Fun Weekend Car Reccomendations - £5k - £7.5k budget

[epernay0623]

Hi All,

First post here, so please be gentle!

I am looking for recommendations for a fun weekend car to entertain my 4 year old son.

Budget - £5k - £7.5k
Make / Model - Dont mind, need advice
Running costs - Cheap preferably
Seats - any, but 2 seater or 3 door preferable
Year - Don't mind
Storage - Can be garage stored

My day to day car is a Jaguar i-pace. I have very very limited mechanical knowledge so do not want something that needs work. Any small jobs through the ownership period i am happy to have a go at myself (with support from the YouTube oracle!).

Appreciate any advice.

Thank you

[covmutley]

Mx5!

[TheJimi]

Mk3 MR2 or an MX5 of some flavour - both are what my money would (and did) go on.

Edited by TheJimi on Monday 27th July 12:08

[v9]

Depends on your tolerance for discomfort but a Caterham clone, like a Tiger or maybe a Westfield might just about be in budget. They are loads of fun, but very Spartan! A good Mk 3 MR2 can easily be had for that money and they are surprisingly comfortable and practical in comparison. They do need some extra chassis bracing fitted to stop them bending, but it s an easy thing to sort.
Otherwise, MX5 of course!

Edit: just had a quick look and found this:
https://ebay.io/m/zjVlo7

Edited by v9 on Monday 27th July 12:10

[epernay0623]

Thanks so far.

MX5 for me is a no no unless someone can convince we otherwise. Too much stigma, too much cliche and not a huge fan of the design of them.

Caterham style is a possibility but my worry is how long it would take for me to put myself and more importantly my son in a hedge!

Mr2 is one i hadn't thought of, will have a look

[Josemartinez]

My first thought was a Z4, but you can also get a TTS and a Boxster within budget. Although these won't be as cheap to run as the MR2 mentioned.

You can also get a JCW Mini in budget. I loved mine it was like a go kart.

I love your man maths btw, need a weekend car to entertain my 4 year old. I'll keep that in mind for a few years time when mine is 4.

[TheJimi]

epernay0623 said:

Thanks so far.

MX5 for me is a no no unless someone can convince we otherwise. Too much stigma, too much cliche and not a huge fan of the design of them.

What stigma do you perceive with the MX5?

[sherman]

Renault Clio 172/182/197

[Tickle]

Clio 200 Cup
Clio 182
MX-5
MR2
Mini JCW (not sure on the bork on these that would fall in your budget)

[keo]

TheJimi said:

epernay0623 said:

Thanks so far.

MX5 for me is a no no unless someone can convince we otherwise. Too much stigma, too much cliche and not a huge fan of the design of them.

What stigma do you perceive with the MX5?

Probably a gay hair dressers car

I aren t saying they are. They are very good apparently. But that is the stigma attached to them.

As for recommendations I’d reckoned a mx5!

[v8notbrave]

Has to be rag top, kids love them (as do I)

Play on classifieds z4 maybe best for costs and fun, also TT, 350z, bravery gets you into an xkr

[MB140]

MG TF, 2 seat convertible, mid engined. From what I have read, handle pretty well and go fairly well. Can be had for £5k quite easily I would imagine.

[Watcher of the skies]

MG Midget.
Cheap to run, fun and simple. Get a good one and it shouldn't be too painful to own.

[JQ]

MX5 - best bang for buck. There's a reason they're so popular, they're a fantastic drivers car.

[johnpsanderson]

Four years old is younger than my son; but have a look at this: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Funnily enough, a few weeks ago I did find myself thinking "didn't these things used to have a bad rep back when I was younger?".
I've had the car well over a year, and it was the first time it had crossed my mind...

On the Caterham/Westfield vein - I expect you could be in a quite pokey '7' style kit car from someone like MK Sportscars for less money than one of the 'proper' manufacturers...

[John D.]

TheJimi said:

Mk3 MR2 or an MX5 of some flavour - both are what my money would (and did) go on.

Edited by TheJimi on Monday 27th July 12:08

Where my money would go too. Good balance between fun and running costs I'd expect.

[epernay0623]

The man maths is telling me that I can spend £’000s on overpriced soft play, zoos and theme parks that all blend into each other and he won’t remember vs. Daddy chucking him round a roundabout at 60 miles an hour with his ear pressed up against the passenger window 😂

I have had a Clio 182 before and loved it, however very expensive sub frame replacement put me off. Might be worth another look.

MX5 stigma is probably my fault, listening and caring too much of the opinion of others!

Z3/Z4 were on the possible list, I have now added MR2!

[JQ]

epernay0623 said:

The man maths is telling me that I can spend £ 000s on overpriced soft play, zoos and theme parks that all blend into each other and he won t remember vs. Daddy chucking him round a roundabout at 60 miles an hour with his ear pressed up against the passenger window ?

I have had a Clio 182 before and loved it, however very expensive sub frame replacement put me off. Might be worth another look.

MX5 stigma is probably my fault, listening and caring too much of the opinion of others!

Z3/Z4 were on the possible list, I have now added MR2!

You mentioned earlier about worrying that a Caterham style car is more likely to put you in a hedge than an MR2. Being mid engined RWD, of all the cars mentioned here, the MR2 is the most likely to put you in a hedge. Fantastic car to drive, but push it over the limit and it's pretty unforgiving for someone not used to it.

[ajprice]

Smart Roadster, if you're ok with the gearbox.

[v9]

JQ said:

You mentioned earlier about worrying that a Caterham style car is more likely to put you in a hedge than an MR2. Being mid engined RWD, of all the cars mentioned here, the MR2 is the most likely to put you in a hedge. Fantastic car to drive, but push it over the limit and it's pretty unforgiving for someone not used to it.

This is very true! The limits, at least in the dry with good tyres are pretty high though.