ride, mind you

[ewanmac]

Originally Posted by Drisser

No reliability issues from boxster owners? The 987 looks a bit fresher and plenty around at £15k I agree

I haven't had any issues but I did go for one with a 1 year warranty just in case

[Chris Peacock]

I bought an S2000 last April and ran it for the summer, sold in October.

Sold for what I bought it for, so pretty cheap top down motoring.

Personally (and this is coming from a huge Honda fan) the 4 pot engine didn't do it for me and I bitterly regret not buying the Boxster S which it was a toss up with.

It's a great car with a spectacular 4 cylinder engine, but I personally am now ready for something with more cylinders...ideally double.

The perfect weekend car for me would be a V8 TVR but the potential reliability issues put me off.

I just can't see beyond a Boxster S for this years fun car.

[pjs]

Originally Posted by ewanmac

I haven't had any issues but I did go for one with a 1 year warranty just in case

Nope, I bought from an dealer with a whopping 3 month warranty and risked my bank account breakdown cover. Did a 120 point check at an indy porsche specialist afterwards (Resolution in Brighouse) and was told I'd bough a 'good un' Been utterly reliable (70k miles)

[Cherub77]

I had a Mk5 Golf R32 for 4 years and 50k miles, drove to the south of Spain and the Alps in it, great all round car, sounds great, comfortable practical but not outright run. I would definitely cross that off your list, it's a great all rounder but that's it.

[Drisser]

Maybe I should have a proper look at a boxster 987 at some point..

[deebee]

S2000, be a nice change from the bimmer in most ways, won't need to be at license losing speeds to have fun like m3 and will make you appreciate your 330d when you get back in it!

And as you said, defo future classic