Yea the driving position in the Ford STs was my main issue with them. I could never find a comfortable position and after a few years it started to give me aches.
Used car. 30k-ish. Fun.
- Thread starter Dis86
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Yea the driving position in the Ford STs was my main issue with them. I could never find a comfortable position and after a few years it started to give me aches.
Yes, I don't see M3/M4 anywhere near as special, was following an M4 yesterday, they do look very much M car on the road, big fat rear-end but in those cold wet conditions he'd of being better off with a 420D every time he was going near power his rear-end was not very happy, just too much power, coming in too fast for RWD especially in close to freezing wet conditions. Whereas the SVR will just put power down amazingly well in such conditions, I'm still quite tame with it where corners are involved as its not ideal trying to learn a car on the roads when they are covered in grit, grease, wet, ice type conditions, too unpredictable but of a corner or in a straight line the SVR puts power down very impressively and I'd imagine GTR is just as good as it too has a very good RWD biased AWD setup. Also a GTR is quite expensive to run, economy, brakes and tyres are expensive and you seem to go through them pretty damn quick. At least the F Types have cheap as chips brakes as they are just cheap solid 1pc disc, unless you get one with ceramics which if you look after will last forever, though pads for ceramics are £1000 for a pair. The steel brakes on the F-Type really are superb cheap, you could change all 4 disc, all the pads and still have change possibly from 1k.
A 30k 911 however would not be very nice, think that puts you in 997.1 territory which have a lot of issues and as such would be expensive to run.
Out of the OP's list my favourite contenders would be:
- 981 Boxster S (Will also suffer very little depreciation)
- F-Type V6 (just buy this, then modify it as the difference between V6 and V6S is hardly noticeable but the V6, V6S and V6 400 all use identical hardware, JLR just use different maps). But if your feeling heroic and are willing to scare the living daylights out of yourself, grab a V8S, can't see them depreciating much more now they seem to have hit bottom at 35-40k,
- M2 (Closer to 40k I suspect but they do seem to be holding money great)
Really depends what you want, example an M2 is a lot more fun, nimble and more predictable to drive than say an M4, but on the flip side the M4 has a nicer interior, a lot more toys and when they do put their power down, they are very quick cars indeed, practically GTR quick if they put the power down.
When I test drove an ST when they first came out, the first two things I noticed and the first was seating position, felt like I was driving a van, not a hot hatch, woeful seating position. Then second was how it limited torque in 1st and 2nd gear, as such I just found it a very annoying car to drive and at high speed cornering it felt unstable, no doubt placebo effect from feeling like I was on top of the car and not in it.
![[TW]Fox](/data/man-of-honor/2009.png){kind=avatar}
If it's close to freezing outside why on earth would you be driving a car like this hard anyway?
Because its fun.
Soldato
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- 29 Jul 2013
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Fox in 'not understanding fun' shocker 
Fox in 'not understanding fun' shocker
I don't doubt it was fun, that wasn't my point
Anyway if it's fun you want surely rwd > AWD...
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I don't doubt it was fun, that wasn't my point
Anyway if it's fun you want surely rwd > AWD...
Rear biased AWD gives the your tail waggle along with traction, best of both worlds, especially if your not a pro drifter and need some help from the car.
But admittedly when it snows or I know is particular slippy I do enjoy taking out the M3 and just drifting around like an absolute fool.
Soldato
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Cough my 996 turbo for 33K cough.
.E92 M3 competition packs seems to hold value well and do everything you need from one car. Definitely get EDC as it let’s the car be comfy and stiff with the press of a button. Not sure if it’s special enough for the OP though
Interior is fine with the Fox red and later I drive. Early coal bunker black ones do look a bit crap
Interior is fine with the Fox red and later I drive. Early coal bunker black ones do look a bit crap
E92 M3 competition packs seems to hold value well and do everything you need from one car. Definitely get EDC as it let’s the car be comfy and stiff with the press of a button. Not sure if it’s special enough for the OP though
Interior is fine with the Fox red and later I drive. Early coal bunker black ones do look a bit crap
I think these are becoming truly special cars, I think the E46 and E92 M3 will be the ones people pay big money for in a few years for the good examples. E36 M3 is not so loved and of course E30 is a legend and worth a fortune.
Also an E92 M3 with the exhaust mod in a bold colour I think is a very special car and like you say a great car if it has the EDC, DCT etc.
Underboss
I didn't know you were that old Gibbo!!
seriously though, now that you mention about seating position on the Focus (ST), I actually find my current Focus(not ST) not quite right for me (had back pains for years though, but the Focus dosen't feel quite right?)
Slk 55 is off the list. Loved the seats but wasn't too fussed in the rest of the interior. Exterior is awful. Engine is outstanding, sounds great. Handling is flat.
Rear biased AWD gives the your tail waggle along with traction, best of both worlds, especially if your not a pro drifter and need some help from the car.
But admittedly when it snows or I know is particular slippy I do enjoy taking out the M3 and just drifting around like an absolute fool.
I though most of the Audis/VAGmobiles are FWD based "AWD" now, except the very top end stuff :/
I didn't know you were that old Gibbo!!
seriously though, now that you mention about seating position on the Focus (ST), I actually find my current Focus(not ST) not quite right for me (had back pains for years though, but the Focus dosen't feel quite right?)
The problem with it in the ST and RS models (probably most hot hatches actually) is they just slapped some recaros in them but didn't change anything else. With the shape of the recaros it never quite felt like they fit properly.
In a proper sports car with a bespoke chassis the car is built around the driver and one type of seat, so the driving position is much nicer.
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I don't drive an Audi or VW any more, I drive a Jaaaag which has rear biased AWD.
The seating position in the Golf R was spot on in comparison, comfier seats too.
I'm not sure what the obsession with "getting the seat lower" is all about? I used to have a civic type-r and it was noticeable the bucket seat in that was too low down compared to the regular models. My EP3 was one of the most uncomfortable cars I've ever driven mainly due to the low seat, driving position and lack of adjustment.
You can't just take a regular family hatchback and set the seat lower to make it feel 'sporty'. All your do it's ruin the driving position and make it less ergonomic.
IMO VW make the most comfortable seats of any car I've sat in. Especially in GTi or R variants. Having said that the driving position and seats in the Focus ST I test drove felt fine to me?
+1 on the Golf R recommendation. Mine is the best car I've ever owned. If you want a car purely for fun and aren't fussed about practicality there are probably better options though.
You can't just take a regular family hatchback and set the seat lower to make it feel 'sporty'. All your do it's ruin the driving position and make it less ergonomic.
IMO VW make the most comfortable seats of any car I've sat in. Especially in GTi or R variants. Having said that the driving position and seats in the Focus ST I test drove felt fine to me?
+1 on the Golf R recommendation. Mine is the best car I've ever owned. If you want a car purely for fun and aren't fussed about practicality there are probably better options though.
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So...boxster s. Mmm the roar of that engine. Chassis is amazing. No body roll at all. Steering was responsive but didnt find the feedback that positive. Suspension firm but without being crashy. Interior layout good and logical but satnav screen is impossible to use and the design of the whole lot is straight out of the 80s. Quality is good though.
Actually amazed by the storage capacity. Also seats are great!
Actually amazed by the storage capacity. Also seats are great!
The 981 really is totally superb, plus buying now is wise as they won't depreciate much at all for the simple reason the replacements are FI and sound horrid in comparison.
It's a very nice car. Rear visibility is shocking though!
Just been putting together an advert for mine. Don't know any good places to sell do you?