[E92Fan]

Originally Posted by dxb335d

Keep yours, drive it more carefully. Service is wisely and shop around for a better insurance quote.

That's not going to free up around the £10k that I think the OP wants to achieve.

E46 330i/d
E39 530i/d
Seat Leon
VW Golf 2.0Tdi

[Jay_Jay]

Mondeo ST220, superb chassis, rare and a nice V6. Seen a few 05, 06's within your budget with 70k ish :-)

[toxicnerve]

Originally Posted by E92Fan

That's not going to free up around the £10k that I think the OP wants to achieve.

I think Carlos must have skipped every single reading comprehension class back in school.

[dxb335d]

Originally Posted by E92Fan

That's not going to free up around the £10k that I think the OP wants to achieve.

E46 330i/d
E39 530i/d
Seat Leon
VW Golf 2.0Tdi

correct, but could save him a few K a year and keep a lovely car.

[MOB]

Originally Posted by Jay_Jay

Mondeo ST220, superb chassis, rare and a nice V6. Seen a few 05, 06's within your budget with 70k ish :-)

+1 Brilliant cars to drive

[rogerxp]

I'd obviously vote for the E46 330i. I've done all the research you're doing and the E46 was the right choice for me - whether it is for you is up to you. Practical, fairly economical, fast, relatively cheap to maintain, low-ish insurance, low tax, and still looks good - job done

If you're strictly sticking to £6k you're likely to be looking at pre-facelift model unless they're had a pretty major dip in value over the last 6 months.

[Ham09]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

I'd obviously vote for the E46 330i. I've done all the research you're doing and the E46 was the right choice for me - whether it is for you is up to you. Practical, fairly economical, fast, relatively cheap to maintain, low-ish insurance, low tax, and still looks good - job done

If you're strictly sticking to £6k you're likely to be looking at pre-facelift model unless they're had a pretty major dip in value over the last 6 months.

A 330i is definately a strong contender atm. The £466 a year Road Tax of the current motor is getting a bit anoying when I'm only doing 6k miles a year. I can't be killing the enviroment that much lol. Tbh I could keep it another year and I do still enjoy it but I'm trying to save some cash (for a house move) and I figure the most a 6k car will depreciate realisticly is well... £6k if it blows up (assuming I don't spend a fortune repairing it to). I could spend a bit more if needs be if it means I get a much better example. I'm really not sure how much I can expect to get for the 335i in a years time hence punting up for sale now when I know can a fair amount for it (he hopes lol).

[rogerxp]

Your brain is going through the right train of thought. Exactly what mind did. I considered most of the cars already mentioned but discounted them due to keeping to budget meant galactic mileage or v.old (or both) which would just be false economy if it all goes wrong or I just didn't like them (too dated, to many facelifts/models since, shit interior).

My budget was £7k which meant pre-facelift with reasonably high mileage or facelift with galactic mileage. I ended up spending £8k for the facelift (with a 6 speed manual). It's an 03 plate with 72k on the clock; thought it was pretty reasonable at that price and it still feels bullet-proof and runs like a dream (...touch wood). You need to be careful though with cars this age, and mileage, but then you'd need to be with all cars.

Whatever you do DON'T BUY AN RX8

[Jamese93]

Do what I did and buy an old Merc SL - got a minter 94 300 SL-24 with 74k and FSH for about what you're looking to spend. A lot classier than a mundano but admittedly not quite as practical! That said I've still got to spend a grand on it to get it back up to "my" standards, but hey-ho. I've released 17 grand from a car that was losing a grand a month which can't be bad....

[Em135eye]

ST220s are very thirsty for their bhp output.

I think when you are forced to run something "sensible" for a bit, go the whole hog and do it properly. Getting some sky high mile performance car will soak up even more cash.

Just get a solid runaround for a year or two - a TCDi Mondeo or Focus or something like that, save a fortune on running costs then come "back" with a bang if/when things are back on the up.

[rogerxp]

A pal kept telling me to do what you've done James but I just didn't know enough about those cars to be confident in what I was buying. He has an old SL and 944 and services them both himself but as I can't I'd be reliant upon others. Beautiful cars though .

[Ham09]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

Whatever you do DON'T BUY AN RX8

Nice car shame about the engine. I wanted one a few years ago and now I'm soo glad I didn't get one. I see you had a 350z, how was that to own?

A couple of people at work have what I call £1k sh*tters. Have both been lucky passing MOT's for the last two years and no work required on them (yet). Totally souless to drive though. Another plus side is you don't give a crap parking them anywhere, and if some knob pulls out at a roundabout (as they do on my estate frequently) you can just plough into with a smile on your face shouting "where there's blame there's a claim". Ideal for snow driving too lol.

I guess real sensible option is getting something like a golf tdi as someone suggested, but doing 6k milleage I doubt I'd see big gains on the fuel. By the end of the week I might have changed my mind and pulled the ad anyhow. Had a nice drive home today in the BMW and love the sound system in it.

[toxicnerve]

Dude, if you're looking to buy a house do the whole £1k shitter thing...once you've got a house you can then get another nice motor and put off doing anything to the house for a few years. This is what I did, much to the other half's disdain

[Ham09]

lol I like your style.

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by Ham09

I see you had a 350z, how was that to own?

I've had two . Brilliant cars; loved them both. I'd be in one now if it wasn't for the fact decent ones just wont drop under £9/10k. I'm getting extremely twitchy now actually about getting a 370Z Roadster (awaiting a monster tax rebate which the wife certainly wont be finding out about ).

[peterg1965]

Originally Posted by rogerxp

I've had two (awaiting a monster tax rebate which the wife certainly wont be finding out about ).

She will now Roger........

I have to say I completely empathise with and understand the desire to get into a decent car that doesn't loose many £1000's in value every year. I like the security of having a car that is under warranty, is reliable yet doesn't cost me an arm and a leg and has minimal outlay, this was the main reason I bought the Skoda Octavia vRS - but I am yet to discover how much it depreciates.

However, I get bored with a car very, very quickly (but not quite as quick as Stevie of course!). My eyes are wandering again, hence the drive in the XK and I have a hankering after something 'special' again. I keep going back to the 911 ads......

To the OP good luck with your search for the 'holy grail'!

[rogerxp]

Originally Posted by peterg1965

I keep going back to the 911 ads......

I'm never far from those either (a Porsche showroom 2 miles from my office doesn't help either)