Sports Coupe ideas

[Ace Modder]

Biased opinion, but Elise? Nothing else drives remotely like it (try one!). Exciting every time you get in (if you can get in, they're a bit tight for taller or larger folk).

If not practical enough, I'd go for a GT86 but not new, you'd save a packet by getting a low interest loan on a well looked after used model. Fun to drive at legal speeds, great driving position in my view and 'enough' power.

I considered an Elise, but at 5"11 and 110kg I will certainly struggle.

 

[ShivP]

Ace did you watch this
https://youtu.be/JUhLXvxlQR4

 

[kaku]

@kaku - your mindset seems exactly the same as mine.

Did you buy your 370Z brand new? or a used one?

It was a pre-reg. I was dead-set on a Mk.2 Nismo (not a fan of the Mk.1 or base models), started looking at 1-2 year old examples and a place I was viewing a ~1 1/2 year old one also had a pre-reg in the colour I wanted. When all was said and done I decided the small amount extra for full warranty and it having 8 miles on the clock was worth it to me.

 

[Ryan-3]

Going off what you've said, if you're more interested in the driving sensation, MX5, GT86/BRZ or IMO an Elise (although as you have said, it'll be a tight fit but you don't know till you try!).

If you're wanting a bit more power, Mustang. The facelift comes out in the not too distant future, so you might as well get it before it becomes ugly.

 

[Rybo89]

£40k to spend, get something special, something the 370z isn't.

 

[wedrum]

I know what I would buy

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...early New&onesearchad=New&make=NISSAN&page=11

 

[tom_nieto]

Whilst it's nice to have a new car, this sort of thing will depreciate like hell. £40,000 buys you so much second hand and if you buy smart then you won't lose too much when you come to resell.

If I had up to £40k to spend I'd buy another 911. You'd get a really good 997 facelift for that cash.

Also worth looking at would be a Jag F type, Porsche Cayman and BMW M3.

Something more off the wall, less practical and possibly more expensive could be a lotus exige, a TVR T350 or an Aston V8 vantage.

You could be driving something pretty special.

 

[grudas]

Lexus rcf maybe ? For that V8 ?

 

[xs2man]

Whilst it's nice to have a new car, this sort of thing will depreciate like hell. £40,000 buys you so much second hand and if you buy smart then you won't lose too much when you come to resell.

If I had up to £40k to spend I'd buy another 911. You'd get a really good 997 facelift for that cash.

Also worth looking at would be a Jag F type, Porsche Cayman and BMW M3.

Something more off the wall, less practical and possibly more expensive could be a lotus exige, a TVR T350 or an Aston V8 vantage.

You could be driving something pretty special.

Except he has already explained the way he's financing the purchase, so some of these older, more "exotic" cars would be out of budget, as PCP wont be available, so it'll be a £25k budget, not a £40k budget. So a really good, facelifted 997 probably wont be doable.

 

[tom_nieto]

Except he has already explained the way he's financing the purchase, so some of these older, more "exotic" cars would be out of budget, as PCP wont be available, so it'll be a £25k budget, not a £40k budget. So a really good, facelifted 997 probably wont be doable.

Fair enough, I saw the budget in the first couple of posts and went off that. Even so I would still go second hand. £25k gets a great Cayman.

 

[ShadowMan]

Curveball suggestion for a Coupe but not like any of the other there and certainly not a sports coupe, the Audi A7 is attracting huge discounts at the moment with a 3.0TDi S-Line coming in with around £15k of discount available when financed via PCP. It is nothing like the other you suggest but would be a usable coupe shaped car that is very capable and would fit a family easily. Its also Sportback so far more usable than a standard coupe. That said if you want to focus on driving as per the other cars you tried then its not even in the right league.

Or as has been mentioned, Mustang. GT's are available on forecourts now so you can avoid the wait if you are flexible with spec. The V8 really is a great engine and there is a lot of presence there you don't get in many other cars under the £40k mark. The problem you will have is the awful GFV offered on a 9k term of around £16k making payments quite high on PCP. There is also usually no discount available on them. I am hoping to buy another in a few years or maybe wait for the S650 as the MY18 facelift still doesn't quite do it for me.

Also don't forget you can PCP a used car but interest rates are usually much higher. Depends what you want to do but all main dealers I have used will offer PCP on nearly new/approved cars.

 

[wesley]

Rybo is right. For£40k get something special.

You only live once.

 

[Scrutinize]

Based on AM's cash budget i.e 20-25k, original suggestions including the MX-5 and with up to 40k being on PCP, I doubt he could afford to run the more exotic options such as the GTR.

I get the impression he wants us to say, find a 6-12 month old approved used 370z in spec at £25k ish and go with that.

 

[Nasher]

Something more off the wall, less practical and possibly more expensive could be a lotus exige, a TVR T350 or an Aston V8 vantage.

A TVR is a good one, but you need to be careful what you buy (and also know a garage that knows what they are doing with it). A guy I know says his TVR was the best car he ever owned. He used it near enough daily and it cost him barely anything in parts, it didn't loose any value either. But there are horror stories.

 

[tom_nieto]

A TVR is a good one, but you need to be careful what you buy (and also know a garage that knows what they are doing with it). A guy I know says his TVR was the best car he ever owned. He used it near enough daily and it cost him barely anything in parts, it didn't loose any value either. But there are horror stories.

So many horror stories, but so much joy in one marque. £25,000 is starting to limit options... I can't believe I was looking at these for £12k back in 2009-10! I think the reason they're increasing in value is that the ones which have rotten suspension and engine gremlins have either been scrapped or had all the work done to them. Even though I'm probably never going to be able to afford one of the most iconic cars of our generation ever again I'm still pleased I went with the 911 over a T350 or Tuscan as they're so much more useable day to day.

Anyway, my conclusion is that before you go to a dealership and spend your cash on a brand new car, just take a look on Pistonheads at what you might otherwise be able to buy. Setting the search criteria for £25,000-30,000, petrol, under 5 seconds to 60 mph with 2 or 3 doors brings up some absolutely incredible machinery. Quite a few C63 AMG's also which are insanely fast!

 

[James J]

I'd go with a Porsche approved Cayman for that sort of budget. Beautiful car to drive

 

[Ace Modder]

Regarding the 370z Nismo. I've had a chat with a Nissan dealer (one not local to me after using carwow) and they are offering a big discount in the actual buy price if I go down PCP route, they are offering the car to me for £32,000 (list price is £39K). I'm seeing 2nd hand models with 5000 miles on the clock listed at £33-£35k currently.

My local Nissan dealer was only willing to know off £1000 from the list price.

2nd hand cars I cannot get PCP so HP/PL budget is £25k that doesn't get me most of the car suggestions here.

 

[xs2man]

You can get PCP with 2nd hand cars though. The interest rates aren't often very good mind you, but the option is there should you see something you like (such as the Cayman referred to earlier for example, my "local" Porsche dealer had said he could get me in a (I think) 2 year old Cayman for around £350 a month, with a £4-5k deposit IIRC last year).

Some banks / lenders also do PCP products, so it's not just dealers that offer them. And often at better rates than the dealer will give you. So it is worth looking into them too.

 

[wingman]

Used would be a first gen R8, circa 2009.

If new I'd be going down the Lexus RC route for no other reason than they look gorgeous.

 

[Uncle_Gravy]

My money would be on a Mustang, plenty of 16-17 plates under £40k, but from what I'm understanding from reading above that the monthly costs could be quite costly on used? which would be a shame.