THE 50K CHALLENGE: NEW MUSTANG ON THE WAY, BUT WOULD 50K BE BETTER SPENT ON ANOTHER MARQUE?

[Gibbo]

Hi there


Pretty much as the thread title, my last Mustang was somewhat of a bargain at 35k with all options, this new model is going to cost me just shy of 50k. Admittedly I won't feel the need to spend anywhere near as much as I did last time as the 2018 model is better out the box.

This thread is to see what my other options could be for around 50k, lets say 40-60k for arguments sake, absolutely no higher than 60k as intention is to pay cash.


The criteria

• Brand new or dealer supplied with as new warranty, so a 3yr old Porsche with OPC warranty would be fine
• 400 plus horsepower, ideally closer to 500 and more is fine!
• RWD or AWD is fine, no FWD!
• Automatic, NO MANUALS!
• A nice car to use daily, so no Lotus Exige or Caterham
• Sound amazing! V8 or V10 ideally, but a six that sounds good is OK
• Under 30,000 miles and less than 30 months old if not new and supplied with warranty

I am making this thread in case their is a car I've not consider, though the lure of the Mustang is big, those killer looks, rarity and gorgeous sounding V8 all in a brand new motor for 50k make it attractive. But I am aware and feel the 2018 will lose 10k in first year, not something I am smiling about but at the same time I cannot see much pulling me away from the Mustang, but never say never.

I am sure many will recommend a GTR and I do like them but don't really want to own one and apart from looks the little Golf I am driving now is kind of like a mini GTR.

The one car I have thought about is the Alfa and the name I cannot spell, but the M4 rival, its quick, rare and looks well not too much to my taste but I do like it, those are 50k now and seem to continue falling in price. Scary thing is do Alfa give extended warranties because afterall it is an Alfa.

 

[Gibbo]

7

One car that springs to mind but would be at the top end at a smidge over £60k brand spanking new would be the Lexus RC-F. Approved used seem to be £40-£50k.

I really do not like them and I view them as pretty much a Mustang with a up market interior, otherwise just seems a lesser car apart from interior and the looks I cannot get on with.

 

[Gibbo]

You're into the proper BMW M, Mercedes AMG & Audi RS cars here. New or nearly new with sub 10k miles on etc. Some of the new lease deals work out even better.

Then you have F Type, R8, Various Porsche etc.

Given your criteria and budget it's almost an open book.

Seriously, what would you prefer? No good asking us really at this budget as there is too much choice and it's really down to personal preference.

Personally, I would look at a C63(s) or M2.

Also £50k on a Mustang isn't so bad and it's not a negative being a Ford at this price in the same way a GT40 is a Ford and GTR a Nissan isn't a negative.

F-Type would have to be V8 and AWD, the RWD ones just can't handle the power. At which point I feel a 911 is superior car.

Love the M2, but I have my M3 and it really does not offer anything over that apart from easier to live with but as the M3 is a toy and the M2 so similar to it be a bit boring, though two of BMW's finest on the drive would look nice, especially long beach blue and topaz blue side by side.

I like the C63 but the 6.3l, but then over a Mustang I don't know.

R8 is very attractive, but I feel I'd want an S-Tronic which start 70 upwards, but the R8 is a car that meets criteria, only sticking point is warranty and they just seem kind of fragile.

Yeah the Ford badge does not bother me at all, its a Mustang one of the most iconic cars in the world, just like the GTR from Nissan, nothing wrong with them at all, I am not a badge snob.

 

[Gibbo]

Last F10 M5 Jahre, or wait 12 months and pick up a 6 to 12 month old F90 M5....

For me though, practicalities aside and if I was in a different place vehicle needs wise, 911, all day

Great idea, I do love the new M5 and the ability to flick between RWD and AWD, well bravo BMW you just destroyed your competition. As M5's tend to depreciate like lead stones if I am not getting on with the Mustang 12 months into ownership I am sure used M5's will be appearing for 30k of the price if they drop how an M5 typically drops in value.

