What car for cheap thrills?
Discussion
Gazboy said:
DanBoy said:
Toad Ai600 - Cat 1.
Aha! I've got a fecking stupid Toad alarm- how the hell do you fill the car up with a passenger inside the car without the alarm going off?
Clifford do a much better cat1 alarm for similar dosh.
I've got one of those Toad Ai600 things in the '33,& I'mnot impressed with it either.Internal sensors (when I can get 'em to set)will only work if a gale is blowing thru the car.-as proved by feckin' breakin last year.
>> Edited by tuttle on Monday 24th January 09:57
Right, Direct Line (they of £700 X1/9 quote fame) have quoted me £1070 for a MK1 MR2 (non-T-bar).
Thing is, I know that, firstly, I wouldn't use Direct Line - they are a rip off, but they do offer an online instant quote service, which gives me a general idea as to where the trends are in the mainstream insurance markets.
Secondly, once I know what I want I'll join the owner's club and go through their specialist insurance scheme, which will probably use a company like Lancaster, Firebond or Adrian Flux. Again, this, I know, will bring the price down (I reckon the X1/9 will be down in the £400-£500 bracket by now).
I will still keep my eye on the kit cars, simply because, given docevi1's experience with favourable quotes on his Marlin, it would seem to be a way of driving an unusual car without the sports car insurance premium outlay. Not sure what the milage limitations are like on them though, and most kit cars are convertibles. Still, like I said, if the right one comes along at the right price, I'm in.
Anyone got any idea of what an MR2 MK1 would be like for me to insure through the owner's club scheme? I tried going on their website but they won't even let me look at the home page unless I'm a paid-up member (cliquey lot aren't they?).
Thing is, I know that, firstly, I wouldn't use Direct Line - they are a rip off, but they do offer an online instant quote service, which gives me a general idea as to where the trends are in the mainstream insurance markets.
Secondly, once I know what I want I'll join the owner's club and go through their specialist insurance scheme, which will probably use a company like Lancaster, Firebond or Adrian Flux. Again, this, I know, will bring the price down (I reckon the X1/9 will be down in the £400-£500 bracket by now).
I will still keep my eye on the kit cars, simply because, given docevi1's experience with favourable quotes on his Marlin, it would seem to be a way of driving an unusual car without the sports car insurance premium outlay. Not sure what the milage limitations are like on them though, and most kit cars are convertibles. Still, like I said, if the right one comes along at the right price, I'm in.
Anyone got any idea of what an MR2 MK1 would be like for me to insure through the owner's club scheme? I tried going on their website but they won't even let me look at the home page unless I'm a paid-up member (cliquey lot aren't they?).
I paid elephant £700ish for insuring my MK1 MR2, daily drive, 1 NCB, when I was 22 (last year, dont want to sound too old!). Online quote facility is great, just dont expect to use the phone!
I never had any dealings with the club insurance scheme, cos I thought that elephant were good enough.
I still recommend the MR2. Great fun in standard, and then once a decent NCB is built up, there are 3 engine conversions I can think of. Supercharging the current one, the 20v I mentioned earlier, or a company in Durham will fit a 3S-GTE lump out of the MK2 Turbo (dont know about cost). 245BHP in a 925kg car!
As for a kit car, there was an unfinished Locost with donor car (2.0 Sierra) sell for £800 on ebay last week. I fancied it myself, but not as a daily drive. Do you think 'school Run Mum' in her X5 would see a Locost that low down in the rush hour?
I never had any dealings with the club insurance scheme, cos I thought that elephant were good enough.
I still recommend the MR2. Great fun in standard, and then once a decent NCB is built up, there are 3 engine conversions I can think of. Supercharging the current one, the 20v I mentioned earlier, or a company in Durham will fit a 3S-GTE lump out of the MK2 Turbo (dont know about cost). 245BHP in a 925kg car!
As for a kit car, there was an unfinished Locost with donor car (2.0 Sierra) sell for £800 on ebay last week. I fancied it myself, but not as a daily drive. Do you think 'school Run Mum' in her X5 would see a Locost that low down in the rush hour?
v8thunder said:
Anyone got any idea of what an MR2 MK1 would be like for me to insure through the owner's club scheme? I tried going on their website but they won't even let me look at the home page unless I'm a paid-up member (cliquey lot aren't they?).
