I'm not quite ready to have the eye rolling from Mrs a11y so haven't yet shown her what I'm looking at. I think she'd be happier if I spent similar money on a new bike rather than a car.
How about a Honda CRX? You can pick up a 92/93 vintage for £5K on trader. Targa top, decent engine?
Watching a ‘96 one on eBay locally to me, but isn’t quite giving me the fizz somehow. What are the engine/mechanicals like? Same as a period Civic I assume?
I've just bought a Mk1 TT 3.2 Roadster. Always like the TT and owned a Mk2 Coupe for a while so when the oppotunity to buy a fun/weekend car came about the TT was high on my list. Found a nice, well cared for one locally and couldn't resist. Roll on the summer!
Ignis Sports are ace. A mate had one not so long back, great fun it reminded me of the days of the Saxo VTS ect. Fishnet Recaros too!
Don't know anything about that Suzuki but from what I've just read about them they will hardly raise your pulse and sound a bit lukewarm
Maybe ok if your 19 and want something you can play around with
On the back of this thread and a work colleague collecting a 997.2 this Friday I was scouring Autotrader for these mythical £5k boxsters - there's a lot with Flying Pigeon brand ditchfinders which are an instant no, any that do have half decent branded tyres then have rubbish MOT history. I think it would take awhile to find a good 'un.
TBF you can pick up a car less than 5 years old from a dealer with similarly shite tyres.
As for Del Sol's, VTi was the one to go for and the gen before was the SiR, both have a VTEC B16 block rather than the D series engines. If you're looking for something sporty I wouldn't consider a Honda without VTEC, it's their entire party piece.
Maybe ok if your 19 and want something you can play around with
What if you're 40 and you'd just rather have a weird, funky little car than drive like a dick?
What if you’re 40 and you’d just rather have a weird, funky little car than drive like a dick?
107hp in something that weighs less than a ton? Sounds fun. Probably easy enough to retinue to JDM spec as well.
Two thirds of the thread a Porsche or hot hatch, hardly sedate driving funky looking cars
Remind me again what the bhp/ton is for an NA MX5. How is the Ignis so much different?
I'll save you the bother, 118.75 for the much lauded early 1.6 and 117.58 for the Ignis.
I bet a penny to a pound you couldn't find that horse if you tried. I know there's more to it than power but I doubt either is going to have much to shout about after 20-30 years. And just because autocar slated it doesn't mean its actually crap, they didn't rally them for nothing, as long as whoever is driving it is happy who cares?
I have an NC MX5 with the 2 litre, it's a great little thing but in many people's books the worst MX5. I don't agree obviously!
The ND is probably out of budget so you'd be basically deciding do you want winky headlights (NA) or a car that's basically the same only better but not as cool (NB), or Fat But Practical (NC). They all rust like absolute mother*****s so at this price you're probably looking for one that needs some work (and budget for it), one that's already been fixed (but approach with care) or as a leftfield option a relatively recent import. A never-been-rusty NA is a rare thing so they're expensive.
With the NC specifically... IMO there's not much point in getting anything but the 2 litre with the limited slip diff. There's not much real cost saving getting the smaller engines and the only thing they do "better" is have less power, since some people prefer a little engine working hard. The LSD is obviously an excellent addition, it's not the highest spec unit but it works. The 6 speed gearbox is worth holding out for too, again it doesn't add much cost. The PRHT divides opinion, I got one because Scotland and since it sits outside. Rust aside they're dependable and work well as standard though especially with the earlier ones you'll probably want to address the ride height as they sit tall.
Mine is currently broken- blew up the engine on a trackday, it was suspect when I got the car so it cost buttons. So it's getting new suspension, a 2.5 engine swap and a few other bits plus an epic derusting. Can't wait to get it going again
I have an NC MX5 with the 2 litre, it’s a great little thing but in many people’s books the worst MX5. I don’t agree obviously!
I've been in all of them and I think the NC is my favourite. People will come around eventually. They were slated when they came out because the early cars had monster truck suspension amongst other things.
People bang on about the weight but I think I read that the heaviest NC with the powered roof is about 40kg heavier than an NB. For a much more comfortable car in which I can actually fit in the drivers seat, I'd take the extra weight.
