Cheap (max £4k), interesting car needed

[rscott]

My MX5 is off the road at the moment and there's no sign of the necessary parts getting here any time soon, so I'm considering buying something else as a temporary vehicle. Fed up having to drive over the stables every day in a 3.5 tonne horsebox..

Budget is up to £4k (prefer to spend less though) and should be petrol as most of my journeys are sub 10 miles each way, now I work from home.

Looking for something which will be vaguely interesting to drive or be in - so far I've considered an XJ or a Merc SLK, but anything goes really...

All being well, I'll only need it for a month or so, but if I like it, might hang on to it.

So suggestions please - £4k, fun and petrol.

[coldel]

E85 Z4?

Probably get a 2.5 straight six for that money.

[jamesbilluk]

Alfa Romeo GTV Would be the 2.0 Twinspark which is a great engine.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307290...

Or the Spider variant
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306168...

Alfa Romeo 156
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1625589
Not sure you would be able to get a Busso for the money sadly

Mk3 MR2, great handling from what I hear
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307179...

Toyota Celica
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308190...

Jaguar X type 2.5 V5 manual,
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308130...

Edited by jamesbilluk on Wednesday 23 August 10:06

[rscott]

coldel said:

E85 Z4?

Probably get a 2.5 straight six for that money.

Z4 could be interesting - found a 2.5 here for £2.5k, but it's a Cat N - https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307209...

[rscott]

jamesbilluk said:

Alfa Romeo GTV Would be the 2.0 Twinspark which is a great engine.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307290...

Or the Spider variant
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202306168...

Alfa Romeo 156
https://www.carandclassic.com/l/C1625589
Not sure you would be able to get a Busso for the money sadly

Mk3 MR2, great handling from what I hear
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307179...

Toyota Celica
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308190...

Jaguar X type 2.5 V5 manual,
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308130...

Edited by jamesbilluk on Wednesday 23 August 10:06

The MR2 and Jag might be options. Jag could be worth keeping for the winter too.

[jamesbilluk]

rscott said:

The MR2 and Jag might be options. Jag could be worth keeping for the winter too.

My mum has a 3.0 X Type, but with manual, lovely steering, and sounds good too, also like you say, impressive in winter too.

[CrippsCorner]

If considering an MR2 I'd look at the High Peak one! Was watching the video earlier today, is now absolutely mint as are all his cars...

https://www.highpeakautos.com/used-cars/toyota-mr2...

https://youtu.be/qdwIkuF-V8s

[Shabaza]

I know of an XK8 going for that kind of money, will take a smidge over 4k to get deal done.
This for facelifted model

[ZX10R NIN]

rscott said:

My MX5 is off the road at the moment and there's no sign of the necessary parts getting here any time soon, so I'm considering buying something else as a temporary vehicle. Fed up having to drive over the stables every day in a 3.5 tonne horsebox..

Budget is up to £4k (prefer to spend less though) and should be petrol as most of my journeys are sub 10 miles each way, now I work from home.

Looking for something which will be vaguely interesting to drive or be in - so far I've considered an XJ or a Merc SLK, but anything goes really...

All being well, I'll only need it for a month or so, but if I like it, might hang on to it.

So suggestions please - £4k, fun and petrol.

350Z:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308030...

Punto Abarh:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202307039...

Abarth 500:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308211...

Mito Quadrifoglio 170:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308060...

Cloverleaf 170:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308170...

Non Cup RS197:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202308110...

[C70R]

coldel said:

E85 Z4?

Probably get a 2.5 straight six for that money.

Came here to say this.

You might squeak into a 3.0 manual if you wait a month or so. Running costs are no higher than the contemporary 3/5 series.

[skwdenyer]

rscott said:

My MX5 is off the road at the moment and there's no sign of the necessary parts getting here any time soon, so I'm considering buying something else as a temporary vehicle. Fed up having to drive over the stables every day in a 3.5 tonne horsebox..

Budget is up to £4k (prefer to spend less though) and should be petrol as most of my journeys are sub 10 miles each way, now I work from home.

Looking for something which will be vaguely interesting to drive or be in - so far I've considered an XJ or a Merc SLK, but anything goes really...

All being well, I'll only need it for a month or so, but if I like it, might hang on to it.

So suggestions please - £4k, fun and petrol.

Define “fun”? Many good suggestions so far.

If you want to chuck it about, Mk3 MR2?

[rscott]

skwdenyer said:

rscott said:

My MX5 is off the road at the moment and there's no sign of the necessary parts getting here any time soon, so I'm considering buying something else as a temporary vehicle. Fed up having to drive over the stables every day in a 3.5 tonne horsebox..

Budget is up to £4k (prefer to spend less though) and should be petrol as most of my journeys are sub 10 miles each way, now I work from home.

Looking for something which will be vaguely interesting to drive or be in - so far I've considered an XJ or a Merc SLK, but anything goes really...

All being well, I'll only need it for a month or so, but if I like it, might hang on to it.

So suggestions please - £4k, fun and petrol.

Define “fun”? Many good suggestions so far.

If you want to chuck it about, Mk3 MR2?

Fun - something interesting to drive or sit in. A bit different to the ordinary. We've also got a Focus, which is a perfectly good car, but not the most exciting.

[Adwillsy]

I am also looking in the same price range ish, but i also need ULEZ for where i live.

my top picks are:
Lexus GS300 (bulletproof V6 - not the earlier 2JZ model)
Lexus IS250
Lexus LS430 (4.3 V8 - pretty cool especially in a facelift but reasonably thirsty)
Ford Mondeo 2.5T Titanium X sport Estate ( Volvo/ Focus ST engine)
Mk1 Audi TT 1.8T 225 Quattro

[coldel]

Adwillsy said:

I am also looking in the same price range ish, but i also need ULEZ for where i live.

my top picks are:
Lexus GS300 (bulletproof V6 - not the earlier 2JZ model)
Lexus IS250
Lexus LS430 (4.3 V8 - pretty cool especially in a facelift but reasonably thirsty)
Ford Mondeo 2.5T Titanium X sport Estate ( Volvo/ Focus ST engine)
Mk1 Audi TT 1.8T 225 Quattro

And a great example of why 'fun' is such a vague undefined word

Not sure if you have driven a TT 225 but my mate went from an NB MX5 1.8 to one of those and would have swapped it back in a heartbeat, TT unfortunately are not sports cars nor are they fun (in his mind)

[Adwillsy]

Unfortunately never had the chance to drive an MX-5 in any generation as I think I’m a bit too tall at 6ft6, after attempting to peel myself into an NA turbo that a colleague from work had.

I’ve had a fair few “not fun” cars and I’m currently running around in a 1.0 140hp mk8 Fiesta.

I think fun can sometimes be supplemented for something that makes you feel a little special when you get in or drive it.