Sports Car between 5-9k.S2000, RX8, mx5, Alfa GT or GTV

Ok ive got a few quid and ive had my 147 for the last 3 years, time to get something new.

I originally wanted an Alfa GT, but I think its just far to similar to the 147. The interior is nearly exaclty the same as my 147, and although i love the look of it, I dont think it would feel like to much of an upgrade.

The GTV on the other hand, i could pick one up these days for next to nothing and i think they are a beautiful car to drive, but i know these are crap reliabilty wise. My 147 never gave me much hassle, but my mate had 2 GTV's and they were nothing but hassle. I have to say as well, despite what everyone says about it looks, im not crazy them.

The Mazda MX5 i really love to, but im a 6'4 27 year old bloke and i dont know what id look like driving one of these. For some reason i just dont think it looks right when i see a bloke driving one of these.

The s2000, ive enver owned a vtec and i think this is my chance. This is at the top of my budget but i think it could be worth it. Again, being 6'4 i dont know if id fit in it to well and id like to have rear seats, but its a lovely car in every way. Being a Honda i presume it will be super reliable to.

And last but certianly not least, the Mazda RX8. I think I want this the most, but im terrified of the mpg and the oil it will use, plus i heard they aernt great reliabilty wise. I do about 15k a year, nearly all city driving and only get 27mpg from tha Alfa, so i can imagine what ill get in an RX8.They are dropping in price, but thats as petrol is on its way to 1.50 a litre. But if i could pick a nice one up for 6k, thats 3k cheaper than an S2000 which i can use for petrol etc.

Any other cars i should consider? Has anyone owned any of these and want to give their opinions? What do yis think I should buy?

bmw535d

i think you can see what im trying to sat here...

Mr.Boots

I had an Mx5 for a while ('08 model) and realy realy loved it.
Amazing car to drive and you dont need to go fast to feel how good it is.
It isnt a very fast car anyway.
100% reliable over nearly 2 years
Fit luggage for two people in for 2 week holiday if you pack in soft bags.
Drove Dublin to Dingle one night in the summer with the roof down the whole way...has to be one of the best drives of my life.
I would pick it over any other car you have listed.

samsemtex

Mr.Boots wrote: »

I had an Mx5 for a while ('08 model) and realy realy loved it.
Amazing car to drive and you dont need to go fast to feel how good it is.
It isnt a very fast car anyway.
100% reliable over nearly 2 years
Fit luggage for two people in for 2 week holiday if you pack in soft bags.
Drove Dublin to Dingle one night in the summer with the roof down the whole way...has to be one of the best drives of my life.
I would pick it over any other car you have listed.

I always see these listed and I cant understand it. They are a horrible looking car. I just think they look too small for a man to drive. Like your squeezed into it. They look very narrow or something. I hate the look of them.

If i were you I would look for a GTV cup from England. Now they do look the business. I'm in the same boat as you with regards to the GTVs looks. I dont think its amazing. I love it with the cup kit though. Pretty uncomfortable ride by all accounts though. Cracking performance though and that engine....*drools*

Mr.Boots

samsemtex wrote: »

I always see these listed and I cant understand it. They are a horrible looking car. I just think they look too small for a man to drive. Like your squeezed into it. They look very narrow or something. I hate the look of them.

If i were you I would look for a GTV cup from England. Now they do look the business. I'm in the same boat as you with regards to the GTVs looks. I dont think its amazing. I love it with the cup kit though. Pretty uncomfortable ride by all accounts though. Cracking performance though and that engine....*drools*

Depends what you want out of a car...Alfa looks great but the mazda drives better.
And yes it is small....as in, it feels like you wear it...thats its appeal.
Try one.

Its between the RX8 and S2000.

I knwo the S2000 is faster and cheaper on petrol but i think the RX8 is the better overall package...not sure though.

thirtythirty

Deleted User wrote: »

Its between the RX8 and S2000.

I knwo the S2000 is faster and cheaper on petrol but i think the RX8 is the better overall package...not sure though.

The other question is how long are you going to keep it for?

And when you say "city driving", do you mean bumper to bumper, or just moving inner city + suburbs?