So it’s getting new suspension, a 2.5 engine swap and a few other bits plus an epic derusting. Can’t wait to get it going again
Hell yes. Are you getting the engine from DanST Engineering? He brings them in from the States and fits his own ITB's etc. That would be amazing.
The same engine fits in the mk6 Fiesta ST. I've always thought it would be good to make a very fast one of those. It's another car which had a pretty luke warm reception when it was new. I think they look quite smart these days compared to crazy hyper hatches.
MG ZR?
If there are any still left on the road...
Handling was awesome (i had one when they were new).
Unfortunately, it was slightly unreliable. (ZR160)
Bet you'd get a concourse condition one for 2k...
The 160 3 door was a smidge over a tonne IIRC.
Crash it and it'd open up like a tin can though!
MG ZR is basically a Rover 200 series isn't it?
K-Series engines go through head gaskets at a fair old rate.
I crashed a Rover 200 in my youth and i'm glad it was the passenger side that took the hit (and that no one was sat there!) and not mine.
buy mine, you can have it for the thread budget, house improvements force sale:
Its a an NC3.5 Venture 2.0 sport (6spd & LSD) Tech (sat nav heated leather) PRHT
Rare Radiant ebony paint.
Drives awesome.
Fresh MOT
Price and location please.
Not for me obviously. For all them other people.
My immediate vehicle purchasing future depends on today's budget. If the 'free childcare ' rumours are true I might lose my enthusiasm for a 20 year old Ignis and reinstate my 'BBR MX5' eBay alerts.
Price and location please.
...I hope it's not too close to Derbyshire. Outer Hebrides would be ideal! 🤣
£5k from a friendly mountain biker would take it, Appleby in Cumbria.
The reasons it is £5k and not £8k is it has 114k miles, and it came to me like this missing a bumper and wing (cat N):
Nothing was bent at all, a replacement wing and bumper were painted and every lined up perfectly, the headlights did not even need alignment.
Anyway, it will be up on the autotrader when I've given it a wash at the weekend for £5500 or so.
That will be a great purchase for someone. Cheap car, ripe for spicy upgrades. Nice colour as well.
MG ZR is basically a Rover 200 series isn’t it?
It's completely a rover 200, lowered and stiffened with some (very) minor tweaks on the 160 version.
K-Series engines go through head gaskets at a fair old rate.
Yup, there used to be a kit for an upgraded one, bet you can't buy them anymore 😀
I crashed a Rover 200 in my youth
Never crashed mine, but it did spend a lot of time in the garage having warranty work done...
sharkattack
Full MemberHell yes. Are you getting the engine from DanST Engineering? He brings them in from the States and fits his own ITB’s etc. That would be amazing.
Nah, I bought a horrible Mazda 6 and pulled the engine out of it- worked out cheaper, plus I could testdrive the engine and make sure it was all OK. I'm just slinging it in completely standard for now, I definitely should do cams while it's out, but I want to try it as it is. It won't make that much more power than the 2 litre, because it won't rev, but a ton more torque.
I'd love to do ITBs but that pretty much requires proper engine management (or skills I don't have) so it's out of budget for now. DanST is great, DuratecNC is a good person to know too
should have fitted the Jaguar V6
Nah, I bought a horrible Mazda 6 and pulled the engine out of it- worked out cheaper
I had been considering doing this but 2 things cropped up that have put me off...
1. It is FAR from a straight swap, there's a lot more involved than a lot of people think to the conversion, even though the engine essentially bolts straight in and...
It won’t make that much more power than the 2 litre, because it won’t rev, but a ton more torque.
2. One thing the MX5 doesn't really need a lot more of is torque IMO... Revs though... The more the better! The 2.5L Duratec is a lazy lump on stock cams, peak revs only just over 6k I think, peak power well under 6k. My stock NC1 lump (the lower revving non-forged engine) with a BBR super 180 tune is delivering peak power at 7150rpm now, and redline just above that. A forged NC2 or NC3 engine will rev up close to 8k safely I'm told. The stock 2.5L Duratec will max at about 185-190bhp on stock cams I believe, which is no better than my NC1 2L... Replace the cams and they'll go up to around 210-220 with some other breathing work, at nearer 7krpm... But then replace the cams on a 2L and they go up over 200bhp with the BBR map too...
