Hora +1!

EP3 Civic TypeR. Practical, quick, lovely looking (IMHO) and stacks around for that kinda money. Bullet proof too.

Mates had a Celica and an RX8. RX8 has gone through more problems than youd think was possible with a car. His Celica was pretty good but the engine and handling didn’t match the looks. He feels the same about the RX8 too…

I’ve had 3 mk1 MX5s and for a weekend toy, they’re amazing. £2k will put you in a really tidy mk1. Go to £3k and you’re looking at a decent FI one for more madness. Cheap to insure, cheap to run etc etc.

E36 M3? Impreza RB5? E46 330?

I’ve owned two mk2.5 MX5’s, the mk3 MX5 was too grown up and quiet/smooth for me.

I drove the TypeR and Clio. I just couldn’t ‘get’ what the praise is about. For me its steering feel first, then handling then power. I didn’t like the TypeR and felt it screamed alot but not as much to show for the noise it made.

I’ll get shot for this considering my comments above but why not consider a prev gen 1.8T S3?

You’ve already got cars in the household for carrying bodies around. So it comesback to…

A Mk2.5 MX5. Yes you can get a Saris Bones for the boot. I did this.

Its also absolutely hilarious to drive. I learnt to drive in a Mini but I really learnt to drive in a MX5.

I’ve borrowed an MX5 since summer. I was gutted when she asked for it back. Originally I had borrowed it for a weekend but it turned into weeks then months. I got a lot of ‘gay lord’ and ‘hairdresser’ comments which I laughed off. I found it funny that I was driving a sports car with a gorgeous girl next to me and that made me homosexual 🙂 still the OP wanted more seats.

Clarkson once said the MX5 is the best British sports car you can buy, and his on screen persona is homophobic, so the gay jibes are nonsense.

(he reckoned that a soft top two seater front engine rear wheel drive car is a British sports car in the same way that bacon eggs mushrooms beans and fried bread is an English breakfast, even if it was made in Japan.)

OP have a test drive in one. No ‘power’ but you really don’t need it, you’ll find yourself using the brake pedal less. If you want something more grown up the mk3 is quieter, smoother and feels more like saloon to drive.

You can get a full suss into the passenger seat – its possible (blanket wrapped round the bike and seatbelt fastened to secure 😆

I think the drive will speak for its self. Very involved and a lot of feedback. Alot.

Hmmm, you still don’t quite get the “more than 2 people thing” do ya 😉

I’ve driven them before, just don’t like them and they’re not suitable anyway despite your plus points.

Now the Scooby is an interesting prospect or a bimmer.

EP3 “bread van” is on the list too

An RB5 was in EVO’s top 10 list of £10k bargains a few years back and now they’re plentiful for under your budget…

I believe they’re ‘just’ an STI with a little bit more… Not sure how much P1s are going for these days either – dream car…

How much do you have to spend?

op : what about a porsche 944\968?

steve_b77 the TypeR is poney – ALOT of revs and noise telling everyone around you that your trying without the actual go.

Whereas an STI……..kin ell. The only time I’ve been scared driving a car was one of those. Mental. Made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and you look into the distance…then suddenly your there 😆

The RX8 makes a great drift car.
One of the locations I test car tires, holds drifting days & a few of the drivers use the RX8.
Apparently quite robust and very happy with the rev happy nature of the sport.
Makes a brutal noise when hitting the rev limiter. Sounds like a machine gun 🙂

I did once try and track down an Integra without much success. I also tried an Impreza. Bloody scary thing it was, I’m with hora on that.

How about one of those RWD MG ZTs? A big Ford V8 up front and either saloon or estate so carrying people and bikes shouldn’t be an issue. You’d need a hairy chest though.

ITR DC5 as were the previous versions, is an amazing car…

I would go for the EP3 i’ve had 3 of them and they were all fantastic got rid of them at 800000 miles a piece and they never skipped a beat. I currently run a FN2 which is prett crap in comparison.

or a celica cos they look pretty.

I’d stay away form the RX8 it is a beautiful car mind….

Hora… impreza’s make shit loadsa noise!? and if we’re waving willies get a makinen evo will shit all over any scoobydoo all day long.

Type R, fun, bullet proof, cheap, paractical and my squeeeze 32mpg’s out of it. One of the best 6 speed gear box’s of it’s day and still up there. You do have to nail it to 6000 rpm to go anywhere though, so unless you have some quiet roads near you it may not be the best.

Older 350Z would have buckets of low down grunt, but does also has a massive strut brace right through the boot (well useful for bikes)

Get a cheap Scooby and keep the rest of the money back for the fuel bill! 😆

You need at least 6 cylinders, a mans car. Them Jap 4 cylinders are for boys.