first RWD jap ?

[Joel93]

I have only ever owned FWD cars I have a classic mini which im geting rid of for some cash for a jap I currently drive a renault clio 182 cwith both cup packs there both good fun and the clio is fast but id like to pop the back end out now and then when no bodys about im not looking to link powerslides, be the next DK ect.

my options are limited of corse as iv just turned 20 insurance slowing me down as always:

Car. Insurance cost.
mx5/enuos 1.8 £840
lexus soarer £1048
RX8 231 £1028
MR2 turbo £1580
200sx s14 £1600
any advice thanks.

[Kaiser Damz]

go for a mk1 mx5/eunos. cheap, easy to work and fun!

[gazmk2]

Having owned both the 4.0L v8 and 2.5TT versions of the soarer I can honestly say neither would make a good first RWD jap car! the V8 is a 1.7ton techno beast with torque everywhere and the TT is a 300bhp powerhouse that tries to kill you in the wet! loved every minute of them though but not ideal for a RWD noob!

[GravelBen]

Kaiser Damz said:

go for a mk1 mx5/eunos. cheap, easy to work and fun!

This. Great cars for learning how to drive properly and you don't have to be in licence-losing territory to have fun.

[MGZRod]

I went from my 1.4 MG ZR to a modified MK2 MX5 1.6, was a good experience but met an early fate (got crashed into twice in 2 months then written off! all non fault) And i'm now onto a S14a 200SX running 286BHP & 300LB/FT and loving every minute of it. Picked up a minter and it's very sorted, progressive, holds slides when needed but it's a very grippy car.


I'm 20 as well, so it's a good path to take.

[FD3Si]

WeirdNeville said:

Yup. MX5. Teaches you all you need to know about RWD without too much of a sting in it's tail.

I was going to say 200SX but that insurance quote is ludicrous and not worth it. THey're good, but pretty tame as standard and no doubt a modified one would bite you even harder for insurance.

Completely agree
My first was a 14a and it was a great car once fettled, but the insurance on them now is utterly crazy. And I spent all the time trying to make it feel as nice to drive as my other half's MK1 eunos. It never did.

Get an MX5, grow to adore it, and if you so desire, then go for an S-body a few years later. A stock one is not worth £1600 insurance, but a stock MX5 is most definitely worth £840 IMHO.

[LasseV]

What about MK3 MR2? MK2 Turbo is maybe little bit of handful for young lad, but 3rd generation is very well balanced.

[The Flying Ox]

All I'll say is that I sold my old MR2 Turbo to a 21 year old and the very next day it was advertised on the forums for breaking as he'd smashed it.

[ShaunTheSheep]

I've just picked up a 2005 Rx8 231ps 50k miler in very good condition for under £2k. It's a real buyers market for these. You can afford to be fussy and hard on price which is rare with any car but there's just so many about and no one wants them.

The obvious flip side is when it comes time to sell I'm very likely going to have to let it go for pennies, swings and roundabouts but at comfortably under £2k all in for a mint 2005 car with all the toys and leather, my daily driver depreciates more than that in 6 months...

You would need to read up a bit on these and not pretend they're anything other than high maintainance. Probably up to £100/mo averaged over a year plus fuel and premix (shot of 2 stroke oil) at £70 / 280 miles for super unleaded at current prices. Very likely less on monthly maintainance but it's always good to over estimate a little.

Looks alright to my eye in the understated colours. Drives very well for the money.

[Joel93]

Thanks, only thing that worries me about mx5 is there not that fast, surprised the rx8 didn't get a vote.

[Joel93]

Thanks, only thing that worries me about mx5 is there not that fast, surprised the rx8 didn't get a vote.

[FD3Si]

A stock s14(and I'm guessing that's all you'd be able to have due to insurance) doesn't feel fast, and isn't an exciting drive. It's a motorway cruiser with a very smooth power curve. It will feel a lot less frantic and fun than a 182. For that turbo kick and more speed you need a decat, front pipe, cat back, induction kit, boost controller, cooler sparks, and pump. Will coat less than a grand easily, but I suspect the insurance will be the tricky bit.

[liner33]

The MX5 isnt that fast but it feels fast for what it is , my mates 1.6 Eunos felt quicker than a 231hp Rx8 that I drove

[probedb]

Joel93 said:

Thanks, only thing that worries me about mx5 is there not that fast, surprised the rx8 didn't get a vote.

Learn to drive the car properly before wanting to go fast or you'll end up spinning into a wall.

[GravelBen]

liner33 said:

The MX5 isnt that fast but it feels fast for what it is

+1

I found the same thing, very playful cars that don't isolate you from the sense of speed the way a lot of newer machinery does.

[Joel93]

Thanks again , ill look into mx5s , I did profanely want a rx8 befor the clio but was put off by the risky engine business but loved driving it.

[H.7]

Joel93 said:

Thanks, only thing that worries me about mx5 is there not that fast

James Hunt, F1 World Champion in the 1970s, drove an Austin A35 van because he could drive the nuts off it on public roads without breaking the speed limit (because it couldn't go that fast). I had similar fun with my first car, a Morris 1000 Traveller. Don't underestimate the fun you can have with an MX-5. They are far more forgiving than many more powerful cars and you'll learn more about driving without the car trying to kill you

[MrCrazy]

Try looking at a Nissan 300 zx twin turbo. My son discovered insurance really cheap.

Ended up with a Datsun 260Z, even cheaper to insure and will hold its money!