Toys R Us..... what do you get as a fun toy ?

[ruggedscot]

Hmmmm thinking about a little toy - had some ideas on what to go for.

A convertible ? SLK or a BMW one of those dinky 2 seaters that seem to kick about at sub 5k and look like they would fit the bill for a fun car ?

Had a hankering after a saab for a while not just any one but a viggen. Brother had one and it looked the nuts - the exact car his old one has popped up and looks great still - yellow and well very tempting. under 90k miles aswell....


so what do you do ? live a little and go topless or go for the yellow peril ? :aargh4:


20567

The beast ?

20568

Merc Toy ?

20569

BMM Toy ?

[ruggedscot]

Well the Viggen went before I got off the ground... typical so had a look at a few others - SLK a little tight, Z4 nice very nice..... but only two seats. SL two plus two occasional ? tried a CLK but didnt like it too much - need a hard top so that takes me to the 3 series.....

Tried the A4 had a shot in the S4 and the noise oh the noise, but cloth roof...... decisions decisions !

[Brycie]

Nice problem to have mate, wish I was in that position. You can't have more fun than in a kit car like a Robin Hood, but not too practical. S2000 or MR2 are my favourite 2 seater production cars, maybe a Z4. Or go older for an M3 for more seats.

[ruggedscot]

Yum Yum ! is it possible to get too much of a good thing ?

Undertook a few test drives over the past few days - The Z4 on different types - A newish 35i the one with 300hp and a twin turbo engine. Sublime and very very fast. The engine itself was full of torque and with it being an auto it felt like a constant push. The shift points were well set and the engine kept within the sweetspot with every push forwards I made. Tried an old cloth top one and decided that it has to be a folding roof. The engineer in me being strangely excited watching the roof mechanism operate. Loved the remote roof drop so you could lower the hood as you walked up to the car. The 3 series roof is even better to watch. Tried a 325 diesel and a 330 the 330 seemed to be the better car. Not too dieselly either. So then they told me I could get a 335 in the convertible.....Hmmmm can I leave diesel and go for petrol for a fun machine ? Yeah Ill keep the A6 for a while longer and the BM would be a fun car. Tried a few Audis as well An S4 ragtop which was good and the engine noise was superb along with the quattro shove. the TT was nice and well there is a lot of choice out there and the rain is keeping the prices depressed.......

[Brycie]

I know BMW & Peugeot are like apples & pears, but I'd try taking any folding hard-top car through a decent carwash on a test drive. My wife's Peugeot hard top convertible leaks like a b***h in a carwash, we get an impromptu shower & it leaves a damp smell in the car. The road noise is pretty horrendous at motorway speeds too, especially on wet roads. Worth seeing if you can wangle a test in those conditions too if you're looking at that type of car.

Bet you're having a great time shopping around though.

[zollaf]

buy a soft top v8 landy 90 and never look for another car again.
all these z4's and the like will make you look like a girl. in the 90 you will look like a man and get instant respect from everyone.

[ruggedscot]

Been in a landie when it whumped a truck at the side of the road - coma for two weeks airlifted out of Bosnia to Southampton and surgery to remove a clot.... back in 98. So Landrover scares me..... Looking like a girl not so bad for a pre op lol......just need to get the right shade to match my lipstick....:biglaugh:

[JimC64]

Ruggedscot, you're looking at all the wrong cars mate.......Z4 is a deffo NO NO.......plenty of BMW's and Mercs around.

If you want a toy and have that kind of money get yourself into a Jaguar XK8, Coupe or Convertible with 4.0 V8 plenty of horses and a little more room in the back too.
Some of the older ones still look amazing for their age and really hold up well......a helluva lot of car for not a lot of money.

Its a mans car with some decent heritage to boot and you will get plenty of comments on it I assure you.....

There also happens to be some pretty decent Jag forums around for help with any issues / mods.....lol

[ruggedscot]

Jim Ill have a look at the jag..... still thinking along the lines of a Z4 though....

[zollaf]

Top Ten Gay Cars from the Detroit Auto Show | Vanity Fair (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2009/01/top-ten-gay-cars-from-the-detroit-auto-show)

[zollaf]

would have to change name to 'notsoruggedscot'

[JimC64]

Top Ten Gay Cars from the Detroit Auto Show | Vanity Fair (http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/2009/01/top-ten-gay-cars-from-the-detroit-auto-show)

Sorry but I kinda have to agree, its just my opinion but that and hairdressers were the first thing that sprang to mind.

I think as you're like me Gav, a tall guy and well built I really don't think its suits your personality or character.....I KNOW it wouldn't suit mine, but as they say.....its your money your car and as long as you're happy, then go for it.

If not the Jag then somethin along those lines would be a much better fit I think :beerchug:

[Brycie]

Z3, definitely not, all style & no speed. The Z4 however, I don't think looks girly really - it's a stylish car & has the power that the Z3 SHOULD have had.

