From your list, the S2000

Not on your list:

A Noble
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3255702.htm
Cayman S
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3221916.htm
Exige
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3558626.htm

I’m considering selling my ’86 Golf GTi cabrio this year and getting something a bit more modern but still as much fun. Boxster S, Cayman S, Elise, or Exige are on the list. My cousin built himself a Caterham R400 and it’s mental but you come back from every drive 1/2 exhilarated, 1/2 exhausted. 5k a year would kill you! 😀

All common cars.

Get a second hand Wiesmann.

Oh my, that’s phallic. 😀

It’s cos you have the brain of a 12 year old boy.

No I haven’t.

Now bog off willy face or I will get my dad onto you.

A Noble
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3255702.htm
Cayman S
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3221916.htm
Exige
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3558626.htm

Noble – get one that doesn’t break. That’s the tricky part. Some are known to chew gearboxes.

Cayman S – not that impressed with those IMO. A mate bought one 2-3 yrs ago (as his first car!). Really wanted to like it but felt sterile and unengaging.

Exige – like the Noble, get one with full history and not broken. Quite decent on a good day, but a bag of rattly bolts on a bad one.

See this is why things like the G35 are on the list.
£8k for a really good one, and I could spend £6k on a supercharger and suspension tweaks and still end up under maximum budget.

Cayman S – not that impressed with those IMO. A mate bought one 2-3 yrs ago (as his first car!). Really wanted to like it but felt sterile and unengaging.

Eh?

It revved like a motorbike, gripped well and in tiptronic form you could just plant your right foot and take off – but that was on the A413 ‘racetrack’. And you’d get a bike in the back 🙂

Aston??

To my eyes the DB7 has aged really badly. So it’s a no, I’m afraid.

Vauxhall Monaro?

It revved like a motorbike, gripped well and in tiptronic form you could just plant your right foot and take off – but that was on the A413 ‘racetrack’. And you’d get a bike in the back

I wouldn’t disagree … it’s just that I felt detached when pushing it. Not in the same way you can in an Evo though. Like I say, I wanted to like it but it somehow left me cold.

Mercedes Benz SL500

Jaguar XK/XKR

993/996 if you want a sports car, E55 if you want a cruiser, M3 for something in the middle.

yep, spot on that!

Track-wise you could also consider something more youngtimer-ish like Porsche 968 CS or BMW E30 M3
I also like the VX220, Megane R26 and Exige proposal.
Imprezas maybe? Integra Type-R, Clio renaultsport AND something silly for the track (Caterham Classic)?!
Avoid tiptronics on Porsches! PDK is okay but too new to be within your budget.

Then again what do you really want from it? Outright pace, brute power or handling finesse? Do you give a damn about image and looks or does that play a part, too? Fun starting at licence friendly low speeds or competitive track day speed? Should Ms Ox be happy (in terms of ride, perceived safety, practicality, image…) on the passenger seat or is she used to worse?

Lotus Evora?! But north of your budget (>30k).

Good luck!

TVR Tuscan Six engines can be modified by Racing Green as part of a service.

They are as reliable as a toy car needs to be.

And goodness are they quick.

Or you could just buy a motorbike, which will out-accelerate (plus greater top-end than) anything above, and a fast car for your £18k

Then again what do you really want from it? Outright pace, brute power or handling finesse?

All 3? Brute power is nice but I do like my twisty roads, so I reckon handling finesse.

Do you give a damn about image and looks or does that play a part, too?

Looks play a part. It would be nice to be able to drive somewhere fancy for a meal and not require 4-point harness and a crash helmet, but there’ll always be Mrs Flying Ox’s car if not.

Should Ms Ox be happy (in terms of ride, perceived safety, practicality, image…) on the passenger seat or is she used to worse?

She’s been used to pillion on my motorbike, hanging on for dear life in my old MR2, roughing it in her old mk1 MX5 and the comparative luxury of an E36 3-series. She’ll just get on with it, I think, whatever it is.

The more I think about it, the less suitable an out-and-out track day car seems. Porkers are still a decent shout though. Liking the Cayman S.

Or you could just buy a motorbike, which will out-accelerate (plus greater top-end than) anything above, and a fast car for your £18k

This is the other option. Buell XB9S/Duke 748 and a xxxxxxxx?

If looks are important, and you don’t want depreciation, I think the very best E39 M5 you can find makes some sense. All the rubbish is dropping out of the market, and if you don’t buy one now, you’ll never get a good one.

There are a lot of great cars out there for the £18k you have in your budget.

My vote would be a Porsche or TVR.

The 996 is not loved by the market, so is relatively cheap compared to the 993 (air cooled) or 997 (newer)

I have a turbo which is exceptionally fast when you want it to be, but you dont need to drive it at 10/10 to enjoy.

The other car I would look at is a Cerbera, you can pick them up ex TVR power who give a 5 year warranty on the engine which removes a lot of the worry. The TVR option is also likey to come in much less than budget, leaving you with a war chest if the anticipated problems arise.

Hope you choose well and enjoy!

Al

Compliments for the lady who roughed it with her MX5! 🙂

Cayman sounds like a good solution for you! It’s got the everyday, the long-haul, the bad weather, the B-road and the track day covered. A save bet really.

Avoid tiptronic (neuters the car) and big 19″ wheels (wooden on B-roads, 18″ better, 17″ best but look feeble).
Nice to have: sportchrono pack – it comes with a silly clock on the dash but more importantly gives you an ESP sport option with more leeway (standard, sport, off).

