Suggestions for a cheap fun 2nd car..................

[cjb1]

We need your help.........my 24 year old son and a friend of the similar age want to buy a fun car between them for the weekends. Because my lad covers a lot of miles his daily is a Mazda 6 Diesel for the economy. The second car needs to be:

1. Reasonably modern.
2. Decent performance, say under 8 to 60mph. Minimum top speed 120mph.
3. Not ridiculously expensive to insure.
4. Relatively easy to maintain.
5. Tidy, not a rusty heap.
6. No more than £1500 to buy, preferrably nearer to the grand mark.

They're looking at Clio Sport 172's, can you guys think of anything better to fit the bill?

[Yiliterate]

Toyota Celica

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

[Willeh85]

MX-5?

[cjb1]

Yiliterate said:

Toyota Celica

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

A cracking suggestion.

[Paul_B]

Mk2 MR2. Can't beat it for the money.

[big_boz]

If they are thinking of tracking it 172 Cup.....my sister is selling hers...PM me if interested

[DBrannan]

thanks for the suggestions, guys! Will be doing some shopping tonight It hink, Celica T-sport is a belter, has a Corolla T-sport and loved it!

[cjb1]

Paul_B said:

Mk2 MR2. Can't beat it for the money.

WOW! Glad I put this post uo now, I'd never thought of an MR-2 either!! The MX-5 was a great suggestion too but as we live in NE Scotland the ragtop wouldn't get used much.

[cjb1]

DBrannan said:

thanks for the suggestions, guys! Will be doing some shopping tonight It hink, Celica T-sport is a belter, has a Corolla T-sport and loved it!

As you can see my son went to the same typing school as me!!

He had a 'T' Sport Corolla and a Yaris 'T' Sport and loved them both.

[RandomTask]

Yiliterate said:

Toyota Celica

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

Look at one of the pictures - the guy paid £6250+vat for an engine replacement!

[cjb1]

doogz said:

RandomTask said:

Look at one of the pictures - the guy paid £6250+vat for an engine replacement!

Gearbox rebuild too.

Maybe you don't want to buy a car from him...

Are they not just estimates? It says IRO £, and all estimates.....

[mikeveal]

Mark II CRX Vtec.
Depending on your interpretation of reasonably modern.

ETA 150bhp, 980Kg and group 12 insurance.

Edited by mikeveal on Thursday 4th April 15:58

[billzeebub]

Clio 172,, BMW E36 6 Cylinder Coupe (ideally 328 Sport, though even lowly 318iS has plenty of merit), MX5 (roof down or up, equally immense on cold days as warm ones), Ford Puma, VW Corrado 16v (VR6s/G60s at this price will be dogs),

[DBrannan]

billzeebub said:

Clio 172,, BMW E36 6 Cylinder Coupe (ideally 328 Sport, though even lowly 318iS has plenty of merit), MX5 (roof down or up, equally immense on cold days as warm ones), Ford Puma, VW Corrado 16v (VR6s/G60s at this price will be dogs),

BMW would be nice but insurance probably too high, I would think. At the moment, a Celica T sport looks the best option, could supercharge it too.

[bertieg]

if he can handle the image, saxo vts? can be comfortably had for under a grand, and arguably more fun than a 172

[trickywoo]

cjb1 said:

my lad covers a lot of miles his daily is a Mazda 6 Diesel for the economy.

Very brave. Hope his warranty is good.

[Bear Phils]

DBrannan said:

BMW would be nice but insurance probably too high, I would think. At the moment, a Celica T sport looks the best option, could supercharge it too.

Actually, the 6 cylinder E36's are the same to insure as the Renaultsport Clio's, at least for me anyway.

[TameRacingDriver]

Puma. I've owned and driven many of the suggestions here but I'm very pleasantly surprised by how much fun it is. The bmws are a bit too sensible (reasonable to insure though), the clios overrated and unreliable, celicas are ruined by poor gear box / ratios. The mx5s are definitely worth a shot too, as is the mr2.

[y2blade]

Willeh85 said:

MX-5?

[430T]

MG ZR?



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

On the 172 front, quite like the look of this

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