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Candidates for fun/fast cars for minimum up front investment?
Mx5 is out coz it has to live outside
I'm thinking Alfa v6 or jag s type v8 atm but the other end of the scale is a fiat panda 100hp
Has to be petrol and ideally manual
Petrol will be expensed 🙂
Why won't an MX5 live outside? They hold their value well though so not so cheap.
Petrol in large luxury cars is not so desirable, nor is manual... they are cheap.
*watching*
Any budget? Or just ratio?
This is plenty bang for your buck. CL55 AMG?
[img] http://pictures2.autotrader.co.uk/imgser-uk/servlet/media?id=a78abe519746dd74d795dcebd27940f5&width=1024&height=768 [/img]
5.5ltr V8. 85,000 miles (only breaking in a v8). £3995.
Can't you get a hard top for a MX5? Sure I've seen one.
Don't laugh but the 2.3 V6 Mazda6 MPS is a more than a bit bonkers
Stealthy too
Mazdas disolve in the rain dont you know.
Regardless of what you said mx5 or mg tf
Both soft tops both great fun to drive
Both cheap.
Personally I think jimjam has the idea
Mx would be ok but can't help thinking it wouldn't do that well living outside in the winter and winter commuting etc
Also might feel slow as our 'proper' car has 230 Bhp
5.5ltr V8. 85,000 miles (only breaking in a v8). £3995.
Under £4k for that? Suddenly my search for a station car may become more interesting.
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Nothing, i repeat nothing is as cheap, as fast, as much fun as a scimitar SST 1.8 turbo, mad quick and handles like a go-cart and your unlikely to meet one coming the other way.
Preza every day of the week!
If I had the sponds for fuel, tyres and repairs a slightly old large BMW or merc would be high on the list. 850 particularly.
If you go down the other route with a panda 100bhp please take a look at a micra 160sr/sport+, same car different badge really but they both are 1600cc 110bph with decent suspension. £2000 gets you a very good one with all the gadgets working.
As I'm nearing 40 I had to take the 160sr badge off due to embarresment and it is nice to see the looks on the boy racers faces when they can't shake off a beige micra.
I doubt you'll get anything quicker for the money but are they fun? I found it would go round any corner easily and was easy to drive fast, probably too fast for UK roads. Made it less fun than a slower car than needed some driver input. I'd go for the smaller revvier things than the big and fast.Preza every day of the week!
Rx8 with 231 and six speed with compression check.
It's undoubtedly not as much fun as some of the stuff mentioned here but my £1250 BMW E46 328ci has done 2.5 years loyal service. Very comfy and sounds quite good.
You seem to be able to pick them up for less than a grand now, if you test drive one and the front doesn't seem attached to the rear that's the norm for most e46 sheds and cheaply and easily fixed.
An bmw 850 fun ???
About as fun as hammering your face with a meat tenderiser.
Prezzas are smily cars but not so much fast fun
Legacy H6
😆
Civic Type R
You need to be on the scout on Retro Rides
Be Ronin
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/171703/1997-audi-west-yorkshire-swaps
Ok not quite your spec but a 5.4 V8
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/172161/2000-mercedes-benz-clk55-cheshire#.VGaOXGIgGSM
Be the Enforcer
http://retrorides.proboards.com/thread/172795/jaguar-x300-litre-sovereign-berks#.VGaNw2IgGSM
trail_rat - Member
An bmw 850 fun ???
About as fun as hammering your face with a meat tenderiser.
Never driven one but way cooler looking than the other big cars mentioned.
For fun I would always go for a small slightly fast car that won't kill you the 1st time you see what happens on a wet roundabout. And the fact I couldn't afford anything big is beside the point:|
If it was me, I'd be getting a proper hot hatch, possibly something french with holes in the floor, with a half decent engine but not stressing too much on power. Other car has power so get something that doesn't need it.
Though these cheap barges are cool
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1999-Peugeot-306-GTI-6-/281493544942?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item418a529fee
167hp, 6 speed gearbox and a fantastic chassis. Sound fantastic too. (but walk away if it's got a 'tick')
VW golf ftw, mk4 4motion 2.8 V6 great fun especially if you don't have to pay for the petrol!!! Loads of car & great spec for the money 🙂
For sheer thrills, you absolutely can't beat a French hot hatch. Look for a Clio 182 or a Pug 306GTI-6 and you'll not go far wrong. Though buyer beware as being French, neither was built to last as long as a German car. But my God they're fun to drive!
The other option is of course the luxo barge... Less fun for sure, but you get a grin in a different way. The shove of a big V8 and the noise it makes won't ever get tiring, until you're paying for your own fuel that is! When something goes wrong on something like a Big Merc coupe though, the bill will be enormous! It will make the fuel bills look cheap, hence they're so damned cheap to buy now!
