MR2 Turbo. In a strange kind of way my favourite car I've owned yet. Blisteringly quick for relatively little money.

And don't be fooled thinking it is simply a slightly quicker n/a.... they are light years apart.

I'd get another in a heartbeat.

But buy a good one.

Thanks for the extra info chaps.

I don't really fancy 4WD, so that rules out Imprezas & Evos, and I don't really like the look of 350zs, although I guess I could be persuaded on them!

I've just been looking at Skylines, and they're cheaper than I thought! I know sod all about Skylines - anyone fancy giving me the dummies guide...?! I know the main variants are R32, R33 & R34, and the GTRs are the stupid quick ones, but that's about all I know. Aside from the fact that they ruled in Gran Turismo

As a change have you considered a 3 series or 944 ?

I daily drove a rev3 mr2 turbo for 4 years and 60k miles. Took it through Europe to the south of France, Scotland, Cornwall and it never went wrong once. The key to reliability with those is don't go mad with the mods and service them well. Mine had a decat, st205 water/air intercooler, st205 ecu and boost controller at 1bar. It was rapid and felt ballistic. My one complaint would be the steering, which ddidn't feel as tight as a modern car probably because of the 50 profile standard tyres.

Unfortunately 4 years of daily use took its tole bodywork wise. Gave it to a family member in the end and it's still going strong and everything still works, may try and get it back from them in a few years.

MR2 felt most special and fun to me.
You can also consider a N/A which should keep the costs and potential problems down.
If you go for a Turbo, get at least a Rev3, before that they were not that quick/revvy.

Given that an MR2 is going to be older than a last of the line 200sx and just as likely to have been thrashed/messed with is it going to be any easier to find a good one?

With any car popular on the modding scene it is going to be very hard to find one that hasn't been abused.

I never knew you still had it. What happened to the Supra?

I've owned

- 200sx S13 version
- MR2 Turbo - rev 3
- MX5 phase 2 shape

MR2 was the most "exciting" but you do need to pay it some respect.

Currently have a Gen 7 2006 Toytota Celica VVTLi 190 t-sport. The engine is fantastic and handling wise it would keep up with any of the above and then some. Given it's FWD you can properly rag it round without too much fear of disaster.

Another potential anyway, hugely practical too, the boot is huge and you can just about squeeze 4 humans in one at the same time.

Most 200sx's are overpriced rusty nails these days...drift tax has pushed the prices on even stty ones through the roof.

I went through all the jap cars i could think of when considering a new weekend toy...bought an Integra Type R and couldn't be happier with it.

Spot on about the drift tax. Some of the S13's that come up are silly money, still with their original CA waiting to start rattling! The one i'm looking at is top money because the shell is clean, but otherwise they should cost what they did a few years ago.

Why are MR2 turbos so cheap still? Because they 'can't' drift.