What nice cars can Irish car enthusiasts own as a daily/ second car?

Toyotafanboi

I'm just thinking along the lines of the title.

Say the average gentleman car enthusiast, who already has a relatively new Nissan Quasqai type thing that he uses for long trips and holidays with the family and the wife uses day to day for school runs and shopping.

This guy likes something from the bangernomics price range or a little bit above because it leaves him with more disposable income and he doesn't get hit with depreciation to any large degree, his budget is around €3000 to buy a second car, that he will enjoy, just for pottering around in, maybe doing his own commute to work too.

This same guy has a bit of sense (two kids, a wife and a mortgage) so he doesn't want to spend more than €2 a day in motor tax (€710p/a) and would like to be in the ballpark of 30mpg, mixed driving.

This guy is an enthusiastic car owner. he likes to buy a car and keep it well. over a year or two he'l enjoy fettling it, getting it running nice and tidying it up, so he plans on owning it for 2 years minimum. The wife also says there will be a divorce if he buys any more heap of **** cars, so he needs to keep this one a while.

all seems somewhat reasonable.

Now, insurance dictates that pretty much the car can not be over 15 years of age, so he can't buy a car much older that 10 years of age because he wants to keep it for an absolute minimum of 2 years. The car also can not be an import as these are now insurance proof too.

He has a budget of €3k ish and has reasonable expectations regarding MPG's and motor tax.

To give you an idea of what he likes, he is parting ways with his immaculate 1999 2.5 Subaru Legacy that he has owned for the last 6 years because it's un insurable (over 15 and Jap) and un justifiable to tax (1 years tax > value of car).

What could he buy?

Just for discussion sake to restore faith.

Brasso

Mini Cooper S would be something I'd consider, 1.6 so decent tax but supercharged so it would a fun car. Of course some will probably argue it's girly, but could you really be that bothered about what others think?
Example:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/view/9838215

AMKC

A Skoda Fabia vRS if you can get one that cheap. What about a Suzuki Swift or an Ignis sport 3dr. They got great reviews the sport that is when it was out. Might have to look to the UK or the North to find one of them do.

Sobanek

530i, 2.0 on da book lid

Red Kev

Mazda MX-5.

You didn't say if you need more than 2 seats. Insurance is possible with most companies if it's over 15 years, or else get classic insurance as a second car.

wilford

St170 focus would be my choice.

Gumbo

Brasso wrote: »

Mini Cooper S would be something I'd consider, 1.6 so decent tax but supercharged so it would a fun car. Of course some will probably argue it's girly, but could you really be that bothered about what others think?
Example:
http://cars.donedeal.ie/view/9838215

Mini Cooper S is a stunning car and I would drive one in a heartbeat. Nearly bought a JCW version a few years back and the average real world mpg on them was mid to late 20's so a standard 170bhp S should hit the 30's.

AMKC wrote: »

A Skoda Fabia vRS if you can get one that cheap. What about a Suzuki Swift or an Ignis sport 3dr. They got great reviews the sport that is when it was out. Might have to look to the UK or the North to find one of them do.

I just sold my Fabia VRS for a little over 3k. They are a fun little car and j averaged just over 40mpg city driving with a remap.

As a second car for me I'd be looking at old Impreza Turbo's, the original Irish or UK versions.

JohnBoy26

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

I'm just thinking along the lines of the title.

Say the average gentleman car enthusiast, who already has a relatively new Nissan Quasqai type thing that he uses for long trips and holidays with the family and the wife uses day to day for school runs and shopping.

This guy likes something from the bangernomics price range or a little bit above because it leaves him with more disposable income and he doesn't get hit with depreciation to any large degree, his budget is around €3000 to buy a second car, that he will enjoy, just for pottering around in, maybe doing his own commute to work too.

This same guy has a bit of sense (two kids, a wife and a mortgage) so he doesn't want to spend more than €2 a day in motor tax (€710p/a) and would like to be in the ballpark of 30mpg, mixed driving.

This guy is an enthusiastic car owner. he likes to buy a car and keep it well. over a year or two he'l enjoy fettling it, getting it running nice and tidying it up, so he plans on owning it for 2 years minimum. The wife also says there will be a divorce if he buys any more heap of **** cars, so he needs to keep this one a while.

all seems somewhat reasonable.

Now, insurance dictates that pretty much the car can not be over 15 years of age, so he can't buy a car much older that 10 years of age because he wants to keep it for an absolute minimum of 2 years. The car also can not be an import as these are now insurance proof too.

He has a budget of €3k ish and has reasonable expectations regarding MPG's and motor tax.

To give you an idea of what he likes, he is parting ways with his immaculate 1999 2.5 Subaru Legacy that he has owned for the last 6 years because it's un insurable (over 15 and Jap) and un justifiable to tax (1 years tax > value of car).

What could he buy?

Just for discussion sake to restore faith.

Civic ima