Saxo VTS 16v. 0-60 7.2 secs. Handles like a go kart. Poor image therefore cheap as chips. Exactly the same car as the much lauded Peugeot 106 gti.
Not to be confused with the saxo VTR which is very common and is rightfully a chavs car.
£500-100 will see you a decent example.
Same underneath as the car andyl posted, newer and less monies.
[i]5.5ltr V8. 85,000 miles (only breaking in a v8)[/i]
Yes, but it'll be something else that breaks with scraps it - my gearbox went on my 535i; it would've cost more to investigate the problem than the car was worth.
I had a 3.0i X-Type AWD for a year - brill fun and would pretty much waste anything off the line, and great in snow. Unlike the supercharged S-Type I tried, even quicker though 😯
Probably a bit expensive and niche but what about [url= http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/honda/crx/1992-honda-civic-crx-1-6-vtec-white-uk-model-rare-car-very-good-condition/2908268 ]this?[/url]
[url= http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/triumph/dolomite/triumph-dolomite-sprint-1980/2959649 ]You couldn't commute in this but it is rather nice[/url]
This [url= http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201409107293083/sort/default/engine-size-cars/2l_to_2-5l/model/focus/postcode/la15dr/onesearchad/used%2Cnearlynew%2Cnew/fuel-type/petrol/page/1/keywords/st/radius/1500/make/ford/usedcars?logcode=p ]Ford Focus ST Mk1 for under a grand[/url] looks a reasonable buy and is cheap enough and isn't going to break the bank if it needs a few repairs.
[img] http://pictures2.autotrader.co.uk/imgser-uk/servlet/media?id=8730d988ef6615e7fb2712dc6d2688c4&width=1024&height=768 [/img]
b r - Member5.5ltr V8. 85,000 miles (only breaking in a v8)
Yes, but it'll be something else that breaks with scraps it - my gearbox went on my 535i; it would've cost more to investigate the problem than the car was worth.
That's the risk you take though isn't it. If you're going to try and run something like that on the cheap you'd do well to have a self employed mechanic who's easy to pay. For the sake of argument though, if the gearbox did go bang on that merc it's not necessarily the end of the world. Second hand gearbox from a scrappers, or break the car yourself. A decent AMG engine is probably worth £5000 on a good day. And since dealer parts are so expensive there will be a demand for used parts, and they'll comand good money so you'd come out of it alright. Maybe 🙂
Mini Cooper S
Prefer driving this (the wife's car) to my Octavia VRS as it's very much in the fun category, certainly on Lakes roads midweek. Not terribly practical but we still get all kit in for a few days of camping and hill bashing.
'53 plate cost £3200 on 63k. Run flat tyres are pricey and we have yet to face a large BMW bill but that "go cart" feeling is superb.
You only live once, if someone else is paying for the fuel this might be an option. Mind you I'd probably kill myself before I used the first gallon.
Mcmoonter - Now you're talking. That'll be insane to drive.
Everything I could think of was still £4-6k.
If it did not have to be cheap my money would be on one of these.
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My mum nearly bought one years ago but my brother told her it was not a good idea.
that Audi is lurvely.
For what it's worth I've done a couple of winters in an MX5 (with hard-top) as daily driver / commuting car. Parked up on the road all the time too. No problems at all. Snow is fun though not wholly recommended. You can find them cheap enough and peanuts to insure on a classic policy (though check whether commuting is covered).
tomaso - Member
This Ford Focus ST Mk1 for under a grand looks a reasonable buy and is cheap enough and isn't going to break the bank if it needs a few repairs.
Not a great recommendation. 20-25mpg, not particularly fast, geared more for cruising than fun, not Fords best effort
it would be an oldder merc for me , not sure what one but watch for rust
davidtaylforth
Civic Type R
frodothedogVW golf ftw, mk4 4motion 2.8 V6
mboy - MemberFor sheer thrills, you absolutely can't beat a French hot hatch. Look for a Clio 182 or a Pug 306GTI-6 and you'll not go far wrong. Though buyer beware as being French, neither was built to last as long as a German car. But my God they're fun to drive!
olly2097Saxo VTS 16v. 0-60 7.2 secs. Handles like a go kart. Poor image therefore cheap as chips. Exactly the same car as the much lauded Peugeot 106 gti.
tomasoThis Ford Focus ST Mk1 for under a grand looks a reasonable buy and is cheap enough and isn't going to break the bank if it needs a few repairs.
ghastlyrabbitfat
Mini Cooper SPrefer driving this (the wife's car) to my Octavia VRS
Funny to read through that and some of the posts. Obviously it's as subjective as bikes, everyone has an opinion. Personally if I was looking for a fun car (assuming its a second car) I'd be looking for something front engined, rear wheel drive with plenty of grunt.
