Reply to: Which impractical car?

[Old Hack]

I just had to look that up, it would go on a list for future but I'm waiting to see how the Alfa 4C turns out.

Friend of mine had a RS4 Avant as a practical family/shopping car, sure the RS5 is equally fun.

I've had an S4, and loved that. Alfa 4C looks to be stunning, if a tad expensive.

There are so many exciting engines coming through. Peugeot have produced a 1.6 Turbo producing 270bhp, then look at AMG producing 355bhp from 2 litres, Ford have produced 1 litres producing over 170 bhp. All of these engines appear in various other cars too. Exciting times for petrol heads.

To put this all into perspective, the M1, BMW's first super car, had 277bhp. The first Ford Sierra Cosworth had 204 bhp. Now cooking versions of BMW estate cars have over that.

[IRMe]

I have it on my list to go test drive one of these. Even being an AMG I hate the SLK having a hairdressers car image but listening to the exhaust noise on YouTube I would get over it A hell of a lot of car for under 20k!

I just had to look that up, it would go on a list for future but I'm waiting to see how the Alfa 4C turns out.

Friend of mine had a RS4 Avant as a practical family/shopping car, sure the RS5 is equally fun.

[Jeebo72]

I have it on my list to go test drive one of these. Even being an AMG I hate the SLK having a hairdressers car image but listening to the exhaust noise on YouTube I would get over it A hell of a lot of car for under 20k!

If you're worried about other peoples opinions go with the Porsche. I went from a Boxster to Audi RS5 and my neighbours thought I was made redundant …

[Scrag Meister]

Perfect for pie eating northerners.

And southerners

Could go for the petrol Nissan Murano, the 350Z engine in a Cayenne like body, cheap to buy but a tad thirsty, but no worse than a 350Z.

Luxury and performance.

I have a 2.5D Murano and love it.

[sasguru]

And then you make big mistake of actually talking ...

That was quite good for you. You need to look to look up the meaning of "witty", though.

[AtW]

In my experience they adore me because I am handsome, witty and a good laugh.

And then you make big mistake of actually talking ...

[Old Hack]

I have it on my list to go test drive one of these. Even being an AMG I hate the SLK having a hairdressers car image but listening to the exhaust noise on YouTube I would get over it A hell of a lot of car for under 20k!

The V10 M5's are under 20k now and are proper screamers. AMG55 sounds brutal though

[northernladuk]

Do yourself a favour and try the SLK 55 amg for a few pence more or maybe the old M3...much more fun cars.

I have it on my list to go test drive one of these. Even being an AMG I hate the SLK having a hairdressers car image but listening to the exhaust noise on YouTube I would get over it A hell of a lot of car for under 20k!

[Old Hack]

If it's about fun, the Z will lose traction quicker, the Boxster has more refined handling.

If you want some proper fun, buy an Integra R and use it for track days. There are so many better cars for similar money to be honest.

[Scruff]

The RMS issues are generally a lot of worriers concerned about nothing. Its a 15p oil seal which I had replaced twice when I had an OPC warranty. It immediately starts to "leak". When I say leak, its more like a sweat - never enough to even drip. They get replaced because the workshop can charge for an engine out, and they "leak" again.

I never renewed the OPC warranty after 3 years, since you are forced to have all your work done by the OPC (even the battery, tyres and wiper blades), since it isn't actually a warranty, but an Insurance Policy.

Insofar as bore-scoring is concerned, you only see people who mention it are people who have it (very few in real terms). As a pre-purchase inspection you just insist on them bore-scoping it for safety sake purposes...

More of a concern is the IMS (intermediate main shaft). If this goes, then its an engine rebuild. I belong to a group of over 1000 owners and, personally, I don't know anyone who this has happened to so far...

Similar issues affect different cars (BMW - Vanos units / M5 gearboxes, etc).

All cars have a risk involved...

[DimPrawn]

For every reason you just mentioned.. Perfect

Perfect for pie eating northerners.

[northernladuk]

Sorry but the Nissan is heavy nosed and slow witted.

Nasty engine. Noisy but not in a good way, unrefined and tacky.

Why would you want one?

For every reason you just mentioned.. Perfect

[Old Hack]

Oh no, not another one.
The only hope is that the dull pedant doesn't see it ...

That didn't take long did it; like a dog with an itch, you couldn't help yourself

Porsche will be fun and keep money, the Z the most fun and lose more money. But at that age, I'd go for the Z

[DimPrawn]

Have you considered a Mazda RX-8?
A tad on the thirsty side (petrol and oil) but look, drive and sound great imo.

Four doors and four seats, how's that an impractical motor?

Apart from emptying it's tank of petrol and synthetic oil every 200 miles that is....

[Grasser73]

Have you considered a Mazda RX-8?
A tad on the thirsty side (petrol and oil) but look, drive and sound great imo.