£20,000

SL · 2 May 2001, 22:11 (Ref:88121)

To kick start this forum, the first real tread is all mine

So that letter arrived this morning, your rich old uncle died and left you £19,999. Add the total sum of your assets and you now have £20,000 !!!!!!

What would you spend it on ?

That holiday you always dreamed of ??

That new kitchen / bathroom / Double glazing ???

Or that gleaming lump of motorised metal that will loose half its value as soon as the salesman closes the door behind you ????

OK silly question, so what car salesmans day would you make, whats the best buy for £20K $20K AUS$20K ?? and why.

Simon

woodyracing · 2 May 2001, 22:24 (Ref:88124)

u know, i was thinking of this question too

if i received 20K, id buy a racecar and all the kit.

but for a 20K road car, if second hand id get an Escort Cossie, if brand new id get a Honda Integra Type R

Woody.

MichaelC · 2 May 2001, 22:59 (Ref:88133)

Well first I'd go and put sit in the street, put my hat on the floor, and get a dog to come and sleep by my feet. Then when enough people had thrown money in that I had and extra 1500 quid, I'd be straight down to Listers for an Impreza WRX

Or I might buy a used TVR perhaps. Or a...no wait, how about a...

This could go on for some time

Ray Bell · 3 May 2001, 00:39 (Ref:88162)

Better lift that figure for we poor Aussies!

$20K won't buy much that's especially attractive. Daewoos and Protons and Hyundais come to mind... and not the top models, either.

You start getting into nice stuff around $40,000, with a lot more under $50,000.

For mine, your comment about how much it loses as the salesman bolts to the bank is the most salient... I would never own a new car. None. And especially in these days of compulsory FWD. The engines are good these days, and everything has a five-speeder (some a six!), but I'll wait till somebody else has borne the initial depreciation, at least.

And the race car kit option has certain attractions....

D428 CHO · 3 May 2001, 00:46 (Ref:88164)

And for me, a Rover 75 2.5 V6 I think... or more likely a wait until the MG version of the 45 is available! The only problem with that plan is the other £20,000 needed for the insurance in my case

But wait a minute, that £20k would buy a lot of Maestros

At least depreciation isn't a problem that way!

elephino · 3 May 2001, 10:47 (Ref:88269)

Well let me see £19,999 plus my assests = £20,000. That would mean my assests are worth AU$100,000

Now that I have the joke out the way, AU$20,000 is less than my car cost so I'd keep it.

Assuming 3:1 on the dollar and pound, AU$60,000. I'd probably want to get the new BMW 325ti when it comes out if it scrapes under that value.

redback · 4 May 2001, 11:50 (Ref:88813)

For AUS$20k I'd buy a Mitsubishi Mirage with a neat set of rims.
For UK equivalent AUS$60k I'd go a new Falcon XR8 ute and put the rest towards yet another race car.

SL · 4 May 2001, 21:34 (Ref:89021)

OK all you in Aussie make it $60K if you must. I'm not that sure of exchange rates but £20k is just below the national average annual salary in the UK. Make the Aussie sum the same.

SL

Ray Bell · 4 May 2001, 21:59 (Ref:89030)

Okay, then let's say $45,000AU for us then, a well-equipped Commodore price...

SL · 4 May 2001, 22:18 (Ref:89038)

Sorry Ray, but a well equipped Commadore sounds like a popular lad in the Navy

Could you put that in car terms.

SL

TimD · 4 May 2001, 22:19 (Ref:89040)

Quote:

Originally posted by SL
£20k is just below the national average annual salary in the UK.

Bloomin' heck, I'm in the wrong job...

£20,000 - well, let's see - you could get a pretty decent Aston Martin V8 for that. Or a very very fine six-cylinder Aston DBS. Autosport this week has a '63 Jaguar E Coupe for £17k. A seven-litre Iso Grifo will be under £20k, and the sharpest, sweetest Jensen Interceptor on the market will be in the price range.

Big GT cars are the way forward for me. And certainly nothing newer than about 1980.

SL · 4 May 2001, 22:26 (Ref:89046)

Agreed Tim, you are probably undervalued. Worth at least £50K

Talk to insurance companies, once the laughter has died down, you might get a quote for the above cars.

Simon

TimD · 4 May 2001, 22:39 (Ref:89057)

Aww, you can be my friend!

Seriously, I have only ever been point blank turned down for insurance once in my driving career - and that was for a quote on an SD1-shaped Rover 3500SE.

Yes, really!