All the same, I'd still rather have an older M3 or RS4 (fun & practical too, agree with Jim on the small car, big bloke comment), the only 2 seaters I'd consider are the S2000, just because it's such an amazing piece of engineering a bloke can get away with driving it, and the Z4 because the rwd with the power of the BM would just be so much fun. Coupe over convertible any day for me though, it's not compromising on fun, handling & speed in order to compensate for the extra strengthened chassis that convertibles need.

[MalcQV]

One of those, go with your heart. Listen to the advice but when buying a 'toy' it has to float your boat and no one else. On that note I think you should go for the Z4. They, FWIW don't look at all like a hairdressers car. Well other than it being a convertible. :p
All convertibles are hairdresser cars :D

[Sam]

Lotus Elise 111S or R

Granted you'll have to perform a contortionist act just to get in it, but once you're in there, the fun is worth it - tail happy, low slung, balls out fun.

Don't get out near people though, crawling on your hands isn't a good look.

...then I looked at the price, holy crap they hold their value!

[ruggedscot]

Had another run in a flappy paddle 35i this morning...... now looking at how to insure and what sort of costs this badboy would involve. Tuning for this car takes the headline up to around 350hp. and thats not too much cost. limited mileage 2nd car insurance aint so expensive. Its sad when pistonheads changes from a wish list to a possible list. Yes pleny of heartache for the unwary ! but some nice metal out there just now. A 1 series 35i ? Hmmmmm

[ruggedscot]

Deposit placed on a 23i sdrive Z4 with a load of toys - hope to take delivery next week sometime. Grey with red leather interior.

[man le-mans]

My sister has the 3.0 auto Z4 and that's quick as a fun car. She was after a 35i Z4 but desided to buy a little cottage instead as a get away place

[man le-mans]

I've got a 330i E46 and a 325 E36 which are my toys and use them for the track. I was thinking about buying a Porsche 911 about 8 years old as a toy but not even sure I really like them. XK8 is a nice car but I like the XKR but then think I don't even drive my car yet alone my track cars so I would end up just looking at the jag

[adamss24]

I would have gone for a b6 s4, v8, 340Bhp and loads of toys- well within ur budget... Well, good luck with your purchase...

[ruggedscot]

I did think on the S4 but keen on a vert and wanted a folding top. May get the S4 some day though.

[man le-mans]

Have you heard when you getting your toy yet

[ruggedscot]

Have you heard when you getting your toy yet


I piked it up this morning - the salesman picked me up and run me through to Motherwell in a rather tasty jaguar....

Its torrential rain out there just now so no chance of dropping the roof... lol.

Impressed with the engine. feels plenty fast. So a happy bunny today.

[man le-mans]

Well done and hope you enjoy it and with the new year fast approaching the summer will soon be here. So you will soon be able to go topless.
what jag was it out of interest I keep debating with the XFR but just can't bring myself to spend that amount on a car

[chody]

nice car but im surprised the porshe boxter s never made your short list and the honda s2000 is a beast of a car espesially in the wet but enjoy the bmw but would have went for the 135 myself

[adamss24]

nice car but im surprised the porshe boxter s never made your short list and the honda s2000 is a beast of a car espesially in the wet but enjoy the bmw but would have went for the 135 myself
I would give the honda a good miss, there's a chap off uk passats who beat one with a diesel passat, also r32 were minced meat on a drag race ! Only mods were a bv43 turbo and a remap...

[chody]

but its a fun smiles per mile car and that seems to be the point not out and out speed the passat is as boring as any car on the road to drive

[adamss24]

but its a fun smiles per mile car and that seems to be the point not out and out speed the passat is as boring as any car on the road to drive
I have a 300 Bhp v6 tdi estate, i can assure you it's anything but boring !

[ruggedscot]

So needed some chutney and went to Tescos - on way back pulled in and dropped the hood - it was dry and the sky was blue but it was cold...still it was fun and its moments like these that you realise just how much fun a drop top is. Gave is a booting and enjoyed the run back.

[ruggedscot]

23309
A snap shot of the new toy....

[man le-mans]

Nice looking car and the hard top is a god send in the winter. ( not that I've ever had one ). I keep toying with the idea of buying a XKR and decided this is the year I will buy one just need to get a few things sorted first

[ruggedscot]

Ive never had a convertible before - rented a few in the past a lebaron in Florida and took it to the 'keys a mustang in Hawaii - that was fun from avis a V6 and I thought it would be pants, yeah right, it was fast. A cough cough ford ka in majorca...

Wanted something that was different and well something that Id never had before - so had a good look about and wanted a folding hardtop with the toys - hard to find one most were option free poverty spec unless you went to the 35is and most of these were with the auto boxes. I prefer a manual and wanted the base 23iS engine. Had a few to go and see and then this one popped up in Motherwell. Deal was done and I got a nice wee convertible. Still have the A6 and if anything happens to that Ill chop in the Z'ed and use that to get another audi.

[man le-mans]

Their comes a point in life when you need to look at what you would like for a change and this year is when I change. I plan on doing more track days & less hours at work and buy a XKR as my toy with a V8 pumping away under my right foot.
ive decided I've done sort of enough for my years ahead ( I hope) and can retire by the time I'm 60 but go part time when I'm 50.