For two years I've been coupe less due to a careless driver and I've decided enough is enough...so I'm going to get something nice and quick, current choices are between these:

Cayman 3.4s
Audi TTS
Z4 3.0si
R32...I'm losing the love for this one if I'm honest.

All of the above can be had for around 17k and about 4/5 years old.

I started off looking for a good R32 but I've somehow managed to talk my lovely wife into letting me have a two seater

That's changed everything and I really fancy the Audi as it cheap to chip etc and the tech on board is tempting, the magnetic suspension sounds wicked. But all of the reviews for the audi end with a suggestion that the Cayman is a better alternative.

I think I read on here sometime ago a member say that the cayman was just about the perfect set up for road driving?

Anyway, thoughts please chaps?

I took my mates Cayman out a few weeks ago - admittedly it was the 'R' version but I was massively impressed by the performance and usability. Instant pull and feel in every gear at nearly every stage no matter what the road. It was alot closer to a full-on 911 than I was expecting.....

There's no way I'd go near a TT of any kind personally, due to the image etc. Then you are comparing two sports cars with a GT hatch. I love my R32 to bits (and it's my favourite car I've every owned) but there's no point comparing it to the Cayman or Z4. A last of the line 2009 R32 can be had for £12-13K. So unless you're going ultra-low mileage, they aren't really comparable in price either?

Either way, if those are your choices for £17K, and you are happy with a two seater, I'd go Cayman all day long.

Not knocking the R32 Jonny but if I'm honest it was the engine that started the attraction and that is used in various other cars, one of them being the TT 3.2

Image is a personal thing and I actually think the TT is slightly better...see we're all different

After a bit more digging the Cayman can come with the same magnetic suspension!

Going to see a couple of each in the next few weeks so will compare how they drive and I think I will still include the R32

The engine is wonderful Agreed, my wife thinks the Mk5 is a bit 'chavvy', but most other people think it's a bit too understated

Either way it'd be interesting to know what you think of the Cayman as I'd be tempted by one in a couple of years. Either that or an RS Audi (non-TT ) or AMG Merc.

For what little it's worth, my only major problem with the R32 Golf would be to find a genuine, unmolested one. I might want to ruin it with a remap, but I'd want to be the first to do so and - from what I've seen - that is quite difficult. Where would you look? How does the A3 with the same lump compare?

Also, a quick look on Autotrader reveals this comparison (assuming you can see it and ignoring the somewhat misleading picture of the 130i...)

I'd be hard pushed not to go for the Beemer...

Really? the Mk4 yes, but Mk5 cars are left alone in the vast majority of cases. They're still an expensive car...

The A3 is pretty dull in comparison.

I didn't know you could do that...just shows that I was at least looking at roughly similar...

The only thing that puts me off the BMW is it's face...I heard car mags call it aggressive, it's not what I see when I look at it...more like dopey

I'm not very au fait with the various Golf generations, so I'm not sure when the Mk5 began. Presumable the one in the Autotrader comparison is a 5?
Is the Audi dull due to its weight or is it set up deliberately differently?

Don't misunderstand me, I don't dislike the Golf!

The comparison doesn't work for me, comes up blank?

It's a lot softer; they were never meant to be brothers like the Coupe and GTV. The Golf isn't what you'd call hardcore, and most would pick a GTI over it, but (like a Coupe), it blends a fantastic engine with a willing chassis. It's ultimately very quick with 4wd etc, but not a chuckable thing. The A3 is just an A3 with a 3.2 in it.

Buyers/owners of these cars (and being new to VWs it may be all of them ) are very picky over options, mods, mileage etc. Anything with work done on the Mk5 model is practically unsaleable. And god forbid it's done more than 40,000 miles, it might explode

Thanks for the answer Jonny. The comparison was for a V32 and a BMW 130i. Both a gnat's under £9k and both 07. Mileage similar. The only significant mechanical difference seems to be RWD v AWD.

