I really like them, great fun all the toys as well, can map them for a little more poke as well. I like the Clubman though, think they are very cool.
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What sub £15k weekend car would you buy?
- Thread starter moonstone
- Start date
I really like them, great fun all the toys as well, can map them for a little more poke as well. I like the Clubman though, think they are very cool.
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
Spoke to the owner of that very car tonight and going to see it tomorrow morning. I’ll be very surprised if I don’t buy it!
Nice one mate, great little car car it will feel like a little go kart compared to the M5
Hold there money as well!
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
Yeah that’s what I’m thinking, it’ll be a nice counterpoint to the M5.
Indeed and those seats are bloody lovely!
Get a mild map and it will be a quick little sod!
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
Just back from seeing that Mini.
Pros- The guy has owned it from new. It's packed full of options, recaros, pano roof etc. Full service history. Comes with two sets of wheels (black and silver, both mint and with summer & winter tyres).
Cons - Every single black bit of trim on the car used to be chrome and is desperately trying to be chrome again. It's been given a quick sand and sprayed with what seems like enamel rattle cans. The engine was labouring not long after he started it and he had to keep revving it to keep it alive. Says it hasn't been started up in a while. The front bumper has loads of lacquer peel due to stone chips and needs resprayed. MOT is up at the end of this month and although he said he's sort prior to sale, he really didn't seem that keen at first.
In the end its a "no" from me. Was quite annoyed after specifically asking about the bodywork on the phone as well.
Pros- The guy has owned it from new. It's packed full of options, recaros, pano roof etc. Full service history. Comes with two sets of wheels (black and silver, both mint and with summer & winter tyres).
Cons - Every single black bit of trim on the car used to be chrome and is desperately trying to be chrome again. It's been given a quick sand and sprayed with what seems like enamel rattle cans. The engine was labouring not long after he started it and he had to keep revving it to keep it alive. Says it hasn't been started up in a while. The front bumper has loads of lacquer peel due to stone chips and needs resprayed. MOT is up at the end of this month and although he said he's sort prior to sale, he really didn't seem that keen at first.
In the end its a "no" from me. Was quite annoyed after specifically asking about the bodywork on the phone as well.
C320
Tyre Kicker
They are great little cars, I've got an R56 Mini Cooper S and I am a huge fan. Like you I've had a lot of BMWs, with some minor mods the R56 (AEM air intake & Milltek cat back exhaust), is great fun to drive and you can drive it closer to the limit than most modern high performance cars without getting into too much trouble (I've just sold my F86 X6M which has the S63 4.4 V8 from the F10 M5 Comp).
I'd persevere and look for a Cayman or Boxster for 15k. I've kept the Mini as the tiny rear seats are still useful for me (use it for the school run most of the week too). A 2 seater would be too much of a compromise for me, but if you can do it I'd hold out for something more special.
I'd persevere and look for a Cayman or Boxster for 15k. I've kept the Mini as the tiny rear seats are still useful for me (use it for the school run most of the week too). A 2 seater would be too much of a compromise for me, but if you can do it I'd hold out for something more special.
C320
Tyre Kicker
That's the really annoying thing about buying older used cars!
I got really lucky with my MCS, it had a full Mini & Specialist history with just 1 owner from new, even had the original bill of sale and lots of invoices / receipts!
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
Well. That's what this car had as well. Really the only thing wrong with it is the bumper and the trims. I'm now rethinking it in terms of if the good outweighs the bad. The stuff is cosmetic. Not sure about the engine but he said it's been off the road since December. I suppose a mechanically sound car that needs a wee bit of TLC is better than a shiney one with a knackered engine.
Thing is, it just didn't wow me enough when I saw it. Neither did the 987 Cayman I saw recently either. I really don't know what I want!
That's a shame, but as you say, it has a lot going for it, and by the sounds of it not a lot to put it right. Did you put a code reader on, sometimes they have hidden codes as to why its labouring, could just be a plug or a coil, but then it could be something sinister as well like a fuel pump, injectors etc.
If you keep thinking about it, get him to run the car a bit to stop it labouring as he says its been sitting, MOT it, calculate what it will cost to have the paintwork done, double it, and then knock him down.
Its going to be hard to WOW you mate, I know exactly what you mean when its Meh! Your expectations must be similar to mine which is probably to high for a 10k toy!! this is magnified by the beast and RRS you have as well. In short its called being spoilt, and its hard for any other car at this price point to measure up. Being a Petrolhead and having perfection, comes high expectations. I have walked away from cars that really someone would love and buy, because I am used to top of the range mint perfect beasties, I think and I want better!
I cant help but think whatever you get you wont have it long, and do some wheeler dealering with it and want something better, if things get sorted, you can always sell it, then you can say you have had one at least. Just get it cheap enough matey!
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
Everything you've said is pretty much spot on. I've 100% decided against it the Mini now though. If I'm buying a weekend toy, it needs to feel special enough for me to want to drive it instead of the M5 and the conclusion I came to with the mini is that it would be a novelty that might wear off quite quickly. I'm back looking at TTSs. What I really want is a Cayman 918 but I can't afford one. I can get a Mk3 TTS for around £22-25k. I've enquired about three now and they've all been dogs for one reason or another.
But I think I've found one that might just be the ticket.
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moonstone
Tyre Kicker
So Audi York are tying to sell me a TTS with three different brands of tyre on it and don’t see why Im annoyed about it 🙄
Had a similar experience with a 4 series at a BMW main dealer. A car meant to be Approved, had three brands, two of which were far from premium, and they didn't bat an eyelid when I pointed it out.
The car was stiffly priced (in 2017) and just didn't cut it at all.
PS. Just remembered the number of stonechips, including slight signs of corrosion in some of them, in the front end. Truly awful.
The car was stiffly priced (in 2017) and just didn't cut it at all.
PS. Just remembered the number of stonechips, including slight signs of corrosion in some of them, in the front end. Truly awful.
That's bad, a main dealer car should have the same on each axle at very least, I thought that was part of the 140 (or whatever) checks and not sure if its law?
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
Apparently it’s all down to the tread depth. They’ve said they replace two of them so that each axle has the same but it’s been a real song and dance to get to that point and it’s knocked my confidence on their prep.
How many times does he say the words “Really well looked after”…
Full main dealer service history from new. Only 2 owners and with a 12 month main dealer warranty, it is tempting.
Apparently it’s all down to the tread depth. They’ve said they replace two of them so that each axle has the same but it’s been a real song and dance to get to that point and it’s knocked my confidence on their prep.
How many times does he say the words “Really well looked after”…
Full main dealer service history from new. Only 2 owners and with a 12 month main dealer warranty, it is tempting.
Does look nice, love the "no rips in the leather comment" I should fucking hope not !
You sure about a manual in one of those?
moonstone
Tyre Kicker
I bloody know! Honestly, main dealers are shite. The indy that I got the M5 from, gave the car a full paint correction and ceramic coating, had all the wheels refurbed and if the tyres are worn, budgets or mismatched they stick new performance tyres on the cars they sell. This mob are haggling over two hundred quid to stick new tyres on. It's embarrassing! But it is keenly priced and does come with the dealer warranty.
I actually quite fancy a manual. The M5 is an auto and so's the rangey so I'm thinking a manual would give me a bit more driver engagement than the S-Tronic. My old Mk2 TT was a manual and I really enjoyed that. I want a car that's as far removed from the M5 as possible, otherwise what's the point, I'm thinking.
Gotcha, its just I was a proper die hard manual man, would not touch an auto, Yuk! but as I get older and for a road car, I really can't be arsed.