What's the best 2000 car?

[janner]

As you know, next year band G cars (2001+) will have a higher road tax. So, if you were looking at two almost identical cars around nine years old and one was 2000 and one was band G the 2000 car would be more desirable.
This got me thinking; what's the best 2000 car?

I ruled out all Mercs bar the SL500 because, let's face it, 2000 was not Mercedes' best year.
I was thinking maybe Audi RS4 but if I think Audi I think sales rep in a Tdi with a pink tie and bluetooth headset. Same with the BMW M3.
Ferrari 355 F1 Spider (prettier than the 360)? Nice but not really and every day car.

What do you think.

 

[bigyin1]

I'd go for:

Porsche 996 TwinTurbo year 2000 420bhp, get the Porsche X50 upgrade and you have 450bhp (and re-map >500bhp). This is £200 tax.

versus

Porsche 996 TwinTurbo S year 2004 450bhp. This is £455 tax.

Same model. Mad.

 

[GrahamC230K]

I personally am very glad my car is pre 2001. To run a performance car registered post march 2001 is going to get expensive.

I know it's "only" another £200 once a year, but when I think of road tax @ £400+ a year I flinch.

Although more a psychological barrier than a financial limitation, this is actually one of my reasons for not changing to a newer performance car.

I think the B5 RS4 should feature in any round up of everyday performance cars for sure. With the limited production stretching not far before and not far after 2001, it's interesting to note the difference owners will have to pay.

For sure I would be rubbing my hands together if I had a January or February registered 2001 RS4, as if I were looking for one, I would be looking for as later car in the lower tax bracket as possible.

I can think of other performance cars pre 2001, but none I'd like to own so much, not that have aged so well, none that are so uncommon and none that still have the performance to match contemporary equivalents, as well as being relatively frugal on fuel for the performance.

 

[robert.saunders]

Interesting thread; I've been looking around the pre-March 2001 cars (up to X reg I think) to avoid the tax hikes, hence my interest in a W208 AMG recently

I'm sure a BMW 540i would be fun

 

[Howard]

I'm sure a BMW 540i would be fun

Fun to set on fire ....

 

[Smiley]

first of the e46 bmw 330ci?

 

[bigyin1]

oooh an E39 M5.... got to worth a punt...

 

[imadoofus]

Chap round the corner from me has just swapped his 2003 BMW 530d for a 2000 M5

Nice car, except it's in that 'Look At Me' blue. Estoril?

 

[Ade B]

Porsche 993 (pre pre 2000) future classic.
Plenty of nice Bentleys available
Aston Martin DB7
Honda NSX
Noble

Ade

 

[Leemc2008]

Kind of funny really.. people trying to avoid paying an extra £200 road tax by getting an older car.. and then thinking, I know I'll make it a super-powerful car because it still only costs £200..

The fuel alone will cost plenty more than £200 extra per year!! haha..

I.e swapping 03 BMW diesel for 00 BMW E39 M5..

 

[robert.saunders]

So true; but I detest the idea of paying £400+ for RFL

 

[Leemc2008]

So true; but I detest the idea of paying £400+ for RFL

Yup.. My father now has to pay that for his 05' Mondeo ST220..

 

[janner]

True, but if you are looking for a performance car why not pick a 2000 model and save some cash? Suppose you keep the car for five years that's a grand saved. The £200 difference is likely to be the thin end of the wedge as well.

 

[Soltan]

Kind of funny really.. people trying to avoid paying an extra £200 road tax by getting an older car.. and then thinking, I know I'll make it a super-powerful car because it still only costs £200..

The fuel alone will cost plenty more than £200 extra per year!! haha..

I.e swapping 03 BMW diesel for 00 BMW E39 M5..

I have to admit that has been puzzling me as to why more people don't mention that and the fact that Insurance could be higher too.
I'd be willing to offset slightly higher fuel costs against the wow factor but paying out so much money on my insurance really ticks me off.

 

[LeighW]

I've been looking around the pre-March 2001 cars (up to X reg I think) to avoid the tax hikes, hence my interest in a W208 AMG recently

+1

 

[st4]

Interesting thread; I've been looking around the pre-March 2001 cars (up to X reg I think) to avoid the tax hikes, hence my interest in a W208 AMG recently

I'm sure a BMW 540i would be fun

The 6 clyinder engines are better - I've had both.

TBH VED is the least expensive aspect of motoring, but its the principle of the matter, so I can see this thread. Lets go older and maybe think early ferrari 550.

 

[Mudster]

£200 a year wouldn't cover one tyre on a lot of the above mentioned cars, never mind fuel, servicing, eye watering insurance costs, the cost of a private plate to disguise the fact you're a cheapskate and bought an old "supercar" to avoid £200 a year in tax.....

Not sound financially.....if you're in the market for a Ferrari, Porsche twin Turbo, Bentley or any V8 petrol engined car for that matter, RFL is irrelevant...if it isn't irrelevant (financially) then you can't afford the cars you're looking at .............QED.

 

[DITTRICH]

It may only be £200 difference now but wait a year or two and see the difference then. Also, the question of changing to a more powerful car doesn't really figure in the equation. If you have already decided what you want, you just try to do it as cheaply as possible. You don't try and offset the £200 savings against fuel, insurance and servicing because you've already decided what model you want. £200 is a couple of nights in a nice hotel or around 1,250 miles of fuel or the best part of 12m insurance. That's the way I think of it anyway.
Les

 

[comports]

Don't you also have to factor in how much more a 9 year old car will cost to keep running over a newer car..? That would surely amount to more than the £200 saving in the first place. (unless you find a really nice that luckily needs nothing spending on it)

 

[janner]

....if you're in the market for a Ferrari, Porsche twin Turbo, Bentley or any V8 petrol engined car for that matter, RFL is irrelevant....

I don't think so. If you really want an early 360 or an RS4 then buying pre-2001 makes sense. A very early 2001 SL500 will be more desirable than a late 2001 SL500 (especially if it's going to be used as a second car). Once the tax differential is in place it's likely to get wider in future.