Erm…What 2+2 coupe?

It’s the N52.

Not necessary hardest core driving experience. Prefer something that’s a good cruiser

Check. superb, in fact I’d say the best of what I can see has been mentioned so far. Remember the CLK was E-class level, not C-class level, it was replaced by the 212 shape E class coupe.

Also, pillarless in Summer. Dreamy.

Needs to have a bit of style (I get that this is a bit subjective…but not a 2 door corolla!)

Check.

Budget is about 5k

Check.

Has to be a 2+2 for occasional child ferrying

Check – excellent – really good usable back seats in these.

Otherwise used for commuting a couple of days a week, so needs to be reasonably reliable…

Check. Simple, Naturally Aspirated Engine. Proven, relaible 7g Tronic box. Galvanized facelift body. Cheap parts from Merc. Simple to service and run.

Ideally ULEZ compliant

No idea.

CLK530 CGI Sport Coupe

Lovely thing. I’ve got a permanent search on for for an extremely rare facelift CLK500 with the 7g-tronic and 5.5 M273 lump.

I’d get the 6speed 200bhp Celica with that glorious Yamaha engine.

The VVtli lump gives 190hp if your lucky and only at the very top of the rev range. And you have to change up at over 7000rpm to stay in valve lift. Good fun swapped into an MR-2 or in an Elise on a trackday but literally the complete opposite driving experience that the OP asked for.

I’ve had a Puma (with the 1.7 Yamaha engine) and a Mk2 Audi TT (2.0 petrol). Both fun cars, but the only one I would have in a heartbeat is the Audi – easily the most fun car I have ever owned by some distance.

If you read my message I started it by saying it’s what I would get.

The VVtli lump gives 190hp if your lucky and only at the very top of the rev range

nerd mode here, but the TRD celica (can be imported from japan) had 200bhp at stock. Was up there with the integra type r, but no-one over here knows about it

I wouldn’t say the celica is a bad choice for the op – getting maximum performance out of one requires commitment, but its a toyota, based on the same platform as the prius, so it’ll be fairly chill over longer distances – its not exactly an arial atom.

@snotrag, that W209 is exactly the sort of car I’m trying not to look at (and failing). I don’t need one. So much car for the same price as a nice MTB.

I’ve got a 2016 BMW 640D Gran Coupe, lovely car! Looks better than the 2 door version, the proportions are just so right

Can go well when needed, but also fairly efficient-ish

The earlier version is a right dog looking thing!

TT coupe if kids are small enough to fit in the back.
Youll have plenty of change on a 5k budget, 2001 plus 1.8t will give you plenty of go and ulez compliant.

Our ancient 330i E92 is our family car, fits two rapidly growing teenagers in the back for now, ulez compliant, and with the seats down fits a bike in the back with the wheel off.

It’s horrendously thirsty around town and scrapes on speed bumps but otherwise is aging well.

Re the recent Celica based input.
I had the 140BHP VVTi model and considered an upgrade to a 190BHP VVTLi model – one test drive showed it was worse 95% of the time. Sure the 190 had more power at the top end (6k rpm+) but the rest of the time has LESS torque and the Celicas issue wasn’t so much a lack of top end power but of everyday low end power (torque).

It’s based on run of the mill Toyota running gear (Yaris / Corolla / Prius etc) so discs, pads etc embarrassingly cheap. It is a very well engineered car. Where is matters it’s a purpose designed low slung sports car but where it doesn’t it is effectively a Yaris / Corolla I.E. cheap parts and lots of development money spent to ensure it works

Porsche 924 or (maybe) 944?

The advantage of hatched back coupes is you can normally get bikes in them.

You can get bikes in them. But you’re going to need the early 944 2.5l or 2l 924 to be ULEZ/historic vehicle.
Unless you don’t mind spannering or have deep pockets a 40yr old car might prove to be a bit of a pain. They were galvanised but it was a long time ago. They’re pretty resilient things but can hide a world of pain.

I’ve had 3 944s and love my Turbo but I’d probably go for a Celica at that budget.

350Z – Cracking 3.5 6 cylinder, but might be a little rough for that price. I like Nissan petrol engines as they are bomb proof.

Quirky, left field suggestion. Renault Avantime!

I just found my dream car… Search for yours https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303074996902?advertising-location=at_cars&atmobcid=soc5&body-type=Coupe&include-delivery-option=on&make=Renault&model=Avantime&sort=relevance&year-to=2023

(Absolutely no idea what they’re like to drive/own, and probably doesn’t fit the brief, but certainly different to the other suggestions mentioned!)

Quirky, left field suggestion. Renault Avantime!

they could’ve at least unplugged the code reader before taking the photos

Was also going to suggest a Porsche 944, but think you’ve missed the boat on your budget.

Fiat Coupe
Early BMW 1 Series if you can find a decent petrol one

BMW 6 series looks good for a whole load of car.

If you can handle bigger tax / fuel bills then there are all sorts of interesting things about.
Ignoring the 2+2 element a 986 boxster is worth a look.
I’ve just bought fully loaded jeep grand Cherokee. It’s wonderfully (awfully) American and smokes about nicely. 100k miles on it and it was 5 grand or so.
I’ve just sold on an Alfa 159 – lotta style and practicality there…

Auto trader is your oyster but get something you look back on from the car park

I think some of the suggestions will need a contingency plan equivalent to the 5k budget for repairs, high road tax and 20mpg

I think some of the suggestions will need a contingency plan equivalent to the 5k budget for repairs, high road tax and 20mpg

fair observation! Buy well and you can get something that would have been very spendy and very special. But yes a Bork fund is necessity

But if you buy well you can do ok. I’ve just sold an Alfa 159 for 3.5k bought for 8k 5 years ago. Ok tyres were a bit pricey, and it needed a turbo replacement (£500) but overall it was circa a grand a year in depreciation which is fairly reasonable

OP: Toyota GT86.