I struggle with the fun factor idea of driving front engined front wheel drive cars quickly on the road. Lift off oversteer, to me at least is a fickle and difficult thing to invoke at will, and a dangerous thing to be at on public roads. A big pokey rwd, and you can have second gear fun on any roundabout or corner in relative safety.
Yeah I get that speed is fun, and they are lively wee cars. But perhaps not as exploitable as people make out in a country where it's always bloody wet. Obviously 4x4 is the middle ground if you want high speed fun and useable performance.
As for that Audi Rally Car I dare say it's just someones project, no real Groub B heritage or it'd have another zero after the price tag. A good MK2 escort rally car would cost that. Hardly a banger too at that price.
We had a MX5 as a daily commuter, about the same on fuel as a 1.0 Corsa living at the red line. Decent mohair roof and stonking heater. Only limitation in snow was when the tracks got deep in the lane the splitter became a snow plough skimming the crust for the sump to polish.
I quite like large fast things, so in your situation, would be looking at big engined A8, 7-series, XJ6, Quattroporte or even a Ghibli.
Old 130i? Old 330i?
My little renault had an rmr layout,
And my brother was convinced if my mum bought one she would kill herself.
Would have to be big petrol engined beamer, & ideally an estate.
How about this old Beastie [url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1985-b-mitsubushi-starion-2-0-turbo-/311174434145?ssPageName=ADME:SS:SS:GB:3160 ]of a Mistubishi Starion on fleabay[/url]
Hairy chested turbo charged rear wheel action? A bit long in the tooth mind...
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[url= http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SUBARU-IMPREZA-TURBO-AROUND-350BHP-WELCOME-OFFERS-/271661704847?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item3f404ca68f ]350bhp Impreza wagon. £2200.[/url]
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Porsche humbling performance and you can throw a bike in the boot.
[i]That's the risk you take though isn't it. If you're going to try and run something like that on the cheap you'd do well to have a self employed mechanic who's easy to pay. For the sake of argument though, if the gearbox did go bang on that merc it's not necessarily the end of the world. Second hand gearbox from a scrappers, or break the car yourself. A decent AMG engine is probably worth £5000 on a good day. And since dealer parts are so expensive there will be a demand for used parts, and they'll comand good money so you'd come out of it alright. Maybe[/i]
Yes, maybe - or ebay with a 99p start and get £300.
My mechanic suggested the easiest/cheapest way to find the problem was to turn the car upside down and take the sump off the box - he was ex-BMW too, and remember when the car originally came out that they had a load of problems with them, a new engine/gearbox use to turn up on a pallet from Germany and the owner would be none the wiser.
I do love the idea of a Subaru, but i don't know much about them. Is a cheap Impreza Turbo a good idea, or a disaster waiting to happen?
Just saw a red Starion at the supermarket and thought of his thread!!
Japanese build, relatively simple mechanicals and I love the look of them. You'll find me on Ebay...
Duffer
I do love the idea of a Subaru, but i don't know much about them. Is a cheap Impreza Turbo a good idea, or a disaster waiting to happen?
There's no straightforward answer. On one hand they are reasonably common, and the second hand market for cars and parts is big. They'll always sell. Cross compatibility between models and years is good, but not exactly lego as people often describe. Complete engines can be had for £500 for a used uk turbo to maybe 3-5k for a 2.5ltr sti engine good for 400bhp with minimal mods. Most maintenance items are pretty cheap, eg. an oem clutch will be 2-300 quid.
UK turbos are relatively slow, and uninspiring in standard trim, frequently modified and it's hard to find clean ones. WRX STI gen one are all imports if memory serves and are a very different car mechanically. Much more desirable, quite a bit rarer and you'll have a better chance of getting an older/sensible/enthusiast owner and these are probably going to worth decent money in a few years.
If I had the luxury of buying a Subaru as a weekend car I'd buy a Legacy RS Turbo. Ultimate sleeper and future classic.
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Braaaaap!
The Subaru is wonderful car ... The inside is very budget Japanese
And running costs are frightening .....
mrmoofo
The Subaru is wonderful car ... The inside is very budget Japanese
And running costs are frightening .....
Certainly not a frugal choice for an everyday car but as a performance car you can use every day, in all conditions there is nothing that comes close in terms of speed vs price.
I would agree the interior on impreza's is very basic. If you want subaru performance an some creature comforts later Legacy's are much more refined and very very quick.