I'm not sure on the 130i, but a decent '07 will be around £9K-£10K in reality. Pistonheads rave about the 130i don't they? Nothing else comes close. The reviews are more mixed. Having owned a 118d for 3 years from new, I can imagine it would be a very nice car, well built (similar to the Golf), nice place to be, great to drive, more economical and a good soundtrack.

However I don't venture onto decent roads (so the RWD is wasted TBH), wanted the better soundtrack (which no-one could argue with, inside or out), only do 7,000 miles a year, and like the fact when it does rain (a lot) or snow (rarely) the extra grip is welcome. I hated the fact I was stuck for over a week when it snowed with the 1 series. Though if I did have RWD now, I'd store a set of winters. I like the look of the Golf, whereas the 1 series was just a odd-shaped car. For many the 1 series would probably be the preferred car, it just depends on what your priorities are.

I almost forgot- with the R32, you can have DSG. It polarises opinions, but I absolutely love it.

See what Top Gear say about the R32 and the 130i here > CLICK

An R32 is just a golf, or a cheap version of an A3.
A TT is a golf transvestite.

For 17k I would go with the Porsche or be really stupid and get something loud.

Also you can get a *35i BM for that money, the 135 is supposed to be brilliant!

Ask DanTheManc, his 135iM is insane!
I think any of the above choices are fine and once it becomes a matter of personal taste, there's no right or wrong. As I may have mentioned, I have no car at all, so anything seems dangerously exciting to me!

Cayman out of that lot - no question about it for me.

Two winters ago, Cayman on winter tyres, snow, untreated roads, hills, no problems. Great car and the S is better. It is just so good and special.

Cheapest 135 I can see is about 25k and there's normally a good reason why it's cheap

At the moment the TT has it, 270bhp standard and easily chipped for around £500 to make 320bhp

This is all on paper at the moment, Amersham audi finding one for me to test

The 135i (E series) and the M135i (F Series from 2012> which I have) are different cars. As mentioned you looking at a minimum of £23k for a 2012 M135i.

A decent E series 135i can be had for about £14k. I owned a 2008 335i which shares the same engine and they are very quick cars. They are 306bhp standard and I had mine mapped to 375bhp so very impressive gains with sub 5 second 0-60. The 335i is a better car as far as luxury and build quality but the 135i is more fun.

If your budget is £17k you may be able to get one with DCT (dual clutch transmission) within budget which is better than the VAG DSG boxes. You can get earlier cars (pre 2010 I think) with auto boxes and flappy paddle which is still pretty good, but feels slow and dated compared to the DCT box.

BMW 135i

BMW 335i

Also, you can get a Golf R for £17k rather than the thirsty R32. An a Z4M rather than the Z4 3.0.

Golf R DSG

Z4M Coupe

Or you could try one of these > CLICK

Good call patch - I was working on the under 5 years old in the OP when I hunted out my big V8!

Perhaps it's my location but Golf r's, tt's GTI's and any other generic but sporty VAG car is driven by mid life crisis man or mr Drug dealer.

That AMG does make sense (on a Coupe forum at least).

Nice car Phil, although I want something a bit younger. My last two cars were 10+ years. I've also set myself an average of 22mpg limit (Petrol only), that's what my current 325ci does. My commute is 60 miles round trip, which works out to around 3 hours a day driving...

This all a bit of a pain really, wish I could buy a 2 year old Fiat Coupe LE

with 17k you could get an LE into pretty good shape and a new block from Italy!

Perhaps I could buy one of those Pearly whites that are in storage in HK

I know a Nigerian prince that has contacts out there, all you need to do is give him £1,000 and your bank details and he'll sort you one out.

Cayman or Z4m would be my choices.
The 335 also appeals but its not as sporty as the Z4 or the Porsche.

Probably too old and less practical than you're looking for but I've just bought a well sorted & loved stage 4 VX220 Turbo. It is the most fun I've ever had driving.

I'm also considering colour...this ZM4 looks stunning

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201403172575015/sort/default/usedcars/price-from/14000/fuel-type/petrol/page/1/colour/red/model/z4/postcode/rg423aq/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/make/bmw/price-to/20000/body-type/coupe/radius/1500?logcode=p