Seems a "built" 2L or even a 2.3, with a fully forged bottom end, lumpier cams, head and breathing mods etc. will go to about 220-230bhp before the stock injection seems to become the limiting factor, after which you go to throttle bodies of course... Obviously this is all at significant cost though!
Happy enough with mine as it is to be fair. May end up going for the BBR Super200 cams too at some point, but that's another £1500 for another 20bhp which isn't exactly great value!
All this tuning of the wee mx5 takes me back to gran turismo 2 listening to Feeder amongst many bands music tuning my mx5 then gaining licences
Proper manual gearbox changes for me
should have fitted the Jaguar V6
No point with an NC. The main advantage in the NA/NB is that the alloy V6 is lighter than the cast iron 4 pot. The Duratec/MZR is alloy anyway and quite lightweight with loads of tuning options readily available.
DuratecNC is a good person to know too
Thanks for that, I've just lost my whole afternoon on his website!
Forget about all the cars mentioned, if it fun your looking for, then look no further than a Abarth
I was going to suggest an Abart Competezione or a Riva, but while both are lovely little cars, and with more power than seems reasonable in a little car, they’re limited in numbers, and are unlikely to match the OP’s budget anytime soon. Probably this decade…
I’ve gone down my own little rabbit hole after the Ignis chat, and while I can’t afford / don’t want a 500 really, there are a few Seicento Sporting Abarths well within budget and they look fun as hell!
Maybe not enough to put me off an MX5 or equivalent but certainly giving me something to think about.
MX5 digressions... the V6 in the NC is cool but it's miles more work- needs way more parts + standalone engine management, it's a very different kettle of fish. But I can't afford Rocketeer, and if I could I'd buy a different car, and if I was doing it all myself I'd not use that engine. Still, love the noise!
mboy
Free Member1. It is FAR from a straight swap, there’s a lot more involved than a lot of people think to the conversion, even though the engine essentially bolts straight in and…
Why do you say that? You basically need your original 2.0, the donor 2.5, a few consumables like the bloody stupid diamond washers, and a remap (which you can DIY, but I'm too stupid). It's not quite a straight swap but it's about the closest alternative. And super cheap if you do it from a donor car- I don't think I'm going to quite break even but it'll be close.
To get the most out of it, yep, more work is needed but then the same is true of the 2.0 and doing the same mods to the 2.5 doesn't cost any more. Other than race class restrictions or if you really want a high revver, the 2.5 is mostly a better place to start.
Since I'm fitting mine completely stock initially, I'll be leaving a lot of easily accessed performance on the shelf- for now, anyway, but it'll still work decently. There's really 2 perfectly good logical approaches here- yep it's more efficient to fit cams etc while you're doing the swap. But I like incremental changes, I'll have fun trying out the stock 2.5 then I'll probably add cams and have fun with that too, and appreciate the final result all the more knowing what did what.
Tbf if I didn't have a broken car, I'd not be doing any of this- I'd probably have put the exhaust and intake on it and called it good. But it was so cheap, I couldn't say no, and it was fun til it popped. Ironically, my hobby just now is "putting 2.5 litre engines into broken 2 litre cars", I'm also stabbing an sti ej257 into my spare legacy 🙂 ) Shitboxes are fun.
I was going to suggest an Abart Competezione or a Riva
I prefer the Lotus version.
Looking at the Ignis isn’t a Suzuki Swift Sport a better option? I had maybe an ‘07 plate 1 - 1.6 16v 120bhp engine. Very revvy and quite nipph if you’re really on it. Doesn’t look quite as ‘special’ as the Ignos too so it’s a bit more respectable to drive.
It was economical and had no issues with mine at all - only thing it’s less good at is motorway drives. It’s fine, but revs quite high for a given speed - in much the same way as the 2x Citroen Saco Vts’ I had did I guess.
You're dead right about the Swift being a decent car. It just lacks the curiosity value of the Ignis with its Evo foglights and Recaro fishnets. If you want to be purely objective you'd buy a Fiesta ST because it's better again and has many, many tuning options to keep yourself busy with.
The attraction of the Ignis Sport is not that it's better than anything else, just it's very niche, with its unique revvy little engine and Japanese weirdness.
Think of it as a Japanese 205/106 Rallye - objectively lots of things are much better for the money, but it's a rare unique car.
