[Closed] What small fun car on the cheap?

Barchetta vs MX5? Hmmmm, I know what I'd be going for!

MX5 or Suzuki Cappuccino. (Cappuccino more fun, and I've owened both)

Ford Puma v Ford Fiesta. My brother had a Puma 1.7 when I had a Fiesta Zetec. The Puma was drove absolutley no better than the Fiesta, just had more power and slightly better brakes.

I wasn't suggesting as a purchase DBW, just as a possible for this centrally exhausted car he's trying to ID 🙂

By the way what happened to the budget, not long ago you were looking at spending £10k on a Westfield !

Probably Lupo for the centre exit.

We had a Seicento Sporting for years, excellent fun to drive and although 'only' 55bhp it willed you on to use them all.
Most are getting on a bit now but they are very simple and well proven. Any problems with it will have been covered already on Fiatforum.com.

Cant go far wrong with one, you will enjoy it, it costs virtually nothing to keep on the road and if it looks reasonable will always be saleable as a first car to someone.

MX5 probably stands out as the most likely fun car on a budget.

Any MK1 MR2 coming in on budget will be going out on rot and MOT costs, any not rotting will be going out on costs. But nice cars.

MKII - non-turbo is a bit low on power and a bit heavy I hear. MKII turbo is fun, but too pricey.

I'd say MX5 or 205GTi (1.6). Simple, cheap and very effective. Parts are cheap, running is cheap, insurance is cheap, loads of online buddies to help you with it.

This is the car in which I can picture masty fanny...quite designerish too. A few bullet points on the doors and a bit of clip art on the bonnet. You won't need the family car for meetings. They'll be signing the contract the minute you park the car...

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get the smallest crappiest Kia for about 5p. Flog it like a <Jeremy Clarkson unpleasant metaphor> until it blows up. Really really razz it. Rinse and repeat. Hilarious - it's like a road going rollerskate.

Shocked MF in a peasants car?!

Whatever next?! 😉

HOW DARE YOU SUGGEST THAT A LANDROVER IS NOT FUN?

If you get a swb then it is small. turning circles in a land rover include the pavement and the verge, fact.

go on, get some poncey 2x4 and keep away from my galvanised bumper 😉

I agree with FunkyDunc - cappa are awesome but they'll likely to be rusted to pieces by now (I owned one too - best car ever!)

My vote is still MX5

MX5, MkII Golf GTi or BMW 32x..

By the way what happened to the budget, not long ago you were looking at spending £10k on a Westfield !

I am now thinking I just need something small and simple to do a job - get me to work and back.

Shocked MF in a peasants car?!

Whatever next?

DeadlyDarcy... Do one will you? 😉 😆

And yes - it was the Lupo I was thinking of. Bugger - that's off the list then.

MX5 has to be the choice. Panda 100hp is a great little car but doubt you'll find one for a grand.

I do like the MX5 I must admit (or a Eunos import) bit put off by the idea of it being a bit leaky when I just want functionality, but the Mk1 interiors are great old school stuff 🙂

By definition I think fun and practicality are rare bedfellows.

I vote 205 Gti.
what ever you do don't go anywhere near justgtis.com they are a useless bunch of conmen.

Another vote for the Suzuki Cappuccino. The amount fun you can have in one offsets all the hairdresser accusations you get. I miss mine.

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Cappucinos are fun but rust badly I have read.

Anyway:

EM.

EX.

FIVE.

THREAD CLOSED.

Heres small and fun. My ex wife is selling her Suzuki Cappucino. Removable top, 2 seats, red sports car. 668cc. Goes like stink. I would have it if I didn't have too many anyway. last ask was 1500quid.

Dhaitsu Charade GTTi 3 cylinders of turbo charged fun

offsets all the hairdresser accusations you get

Don't worry, he's cool with this.

I wouldn't often say it, but I'd go with an MX-5 or one of the 106 rallye/gti type thing. For a grand though, aren't you going to get something that's not going to have any arse left for you to rip out of?

Is there not an economical way you could get something through the business that your accountant could write off with depreciation? (Mini, Fiat 500, Audi A1, Alfa Mito...all good cars for a man in your profession) 🙂

You'd probably get a better car for the money if you went big - and its not like consumption will a problem on your journey:

540i on autotrader currently

Or just taxi it?

Puma. 1.7
I've driven one to and from work every day for over 7 yrs. Will be 10 years old in a couple of weeks. Absolute hoot to drive. You won't get more fun for your cash in a fwd car. Get one with a lux pack for the heated front screen. You don't even have to get cold hands in the morning.
They started in 97 so you'll easy get one for under a grand. I reckon my tatty 2001 X reg with 82000 miles is worth 1500 if I'm lucky.
Pads and discs last 30k
Had a new clutch at 48k
Check it had a cambelt change ( due 5 yearly or 80000 miles)
Mine had a gearbox rebuild too and aircon went bang (stuck on hot) a couple yrs ago which was expensive.
Apart from that very reliable.
Never failed an MOT one RAC call out in 58000 miles and 7 yrs

Either that or an mx5

Forgot about the Puma - one of the best handling FWD cars out there. A good shout.

I always liked the look of:

Mazda 323 GTR
Nissan Pulsar GTi-R
Toyota Starlet Glanza V

These would be probably within Your budget as well:
Honda Civic Vti
Honda CRX Vti (newer shape)
Honda Prelude
Nissan Almera GTi

My mates dad had a 106 Rallye and it was a brilliant little car. Seems they are quite rare now as well.

