7k GBP to spend on a fun car, what to take?

[KM2]

It looks like I will be moving to the UK within a month. While I might decide to take the Volvo along, I still have to see if it makes any sense financially or otherwise (it is LHD).

I will most likely not be using the car for commuting, only as a weekend toy for some small trips around the country, for shopping once a week or so and potentially for one or two Continent trips annually (but that is not a requirement).

The 7k is probably what I could afford from the start but near misses above could be justified. The car can have anything in terms of horsepower and body configuration but has to be fun in some way.

Things I have seen in the price range are:
- Lotus Elan M100
- Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 1-4
- Mitsubishi Galant/Legnum VR-4 (seems much better value and newer at those prices than the Evo's)
- Nissan 200SX (S14)
- R32 Skyline GT-R (although I am not sure how "alive" I can expect them to be at this price)
- Peugeot 205 GTI
- Mazda MX-5 / Eunos Roadster
- Peugeot 306 GTI-6/Rallie
- Clio 172
- Honda S800 (not great value perhaps but supposedly fun)
- Suzuki SC100 (fun with 46 bhp)
- Subaru Legacy Turbo
- Caterham 7 (only barely with this budget)
- Toyota MR2 (either Series 1 or the latest one)
- Westfield 7s
- Toyota Supra

I would want the car to be semi reliable and most definitely it has to be insurable. I am 27, with no accident history (and many miles) or speeding tickets the UK police would know about but have no previous insurance record in the UK.

I woul be most grateful for any info from past/present owners or people who have knowledge of them

[drakkie]

Try and find a good AlfaRomeo 75 with the 3 litre engine Like a rocket and sort of cheap. I think a good one fits your budget easily

[KM2]

Thanks for the tip!

How does the GTV (the old one with RWD) sound? Apart from the 2.5 V6 there seems to be a RHD only 3 litre version built in South Africa as well. Nice cars?

Of course it would be beneficial not using up all of the budget, a trade off of sorts between wanting a fun machine and other things that can be had for the money

[drakkie]

Thanks for the tip!

How does the GTV (the old one with RWD) sound? Apart from the 2.5 V6 there seems to be a RHD only 3 litre version built in South Africa as well. Nice cars?

Of course it would be beneficial not using up all of the budget, a trade off of sorts between wanting a fun machine and other things that can be had for the money

I don't really know about it, but it sounds like great fun as well Though i think the 75 is faster It shares it's suspension and driveline with the SZ, look under the car and you'll be very surprised b the lay-out Gearbox on the rear axle and more things causing a almost perfect weight balance I was co-driver with my uncle on a small test-drive once and it absolutely blew our ears off We were so surprised about the agility,braking,speed just incredible (Yes, we did beat the speed limit with an average of almost 200 km/h )

[KM2]

Looked at some examples and they can be had for under 4k in excellent condition

Trying to find a 3 litre GTV to see how much that would be

[2ndclasscitizen]

I think an S14 would be a good one to get. PM Blue Supra and he'll vouch for them. Basically bulletproof SR20DET engine, light, RWD, easy to make into a very fast car.

[6'bore]

Toyota Supra.

Find yourself a nice UK twin turbo version for about 7,500. 500 over budget but well worth it in the long run. Should be easily insurable as I look over your details.

Although most of the Supra's you see will have 100,000 miles plus on them, don't let it put you off. The 3 litre engine can easily handle the miles, as proven with a friend of a friends Supra which has done 90,000 miles and still runs like clock work. Performance is still top notch aswell.

[KM2]

Thanks for the tips

One very useful (but not absolutely essential) bonus would be AC. We have a dog, which in principle doesn't handle heat very well

I guess many of the cars listed can be found with it but others cannot. A convertible is fine without but in any other shape it would be a great extra.

I've little experience in driving a very powerful RWD car (plenty of driving 240 bhp+ FWD ones). I generally do not rate myself as a bad driver, either. In that light, will the Supra get closely acquainted with plenty of local ditches and hedges with semi reasonable driving?

[lightweight]

I would take a Clio or an S14, as they are the only sensible options in my opinion.

If you are thinking of owning a Caterham, then you must have cash to spare, so buy a Ferrari in the first place

[clutch-monkey]

I've little experience in driving a very powerful RWD car (plenty of driving 240 bhp+ FWD ones). I generally do not rate myself as a bad driver, either. In that light, will the Supra get closely acquainted with plenty of local ditches and hedges with semi reasonable driving?

not if you don't dick around, and if everything is in good condition

[KM2]

I have no experience with any of those cars

As it would be for fun, I thought the Caterham could do the trick just as well (well, the Continental trips would be out of the question)

When you say cash to spare, does it mean maintenance, insurance and the like are murder?

I remember the German press sverely criticising the Supra in the drive-ability respect in the early 90s. But then again it was up against the 911 in the test, something the Carrera needed to win no matter what, so... But your answer reassures me

[Clique]

I am in the same predictament as you mate... I got around £6000 to spent on my first proper car... I have narrowed my search to: MK2 Toyota MR-2, Toyota Celica, Mazda Rx-7, or the more likely VW Golf GTi.... Although insurance is a b*tch for me as i am 17 but i got decent qoutes for all of the cars mentioned above other than the RX-7 i got qouted £5800 for it!!!!

You should consider all the cars that i am looking at as they are fast, reliable and cheap to run......

[:Exige:]

MK2 Toyota MR2 Turbo Jap-spec ... get a revision 3 or above as they have 240bhp as standard and are happily overboosted to 15psi (though you may want to upgrade the dump valve). Overboosted it is good for 0-60 in 4.5. And just a note, the MR2 Turbo is faster than the Supra Turbo.

Alternatively if you don't care about speed (like myself ), Lotus Elan S1 or a cheap Lotus 7 replica. The 7 reps are usually cheap to run, insure and repair due to their simplicity. You can have as much fun in a £3500 Lotus 7 rep or Elan than you can in any other car imo.

[MrKipling]

You can have as much fun in a £3500 Lotus 7 rep or Elan than you can in any other car imo.

Yep - or any car with an excess of power relative to grip!

[KM2]

Absolute speed is rather academic, since it will not happen often, that I'll find myself in Germany with the car

I am a bit surprised about the Mk 2 MR-2 since I haven't exactly read raving reviews about it

Golf GTI is out of the question. That money won't buy a Mk5, the Mk1 has no AC and all the ones in between are in my opinion a total waste of money. I find the VAG 1.8 20V engine one of the most unimaginative and boring powerplants ever