Desperate need for some rwd suggestions

[scotty02uk]

how about some alpina options ?

alpina roadster s

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

BMW Alpina B10 V8S 4.8

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

[LordGrover]

g8ape said:

BRZ/GT86 Im sure they deserve the hype and I should drive one, but I do like fiddling on mechanically I assume it would be fairly straight forward to turbo one, has it been done? People must have by now...

There are loads of options available.
Plenty over on gt86.org.uk - very good looking Harrop and Cosworth superchargers and the AVO turbo are probably the more OE looking fitments. Plenty of others from Sprintex, HKS, etc.
Anything from stock +50BHP to north of 500BHP.
There're a few transplants too including some V8.

I've driven the AVO stage 2 and Harrop SC and both are awesome, but dramatically change the character of the car. May suit your requirements though.

[V8RX7]

You should try a drive in an R32 Skyline, whilst they are 4WD they are generally RWD and you can really throw them around, get the back out at will etc nothing like a Subaru.

A V6 Transplant will cure your MR2 - better to buy one already converted or even the VVTLi 190bhp transplant.

V8 RX7 conversion is another option.

If you're happy with Auto a Soarer VTi Turbo is a great option for lots of cheap power.

[g8ape]

Alias218 said:

Despite this being a year old thread, I would recommend a 350Z. £15,000 will buy you a last off the line (2009) car with change left over for tinkering. 308bhp for the later models, comfy, safe, bullet proof and will stick it's tail out at the mere thought of provoking it. I may biased, but for the money you get an awful lot of car.

Yes I need to go and drive one, Thanks!

RobEB said:

Should be able to have a Caterham thingy for that budget, Good tinker-ey kind of car...Are you fussed about road noise, engine scream, getting wet, really? You are looking for a fun car to drive and tinker with.

I did go and test drive an R260 and have driven an R500 round croft, I think you might be right. What put me off is a friend races semi professionally and has a track R500 but says he wouldn't drive one on the road theres not enough impact protection....made me stall!

Hugh Jarse said:

I like these! Have researched them in the past, will look again. I think the Elise is a more useable than a Caterham if you can master the entry and exit, I prefer a front engined RWD layout so maybe this is the answer, Thanks!

[g8ape]

scotty02uk said:

how about some alpina options ?

alpina roadster s

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

BMW Alpina B10 V8S 4.8

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

Really like the B10, Thanks!

LordGrover said:

There are loads of options available.
Plenty over on gt86.org.uk - very good looking Harrop and Cosworth superchargers and the AVO turbo are probably the more OE looking fitments. Plenty of others from Sprintex, HKS, etc.
Anything from stock +50BHP to north of 500BHP.
There're a few transplants too including some V8.

I've driven the AVO stage 2 and Harrop SC and both are awesome, but dramatically change the character of the car. May suit your requirements though.

Thanks for this I really need to go and drive one.

[g8ape]

V8RX7 said:

You should try a drive in an R32 Skyline, whilst they are 4WD they are generally RWD and you can really throw them around, get the back out at will etc nothing like a Subaru.

A V6 Transplant will cure your MR2 - better to buy one already converted or even the VVTLi 190bhp transplant.

V8 RX7 conversion is another option.

If you're happy with Auto a Soarer VTi Turbo is a great option for lots of cheap power.

Your right I have driven an R33 but not a 32.
The MR2 has gone now I liked it but it was just too small, I started to strip the interior and removed the folding roof and had a hard top, was about to start looking for a cage and a Celica engine and then the thought occurred - if I was going to start pouring in cash that I wouldn't get back I really should have just bought an S2 Elise...

[Raize]

I like how the TOTD is a year old thread. It's like some kind of epic saga.
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/general-pistonhead...

[g8ape]

Raize said:

I like how the TOTD is a year old thread. It's like some kind of epic saga.
http://www.pistonheads.com/news/general-pistonhead...

It is an epic saga!!! Im a car enthusiast with nothing to enthuse over, Ive been lucky enough to own a lot of cars that I wanted at the time, but also unlucky enough/stupid enough to have spent many £££'s on upgrades and then fall out of love and feel the need to move on. It would be far easier and I envy those MG fanatic types, if I had a go to brand but I don't.