I’d take a 205 gti above the Ignis every day of the week. I had an mi16 converted one and the thing was absolutely bonkers. Looks much nicer than the Ignis. I get the latter is rare but for me that doesn’t make it desirable - in that category for me would be things like a Tenault 5 turbo 2 or a Clio V6 (although not in a £5k budget obvs)
I had my fill of 205's when I was young and they were almost free. I once delivered a 16v one for a mate who bought it unseen on eBay. I picked it up in Edinburgh and drove it to Sheffield avoiding the motorway as much as possible. That was a fun 8 hours or so.
Cool cars but I'm happy to admire them from afar these days.
this thread has really got my juices flowing!
lots of great suggestions but Im not sure where to go now. So I'll ask a question...
Im after a car, definitely sub 5k price, just for me, just for fun.
I've had a few nice cars, nothing pricey, but fun. I honestly think that my favorite was my 1972 Mini, with a 1275 A-series and 10 inch wheels. It wasn't fast but it was a go cart for street use.
I would like to get a more modern version of that Mini. Obviously another Mini is the answer but they are totally over priced now and to be honest, I cant be bothered with the constant rust repairs. I've spent enough time chopping, cutting, welding, seam sealing, etc to go back there.
So, from this thread Im thinking Mini R53 or MX5 - but which one is closest to my old, 50 mph round every corner, go-cart, 1972 Mini?
Im happy to spanner my self, but i cant take constant maintenance.
Help me Obi-STW, you're my only hope...
In the recommend what you have mode!…
An FN2 Type R - plenty around for £3.5k - strip them out and make a track day car or keep standard. Not without their issues (as they’re old now!) and rust can be a problem.
Revving to 8000rpm is addictive. Love mine, I use it as a daily and every drive feels fun.
Unfortunately getting more power costs ££££££’s!
R53 Cooper S would be my shout here - Ours is 20 years old this year (had it since new) and it still makes me smile when I drive it.
Supercharger makes a lovely noise - they're not super quick but certainly not slow. Pretty much the closest 'feeling' car to my old mini estate I've driven.
A 100hp Fiat Panda felt good too! R53 is quicker though.
FN2 type R was a K20, i think?
a few friends had them, very nice as i remember.
My old DC2 had the B18C6 (UK version) but i still preferred the Mini.
Im more interested in handling and fun, than speed.
Jeez! Im getting old! 🙂
FN2 type R was a K20, i think?
Yep - last of the NA type Rs. And not reached comedy levels of pricing yet.
Later ones have LSD and more toys.
Our Panda 100hp was very reminiscent of the old Mini's we used to buzz around in. The main difference is it was very cheap to buy and run, never broke down and didn't have any rust.
It was a blast on the right road when you were in the mood. Not powerful at all and the suspension was brutal. Saying that, we drove it to the Italian Alps and back twice with 2 bikes on the roof.
I'd have another one but after I sell the van I'll be looking for something different before I go crawling back to the 100hp club and asking what's for sale.
FN2 type R was a K20, i think?
They all do, just the newer ones are turbocharged.
Later ones have LSD and more toys.
A few special editions back to the EP3 at least have them as well.
Unfortunately getting more power costs ££££££’s!
Performancetek is but a 50 minute drive from me. Think he does a lot of Minis now but still does K swaps. Not been up since I chucked my EU9.
pandhandj
Free MemberSo, from this thread Im thinking Mini R53 or MX5 – but which one is closest to my old, 50 mph round every corner, go-cart, 1972
Neither really... An early MX5 has some smallness but they drive and feel so different. The R53 is ace, I wanted to hate it but I just couldn't... But it's a modern hot hatch, really not very mini-ish. Mostly in good ways to be fair.
Our 2004 supercharged Mini cooper S has just gone off to the scrap heap. Written off by a rear shunt. It replaced a RS Twingo 133 cup. The Twingo was more fun to drive, more reliable, and more practical. And probably safer judging by what was left of it after my son spun it into the M25 barriers. It was also a lot lighter with similar power to weight. Last of the proper Renaultsports. That’s in your budget. Just. Top Gear loved it. And drove it into the Irish Sea having thrashed it around the Isle of Man.
Looking to replace with something newer, more powerful and ULEZ compliant. Possibly a Trophy 220 or a fast estate. But I miss the Twingo. Very in keeping with the Mini 1275 GT my stepfather used to hillclimb in. He loved the Twingo too.
