Reasonable sports cars on the market

akelly02 · 30-07-2013 09:52AM

Veloce wrote: »

Does the 190 have the oil consumption issues?

What about an Integra Type R?

Nope its the 140 bhp, and very few of them were actually affected.

goz83 · 30-07-2013 11:34AM

Problem with the celica is not the oil consumption, it's the fact that you cant throw a rock without hitting one. They are everywhere! I like my sports car to be rare, but not so rare I can't find parts if I need them. New parts, if available, can be pretty expensive for any car. The mkII MR2 would be a good choice and not as common as the celica if you wanted to go Toyota fanboi.

Chris gave you a great list to look at there. Remove anything over 2 litre and they all fit your wish list. Short list those and you've got yourself a sports car to buy.

Wossack · 30-07-2013 01:15PM

I was gonna say lotus elise, but geez, yea the price of them as exploded - what the heck?

djimi · 30-07-2013 03:09PM

goz83 wrote: »

Problem with the celica is not the oil consumption, it's the fact that you cant throw a rock without hitting one. They are everywhere! I like my sports car to be rare, but not so rare I can't find parts if I need them. New parts, if available, can be pretty expensive for any car. The mkII MR2 would be a good choice and not as common as the celica if you wanted to go Toyota fanboi.

Chris gave you a great list to look at there. Remove anything over 2 litre and they all fit your wish list. Short list those and you've got yourself a sports car to buy.

The Celica is not all that common to be fair, and if youre talking about a nice clean unmolested example of something like a GT-Four then Id say its a pretty rare car indeed.

Truely rare cars tend to be rare for a reason; either high cost of purchase, cost of ownership or cost of maintenance.

goz83 · 30-07-2013 03:35PM

djimi wrote: »

Truely rare cars tend to be rare for a reason; either high cost of purchase, cost of ownership or cost of maintenance.

Or cost of insurance!!!

Tea 1000 · 30-07-2013 04:08PM

Wossack wrote: »

I was gonna say lotus elise, but geez, yea the price of them as exploded - what the heck?

I noticed that a few months ago too, pain in the ass! Was thinking of getting a nice 111R when the price came to a certain point. That's gone now! I think the recession put pressure on car lovers who may have had 911's and M3's and the like into easy to run but still thrill inducing 1.8 litre cars!
To the OP, for €7,000 it's hard to look past the MX5. It's such a fantastic car to drive. And you can get a super clean one for that.

30-07-2013 04:38PM

b318isp wrote: »

I'd also consider looking at older cars, such as:

Mk 2 MR2 Turbo

This.

You'll get a beautiful MKII with change leftover for that money. Do it. And then lend it to me. Please.

dantastic · 30-07-2013 04:44PM

Still googling mad here and on done deal and the likes.

Question, my understanding is that the RX-8 is meant to have a 1.3l engine, it keep on popping up as a 1.7...? Considering the effect that number has to the running cost I'm sure people know the size of their engines?

Big Nasty · 30-07-2013 04:48PM

While the MX-5 is a fine car it's still a little hairdresser looking.

The S2000 is a different beast altogether and much more impressive looking plus packs a better punch - should tick all the boxes really.

RootX · 30-07-2013 04:48PM

dantastic wrote: »

Still googling mad here and on done deal and the likes.

Question, my understanding is that the RX-8 is meant to have a 1.3l engine, it keep on popping up as a 1.7...? Considering the effect that number has to the running cost I'm sure people know the size of their engines?

Engine size is 1.3. It's taxed as 1.7 though and insured as a 2.6.

Some folks managed to register it as 1.3, after producing letters from mazda, etc. Afaik, this doesn't work anymore.

b318isp · 30-07-2013 04:54PM

dantastic wrote: »

Still googling mad here and on done deal and the likes.

Question, my understanding is that the RX-8 is meant to have a 1.3l engine, it keep on popping up as a 1.7...? Considering the effect that number has to the running cost I'm sure people know the size of their engines?

As the engine doesn't have pistons and cylinders, its actual swept volume (1.3L) is considered equivalent to reciprocating engine of 1.7L. Something like that anyway.

ShadowHearth · 30-07-2013 05:23PM

MCMLXXV wrote: »

While the MX-5 is a fine car it's still a little hairdresser looking.

The S2000 is a different beast altogether and much more impressive looking plus packs a better punch - should tick all the boxes really.

Thats how hairdresser looks:

hairdresser_with_client_iStock_000012059661XSmall_1.jpg?1356340193

Thats how mx5 looks:

I think you need glasses m8! :pac:

djimi · 30-07-2013 05:26PM

LIGHTNING wrote: »

Slightly left field but what about a SMART Roadster? Ultra cheap to tax and run (700cc tax, 50+mpg), unique, drives well (apart from the autobox).

http://cars.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/smart-roadster-coupe/5034134

The interior of that would give me a migraine.