The RX hates bumper to bumper. But is fine for daily driving other than that. It's definately more practical than the S2000 (cept for petrol!), but you do need to do your homework on one before you get it. Well not really actually, get the garage to do a compression test and that will be all the info you need tbh!

colm_mcm

How about a TT?

neilthefunkeone

A friend got an S2000 a few months ago.. Fairly plows through the petrol.. Savage car to drive though..

Fairly unpractical though.. cant bring anything around in it.. But if you dont need to then its a cracking car..
I heard(correct me) parts can be a bit expensive....

The Recliner

I have had a MX-5, RX-8 and GT in the past

The MX-5 had by far the best drive and the best steering, such a joy to drive and whilst not very practical and on country roads not the most comfortable the boot did hvae enough room for the weekly shop or a weekend away, I managed to fit a set of golf clubs in there too
Mine was a 1991 Jap import with leather seats and wooden steering wheel and pop up headlights, I still hanker after it and will egt another one at some stage when I have space for it
I wouuld imagine the mor modern ones you are looking at would be much more comfortable on our roads

I loved my RX-8 too, coming off a roundabout onto a straight stretch of road and getting up to 100kmh in second gear with the noise from that engine is fantastic, I truely never tired of taking off from a set of lights and hitting the speed limit as quick as I coule in the fewest amount of gears, always put a smile on my face, it is ractical enough with a decent boot but a small boot opening so that could be difficult but the back doors make it handy and the seats are very comfy
The oil usage isn't a major issue but you do have to keep an eye on it and keep it topped up
it does drink a savage amount of petrol though, on long cross country trips I might have averaged 23mpg, city driving would be in the low teens and as you mention a lot of city driving this might be an issue for you
Great car though and a lot of fun but the steering lacks a bit of the feel of the MX-5 but it has an excellent engine noise

The GT was a good car, good sized boot, folding back seats, decent mpg (compared to the RX-8) I was averageing around 32mpg in a 1.8 petrol and after the RX-8 it was a joy to be able to drive past petrol stations
Not that quick a car but it was comfy and well specced so a very nice place to be, lovely interior, I am fond of it but never fell in love with it
Coming out of a 147 they interior will be almost identical so it might not feel like a new car to you though it is a tad wider and more spacious up front, worth a look though as they are a beautiful car imo

I did look at getting a GTV recently but I couldn't live with the tiny boot and cramped back seats, I think it is a great looker but a bit flawed and not very comfy on Irish roads

I have no experience of the S2000 but whilst I appreciate their engineering excellence I just don't like them that much either in looks but most particularly the engine noise

daRobot

Is a 350z out of consideration? It's what i'd be looking at for this type of budget.

challengemaster

daRobot wrote: »

Is a 350z out of consideration? It's what i'd be looking at for this type of budget.

If petrol consumption is a problem, then yeah....the 3.5L v6 engine isn't exactly easy on juice!

bugs

If you're 6'4, you'll be cramped in an rx8. I'm 6'0 and with the seat set to the lowest, theres maybe an inch between my head and the roof.

I guess jeremy clarkson did 'fit' into it, i'm not exactly sure how, but you'd definitely want to sit in one.

FunkyExige

Lotus. Without a doubt, once you own one you will always want it in your life Ive had a lotus as an everyday car for 6 years now (couple of different models) and i don't ever see a time i wont. I do at least 300miles a week. It's amazingly fun no matter where you take it. You could get an early s2 at the top of your budget and their surprisingly high mpg. They also have a good boot for a small car and even though you 6'4 it depends on where your height is on if it will be a tight squeeze. But i do know a fair amount of well over 6ft owners in the uk and they dont have a problem. It really is literally a mini supercar in my eyes.

Eoin

Mascher, as a GT owner, I think you're right to discount it - I don't think it would offer the same driving experience as the others in your list. I really like mine, but I know full well that it's really a 147 in a pretty frock.

There have been a few threads here about the Mazda RX8; like many cars with a bad rep for reliability, the consensus seems to be that maintenance is key. It also looks like a pretty practical car, while still looking sporty.

And just to annoy the anti-BMW folk, a 325/330 could be an option as well.

alanmc

challengemaster wrote: »

If petrol consumption is a problem, then yeah....the 3.5L v6 engine isn't exactly easy on juice!