Because Ive lost so much over the years chopping & changing I thought Id ask for help here before jumping into something short lived again.

I know Im overthinking it but thoughts are a lot cheaper...

[HughG]

g8ape said:

I kind dream of a RWD Honda Civic type R (non triangle nonsense exhaust version) a four seater RWD LSD hatchback for less than £10k would be perfect.:

What about a BMW 130i with some money spent on suspension, polybushes, a cam and exhaust to make it less wafty?

[NickTheFill]

Piss easy...Sell a kidney and buy a Clio V6. Acid yellow if poss.

[Oz83]

Corvette C6?
Cayman?

Or just sack off the rear drive thing and buy a Megane RS.

Edited by Oz83 on Wednesday 25th May 00:23

[LankyLegoHead]

Another vote for the GT86 here. Love mine, despite being 6ft 4 I find it easy to get in/out and comfortable. You will NOT have more fun for the money, I seriously doubt it anyway. On most bumpty/twisty stuff in the UK the "lack of power" isnt an issue at all, I didn't hold up my friends too much at the weekend anyway...



Plus, for that price you'll probably still have a couple of years left on the Warranty. If you wanted to stretch, you could PCP a new one (Facelift on its way!)

[g8ape]

Oz83 said:

Corvette C6?
Cayman?

Or just sack off the rear drive thing and buy a Megane RS.

Edited by Oz83 on Wednesday 25th May 00:23

I have to admit to looking at 2008-ish Fiesta ST's as a kind of cheap fun bench mark FWD, because £4k gets a good one this makes me stall on more pricey RWD's...

LankyLegoHead said:

Another vote for the GT86 here. Love mine, despite being 6ft 4 I find it easy to get in/out and comfortable. You will NOT have more fun for the money, I seriously doubt it anyway. On most bumpty/twisty stuff in the UK the "lack of power" isnt an issue at all, I didn't hold up my friends too much at the weekend anyway...



Plus, for that price you'll probably still have a couple of years left on the Warranty. If you wanted to stretch, you could PCP a new one (Facelift on its way!)

Thanks for this! Its interesting isn't that the GT86/BRZ is really the main RWD around now, Im definitely going to drive one V soon. They have come down in price quite well this year it seems which also helps.

[g8ape]

HughG said:

What about a BMW 130i with some money spent on suspension, polybushes, a cam and exhaust to make it less wafty?

Theres a 135i with an after market exhaust I regularly see & hear local to me, it sounds awesome!
Being a bit older and hopefully wiser I tend to avoid newer BM's now its the £150+ an hour to plug it into a diagnostic flux capacitor that puts me off.

I had a E46 330ci coupe 2 years ago dash light came up turned out to be a master cylinder low pressure sensor approx £650 bill, apparently they often go faulty when the weather changes...

This from a friend who owns and independent BMW garage, having fitted bias pedal boxes myself in the past and carried out various braking system mods. BMW's fell in to the 'additional useless fitment' category of cars to me, especially as one of my key search criteria is to be able to self service/rectify as much as poss myself.
Thanks for your suggestion tho but!

[TheAngryDog]

g8ape said:

scotty02uk said:

how about some alpina options ?

alpina roadster s

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

BMW Alpina B10 V8S 4.8

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/b...

Really like the B10, Thanks!

LordGrover said:

There are loads of options available.
Plenty over on gt86.org.uk - very good looking Harrop and Cosworth superchargers and the AVO turbo are probably the more OE looking fitments. Plenty of others from Sprintex, HKS, etc.
Anything from stock +50BHP to north of 500BHP.
There're a few transplants too including some V8.

I've driven the AVO stage 2 and Harrop SC and both are awesome, but dramatically change the character of the car. May suit your requirements though.

Thanks for this I really need to go and drive one.

The B10 V8 S has ruinous brake disc costs. They're unique to the car and are around a grand to replace.

[James Junior]

Missed this yesterday.

I can only add praise for the Nissan 370Z. I bought mine as a stop-gap but have totally fallen for it and plan to keep it a while now.

