# What interesting to drive car for £10k?



## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

I bought a Z4M 3 months ago. Love it to bits.

However I'm also trying to overpay the mortagage for the next 2 years, to get a big deposit on the next house.

Is there a car out there for about £10k that is anywhere near as fun to drive as a rear wheel drived M? :?


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## p1tse (Sep 20, 2004)

e36 m3, e46m3, depends how much money you want to bank from the sell of a z4m

or do the sensible thing and buy a £5k VAG tdi, should not loose too much in depreciation and save more on running cost ;-)


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## KimTT (Jul 12, 2009)

E46 M3 ....


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

p1tse said:


> or do the sensible thing and buy a £5k VAG tdi,


I don't think I could do it for myself.

Could consider an Elise, but winter would be interesting. :roll:

Monday morning drive will probably make me forget this idea completely though.


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## ag (Sep 12, 2002)

Fun is all relative and not necessarily about big speeds. Decent reliability and low running costs can add to the enjoyment. Knowing that you've wrecked a pair of £200 tyres in a weekend isn't fun.

So if you're looking for a £10k motor that is fun to drive, fairly recent so that it is reliable with lowish running costs I'd start with a Cooper S and try cars of that type.


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## drjam (Apr 7, 2006)

Hark said:


> p1tse said:
> 
> 
> > or do the sensible thing and buy a £5k VAG tdi,
> ...


I was about to suggest an Elise - series 1's are sub £10K, it'll be depreciation-free (likely even go up in value) and be light on your wallet for fuel.
Pretty hopeless in snow, just like any other RWD (but you could get winter tyres if driving in snow was a "must"). 
Unless fitted with track-bias tyres, they're perfectly driveable in the wet, despite what people will try to tell you (or unless you treat it like a quattro and think the throttle can be booted mid-corner without consequence...).

But all depends on your attitude to: noise, rattles, getting in and out etc. 
Would definitely count as "interesting"...


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## kmpowell (May 6, 2002)

ag said:


> So if you're looking for a £10k motor that is fun to drive, fairly recent so that it is reliable with lowish running costs I'd start with a Cooper S


As somebody who owned one from new - I wholeheartedly concur. The R56 second gen(Sep 06>) Turbo Cooper S is an incredible little car that punches so far above its weight, you will be left speechless.

£10k would get you something like this: http://pistonheads.com/sales/2519220.htm

All the car you'd ever need for that money.


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## YELLOW_TT (Feb 25, 2004)

A bit heavy on fuel but what about a mk4 Golf r32


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## techfreak (Aug 13, 2010)

If i had 10k and could afford the running costs, would have to be an S4


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## Hark (Aug 23, 2007)

techfreak said:


> If i had 10k and could afford the running costs, would have to be an S4


I don't think I'd be any better off there to be honest mate. lol


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## techfreak (Aug 13, 2010)

Hark said:


> techfreak said:
> 
> 
> > If i had 10k and could afford the running costs, would have to be an S4
> ...


I know, i know ...just really like that car, well love the z4m too...Don't Sell?!!!


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## Dash (Oct 5, 2008)

Fun or fast? If you're liking the rear wheel roadster lark, go for an MX-5, they are cheap and great fun to drive. Just not especially quick (although I believe there is potential for forced induction bolt-ons).


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## shao_khan (May 7, 2002)

Gotta echo the comments above - if fun is the factor then look for an MX5, i'd look actually for an older (lower than your budget) mk2 1.8 with lsd fitted from factory, I think the sport had this. They are great fun to drive small light rwd but not as fast in a straight line as many modern cars. The newer ones are still a good drive but they get lardier as they get revised. IF modding is your bag then you can get turbo kits for that extra bit of straight line power.


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## Fictorious (Sep 15, 2009)

Sub 60k miler E46 M3's are around £10k, same with a nice V8 M5, or an Alpina B3S/10 if you want to be exclusive.
Plenty of S1 Elises (I would stretch to the S2 though at around £12k), a high mileage 996, 986 boxster s, evo VII-VIII, BBR MX-5 (buy 1.8i minter for £3k, 5k on BBR conversion for 240bhp and sub 1000kg weight), so many options just depends on what you're willing to sacrifice from the Z4M.


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## BAMTT (Feb 22, 2004)

'05 on impreza sti/spec d get a map etc for 1k and you have around 350bhp

Discover how good a 4wd system should be

Downside = image

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mikeat45 (May 9, 2009)

for 10k you can get decent M Sport 330 /Alpina B3 /M3 Ragtop E46's


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