New car suggestions needed.

[The Swede]

[jd]

[The Swede]

:roll:

[jd]

[The Swede]

How about a Maserati Quattroporte of the last generation ?

Cheap, lots of character, sits 4 or 5 in good comfort, fast,...

Reliability not always ideal of course and probably not cheap to run.

http://www.jamespaul.co.uk/exported/W394NWB.html

[mark172_wr1]

How about a Maserati Quattroporte of the last generation ?

Cheap, lots of character, sits 4 or 5 in good comfort, fast,...

Reliability not always ideal of course and probably not cheap to run.

http://www.jamespaul.co.uk/exported/W394NWB.html

Maybe i'm too young but OH MY GOD .. WTF is that

[The Swede]

Simple. Before they were part of Ferrari, Maserati had a coupe which has existed for quite a while. It had a V6 Bi-Turbo as engine. pretty fragile thing in fact.

By 2000, the 4-door of this car had matured pretty well in fact and became reasonably good and fun saloon. It also had a V8 by then.

Ferrari also had started improving the build quality etc while it was trying to develop new models such as the current Quattroporte.

If you get a post 2000 Quattroporte though, you can land a very nice and exclusive car.

[jd]

Maserati have a style all of there own, very nice.

[chris]

The new Maserati would be nice but i'd guess over budget.

The Lambo, which i've been drooling over, probably won't fit in the garage and i doubt it will fit 4 people in. Also, have you seen the price of a clutch??? It's around

[Houdini]

There's been lots of suggestions so far. Can you tell us what you're thinking of doing?

[chris]

There's been lots of suggestions so far. Can you tell us what you're thinking of doing?

Test driving to start with. I'm still waiting to hear on an offer i've made for a business, so at the moment it's a main car i'm looking to replace, rather than a second car.

The test drive list looks a bit like this, off the top of my head at 11pm...

In no order,

S Type R Jag thing
M3
355 GTS
456 GT
Maserati Quattroporte (the newish model if roughly in my price range)

I'm sure there's a few more that have slipped through the net...

[chris]

7 Series
Audi A8
S Class Merc

[Houdini]

That's a long list! Good luck with then test drives

[The Swede]

A 4 year old, 30000 miles Quattroporte V8 will cost about 18K GBP...

[POESY]

Out of your list the Jag is the only one i'd be slightly interested in, and certainly wouldnt buy one - not quite reached that age group yet !!! Good thing differing opinions and keeps it interesting

I have one request though - please do not purchase an M3, really dont - M5 yes, but M3...no,no,no,no,no.

Oh, and have a good time test driving - I do

[The Swede]

S Type R Jag thing
M3
355 GTS
456 GT
Maserati Quattroporte (the newish model if roughly in my price range)
7 series
Audi A8
S class Merc

Forgot the Pheaton V8 or W12

Driven most of these with exception of the Maserati.

Imagewise, it's a matter of what you care about. I was 28 when I got me S-class and even at 31 probably "haven't reached the agegroup yet". Don't give a rip.
1. I really like the way it drives
2. Quite like the image of being young and driving a car people don't expect you to drive. Much better than being 50 and having to confirm you are by driving an "old man's car".

That being said, of all the 4 seaters named in this tread, I can only see two that jump out of the pack:
- 456 GT
- Maserati (even it's for the exclusivity and the character alone)

Otherwise, you'll pretty quickly notice most of these cars all do the same: the haul 4/5 people around in reasonable comfort and quiteness at a reasonable speed.
None will have the 'rough diamond' or 'competition car for the street'-feel of the Impreza (or Evo 9).

This is why, given my requirements for a car a similar to Chris', I always end up settling for a top exec car.
Try any of the other cars (3-series, 5-series, S-type, E-class, ...) in whatever version and they always try to be shrunk versions of a similarly powered 7-series, A8 or S-class. They just do everything a little bit less well as they lose on comfort, space, equipment, etc.

True, a 550i goes a fraction faster than a 750i. But if you wanna go faster, buy a proper sportscar !

Considering the price difference is generally small when you go for recent used cars and it's a no brainer.

Drive them, you'll see !

Few nice S55 and CL55 AMG's on Autotrader: http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/WWW/ca ... ull=SEARCH

[chris]

S Type R Jag thing
M3
355 GTS
456 GT
Maserati Quattroporte (the newish model if roughly in my price range)
7 series
Audi A8
S class Merc
Pheaton V8 or W12



We can still add more chaps!

I drove the Forester for the first time in about a week and that felt quite nice, even though it was for 40 metres to put it in the garage!

[chris]

Just for clarity, the M3 is on the list as i feel it is a car i should drive at some point in my life, even though i know i'd never want to own one!

