I had thought that Mrs H was coping with mid-life stuff very well until a run of rough night shifts in the midwifery unit immediately after our holiday, and a simultaneous visit from her unemployed brother and his idle wife made her unusually irritable at the weekend. I paraphrase our conversation as follows;
Mrs H, " I want a new car, my C3's nearly 10 years old now."
H, seated, browsing this very site, "It's actually just 7 years old. Anything in mind, my dear?"
Mrs H, "Something that turns heads." Pause. "In red; bright red."
H, looking at the rolling Citroen advert and pointing at the pics of the C3 Picasso, "That would turn a few heads. Especially in bright red. Honest John himself thinks very highly of it."
Mrs H grabs the magnifying glass and peers at the ad for a second or two. She then mimes sticking her fingers down her throat and narrows her eyes, "It's hideous. I didn't mean that sort of head-turning. I can't believe you'd even consider buying me something that horribly ugly. Listen to me, I want a SPORTS car. I've done the family car thing to death. I don't need 4 doors. And get over this ridiculous obsession you have with Citroens. I want a sports car that's not a Citroen; and that's bright red; and that turns heads. And that goes a bit."
H, after 19 Citroens, drawing on his limited experience of other marques, "How about a little Mercedes coupe? In red of course."
Mrs H mimes tearing her hair out. "You're just not getting this are you? Your MOTHER had a Mercedes. And John (my stepfather). And Louise (one of her more mature therapy clients). Forget Mercedes. You've got your motorcycle; I want a head-turning, red sports car that's not a Citroen or a Mercedes that I can overtake with. I've nearly forgotten what it's like to overtake other cars. How difficult can that be?"
She disappears only to return a second later, "And don't be looking at any posey BMWs either."
So I'm turning to you lot for help. Allemagne null points. Budget about £8k with the maybe £2k we'd get for her '02 diesel C3. Suggestions outside the box welcome.
Bewildered of Richmond.
|
the only answer to this kind of conversation is an MX5, get the best one you can for the money you have
|
|
Or an Audi, or a Saab - Audi is the slinkier, IMHO.
|
|
How's about a C3 Pluriel or a VW Beetle convertible.
|
Only problem with a Saab convertible is firstly, its not remotely sporty and secondly, it makes the driver look like a woman 'of a certain age'.
My first instinct would be a Vauxhall Tigra. Its quite a classy small car but has a certain youth appeal aswell so doesnt make you look 50 driving it. With the larger wheels and in bright red, it wouldnt look bad at all!
|
|
|
How's about a C3 Pluriel or a VW Beetle convertible.
one won't pull the skin off a rice pudding, and is a Citroen, and the other is a not very nice pastiche.
|
>>>one won't pull the skin off a rice pudding, and is a Citroen, and the other is a not very nice pastiche<<<
I suppose onb, one should let the missus choose her own jam jar - Mr's H knows what she *doesn't* want, so one must presume she has a damn good idea of what sort of car she desires.
|
Mrs H said "I want a head-turning, red sports car that's not a Citroen or a Mercedes that I can overtake with."
New Beetle a sports car - I doubt it!
|
>>>ew Beetle a sports car - I doubt it!<<<
Okey dokey.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Yes, I was just about to say an MX5.
BTW Hawkeye, I do hope you are using pseudonyms with those family names, otherwise someone could put two and two together!
;-)
|
|
MX5 - what else !! Get a nice 1.8 though - in red of course.
|
Brand new Hyundai coupe on fire sale @ £12K for 2 ltr - leather, power most things.
Its not an MX5 but is £6-8K less
|
|
|
|
|
TVR Cerbera.
|
Go on Hawkeye - exactly what she wants.
But do MX5s turn heads?
|
|
If driven with style and panache.
|
There's always a Z3 or nearly in Boxster country. What about a "Classic" MG
www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C109384/
Edited by Pugugly on 25/08/2009 at 12:27
|
|
|
|
MX-5 deffo. I don't know you'll be turning heads for anything in your price range - but perhaps turning a steering wheel with fun-a-plenty might be a better & more fulfilling longer term aim. You get a Mk '2-and-a-half' 03-04 (maybe even a sport with LSD) for 6K-ish They look nice in red too.
|
MX-5 deffo. I don't know you'll be turning heads for anything in your price range
I suppose you could always fit one of those noisy exhausts as heard on chavvy Saxos/Corsas...
|
Your 10k will get you a bright red Peugeot 407 Coupe.
You knows it makes sense.
My wife's mid life crisis was solved with a Smart Roadster this year. There's a leftfield suggestion for you. It certainly turns heads, and can be stunning in red. If she can put up with something so small.
Edited by Alanovich on 25/08/2009 at 12:39
|
|
|
|
MX5 does seem the logical step
but slightly out of the box....
Audi TT
Nissan 350 z
Alfa GTV
Or my joker in the pack....
Mini Cooper (with Supercharger of course)
|
I agree - MX5
If she's feeling very illogical then get her in a Westfield or Caterham :-)
Or a Lotus Elan M100 S2 - a surprisingly logical choice
I take it she won't consider a bike ?
Does the car have to earn its living or is it just social + commuting ?
|
It's pretty obvious she is using the female 'drop enough hints' reverse psychology method.
What she actually wants is a Ferrari, but you will have to been seen to suggesting it so then you have made the decision and not her. She can be held in no way responsible for the decision and blame you forever and a day when she finds she hates it.