It's no more thirsty than an RX8. It's also a car that is happy to waft along at low revs. Very torquey motor. Motorway driving, I get on average 26 mpg. I know it's not great, but it is a 3.5 after all. Spirited driving can see it drop to a lot less, but sure this is true of any car.

The real deal breaker would be the tax bill. The RX8 has it beat hands down here.

cnocbui

The Honda S2000 is the best 'sports' car of those being considered.

smash

cnocbui wrote: »

The Honda S2000 is the best 'sports' car of those being considered.

Better than an Elise? have to disagree...

bmw535d

hmmm

cnocbui

steve06 wrote: »

Better than an Elise? have to disagree...

I may be mistaken, but I don't think the OP mentioned an Elise as one of the candidates in his original post.

But leaving that aside, The Nordschleife laptime for an S2000 is 8:39 vs. 8:41.9 for an Elise SC

The engine in the S2000 wasn't made by Honda, it was made by either Carlsburg or God.

bmw535d

for tax reasons, the s2000 is clearly the winner, 245bhp from a 2.0 N/A is simply unmatched.it should also do around 35mpg if you keep the revs down.

Alanstrainor

cnocbui wrote: »

The engine in the S2000 wasn't made by Honda, it was made by either Carlsburg or God.

Hahaha, brilliant.

I love the s2000, it's sex on wheels just to look at, i've never had the chance to drive one unfortunately!

bmw535d

LIGHTNING wrote: »

God must love not havng any torque at low revs then. Interesting never knew that:)

but god sure does love high revs:D

TestTransmission

bmw535d wrote: »

for tax reasons, the s2000 is clearly the winner, 245bhp from a 2.0 N/A is simply unmatched.it should also do around 35mpg if you keep the revs down.

That's even better than your EVO isn't it?

FunkyExige

FunkyExige

cnocbui wrote: »

I may be mistaken, but I don't think the OP mentioned an Elise as one of the candidates in his original post.

But leaving that aside, The Nordschleife laptime for an S2000 is 8:39 vs. 8:41.9 for an Elise SC

The engine in the S2000 wasn't made by Honda, it was made by either Carlsburg or God.

Nope he didnt but he did ask if there were any other suggestions Thats quite close in lap times, im not sure he'd be too bothered by that But in all fairness in my own opinion in the feel of driving both their not at all similar. I would dare say the honda is slightly more watered down for the consumer market.

bmw535d

TestTransmission wrote: »

That's even better than your EVO isn't it?

sure is, even better than your evo :rolleyes:

cnocbui

LIGHTNING wrote: »

God must love not havng any torque at low revs then. Interesting never knew that:)

God prefers the sound of the heavenly choir at 9000 rpm.

smash

Taken from another forum. Elise vs VX220 vs s2000:

"Over a 1/4 mile the Elise gets the best start and has quite a good lead, but the lead is virtually none existent by the time they cross the line - the S2000 recovered the ground it lost meaning it was accelerating far harder."

So I guess it's down to what the OP wants more... style/speed/handling/image/comfort?

SaKuRa

Have an Rx8,and the tax is only based on a 1.8lt.Average 18-20mpg around town
Oil isn't a problem as a previous posted mentioned,just got to get used to having a rotary engine,and its quirks.
Having to drive a high revs,6-8000 every now and again to decoke the engine is a pain .
The flooding engine issue,is also something else to be aware off,just don't start up cold engine and switch off again without engine heating up.

Make sure you get a 230hp version,as it comes with all the additional extras like xenon lights,heated electric leather seats,bose sound system,aluminium pedals,light windscreen wipers,etc.

Also make sure any RX8 you consider buying has all the recall work done,research this by year,usually upgraded battery and starter,and new front oil lines are the main ones.

Have had an MX-5 previously and must say its a great car,but still prefer the RX-8.

FunkyExige

steve06 wrote: »

Taken from another forum. Elise vs VX220 vs s2000:

"Over a 1/4 mile the Elise gets the best start and has quite a good lead, but the lead is virtually none existent by the time they cross the line - the S2000 recovered the ground it lost meaning it was accelerating far harder."

