Discussion
At the start of 2026 I went all sensible and sold our Honda CR-V and Skoda Octavia vRS, replaced by a SEAT Alhambra and a Suzuki Ignis.
This proved to be a great decision in practical terms. The SEAT is so much more practical and useable than the Honda ever was, and we've already had it filled to the brim on several occasions with passengers, luggage or a combination of the two. It feels like the true successor to the mk4.5 Mondeo estate, whose shoes the CR-V could not successfully fill. Meanwhile, the Ignis has brought 60mpg economy and brilliantly compact nimble zippiness just as fuel prices jumped by 20p a litre.
As 2026 has progressed, it's all been quite wonderful, with each car doing its job brilliantly.
However, in recent weeks my petrolhead urges have become unbearable. There are a lot of fruity sounding cars where I live, and their owners seem to like giving them some exercise in the evenings. When I've been out in the garden at night, all sorts of musical sounds can be heard in the surrounding few miles—motorcycles howling up to what must be ridiculous speeds, a Clio 172 with a delightful induction bark, a 370Z with a loud but wonderfully tuneful exhaust. And there's the EP3 Civic Type-R who at about 10.20pm every weeknight can be heard sending it into the red.
The Alhambra is a serene cloud of a car. The Ignis is more involving and quite enjoyable to hustle. But it felt like something was missing, so I started looking around.
I quickly became entranced by the idea of a Honda S2000. You're looking at around £10k+ for a decent one now and they only seem to be going up and up. Then I saw a first generation Suzuki Swift Sport for £1500 which looked like it'd be a right giggle, but I've had plenty of front-wheel-drive hatches at this point so maybe not. Twingo RS also tempting but running costs could be a pain with the cambelt changes.
A few days later I was on Facebook Marketplace to put some stuff up for sale and discovered a listing for a mk3 MR2 of 2004 vintage not too far away from me. Having followed DannyDC2's adventures for a very long time on YouTube, I've absorbed a fair bit of knowledge about these cars. This one appeared to be well looked after mechanically, but with some paintwork issues. Lacquer peel and some rattle-can refreshes. I can live with the paint, I just want to drive it!
After a test drive and some brief pondering, the deal was done and I'm now a week and a bit into MR2 ownership. I had a mk1 a long time ago and this is bringing back some very similar feelings, though I never really got to know the mk1 very well as I only owned it for a few months in a very snowy winter. This one should stick around for longer, but with a potential house move on the cards for 2027, it will probably be the first thing to go if we need to free up some cash.
I'll do another post soon to talk about the driving experience, which has so far been very nourishing.
This proved to be a great decision in practical terms. The SEAT is so much more practical and useable than the Honda ever was, and we've already had it filled to the brim on several occasions with passengers, luggage or a combination of the two. It feels like the true successor to the mk4.5 Mondeo estate, whose shoes the CR-V could not successfully fill. Meanwhile, the Ignis has brought 60mpg economy and brilliantly compact nimble zippiness just as fuel prices jumped by 20p a litre.
As 2026 has progressed, it's all been quite wonderful, with each car doing its job brilliantly.
However, in recent weeks my petrolhead urges have become unbearable. There are a lot of fruity sounding cars where I live, and their owners seem to like giving them some exercise in the evenings. When I've been out in the garden at night, all sorts of musical sounds can be heard in the surrounding few miles—motorcycles howling up to what must be ridiculous speeds, a Clio 172 with a delightful induction bark, a 370Z with a loud but wonderfully tuneful exhaust. And there's the EP3 Civic Type-R who at about 10.20pm every weeknight can be heard sending it into the red.
The Alhambra is a serene cloud of a car. The Ignis is more involving and quite enjoyable to hustle. But it felt like something was missing, so I started looking around.
I quickly became entranced by the idea of a Honda S2000. You're looking at around £10k+ for a decent one now and they only seem to be going up and up. Then I saw a first generation Suzuki Swift Sport for £1500 which looked like it'd be a right giggle, but I've had plenty of front-wheel-drive hatches at this point so maybe not. Twingo RS also tempting but running costs could be a pain with the cambelt changes.
