Fun to drive

[ChrisH72]

I'm wondering what the term 'fun to drive' means to the people of this forum?

At the moment I feel a bit stuck with cars. My current car is an mx5 and before that I had a Fiesta ST. Both of those are widely regarded as being amongst the most fun to drive you can get. And yet, as much as I respect what they can do I'm increasingly finding my day to day driving less fun than I think I should. These cars do come with compromises in daily driving, especially with the kind of journeys I find myself doing on the roads where I live. It feels like that level of fun may only be available in certain circumstances which don't present themselves very often.

Our family car is an old Hyundai ix20 mpv with a 1.4 petrol engine. It should in theory be dreadfully dull. But that little engine is sweet and willing, the gear change is nice and I do actually find the rolly poly handling a bit of a laugh. Am I going insane?!

Sometimes I think I should just get a small, low powered car that needs working to get the best from it. I do like a petrol engine and a manual gearbox but I'm not sure that performance and pin sharp handling are the key to fun driving anymore. Power seems largely a waste of time as you can't use it. Same with a honed chassis and rwd balance because I can't remember the last time I cornered that hard and I've certainly not had the tail out in the Mazda.

I don't know. I find myself reading great reviews of cars like the new Swift 1.2 and how refreshing it is. It won't be cramped inside, it won't ride harshly, the controls will be light and easy. Nobody will want to steal it or direct road rage at it. Its simple and honest and you could probably give it a damn good thrashing on the commute without getting into trouble. But could I really go there? Not sure.

So what makes your drive fun?

Power, handling, luxury, prestige? Driving a shed perhaps? Or are there others who secretly like small, cheap cars that can't pull the skin off a rice pudding?

I'm genuinely interested.

[Caddyshack]

I always find that changing between car types keeps the fun alive, sometimes I drive our Mini Cooper, other times a big Rangie. I have a fast 205 and a 944 so find pleasures and fun from all. I also found big bikes are more fun.

I agree that driving a small and slow car fast can be the best fun. I would have counted an MX5 in that to be honest although it’s not really slow but revvy engine in light chassis is part of the appeal.

[CABC]

You’re not insane, but right on the money imo
Ideal is to have a fleet though, and especially a comfortable daily. Fun can be tiresome after a while.
A fleet with variety and contrast is a joy, and not necessarily too expensive.

[ChrisH72]

Caddyshack said:

I agree that driving a small and slow car fast can be the best fun. I would have counted an MX5 in that to be honest although it s not really slow but revvy engine in light chassis is part of the appeal.

That's mostly why I wanted an mx5. In reality the engine is okay. The gearbox is okay once its warmed up although I'm not sure why it's so revered in the motoring press, but it's fine. I find it's quick enough that you can only rev it so much before you're stuck behind yet another Qashqai and slow enough that everyone drives up your chuff and is keen to demonstrate how much faster their car is when the road opens up. It goes round roundabouts about the same as any other car does at 30mph. It's a bit hard work getting in and out. The cabin is pretty tight and I'm not the biggest bloke. Sounds like I hate it which of course I don't. It does look good and everyone is always impressed by the foldy roof! I just don't think I've gelled with it as much as I'd hoped.

Maybe it just is time for a change.

[Caddyshack]

This just reminded me of the joy of driving a 7.5ton heavy and underpowered empty horse lorry. It’s almost like doing a track day within the speed limit as you have to conserve speed, plan ahead and corners feel like it’s going to tip over…you have to change gear the whole time and have a very narrow power band….as above, it becomes tiresome but once every month or so if great fun.

[CABC]

ChrisH72 said:

It goes round roundabouts about the same as any other car does at 30mph.

Something’s wrong.

[Kawasicki]

I suspect it’s the roads you’re driving on. I noticed decades back that I had more fun driving a slow, basic car on normal roads, with traffic, police, etc. than something faster.

[Belle427]

Maybe its cars that stick in the memory you always think about going back to, for me out of all the cars I have owned its the NA MX5 even though its a bit of a running joke here.
I bought it as a project for £900 as it had been parked up with engine half out for years, set about putting it back together with all standard parts and tidying it up and it owed me roughly £2800 at the end of it.
Just a cracking little car you could rag around with little care.
I still look for another to pop up.

Edited by Belle427 on Wednesday 4th March 07:04

[Andy86GT]

My GT86 is really fun to drive.
There are some great roads near me, one resembles a hill climb with good sight lines, I still have the Primacy tyres so you can feel it moving about at legal speeds.
My daily is an X1 PHEV that's 'faster', especially on acceleration, but nowhere near as much fun

[dontlookdown]

You can have lots of fun in a small, light car with skinny tyres, a willing engine and not much power.

And all at minimal risk to life and licence, too.

[Xcore]

If you can find engagement out of an mx5, a motorbike is the next step!

[Monkeylegend]

dontlookdown said:

You can have lots of fun in a small, light car with skinny tyres, a willing engine and not much power.

And all at minimal risk to life and licence, too.

That was my Marina in the late 80's, had lots of fun in that car before the boot decided to part ways with the rest of the body due to rust.

Had two V8 TVR's and had less fun in them so they only lasted a couple of years and not many miles driven.

[NDA]

ChrisH72 said:

I
So what makes your drive fun?

Power, handling, luxury, prestige? Driving a shed perhaps? Or are there others who secretly like small, cheap cars that can't pull the skin off a rice pudding?

I'm genuinely interested.

I think it changes over time. When I look back at some of my cars, in order or purchase, over the years - it's been power and then luxury and then a combination of both.

Underpowered cars have limited appeal - I do long European road trips in the summer and then mostly main roads (rather than twisty, fast country roads) here at home. Being in a car that needs thrashing all the time is tiresome.

[LightningBlue]

If you’re using the MX-5 as a commuter on dull and congested roads it’ll probably be a bit annoying as something with more luxuries is better for that role. Best to save it for weekend road trips on great driving roads if you can.

I had a Mini Cooper S Coupe which was the most fun car I’ve ever owned - the thing stuck like glue on twisty B roads and had the perfect amount of power so you could rev it out and overtake the Qashqai brigade. I sold it because I also sold my daily car and didn't fancy driving the Mini everyday, but actually now I walk or cycle to work most days so that was pointless. That’s the only car I’ve had that I’d take out just for a thrash. I’d expect the MX-5 to be quite similar for fun level, but it has the advantage of RWD.

I have a Mk3 TT 2.0 petrol now, and that’s fun in a different way - it’s not as enjoyable on tight and bumpy B roads as the Mini was, but on more open and twisty roads it’s very good, especially now it has a new set of ContiSport 7s fitted. With that car it’s refined for boring commutes but is capable of fun on the right roads.

You should get your MX-5 on a roadtrip as the weather improves