 

[Gibbo]

Stick with the American muscle. Porsche boring and fugly. (Puts on flame suit)

Having owned both I know the positives of both. GT3 has everything I want, too expensive and I don't like the old ones but those are crazy expensive too lol.

A 991 GTS or 991 Turbo would be nice but I doubt those are anywhere near 60k.

If a GT4 came with PDK I'd probably stretch myself and get one, I love the way the GT4 looks but I don't want a manual.

 

[Gibbo]

65k would just about get you into a brand new Quadrifoglio.

The Alfa is a damned pretty car and I'm yet to see a bad thing said about it other than the potential reliability problems

Thats the Alfa I was on about, seem them for 50k 12 months old, so knowing they lose 15k, I'd just buy a lightly used one for 50k.

 

[Gibbo]

How much does a 600 hp Supra go for these days? They come in automatic. Bit older than 30 months though but it's the ultimate lolmobile for traffic light grand prix

Supra aint my thing and traffic light grand prix I already have a car that will beat any Supra if thats all a Supra is good for.

New Supra if it was available could be a serious contender however.

 

[Gibbo]

Keep the golf r and M3rs imo. Put the 50k into a house or something.

Got a house, so not needed.

M3rs? Do you mean my BMW M3?

 

[Gibbo]

A yellow M4 competition pack is up there but I think without need for rear seats you could get something more special maybe.

But as a car to drive mate, I think I actually prefer the E92 M3, yes I know M4 is bloody quick, but having driven both I found the E92 a more enjoyable experience, the DCT and V8 of the E92 just feels so much more special than the M4 and the M4 drove and handled for me really poor, it was rock hard. Admittedly I know they addressed a lot of this with M4 Competition cars, so maybe something I should go and take for a spin. M4 CS is nice, but not 50K, but the M2 CS if a reality could maybe be a serious contender and I think its due in January.

 

[Gibbo]

It's over budget, and only the 500 comes close to that, but I have an unhealthy obsession with these....

https://www.pistonheads.com/classif...ass-coupe/mercedes-benz-s63-coupe-amg/7929396

That looks aweful, looks more like the car a footballers wife or a chauffeur would drive, not me at all. I do like the C63 AMG saloons and SL63's but I do not like that, looks ugly.

 

[Gibbo]

Slightly biased, but I'd look at a year or two old M6 which ticks all the boxes in the op. Lovely place to sit and drive but it might be a bit too boaty or not enough drama and in-yer-face for you.

BMW camp does have a lot to offer, I am watching the M2 CS closely to see what comes of that.

In the meantime I think I might go and have a go in an M5 and M4 Competition Pack see what I think.

 

[Gibbo]

Cayman GTS is currently topping my list for next car

Epic cars, but I know I'd want more power, might sound stupid but I loved my 911 but I just wanted it to have a little more thrust and urgency whilst still being NA. Dream would be a Cayman GT4 with a PDK gear box!

 

[Gibbo]

Sound might be an issue (as I there is none) but what about a Tesla model S, can get a used P85 for under 50k, less than 30k mileage and it will out perform pretty much everything else you've had, 0-60 under 2.5 seconds and free super charging so limitless mileage for free

I appreciate their performance but sound is very important to me and I do not like the styling and I am old fashioned, battery powered cars do not interest me, don't mind the big powerful hybrids though like Porsche 918 Spyder but definitely cannot afford that

 

[Gibbo]

It's weird to me how a petrol head such as Gibbo, who has driven many great cars in this part of the market, needs to start a thread to ask for suggestions? Surely he should be the one giving suggestions to others?

If people ask I can share my input, just like I am asking people to share theres now, I've not driven every car far from it and as I probably have 5-6 months to wait I can go test drive some of the competitors offerings.

 

[Gibbo]

Replaced with a screaming 6 cylinder turbo lump. I think you're the only person who says "better in all ways". Most seem to say, on par, if not better

Well M2 would definetely be far more up market interior wise to my E46 M3 as mine has no interior.