Wossack · 30-07-2013 06:22PM

ShadowHearth wrote: »

Thats how hairdresser looks:

Thats how mx5 looks:

I think you need glasses m8! :pac:

correction: thats how one of them looks covered in glue and driven through halfords. In reality..

mx5.jpg

ToxicPaddy · 30-07-2013 07:04PM

Some of my choices would be:
mx5
S2000
Audi TT (surprised no one mentioned this yet!!)
CLK (personal choice, like the first gen)
MR2

Classics:
Audi Coupe
MGB
Saab 900 turbo
VW Sirrocco

colm_mcm · 30-07-2013 07:51PM

Get a classic 900 Turbo 16v on classic insurance

CianRyan · 30-07-2013 10:26PM

If we're talking Classics, a 260Z.
I'd say 240Z but you'd want to triple your budget.

Scortho · 30-07-2013 10:54PM

CianRyan wrote: »

If we're talking Classics, a 260Z.
I'd say 240Z but you'd want to triple your budget.

Or a 280z
http://touch.adverts.ie/car/cars/other-cars/datsun-280zx-1979-2-2/267442

CianRyan · 30-07-2013 11:27PM

Scortho wrote: »

Or a 280z
http://touch.adverts.ie/car/cars/other-cars/datsun-280zx-1979-2-2/267442

The L28 Turbo is a sweet motor but the 280Z got pretty big and heavy, it was more if a GT car than a sports car.

EazyD · 02-08-2013 12:38AM

colm_mcm wrote: »

Wasnt that just a concept?

Nope, it was produced on a very limited run, and went for mad money at the time. Still do by the looks of it, however at least 2 companies now make an identical hardtop that can be fitted same as a standard one.

Supraman · 02-08-2013 12:48AM

I own one so there is some bias but id say an s2000 all day long . Love mine even though I never wanted one before buying one .

Jimmy Bottlehead · 02-08-2013 10:09AM

LIGHTNING wrote: »

S2000`s are lovely but they aint as bulletproof as people make out btw. I have found them a little stiff and uncomfortable on long trips but thats just me.

Can't say I'd agree on this - I've driven Cork to Dublin and Dublin to Sligo and feel fine?
As for reliability - haven't had one issue with my one's engine, the only thing that it's needed in almost two years is one new caliper.

dantastic · 02-08-2013 11:06AM

I think it's understood that a sports car will not be as comfortable as a 5 series, comfortable is more in relation to what it is...

As for reliability, people often equate reliability with being able to neglect maintenance. A sports car require a much stricter maintenance schedule and if maintenance is neglected you will suffer for it.

Supraman · 20-08-2013 02:00AM

Did you follow up on any option op ?

dantastic · 20-08-2013 09:20AM

Followed up, but not yet followed through

One day I'm set on the RX-8 and the next the MX-5.... rinse & repeat... And then all of a sudden I spotted a 92' MX-5 on the street. Hadn't considered the earlier models.

Good times!

Supraman · 20-08-2013 09:53AM

drive an s2000 how it's meant to be . you won't look back

cpoh1 · 20-08-2013 10:10AM

Would disagree with the s2000 for a joe soap who isint mad into his cars and experienced with rwd, they are difficult to drive fast.

I wouldnt look beyond the mx-5 for what you want OP, they're not fast but they look great and feel special behind the wheel with the roof down. You wont be tearing up back roads but you will be grinning ear to ear. Much easier to live with in the wet than an S2000 which can be quite hairy on anything but perfectly groomed tarmack and it wont break your heart reliability wise like the rx-8 (ignore the fanboy owners - they will need lots of babysitting!)

MX-5 is cheap to buy, cheap to run, and wont need any attention except when you are driving it.

Make sure its a mk2 rs vspec in british racing green, cream leather, nardi steering wheel and bilstein suspension with a hardtop.

dantastic · 20-08-2013 10:33AM

cpoh1 wrote: »

Make sure its a mk2 rs vspec in british racing green, cream leather, nardi steering wheel and bilstein suspension with a hardtop.

You wouldn't be selling one just like that at the mo? hahaha

cpoh1 · 20-08-2013 10:37AM

dantastic wrote: »

You wouldn't be selling one just like that at the mo? hahaha

No chance! Its sitting nicely locked away for the odd spin in the sun and will be staying that way for years to come. Great little cars for a little day trip to the beach. Go for one if you dont want a ripper performance wise, need lugging space and want a cheap reliable car to run with no headaches.

goz83 · 20-08-2013 10:38AM

Op, have you tried an FTO, or an MRS yet? Insist on a manual if not. €1000-1500 will get you a great fto and the MRS isn't much more. A decent one can be got for as little as 2k.

Of course there is also the MR2.......but do try. You can borrow my fto for a quick run if you like. Its a 2+2 seater. Mine is the manual GPX

and the ride is very addictive, so be warned, its not for sale.

Reasonable sports cars on the market

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