Whats an "interesting" small car?

footman

footman

footman

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21 Oct 2002
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My daughter is 29 and wants to buy her "first" car. I say "first" but she has had 2 previous small cars but hardly drove them.
She has in her mind a mazda MX5 and her budget has a max of £3000.
I'm a bit concerned about her having an MX5 as a first car because of her lack of experience.

When I suggest (diplomatically) a small saloon car instead she insists it must be "interesting" but because of her lack of knowledge of cars she can't pinpoint a model.
I'd be grateful for any ideas and advice.
 
If your daughter is sensible I see no reason whatsoever for her not to have an MX5. It's not exactly a Lotus Exige in terms of possible sudden ditch syndrome ;)
 
I think "interesting" is subjective - many young girls find Minis "intertesting", but they bore me to tears...

Depends how shes inclined to drive to, you could get yourself into trouble with an MX5 but its not like MR2 Turbo insta-death
 
Provided its got good rear tyres and no LSD then i agree.

With F1's on the back and a Torsen i could get mine to slide in the wet if you gave it too much power at the wrong time, pulling out of junctions in the wet was a prime example.
 
If she goes for the slowest one, it'll be cute enough to keep her happy and won't put her in a ditch. If she does for the MK2 1.8i S, she may come unstuck :p
 
Sin_Chase said:
Why would having a LSD increase your chances of ditching it? :/

You can get any RWD car sideways in the rain if you are enough of a plonker!
Click to expand...

Because if you have an open diff odds are it will just spin one wheel and the car won't start to slide, with an LSD when one wheel starts to spin the other wheel locks causing the sliding action at the rear, its much harder to slide an open diff car.
 
The world of Japanese imports holds lots of 'interesting' cars.
As per that other recent thread, how about a nice Nissan Figaro? They're a bit out of the price range.
I used to own a Toyota Sera, another 'interesting' car and well within budget.
A Toyota Will Vi somehow suggests itself!
 
At 29 I see no issue with a nice MX5. For the money she'd get a mint Mk1 special edition, probably with a replacement mohair hood/glass rear window but would get a decent mk2 also. Either spend £3k on one running decent rubber or £2700 on one and shod it in something like F1's or T1R's. My gf is 25 and drives one with no problems. With a touch of training, it is easier to get out of bother in a RWD car than in an FWD anyway.

If you do go for a mk1 pop-up headlights), make sure it has a decent hood on it or add £450 to the cost for having a good one fitted.
 
lol there is nothing dangerous about driving an mx5 regardless of how powerful it is, just learn to brake before corner and apply gradual acceleration coming out of.

The 150ish BHP coming out of the fastest model mk2 wont be at all scary to drive for her. Assuiming she doesnt drive like a 17 year old chav.

What is interesting is that your daughter is nearly 30 and your still concerned about the kind of car she is driving.
 
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