So, we have a Mazda 5 people carrier and it's great. But, as a one car family, it can sometimes be awkward around who has it. I don't really want to spend more than a grand on a second car but I do want a small car, perhaps a two seater like a Smart or similar. My next door neighbour is certified BMW repairs and swears by the cheap (3-400£ Mark) 3 series. I personally like the look of the Z3 which can be had for under a my budget. Does anyone else have any suggestions/ experience with a similar request?
Buying a Z3 for less than a grand will get you either a M43 or M44 engine, neither of which is particularly interesting but they don't have a bad reputation for reliability either. If you are going for a 3 series, get a six cylinder, they're much better. You'll find an E46 330i as easily as you will a Z3 within your budget. Have you looked at the MX5? I'm not too up on them but they have to be a contender?
Old 3 door focus and take the rear seats out? Smarts are noisy as **** at any great speed, if you go that way. My girlfriends parents have one, and it's just fine for nipping about town and so on (Even for me, at 6'6"), but anything about 100km/h it sounds like you're in a wind tunnel. Only other thing I'd say is, make sure you know the costs of average repairs etc for the beamers. I know they like to sneak up on people.
Yeah... Hence the neighbour... He bought an old T reg BMW estate for 150 and it only needed 60 worth of work... He's been over to Spain and done a duty free run to France the Times in the last year... Mx5 had been looked at, as has the Fiat Coupe and the Alfa GTV...
Dout you will get a decent Mx5 for under £1000. Id ask your neighbour if he wishes to come along and he can inspect the car for you maybe.
I came into this thread expecting question was for a cheap city car....... such as sub 100bhp Smart/500/Clio/Fiesta/C1/Up Fiat Panda is pretty good, fun to drive at city speeds also. I've bought my wife one at the start of the year as her learner and future car. In fact, the Panda is now used as all purpose car for everything family needs. My diesel car has been downgraded to holiday use and my commute car only.
Most exciting small cars at this range are sheds tbh. You might be able to pick up a half-decent MX5 over winter for budget, but figure on another £200-500 next year to get the sills done when they rust out. Cracking cars though, utterly unburstable engine, simple enough mechanics (get a geo alignment). I quite like mine, just needs another 50hp to make it a real gem... If I can resist the urge to buy a V8 once the sills are sorted I'll be supercharging mine.
Thanks guys... Really good food for thought... My daily commute is a twenty five mile round trip up the A12 so it's not too horrendous... The only thing I have to consider is if I get the promotion I'm looking at, I want to rock up in something that looks the part and isn't just a mid-life-crisis-penis-extension.
May I suggest, humbly, a Clio 172? I'm absolutely in love with mine. They look (to the layman) like any other Clio, but the driving experience is absolutely cracking. Chances are a good one will be a bit over budget, but they are absolutely worth spending a touch more on, that engine is a masterpiece, and the toys of a full-fat car (not a Cup) are really worth the extra weight - auto xenons, auto wipers, cd changer etc.
Kinda taken with the Merc SLK (pre 2004)... Anyone with experience? What Car seems to like it with a five star review...
For under a grand? You'll be lucky to get a runner that lasts for any length of time. EG http://www2.autotrader.co.uk/classi...l=slk&search-target=usedcars&page=1&logcode=p
Honestly, if you're going down the roadster route and you don't want an MX-5, you'd be better saving up and dropping ~3k+ on a decent model with FSH.
I have a mk1 MX5 and my partner has a 2001 BMW Mini Cooper. The Cooper we got for £1,400 and it is surprisingly fun to drive. Could well be something to do with the low weight and wheels at the corners.
I was never a fan until I drove one. It's still not a Mini though. Far too large. 115bhp in a car that weighs 1050kg isn't bad though. For comparison my MX5 is 131bhp/950kg.
