I can't afford an Elise...

[RobM77]

I'll second all the comments about a mk3 MR2. £6k could possibly buy some more interesting metal, but there's nothing worse than having a car which you worry about the next bill with all the time, and a high mileage car on worn dampers and bushes defeats the object of a good handling car completely. Ergo, my money would be on as fresh an MR2 as possible.

Compared to the Elise, the mk3 MR2 is nowhere near as stiff in the chassis (it's a monocoque to the Elise's box section extruded aluminium chassis), which means looser ride and handling, and the assisted controls don't offer as much feel. The MR2 also carries slightly more weight (about 975kg if I remember rightly, which is about as much as a fully loaded 111R, but a whopping 200kg more than a typical S1). However, the MR2 is a cracking car and if I wanted a sharp, entertaining sports car for £6k and I was a fan of Elises I can't think of anything I'd rather have (other than perhaps a very tired VX220) - it's the default and obvious choice.

I was actually going to buy a mk3 MR2 before I got my Elise; I compared the two directly.

[Ullevi]

Biccaroo said:

rallycross said:

Mr2 roadster fits the bill of baby Elise on the cheep very under rated and much closer to the feel of an Elise than the mk2 mr2 was.

Leave some budget aside to get a decent exhaust and induction kit to give a bit more personality (standard sound like a corolla) and a set of springs / adjustable anti roll bars will transform it into a more precise toy if you can live with that upgrade for every day use?

Some of them have an LSD (MRS model) but with only 140 bhp not sure if you will notice on the road.

Drive one and see what you think, plenty available at sensible
Money.

Wow, I had no idea the MR2 Mk3 was so highly rated. I mean, looks wise it's a little bland, but I can deal with that if it's got handling and performance akin to the Elise. I've seen quite a few around at very reasonable prices. This would leave me with cash and the possibility of trading in for an S2 Elise (which I would ideally own) at a later date should I wish. More time to save too!

Edited by Biccaroo on Thursday 28th April 10:50

Yep, #46 in Evo's Top 100 Driver's Cars a year or two back, IIRC, not that it means that much necessarily.

BTW, all UK Mk3 MR2s have LSDs. It was the imported Jap MRSs where the LSD was not standard but an option.

[sebhaque]

Been said before, but a Westfield?


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2752947.htm

[Herman Toothrot]

Lordbenny said:

£6000 will get you a ropey one or a cat D. I would recommend that you dont spend less than £7500 on a VX220.

Agreed, a couple of years ago they dipped in value but these days you need that much as a minimum to get a car thats not been written off.

As a guide my VX220 was written off last month, it was a 2002 on 55,000miles and insurance company paid out £8500.

[Disco You]

How has a thread on PH about sports cars gone this long without someone suggesting an MX-5? £6k could get you a tidy turbo mk2.

[kambites]

Disco You said:

How has a thread on PH about sports cars gone this long without someone suggesting an MX-5? £6k could get you a tidy turbo mk2.

It hasn't, at least two people have.

[Herman Toothrot]

RobM77 said:

I was actually going to buy a mk3 MR2 before I got my Elise; I compared the two directly.

I was going to get one before getting my VX220, the VX220 is a far superior car in every department and so I forked out the extra, well worth it.

However after my recent accident (got side swipped by a people carrier in my VX220, he looked over the top of me. A year before I'd also had someone reverse into it when stationary as "it was too low" ) I have decided to go cheaper and bigger; taller more specifically for road cars and so went and bought a Mk3 MR2, a facelifted 6 speed manual. Looks like a tank parked where my VX220 used to be, also feels like one, however now i'm getting used to it. It is indeed a good little car - just not in the same league as VX/Elises. Half the price for the same age car and 6 insurance groups lower though.

• Mrs much prefers the MR2 to the VX due to ease of getting in and out of it, light steering, quick roof, doesn't feel worried every lorry or 4x4 may just drive over the top of her. etc

[RobM77]

kambites said:

Disco You said:

How has a thread on PH about sports cars gone this long without someone suggesting an MX-5? £6k could get you a tidy turbo mk2.

It hasn't, at least two people have.

The MX5 is a natural choice for this price, but if the OP wants a junior Elise, the MR2 is much more suited to the job.

[T66ORA]

Slightly modded MGTF 160
K-Series....same as Elise
Mid Engined....Same as Elise
4 Pot AP Racing Calipers and 304mm Discs
Double wish bone suspension...same as Elise
Add in X-Power/Eibach springs and shocks, and widen the rear track slightly.
c 175/177 bhp (sports exhaust, induction, and re-map only)...better power to weight than Elise (0-60 around 6.5 secs)
More so with some sensible weight savings, decent sticky Toyo tyres, wider on the back of course. There we have it, a very underestimated car, which keeps up with our TVRs on spirited runs, all for around 3/4k in the above spec.
BUT.......its a MG so it must be st

[jdw1234]

Cheap as chips Eunos /MX5 (or nothing right now) and then save up to get the car you really want.

