What are your cheap fun cars?

[Mr Scruff]

Like many my daily driver has to be something sensible - my Seat Leon is worthy but dull. However, and again I suspect similarly to many, I don't want to give up my petrolhead roots just because I need to be sensible much of the time; I want a fun car to play with, remind me why I enjoy driving.

Out and out speed isn't a big factor here (I have a motorbike for that) so I've been looking at French hot hatches - y'know, the standard stuff - 306 Rallyes, 205 GTis, Clio Willams, Mk2 Golf GTi. Anything I've forgotten (I know, I know, MX-5...)?

Only criteria is that it needs to be around the £2k mark and it needs to put a smile on your face. What have other people got in the garage for cheap thrills?

[Mr Scruff]

I do like the MX-5s, the only thing I find is that I'm a little tall for them, top of my head sticks out over the top of the windscreen... Wife and I have had two, 1.8 and a 1.6. Not gonna rule one out mind...

Puma I couldn't get comfortable in, unsure why but meant I wasn't happy really chucking it about as a result. Did about 1,000 miles in one over a summer so gave it a decent bash but I just didn't click with it.

Preludes seem a little, well, sensible?

172 is an interesting suggestion, didn't realise they'd become so cheap!!

[Mr Scruff]

300bhp/ton said:

I think £2k gives quite a wide range of choice.

Sticking with the hatch theme. A Rover 200BRM. Not an average Rover 200, this one comes equipped with a LSD, close ratio box, uprated suspension, uprated brake servo and quick rack steering. Along with some nice styling additions and a custom interior. It's also a rare car with only around 500 left on UK roads. It's pretty quick and handles very very well. Not quite Integra Type R levels, but a lot closer than many like to claim (or believe ).


That said, I still think even a BRM is more of a daily than a weekend car. I think I'd be looking at classics, kits and something a little more different such as coupes and sports cars.

To that end, these are all possibles:

Thank you, always appreciate it when someone puts that amount of time into a response (I know that sounds sarcastic, it's genuinely not!).

Regarding why my daily driver has to be sensible - there are a number of reasons. Principally it needs to be a car my wife can drive, which limits it in terms of size (she's only little and won't drive anything larger than the Seat), and also means that NCAP ratings are very important. My company car allowance rules also stipulate that it needs to be less than 10 years old and have more than 2 seats. Whether I agree or disagree with these rules is irrelevant, I'm client-facing that they're the rules, there are no exceptions. My Merc 190 was my daily driver but if fills exactly 0 of these requirements, hence it has to go.

I don't do mega miles but enough to mean I keep an eye on fuel economy. Considering this brief the Seat is a very good compromise but that's the point, it's a compromise. I don't think I'm unique in that respect.... Most modern cars tend to leave me a little cold.

There are some very good suggestions there mind, and ones I'll ponder a little more. The idea of not having a roof appeals somewhat... I do like my hot French hatches too.

[Mr Scruff]

Where's the best place to buy kitcars then? Few people have mentioned them and they appeal to my 'something impractical in the garage to tinker with' side!

[Mr Scruff]

alsem said:

w201 all the time

Lol, you've seen what I'm selling/have just sold right...? The 190e Valver is going in a house-related sacrifice and this will be a replacement. Hopefully the new house will have a garage to stash a toy in.

Suzuki Ignis Sport would be good as an only car but I'm after something for high days and holidays. That's not to detract from it, merely that I have the opportunity to get something totally impractical which it would be a shame to waste. Same with the E36, I've had an E30 and an E28 already and the E36 is quite sensible almost.

I've been offered a Mk2 Golf GTi which I'm tempted by. It's only an 8v but as I said, speed isn't really the main objective here, it's that 'chuckling like a madman' factor that some cars seem to be able to deliver.

Definitely think I under-estimated the kit care prices!!

[Mr Scruff]

alsem said:

Mr Scruff said:

Lol, you've seen what I'm selling/have just sold right...? The 190e Valver is going in a house-related sacrifice and this will be a replacement. Hopefully the new house will have a garage to stash a toy in.

I am interested to buy your 16v, where's the advert?

Sadly the new owner just drove off in it...

[Mr Scruff]

This is the line of thought I'm now subscribing to. It's actually quite a thing to change my way of thinking - this is a 'fun' car, and part of that means that it does need to have some character - thinking Spitfire or old Alfa Spider. It doesn't need to be fast and I almost don't want it to be too reliable (is that perverse?) as I want something to play with.

'Course, this is all assuming Mrs. Scruff doesn't go and spend the spare cash on a new sofa or something!