Budget weekend toy - £5k
Budget weekend toy - £5k
Author
Discussion

Fiisch

Original Poster:

275 posts

146 months

Wednesday
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I turn 40 next year, and faced with the depressing realisation life has pushed me down a boring car route....Getting the itch (again) for a weekend toy, purely for messing around in on a summer afternoon. Is there a better answer than a Clio 200 (or 182)?

I used to be cool (honest) - car history includes Impreza STI, Evo V, DS3 Racing and an FK2 Type R, all of which I loved. DS3R, good as it was, gearing was all wrong and notoriously poor reliability was a pain.

The hot hatches I used to lust after in my youth now seem to be available for relatively little money. Daily drivers are two EV SUVs (kids + bills + tax breaks) which are very functional but very dull.

I'd like something brisk, manual, potential to take on a track day (I live near Silverstone) and possibly a bit rare on the roads these days. Too much to ask for £5k?!

Josemartinez

88 posts

8 months

Wednesday
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I bought a 2009 R56 JCW a couple of years ago for around £4k, it was great fun. So would highly recommend.

Scootersp

3,758 posts

206 months

732NM

9,243 posts

33 months

Yesterday (00:58)
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Scootersp said:
You can say that again, what a weird suggestion. biglaugh

Stuart70

4,092 posts

201 months

Yesterday (05:34)
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A few suggestions…

Mini R53, mx5, Clio 182 or 200 (not the later auto one!), Fiesta ST.
I have had all of the and the are all fun and have character.

Suzuki swift gets a good name. Last model mr2 if you don’t need any practicality.

Vauxhall Corsa, Astra are usually great value due to image; if you can live with the image.

Belle427

10,956 posts

251 months

Yesterday (06:25)
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Mk5 or 6 Gti, a remap will really liven them up.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202508175...

Mirinjawbro

865 posts

82 months

Yesterday (08:39)
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Also on for this. Although as big engine as possible for me.

Scootersp

3,758 posts

206 months

Yesterday (09:41)
quotequote all
732NM said:
You can say that again, what a weird suggestion. biglaugh
brisk? maybe depends how you define that, manual yes, what can't be taken on the track, I'd say they are rare'ish in the road and in budget (with a few of the known issues recently fixed) it's even RWD which from his history he's not had and I'd argue makes a more interesting track car.

So left field yes but fits the brief below, what's your less weird suggestion, where would your £5k go?

Fiisch said:
I'd like something brisk, manual, potential to take on a track day (I live near Silverstone) and possibly a bit rare on the roads these days. Too much to ask for £5k?!

Scootersp

3,758 posts

206 months

Yesterday (09:53)
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Autotrader >250bhp, manual, price £2.5-£5K only yields 56 results, that has fwd rwd and 4x4 options and quite a wide (wierd! biggrin) mix

samoht

6,706 posts

164 months

Yesterday (09:59)
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I'd definitely be thinking two-seat roadster for pure fun.

MX-5 or MR2 are the obvious ones. Could get a Boxster for that, but will need more maintenance. MGF is a less fashionable possibility.

732NM

9,243 posts

33 months

Yesterday (09:59)
quotequote all
Scootersp said:
732NM said:
You can say that again, what a weird suggestion. biglaugh
brisk? maybe depends how you define that, manual yes, what can't be taken on the track, I'd say they are rare'ish in the road and in budget (with a few of the known issues recently fixed) it's even RWD which from his history he's not had and I'd argue makes a more interesting track car.

So left field yes but fits the brief below, what's your less weird suggestion, where would your £5k go?

Fiisch said:
I'd like something brisk, manual, potential to take on a track day (I live near Silverstone) and possibly a bit rare on the roads these days. Too much to ask for £5k?!
Not on that massive lump that would cost you a fortune if you showed it a race circuit.

Pop down to the next track day and have a look at what people are using, have a chat with owners about running costs and fun per £ would be a good start.

Jez m

835 posts

213 months

Yesterday (11:00)
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I'm looking for a fun / track car at the moment around this budget. Have narrowed it down to a F56 Mini Cooper S (2.0l B48 engine) after having driven a friends Mini on track at Bedford. Really enjoyed it, great handling car and a lot more 'go' than I was expecting.

rotaryjam

683 posts

119 months

Yesterday (11:25)
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Alfa GTV 3.0 - way better than you'd imagine, sound glorious
RX8 - not driven one but they are supposed to handle well and have that unique rotary
Golf R32 - a ropey one is just about in budget. Another glorious engine note
MR MK3 - great fun, really nice handling, crap engine, scary on motorways..

GTI6 is a really good shout as someone else mentioned. Always seemed to be in the shadow of the Clio's but a fantastic car.



Edited by rotaryjam on Thursday 9th October 11:36

Frimley111R

17,613 posts

252 months

Yesterday (11:43)
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rotaryjam said:
MR MK3 - great fun, really nice handling, crap engine, scary on motorways..

Edited by rotaryjam on Thursday 9th October 11:36
Assume you mean MR2? If so not scary on the motorway and engine is fine. It feels nippy if not quick, great handling. A late one will have A/C too but check the roof as these can start cracking, although a replacement is only about £350 IIRC

venster70

88 posts

56 months

Yesterday (11:58)
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Surely you could get a decent 6 cylinder Z3/Z4 for that money.

They have a relatively low bork factor on the whole.

Jamescrs

5,530 posts

83 months

Yesterday (12:28)
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Cheap cars for track days is something me and my mates have been doing for the last 10 years, and I would say the most popular thing is a Renault Clio Spot of some variation, they are generally the most popular thing under 5k.

MX-5's are still doing the rounds as are MR2's but they seem to be a lot less common recently.

R53 Mini's are a decent option too for the novelty of the Supercharger, I currently have one but I would say for out and out performance the Clio's are just better and it's where i'd be putting my money.

A cheap Boxster is a money pit, i've been there too.

If I was going for a 2 seater convertible i'd be going for a 3 litre Z4 but I prefer a hatchback

Josemartinez

88 posts

8 months

Yesterday (12:37)
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[quote=rotaryjam]Alfa GTV 3.0 - way better than you'd imagine, sound glorious

Not sure it fits the brief but rotaryjam's comment made me look at Alfa's and I think this looks fantastic, plus as they say you're not a true petrolhead until you've owned an Alfa.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509196...

rotaryjam

683 posts

119 months

Yesterday (13:14)
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Frimley111R said:
Assume you mean MR2? If so not scary on the motorway and engine is fine. It feels nippy if not quick, great handling. A late one will have A/C too but check the roof as these can start cracking, although a replacement is only about £350 IIRC
Sorry yes.

Maybe mine wasn't right but it was that combination of light weight (particularly over the front) and quick steering which makes it feel very unplanted at speed.

Driving down the highest motorway in the UK with high wind in my MK3 MR2 I was sweating!

soad

34,096 posts

194 months

Yesterday (13:49)
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Josemartinez said:
Not sure it fits the brief but rotaryjam's comment made me look at Alfa's and I think this looks fantastic, plus as they say you're not a true petrolhead until you've owned an Alfa.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202509196...
That’s a GM engine. And you’re quoting Jeremy Clarkson.

AB

18,755 posts

213 months

Yesterday (14:03)
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venster70 said:
Surely you could get a decent 6 cylinder Z3/Z4 for that money.

They have a relatively low bork factor on the whole.
Yeah, a Z4 3.0 would be a good shout with that budget.