[T66ORA]

Just reading some other posts, I drive the wifes facelifted MR2 roadster, 16" wheels, 6 speed ect, the modded TF will walk all over it in standard spec, the ride is better though, not sure how relevant that is in a weekend toy?

[kambites]

T66ORA said:

Just reading some other posts, I drive the wifes facelifted MR2 roadster, 16" wheels, 6 speed ect, the modded TF will walk all over it in standard spec, the ride is better though, not sure how relevant that is in a weekend toy?

Define "walk all over it"?

Besides, comparing a heavily modified car to a standard one is always a bit misleading. You could do much the same things to an MR2 if you wanted to.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 28th April 11:57

[T66ORA]

kambites said:

Define "walk all over it"?

Besides, comparing a heavily modified car to a standard one is always a bit misleading. You could do much the same things to an MR2 if you wanted to.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 28th April 11:57

Its not heavily modded really, my lad wanted a Elise or VX the same as the OP, add in the purchase cost and insurance and its a non starter for a few more years.
The TF is a great compromise, trust me, don`t get me wrong it`s not in the same leauge as a Elise through the twistys, but what is? I feel i have a bit of experience with powerful RWD cars, but the TF leaves me in the MR2, round the bends and certainly on the straights. The cheeky git had a play with a 993 TARGA
and was closer than you would imagine, the driver joked at the next lights, asking, what fk you done to that Shopping around all the mods have cost around £1200, plus the car bought is a flip flop purple, one of only 45 made by MG
its good little car.

[RobM77]

T66ORA said:

kambites said:

Define "walk all over it"?

Besides, comparing a heavily modified car to a standard one is always a bit misleading. You could do much the same things to an MR2 if you wanted to.

Edited by kambites on Thursday 28th April 11:57

Its not heavily modded really, my lad wanted a Elise or VX the same as the OP, add in the purchase cost and insurance and its a non starter for a few more years.
The TF is a great compromise, trust me, don`t get me wrong it`s not in the same leauge as a Elise through the twistys, but what is? I feel i have a bit of experience with powerful RWD cars, but the TF leaves me in the MR2, round the bends and certainly on the straights. The cheeky git had a play with a 993 TARGA
and was closer than you would imagine, the driver joked at the next lights, asking, what fk you done to that Shopping around all the mods have cost around £1200, plus the car bought is a flip flop purple, one of only 45 made by MG
its good little car.

Just my opinion, but I really didn't like the TF160 that I drove, and I rate the MR2 much higher as a driver's car. Just my thoughts though. Performance is another matter though. On another note, the MG's boot is huge compared with the MR2's (well, the storage boxes anyway!).

[DeadMeat_UK]

sebhaque said:

Been said before, but a Westfield?


http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2752947.htm

^^^ This

[p4cks]

You can get a decent VX220 for £6k. You just have to be patient, lucky and quick.

I'd hold out for one instead of getting something only becasuse it was widely available. You will only regret it.

[Wadeski]

Mk1 MR2 supercharged?

[Biccaroo]

It doesn't necessarily have to be the same 'type' of car as the Elise, but I am intrigued by the Mk3 MR2 and - of course - the MX-5 (probably a Mk2). A friend of mine has suggested an Integra Type-R. another good shout considering it's one of the finest front-wheel drive cars of the last 20 years.

I'm basically after a car that has handling, pace, usability and reliability. Not many cars succesfully pull that off for under 6k, but I've liked the suggestions so far.

Edited by Biccaroo on Thursday 28th April 14:31

[RobM77]

Biccaroo said:

It doesn't necessarily have to be the same 'type' of car as the Elise, but I am intrigued by the Mk2 MR2 and - of course - the MX-5 (probably a Mk2). A friend of mine has suggested an Integra Type-R. another good shout considering it's one of the finest front-wheel drive cars of the last 20 years.

I'm basically after a car that has handling, pace, usability and reliability. Not many cars succesfully pull that off for under £6k, but I've liked the suggestions so far.

All are good choices. By the way, if you buy a mk3 MR2 get ready to have the piss taken out of you by your mates. They don't know what they're talking about of course (they're great cars), but any open top car that's not an Elise/Caterham or that doesn't have a burbling V8 gets an awful lot of 'hairdresser' and 'gay' comments. Sad, but true.

[Gogoplata]

Biccaroo said:

It doesn't necessarily have to be the same 'type' of car as the Elise, but I am intrigued by the Mk2 MR2 and - of course - the MX-5 (probably a Mk2). A friend of mine has suggested an Integra Type-R. another good shout considering it's one of the finest front-wheel drive cars of the last 20 years.

I'm basically after a car that has handling, pace, usability and reliability. Not many cars succesfully pull that off for under £6k, but I've liked the suggestions so far.

M100 Elan? Get the ECU chipped and you'll get 200+bhp, great handling, much more comfortable and practical for day to day use & a sizable boot for a sports car.