The MR2DC use Dorset Insurance - it might be worth ringing them, they'll quote you as if you are a dc member, then obviously you need to add membership cost to the quote (about £35 i think).
Be prepared to bend over and get lubed up though - they quoted me £4700 on the MRT!
I think they are a lot friendlier for the non Turbo stuff though.
Well, it would be a non-turbo MK1 1600 MR2 - no turbos, no mods, no nothing. It sounds like both the MR2 and X1/9 owner's club deals are good deals TBH.
I've been completely put off the Porsche 924. The styling doesn't do much for me (looked best as the 968), there's not much you can do to the engine, insurance is high because of the badge, and the inside is more VW than Porsche.
I'll look at the owner's clubs and insurance closer to the time, but at the moment it looks like Toyota MR2 twin-cam 16 (with a view to adding a supercharger) versus Fiat Bertone X1/9 1500 (with a view to adding the engine, brakes and gearbox from an Uno Turbo).
The kit cars will remain as a wild card - I can't really say 'I'm after one of those' because second-hand kit cars vary strongly in price and availability. All I can say is that it would be under two litres, a coupe, RWD and if possible a replica of something unusual/exotic.
As for the LoCost suggestion - I'd rather I didn't as it will be my only, day-to-day high-miles car, and you can't use a Seven in the rain, in high winds, to go shopping, on cold nights, parking in urban areas and so on.
I've been completely put off the Porsche 924. The styling doesn't do much for me (looked best as the 968), there's not much you can do to the engine, insurance is high because of the badge, and the inside is more VW than Porsche.
I'll look at the owner's clubs and insurance closer to the time, but at the moment it looks like Toyota MR2 twin-cam 16 (with a view to adding a supercharger) versus Fiat Bertone X1/9 1500 (with a view to adding the engine, brakes and gearbox from an Uno Turbo).
The kit cars will remain as a wild card - I can't really say 'I'm after one of those' because second-hand kit cars vary strongly in price and availability. All I can say is that it would be under two litres, a coupe, RWD and if possible a replica of something unusual/exotic.
As for the LoCost suggestion - I'd rather I didn't as it will be my only, day-to-day high-miles car, and you can't use a Seven in the rain, in high winds, to go shopping, on cold nights, parking in urban areas and so on.
Update - after browsing kit car ads for a while, it looks like the sort of kits I'm into that would be in my price range and cheaper to insure (though not faster, but never mind) are a mixture of GTM Rossa (forerunner of the GTM Libra, but Mini-based, Cooper upgrades can be used, Elise-like handling), or a series of Porsche replicas based on Volkswagens (so quite realistic really - again, engines can be easily upgraded to Golf GTi or even VR6) - mainly older 550A Spyder replicas and Covin 911s.
So, now it's down to X1/9, MR2, Rossa or VW-Porsche rep.
So, now it's down to X1/9, MR2, Rossa or VW-Porsche rep.
v8thunder said:
GTM Rossa (forerunner of the GTM Libra,
I had a Rossa K3 (with K-series 1.4 multi-point), which was great fun, dirt cheap to insure (£380 when I was 21).. very reliable too... but it did leak!
handling was generally good, although it was a little twitchy, and suffered from a bit of bump-steer...
you can upgrade the K3 with an MGF rear subframe, and indeed the 1.8VVC 160bhp trophy engine! poly-bushes and a hydraulic clutch... trophy brakes.. list goes on.. basically with some mods you can make it into a really solid and FAST car.. but it'll still leak
v8thunder said:
That RX7(Above) looks like a good deal to me.
Everyday thirst, insurance limitations, expensive specialist Rotary bits = no, I'm afraid
Don't know if you followed the link but it's a 2nd Gen TurboII model... Not massively thirsty, not as powerful as the 3rd gen. Longer engine life (120k +) and 'reasonable' insurance - less thank half that of a 3rd gen!
How did I miss this thread before. Anyway beware of MK1 MR2 engines. I got one and the engine went pop, sadako got one and the engine went pop, (another PHer...name escapes me) got one and it over heated and needed £?00 to fix and avoid the engine going pop.
I'd get one for £1000 less than your budget and recon on getting an engine from API for ~600 + 400 for fitting.
It is however the best handling car I have ever driven.
Just my thoughts
I'd get one for £1000 less than your budget and recon on getting an engine from API for ~600 + 400 for fitting.
It is however the best handling car I have ever driven.
