The cars and bikes thread!

[Raza]

And the F-Type, I suppose, if I’m consider a Boxster. So that has me at:

BMW M235i/M240i
Porsche Boxster 981
Audi TT RS Gen 1
Audi S5 V6T
Jaguar F-Type

All would be 2012 or newer, so I guess that’s where I’m sticking my baseline. I supposed I could also look at 435i coupes, since there are probably more of them around. Still some months away from even beginning to seriously look, but I’m glad I’m narrowing down (and then slowly increasing) the field of options. Always good to have some ideas and be flexible.

If I’m going to look at the S5, I should, on balance, also consider the 435i/435i xDrive, since they made them in manual as well. I prefer the M235i, but there’s no harm in keeping my options open. As it stands:

BMW M235i/M240i
BMW 435i/435i xDrive
Porsche Boxster 981
Audi TT RS Gen 1
Audi S5 V6T
Jaguar F-Type

[geoffbot]

What's you budget Raza? Is m2 in it?

[Raza]

What's you budget Raza? Is m2 in it?

I don’t have a set budget (I’m thinking ~35,000 as a ceiling, though), but I’m lukewarm on the M2 as a car to own for me. It’s a small quality of life thing, but the M2 was never offered with a sunroof, so I’m worried about feeling claustrophobic and in the dark in a car without that, especially coming from a convertible. Now, I know what you’re thinking, “Raza, the TT RS is your top choice and that also doesn’t have a sunroof,” to which I would respond “True, but the difference between the TT RS and the M2 is that the TT RS doesn’t have a slightly less hot version that has one, like the M235i, and the TT RS’s trade-off is that it also offers supercar performance,” to which you may respond “Well, perhaps unknown to you until you Googled it just now, the M2 runs just about as hot as the TT RS, despite being less repeatable because it’s RWD instead of AWD, so you’re still getting that supercar performance that gives the TT RS a pass,” to which I would say “Well, now that I know that, it’s something to consider, but truth be told, the TT RS gets a pass simply because I like it so much and have always liked the TT’s design, and have always wanted one, having come close to buying one several times, but never having the right timing to make it happen.”

[geoffbot]

I hear you my man. Love my drop top. Never will I not have a sunroof at a minimum again. Shame because they don't seem very common these days: cars currently on autotrader: 412,833. Those with keyword 'sunroof': 38,212

[Raza]

I hear you my man. Love my drop top. Never will I not have a sunroof at a minimum again. Shame because they don't seem very common these days: cars currently on autotrader: 412,833. Those with keyword 'sunroof': 38,212

Well, I would imagine a lot of more affordable cars forego having one or have one only as an option on higher trims to keep costs down. I think most luxury cars come with one as standard these days. Of course, the car market in the UK is a lot different from here; there, luxury makers also sell downmarket versions with small engines and lower spec, here our entry level is usually more midrange compared to the same car in the Euro or UK market. I don’t know if that’s changed over the years, but a quick look shows the C300 to be our entry level Mercedes C class, the C200 the entry in the UK, and a 50hp disparity between the two (though, 205 from the C200 is a long shout from the days of the C180, that’s not too bad). The only cars I’ve ever owned without a sunroof have been my convertibles, personally, and I can’t even remember a family car that didn’t have one. Maybe our Mercury Mountaineer (Ford Explorer reskin), but I’m not sure, and we only had that for a year.

[mlcor]

I hear you my man. Love my drop top. Never will I not have a sunroof at a minimum again. Shame because they don't seem very common these days: cars currently on autotrader: 412,833. Those with keyword 'sunroof': 38,212

I think that may be a matter of semantics--try searching for "moonroof" instead, I bet the results will be very different.

P.S. The difference is sunroofs are opaque, usually body color on top, whereas moonroofs are essentially windows even when closed. Very few cars have sunroofs any more as opposed to moonroofs.

[geoffbot]

I think that may be a matter of semantics--try searching for "moonroof" instead, I bet the results will be very different.

P.S. The difference is sunroofs are opaque, usually body color on top, whereas moonroofs are essentially windows even when closed. Very few cars have sunroofs any more as opposed to moonroofs.

Moonroof reveals 24 cars total.

[mlcor]

Moonroof reveals 24 cars total.

So much for my brilliant theory.


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[93EXCivic]

If I’m going to look at the S5, I should, on balance, also consider the 435i/435i xDrive, since they made them in manual as well. I prefer the M235i, but there’s no harm in keeping my options open. As it stands:

BMW M235i/M240i
BMW 435i/435i xDrive
Porsche Boxster 981
Audi TT RS Gen 1
Audi S5 V6T
Jaguar F-Type

Have you considered the MX5?

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[Raza]

Have you considered the MX5?

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Not really, no. They’re fine cars, but they don’t give me the fizz. Feels like a big step back too, after having owned a Boxster and a Z4. Like I’d never be able to enjoy it without comparing it to them.