Up to 4K weekend/fun - usual blah but with history

[Bridgehouse]

Middle Aged man seeks weekend fun to compensate for onset of grey. Or something like that.

I’m new so I thought I’d do some history with my first post before asking the inevitable whiny “I don’t know what to buy” question.

First serious car was an Astra GTE back in 89 - quite a contrast to the previous car (Datsun Drizzle) and lasted a few years before the inevitable binning due to inexperience. Being a sensible youth I decided hot hatches were dangerous and got a Punto GT Turbo. Lol. That was excellent until it basically ate itself. I remember limping into the garage to part ex it for a brand new “sensible” car - a Saxo VTR on a stupidly good deal.

The Saxo had a handbrake-car park slope-failure type incident and age set in and I got my first sensible car, a Seat Toledo saloon. Nearly fell asleep at the wheel most days due to boredom. The inevitable happened and it got traded for a new Civic Type R (2006). Nice.

Eventually decided I needed to try to get something comfy as I was up to 25000 miles a year by now (my spine was suffering those miles in CTR) and got a new Jag XF Sport. It was ironically quicker than the CTR but had the ability to let me go more than 100 miles and manage to get out of the car without cries of pain.

Did probly 140k in the Jag and eventually decided a new vehicle was needed. Went all hippy and got a Prius (which was shockingly bad) and got a GT86 at the same time for some fun.

They eventually went and I ended up with a super reliable (hah) 1 series BMW to put lots of miles on.

Situation now: Just got a 2018 Volvo XC60. Cor. It’s good. Really good. Better than the XF at being a luxury wafter. Safe as houses and the miles just leisurely stroll by. It’s pretty quick as well. Not silly quick, but enough. However....

...it is still a big boat. For main family duties and my 25k business miles a year it’s perfect. At the weekend tho, I miss my youthful (and not so youthful!) hot hatch/sporty drives.

I don’t want to spend a lot. 4K tops I suspect. The brief is simple, something that will make me smile and enjoy a spirited drive at the weekend, rather than the Volvo which gives me more of a smug comfy leer.

Considered candidates:

MX5 - Er, rust?
Clio/Megane RSport etc.. Er, French electrics?
Nissan 350z - big bills?
Alfa Spider/GTV - bills and finding a good one?
Fiat Coupe - Finding one that’s not been whacked?

Will consider most things. Don’t mind some simple spannering - I have an older caddy van that I spanner. However, I’m trying to avoid too much oily weekend work and would prefer more weekend driving.

What say you PH given my history etc?

Edited by Bridgehouse on Wednesday 11th April 12:09

[Shiv_P]

EP3 Civic Type R
Spend half on a Clio 182 trophy and keep the rest for repairs and making it fresher?

[Bridgehouse]

Shiv_P said:

EP3 Civic Type R
Spend half on a Clio 182 trophy and keep the rest for repairs and making it fresher?

I’m tempted by a CTR again, but something keeps telling me not to go there again. Bit like ex girlfriends/wives - sometimes best not to revisit as you’ll quickly find out why you left in the first place (or somesuch nonsense)

I think I do need something I’ve not had before. Would I look like a bit of a spanner as a middle aged grump in a Clio tho?

[TR4man]

You'll get a Z3 for that money or possibly a leggy Z4.

[Bridgehouse]

TR4man said:

You'll get a Z3 for that money or possibly a leggy Z4.

Isn’t that going to just be like my old 1 Series but with a soft top?

(Sensible suggestion tho - will investigate)

[Caddyshack]

I bought a nice Audi TT Roadster and it is great fun and much better to drive than I was expecting from the normal "Audi just understeers" comments. 260bhp (chipped 225) and nice exhaust already on it. You can drive it roof down all the time as you sit low and has great heated seats.

[cailean]

RS Clio 197, or push budget to a 200

[Bridgehouse]

Caddyshack said:

I bought a nice Audi TT Roadster and it is great fun and much better to drive than I was expecting from the normal "Audi just understeers" comments. 260bhp (chipped 225) and nice exhaust already on it. You can drive it roof down all the time as you sit low and has great heated seats.

Another good suggestion for the list. I’ll be honest, I’ve never considered a TT before. Maybe I should at least take a look. Worth considering this and the z3/z4 as well.