[The Swede]

Let's play devil's advocate a bit and ask what is wrong with a good M3 ?

I agree the image is just a complete turn-off. But otherwise, a manual M3 is a nice car. It reminds me quite a bit of the old style BMW's with its free-revving 6-in-line and not too much electronic idioteries on like SMG, controlled suspension, etc.
It's also reasonably reliable, there are plenty around and in reasonable demand so won't depreciate massively if you buy a second-hander.

If you don't care about image or every boyracer on the road trying to take you on... Why not ?

[chris]

It is just the image thing for me.

[delrodney]

If I may join the party guys...........can't sleep - collect the WR today! Hurray! The week has passed - nearly as quick as Rossi passing Gibernau!

I recently did a track day at Prestwold Hall [Leicestershire]. Girlfriend got me it for Xmas. It was the Euro Challenge Supercar Experience. Drove the Porker Cayman, Aston DB9, Merc SL60 AMG, Ferrari 550 and finally the Lambo Gallardo.

No point in me explaining all, as they are not all 4 / 5 seaters.
The DB9 was my least fave - I thought it was gonna u/steer entering the bends. No confidence in it.
The 550 was beautiful - must point out that I'm a huge Ferrari fan!
I've driven a Testarossa at a similar event in the past. It was so hard to drive. The 550 was awesome & the technological advancements were evident, but with 2 decades between the models - they should have been.
However, the Merc (appreciate the one I drove was only a 2 seater), engine was just the sweetest. Power was incredible and the speed just increased so effortlessly, with such smooth gearchanges (auto box) - i thought I should have had a parachute to slow me. Fortunatley, the brakes were mega. Also, when the car went by on the straights, the note from the exhaust sounded like a Chinook helicopter. It was fab. Wanted it for my ringtone!

Am trying to say - this engine was just superb, so if the S class Merc you test drive has this engine, am sure you will enjoy.

In case you're wondering, the Lambo was the best to drive. Pointy, surefooted and rapid.


3 hours to collection time!
I was reading the posts about the Dealers earlier (the ratings). Anyone had any experience with Carstins at Balsall Common, close to Coventry and Warwick? Sale went ok last week. Just me and my girlfriend went for test drive! That impressed us to start with.

Cheers

[POESY]

I know what your saying about the merc SL AMG - the car is truely sensational and its all to do with that engine.

A close friend of mine has the SL55 AMG and ive been fortunate to borrow it on occassions and every journey starts with putting the roof down just so you can hear the engine note...and tunnels, well dont even get me started You thought a scoob sounds good in a tunnel - wait till you hear one of these things.

Prices are still high though - a decent spec 55 AMG with low mileage is still mid to high 60s and for that youd maybe get an 03 car. Cheapest ive seen was 57k but it was by no means a minter. Still looking

[The Swede]

True, but the 'normal' S55 AMG (non kompressor) also makes the sound of an American Nascar racer.

Also, if you look at the link higher from Autotrader, even a good S55 AMG Kompressor need not to cost that much.
37K for a 49000 miles 52-plate car is really reasonable.


500bhp...

[chris]

I thought i'd dig this one up again.

I now seem to have a few more options on seat numbers, depending on how things go.

The test driving will shortly commence with a rather nice red 355 Spider.

[POESY]

Just make sure its not an MR2 in dragg

If no. of seats isnt an issue youve gota try the supercharged exige - phenominal, just phenominal. Very tempted myself at the moment, in white please

[chris]

Well i've driven the 355 Spider F1.

Lovely car, pretty much mint condition. It seemed a bit slower than the WR1 to 60 but pulled very well on the wrong side of 80.

I have to say i was very, very tempted but i'm just a little to tall for it. The top of the windscreen was right in my line of vision and the seat could be adjusted any more.

[WR 1mposter]

Well i've driven the 355 Spider F1.

Lovely car, pretty much mint condition. It seemed a bit slower than the WR1 to 60 but pulled very well on the wrong side of 80.

I have to say i was very, very tempted but i'm just a little to tall for it. The top of the windscreen was right in my line of vision and the seat could be adjusted any more.

I would cut your ankles off then Chris

I so want a 360 spyder

[danr55]

i've got just the colour for you Martin...

[WR 1mposter]

i've got just the colour for you Martin...

23G

[chris]

Well i've driven the 355 Spider F1.

Lovely car, pretty much mint condition. It seemed a bit slower than the WR1 to 60 but pulled very well on the wrong side of 80.

I have to say i was very, very tempted but i'm just a little to tall for it. The top of the windscreen was right in my line of vision and the seat could be adjusted any more.

I would cut your ankles off then Chris

I so want a 360 spyder

I'll wait a couple of years and hope the 430 is slightly larger (don't like the styling of the 360)