Despite 13 years continuous driving record with just one (not my fault) accident and no convictions.

Whereas when I was seriously looking at Astons a couple of years ago, a comprehensive agreed mileage classic car policy was not only affordable, but it made the insurance on the 1.4 Corsa look a bit steep.

I suppose that the argument is that the driver of that sort of motor is going to take the trouble to look after it and not abuse it.

mtpanorama · 5 May 2001, 00:30 (Ref:89088)

if we are talking $45000. A Ford falcon XR8. Cash in hand you could just about swingit for a new one. Better option , go for the 12mth old 1one with the full body kit ,premium sound system and leather interior. For all our o/s members. XR8 Sedan Approx 1600kg, 200KW 5.0lt V8.

TimD · 5 May 2001, 00:33 (Ref:89090)

Hmm. Falcons, eh? What's the going rate at the moment for a nice GTHO...?

mtpanorama · 5 May 2001, 00:44 (Ref:89094)

Quote:

Hmm. Falcons, eh? What's the going rate at the moment for a nice GTHO...?

If you can find some one willing to sell, you maybe able to get one for that money. But it wont be the best around

Sparky · 5 May 2001, 01:01 (Ref:89101)

Quote:

Originally posted by TimD
Seriously, I have only ever been point blank turned down for insurance once in my driving career - and that was for a quote on an SD1-shaped Rover 3500SE.

Yes, really!

Despite 13 years continuous driving record with just one (not my fault) accident and no convictions.

Whereas when I was seriously looking at Astons a couple of years ago, a comprehensive agreed mileage classic car policy was not only affordable, but it made the insurance on the 1.4 Corsa look a bit steep.

I suppose that the argument is that the driver of that sort of motor is going to take the trouble to look after it and not abuse it.

...whereas, if you buy an SD1, you are legally required to kick out the windows, empty three tins of Dulux emulsion over it and give the poor old girl a hearty send off at Wimbledon Oval!

Sorry Tim; couldn't resist!

£20,000 would buy me the Mother of all Mini Cooper S's, or a 'B' Body '69 Dodge Charger 440 R/T . (I doubt I could stretch to a Hemi for that money...) Mind you Tim, that E-type sounds a bit lovely, doesn't it?

Sharky · 5 May 2001, 01:50 (Ref:89118)

Well, first of all a very nice trip to the places I've always wanted to go including stops at some GP's and concerts of certain artists.

If there's anything left then I would buy my mom and dad something nice and if there's still something left....then I'd probably think about upgrading my car.

**touringlegend** · 5 May 2001, 07:18 (Ref:89216)

With 20k I'd probably buy a Honda Accord Type-R thats a few months old. The money left over could go on the insurance.

djb · 5 May 2001, 08:02 (Ref:89222)

In all seriousness, I'd put a bunch aside for the kid's education fund, some for the house, a few other things like that to be a responsible adult, husband and father AND then I'd buy a used Rotax engined kart, tires etc so I could do some racing, as I know that would be the only realistic way that I'd ever do any 4 wheeled racing. Small enough to work on in the garage, but still fast enough to get an adrenaline rush!

BMW M5 · 15 May 2001, 11:13 (Ref:92738)

I'd buy a '92 TVR Griffith 500. Preferably in Giallofly yellow, with black alloys

Airhead · 15 May 2001, 11:23 (Ref:92745)

OK,

60 thousand dollars (AUS) of someone elses money...

Ist 12,000 dollars goes on an immaculate Mk2 Mini Cooper S I know off..

Next, I think a Aprilia RS 1000 V Twin for 25,000 dollars, leaves 33 thou right?

OK, for the slow days a Harley Night Train, now leaves a few grand to spend on BEER and women who are inpressed by rich slobs!

**bella** · 15 May 2001, 12:40 (Ref:92786)

er.... i'd buy a lotus elise, for posing power, and they're not so expensive to run.
or a second hand b3 alpina (drool).
or a souped up new beetle. or a nice old one.

Ross · 15 May 2001, 22:51 (Ref:93027)

£10'000 on a Suzuki GSXR1000 and new lid etc
£10'000 on a big Beemer/Audi/Merc (secondhand obviously!)

Diabando · 15 May 2001, 23:16 (Ref:93038)

In reality, I would never buy a car with that money, it would be put straight into a deposit on a property.

So - pretending I had a property etc etc...

A brand spanking new HSV V8 Commodore, full kit. I would not care about depreciation, as I would keep it forever!

Yum