67 replies to this topic

[speedyK]

Not giving any more car-specific info – I'm still mulling it over. To give you an idea of how torn I am, I slept about two hours the night before I viewed it as I am so excited by the prospect Others may think it is cr@p when I reveal what it is. I've really gone through the field and even considered a Smart roadster as a cheap fun car that I could hand on to my daughter (15 today) in a few years. But that is just too much of a step in the wrong direction. My best mate is in on my choice and finds it very hard to justify the outlay for a boy's toy, but then he's not seen it, let alone had a ride in it. Another good mate also thinks there are more sensible options – but who wants to be sensible all the time? I feel like celebrating that I survived – and this seems a pretty good way to me! Not saying anything more till I've absolutely given up the idea as too extravagant... or signed the contract – and that might a while as I have already started negotiating about guarantee terms and am risking losing it if someone else just lays down the cash and snaps it up. If that happens, it happens... I'm going to have a restless weekend now trying to come to a decision which way to go Either way I'll say just what it is when it is final. Still open to suggestions I may have overlooked, though I'm pretty sure I've covered every angle...

[Smiler]

kin'ell he's getting a 4wd lambo!! well ya said it was twice what you wanted to spend.. hmm.. caterham R500 ? we talking hardcore here ?

[speedyK]

kin'ell he's getting a 4wd lambo!!       

well ya said it was twice what you wanted to spend.. hmm..

caterham R500 ?


we talking hardcore here ? 

If only – that would be more 4x as much instead of 2x as much as I should be spending.

More hardcore than Lambo, but still a proper car for if I hit something/fall off something again.

[Jim_Cross]

JFDI! You only live twice after all

Edited by Jim_Cross, 21 October 2005 - 10:23 PM.

[speedyK]

That's easy to say, but I'm the one who has to justify it to all around me

[Jim_Cross]

That's easy to say, but I'm the one who has to justify it to all around me

Just surprise them No need to justify it to them then

[TurboTomato]

Sobering pics keith - they really sent a shiver down my spine But as jules says, you must have a bit of feline about you and chalked up one down with 8 to go . Someone was looking down on you that day. We could so easily have been doing your obituary rather than the cars, and I don't mean that lightly I think someone is telling you to go out and make the most of life, so go and buy what you really want I can only guess that it may be an Exige - I really cannot think of anything that is light and nimble yet fast and VX like. A Noble would be a natural progression but as you say they're not available so I'm still scratching my head..... good luck!

[Smiler]

hm.. track car.. lambo is 4x so half that is 50k ish.. hmm.. can you just get an exige and SC it later? or is it cheaper to buy all finished? not seen it advertised over here... or are we talking 240r ? or a specialist mod ? hold on.. why don't you wait for the new Lotus to come out ? hmm.. "wait" answed own Q there.. lol..

[Scottieb]

the suspense is bloody killing me? do we have to wait all weekend? this is worse than watching 24!

[Ferguson]

Mid-engined and legal in CH? Not much available, is there? So, how good is the bottom-end pull of the Bemani blower? Maybe something older? Glass-bodied Ferrari 308 with carbs? 308 GT4 for a bargain? Lancia Monte Carlo? Of course you could live out your James Bond fantasies and get an Esprit. Renault Clio Sport V6? Go back in time to the Group B days with a Renault 5 Turbo (the wild one)? Quattro S1 Sport? Still think the Elise family is the best bang-for-the-buck, and feel alive at all speeds. Curious to hear the answer at the end. (BTW, it was 3°C when we drove down from Davos last Sunday evening, so maybe frost was indeed a factor for you)

[tangovx]

what about an ariel atom, with the type r supercharged engine?

[lusovx]

Not a VX owner yet but I will get mine someday! Glad your okay BTW, apart from the bad luck, I guess it proves the car is strong. And that targa rollhoop probabily saved the day. About your choice, nice way to build up suspense! My take: A Bugatti Veyron? it's light (at just under two tonnes), well within your budget, it's got creature conforts and it goes reasonably fast... I'm stumped, everybody as already mentioned all the favourites, Noble, Exige, Caterham, Clio V6... Is it the Ultima GTR?

[SteV6]

Considered a Donkervoort ?!



Only the same problem as the VX/Speedster, no hardtop

SteV6

[Black Knight]

these donkervorts seem quite expensive for what they are... i looked at the second hand part of the site, they want like 40k euros for a 10yr old one??? i mean seriously, they look like kit cars, they basicly are.. with random engines..

[speedyK]

I'm stumped, everybody as already mentioned all the favourites, Noble, Exige, Caterham, Clio V6...

I haven't said that what has been mentioned is totally wrong though...

I can't do anything 'till Monday anyway, except further consider my options... still waking up and lying there trying to convince the mature, sensible side of my character that it is worth the outlay for the relatively few hours of driving pleasure per year (which most people, of course, say it is NOT!).

Can I really justify buying something more hardcore and restricted in possible use than the Speedster? I keep telling myself I'm not ready to hang up my helmet, go comfortable and get an auto XKR or a 2 ton auto Mercs SL – even if I would then choose an AMG 55 that had done a nice chunk of its depreciation already. No! I want lightweight fun!

Just spoke about it to my best mate again and he still thinks it is too much for me to "throw away" on a car that will rapidly depreciate and is really only for fun

Younger daughter (13) says my envisaged purchase is "200 times uglier than the Speedster" 15 yr old daughter thinks it looks "nice" and her boyfriend thinks it looks "mega horny" Bro thinks it's "fantastic"

My wife is remaining reserved about it – and I'm avoiding provoking a comment which might tip her view in the wrong direction – not said that it is out of the question though...

In the end, it may hang on what guarantee I can get out of them.

Like I said, some of you may think it's no big deal, so don't get too worked up about it – it is not megabucks – just far more than I should spend on a frivolity

Though, OTOH, I think it is a really great bit of kit for trackday fun and I would absolutely love wringing it's neck round Hockenheim which it is so perfectly suited for. I want it!

[Ferguson]

My crystal ball says 900kg, 193ps (perhaps even 265ps), a bright colour, some stout rollover protection, some FIA bits and bobs, and "Affengeil" written all over it...

Edited by Ferguson, 22 October 2005 - 11:13 PM.

[speedyK]

My crystal ball says 900kg, 193ps (perhaps even 265ps), a bright colour, some stout rollover protection, and "Affengeil" written all over it...

Already thought about the current lettering and I'm actually fairly sure I would be taking some of it off, if I get it – even gone into the tiny details

[TurboTomato]

My crystal ball says 900kg, 193ps (perhaps even 265ps), a bright colour, some stout rollover protection, and "Affengeil" written all over it... 

Already thought about the current lettering and I'm actually fairly sure I would be taking some of it off, if I get it – even gone into the tiny details

Arrrrrggggghhhh, still can't work out what it is!!

[speedyK]

My crystal ball says 900kg, 193ps (perhaps even 265ps), a bright colour, some stout rollover protection, and "Affengeil" written all over it...  

Already thought about the current lettering and I'm actually fairly sure I would be taking some of it off, if I get it – even gone into the tiny details

Arrrrrggggghhhh, still can't work out what it is!!

That's because I'm not playing fair

Keeps me amused

At the mo, I feel determined to go for it and think sod the expense – but might draw back from that again

[jules_s]

Typical (uk) dentist....prolonging the discomfort