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What car next


Azure350z

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Hi everyone, I know there are lots of posts like these and you are all getting fed up of them but I'm really struggling to decide what car to buy next.

 

I've got a 6 month old son now so I need an extra seat as I'm feeling bad for not being able to take the family out on day trips.

 

I've had my 350z for just shy of 10 years and I love it, its a great car. Yes its terrible on fuel economy but it drives effortlessly everywhere and its so reliable. It looks great and I had a nismo exhaust so it sounded great too. If I didn't have a baby I wouldn't not be changing cars.

 

I have a budget of 27k and I need 4 seats, a car that is suitable for a child but it won't be the main car he is ferried about in, he will only be in mine for long trips. I do around 5k miles a year or mostly city driving but the idea of my car is the family car for long runs. I'd like decent fuel economy if possible and although it will never match the zed something with some decent power would be nice.

 

Originally I wanted a 435d gran coupe. Ticked all the boxes on paper with good power, 4 wheel drive was a very nice bonus, 4 doors etc. Now I'm getting cols feet because I keep my cars for a long time so I'm not sure a diesel is a good idea

 

I then looked at the s5, much better interior, nice to look at, 4 wheel drive but bad fuel economy and I'm scrapping the barrel a bit

 

440i looks good but as its more of a family car the 4 wheel drive 435d is tempting me as I'd like to be able to enjoy the power without worrying i might loose the backend with my son in the car and although the zed was fine in winter with winter tyres the bmw im not so sure on.

 

Does anyone have any suggestions of cars I should look at? Whats peoples thoughts on a diesel for long term ownership in this day and age?

 

I know a diesel doesn't suit my daily driving but now I'm home working and planning on a decent run each weekend so I'm not too worried about the dpf

 

Never had a diesel though and so I'm not sure as I have lived the sound from the zed

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Well I wouldn’t get a diesel if it’s replacing a fun car, for a start. 
 

Tbh I’m not sure I’d look past a BMW either, plenty of choice there. Without judging, ignore the 4wd thing as if you’re driving that hard to get the back out with a kid in the car, you’re driving way too fast. 
 

Audis are nicer places to be and I prefer the styling, but they don’t drive anywhere near as well. Personally I would consider splitting the budget, £10k on a boring family car (520d F11 is my current one) and then £17k on something fun, that way you get the best of both worlds?

 

Considered a 6er? Big car but very plush and they can be hustled, cheap too now the 8er is out. 

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Thanks ekona, I'll have a look at the 6 series, hadnt considered them.

 

I won't be driving hard, especially with my son in the car, even in the zed I very rarely use much of the power but it's nice on the odd occasion when I can put my footdown

 

Sounds like a diesel is off the list then. 

 

My Mrs has a polo currently but has an a3 on order so that will be the daily family car. 

 

If I drop the 4 wheel drive then there's some nice 440i's about in tanazanite blue which looks nice

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I like the civic but my mrs would kill me if I got that, I nearly brought a 435d in snapper rocks blue the other week until my mrs complained that I'd look a right plonker in it when I hit my 40's in a few years.

 

The m3 is very tempting, looks like I can get from a 15 plate onwards, I'll have a look at them.

 

I did look at the 6 series, nice car with a lot of kit but something about the looks doesn't do it for me.

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I'd be tempted to stretch the budget a little bit and go for the M4(just checked and the M4 is in the budget now!). Fast/torquey  and not too bad on fuel when you consider the performance. Space for kids in the back as well. 

 

I ran a E92 M3 for 10k miles as a daily, and the fuel/range and the fact that it only really came into its own performance wise at the top of the revs...really frustrated me. An awesome engine when on song though for sure. I'd certainly prefer the M4 as a daily though. 

 

 

Edited by Lee370Z
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22 minutes ago, Ekona said:

But £20k for a GT-T??? Man I know they’re good looking, but that seems daft. 

Going rate for them unfortunately :( all skylines are ridiculous prices at the moment - the Americans are snapping them up ready for 25 years old to import. 
 

34 GTRs are in excess of 60k these days and that’s not for a good one either. I struggled selling mine 8 years ago for 25k - really should have kept that car. And the R33. And the Supra :blush:

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16 minutes ago, ShortPaul said:

I always remember really wanting one of those to replace my S14a 200SX. B):thumbs:

 

I'm also a big fan of the R34 GT-R, but they've always been pretty expensive both when new and on the used market I reckon. 

 

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Well the new owner has just taken his new car away, he was very happy with his purchase and was stunned by how good the condirion was with such high miles.

 

The R34 is lovely and a hell of a car but the age and risk of faults concerns me as I need reliability. Ideally looking for something fairly low mileage.

 

Silvia is a gorgeous car too.

 

If it was just me I'd go for the GTR but as a family wagon I think it will be the m4 of i can find a good example

 

Appreciate all the help everyone

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29 minutes ago, Azure350z said:

Nope not yet, there's a convertible in a show room a few miles from me so going to try and get a test drive in one today or tomorrow morning

I had a test drive in a M4 Convertible and I really enjoyed it. :thumbs:

 

A M4 Coupe or Convertible is certainly a car that I'd love to have one day for sure. :)

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1 hour ago, Azure350z said:

Nope not yet, there's a convertible in a show room a few miles from me so going to try and get a test drive in one today or tomorrow morning

Well worth doing, as despite being a firm fan of big power RWD coupes i found the M4/3 to be horrible (early ones are least). The suspension is dreadful, leading to the car wanting to kill you rather than thrill you. They gave me one for a whole day, and I still took it back early because it was scary in damp/drying conditions. I hear this has been improved in later cars and esp the Comp/CS editions, but make sure you drive the age of the car you’ll be buying. Under power on the exit of an average bend and only being driven at about 6/10ths... Nope. 

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10 minutes ago, Ekona said:

Well worth doing, as despite being a firm fan of big power RWD coupes i found the M4/3 to be horrible (early ones are least). The suspension is dreadful, leading to the car wanting to kill you rather than thrill you. They gave me one for a whole day, and I still took it back early because it was scary in damp/drying conditions. I hear this has been improved in later cars and esp the Comp/CS editions, but make sure you drive the age of the car you’ll be buying. Under power on the exit of an average bend and only being driven at about 6/10ths... Nope. 

I had a TVR Cerbera 4.5 for 6 years...so I find BMW's to be nice and tame in comparison! :D  

BMW's have loads of electronics to keep you nice and safe I reckon. My right foot was the only thing that I could rely on in the TVR! :drive1:lol:

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Huge gobs of power I can live with, suspension that jerks you over the place when you apply that power gradually less so! It was anything but safe, especially in the conditions I drove it in. On a lovely summer day I’m sure it’s fine, but in mixed conditions it was shocking, and ESP can’t ever beat the laws of physics :lol: the M135i I drove straight after taking the M3 back was absolutely fine, and it’s not like that’s lacking shove either. 

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