Wednesday 30th March
£100K Garage: Aaron McKay
Chris Evans' old Fiat, a big Bentley and a Citroen SM feature in Aaron's bargetastic £100K Garage
Name : Aaron McKay
Previously owned : 1987 Fiat Panda 4x4, 1997 Mercedes-Benz C250 diesel
Currently owned : 1999 Saab 9-3 SE Turbo convertible
On the shortlist : "I'm keen to drive something more serious, so a sports car is a must for the garage; an S2000 is something I'm seriously considering as my next purchase.
: "I'm keen to drive something more serious, so a sports car is a must for the garage; an S2000 is something I'm seriously considering as my next purchase. That said I really enjoyed the Mercedes-Benz wafting experience and want to explore that, along with going into some classics again. A comfortable saloon car has to be included here particularly since the S2000 will be harsher than the Saab; I'm always looking at 1990s barges, so something comfortable will serve as a daily driver. Something older and maybe exotic has to be included too, for the right weekends and road trips."
Fiat 130 Coupe
Cost : £28,950
Balance : £71,050
Why I chose it : "This has all the right elements to make it a fascinating car to drive, with lovely switchgear, dials and controls; it's only missing a wooden steering wheel! Every journey would be tinted with nostalgia. Compared to Alfas and Lancias, you get more engine, luxury and unique style for the money. Plus, don some shades and you can pretend you're in the mafia. I'm hoping it will be a good mix of comfort and performance, plus this has the limited-slip diff. Such low mileage and its ownership history promise a lot, but I'll have to be mindful of age related faults like my previous Fiats."
Cost : £4,450
Balance : £66,600
Why I chose it : "A dependable classic in the making, to be used as a workhorse and daily driver when weather doesn't permit the Fiat. I'd prefer a 4Matic but decent pre-facelift models like this one are rare enough. It's got the right kinds of colours, with that endearing tartan cloth, and less than 100,000 miles. While it might not be the storming 24v, the steady 12v suits the car's purpose in this garage. I fear how these will climb in value and certainly miss the view of the three-pointed star."
Cost : £24,990
Balance : £41,610
Why I chose it : "I reckon that an ideal garage should have a least one car perfect for the airport run, so what better than a Rolls-Royce? Well, since this has a booming V8 larger than the Seraph's V12, it has to be the Bentley instead. This is one of the cheapest out there and has worryingly little in the advert but low miles and 'good' history should be enough for the occasional use. In blue, which I think I prefer over the traditional green, over cream leather - which comes with the important blue piping - plus a vast boot with courtesy umbrellas, it's a fine way to be collected at the terminal. Better dropped off though, as then you'd hear it thunder off."
Cost : £5,795
Balance : £35,815
Why I chose it : "Sharp engine, great gearbox and direct handling are all things I've heard said about the S2000, so it's my top choice as a sports car. It'll be the perfect step towards learning to drive moving on from the Saab, and will undoubtedly see some roads of Scotland and Europe. This one looks genuine, with all the right things being said in the advert. It's in my preferred Silverstone silver colour with a curious extended red interior that I think nicely suits a fast Honda."
Cost : £35,500
Balance : £815
Why I chose it : "To fill a supercar slot in the garage, the SM offers an exotic Maserati V6, absurd spaceship looks and an unusual driving experience. The S2000 would embarrass it in sheer performance stakes, as would most other things, but taking this through the south of France would be plenty thrilling in its own way. The SM offers something entirely different to the rest of the garage, provided that isn't spontaneous fire from this, the apparently dangerous carburettor model. Definitely exotic, classic and special."