What young lad's flash car for sub 15k

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
View Threaded
Sun 11 Dec 2005 21:41
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Adam {P}
Sadly not for me. You should know me better than that!

My mate is the complete opposite of me - he likes the smaller more flashy cars such as the Clio Sport etc.

Anyway, the jammy git's got 15 grand burning a hole in his pocket and is interested in a Boxster and an Audi TT primarily. Naturally, given his age (just turned 21 the other week), these choices could fall through so he's looking for other similar(ish) cars for ideas.

This is where you lot come in. It's a free for all on ideas please. Must be 15 grand or less and sub Group 17 insurance but the type of car you'd think he'd like. Completely crazy ideas are ok because you never know...

Oh - it's got to be flash too! And pretty quick.

Any suggestions most welcome gents.

Cheers,

Adam
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 21:56
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - blue_haddock
If he like the Boxster and the Audi why not go for one of the last of the line Audi Cabriolet's? he'll get a nice 2.8 V6 examples for a lot less than £15k.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 21:59
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - blue_haddock
Or how about a Merc CLK - plenty of choice for the money he's spending
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:16
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Happy Blue!
Scooby?

--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:20
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Manatee
As in WRX 2.0? Can be had new for 15k but Group 19 insurance.

Civiv Type R?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:23
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Happy Blue!
Skoda Fabia vRS - and I'm not joking!
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:27
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - mare
Skoda Fabia vRS - and I'm not joking!
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need
a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?


Ah, but is it flash?

My vote is a big engined old mdoel Audi A6, black with big alloys. Or an A8.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:41
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - MichaelR
Well I'm his age and I'll be going for a BMW 530i Sport, hopefully with a nice set of 18's :)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:42
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - NowWheels
Is it really a good thing that a 21yo should be allowed to drive the sort of high performance cars being discussed here? Given the accident rates of young men in that age-group, I guess that the insurers will put a few disincentives in the way, but it does make me wonder if there isn't a case for some sort of legal restraint.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:43
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - MichaelR
Legal restraint? No thanks. Not all of us are crazed chavs.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 22:53
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Adam {P}
Thanks for all the replies guys. Certainly food for thought.

The Audi idea is in the pot. As is the Merc and the Scooby. The Type R is too similar to his Clio I think. He want's something with more grunt.

He laughed at the Fabia idea E. I don't know why! Then you're onto cars I'd love not him. A8's, 5 series? I'd have them in a shot. But he hates "old man" cars like them.

NW. Oh NW. Legal restraints? I hope to God we never see them. Life has become sterile enough without yet more legislation banning us from having fun. I have just as much chance of crashing (and dying) in a tin box otherwise known as a sub 1.0 Matiz. I don't want to get into a discussion about this to be honest. He's had nothing but "performance" cars in his 4 year driving history. He's been lucky enough to be able to insure cars from Saxo VTR's and CRX's to Clio 172s and behind my Dad, is probably the best driver I know. But of course, he's young and therefore instantly dangerous because he wants a little fun.

Keep the replies coming anyway chaps. He's very grateful for all the help so far.

Cheers,

Adam
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 23:12
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Altea Ego
Flash? Grunt?

2000 W Reg NISSAN SKYLINE R34 GTT35,000 miles. Met black with red recaro seats & 17" rays alloys, HKS induction kit, Exhaust & Intercooler £15,795.
----------------------------------------
TourVanMan < yes its RF reborn >
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 23:28
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - teabelly
All skylines are group 20 insurance unfortunately.

How about a mitsubishi galant vr4? Underpinnings of the evo without the fell out of Halfords window looks :-)

The alfa romeo gtv 3 litre v6 24v with the 6 speed box is supposed to be a real peach.
teabelly
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 23:16
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - BladeRunner
www.zfz.com/pictures/audis3.jpg

around 11K or so... some left for ins and a few mods ;-)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 00:25
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Pete M
What about a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo V, VI or VII. Certainly fast, not 'old man', handle very well, reliable.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 08:32
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - mare
The Audi idea is in the pot.


Oh goodie!

My mate part exchanged his W reg A6 2.4V6 quattro for a measly £3k. Cloth interior, but it went like stink. 23 mpg.

My former employer has just part exchanged his T reg A6 4.2 quattro for a S4. The A6 was really something, ming blue (nearly black) and lovely 5 spoke alloys. Can't have got more than £5k for it.

My other business partner has a T reg 4.2 Avant in deep blue, the colours not great but the car's acceleration is awesome. That's a quattro too.

