I won a new car!!! And am 'Young Driver of the year' - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

pentoman · #1 11-10-2002, 04:11 PM

Hi guys,

Having recently posted a 500E vs 16v topic, and thinking 'yeah right, like I'll be able to afford one even in 5 years' I came into some money.

Autocar magazine (a big & well respected car enthusiast magazine in England & europe - some US members may know it) hold an annual competition for 'Young Driver of the Year'. Well, I entered and (long story short) spent last weekend driving around in many SEAT Ibizas (thats a car) against 31 other finalists, and won a new car!!

I spent a few days beforehand Mercedes-less

using a Volkswagen Polo 16v - a hot hatch similar to but a little smaller than a Golf GTi:

as it is similar size and identical engine to the SEAT I would compete in.
I pick up the car I won in a few days - an Ibiza 1.4 16v Sport, FTR it looks like this:

It's quite funky, and SEAT cars are in fact owned, engineered and built by Volkswagen but aimed at a more 'young, stylish, sporty' marketplace using VW technology, and in some cases create far better cars than the VWs they are based upon.

So, here I am, with a big grin

on my face, and lots of questions..

I'll probably sell the car and have up to £10,000 to spend.
I liked using the Polo recently, nice handling and much more fun to drive quickly about than my 190E, nice 16v engine, but without the refinement or quality I enjoy in the MB. So looking to match both, I have a shortlist:
I like the Porsche 968:

I don't know if this has too little refinement or luxury for me, i don't want a hard ride and this may be a problem.
I'm not interested in any other Porsche (924 & 944 cheap & old, 911 expensive to run, 928 totally inappropriate)

A 190E-16v has always been on my mind, and this money would get me a mint condition late '92 2.5-16v.

But, the killer is, I've seen 2 500E's with specialist dealers for £9,995, but dont know if one might prove too expensive to run, and also wether it will have the fun of the 16v or Porsche.

so.. any ideas? Any other cars to throw in?

thanks!

Russ