Of course a budget is always a good starting point for any discussion like this.
|
|
S2000 is a good option for the MX5 but finding one within budget would be a challenge. When I bought the CRV there was one sitting in the showroom 01 or 02 and they wanted 10k for it - I was tempted (being rather weak of mind at the time)
|
|
You may be able to find a nice Alfa Spider for the money. She'd like that (and so would you). Buy carefully though.
|
|
I nearly suggested that - being an idle Alfa tyre kicker - but she probably wants a car that's likely to start at 6.00am and not start because of a fit of Latino pique. Oh look at you Mrs Robinson though.
|
not start because of a fit of Latino pique
Naturally you would spray all the underbonnet electrics with that waterproof varnish stuff after cleaning them thoroughly, and naturally you would renew the Golden Lodge plugs at the recommended intervals or a bit less, as well as doing the other sensible things...
|
doing the other sensible things...
Like buying a Japanese car !! Seriously though I had a look at that Classic Car site and there was a ridiculously pretty looking Spyder there and I was (nearly) overcome with desire.
|
Alfa GT coupe would be in budget I would have thought. Am considering one for my wife who is having the same sort of thoughts herself. Sadly we do still need four seats.
|
|
S2000s start from around the £5K mark!
|
|
Be wary of letting your good lady loose in something as powerful as an S2000 if she has only driven front wheel drive cars.
Edited by Old Navy on 25/08/2009 at 14:11
|
|
My son in law put his S2000 off a wet road (twice) before my daughter grounded him.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
There's a ferrari kit car for sale near me. 8k I think. Toyota MR2 running gear. Bright red. She'd turn heads and with a fruity exhaust few would be able to tell that it wasn't pukka. In fact, you could probably just give her the keys with a ferrari logo and it would be ages before she worked out what it was! Not sure of its age so a private plate might also be needed ;-)
Or a tvr and a supply of brown trousers!
Alfa GTV would be another choice. Goes, looks beautiful and slightly less hairdresser than an MX5.
|
and it would be ages before she worked out what it was!
Wow another gender based assumption !
|
I am of the same gender as her so allowed to make those remarks! Some of the ferrari replicas are so close to the original only the most obsessed would notice. Some aren't so good. Toyota written on the engine is a bit of a giveaway....
|
|
Sorry - I made gender based assumption ! (you live and learn)
|
|
|
|
Nice one teabelly, thats PU back in his box!
|
This didn't meet its reserve, so might still be available (originally spotted by mike hannon):
tinyurl.com/nu66bh
Open top, would definitely turn heads - not sure about overtaking though...
|
|
|
|
The lid's still open !
|
Mustang.Preferably with the V8.
We hired a bright red one last autumn and SWMBO fell instantly in love with it.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Thank you all for your thoughtful and thought-provoking replies. I didn't say one of Mrs H's sisters has a Saab convertible. Mrs H does not aspire to her sister's car or lifestyle so that's out. I wonder what success I'll have steering her towards an Alfa (good thinking Mr Lud) or a Pug 407 coupe. I really liked the old 406 coupe but they'll be a bit ancient now. Mini; doesn't look like a sports car, nether does a Smart. I'm nervous about an MX-5, especially a big-engined one. 20 y-o son says Maza RX8 with arms folded and won't discuss anything else. I'm pretty sure I would quickly become single if I mentioned the Noddy bus.
Pseudonyms set to "on".
We're looking at pictures tonight.
I'll keep you posted.
|
|
Toyota Celica or if you dare risk it a Honda Integra DC5...grey import but very special and looks wonderful, S2000 in a FWD handling to dream of package.
|
|
How about a Divorce Mk 1 ?
|
Take a look at the attached link ...
www.italianreplicacarclub.co.uk/2402/frames.php
The replica Ferraris are especially good at head turning - I know because I have been in two of the cars shown on the link with their owner (two of the photographs show my B -i L who builds them himself, generally from base MR2's provided by the buyer) .
Its a little side business he has built up in retirement.
|
Hawkeye
We were in a very similar position earlier this year. We replaced Mrs RB's Fiesta with an MX-5; we both really enjoy using it.
We went for the 2.0l model: includes DSC, LSD and extra airbags over the 1.8l.
As nearly all our friends and family said before we bought it: "Go for it!"
Don't forget to allow for the sunglasses and Hermes scarf ;-)
Edited by RobertyBob on 26/08/2009 at 12:18
|
|
It was parked in our local swimming pool car park last night - a bright red MR2.
|
|
|
|
Mrs H and I have had a couple of long looks at netcarshow.com to try and pick something head-turning. MX-5, S2000, Toyota Celica and Alfa Brera are under consideration.
Yesterday we went to pick up the C3 from the local indie who had just given it an MoT. Outside was a bright red MGB GT with Rostyle wheels and plastic bumpers, with a nice fresh MoT on the passenger seat. It was priced at £2495.
Now I have a history of bad experiences with all things BMC/BLMC/Leyland and I was cringing as Mrs H cooed over the gleaming beast. Nightmarish visions of trying to locate my AF sockets, my timing strobe, my Colourtune kit and my carb balancers shut me up for a few minutes. I was saved by Mrs H asking if it had aircon. Phew! That's that one off the list.
Incidentally Mr indie had some very rude things to say about Alfas; I thought they were a reasonable proposition by now but apparently not. Buy Japanese for your toy car or not at all he said; the C3's got years of life left in it.
|
|
|
