Motors and Me

Two weeks in and still the car’s not sold. But it’s not all bad. So far, I’ve had 7 people contact me about the Mini, despite it only being advertised on Pistonheads . That’s already 6 people more than ever enquired about the Puma when I put it on Autotrader . Anyway, of the 7, the breakdown is as follows: 2 dealers: one offered too little and had nothing of interest in stock; the other had interesting-but-not-perfect cars, so I decided to hold out 1 scam merchant, at least according to an email I subsequently received from PH 4 people offering part-ex: an ‘05 S2000; a 1990 Elan SE; a highly-tuned TT; and a Y-reg S2000. Of the part-ex deals, I’ve been most tempted by the S2000’s. The first was too expensive (but nice enough to make me want to stretch my finances) and the second is possibly a little old. And maybe a little too Kev’d up, albeit only with exhaust, alloys and adjustable suspension. I’ve yet to reply to the latter enquiry, but then it only came in an hour

Well, I've finally done it. The Mini is now officially for sale . Let the fun and games begin.

Nearly there with these reviews, honest. Next up, the Porsche Boxster S. So... the Porsche for people who can’t afford a 911. Or people who like to be seen. While I’ve long considered each car I’ve bought as a step on the ladder to a 911, the Boxster had never really been on my radar. Unlike the Elise and VX220, the soft-top on a Porsche felt more like a shop window for hairdressers than a practical ease-of-entry thing. In fact, in general, I’m fairly prejudiced against soft-tops and soft-top owners. But here’s where I’ll reel it in a bit. Last year, a good friend bought a Boxster S... for just £18k. I was, at once, both seriously impressed and hugely disappointed. Rather childishly, I’d wanted to be the first of my mates to own a Porsche. Me, me, me! ;-) Anyway, once I’d got over this and been taken for a drive, I had to investigate further. Turns out I can even fit in a Boxster with a helmet on — bonus! That, combined with the falling second-hand prices, was enough to make me co

Today, I shall mostly be writing about: the Honda S2000 Of all the cars I’m considering, this is the one I’ve come closest to owning in the past. Earlier this year, I extracted a wedge of cash from the bank and headed off to the Scottish border to do a part-ex. Problem is, it wasn’t in as good condition as it looked in the advert. It was a bit shabby inside and had well-rusted engine mounts and rust creeping into the bodywork. Add in the excessive wind noise from the hood (way worse than any other cabrio I’ve been in) and it was enough to make me back out. Not sure whether that’s endemic to S2000’s, mind. Guess I need more test drives. Still, I did get to drive the car, and at a pace that let me learn a bit about it. Engine and handling-wise, it was sound. The engine felt strong, the steering was nicely weighted and the brakes nice and progressive. Also high on the list of positives was the car’s appearance (provided you ignored the rust). Although trumped by the 350Z, the S2000 is

Another day, another car. This time out, it’s the Lotus Elise. For my budget, the Elise is arguably the definitive road-friendly trackday toy. Relatively low on power, but far lighter than most cars, they’re everything a sportscar should be. Not only that, but the car’s lack of bulk gives it reasonable fuel economy figures. Where’s the downside?!? Well, clearly, it’s not a very practical car. Easily the smallest I’m considering, the passenger seat and footwell would no doubt be the primary luggage space. It’s also the hardest to get in and out of. The first time I tried it with the roof on, I strained a muscle in my groin. Seriously, it’s like posting yourself through a letterbox. Plus, it has the same problem as the VX220 for trackdays: my head would be the highest point on the car. Unsettling. :-/ Still, I do find myself tempted by the prospects of trackday fun and planet-friendly fuel consumption. The only question becomes which model do I go for? Well, for starters, it has to