A few days later I was on Facebook Marketplace to put some stuff up for sale and discovered a listing for a mk3 MR2 of 2004 vintage not too far away from me. Having followed DannyDC2's adventures for a very long time on YouTube, I've absorbed a fair bit of knowledge about these cars. This one appeared to be well looked after mechanically, but with some paintwork issues. Lacquer peel and some rattle-can refreshes. I can live with the paint, I just want to drive it!
After a test drive and some brief pondering, the deal was done and I'm now a week and a bit into MR2 ownership. I had a mk1 a long time ago and this is bringing back some very similar feelings, though I never really got to know the mk1 very well as I only owned it for a few months in a very snowy winter. This one should stick around for longer, but with a potential house move on the cards for 2027, it will probably be the first thing to go if we need to free up some cash.
I'll do another post soon to talk about the driving experience, which has so far been very nourishing.
Great cars, really pleasurable to own and drive. Very different to the mk1 IMO, the mk1 is heavier and less agile, but I preferred the 4age to the 1zz. That said mine had the 2zz-ge for the bulk of my 5 years ownership.
I'm sure you know the pain points but it's basically rear subframe corrosion and oil consumption indicating precat failure and bore scoring. Oh and lower steering UJ if there's any notchyness or vagueness in the steering.
Enjoy!
I'm sure you know the pain points but it's basically rear subframe corrosion and oil consumption indicating precat failure and bore scoring. Oh and lower steering UJ if there's any notchyness or vagueness in the steering.
Enjoy!
Bill said:
WeirdNeville said:
Great cars, really pleasurable to own and drive. Very different to the mk1 IMO, the mk1 is heavier and less agile, but I preferred the 4age to the 1zz.
MK2, no?? MK1 is very slightly lighter and a very similar experience to the MK3 IME.MR2 Steve said:
Great cars. I have 2 of them. Amazing value for money for the fun they offer.
Yours looks to have had a new soft top? Also the exhaust tip looks non standard. Can't tell if it's just a tip or might have had an backbox change.
Yep it's had a new roof which is still in good nick and it went in for an exhaust a few days after picking it up so it has now found its voice.Yours looks to have had a new soft top? Also the exhaust tip looks non standard. Can't tell if it's just a tip or might have had an backbox change.
WeirdNeville said:
Bill said:
WeirdNeville said:
Great cars, really pleasurable to own and drive. Very different to the mk1 IMO, the mk1 is heavier and less agile, but I preferred the 4age to the 1zz.
MK2, no?? MK1 is very slightly lighter and a very similar experience to the MK3 IME.This mk3 feels lighter and changes direction more sharply than the mk1 ever did. And the 1ZZ feels torquey, but this is probably just its meaty mid range coupled with the car's light weight.
Either way, very pleasant to drive up to normal speeds. Start being silly and the wind noise alone is enough to make me ease off (with the roof up).
I've had the £1700 MR2 for a few weeks now. How's it going?
Well, it's been great fun and I've been driving it a lot more than I expected to! In 20+ years of motoring I have never felt any desire to own a convertible, yet with the MR2 a good 70% of my journeys in it have been with the top down. It helps that the roof is so easy to put up and down. The extra immersion in the world around you is great, and of course you get a wonderful surround-sound feeling when giving the engine a prod.
As you'd expect on a relatively lightweight car, it's the lightness that really defines the car's character. Setting off, it builds pace effortlessly even shifting at low revs. The 1ZZ feels much more torquey than I expected, with a refreshing amount of pull at lower revs. It lacks sparkle at the top end, which I suppose is where the 2ZZ comes in with it's 8,000rpm fizziness. As a third car whose only job is to provide amusement, though, it's great.
With the engine in the middle, it's the handling that is going to give my brain the biggest workout, which is just what I'm after. The suspension is composed and so far everything feels friendly, with just one little smear of a slide at low speed in the wet encountered so far. In the dry it feels completely locked in.
