Help me choose... Fun on a budget!

[Butters]

Hi there all, I'm looking to purchase another car. I recently sold my BMW to help fund a house move and having shared my partner's 307cc for a while I have to get my own wheels. Partly because we both need a car fairly frequently and also because I miss having something fun to drive.

So having just moved house and the fact I am leaving my full-time job to set up on my own I am on a strict budget. I would like to find something really rewarding to drive on the B-Roads around Sevenoaks where I live and a car that has sporting credentials in it's own right.

I've had plenty of GTIs in the past so a hot hatch could be an option. This car will need to be around the £3000-£4000 mark maximum. Closer to £3000 would be good, newer the better and something that won't have scary bills would help too.

I thought it would be good to put it out to you all as you may well think of something that I don't. :coolgleamA:

James.

[Don1]

Seat Leon Cupra? Not the R version, but it's still a cracking car, good chassis, able to get a safe 300bhp out of the engine, and it's VAG.

[Sparky]

Kit car, not a caterham, mx5, focus st170. How practical/sensible do you need the car to be?

[Dan H]

That sort of money would see you in a 2002 ish Golf GTi - I know you like Golfs ;)

172 Clio is a fun drive, not sure about reliability though, and you can forget build quality :D

What's the business venture buddy?

[Boris]

My vote would be MX5, very good fun!

[Fatboy 18]

I too would recommend looking at a Kit car :) Locost caterham type thingy :) If you have never driven one you should check it out :)

A little test drive would not hurt :) Not too practical for shopping or winter driving ;)

[dreamshack]

Forget boring new cars, grab an appreciating classic that's a seriously fun drive...

http://www.petrolheadnirvana.com/torque/showthread.php?t=1461

:D

[ChrisC]

I have seen that there are a bunch of westfields out there that start around 4k, if you have pateience to find a good built one then you can get a pocket rocket!

[scrubberamit]

mate - how easy was this task...

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?storyId=22440

[Butters]

Ha ha ha, very funny Amit!

Thanks for the suggestions so far peeps. :coolgleamA:

I've been heavily into the VW Scene for years so am trying to look elsewhere so that I don't get the modifying bug which will defeat the object of a cheap car. MK4 1.8T Golfs are well within this budget now but are a little soft and I'll no doubt get carried away. For this reason I'm steering clear of MK3 VR6s and Corrados too. ;)

If I can find something that is great out of the box, as the manufacturer intended, then I'll be laughing!

Dan the Clio 172 is a good shout. I have been seriously considering the Clio 172 CUP. It was a lightweight special they produced between 2002-2003 which is highly regarded as one of the very best Clio incarnations after the Williams. I put a deposit down on a brand new one back in the day as they were only £12500 having had the expensive luxuries removed. I had been into track days for a couple of years and loved the idea of a track ready car with a 3 year warranty for a sensible price. I didn't complete the sale in the end but you can pick a very tidy example up with 40-50k on now within my budget so it's very tempting.

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2028290.htm

MX5s are a good shout too for driving pleasure but I would struggle to get over the hairdresser image I think. :blush5:

I have thought about BMW E36 M3s but for my budget won't get the best and will most likely get large bills. I own a track prepared one of these in a syndicate with some friends so might aswell try something else.

I love old cars having had 7 MK2 GTIs and 2 BMW E30s to name a few cars over the years but think this car needs to be a bit newer/reliable so that I can expect only routine servicing.

Hmm...

The Clio does tick all the boxes but I'd like to have an open mind and get a few strong contenders to try out. I'll probably have to keep it for a year so want to make the right choice. :yes:

Keep them coming,

James.

[Tazio]

I would go for a Ford Racing Puma, there are a couple for 4.5k on PH, I have seen some go for 4k although no lower.

Darren

[Adz man]

I just p/ex my Clio Sport 2004 182 for £3,500 which was cheap. It's a decent little nippy car.

Build quality is crap, lots of rattles and shakes but it's cheap. 30 mpg and 0-60 in 6.9 seconds.

[Sparky]

How about an RX-7, or if you want something like an mx5 but different how about an mr2.

[MaserMartin]

MX5s are a good shout too for driving pleasure but I would struggle to get over the hairdresser image I think.

I hear Anton does a mean blue rinse.

Racing Puma is a good call, my dad drove one on track a few years back and was raving about it afterwards.

Shame you said reliable, as otherwise I would have suggested an Alfa 155 v6 with the spare 3 grand to cover fixing it ... ;)

What about something like this? Linky: Proper Civic Type-R (http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/2015998.htm)

[Harsh]

James, there's just no contest
rear wheel drive
great chassis
amazing engine
roof down
cheap to run
reliable
will give you a grin from ear to ear when driving it.


The MX5 is the right car for the job
there's one on tour with us right now and he is having a ball
the imagine doesn't matter, it's not like you're trying to pull with it, you're there to drive it, I'd have one in a shot if they were my criteria, I dont care what people think

forget hot hatches, you already have one of those
get back to rear wheel drive you'll have more fun than in the Boxster you tok on last years tour.

if you can find a car that handles better, you can modify easily, is still reliable, is rear wheel drive and has it's own racing series then buy it
if not get the MX5

[Boxer]

James, there's just no contest
rear wheel drive
great chassis
amazing engine
roof down
cheap to run
reliable
will give you a grin from ear to ear when driving it.


The MX5 is the right car for the job
there's one on tour with us right now and he is having a ball
the imagine doesn't matter, it's not like you're trying to pull with it, you're there to drive it, I'd have one in a shot if they were my criteria, I dont care what people think

forget hot hatches, you already have one of those
get back to rear wheel drive you'll have more fun than in the Boxster you tok on last years tour.

if you can find a car that handles better, you can modify easily, is still reliable, is rear wheel drive and has it's own racing series then buy it
if not get the MX5

+1 on the MX-5. Really a fun car to drive and you can pick up a very nice example easily within your budget (I did).

[Sparky]

The only people who say anything bad about the mx5 have never driven one.

[Butters]

Wow there really is some MX5 love out there! Ok I'll definitely go and drive one because in my 14 years of driving I haven't. Then I can have an opinion and might even find my next car in the process! I would prefer to stay rear wheel drive if I can. After the Boxster S on tour, my E30 project and the track car I really feel the compromise of steering and driving with the same wheels every time I jump in Sarah's car.

MR2 Turbos are on budget but finding an honest one will be pretty tricky. It's a real shame I can justify another couple of thousand right now because early S2000s are around £6K now. :(

James. :)

[Dan H]

Keep looking James, some S2000s are around the 5k mark. Thing is though, you really are taking pot luck at that price.....