Nice inside, good Bose stereo, and oh yes they go like stink. Roomy too, the A4 is far too cramped, less room than an Octavia.

Only thing is my mate seemed to be forever spending money at the garage, probably £3000 in tha last year to fix "little" things. Nothing major but essential and expensive.

These cars look good and a saloon in a dark colour is one of the few cars that wouldn't look silly after de-chroming and tinting the windows, if that's your thing. Yes i do mean that last sentence.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 00:55
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Blue {P}
in the way, but it does make me wonder if there
isn't a case for some sort of legal restraint.


Which would pave the way for a 1.3 16V Turbo Super charged engine that produces 150bhp or something like that...

Blue
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 01:01
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - NowWheels
Which would pave the way for a 1.3 16V Turbo Super
charged engine that produces 150bhp or something like that...


Only if you restrict by engine size, rather than power output.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 01:05
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Blue {P}
But why would you want to invite the state to interfere with yet another area of day to day life?

At 21 you have as much right to spend your money on a powerful car as anyone else.

I intend to upgrade to a more powerful car than I have at the moment as soon as funds allow, I'm 21, and I'm learning to be a driving instructor, not really fair to tar all people in a given social group with the same brush is it? ;-)

Blue
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 09:18
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - blue_haddock
Only if you restrict by engine size, rather than power output.

>>

I can get round that one too! - Get a big lazy V8 with 'only' 160bhp but with massive amounts of torque and drop it into the front of something small and light and you will have a very quick car.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 11:23
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Stuartli
Is it really a good thing that a 21yo should be allowed to drive the sort of high performance cars being discussed here?>>


Believe it or not, there are sane and sensible 21-year-olds (and younger in some cases) out there.

If you think about it, young people can just as easily kill themselves in a Fiesta as in a high performance car if they have a mind to it.

My son was one of the sane and sensible ones and went on to prove it by passing his IAM test at 28.

Even so, he's never been one to hang about if cirumstances permit it, although his driving is always safe and considerate.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What\'s for you won\'t pass you by
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 23:28
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Avant
There's hope for this forum yet. Nobody's suggested a Mondeo TDCI.

What about as warm or hot a Focus as he could get insured? It would have to be a hatchback though....

Or a Golf 2.8 4motion? Not sure what insurance group that is though.

If he wants to live dangerously some form of Alfa could suit him.

I'd go along with TVM's idea of the Skyline but could he insure it?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sun 11 Dec 2005 23:38
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - BladeRunner
TVR Griffith... flash & grunt and a truly wonderful soundtrack, but like Clarkson says, owning a TVR is like owing a bear... great right up to the point when it rips your head off ;-)
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 00:54
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Dynamic Dave
Is he aware that quite a chunk of the £15k is going to be swallowed up by insuring whatever beast he finally decides on?

Taking that into consideration, could decide on how much money he actually has left to buy the car.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 07:41
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Adam {P}
Thanks for all the replies.

I have to go to Uni now (I know - shock horror!) but I'll address the suggestions later on this evening.

PS - Dave, yeah - insurance is hanging over him - but we've both said we'll try our damndest never to let insurance dictate what cars we have. I think he's expecting around the 3 grand + mark.


Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:03
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - BobbyG
Unbelievable - willing to pay £3k a year for insurance - thats £250 a month!

Thats more than my car payments!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:14
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - mss1tw
Nova SRi with 2 litre red top engine transplant, ridin' 22" spinnerz with neon washer jets, 10" slash cut exhaust, Dyson© air intake system, bee sting aerial, 500,000w soundsystem...and a Momo gearknob.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:14
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - mss1tw
Not that I'm jealous of this guy or anything...much.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:41
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - blue_haddock
Nova SRi with 2 litre red top engine transplant, ridin' 22"
spinnerz with neon washer jets, 10" slash cut exhaust, Dyson© air
intake system, bee sting aerial, 500,000w soundsystem...and a Momo gearknob.


Hey you forgot the Magic Tree air freshener!
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:43
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - mss1tw
>> Nova SRi with 2 litre red top engine transplant, ridin'
22"
>> spinnerz with neon washer jets, 10" slash cut exhaust, Dyson©
air
>> intake system, bee sting aerial, 500,000w soundsystem...and a Momo gearknob.
>>
Hey you forgot the Magic Tree air freshener!


Are you speaking from experience? :-P
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:52
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Ecurie Ecosse
I cannot recommend the Alfa 147 GTA enough.