Last week the MR2 had a break while we took the Alhambra away on holiday. Getting back in the MR2 after a week of peaceful MPV wafting was an assault on the senses. The steering felt alive, the gearshift was meaty, the engine sounds were intensely mechanical, the wind noise and general NVH in the cabin seemed ridiculous and the car's directness and keenness to change direction were eye-opening. The immediate shock soon turned to smiles, though, as I adjusted back to MR2 life.
At one point I thought the MR2 would be saved for weekends and perhaps even tucked away for winter. There is no way I'm doing that now. I'll just need to keep the hose handy to wash the salt off...
Well, it's been great fun and I've been driving it a lot more than I expected to! In 20+ years of motoring I have never felt any desire to own a convertible, yet with the MR2 a good 70% of my journeys in it have been with the top down. It helps that the roof is so easy to put up and down. The extra immersion in the world around you is great, and of course you get a wonderful surround-sound feeling when giving the engine a prod.
As you'd expect on a relatively lightweight car, it's the lightness that really defines the car's character. Setting off, it builds pace effortlessly even shifting at low revs. The 1ZZ feels much more torquey than I expected, with a refreshing amount of pull at lower revs. It lacks sparkle at the top end, which I suppose is where the 2ZZ comes in with it's 8,000rpm fizziness. As a third car whose only job is to provide amusement, though, it's great.
With the engine in the middle, it's the handling that is going to give my brain the biggest workout, which is just what I'm after. The suspension is composed and so far everything feels friendly, with just one little smear of a slide at low speed in the wet encountered so far. In the dry it feels completely locked in.
Last week the MR2 had a break while we took the Alhambra away on holiday. Getting back in the MR2 after a week of peaceful MPV wafting was an assault on the senses. The steering felt alive, the gearshift was meaty, the engine sounds were intensely mechanical, the wind noise and general NVH in the cabin seemed ridiculous and the car's directness and keenness to change direction were eye-opening. The immediate shock soon turned to smiles, though, as I adjusted back to MR2 life.
At one point I thought the MR2 would be saved for weekends and perhaps even tucked away for winter. There is no way I'm doing that now. I'll just need to keep the hose handy to wash the salt off...
Fuzzarr said:
Last week the MR2 had a break while we took the Alhambra away on holiday. Getting back in the MR2 after a week of peaceful MPV wafting was an assault on the senses. The steering felt alive, the gearshift was meaty, the engine sounds were intensely mechanical, the wind noise and general NVH in the cabin seemed ridiculous and the car's directness and keenness to change direction were eye-opening. The immediate shock soon turned to smiles, though, as I adjusted back to MR2 life.
Glad to hear you're enjoying the car!This observation reminded me of the time I had the opposite experience. I had signed up to a 6 hour go-kating challenge in a team of four - so two 45 minute stints of carting (or something) which is a hell of a lot of time in a go-kart!
Anyway on completing the challenge (and a mediocre mid-table finish for the team) I grabbed my keys and hopped in my stiffened, lowered, 2.0 16V engine swapped Peugeot 205 GTI. For the first few miles I was convinced the suspension had collapsed and the steering wheel was disconnected as I struggled to get to terms with what felt more like an S-Class than a hot hatch. After 15 minutes of driving I had re-adjusted and everything felt back to normal but it was a pretty vivid experience!
Anyway more pics please.
200Plus Club said:
You can get whiteline adjustable camber bolts and an under chassis brace which make a mega difference to rigidity and handling with a decent alignment. You can also run a square setup on tyres , they absolutely fly round bends when setup right. Enjoy!
I thought the one I briefly owned was exceptional. So much handling for so little money. I had no idea that they had so much ability, despite already owning a Mk1 for several years. It was better than my Boxster in many respects. All I did was 4 wheel align it after fitting 4 new Toyos. In an ideal world, I'd have spent more on it, it really needed shocks, but it was bought specifically for one trip, which it completed with flying colours, and was subsequently sold to a member on here. I can only imagine what a car with a premium setup and chassis bracing might be capable of. I'd have another.Gassing Station | Readers' Cars | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff