MX5 or coupe...
Discussion
Now then,
This is sort of a what car thread. But only kind of. Let me explain the situation.
I love MX5's. We already have a mark 1 which is fantastic. But I don't get to drive it everyday (do about 25 miles a day), the other half does. My current daily is a '98 2 litre Primera. Which is all very adequate. Reasonably quick, comfortable and economic. But it's boring. I'm bored driving it. So I was thinking about getting an Mark 1 MX5 as a daily for myself. But I can't get rid of the Primera, as we need a car that can tow a heavyish trailer. So we'd end up with 3 cars, 2 MX5's and the bus. Which is ridiculous really. More insurance, tax, and maintainance etc to shell out.
So can anyone think of something suitable that I can stick a tow bar on, but also be excited by, like the MX does? Needs to be relatively economic, insurable and reliable, and preferably a coupe. I'm 25, and i've got plenty of time in the future to do the boring saloon car thing.
The budget is £2000, so not much to play with I know...
So far i've thought of:
Mitsubishi FTO
BMW 318iS
Early Skyline maybe
MX6
MR2 (mk2, but not a fan really)
Porker 924 (not a fan either)
Or of course there is the whole "have 2 cars thing"...
Anyone got any suggestions, or comments on the above cars?
Ta very much!
This is sort of a what car thread. But only kind of. Let me explain the situation.
I love MX5's. We already have a mark 1 which is fantastic. But I don't get to drive it everyday (do about 25 miles a day), the other half does. My current daily is a '98 2 litre Primera. Which is all very adequate. Reasonably quick, comfortable and economic. But it's boring. I'm bored driving it. So I was thinking about getting an Mark 1 MX5 as a daily for myself. But I can't get rid of the Primera, as we need a car that can tow a heavyish trailer. So we'd end up with 3 cars, 2 MX5's and the bus. Which is ridiculous really. More insurance, tax, and maintainance etc to shell out.
So can anyone think of something suitable that I can stick a tow bar on, but also be excited by, like the MX does? Needs to be relatively economic, insurable and reliable, and preferably a coupe. I'm 25, and i've got plenty of time in the future to do the boring saloon car thing.
The budget is £2000, so not much to play with I know...
So far i've thought of:
Mitsubishi FTO
BMW 318iS
Early Skyline maybe
MX6
MR2 (mk2, but not a fan really)
Porker 924 (not a fan either)
Or of course there is the whole "have 2 cars thing"...
Anyone got any suggestions, or comments on the above cars?
Ta very much!
Sadly, too many of the Fiats have fallen into the hands of bodykit blingheads, but if you could find a non chavved one, it could be a good buy. My father, a former automotive engineer, thought the 20V turbo version the best front wheel drive car that he had ever driven when he borrowed mine for a while. I wish that i had not sold it.
I'd forgotten all about the Alfa's. A GTV would be very tasty. Especially a V6 if I could find one. Not sure i'd get it past the other half though, i've been banging on about getting an Alfa for years, and apparently i'm banned from ever having one, unless it's a company car and i'm not paying the bills! Not sure what it would be like to tow with though...
I'd thought about the Fiat coupe too, but decided against it, as the they seem a bit skeetchy with reliability, and a friend has one that i'm sure is more rust than solid metal. I swear to god one day they'll turn in to a corner sharpish, the wheels will go round, and the shell of the car will carry straight on.
I've thought about a supra too, the blocky ones from the early 90's, but I mean, I know a 3litre turbo will be plenty quick, but I would have thought the fuel bills would be cripling. Plus they're a bit dull to look at...
I'd thought about the Fiat coupe too, but decided against it, as the they seem a bit skeetchy with reliability, and a friend has one that i'm sure is more rust than solid metal. I swear to god one day they'll turn in to a corner sharpish, the wheels will go round, and the shell of the car will carry straight on.
I've thought about a supra too, the blocky ones from the early 90's, but I mean, I know a 3litre turbo will be plenty quick, but I would have thought the fuel bills would be cripling. Plus they're a bit dull to look at...
mrzuckinihead said:
Now then,
This is sort of a what car thread. But only kind of. Let me explain the situation.
I love MX5's. We already have a mark 1 which is fantastic. But I don't get to drive it everyday (do about 25 miles a day), the other half does. My current daily is a '98 2 litre Primera. Which is all very adequate. Reasonably quick, comfortable and economic. But it's boring. I'm bored driving it. So I was thinking about getting an Mark 1 MX5 as a daily for myself. But I can't get rid of the Primera, as we need a car that can tow a heavyish trailer. So we'd end up with 3 cars, 2 MX5's and the bus. Which is ridiculous really. More insurance, tax, and maintainance etc to shell out.
So can anyone think of something suitable that I can stick a tow bar on, but also be excited by, like the MX does? Needs to be relatively economic, insurable and reliable, and preferably a coupe. I'm 25, and i've got plenty of time in the future to do the boring saloon car thing.
The budget is £2000, so not much to play with I know...
So far i've thought of:
Mitsubishi FTO
BMW 318iS
Early Skyline maybe
MX6
MR2 (mk2, but not a fan really)
Porker 924 (not a fan either)
Or of course there is the whole "have 2 cars thing"...
Anyone got any suggestions, or comments on the above cars?
Ta very much!
Curious, but what do you tow and how often?This is sort of a what car thread. But only kind of. Let me explain the situation.