Compared to the MR2 and MX5 it will feel more solid, has more grip and might feel less engaging at legal speeds as a result. Upside: it’s actually fast on a track and not just fun.

Enjoy the test ride I’d say! 🙂

————————————————————————————–

Then again, you can always drive a grown-up car when you are older! 😈
At least go for a test-ride with an Elise/Exige/VX220, too! 😛

All the best!

This is how i roll.

[/url] phonepics 187 by h4muf, on Flickr[/img]

P.S.: E39 M5 is nice but will feel like a barge compared to any actual sports car!
I really like them but it’s just 300 to 500 kg more than most of the others mentioned here.
Don’t get me wrong they can still be fun and fast. But in a different way.

P.P.S.: you could also get yourself a copy of the evo Performance Car Heroes and/or Track Day mag books for inspiration and advice.

evo mag book Performance Car Heroes
evo mag book Guide To Track Days

Both feature all the right (2nd hand) cars and have buying guides for the most relevant ones.

robowns – Member

TVR’s are the ugliest cars ever made.

Errr. I don’t think so…

TVR Tuscan Six engines can be modified by Racing Green as part of a service.

They are as reliable as a toy car needs to be.

They’re rubbish as a toy car as you can’t seem to leave them for weeks and then go and have a play. This was a friends experience with a Tuscan anyway. The only sensible way to use them seems to be own two, use them frequently and accept one of the two will probably be broken.

For the op my money would go on a good e46 M3 with a brake upgrade for track work, or if you’re happy with a very moddified car then a R33 GTS-t skyline. I had a ride at Elvington in one and it made the 300bhp 200sx I owned at the time seem very very slow.

I would go for a 993 personally like THISor THIS

For that infrequent use you want something special really, 993 is significantly more desirable than a 996, drives better and looks better. Depreciation wise you will be more protected in a 993. I sold mine for more than i paid for it (first time ever).

Or a nice M3, or a B5 RS4 would also be a good bet (twin turbo V6). Or a classic RS2 perhaps ?

Evo 10 ? Or maybe a arial atom

you’d get a really good Mitsubishi Evo for 18k, or a nice (and my choice) Porsche…

£18.5k

RS4

Ha – was just about to link to that Noble in Pistonheads!

Nice cars, not ‘that’ well known, and faaaaaassssttt….. (fastest I’ve been in a car, anyhow)

DrP

As an RS4 owner, and looking at your list, don’t get an RS4. Brill car, but sounds like you want something sillier.

Silly is the key, yes. RS4/M5 is a bit grown up. I’d *love* a Noble, but I reckon it might cost more than a TVR to keep on the road…

I’d be going Caterham/similar just for a fun car – don’t take it out in the wet though – or so I’ve heard.

Renault Clio V6.

A most awesome car.
One that Clarkson said would have in his top ten of all time garage.

They are superb. The noise, the drive, on a twisty road they are fabulous. I’m comapring them against recent Lotus, Nissan, and Merc ‘Sunday Best’ cars that I have used.

SB

EDIT – Oh yeah. Limited Edition. Practically handbuilt. If you look after it and don’t trash it, it will be an investment.

rx-7. awesome cars.

Why are people suggesting RS4’s and other similarly dull cars. Get something badass

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-TYPE-R-2-5-500BHP-WIDE-ARCH-MAGAZINE-FEATURED-no-swap-part-x-/170761245508?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27c229d344

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/UNIQUE-SUBARU-IMPREZA-WRX-SHOW-WINNING-CAR-OVER-80K-SPENT-CHARGESPEED-BODYKIT-/260930781215?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3cc0afc01f

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MITSUBISHI-LANCER-EVO-X-FQ360-GSR-STUNNING-CAR-/190624495788?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2c621af8ac

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/FORD-ESCORT-2-0-RS-COSWORTH-4X4-BIG-TURBO-MODEL-FULL-LEATHER-/220908371560?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item336f2a3e68

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MAZDA-RX7-BATHURST-TYPE-R-EDITION-HUGE-SPEC-SHEET-/170748656389?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item27c169bb05

Why are people suggesting RS4’s and other similarly dull cars. Get something badass

Errrm… I mean, I really don’t care so much about looks but I definitely wouldn’t want to be seen in one of those modifieds with corrupted handling and nonsense ornamental pseudo “aero” battens!

500bhp is all good, but what is it good for when the rest is just bling? Heavy bling as such?!
It’s cruel! An Impreza wants to be kept in an adequate free-range way.
It might even get muddy once in a while! 😯

People are calling MX5s and Boxsters etc girly cars but for me these pimped beauty queens are the real automotive tarts .

EDIT Sorry for the outburst. Just my personal opinion taste. But really… how can they… 😥

David, I do hope your tongue is firmly in your cheek because that really is one helluva collection of chavmobiles.

THIS CAR SOUNDS LIKE THUNDER!! AND IT ATTRACTS MORE ATTENTION THAN A FERRARI ENZO.

Yeah – from people laughing at how big a cock you look.

Comparing any of those with an RS4 is plainly infantile.

If its just a fun/weekend car go for something that the top comes off..makes a day of driving so much more fun than being sat in a tin box

and its not all about how fast a car goes, some are fun to drive some are not.

happy shopping !!