So I guess it's down to what the OP wants more... style/speed/handling/image/comfort?

Good point actually. Not that it matters all that much as im sure the op doesnt want to go drag racing but the 0-60 times are:

S2000 - 5.9 secs
Standard Elise- 5.1 secs

stevenmu

This is a post I made yesterday about the RX8

What about an RX8? You'd get a very good one for that price. They've four doors with genuinely usable back seats, and a good sized boot. They're comfortable with a good spec: heated electric leather seats, auto climate control, Bose in dash 6 CD changer with good speakers and subwoofer, 18" alloys, Xenons, electric sunroof all standard.

They're pretty quick, 231bhp. Rear wheel drive with tons of grip and fantastic handling, a real joy to drive. And accelerating up to 9000+ RPM in second gear brings a huge smile every time.

They're not bad maintenance wise, you have to check the oil every few weeks, and top it up a little every so often, the rotary engine uses a little oil in the combustion cycle so it's by design. Other than that they need spark plugs and coils every 30,000 miles or so and not a lot else.

They're not great on fuel though, you'll probably get ~18-20 mpg, so not good if you do a lot of miles.

They look stunning (imho, looks are very subjective), and definitely something to take a bit of pride in.

I can't recommend them highly enough, although it's pretty hard to argue against an s2000 or a lotus, so a lot will come down to personal taste and circumstances. I like having the rear doors and seats, a decent bit of a boot, and love the novelty and characteristics of the rotary engine so the RX8 works perfect for me, but I did consider the others too and a few more (TT, mx-5 etc).

Joe 90

FunkyExige wrote: »

Lotus. Without a doubt, once you own one you will always want it in your life Ive had a lotus as an everyday car for 6 years now (couple of different models) and i don't ever see a time i wont. I do at least 300miles a week. It's amazingly fun no matter where you take it. You could get an early s2 at the top of your budget and their surprisingly high mpg. They also have a good boot for a small car and even though you 6'4 it depends on where your height is on if it will be a tight squeeze. But i do know a fair amount of well over 6ft owners in the uk and they dont have a problem. It really is literally a mini supercar in my eyes.


<snip>

Don't know what the prices are like in Ireland but you can't beat them if you look after them. Had an S1 Elise for a couple of years and have had an S1 Exige for the last 6 years. The Elise did have a few minor problems but the Exige has had nothing much over and above scheduled servicing and consumables since I've had it. The Elise seemed to use as little fuel as the wifes Ka, probably less at M way speed, the Exige does use a bit more but very little for the performance. The really nice thing about the Exige of course is that I would get more now for it, 6 years on, than I paid for it.

stevenmu

bmw535d wrote: »

for tax reasons, the s2000 is clearly the winner, 245bhp from a 2.0 N/A is simply unmatched.it should also do around 35mpg if you keep the revs down.

The RX8 gives 231bhp from a 1.3 N/A, and is taxed as a 1.7 (€551 per year) so wins there. But it'll never ever see 35mpg unless you turn off the engine down a really long hill

Joe 90

steve06 wrote: »

Better than an Elise? have to disagree...

The Honda engine probably is better but I don't think that anything on the road has a nice chassis than the Elise and variants.

Joe 90

LIGHTNING wrote: »

God must love not havng any torque at low revs then. Interesting never knew that:)

What matters is total power under the curve.

FunkyExige

Joe 90 wrote: »

Don't know what the prices are like in Ireland but you can't beat them if you look after them. Had an S1 Elise for a couple of years and have had an S1 Exige for the last 6 years.

Nice pick! What color? S1 exiges are pretty rare and such an amazing car

Elises can be got for about 9k upwards in ireland.

pippip

Don't know if anyone else experienced this?

About two years ago one of my mates had his heart set on 2003-2005 elise. Had all the cash saved and when he went to test drive it came away feeling, amazing sports car but, with all the weigh reduction items, that the car felt like a really bad build quality.(not saying it was but felt)

Never got one in the end as it totally put him off, traveled instead with the money.

bmw535d

stevenmu wrote: »

The RX8 gives 231bhp from a 1.3 N/A, and is taxed as a 1.7 (€551 per year) so wins there. But it'll never ever see 35mpg unless you turn off the engine down a really long hill

yea thats great until you have to pay a mechanic to rebuild the engine every 50,000 miles or so, not to mention the liter of oil a week it would use.

smash

pippip wrote: »

Don't know if anyone else experienced this?