(Or a Scooby BRZ)

FTFY

Re the recent Celica based input.
I had the 140BHP VVTi model and considered an upgrade to a 190BHP VVTLi model – one test drive showed it was worse 95% of the time. Sure the 190 had more power at the top end (6k rpm+) but the rest of the time has LESS torque and the Celicas issue wasn’t so much a lack of top end power but of everyday low end power (torque).

This is very true. Below 5000rpm, the T-sport with the 190VVTLI engine does perform noticeably worse than the 140bhp. For overtaking and general fun, there’s no doubt the 190 is better, but in day to day driving and certainly on the motorway – nah. Even in 6th gear the 190 is over 3500RPM on the motorway and at ~80mpg is nearer 4000rpm. The drone becomes wearisome. The seats are supportive, but not comfortable.

Summary – for short journeys and fun, the VVTLI is where you want to be, for longer journeys,,,you probably want to buy something else entirely. I went from a T-sport to an E46 330ci. The e46 was a MUCH better car.

An E46 330ci is a nice 2+2, smaller than the E92 and still (to my eyes) looks good.

OP: Toyota GT86.

(Or a Scooby BRZ)

…not for £5000! :-)

I think some people need to nip to a generic car ads site before making their suggestions.

350, GT86, 7 year old 640d, for 5k?
This isn’t a ‘say what car you’ve got for almost 1 of the OPs criteria’.

You get a lot of SAAB for your money…

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202208259118311?include-delivery-option=on&sort=relevance&radius=1501&make=Saab&postcode=dn159hh&advertising-location=at_cars&onesearchad=New&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=Used&year-to=2023&page=1

Everybody is different but I think that Saab is hideous with lots of bad notes yet they still want good money

350z is a 2 seater,
gt86 is too expensive and the rear seats aren’t really…
BMW 6 is a massive car and the OP already seat that an A4/BMW 330 is too big.

Based on the OPs specification and later clarification, it really has to be either a MK2 TT or a Scirocco. Nothing else really fits the bill of size, price, fun, petrol, etc. Saying that – I’m not sure I’d want to spend much time in the back of a TT. the seats are VERY upright and legroom is super tight.

The only other thing I can think of might be the RX8?

You get a lot of SAAB for your money…

Ruddy ‘ell – if you tried a bit harder you could have found a worse example!! 🤣🤣

@snotrag, because of you I’m not deep in a rabbit hole of CLKs and scaring myself with tales of M272/273 engines and balancer shafts… do you know your Mercs, and are you much concerned about them?

(sorry OP, tried looking for direct messaging to reach snotrag but failed)

gt86 is too expensive and the rear seats aren’t really…

they are a bit out of budget (can get a ratty cat- for 7 or 8k). The seats are fine for kids for shorter journeys though, or journeys of any length if used as a 1+2 (2 kids on the passenger side). My wife and I are both >6′ and we can go 4-up for journeys under an hour with our 4 & 6 year olds in the back. Can get a 8′ surfboard or bike inside (front wheel off)

Fiat 500 Abarth

There is a special edition one just listed on Facebook near me (Seaford) with 50k miles for 5k

no idea who the seller is but looks pretty good to me! 165bhp in something the size of a roller skate

cheap to own and fairly reliable

not sure about getting a bike in though….

5 grand comfy 2+2 cruiser… Gotta be a Jag XKR…

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302084052488

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107124931399

It’ll cost a sodding fortune to keep on the road though.

Fiat 500 Abarth

Was thinking of suggesting that actually. Not really a 2+2 but bloody brilliant as a tiny hot hatch. My alpines fitted in nicely in both of mine though one did make a mess of the carbon fibre seats.

Adding a 500 is opening it up to a whole world of hot hatches which I guess the OP is not after otherwise they would have asked. And if so loads of hot hatches fit the requirement other than the key one of being a 2+2 coupe of course…

It’s like the OP has been monitoring my current auto trader search filters. Our aged Yaris runabout is reaching that time in its life where the looming mot may ask difficult questions about rust suspension mounts.

I had a 1.7 Puma and an EP3 TypeR once upon a time. I’ve an urge to recapture that bit of my youth. £5k gives lots of options, but seemingly just as many compromises.

Volkswagen Corrado?
Corrado

I had a t-sport Celica for a while. As a second car it’s plenty quiet enough but as it was my only car I did sell it to move on to something with cruise control and quietness. It was excellent bike lugger as you could walk down the side of the car to load into the long flat hatch. I put a fart cannon on for a laugh before driving all the way to Pyrenees. The tunnels and mountain passes were hilarious but the motorway was horrendous at that volume… Hands down best engine I’ve owned though, 8200rpm is addictive.

Quirky, left field suggestion. Renault Avantime!

That is a very bad idea if you want something reliable. A friend has one and it rarely has nothing wrong with it. To start with they pop springs a lot and it’s virtually impossible to get a replacement – despite being based on the espace(?), they changed A LOT to bespoke parts.

Fancy something a bit more interesting/ less practical in my life.

E-cargo bike. For that price you can buy new.

Car manufacturers spend a fortune selling a dream of freedom, fun, and escape but in reality you only get those things with a bike.

£5grand is nearly Maserati biturbo territory. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Did you want to actually drive it or pay a garage to keep it warm?

I agree Abarth 500 was a silly suggestion.

Have an alternative

Slightly more modern and practical.