[Integroo]

Mk3 MR2. It doesn't have the rust issues of the MX5, RWD, mid engined, lack of practicality irrelevant as a weekend car.

[Bridgehouse]

cailean said:

RS Clio 197, or push budget to a 200

Are they as good as their rep suggests? I do have an image issue with the Clio but I’m guessing they have a lot of the same characteristics as quite a few of the previous hot hatches I’ve had..?

[Strudul]

Bridgehouse said:

Nissan 350z - big bills?

Hardly. I run one as an unemployed student without issue. They are expensive to mod, but repairs and maintenance are cheap, with a great supply of spare parts, used and new.

[Bridgehouse]

Integroo said:

Mk3 MR2. It doesn't have the rust issues of the MX5, RWD, mid engined, lack of practicality irrelevant as a weekend car.

Added to the list. Wasn’t even on the radar. Very good call tho - looks like good ones are bang on budget too.

[Bridgehouse]

Strudul said:

Bridgehouse said:

Nissan 350z - big bills?

Hardly. I run one as an unemployed student without issue. They are expensive to mod, but repairs and maintenance are cheap, with a great supply of spare parts, used and new.

Fair play. Worth considering then. Any foibles or known issues?

[irocfan]

Crossfire

SLK

Puma

[Strudul]

Bridgehouse said:

Strudul said:

Bridgehouse said:

Nissan 350z - big bills?

Hardly. I run one as an unemployed student without issue. They are expensive to mod, but repairs and maintenance are cheap, with a great supply of spare parts, used and new.

Fair play. Worth considering then. Any foibles or known issues?

Don't see why not. Can't think of anything major to look for that's specific to the Z.

[designforlife]

mk3 mr2 gets my vote too... had an mx5 for 6 years, you'll spend your whole time chasing rust.

[Bridgehouse]

irocfan said:

Crossfire

SLK

Puma

SLK a possibility. Crossfire looks a bit to me. Puma not on radar. I know very little about them..!

[Bridgehouse]

designforlife said:

mk3 mr2 gets my vote too... had an mx5 for 6 years, you'll spend your whole time chasing rust.

Exactly why I’m reluctant. Really given my history I should have had one years ago.. but the rust thing really puts me off.

[NickofName]

Bridgehouse said:

Strudul said:

Bridgehouse said:

Nissan 350z - big bills?

Hardly. I run one as an unemployed student without issue. They are expensive to mod, but repairs and maintenance are cheap, with a great supply of spare parts, used and new.

Fair play. Worth considering then. Any foibles or known issues?

I've had one for 5 years and whilst not unreasonable for the type of car I wouldn't say they were 'cheap' to run. The stuff that makes a big difference from a hot hatch are tyres and brakes, not least because going for the good stuff does make a notable difference to the car. The stock brakes are barely up to the job and a lot of people do pads/disks/braided lines which makes a huge difference. Being a heavy car they do enjoy consuming both, as well as fuel.

Be as sure as you can that a 350z has been run on super only, as they only have knock protection up to around 5Krpm and if regularly thrashed on 95RON have been known to damage piston faces.

Stock exhausts are A) crap and restrictive and B) rot, so a lot will have aftermarket exhasts on and this isn't necessarily a sign of it having been 'chavved up'

Apparently some do a wierd clicky/clunky thing from the rear drive shafts (mine never has) but this sounds a lot worse than it is and can be sorted by essentially re-greasing them. Good bargaining chip.

There's probably some other stuff I've forgotten, but I think the main pitfall you'll come across with these is that they're dirt cheap and have for some years now been in the price range of people who can't or don't want to maintain them properly. They're not mega expensive to run in the grand scheme of things, but they are in the context of a £3k car.

[designforlife]

Bridgehouse said:

designforlife said:

mk3 mr2 gets my vote too... had an mx5 for 6 years, you'll spend your whole time chasing rust.

Exactly why I’m reluctant. Really given my history I should have had one years ago.. but the rust thing really puts me off.

they're also no where near as special as all the evangelising owners make out.

I sold mine for an integra dc5, it's a vastly superior car in all ways, and handles better...stock mx5s just aren't quick enough to stay fun.