Go for it - Group 19 insurance though - but Admiral are cheap.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 10:57
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - MoneyMart
>> >> Nova SRi with 2 litre red top engine transplant,
ridin'
>> 22"
>> >> spinnerz with neon washer jets, 10" slash cut exhaust,
Dyson©
>> air
>> >> intake system, bee sting aerial, 500,000w soundsystem...and a Momo
gearknob.
>> >>


With green neon underbody lighters, fake "turbo" whistle, 4 foot wide "BAD BOY" sticker and various smaller "castle performance" "technics turbo" "K&N", "Shake n vac" stickers, illuminated tyre dust-caps, boots gauge, oil pressure gauge, oil temperature gauge, oil colour gauge, oil viscocity gauge, oil weight gauge, mirror'd headlining, etc etc etc
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 11:13
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - machika
Aside from wondering where all of this disposable income comes from (a lot of youngsters don't seem to have normal living expenses or thoughts of saving - I'll get off my soap box now), an Alfa 156 would fit the bill in all respects, I would think. A 2.0 JTS can be had brand new for around £14K. I can't say which version would fit in his insurance limit though but he would save a thousand pounds of his pot for insurance.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 11:18
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - blue_haddock
>>an Alfa 156 would fit the bill in all respects,

Does it? Hardly sits alongside things like Boxsters and TT's or even the Clio 182. The suggestion of a 147 GTA isn't a bad one but i get the feeling the lad wants something a bit flashier than that.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 11:42
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - madf
Audi S2 is much nicer: more practical and better to drive imo. Drove a 2003 model on Sunday in black, all modcons, 20k, 1 owner, 225PS all for sub £17k . I was quoted £350 insurance.

Absolutely superb and ok over speed humps.

Less likely to attract plod and if debadged the chavs as well.

All that and 30mpg.


Went up A500 round Stoke like stink - ideal for wet/snow and far safer for young drivers as much more grip than any 2wd.
madf
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 11:44
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - BazzaBear {P}
Not sure I agree that more grip is safer, just means you're going faster when it goes ;)

Do you mean S2, or S3? Would the S2 be a performance model of the (shopping trolley) A2? If so, that's a horrendous looking car which I would avoid like the plague.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 13:23
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Group B
Surely they cant seriously make a sporty version of the A2?!

Audi S2 was the top version of the old shape coupe and 80 estate, with 230bhp 5 cylinder turbo engine and 4 wheel drive. Fantastic car and the engine sounds better than anything apart from the best sounding V8's. They stopped making them in 1996 I think. Theres a few on Autotrader now.

S3 has similar performance but with a comparatively boring 4 cylinder engine (IMO!). ;o)


Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 14:12
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - BazzaBear {P}
Surely they cant seriously make a sporty version of the A2?!
Audi S2 was the top version of the old shape coupe
and 80 estate, with 230bhp 5 cylinder turbo engine and 4
wheel drive.


Ah yes, of course, had forgotten about them.
Fantastic car and the engine sounds better than
anything apart from the best sounding V8's.


I'd probably agree with that comment on 5-pots in general, but then I have a Fiat Coupe, so I may be biased :D
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 12:40
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Citroënian {P}
MINI Cooper S ? - couple of years old should leave enough for insurance. Good residuals, stonking performance and a bit of street cred, not to say chick-appeal.


--Lee .. sorry, the card says Moops.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 13:18
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - cumfray1
What about a Lotus Elise/Exige or this little number?

cgi.ebay.co.uk/MASERATI-3200-COUPE_W0QQitemZ459713...m
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 13:42
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - teabelly
The masers are lovely cars but they have ball joints which last no time at all are £600 each just to buy. There's 8 of them on those.....You'd have to budget about £3 to £4k on maintenance a year to be on the safe side.


teabelly
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 19:45
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Adam {P}
I had no idea there were going to be so many replies so I've directed my mate to this thread to read for himself. I can't address all the comments I'm afraid (big coursework. in for tomorrow. not started!) but thanks for all the very helpful suggestions.

Keep on suggesting - I'll probably be back saying he's bought a Boxster. I have a feeling he will!

Thanks again gents,

Adam

P.S. Bobby - 3 grand is a fact of life for us careless youngsters. I had to pay over 2 grand on my 1.25 Fiesta for just third party cover!


Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Mon 12 Dec 2005 20:56
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Xileno {P}
"big coursework. in for tomorrow. not started!"

Looks like my money is quite safe - still

www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=32...9
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Tue 13 Dec 2005 01:43
What young lad's flash car for sub 15k - Blue {P}
Don't know about Adam, but some of my best literary masterpieces have been knocked up in about 24 hours :-)

Blue
Reply | Report as offensive | Link