2nd car saving...

Solari · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:18

Well, I'm looking to get another car once I (hopefully) get my first year's NCB.

I'm thinking of budgeting up to about 5K max... is this worth it, and what do you guys reckon I should be looking at? Trying to get an idea as to how hard I need to save!

I'm currently driving a P Reg 306 which is alright and does the job but I want something a bit more fun

Not something to drive like a nutter, but that will be a bit more comfortable and enjoyable to drive on long journeys. Also don't want anything too large

Current ideas are:

VW Golf (Possibly a TDI)
Newer 306 (Not sure with the whole French reliability thing)
Something sporty but not too huge (MR2?)

saitrix · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:20

2.0 Focus Zetec?

1.8 Mx5 if you want a 2 seater. Very good cars.

pitchfork · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:21

318 CI if you can find one for 5k (sometimes you can)

Solari · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:21

Budget as above - up to 5K max. One other thing - I'm 6'2 so need plenty of leg room

EDIT: Holy Crap those MX5s look like good value for money on the private market. What are they like for running costs (ie: repairs & parts)?

Kitchster_uk · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:31

Solari said:
Budget as above - up to 5K max. One other thing - I'm 6'2 so need plenty of leg room

EDIT: Holy Crap those MX5s look like good value for money on the private market. What are they like for running costs (ie: repairs & parts)?

Cheap to run mate, mine never returned any big bills. Lets face it, they are an engine strapped into a go-kart. Excellent cars, look out for the 1.8iS spec - LSD is included and tend to have a few more toys that make the whole experience slightly more refined.

pitchfork · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:32

I'm 6'6 mate, no problem with the 318's, can't comment on the mx5's though.

Solari · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:34

Kitchster_uk said:
Cheap to run mate, mine never returned any big bills. Lets face it, they are an engine strapped into a go-kart. Excellent cars, look out for the 1.8iS spec - LSD is included and tend to have a few more toys that make the whole experience slightly more refined.

Cheers... you definitely have me intrigued... is there plenty of room legwise though as I'm a bit of a lanky streak of p***

My 306 is just about right with the seat all the way back, if that's any use as a guideline.

Guess it won't hurt for me to go look at one or two and have a sit in.

pitchfork said:
I'm 6'6 mate, no problem with the 318's, can't comment on the mx5's though.

I'm really not sure about BMWs as the idea I get is that indicators on them never work

saitrix · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:34

Solari said:
Budget as above - up to 5K max. One other thing - I'm 6'2 so need plenty of leg room

EDIT: Holy Crap those MX5s look like good value for money on the private market. What are they like for running costs (ie: repairs & parts)?

Very low running costs for the MX5.

My mate says his 1.8 uses the same amount of fuel as his old 1.4 Focus did. Tyres are cheap, low weight is easy on the clutch. Parts seem cheap enough too. The engines seem bullet proof too.

saitrix · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:34

Solari said:
Cheers... you definitely have me intrigued... is there plenty of room legwise though as I'm a bit of a lanky streak of p***

My 306 is just about right with the seat all the way back, if that's any use as a guideline.

Guess it won't hurt for me to go look at one or two and have a sit in.

How tall are you? My Dad fits in them fine and he is 6'2".

Firestar_3x · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:37

Engines will go forever if you look after it, afterall its running less power than the unit was built for.

Tyres on a 15" rim are £37 a corner + fitting for GSD3's

you get 30mpg on the motorway and about 20 - 25 round town.

Cambelt change is £100, parts are slightly marked up with it being a jap car but nowt too bad.

Get a Mk2 1.8is.

Love mine, i've not driven anything else more fun, great fun down a back road, but you might end up spending more than the car cost you doing it up

Solari · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:40

Firestar_3x said:
Get a Mk2 1.8is.

Love mine, i've not driven anything else more fun, great fun down a back road, but you might end up spending more than the car cost you doing it up

I'll definitely look into these... what year(s) do you reckon I'd be looking at for between 4 and 5 K, and is there anything that I'd have to watch out for handling wise that might catch me by surprise?

Firestar_3x · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:44

Don't fit cheap rubber to the rear, get a geo check sorted out when you buy the car, odds are its never been done and makes a huge diff.

LSD takes some getting used to in the wet if you have lead in ya boots, don't try and race anyone off the lights in the wet cause it usually ends in you going sideways down the road for 20ft before you get the backend sorted out again.

Other than that, they rust round the rear arch's.

you should get a 98 - 99is for your money, i got my 99 mk2 1.8is with 37k on the clock just over 1.5years ago for about 7k so i would think a 98 - 99 with 60 - 70k on the clock could be had for 5k.

Oh don't get one in that horrid bronze!

rG-tom · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:46

i'm 6'4 and couldnt fit in firestar's mx5 with the roof up

when he took me out for a spin he had to drop the roof or my head was touching it lol.

Solari · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:48

Cheers guys - much appreciated

Looks like I'll be saving pretty hard then the next few months

Firestar_3x · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:48

Yea, i have the Mk2.5 Leather seats in which move the seating possition up by 1.5inch ish...

If you stick with the horrid cloth mk2 seats you actually sit lower, but i have a plan to sort that out

speaking to someone atm to custom fab me up so seat runners

Solari · 24 Jun 2007 at 19:56

rG-tom said:
i'm 6'4 and couldnt fit in firestar's mx5 with the roof up when he took me out for a spin he had to drop the roof or my head was touching it lol.

Heh.. I'm a shade over 6'2, but I will probably be ok seeing as I have lanky legs rather than just being an overall rack victim

Will just have to go look at one and see how it is.

Solari · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:00

Just as a follow up - got into work this morning and mentioned "Mx5" to my workmates and got a volley of laughter in my general direction along with comments like "Hairdresser's car"

Sod them though - I'm gonna take a look at a few just to see what I think.

Firestar_3x · 25 Jun 2007 at 18:05

Solari said:
Just as a follow up - got into work this morning and mentioned "Mx5" to my workmates and got a volley of laughter in my general direction along with comments like "Hairdresser's car"

Sod them though - I'm gonna take a look at a few just to see what I think.

Thats because they have no idea what they are talking about and just default to the OMG its a 2 seater, must be a girls car, i like to remind people of this just like the CTR driver that was trying to catch me the other day but couldn't...

monkeyspank · 25 Jun 2007 at 20:05

Solari said:
Just as a follow up - got into work this morning and mentioned "Mx5" to my workmates and got a volley of laughter in my general direction along with comments like "Hairdresser's car"

Sod them though - I'm gonna take a look at a few just to see what I think.

That's a seriously unjustified prejudice. It's a driver's car.

Solari · 25 Jun 2007 at 22:11

monkeyspank said:
That's a seriously unjustified prejudice. It's a driver's car.

I must do some research as to where it comes from - everyone I've spoken to today either says "don't rate them" or "it's a girl's car"

What the? I've looked on write ups and don't see anything negative at all. Honest John's write up is good for starters, also some other independent reviews... must be snobbery from the BMW/Porsche penis compensation mob at work I suppose.