MX5 alternative for Dog/boat launching/spare car

[TiminYorkshire]

This is my predicament, currently I have an MX5 as my 2nd car, a yellow Mk1. It's low, bumpy (on BC racing coil overs) and noisy, but great fun, so used for alternative commuting transport when the weather is looking dryish, local weekend transport when the sun is out and not a lot else. It also steps in as transport when either my day to day vehicle (VW T4 van used as a mobile surf shed/camper/daily driver) is at the garage, or the girlfriend's Corsa is at the garage.

The main issue is a dog is arriving in January, therefore most of the weekend trips the little Mazda gets would have the dog coming along, as you may be aware there is little room for two people and a Hungarian Wirehaired Vizsla in a little Mazda.

The dog also means that I need to get a slightly larger boat, which means I need to use a steeper slippier slip way to launch from, which means a fwd van is no longer suitable for boat launch duties....

So far here are some of the options for changing our current 3rd car as its use is going to diminish:

1. Replace with a Series Landy (soft top). This all seemed a good idea until the girlfriend looked inside my mum's Series 3. The lack of PAS would likely also be an issue for the girlfriend when she uses it occasionally for her run to work and back (60miles including plenty of dual carriageway).

2. Buy my dad's old Ferguson tractor off him and replace the Mazda with a soft top 4 seater of some sort (the dog can sit on the back seat for short journeys roof down, secured of course) - suggestions welcome, budget £1-4k

3. Replace with a 110 Landy - at my price range of £4-5k any 200TDi is probably going to be pretty rough, and will probably cost a few hundred to soft top for the summer months with full tilt, hoops etc.

4. Replace with a Series 2 Disco TD5, fine for the road if I can find one without a rusty chassis, good for boat launching, but no soft top option, and a bit similar no doubt in driving dynamic/performance as my day to day transporter.

So any ideas on the above? Suggestions? Alternatives?

Edited by TiminYorkshire on Tuesday 29th November 16:11

[spookly]

Wrangler?

[loskie]

Forester or outback of course.

[TiminYorkshire]

Soft top wrangler could be an idea, I like that. Any particular issues with them?

The Scooby may be an idea, I had a Legacy GT-B once upon a time, however lacking in the soft top/summer fun category... but good cars none the less.

Edited by TiminYorkshire on Tuesday 29th November 15:04

[TiminYorkshire]

With regards to option 2 above and 4 seater convertibles, beyond 3 series, CLKs and Volvo C70s is there anything else in this price range? And any of the above you'd avoid like the plague?

[TiminYorkshire]

Thinking about this and expanding on the Subaru idea a Legacy 3.0R Spec B could be handy, proper 4wd for the slipway, an interesting drive and room for the dog...

[anonymous-user]

Swap the van for a Subaru, keep the MX5, nice for summer commutes / Sunday drives whilst the dog is at home for a hour or two!

that is what I would do, loved my Mk1 Mx5, wish I had put it in storage rather than sold it now.

[ryanthescot]

if you are getting rid of the mazda i'd be interested in buying the bc coilovers

[V8RX7]

We used to have a couple come to MX5 meets with a huge dog - they'd trained it to lie in the footwell with it's head by the handbrake / on the passengers leg - they took it everywhere.

The steep launch could be easily handled with a decent jockey wheel and a winch.

However if you want a 4x4 the best option (cheap, reliable) seem to be the Jeep - I'd get a V8 4.7 on LPG - from £2k really

[TiminYorkshire]

Thanks for the above suggestions, more good food for thought. If the Mazda does go it'll be going as one rather than taking bits on and off it.

[TiminYorkshire]

Well the latest development is this:



So the dog has arrived and no movement on the car front. Basically the car will have to be used as main dog transport as there is limited room in the van for dog + surf boards (the dog is only 13 weeks in the photo and has a lot of growing to do), and the girlfriend doesn't want her car becoming a dog smelling shed. Therefore thoughts on vehicles for dog have progressed to:

Disco 2 TD5
Pros: 4wd, can tow boat and launch on slippy slipways, a Landrover, 4wd for in snow on t'Yorkshire Moors, high driving position, like the light leather interiors
Cons: Slow, rear chassis rust, leaking sunroofs, bits and pieces to keep on top of. ACE/air bag rear suspension & 3 amigos, fuel consumption, abit pricey for an old wagon (£4-5k for a facelift in good nick)....

Audi A6 C5 Allroad manual:
Pros: 4wd, can tow boat and launch on slippy slipways,4wd for in snow on t'Yorkshire Moors, fuel consumption ok for continental trips. Probably cheaper than a Disco 2. Can raise the suspension..
Cons: Air suspension. Chocolate cams?

Audi A6 C5 2.5TDi V6 avant:
Pros: 4wd, can tow boat and launch on slippy slipways,4wd for in snow on t'Yorkshire Moors, fuel consumption reasonable for continental trips. No air suspension. Probably cheaper than an Allroad
Cons: Chocolate cams? Less "different"

Subaru Legacy 3.0 Manual
Pros: 4wd, can tow boat and launch on slippy slipways,4wd for in snow on t'Yorkshire Moors, Flat 6. Probably cheaper than a Disco 2. Probably more reliable than all the above.
Cons: Fuel consumption. Specifc parts, rusty suspension struts.

Any further ideas for dog/boat transport? Given I don't like many of the sportage/hilux surf/shogun sport type off roaders. £5k max as it'll be a 3rd vehicle, 4wd preferable but not necessarily essential (as the grey fergie is looking very likely for home based boat launching).

No rush, I'll probably only get round to doing some purchasing in May ! In the meantime my van is now officially full with a dog crate and struggles to fit surfboards in

And the dog is often car sick, trying to improve on this, so any tips welcome!!

Edited by TiminYorkshire on Thursday 9th February 14:45