They aren't as thirsty as the journos make out considering they are a 3.7 V6. Mine has the auto box iwth paddles, making it really versatile. Easy to rumble around in city traffic or on the motorway, but a blast to di=rive in manual mode on a good road. You rarely see another and people often compliment it.

Mine is my daily hack slogging into Manchester city centre every day. It also pounds the motorways going to meetings. I have also had it on track at Oulton Park and done quite a lot of hard driving in it across Europe and in Wales.

It has plenty of grip and handles nicely, with tonnes of mid-range torque. I find it really satisfying to get it flowing down a good road leaning on the tyres. Highly recommended as a brilliant all-rounder, that can still thrill when you want a proper drive. It can stay with significantly more expensive metal when driven hard and shrugs off hard use with casual ease to slip back into daily duties.

[phib]

I'm very much in the elise camp !! I look stupid getting in and out too !

Been though all the 911's and have Ferrari's also had caterhams. Wouldn't drive another caterham on the road as I felt very vulnerable, I was doing a 155 mile commute in winter in it twice a week though!

My view on Elise's is so long as you buy right you wont loose on one ( if you decide you hate it and want to sell !) its small enough to have fun on B roads, you can have fun at normal speeds and its very analogue / back to old school motoring which I think is quite refreshing !!

Just my 2p's worth.

Now finding a decent one is quite a challenge !!

Phib

[ChrisTW]

There's only been one mention so far which wasn't a particular strong sell.

Nissan S15 Silvia Spec R (turbo)

I've had one since December 2014. Imported it from Japan so I got to choose colour, spec, mileage and a budget. Had it undersealed as soon as it hit the UK, and the import company did all the annoying paperwork etc.

Not a sign of rust on mine and I have used it in Scottish winters, many garages I've taken to it have proclaimed it's the cleanest car of that age they've seen in a long time.

I use it daily, use it on track - I call it my TrackWeapon. Lots of bits available on the web despite not being a UK car. Lots of English manuals as it was available in Australia.

It's fantastic to drive, mine came with various upgrades from the Japanese owner. Big power possible, very easy to tailor to your own style with engine fettling.

Has a helical LSD as standard making it a bit more predictable than the S14 with its viscous LSD, better for track use.

[V8RX7]

g8ape said:

Being a bit older and hopefully wiser I tend to avoid newer BM's now its the £150+ an hour to plug it into a diagnostic flux capacitor that puts me off.

BMW's fell in to the 'additional useless fitment' category of cars to me, especially as one of my key search criteria is to be able to self service/rectify as much as poss myself.

We seem to have similar thoughts - I'm willing to pay for a later / better car but I find the ones I want are the older, cheaper ones as they are lighter, simpler and more fun.

I know you said no MX5s but I've owned supercharged Mk1s for 20+years now and have never kept another car for more than 6 months.

I'm building myself a 1UZ V8 RX7 because I want a nice 2+2 and no one seems to make one (I have a Turbo RX7 and it is very good)

The S14a / S15 200SX are pretty good as standard and great when tweeked.

If you don't mind a larger saloon a Toyota Chaser has quite a following - some good stuff comes up on Driftworks if you sort though all the track cars.

[Hugh Jarse]

g8ape said:

Hugh Jarse said:

I like these! Have researched them in the past, will look again. I think the Elise is a more useable than a Caterham if you can master the entry and exit, I prefer a front engined RWD layout so maybe this is the answer, Thanks!

Hand built full roll cage track car that is roadable.
All these other mass produced steel pressed tin can suggestions pale by comparison.
Front engined rear drive good for maintenance.
The only other one i can suggest is a Tuscan.
Only the TVR and Ginetta has a full roll cage from the off. The advantage with the GRP panels is it is much harder to write off structure. Every PHer should own one instead of the bilge-tanks being suggested which will chew a set of tyres on any serious track in a couple of hours. You live in a country with the worlds best handmade sportscars FFS! You can make a race car comfortable but you can never make a comfortable car into a race car.
3 in the classifieds £20-25k YOLO etc.
Opens the doors to hill climbs, and even club racing.
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/g...
some G50 pics mixed in

Edited by Hugh Jarse on Wednesday 25th May 09:47