Little Fun Car

[dombanks]

from the sounds of it blatman on the insurance front anything bigger than a ride on lawn mower is going to be expensive. if echoz is only going to use it during the holidays then a limited milage policy may be within reason.

i suggested these as some of the larger cars can give him the poke he may want and might not be as heavy on the insurance as he expects...

i know when the 19yrs old in my last job was looking at cars a 1.8zetec focus was cheaper to insure than a 16 zetec-s fiesta. he got the focus and said when racing his mates in their fiesta he ws just as quick and seemed to have the legs on them at higher speeds... just food for thought

an IS wins me over a 306 diesel anyday

[Blatman]

True enough... and it is also about the badge sometimes. A "GTi" is always going to add to the premium, as will the description "2 door". IS's are 4 door mid size saloons so may drop the insurance class down a peg or two (same for the T5... maybe...) but can provide some entertainment. It'd also be worthwhile having a poke around the owners club web site of whatever is bought 'cos they will know about the insurance options and pitfalls better than anyone

[dombanks]

too true... on the t5 front any of the 850's etc. my friend got one of those c70 on a t5 ... gt spec i think. whatever it was it was comfy quick and had a cracking stereo.

[echoz]

My oldman had a V70? T5 estate, that thing went like s**t off a shovel lol

I think my preference of hot hatches is that I assume that bigger cars are boring, they dont go down the country lanes properly and considering where i live, some barge thats fast in a straight line is no fun to me as everywhere i drive has sticks all around it.

Basically I'm 20 and want lots of things

[sailing]

And just two days ago weren't you bemoaning the student fees? Now you're proposing to spend 2 grand on a car. I'm confused.

Not having a go, just confused...

Oh below the belt, foul

[echoz]

[Fent]

Doesn't tick all your boxes.

but they are cheap as chips, reliable, cheap to run,. very communicative, rear wheel drive ,good handling, superb steering feel, parts are easily and cheaply available....

Mid engined tin-top fun for less than the cost of a set of premium tyres.....

Not boxy and a bit pricey on insurance maybe; but this one owes me less than 650 quid all in including nice sound system and bluetooth....

Oh and it has (working) aircon and cruise control!!

That teks me back a bit.

Until I was 27 I had absolutley no interest in cars at all, they were just a means on transport. The Mrs at the time told me to treat myself and get something fun and she would buy my car off me so I did and bought one of these.

I only had it 18 months before someone bent it like a banana for me but that was enough and I was hooked.

This car is totally responsible for my love of cars now.

they do get a bit of stick for being a hairdressers car but i loved it and without it I probably wouldn't have a west yand a scooby now.

mine was 9 yrs old and sailed through MOT's, better that the 3 yr old astra I had before.

cheap, fun just watch it on the roundabouts. Plenty of sideways action  

[echoz]

Dave you ever considered being a salesman?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Always fancied one of those mk2 MR2s at the time, couldn't cope with either a two seater or the "boot", ended up going for Celica instead, lovely 2 litre 16 valve engine, (for the early '90's anyway) same as in the MR2 IIRC, front wheel drive, but still neat handling and good feedback, just no tail out stuff.  

[lippydave]

Always fancied one of those mk2 MR2s at the time, couldn't cope with either a two seater or the "boot", ended up going for Celica instead, lovely 2 litre 16 valve engine, (for the early '90's anyway) same as in the MR2 IIRC, front wheel drive, but still neat handling and good feedback, just no tail out stuff.  

I never fancied one to be honest, but shortly after I'd sold my Seight earlier this year, I had a summer fun car itch that needed a quick scratch and sort of fell on it by chance.

A couple of pals who have much better endowed "proper" sports cars    have driven it and both were very pleasantly surprised by how much fun and how communicative it is, as was I....

A friend offered a deal/haggle on a trade on the MR2 with an E36 convertible, but it's only a 318 and the facility to take more than 2 passengers out in it could be seen as a negative....  

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

it's only a 318 and the facility to take more than 2 passengers out in it could be seen as a negative....  

Hmm, best avoided, sort of agree with Clarkson on this one, "Only Hitler ever looked good in a four seat convertible"

[lippydave]

it's only a 318 and the facility to take more than 2 passengers out in it could be seen as a negative....  

Hmm, best avoided, sort of agree with Clarkson on this one, "Only Hitler ever looked good in a four seat convertible"

I guess I could always grow an ikkle moustache and remove a testicle...  

Nope, on balance I think yer right....

However it's snowing madly outside which means it really is now time to buy a rag top of some sort...

[wacomuk]

I had an MK1 MR2 last year great fun! handled great and was cheap to run being a 1.6 16v. The insurance was classic costing around £250.

I sold it on for £900

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

Dave you ever considered being a salesman?

LOL - just dont buy from him at motorway services  

My choice would be something diesel turbo. Economical, tunable and cheap to insure - something like a Peugeot 306 Dturbo or a Citreon with a similar engine

[B5234FT]

Good luck finding one of those with metal still in it! Great cars though!