You know how it goes, 3 years in my current car and it's going strong. Very well in fact I find myself eagerly awaiting an empty slip road (M56/queensferry) on my drives home.

But well 3 years and a year before in an octy and, lifes too short.

So I'm musing over something to have a bit of fun in. For years I've provided the car for trips etc, but with a pending new commer to the family a civic is SWMBO ride to be and thus free's me of being sensible. Just 80 miles aday t keep me out of elises...

So I've begun to muse over possible alternatives. The list grows andshrinks, the Megane is an option, but on reflection is it? I'm oly missing a LSD in mine and I have it, give or take some brembo's and 18's.

Here's my short list, in a poll attached...A/B road and different enough from an Octy to be worth it 6, 12 18 months down the road, which is why the fwd list is thin...Also I'm thinking I'd rather spend upto 20 on something other than a new car, i.e. the new octy and thus not pour 20-30% away over n months. I know the renault is there as to is the mazda 6, but they are wildcards for new stock, leon, focus etc I think are too "samey", more power yes, but all that different? I don't think so.

A few folk state the new generation cars and I have to agree having used the civic for a bit are good drives, ut also removed from the experince.

Anyway it's idea juggling at the moment, which is why the vx220 and caterhams arn't on there

Classic 911 . . . but I am biased as I love them. 911 is easy to work on (relative to a "modern" car), good (if not tricky) handling, pretty punchy, solid and reliable.

I'd say classic 911...

Though I'd imagine commuting in it then you could easily rack up the £££ in servicing and maintenance...

Whatabout a 5-series?

Rob.

well funny you say 5 series...I left of the alpina B10

oh And the lsd, clutch, gearbox, turbo uprade on oty option.

oh and it needs to be just impractical enough that we take the civic on anything more than a hours drive, or shopping / walking

My vote stays with the Porsche. Bills shouldn't be too steep if you look after it and the mechanicals are pretty sound. My mate used to have a B reg 3.0 Targa as a daily commuter for 8 years before he replaced it with a Carrera 4. Never let him down to my knowledge and remarkably frugal too (would crack 30mpg on a run).

I say 911. I remember going in one just like the pic above when I was a little kid and my Dad car-swapped for a fortnight with the company owner. Vague memory of doing 135mph at one point, but I was only about 10 and very impressionable.

Another vote for a classic 911

If money will not stretch that far - how about a 944 turbo

well funny you say 5 series...I left of the alpina B10

Or, if the 5 is a bit too practical, have you seen how much 850s are these days? I think you deserve a V12...

Rob.

I'd vote Z3M or classic Porsche. Small, designed for speed and RWD. That's a lot different to the Octy. Although maintenance costs would probably be a lot different to the Octy as well.

I picked up my new 6 MPS on Monday and for what you require, I would say it's too similar to the Octy. It's a lot faster than my standard vRS was, handles better and accelerates a lot quicker, but it does so with minimum fuss. I've found myself doing a ton plus several times and not even realised, and I'm still taking it easy whilst I get some miles on it. It's a rapid exec rather than a rabid exocet.

Classic 911 if you can find a good one, get a bad one & the bills will be :eek:

Of the newer ones listed Ive driven the 350Z a few times on the track & its handling is pretty impresive for an out of the box car, take the traction off & its incredibly well balanced & controlleed slides are oh so easy, the brakes can be made to fade on the track but it takes quite a few laps so better fluid & pads should sort that, its also dare I say quite nice inside for a sports car. If you are looking for a car to tune then avoid it, like all normally aspirated cars its expensive to tune but its 275 out of the box, fitting a cold air intake & ditching the cats gives a bit more with a vastly improved exhaust note.

As with all Jap cars DONT get an Import

Not planing on tuning it, leaving that budget for maintaining it.

Quite liked the 50z but then so many other good cars have gone before it and will come after it....like the RX-8.

Re the mps, yes I figured it would be similar, I love your description, rabid exocet it is

and i gues you hit the nail on the head with a compariosn to a std octy as mine is not standard, it's not perfection, but it's had enough done to make it different again from the std one it once was.

What about a Porsche 968 Club Sport, up to a 80 mile commute but reckoned to be the best handling car ever.

Neil

I say Monaro.

Two doors.

RWD.

Big V8.

I'd say it was suitably different and slightly impractical (given it's probably love of 97 RON)

I'd steer clear of the classic 911 idea, simply because I've seen a few "enthusiasts" with bodged home repairs/touch-ups. PLus I don't believe the classic 911's where as good a car as some would have you believe. And another thing : "city-trading onanist"

Q makes a good point with the Z3M. Though not nearly as imposing as the Monaro.

Quite liked the 50z but then so many other good cars have gone before it and will come after it....like the RX-8.

The Rx -8 I would avoid like the plague, It has a healthy appetite for Oil & Petrol, Up until the 7 theyve all had to have engine rebuilds prior to 100,000. Ive heard of some at 60,000. Also with the glut of Imports it pushes s/hand prices down.

Try & blag a test drive drive in a 350z, I think you might be suprised. Its certainly near the top of my wish list, I think the RS4 at the top is probably financially not viable so it just might be a 350 for me next when I finally tire of the Octy or terminally break it.

If its fun handling on the twisties you have to add the Elise to your list

Stuart

The Rx -8 I would avoid like the plague, It has a healthy appetite for Oil & Petrol, Up until the 7 theyve all had to have engine rebuilds prior to 100,000. Ive heard of some at 60,000. Also with the glut of Imports it pushes s/hand prices down.

Try & blag a test drive drive in a 350z, I think you might be suprised. Its certainly near the top of my wish list, I think the RS4 at the top is probably financially not viable so it just might be a 350 for me next when I finally tire of the Octy or terminally break it.

If its fun handling on the twisties you have to add the Elise to your list

Stuart

Yeah the rx-8 is eye candy but the rotary, sorry needs a little more for me to be convinced, despite it's engineering marvel.

I might find a 350z then, the elise, umm not certain I can do 80 a day in a spartan.

That said I am also toying with something from the seven / catherham / selfbuild area, maybe even a lo-cost...for those dry days when the M56 just isn't an option and the A49 & 41 are

Col - BMWs are some of the best put together cars you can get - Z3M get's my vote.

Despite my 350Z woes, I voted for it. Apparently you dont have to replace the gearbox at 5k miles on all of them

I suspect that the BMW interior will creak and rattle a lot less too.

Alfa SZ - very unusual, less than

I voted Monaro but for just a few dollars more you are into RS6 territory.

Assuming fuel economy is not a problem of course. Looks practical but I think after a very short drive it wouldn't be used for family trips again.

For ultimate fun add another 10K & get a s/hand radical, we had one on the Furball, it did 3000 flat out miles without a hitch (oh &

well funny you say 5 series...I left of the alpina B10

oh And the lsd, clutch, gearbox, turbo uprade on oty option.

Thre's a couple of B10s near me for sale....lovely!!

If only they had been available back in December....would have been a real contender for me.