I think compared to my M3, the M2 will be nicer to drive daily, more modern, DCT is better than SMG etc, but as a fun drive and a wow factor experience for me the M3, my particular M3 is just on another level, its got 370HP, shorter ratio final drive, only about 1300kg, its great fun and remarkably comfy, I'd happily use it daily, of course though in a daily car there is better but its not the stripped out track car that is tiring and annoying to drive on road like some might think.

M2 CS however, interest me a lot and M2 looks wise I really like them, like a bulldog looking for a fight.

 

[Gibbo]

When I was 'chasing' a w205 C63s, I couldn't hear him but he could hear me... once the 6.3 has got some heat in it, it sounds insane... but sadly you won't hear that on the road very much.

I agree the low level rev barks are nice from the w205 but when you start pushing on more, there isn't much there (compared tot he w204).

As I've got older I've come to love the C63 AMG 6.3l even more, yes in my previous drives it was not quite as precise or hardcore as I wanted, but now my taste have changed, problem is however believe it or not the Mustang is probably the sharper and better handling car and engines/gearbox performance wise I suspect very similar.

 

[Gibbo]

I found the M2 underpowered... prefer the M4 Comp Pack to it - much better low and mid range.

When I was driving the M2... I kept thinking "is that it?" - my 987.2 3.4l Boxster felt faster and more enjoyable.

Can agree on this for sure, if I got an M2 it would be upgraded to as close as 500HP as I could get it, at which point probably be a royal pain to put the power down due to the turbo just coming on song and spinning the tyres. Problem with high power tuned turbo's that are RWD, not great at putting power down.

M4 I drove was much quicker for sure, but man it was harsh and it really struggled to get power down, admittedly it was on Pzero's and it was not a competition pack car and one of the very first ones, I am aware later models have revised the suspension to be somewhat more compliant, something I found the M4 was really lacking.

However when I drove the M4's at Palmersport I found them boring and not exciting at all, my E46 M3 was way more fun and sharper, ah it is hard. Even though the E92 M3 is slower, at least the V8 sound track and epic blips on downshifts were highly entertaining and it would just rev and rev, the M4 was not very happy really beyond 6000rpm and going beyond 6500rpm seemed pointless, any car I feel the need to upshift early is not good.

 

[Gibbo]

6.2l C63 < Mustang 5.0 < 4.0TT C63S

The newest C63S has better handling and driving dynamics than the Mustang.

I've not driven the latest 4.0 TT one, only the 6.3 regular and 507 edition and on the handling front, superior to a stock Mustang for sure, superior to my last Mustang, nope similar but Mustang had much better front end, 2018 who knows but I never found the 6.3l anything special, just a good all rounder with an amazing engine.

I think I will give the 4.0TT a go though, how much can one get one for now in Saloon as I am not much for the Coupe C63's I feel they look a bit odd, but I am referring to 6.3l ones so maybe the styling is now improved.

 

[Gibbo]

I'm sure they do.

Surely though you could derive a slightly more than no excitement even taking a normally aspirated diesel Peugeot around one.

Saying an M4 offered no excitement at all seems like hyperbole.

I'd rather catch the bus home.

How many cars have you driven on track? If you'd driven on track, driven several different vehicles then you'd understand this, for example on a track a Caterham with 150HP rev happy NA motor is more fun than an M4 with 400HP turbo motor. Track cars just don't suite turbocharged cars, my Golf a fantastic and immensely fast road car I would be bored of very quick on track, which some people here like Simon Crinkle Shoes fully understand where I am coming from. Hence the comment the M4's were not that exciting to me on track.

I've driven a huge away of different cars on race track and the M4, the Palmersport ones were just a let down, the E92 they had before them which do slower lap times, but were more fun.

I am going to go a re-visit the M4, got a couple of mates with Competition pack ones who rave about them, so time to re-visit as I can fully understand how a few tweaks by a manufacturer can transform a car.

 

[Gibbo]

What about a BMW 1M coupe? A classic and will actually appreciate in value most likely if the mileage is kept reasonable and it's looked after. Prices are on the up.

Never liked the 1 series, don't care how fast it goes and how rare it is, I just dislike the looks, I appreciate what a cult car the 1M is but its just not for me. Yet I do like the M2, how crazy it is.