Mk2.5 MX5. Driveable, useable for every day, dependable and insanely well balanced.
Chat Forum
[closed]
Suggest a fun car
-
Posted 1 year ago #
-
Mk1 JDM MX5, supercharged, suspension tweaks, nice wheels and some other pretty bits bolted on. And a roll cage. £5k change too...
Owned 3 mk1 MX5s and am aching for the day to come around when we can justify getting another...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Torminalis - you have just reminded me of this....
A bit out of budget but I would love to try one out. Seen a couple - one on the Harrogate bypass, one sat in a car park at a luxury hotel outside Paris.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Davey - did you ever change the wheels? from what I understood,the original minilites were nigh on perfect for the car, very light.. though maybe you wanted a bit more contact patch with a supercharger
I'd love a crack in that.Posted 1 year ago # -
Still no love for the Mk2 MR2 Turbo?
Seriously, they're immense for how little they cost. All these naturally-aspirated Caterham/Elise/VTEC things are fine and dandy, but there's nothing quite like the acceleration you get from having a huge turbo bolted on to your engine. And the sound, given the engine's about 18" behind you? It's brutal.And they're very reliable. And they're cheap to fix if stuff does go wrong. And there's a guy out at Ratho that can do pretty much any repair work you could imagine might need doing to one.
Posted 1 year ago # -
A mate had a mk2 MR2 Turbo and it was lethal. He flogged it pretty sharpish.
Posted 1 year ago # -
They're lethal if you drive them like a fanny, or have unsuitable tyres on, or can't read the road conditions. Part and parcel of mid-engined RWD cars.
However, I'll admit that they do have a tendency to go backwards into things. I'm sure this is a design feature. There's a lot of engine to absorb the impact before you get it. Bugger all up front other than a space saver, so that would be a lot messier.Posted 1 year ago # -
Ox - I never drove it but was scared sh1tless but it. He's a decent driver but had several near misses, especially in the wet.
The mk3 chassis is a zillion times better IMO - shape it only ever came out with 140bhp. I'm sure the 190bhp version would have fitted (from the Celica) - then it would have been an Elise muncher.
Posted 1 year ago # -
All these naturally-aspirated Caterham/Elise/VTEC things are fine and dandy, but there's nothing quite like the acceleration you get from having a huge turbo bolted on to your engine. And the sound, given the engine's about 18" behind you? It's brutal.
Not quite so sure about this. I had a caterham for 5 years & with 225 bhp in 550kgs it gave you the same shove as a turbo for more of the rev range ie faster for longer, I had an imprezza at the same time and it had nowhere near the same levels of acceleration. The scooby was faster day to day though the 7 was so low you couldn't see over brows on hills that you wouldn't even notice in a normal car.
Prior to the Imprezza I had an MR2 (not turbo) & that was horrible, if it decided to let go at the back - which it did occasionally it was very hard to catch.
If track days go for a caterham by all means but it is difficult to use all the performance on the road - mind you it was a laugh at full throttle and did have flames coming out of the side exhaust when you came off the power, which was great in the dark.
Enough of the willy waving (from me anyway) now I have a passat estate and enjoy cars from a distance, maybe when the kids have left home I can go back to something exciting.
Posted 1 year ago # -
True. There are a few mk3s knocking around with turbos bolted on, and they are frighteningly quick. And better chassis, as you say.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Even a mild "cooking" Caterham feels massively fast. Which is what it is all about, surely? Mine was only 120bhp, with the Caterham six speed - fantastic fun all the time. You can use the really close stacked gears to short-shift just as easily as you can use it keep it on a fast boil. Bit frenzied on the motorway though.
The weight is so low that the performance is maximised to a degree that you can't really appreciate until you've tried it. Even engine braking is much stronger - it's jolly good fun blatting around and virtually never needing the brakes.
I did once try the Blackbird, at a Caterham event at Brands Hatch, which is just another level of excitement entirely. However the clutch was a bloody liability.
Posted 1 year ago # -
A light car doesn't need a turbo IMO. And it's more predictable and will rev more quickly.
Turbos are great when fitted properly but they do limit the engine's useability in many situations. Especially for track type loon cars.
An Elise with a supercharged CTR engine - now that's a fun track machine...
Posted 1 year ago # -
Best thing ive driven in the category your looking in (and ive driven a few) is probably the vx220t im shopping for a clean one at the moment. Pretty well built and reliable, not bad money to run and after an initial high deprecation they seem to be holding value well now. Also some great tuning options to give it a shove towards supercar performance figures if you wished to go that way.
That or you could buy my lovely (notthrasedatallooohnosirhonest) 172 cup
Posted 1 year ago # -
Male menopause Druidh? Going to grow a ponytail as well?
Light small good handling car in the MX5 MR2 lotus Vx220 caterham mould IMO - unless you want a classic.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Posted 1 year ago #
-
No Male Monopause here TJ - I've plenty of testosterone to go around.
Anyway, isn't it you that desperately needs a haircut?
Hey - I reckon that if I have the money, I may as well put it to good use. Think of it as doing my bit for the flagging economy.
Posted 1 year ago # -
What car did you always want when you were younger but couldn't have?
Ten grand buys a pretty wide range of cars?
Jenson interceptor?
Alfa spider
Classic 2 door merc?
Posted 1 year ago # -
TandemJeremy - Member
What car did you always want when you were younger but couldn't have?One of these
Other than that, I've never been a big car fan. Motorbikes for fun, cars for practicality.
Posted 1 year ago # -
You want a shot in mine Colin?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Hang on did you not always hanker after some 90s jap hatchback?
Posted 1 year ago # -
I'd say either MX5 Mk1 or Mk2 (but not Mk 3), Elise, Caterham/Westfield or Suzuki Cappuccino.
I wouldnt get anything fwd, or 4wd ie evo's or scoobys. fwd is just dull and 4wd you have to be a bloody good driver and go stupid speeds to get any where near the limit of grip and therefore have fun.
Elise's just give you an amazing buzz theres just some thing special about them, however on the road you will never be able to push them, and as has been said above I wouldnt want to push one on the road because they will be snappy.
I've only driven a Caterham on the track but imediately thought it was easy to drive and you could have fun on the road without it snapping.
MX5 easy to drive quickly but an absolute ball I had a Mk3 and wish I had got a Mk1 or Mk2 like mates of mine, they were much more involving to drive and felt more like a sports car than a normal car. Get a 1.8 with limited slip diff though.
Best car I have drivn on the road though was a suzuki cappuccino, 3 cylinder 650cc turbo charged. Not the quickest thing 0-60 but quick enough in gear with instant acceleration, fantastic brakes, and limited amounts of grip made it the most fun car I have ever driven on the road even though it was limited to 85mph.
IMO dont go for power, balance, power delivery, sensitivity give you a much bigger grin that lots of power.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Porsche 944 S2
possibly the best car i have owned...
I love it!
Dann
Posted 1 year ago # -
smart coupé brabas?
Posted 1 year ago # -
Ohhh Lancia Stratos - Kit car???
Posted 1 year ago #
Topic Closed
This topic has been closed to new replies.
