Weekend fun car dilemma

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I happen to know where there's a lovely 996 going, with a rebuilt and warranted engine. They're very fun and very fast. It's a bit above your £8k budget though. PM me if interested.

Whichever you decide I'd steer away from anything which is a too normal. Likely it won't feel special enough as a weekend car and you'll rarely use it.
 
Why no turbo cars?

If you want a track toy, a Nissan 240z or 260z will beat a 350z round a track.

The moral there is to add lightness, so consider that for any potential purchase.
 
...not to mention an R32 Skyline.... :D
 
If the Caterfield or Elise are a step too far then may I respectfully suggest a Subaru Impreza STI.

£8K will get you a very good lightly modded 2005 STI widetrack and I promise you you will have a grin like never before the first time you do a corner faster than you ever imagined possible!
 
If the Caterfield or Elise are a step too far then may I respectfully suggest a Subaru Impreza STI.

£8K will get you a very good lightly modded 2005 STI widetrack and I promise you you will have a grin like never before the first time you do a corner faster than you ever imagined possible!

+1 or go for an older, pre-2000 classic, JDM STi or better still Type R with centre diff adjustment, beefier rear diff and hubs. An £8K budget will get a lot of bang for buck and they're great fun. £650 ish for a set of coilovers, a de-cat and away you go. There's loads of spares and up-grades available at very reasonable prices.

Go to a track day and see what's quick and fun. Wander round the paddck and chat with the drivers. You'll likely get a few passenger rides if you ask nicely. They're usually very friendly and happy to talk about their P & J. :)
 
Another random, Proton Satria! They are very good, and will surprise most if well driven. They are always in the top 5 of the big road rally's
These can be bought already built up as rally cars and will see of the average 300hp road rocket on the back roads!
 
Dieselman said:
Why no turbo cars?

Not ruling anything out quite yet, but I drive a turbo car and whilst I love that whoosh of torque you get from a gentle squeeze of the throttle, I feel that for something lighter and quicker it will be easier to manage if the power delivery is in more direct proportion to my inputs. Plus I like the sound of high revving engines.

Dieselman said:
If you want a track toy, a Nissan 240z or 260z will beat a 350z round a track. The moral there is to add lightness, so consider that for any potential purchase.

Thanks - I agree about lightness and this is what has made be pause a bit on the 350z. They are desirable things but just a bit big and heavy. I don't need another motorway cruiser as I think the E class is already pretty sorted in that department!
 
Honda Integra Type R DC5

Sounds just right for your needs. Ultra reliable, high revving, good handling, right price :)
 
Not ruling anything out quite yet, but I drive a turbo car and whilst I love that whoosh of torque you get from a gentle squeeze of the throttle, I feel that for something lighter and quicker it will be easier to manage if the power delivery is in more direct proportion to my inputs. Plus I like the sound of high revving engines.



Thanks - I agree about lightness and this is what has made be pause a bit on the 350z. They are desirable things but just a bit big and heavy. I don't need another motorway cruiser as I think the E class is already pretty sorted in that department!

350Z's are Japanese Muscle aimed at america where a big ass and a big engine is all people care about. 8k would get you a decent older skyline(R32 maybe R33) and will demolish a 350Z round a track, Why not build your own? Just off my head you could make a pretty good track day for 8k. With having the work done for you. Is the beating of other cars what makes it fun for you? then you need to buy a ex race/rally car, Is it just smiles? then go Jap go light. Non boosted choice makes it harder these days as they are using smaller and smaller boosted engines in every day cars so going light means going compact and that means smaller boosted engines. They are better suited if you just want "FUN" sliding about cocking a wheel and just smiling like an idiot. Sleeper option but requires more mechanical skill. Buy a plain ass looking car and plant a bigger engine in(worst for insurance but as this will probably not be an issue I.e under 25's often just can't get it) I'm sure this could be a tasty choice if it was me :).
 
Go a find a smart brabus roadster to try. I bet you will consider one after a drive.
 
Thanks the advice everyone - some very interesting options that had not been on my radar, especially some of the Jap nutter cars! I think a fair bit more research and time is needed to work through some of these suggestions.
 
- MX5 but the mk2 1.8 I drove just felt slow/underpowered to me

- 350z which I also liked (probably the front runner at the mo) though the example I saw was below budget and a bit tired. They are rather big in the flesh though - not sure they are an ideal track day car.

The above are my pick or an S2000.

If you were willing to look at modern classics, the 944 as already mentioned would be on my list. Here's an example. Used 1990 Porsche 944 S2 CABRLT for sale in Carms. | Pistonheads
 
You may not be surprised by my recommendation, as simply nothing handles quite like a Lotus (and I include Caterfields in this definition).

There are some good suggestions on here, but it all depends on what exactly you are looking for, or rather what you want from the weekend toy.

