Cheap winter ride with some petrolhead dignity?

[A500leroy]

DRVR said:

Isn't the Ford Cougar very unreliable?

Probe I fear for parts availability in Europe. I'm sure in the U.S. is no problem.

Omega is a bit too big and also probably not cheap to run? Are they reliable?

What is a manata?

manta sorry.

[DRVR]

A500leroy said:

manta sorry.

Oh alright. But that is much on the too old side.

[DRVR]

These seem to be the options available here within budget, which have some redeeming character IMO. This is for running cars in driving condition, and not project cars, accident cars etc.

Celica T200

Hyundai Coupe 1996-2001

Ford Cougar

Opel Tigra

The Ford Puma, not surprisingly is over budget while there are plenty of Tigras within budget. That Ford cult thing.

I left out some which although within budget I couldn't care less for, or are either unreliable, or have expensive parts.

I think the Cougar is probably the most boring. I read conflicting reports on reliability too.

Tigra is not my style at all. But I hear it's fun.

Celica T200 is a little on the blend side. But at least it seems to be a good car. Being Toyota it's probably reliable. But can it bring the thrills? I hear not.

Hyundai Coupe is not the loved last generation. But actually I quite like the twin round lights ones. It has a lot of character in a time cars are blend corporate drones. Looks is in the eyes of the beholder. But I think the twin round lights one has aged better than the early one, which screams 90's IMO and is more blend. I read reports they are fun to drive, good suspension tuned by Porsche and reliable. O course not fast. But if it's fun this is what matters here.

Ford Puma. Seems like it would be the most fun. I was surprised to find it is actually larger than I thought. Time has past and you barely see them on the street. So any image it had from its heyday probably means nothing now. Although I'm not sure what image it had, if any. The Tigra had a bit of a chav or hairdresser image as I remember. Main problem with the Puma is the price. Good ones are more than double the budget. Damn Ford cult. LOL.

So this seems to be it so far.

[DRVR]

Ok, Celica and Cougar eliminated. Drove them yesterday. Nothing special and since the looks are at the bottom of the list, not much reason to go for it. The Cougar especially is a total bore. The Celica, if it was the GT-Four it would probably be different. But can't find that in budget and they are all RHD anyway, which is a no go. Tigra was never really on the run. I can't see myself in one.

So it seems it will be between the Ford Puma and Hyundai Coupe. In looks, for me, the Coupe wins. The Puma has that cute thing going on, which I don't really need. And is smaller all around, giving it a chubby look. The Ford Racing version looks really good though, but only made for the UK. I think there was never a LHD version of it. Pity.

[DRVR]

So I drove a Hyundai Coupe. What a surprising experience to say the least. The unfairness that a plastic badge can bring to a car.

Now I have to find a Ford Puma to test drive and decide on what to hunt down.

[flatso]

Another shout for the Civic coupe and the Prelude.
Mazda MX6 with that small compact V6, there was a 323 with the V6 as well.
Citroen C5 with the waftastic oleopneumatic suspension.

[DRVR]

ninjag said:

£1k (or €) opens up a little more:

Toyota MR2 2.0 GT Coupe 2dr Petrol Manual (158 bhp) 0-60 = 7.7s
Toyota Celica 1.8 190 3dr 0-60 = 7.4s
BMW 3 Series 3.0 330Ci Sport 2dr 0-60 = 6.5s
Mazda RX-8 1.3 4dr 0-60 = 6.4s

I know you said open top is out but... Saab 9-3 2.0 T Aero 2dr Convertible

I seem to have missed or overlooked a couple of replies.

MR2 for that price here will be beaten to death.

Drove a Celica and found it boring somehow. This was the twin round lights one.

An old 3 series BMW is everything but reliable in my experience.

RX8 and reliable should never be even written on the same page.

[DRVR]

keith2.2 said:

are RX-8's really a grand now? Zut alors.

Off the top of my head;

Honda Prelude
Honda Civic Coupe
Mondeo ST
Have any Vauxhall Calibras not been crashed / rusted yet?
Rover 216 or 220T coupe (tomcat) - if they still exist
Vauxhall Omega (perhaps not wholly PH but get a V6 and they can be a laugh - for a barge)
Has anyone said Mazda MX-3 / MX-6?

Never drove a Prelude. I could try. But something tells me it will be similar to the Celica, which I found boring. Not to mention there has never been a Prelude I liked the look since the pop up lights one. But that is too old by now.

Isn't the Civic a hatchback? I don't want hatchbacks. Or which Civic do you mean? Also find nothing appealing on it. Remember about it needing to have some redeeming factors? Either look good, or great sporty engine or something.

Omega, not looking for a barge.

Calibra, yes probably rusted. But never liked it. Here all of them had like body kits and all chaved up.

Rover, no appeal

Mondeo ST is interesting, but doubt I can get them here within budget. It's a ford and people go full stupid for old fords for some reason. The prices are stupidly high for old fords and i just refuse to pay.

I have driven a MX6 a while back. Was it only the old I drove which felt soft, lethargic and overall not sporty at all to match the looks? Looks also didn't age as well as some of the othr cars of that era such as the Puma, Hyundai Coupe, MX-3.

MX-3 is interesting for sure. I think the style has aged well. I think I like it more now than I seem to remember liking it when it was new. I remember it had a hairdresser car reputation of sorts. Today you basically never see them anymore. The style looks nice today still. The thing is, if going for something that small and cute, is there a whole lot of reason to go for a MX-3 over a Ford Puma? It seems the Puma, if you go by the great reputation it had for handling, would be a more fun ride. It seems at least as reliable and not more prone to rust than the MX-3 too? I think if one cares about it would also appreciate way more than the MX-3? I see the Puma as a future classic. Not sure about the MX-3. Although that last part is just throw away talk. Not worrying about that. But since we are comparing the 2...

Edited by DRVR on Sunday 9th December 23:48

[DRVR]

flatso said:

Another shout for the Civic coupe and the Prelude.
Mazda MX6 with that small compact V6, there was a 323 with the V6 as well.
Citroen C5 with the waftastic oleopneumatic suspension.

C5 is interesting. But this far in the process I have come to lean more towards sporty 2 door and smaller cars. I think it will be more fun and I don't have any special needs for 4 doors.

I think the only 323 V6 was the 323F? If so, I had looked into it.