I love MX5's. We already have a mark 1 which is fantastic. But I don't get to drive it everyday (do about 25 miles a day), the other half does. My current daily is a '98 2 litre Primera. Which is all very adequate. Reasonably quick, comfortable and economic. But it's boring. I'm bored driving it. So I was thinking about getting an Mark 1 MX5 as a daily for myself. But I can't get rid of the Primera, as we need a car that can tow a heavyish trailer. So we'd end up with 3 cars, 2 MX5's and the bus. Which is ridiculous really. More insurance, tax, and maintainance etc to shell out.
So can anyone think of something suitable that I can stick a tow bar on, but also be excited by, like the MX does? Needs to be relatively economic, insurable and reliable, and preferably a coupe. I'm 25, and i've got plenty of time in the future to do the boring saloon car thing.
The budget is £2000, so not much to play with I know...
So far i've thought of:
Mitsubishi FTO
BMW 318iS
Early Skyline maybe
MX6
MR2 (mk2, but not a fan really)
Porker 924 (not a fan either)
Or of course there is the whole "have 2 cars thing"...
Anyone got any suggestions, or comments on the above cars?
Ta very much!
I doubt many, if any coupes will legally or manufacturer rated to tow much at all.
If you only tow occasionally then could you not borrow a tow vehicle or just buy a cheap old Series Landy or something? A pre 73 model will have free road tax and very cheap (£80/year) insurance on a classic policy.
That way you could still have another fun car too.
The mark 1 MX5 is the only '5 that you can tow with. The thing is, the trailers are heavy (minimum towing weight for the car would have to be 1000kg) and long. So towing with the 5 would not be a pleasant experience. Getting a snake on in a light, short wheelbase car is not fun! Something planted, with stiff suspension, and rubber at each corner, like most sports coupes is perfect.
The BMW's and Skyline are fine to tow with, have some friends who do just that.
Not sure about the FTO, GTV or MR2, i'd have to look it up. As long as they can tow 1000kg, it'd be ok. The thing is, can't predict how often i'd be towing. Usually a minimum of 3-4 times a year. But sometimes, might be every weekend!
I know it's always a bit of a compromise, as the solution might well be, keep the Primera shed for towing, and have a 5 for a daily giggle. But financially thats a bit difficult.
I'd like something that could tow if I need it to, but thats like 5th on the list, after being fun, reliable, economical and insurable.
Ta!
The BMW's and Skyline are fine to tow with, have some friends who do just that.
Not sure about the FTO, GTV or MR2, i'd have to look it up. As long as they can tow 1000kg, it'd be ok. The thing is, can't predict how often i'd be towing. Usually a minimum of 3-4 times a year. But sometimes, might be every weekend!
I know it's always a bit of a compromise, as the solution might well be, keep the Primera shed for towing, and have a 5 for a daily giggle. But financially thats a bit difficult.
I'd like something that could tow if I need it to, but thats like 5th on the list, after being fun, reliable, economical and insurable.
Ta!
I've always had a soft spot for a landy, but i'm not sure it's really practical. The situation I mean, not the car.
Because, i'd be having a landy and an MX5. And to find a landy for 2 grand thats in decent nick I would have thought would be near impossible. And I'd still be wanting me MX5. So really i'd be spending a grand on an MX5 and a grand on a landy, and ending up with 2 sheds instead of one! I can't really count on getting much for the primera, as they're only really worth £500 a best,
4x4 are very handy, but I can get my hands on one very easily if i'm desperately in need to drag some poor fool out of a field.
Because, i'd be having a landy and an MX5. And to find a landy for 2 grand thats in decent nick I would have thought would be near impossible. And I'd still be wanting me MX5. So really i'd be spending a grand on an MX5 and a grand on a landy, and ending up with 2 sheds instead of one! I can't really count on getting much for the primera, as they're only really worth £500 a best,
4x4 are very handy, but I can get my hands on one very easily if i'm desperately in need to drag some poor fool out of a field.
2K would get you a decent Series III Landy, if you are prepared to accept the crudity of these old vehicles. Here is my 1981 heap, which has been used to tow, amongst other things, a Cayenne that was stuck in the mud, and always looks at home on the local farm strip. I paid 700 quid for it and have spent about 1K fixing it up a bit, but for 2K you should find one that is in reasonable condition. The big issue is the bulkhead, and next the chassis. Landys are meccano toys, on which everything can be swapped or fixed. NB: a series III is slooooow.
I'm another one in the Fiat Coupe camp but I'm after another one after gitting rid of my last one and forever regretting it.
of all the cars I've had including a new clio 172 and a cooper s the Fiat was the most reliable, and never once broke down, rust shouldn't be a problem on all but the most damaged and badly repaired/resprayed ones due to the excelent galvanisation of all parts, and as for fuel economy my daily 40 mile round trip into Sheffield centre and back home used to see me in the high 20's low 30's.
plus the 5 pot sounds like an animal with the right exhaust.
I'm on the lookout for another but will only buy a forum owned car from fccuk, too many lemons about as they are cheap right now.
Edited to say the FTO is one of the fastest looking slow cars I've ever driven, quite nice though
of all the cars I've had including a new clio 172 and a cooper s the Fiat was the most reliable, and never once broke down, rust shouldn't be a problem on all but the most damaged and badly repaired/resprayed ones due to the excelent galvanisation of all parts, and as for fuel economy my daily 40 mile round trip into Sheffield centre and back home used to see me in the high 20's low 30's.
plus the 5 pot sounds like an animal with the right exhaust.
I'm on the lookout for another but will only buy a forum owned car from fccuk, too many lemons about as they are cheap right now.
Edited to say the FTO is one of the fastest looking slow cars I've ever driven, quite nice though
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