Just my thoughts
Pierscoe1 said:
v8thunder said:
GTM Rossa (forerunner of the GTM Libra,
I had a Rossa K3 (with K-series 1.4 multi-point), which was great fun, dirt cheap to insure (£380 when I was 21).. very reliable too... but it did leak!
handling was generally good, although it was a little twitchy, and suffered from a bit of bump-steer...
you can upgrade the K3 with an MGF rear subframe, and indeed the 1.8VVC 160bhp trophy engine! poly-bushes and a hydraulic clutch... trophy brakes.. list goes on.. basically with some mods you can make it into a really solid and FAST car.. but it'll still leak
I am seriously warming to the Rossa right now. I'm a big fan of the Elise, the GTM Libra, the Phantom Vortex and so on, and those are the sort of cars I'm most likely to have in the future.
What appeals about the Rossa is that it's got Mini running costs, it doesn't rust, there's a hardtop that'll keep you warm and proper windows, luggage space (it'll do a week's shopping I suppose), it looks totally different to anything else anyone else might have, and the insurance - £380 you say? - well I'm definately in there.
Good think about it, I notice, is that you can't pick up a copy of Kit Car without finding about 10 adverts for them in there, all within a reasonable price range. Engine tuning is pretty unlimited, and I reckon their profile (and therefore price) will rise as GTM gains stature outside of the specialist car world with the Libra.
And the styling? Well, if Porsche had decided to have done the Boxster ten years earlier, it would've looked like this.
Actually, compared to this the Fiat looks like an unreliable rustbucket and the MR2, enigmatic though it is, seems to be a potentially expensive engine job waiting to happen.
I will keep an open mind, but the GTM Rossa is definately at the top of my list now.
For the uninitiated:
>> Edited by v8thunder on Wednesday 26th January 11:40
Suggestion from a mate of mine last night (who knows more about Japanese classics than I do) - what about a Datsun 280ZX? The last of the classic-'look' Z-cars, very cheap to buy compared to the others, reliable and apparently they do 25-30 mpg (as a non-turbo manual gearbox one, which is what I'd be after).
Anyone know anything more about the 280ZX?
Anyone know anything more about the 280ZX?
Well, I've always liked the classic Z-cars and although the 240Z and 260Z are attracting 'classic' prices, the 280ZX, despite not being quite as good-looking, has pretty much all their qualities, and is bound to attract interest as it gains age. With it being Japanese, normally aspirated and unstressed it's not going to break down so easily (only problem would probably be rust), the engine's a 2.8 litre straight-six that would eat my mates Golf in a straight line, it's probably not as thirsty as the Ford Capri equivalent (which isn't too bad anyway), and it's RWD and you don't see many. Can't imagine insurance being too bad, as it's not like Datsuns from 1980-1984 are on anyone's 'must steal' list, and most insurance companies would probably just see it as a cheap old banger.
Well, it's on the list then...
Well, it's on the list then...
www.carsurvey.org
Brilliant website, basically owner's reviews of just about every car every made, complete with the kinds of running costs you'll come across. All the 280ZX reviews give it 9/10 for running costs (only one much lower was a bloke who'd supercharged his only to have the gearbox fall to bits on him, so self-induced aby the sounds of things.)
I'll use it to check out some of the options and make my mind up then.
Edit:
Right, I've browsed carsurvey and the relevant kit sites and it looks like all my choices are a bit of a gamble (OK so what car isn't)
GTM Rossa:
Pros - probably the cheapest to insure and run day-to-day. Mini bits can be fixed at home, it won't rust, handles like an Elise.
Cons - Obscure (being a kit car and not a replica), usual kit car problems (leaks, quality up to owner), some bespoke parts that you will have trouble getting from Halfords (ie bodywork). Not that fast in standard tune.
Toyota MR2:
Pros - Handles like an exotic, reliable, economical, fast, '80s looks.
Cons - when they break they break in a big way - all the parts are really expensive. Also, insurance has the potential to be higher than the other choices.
Fiat X1/9:
Pros - probably the best-handling choice here, supermini running costs, good ride, off-the-shelf cheap parts.
Cons - absolutely everything on them breaks and they rust everywhere unless they've been kept in concours condition, in which case they'll be a silly price. Not that fast. I'd probably spend more money keeping the thing together than making upgrades.
Datsun 280ZX:
Pros - it's one hell of a looker (Classic Cars debadged one and left it in London - people thought it was a Ferrari), very reliable (the famous Top Gear pickup has identical running gear, and they couldn't kill that), insurance will treat it as an old banger, fast and noisy.
