blowing hot and cold (again)

[boxerscott]

Following my Boxered out post in Autumn I have decided to part with my bcr that I have had from new, and take a sabbatical from the two up touring scene. Primarily because nothing else was floating my boat and certainly am not going to shell out £15k for a boat on two wheels. My attention has been drawn to 4 wheel touring so we are considering a summer use convertible, something that will be fun to drive for both of us and an engine that will be placebo to cure bike withdrawal symptons.

We are thinking (well I am) Honda s2000gt, tt roadster 225 Quattro (her choice) possibly a Porsche (but other bike would have to go as well) The little mazda keeps popping its head up but like the GS every one has one (probably because they are good) so it is not for me. It has got to be fairly compact but not too low like tvr,lotus (would rather be on a bike).

Worryingly Amanda is determined to look at a Daihatsu Copen

Who has had what and how crap/ good were they?

[McBoxer]

How tall are you? I'm 6'2" and when I borrowed an original TT for the weekend a few years back, I couldn't use it. Couldn't see through the windscreen without tilting my head 45 degrees, even with the seat at it's lowest setting. Parked it on the drive and took it back on Monday!
Had a Boxster for a week when I worked for Porsche - that was fun and I could sit straight!

[Twinspark]

The S2000 will drive you insane with the revvy VTEC engine. Great for track days and a bit of B-road fun, useless for touring.

TTs are about as unexciting as a 'sports car' can get. Just a Golf in pretty clothes.

Copen... tiny little washing machine engine and next to no luggage space, so not really ideal for touring.

Which doesn't leave too many options!

MX5s are everywhere for a reason - they're easy to drive if you're just out to cover ground, but incredibly entertaining when you're 'on one' down a twisty road (or up an Alpine pass). Also absolutely bullet proof and incredibly cheap to run. I love ours - we did a tour to Berlin last summer and down to the Tyrol in the Autumn. Also done loads of track days in it, too.

Other alternatives - BMW Z3 (unless budgets allow a Z4, but if a Boxster is stretching the budget, so is a Z4). Avoid pre-facelift cars, especially the 4 pots. Best buys are facelift 6 potters. More expensive to run than an MX5, not as sweet handling, but... they are much more rust resistant.

Don't be tempted by a CLK. They rot and the manual boxes are awful. I do often get tempted by a 230 Kompressor with auto, but then it would be useless for track days.

Finally, you may be tempted by a Mk3 MR2 - but don't be - they really do have no luggage space at all.

Summary - MX5. Buy the best Mk1 you can find - a UK spec. 1.8iS is the best of the official cars, but some of the Jap. imports are much higher spec. You'll find opinion that Jap. cars are less likely to be rusty - but this is really a myth these days, as most of them will have been imported at least 10 years ago, so will be just as prone to rot as UK cars.

[Corvus]

You're missing the obvious dude.

Buy her a Copen.

Keep the bike.

She'll be so overwhelmed that, with a bit of luvvy duvvy, by spring you'll have a second bike.

Result.

[herrman]

Interesting post, For different reasons I have recently being looking at SLK,Z3,Z4,TT,MX5 and similar. End result I pick up the 3-0 X Type jag tomorrow morning.

Peter

[el-nicko]

.................

............Summary - MX5. Buy the best Mk1 you can find - a UK spec. 1.8iS is the best of the official cars, but some of the Jap. imports are much higher spec. You'll find opinion that Jap. cars are less likely to be rusty - but this is really a myth these days, as most of them will have been imported at least 10 years ago, so will be just as prone to rot as UK cars.

Can't argue with that.

[conkerman]

You could always buy a C70 Cabriolet.

Mine will be up for sale soon. Cheaply.

The mk1 MX5 is the one to go for. Not a great motorway car though, and use more fuel than you would expect. I got 28 MPG from mine, thrashed everywhere.

[boxerscott]

Some quality replies here, I love the Copen one, it is the Yorkshire option obviously

Peter, enjoy the Jag Cool What Colour? Picture please.

[Twinspark]

Copen is 67bhp and FWD.

What's the point?

[boxerscott]

Copen is 67bhp and FWD.

What's the point?

Aye, tell that to the missus, I do not think we will be going there, but I would have swapped it at any moment on our recent ride from Portsmouth to Jed in monsoon conditions

[Al]

Late model mr2 roadster, great little cars, you will need a rack on the engine lid to go touring, 140 bhp, weigh nothing, 40 mpg on a run, not so common as an mx5 and not as bland ( Reg will disagree i`m sure) chain cam no belt issues, quicker than the mx (exept for the 2lt models) 05 plate about 4K. Early models have issues but the facelift( 03 on are a lot better but go for the latest you can afford.
If the car is for a one off summer thrash only why not an MGf, just get one that has had the head gasket upgrade, cheap to run, fun and a lot cheaper than anything else on your list.
Had both of the above and driven the mx and I actually prefer the MG apparently all hairdressers cars tho`

Al.

P.S KEEP THE BCR

[Blackal]

Forget all those namby-pamby cars................

You need one of these!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/goo ... eview.html

A pal of mine has one - reckons it's the bollox!

Al

[Merecat]

Another + for the MX
Mine is my daily drive and copes with everything.
Road tested the TF and although it was in BRG and full leather interior, and one of my boyhood dreams (MG in BRG etc etc) it was possibly the worst car I have had the misfortune to drive, possibly just that specimin but for me uncomfortable, noisey and cramped.
Then took an MR2 out for a spin which was much better, but i was spooked by horror stories of engines letting go
Eventually settled on the MX and never regretted it. The only downside is their tendancy to disolve in this climate.
As has already been said good Mk1s are possibly the most sought after but obviously getting in short supply. MK2s are fine but will have sills and possibly wheel arch issues sooner or later. The facelift Mk2.5 suffer from the most serious rusting problems with the chasis suffering.
Reg will tell you that the MK3 is the best because they finally got their act together and used galvanised pannels.


Buy a cheap MX, Keep the bike

[Corvus]

Copen is 67bhp and FWD.

What's the point?

And weighs 750kg

Edit: and revs to 8000rpm.

[leasky]

Clare had a SLK a few years back. A lovely engineered folding roof on the thing and pretty good in a straight line but not great on the twisties.

It had an auto box and a small supercharger and was good enough for weekends away etc but certainly wouldn't be as entertaining as the likes of the Mazda or some of the others mentioned here.

Having said that; the build quality was very good and it didnt miss a beat in almost 2 years of ownership.