StevieL81

I've got a job for 6 months overseas where I'll earn a good amount of cash, so wanting to spend about £10k on a car when I get back.

I've had Jap cars for 8+ years now, MR2's, Mx5, Scooby and I've been round the Jap club scene for a while too so would like to stay Jap.

I really like the GC8 Imprezas so was thinking of going for a 2 door STi or a P1?

I've been looking round and seen other nice cars, BMW M3, although the gearbox issues I've heard about puts me off, or an E39 M5 which I'm really tempted by (394hp out the box!!!)

Ideally I want to buy something that's rapid standard and will be a machine with a few simple mods. Something that's reasonably reliable too, I'm not fussed about servicing costs as I service most of my cars myself.

I'm hoping the vast experience of people on here will have good suggestions

Brun

A P1 / STi Type R will leave you with plenty of change.
What do you want from a car? Track days, Cruising machine, weekend toy?
E39 M5 is more comfy cruiser than sporty and it's still a £40-50k car with potential bills to suit an expensive car.
Not heard about the gearbox issues on an M3???

Brun

£10k

Matteeboy

I'd go for the M5. Solid build, lovely engine, comfy, best M5 ever made.

Ash170990

iTrader: (1)

mk1 Focus RS, only 212bhp as standard but light and handles like its on rails!

few simple mods (air filter, remap, turbo back exhaust, forge actuator) and you will be seeing 300bhp and will be keeping up with 911's ferrari 360's etc...

StevieL81

Something I could take to the occasional track day and have fun, but will be nice to drive on the motorways too.

That's an impressive Type R, but way too modified for my liking.

eelz

iTrader: (10)

I'm thinking of selling my E39 M5 if you're interested mate.

top spec,89k,fsh etc..it's in mint condition too

StevieL81

Not just now mate, maybe in about 8 months time when I get back. Just having some time off so doing lots of window shopping

StevieL81

Then I see pictures like this car and remember why I want a Type R STi

The Pink Ninja

iTrader: (23)

If its a scoob you want get a test drive in a Spec-C

SPIDERWRX

In 8 months time you could get a nice 335i

StevieL81

Isn't that one of the newer ones? I prefer the classics

The Pink Ninja

iTrader: (23)

Yep, 2001/02(Bug) the 1st ones and then 2002/03( Blob+) onwards for the twinscroll`s,

You will be able to get an absolute minter of a classic for 10k though.

Fleetster

As above an M5! or an E46 M3 pleanty for around that sort of price.
Or how about being totally different and look at a MASERATI 3200 370 bhp you can pick them up for 10k now..

Matteeboy

What's next?!

GotBoost?

Turbo-charged MX-5 NA!

scoobynutta555

Early 996 around that money.

StevieL81

Checked out insurance on Comparethemarket and the M5 and P1 are both around the £490 mark fully comp (so probably cheaper going through specialists insurance companies).

I think I'd be happier in an Impreza than an M5 so will probably get a very very tidy Type R or a P1, although in the next 8 months I'll probably change my mind more than I change my undies! haha

Matteeboy

NICE! Cheap insurance too!

f1_fan

iTrader: (9)

So you can stop someone butchering it like this one?

P.S. Drive an E39 M5 - brilliant car - the best car BMW ever made IMO! You will like it more than you think!

eelz

iTrader: (10)

This is very true.

classic-line are the insurers you need as the e39 m5 is deemed a 'modern day classic' and they're the most competitive I believe (I shall be switching to them soon), you must drive one though.

dexster81

iTrader: (1)

Hey up you big gay bear, stop asking questions you know you want a classic Impreza you have that itch that needs to be itched.
10G and you can have a very high spec 2nd hand classic, so many people are giving up at the mo and on your wage you can afford to keep it when most couldn't.
Dex (Dec mwhahahaha)

StevieL81

Awrite Dec

Just window shopping, there's nothing round here to go nosey at that I like, closest M5 is about a 2.5 hour drive away and no P1's anywhere near that I've found

You got them arches on yet?

dexster81

iTrader: (1)

No buddy they're getting a big delay as my plans have changed still have my arches just not fitting yet. Just spent 2000 on a PPG 5 speed box and 800 on an MD321T turbo so decided the arches and wheels can be put back for a while.
I had to travel to get my car when I bought it, I used the hire car I had on RR to travel to find mine.
When I got mine it was from Newcastle and I lived In Beverley.
If you want a nice car you have to do some work for it, I've seen a lot of top end 2doors going for peanuts on this forum recently. If you go for something like an M3or older M5 you will love it but to modify them is mega money as its very limited what you can do performance wise on a budget, but I'm not saying imprezas are cheap either as its a joke when people say impreza, evos, supras and even SKYLINES can easily be tuned to 1000bhp they all cost the earth but I will say subarus are so easy to work on and I can guarentee the equipement you have at work is enough for a complete rebuild (plus you only really need a 10mm 12mm 14mm and 17mm spanner to do most of the work lol)

StevieL81

I know what you mean mate, but I'm at a Bn were we don't have tools lol, I can't even get a VM box! lol

I probably wont want to go silly power though, just a few BPU's to get it shifting a little bit faster, I've already got a Blitz SBC and some Defi gauges from my MR2 to go on any new purchase

StevieL81

I know Dec won't agree, but anyone owned one of these?



Something that puts me off another Scoob, there's about 8 in my works car park

Ash170990

iTrader: (1)

I know of a nice one for sale lol doesnt look quite as "hard" as that one though!

StevieL81

I won't need one till September though mate

Tidgy

e39's are big, but still got plenty of grunt and handel well. 10k shoudl get you a decent one.

altough if i had 10k and looked at a beemer then e46 m3 would be my choice of them all

like all cars a few things to look out for with them, but picks and chose (and plenty of choice in that budget) and you'll find a cracker.

Matteeboy

Moving down the performance scale but up the newness ladder, £10k will fetch you a decentish 335i (BMW) and just FYI, I'm looking at moving my 335d Touring on - it's fairly light on extras but I'm looking at around £12-23k as a p/x price. 46k miles, 56 plate - just as a guide.

335d and 335i are both very easy to remap. Can't do much more to a 335d but a 335i can be tuned up to nutty numbers.

M5s and the cars above are immense but if anything goes wrong, it could go very very wrong.

My 335d has been cheaper to run than an Astra I had for a similar number of years... only biggish cost has been tyres.