Cons - Probably the thirstiest here (averages at 28 mpg but that's pretty manageable), not exactly immune from rusting, rarely in the classifieds.
Right - anyone know different?
>> Edited by v8thunder on Thursday 27th January 19:03
Brilliant website, basically owner's reviews of just about every car every made, complete with the kinds of running costs you'll come across. All the 280ZX reviews give it 9/10 for running costs (only one much lower was a bloke who'd supercharged his only to have the gearbox fall to bits on him, so self-induced aby the sounds of things.)
I'll use it to check out some of the options and make my mind up then.
Edit:
Right, I've browsed carsurvey and the relevant kit sites and it looks like all my choices are a bit of a gamble (OK so what car isn't)
GTM Rossa:
Pros - probably the cheapest to insure and run day-to-day. Mini bits can be fixed at home, it won't rust, handles like an Elise.
Cons - Obscure (being a kit car and not a replica), usual kit car problems (leaks, quality up to owner), some bespoke parts that you will have trouble getting from Halfords (ie bodywork). Not that fast in standard tune.
Toyota MR2:
Pros - Handles like an exotic, reliable, economical, fast, '80s looks.
Cons - when they break they break in a big way - all the parts are really expensive. Also, insurance has the potential to be higher than the other choices.
Fiat X1/9:
Pros - probably the best-handling choice here, supermini running costs, good ride, off-the-shelf cheap parts.
Cons - absolutely everything on them breaks and they rust everywhere unless they've been kept in concours condition, in which case they'll be a silly price. Not that fast. I'd probably spend more money keeping the thing together than making upgrades.
Datsun 280ZX:
Pros - it's one hell of a looker (Classic Cars debadged one and left it in London - people thought it was a Ferrari), very reliable (the famous Top Gear pickup has identical running gear, and they couldn't kill that), insurance will treat it as an old banger, fast and noisy.
Cons - Probably the thirstiest here (averages at 28 mpg but that's pretty manageable), not exactly immune from rusting, rarely in the classifieds.
Right - anyone know different?
>> Edited by v8thunder on Thursday 27th January 19:03
IMHO, THE bargain rwd sports car:
MK1 TOYOTA MR2 SUPERHCHARGER (import)
A few available in UK
supercharged as standard making 145bhp, easy to get 180bhp+ with an oversize SC pulley (most SC's have them already). Mine's seen 0-60 in 6 secs at Santa Pod.
Mine cost exactly £2500 last year, has been great.
Seen scruffy ones for £2100 + going up to £4k for minters.
As reliable as any UK 1.6 mk1 but much faster and with aircon (if it works!) and the odd extra jap details).
Insurance: £300 TPFT when I was 24, will be 25 on renewal next month so may be cheaper. 'Classic' policy with Houghton Insurance with discount thru MR2 club, unlimited mileage.
Check links if ure interested to clubs and stuff from my little site: www.geocities.com/supermk1
BUY ONE TODAY. DOOO IT!
MK1 TOYOTA MR2 SUPERHCHARGER (import)
A few available in UK
supercharged as standard making 145bhp, easy to get 180bhp+ with an oversize SC pulley (most SC's have them already). Mine's seen 0-60 in 6 secs at Santa Pod.
Mine cost exactly £2500 last year, has been great.
Seen scruffy ones for £2100 + going up to £4k for minters.
As reliable as any UK 1.6 mk1 but much faster and with aircon (if it works!) and the odd extra jap details).
Insurance: £300 TPFT when I was 24, will be 25 on renewal next month so may be cheaper. 'Classic' policy with Houghton Insurance with discount thru MR2 club, unlimited mileage.
Check links if ure interested to clubs and stuff from my little site: www.geocities.com/supermk1
BUY ONE TODAY. DOOO IT!
Yeah, was £1800 but that was through Direct Line.
I'll be honest, I'm not that interested in the MK2 MR2 at this stage. I know you've had one but I've heard bad things about the handling and compared to the MK1 it all feels like a step backwards.
I'd have to try one myself to find out, but I'm not overly bothered.
I'll be honest, I'm not that interested in the MK2 MR2 at this stage. I know you've had one but I've heard bad things about the handling and compared to the MK1 it all feels like a step backwards.
I'd have to try one myself to find out, but I'm not overly bothered.
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