Do you intend to keep the car? or will it be a passing fad to satisfy an itch?

Are you obsessed with 0-60 times and pure straight line speed, or are you more enamoured with the driving dynamic, and if so are you into tail happy or more nuanced handling.

These are all questions which will help you narrow down your search.

In part these questions can be answered by driving as many cars as you can and getting a better feel for what you want.

There was some suggestion in your early posts that the Lotus derived cars were your original preference, don't completely discount these just because the budget is tight.

Bear in mind that alot of the cars mentioned have probably reached their lowest pricing point and therefore won't be depreciating much further if at all. This is certainly the case for the Elise.

This means that you won't lose much on your investment other than the cost of maintenance and running and as a result some more expensive cars may be cheaper to own in the long run.

I would suggest that the total cost of ownership is worth considering as some of the larger, heavier or more highly strung cars suggested may also cost more in the long run.

If you do find that your heart lies with something a little over budget, consider whether you want to wait until you can get what you really want, and maybe buy something cheap and simple that won't break the bank in the interim.

I have owned my S2 Elise for 12 years. It does go through tyres and pads relatively quickly (but surely that is the point), but does 30-40mpg and other than routine maintenance, I have only ever replaced the alternator. These are great cars, not the quickest in terms of outright speed, but they are quick in terms of initial acceleration and handling due to the light weight.

S1 are available at around and under £10k and less, but as with the Caterfields they are mechanically very simple and if cared for will provide many thousands of miles with plenty of smiles.

If you do decide to go down that route and need any further advise, don't be afraid to ask.

Either way, take your time, enjoy searching (as this is part of the fun).

Happy Hunting.

Regards, Neil
 
Great cars! I did this conversion for a customer last year.

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240bhp, 735kg. Nippy.
 
Funnily enough I have just been through a not dissimilar decision. I have a CLS which I love dearly, but like you wanted something for a different type of driving experience. I went for an S2000 to begin with as it seemed the best fit. Really enjoyed the experience and got used to revving the nuts off it (so counterintuitive!) and the gearbox was sublime - but.. found the handling was too much of a handful for me. The back was very twitchy and I have no illusion about my skill levels, so didn't feel very confident driving it (especially with my 8yr old son next to me). Next up was a Boxster 986 2.7 which I really enjoyed and preferred as a driving experience - and the sound of the engine behind your head is very addictive. The handling is so balanced and you also have a stability management widget (if specced) to help keep things in line. But... the power wasn't quite enough for me. It was on paper the same speed as the CLS (I have a brabus chip in a 320cdi) and I fancied something quicker than the family barge! So, chopped it in for a 2005 Boxster S (987) which is the facelift and has 280bhp and is noticeably quicker than the base 986 version. And I absolutely love this one and it is a keeper. It handles brilliantly and makes a damn good noise when you wind it up - but is also fine to pottle about in and get the shopping! There is always the risk it will have some expensive things go wrong with it, but I figure that applies to most sports cars and there are lots of good Porsche indies around - but is a gamble as these things generally are.

However, you are spoilt for choice with lots of very affordable lovely cars within your budget - so good luck!
 
At least it's an S2 not an S 16v - I had one of those, and the engine has no bottom end. Looks a nice example, and 944/968 coupes are a joy - I started with a 944 lux (no vertical seat adjustment for herself, only 2.5l so not particularly quick), moved to a 944S to get vertical seat adjustment - big mistake. Then a 968 tip coupe which was initially our main car - herself loved it - which we kept for 12 1/2 years.

944's - service history, especially cam and balance belts - is everything, they should have been changed every 4 years. 944's also suffer from rusting sills, often not visible from outside but - in the bottom of the B pillar, with the door open, you'll see a black plastic ventilation grill that can be easily removed, you then put a borescope (or carefully held mobile phone camera) to look at the inside of the sills. Any visible rot could give a bill of £1k per side to correct! 968's do not seem to have that problem as they're fully galvanised. Also the 968 has the variocam system that 944s2's do not, so there's a bit more grunt.

That one looks nice, but take professional advice first - the 944 section of PCGB forum is very good (you do not have to be a member of PCGB to join the forum).
 
I have the same problem!

Ive narrowed it down to:

Evo 6, always longed for one since my subaru days!
E36 M3 .RWD Beast
R33 GTS easily tunable. 300bhp+ rwd, no traction control etc ;-)
 
Well perhaps not the most exciting choice but having gone round and round it and driven SWMBO nuts I decided for the time being to get something cheap and fun, see how I get on with it and progress to greater things in future when I have a better idea of what I want and improve my skills.

So this is now parked outside (will be going in a lockup from tonight). 1991 mk1 MX5, 1.6 engine. Needs some tlc and is entertainingly slow from a standing start, but quite a lot of charm - very much feels like that English sports car of a bygone age.


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Nice work! Purer experience than the mk2 IMO.
 

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