About two years ago one of my mates had his heart set on 2003-2005 elise. Had all the cash saved and when he went to test drive it came away feeling, amazing sports car but, with all the weigh reduction items, that the car felt like a really bad build quality.(not saying it was but felt)

Never got one in the end as it totally put him off, traveled instead with the money.

Elise's hold up very well in a crash actually.

The Recliner

bmw535d wrote: »

yea thats great until you have to pay a mechanic to rebuild the engine every 50,000 miles or so, not to mention the liter of oil a week it would use.

Which of course is total horsesh!t :rolleyes:

Joe 90

FunkyExige wrote: »

Nice pick! What color? S1 exiges are pretty rare and such an amazing car

Elises can be got for about 9k upwards in ireland.

Yellow. Its actually the same paint code as the Elise I had which was Norfolk Mustard. The Exige looks slightly different, apparently it has a lacquer coat of some sort on top.
Image028.jpg

Joe 90

pippip wrote: »

Don't know if anyone else experienced this?

About two years ago one of my mates had his heart set on 2003-2005 elise. Had all the cash saved and when he went to test drive it came away feeling, amazing sports car but, with all the weigh reduction items, that the car felt like a really bad build quality.(not saying it was but felt)

Never got one in the end as it totally put him off, traveled instead with the money.

Hell, the S2 is the heavy one with all the luxury bits:) Including ABS.

smash

The Recliner wrote: »

Which of course is total horsesh!t :rolleyes:

Enough of these RX-8 conspiracy theories....

Joe 90

LIGHTNING wrote: »

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/1725666

I'd call that one worth a look. At the end of the day its an Elise with a GM engine and with GM having had something to do with the quality control. The only thing that would put me off it if I were in the market is that it would have ABS. The non servoed non abs brakes on the S1s are the nicest brakes youl ever come across, with braided lines added of course.

bmw535d

The Recliner wrote: »

Which of course is total horsesh!t :rolleyes:

wow never expected so much constructive input from a mod..:rolleyes:

stevenmu

bmw535d wrote: »

yea thats great until you have to pay a mechanic to rebuild the engine every 50,000 miles or so, not to mention the liter of oil a week it would use.

Nope, rebuilds aren't needed every 50,000 miles. What you are thinking of is the RX7 which had an earlier version of the rotary engine and was turbo charged with lots of boost, many people recommend they are rebuilt every 60,000 miles, but many run them much longer. The RX8 uses a much improved version of the engine and is NA, so not run under boost, and does not need rebuilds if maintained correctly (i.e. oil is topped up as needed and changed on schedule, the same that should be done for any car).

Mine uses about 1 litre of oil per 1,500 to 2,000 miles which is not bad at all, and actually a good bit less than many performance cars. How much does your Evo 5 use?

alfa beta

hey lotus people - what's the insurance like?

I'm paying around 400 quid for third party on a 1999 2 litre GTV (I'm 38 and have a full no-claims and no points)

I'd be very interested in a lotus but always assumed the insurance would be sky high.

By the way, with regard to the OP, I've never had any trouble (quite literally) in the 120,000 miles I've covered in the GTV (though I think from what I hear I could actually have a spot in the Guinness Book of Records for this fact!)

smash

alfa beta wrote: »

hey lotus people - what's the insurance like?

Get a few quotes, there's no point in anyone answering that question because of the varying factors of any insurance quote. But at 38 you should have no issues at all.

alfa beta

steve06 wrote: »

there's no point in anyone answering that question

no need to be so dismissive - I'm just curious

Joe 90

steve06 wrote: »

Get a few quotes, there's no point in anyone answering that question because of the varying factors of any insurance quote. But at 38 you should have no issues at all.

Here in England you simply have to shop around the specialist brokers. With the mainstream insurers I get quotes in the £800-£1000 region but with a specialist I paid £360 this year. Check the Lotus forum on Octane.