Do I, don't I?
 

For the last 3 months I've been umming and ahhing over a new motor. Replaced the Scoob with a big E Class Merc Estate last year. Missed the thrills so I'm looking to chop in our other car (a cooking model Clio) for something fun. Will only be doing about 10 miles most days but would like to have some fun with it at weekends and for it to be usable on the odd two hour motorway blast. Reliability needs to be good (hence no Lotus or TVR mentioned below). Back seats useful but not a must as we have the Merc as a load-lugger.

After a few testdrives I'm about to order an EU Import Golf GTI (3 door, Metallic Black, 18's, Leather) for £19K. That gremlin at the back of my head is niggling me about whether or not I'll regret not going for something a bit quicker / quirkier. Don't fancy another Scoob or Evo but my shortlist looks like this. Any input from you guys would be great..

LHD 996 911 (£22K upwards for an early one, top of my budget is £22K so I'm a bit worried about reliabilty. LHD or insurance doesn't phase me). A 911 is what I really want and I'm tempted to put the whole exercise on hold until I can afford a £25K ish one.

Early Boxster S (£20K seems to get one) - again concerned about reliability/RMS issues etc.

Early BMW Z4 2.5 (a bit Craig from Big Brother? :) )

BMW M Coupe (reliability again is a concern..would be a few years old after all..?)

2nd Hand / Import 350Z - prefer the GT spec but these still seem pricey unless you go for a Jap Import (ST spec). Unsure about spec/handling differences of JDM versions.

S2000 - seem a sensible buy but I just can't get excited by them for some reason.

Ford Mustang GT - there's one on Autotrader for £20,900 near me.. Lot of car for the money and a real rarity.

Check out the review of the Astra VXR in Autocar this week, ok its an Astra which for some reason always plays second fiddle to just about anything the same size but it seems Vauxhall have a winner that mullers the Golf and is cheaper, looks pretty good as well. 237 bhp I think, now that is a monster Hot Hatch.

NEVER settle for second best, you only live once and all that...

You'll always wonder 'what if' - was the reason I bought my Scoob.

wait for the Porsche. you wont regret it.

Thanks guys, I know what you mean. Bought the E320cdi Merc Estate when I should have waited for the 535d Sport.. Niggles me when I see one. The Golf does look the more sensible option though. Buying the wrong 911 could prove a very costly exercise if it goes tits up on me.

Go with your heart and buy that 911, even if it cost's you a bit more you wont regret it. remortgage - a little bit extra on that loan do whatever it takes if you can afford it, too many people save for a rainy day and then the next thing they are 70 or you could snuff it having done none of these things.

look at it this way you can always sell it and look back and say well at least i had one!

Over the years car's and especially bikes have been a costly exercise for me, but i dont regret it for a second and i would do it all again tommorrow.

When your in your 911 blasting down a empty country lane you'll say it was worth every penny!!:)

Just checked on Autotrader there are loads of 50-70k mile 996's for between 23-25k RHD as well!!!

Boxster S or save for the 911 :)

save...!

This may sound like a daft suggestion, but give an MX-5 a try.
I did a similar thing to you, I swapped my scoob for an E250 Estate, then persuaded MrsD that what she really needed instead of a boring old golf was a Maz:) She loves it, and it puts a bigger smile on my face than anything else I've ever driven, and there's some pretty tasty motors lurking in my history:D

Also if you buy right, depreciation is more glacier than precipice, so you get to have some fun whilst doing the sensible thing - saving for a real Porker:thumb:

Be careful about buying one of the cheapest 996s, it would end up being a financial drain.

How about a E46 M3?

The ones i've seen at around 23-26k still are relativly low mileages 50-70k on the clock, i've heard that 996's can take that in their stride, unless there was an issue on the earlier models i.e. 97-2000 plate