Scirocco?

Puma. What an excellent idea!

If only someone had suggested it earlier...! ;o)

Mitsi FTO? Look great, fun to drive and there seem to loads of decent (sensibly modded) ones going cheap at the mo (www.ftooc.org)

oh, only if you can get cheap insurance...

Until last week a Seicento sporting was my wife's car - actually our only car as the other wheels are on a van. Still got to sell it - thinking probably worth waiting until after the snow/xmas is over.

Really great little thing for short journeys. In 48k miles over 8yrs (52 plate) it has never put a foot wrong and could not be cheaper to run and insure. Also amazing where you can find to park when you are that small! Not a drop of rust to be seen. Probably worth £600 second hand with a following wind.

In the end we decided that as an only car its not up to job as whilst it is great around town it's a bit wheezy on the motorway and very tiring on anything longer than 45mins. I also got a bit nervy about the 1.5* ncap rating - second worst ever and it only beat the rover 100 because its a bit kinder to pedestrians. The ncap crash vid is proper scary!

She/we now have a Clio 197 - just a tiny bit different on the power front!

Dont get a tiptronic FTO, gear shifts measured in days.

It's only the wheel arches that rust on Cappuccinos, in fairness I wax oiled mine when I had it. How much is car tax on one these days?

Still don't think the Puma 1.7 drives any better than a bog standard Fiesta Zetec, just has a go faster silver dashboard and metal gear stick and less rear head room.

I've had a Puma (1.7 of course, lux pack naturally). Don't think I have ever owned the same car twice and don't really fancy it now - I like to keep on trying new ones 🙂

Is there not an economical way you could get something through the business that your accountant could write off with depreciation? (Mini, Fiat 500, Audi A1, Alfa Mito...all good cars for a man in your profession)

I have seen so many floors in Cappuccinos go too, proper flintstone stylee.

But they are awesome to drive drive, I'm not arguing that!

Only the best.

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MX-5

It's what I'm on the search for at the moment to replace the GF's 1.0 Corsa that I now have to drive as I have the shorter commute. The heater fan is more powerful than the engine.

saxo vtr / vts

Fiat Coupe?

Prolly big enough to be practical too

106 series 1 rallye with a 106 gti 16v engine conversion. you will find a few of them with the conversion along with series 2s (97ish onwards) if you decide to look at a 106 check out all the hidden corners for rust. get your head under it and have a good feel around at the sills. see if you can crumble anything off by hand! also check the real beam for any play if you can. jack the back end up,handbrake off and hold each wheel at diffrent points to see if you can feel any knocking. If its really bad it will be noticeable without jacking it up.

Ive been looking at a 16v series 2s for the past few weeks but nothings come up.If you want cheap and you want fun.. you probably wont get as much fun as a lightweight s1 16v compared to the likes of a polo or lupo gti.overbuilt and weigh too much to be fun ;O)

ive just been sorting my 106 gti out for its MOT this week. its been hammered with salt over the past 5 years so it might be getting stripped for the qep flywheel,bilsteins,eibachs etc to go onto my next one.I will definately be considering another one and swapping parts over if and when needed.

I would love the vw/jap quality having seen how my seat has lasted over the years compared to the pug but i would be buying it for the drive. Not how well it lasts.

I also buy a car for the drive.. not the crash.todays safety enhanced hot..sorry,warm hatches are usually weighty,boast big power on paper but due to the power to weight ratio.. they still cant match cars of yester decade. Pity.

not sure if many can see car buying from that view,though.

farmer g wrote:go on, get some poncey 2x4 and keep away from my galvanised bumper!

He wont be anywhere near yer bumper as yours will be stuck in the drive with a frozen diesel filter going by next weeks icy weather forecast! ;OP

MX5s aren't leaky. Even if you get one with a knackered roof, a new roof is a DIY job and is sub £200.

If it were my money and had £1500ish burning a hole in my pocket, I'd be heading for a 106 Ralleye/GTI if I could find a decent one or ideally, an MX5/Eunos. If you can find a Eunos thats not been in the country for too long then it won't have any rust problems plus I think all the Eunos (S-Special and V-Special do I think) come with LSDs which transform the drive. Look for a 1993 or older 1.6. Slightly down on power compared to the 94+ 1.8 cars but meant to be a better engine (internet rumours but I've owned 3 of the older, more powerful 1.6 cars and they're excellent).

Should be able to pick up a decent one too... Our last one cost £1750 privately but was an S-Special, BBS RS wheels, hardtop, OEM splitter and a few other goodies. Absolutely devastated to have had to sell that car...

Next one will be another import but if its not got one already, a supercharger will be getting bolted onto it, cage etc to make it a right little weapon! Might start the hunt after xmas!

Hmm, there seems to be a compelling argument for the MX5. Just worried about leaving a car like that on the road whereas an old 106 - I wouldn't care if it got trashed.

martinxyz - the land rover would have 2 1/4 petrol engine - haha!
plus i would be towing a fuel bowser behind it 😥

Just worried about leaving a car like that on the road whereas an old 106 - I wouldn't care if it got trashed.

You mean vandalised? Fair comment, I've had 2 holes put in my soft top in 4 years, but as above, it's half a day and £100-200 for a new one, and I am told splits can be repaired also.

Very small boot in a mk1 mind.

I take it a LSD only matters when you are completely hooning it?

Yeh, it wouldn't be a deal breaker. And if you wanted some track action for it then new diffs can be picked up pretty cheaply.