LG John

I'd take the Honda as you'd get a nice example for that money

carl

TVR. For soft top fun, either a Griff or a Chimp.

andrewdelvard

You get an amazing RX7 for that price.

LG John

Perhaps rather than looking for which car is best we should look at which cars are not and then narrow the list. The E36 M3 looks pants now that the E46 is out so I'd take that off the list. The 911, I feel isn't going to be that great for the money and will probably cost more than the others to keep on the road. The boxter is a bit....well....its a boxter. That sort of leaves the TVR and the Honda and maybe the boxter if you cut hair for a living

Dark Blue Mark

The S2000 is fast, but I consistently punished one from standing and round bends... Standard it would be v close.

MY99 with some mods

M3 is definately my bet for a summer car.

MB

Jonty B

Another vote for the Honda.

Test drove one last weekend after considering similar choices to you (will be the wife's car though!).

Its just such a special car, and if you want desirability, performance, reliability, useability and exclusivity (that's a lot of 'ilities - sorry) then I can't think of much else to touch it. You will definitely have a smile if its parked on your drive.

I found that you don't have to be in a particular mood to enjoy driving it - it can bee driven in a normal stress free mannner, or frantically in the VTEC. It certainly seemed much more thrilling and quicker than the 2.5 Boxster I drove. Similar to the performance of the Impreza (modded MY99) but completely different delivery of course. Has one of the best drivetrains I've experienced.

Oh, and a decent sized boot, 8 seconds to put the roof down and pretty good retention of value. Sorry I'm gushing now!

Jonty

Magic Boot

I've done the AWD rally thing and got the t-shirt. I deffo. want to get back to a proper sports car (RWD Cabriolet).

Saxo, your points about the M3 and 911 are both valid and also in line with my thinking upon reflection. I should have done the M3 thing 5 years ago and the 911 WILL be done in a couple of years with a bigger budget.

Griff & S2000 are left then. Obviously running costs are going to be higher with the TVR but how much??? That might be the key factor.

I have also just been speaking to someone who pointed out that S2 Lotus Elises are available at around the £20K mark. I certainly couldn't cope with the access problems (getting in & out, i'm 6'2") in the S1 but what are the S2's like??

Cheers for the input guys.

ScoobySnack

If your down to S2000 & TVR Griff , I'd say Griff.... but I'm biased

One thought would be Griffs are no longer made now (total about 1200 over approx 10 years, plus how many don't exist anymore? ) So the prices were high when new , then deprieciated quickly but are now firming on the older sytle cars. Perhaps a possible classic of the future...

In all don't think you can lose with any of the cars as they are all good

J

Dark Blue Mark

Who'd own a kit car?!



MB

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

How about a nice silver CTR

My vote goes to the S2000

ScoobySnack

Kit Car ......... Well yep certain pieces are borrowed on the older models. Doesn't take anything away from the car though....

Yep servicing can be high at £500 - £700 from a franscised dealer. Most owners of older cars use independent specialists at about £250 - £500 every 6K miles depending on the service.

Insurance is about £400 - £600 for an average person on a restricted 5K mileage policy from a specialist insurer.

I think it will depend on your mileage and whether you want it as an everyday car...??? S2000 would go the miles in a reliable fashion.

The TVR well once driven foreven smitten.

J

Paul STi 5

I think you made an error,you put image in the FOR section for a Boxer, that should be against it. Surely you dont wont to be a Boxer Driver!!!!

Go Honda, some people see them as a fast MX5, but a lot of people see them as a nice fun fastish car which is what they are. They hold there money as well.

image doctor

Yeah........them Boxster S things are well slow

Paul STi 5

Slow isnt the word, i'm not sure what is,but dont buy a boxer.

GaryC

Depends if you want 'cruiser' or 'racer'.

If it's cruiser (with attitude) the TVR wins, and for £20k you'll get a good example. You could go 'classic', a lot of the old british soft tops of yesteryear are beautiful - Austin Healey 3000?

If it's racer, the S2000 is ok, but there are far better/quicker cars once you get to real performance. The M Roadster is a hoot, serious power and raw RWD, of course if it is a pure sports car you are after, the Caterham/Westfield range are impossible to beat, and £20k will get a genuine supercar rival (My lowly £12k Westie betters a Diablo for PWR AND boot space )

Other potentials? - an Alfa 3.0 V6 Spider will lose out dynamically to the S2000, but performance will be on a par...and the exhaust note and stying would be in a different league.


Overall the Griff is a really tempting proposition.....but a reliable everyday toy it isn't

MarkCSC

Yeap a boxer will only punch you or maybe bite. A Boxster is a car that Porsche make

Magic Boot

Dunk,

Hope she's still keeping you happy from your postings on here it sounds as if she is!

I think i've decided on the S2000 as a best allround package of looks, performance and running costs. Time to start searching for info. specifications etc.

Thanks all for your suggestions.

DJ Dunk

iTrader: (5)

Still having great fun in her Especially in the wet

Maybe you can do me a good deal when you're finished with the S2000

dominicm

I would go for the S2000, I've driven a revised one and it was fantastic. The motor had reasonable low down grunt, but when the VTEC cut in it absolutly flew, you get amazing build quality and one of the best N/A engines in production.

Also, they look like a roadster should!

Not a bad decision to have to make though!

Good Luck.
Dom.

M3 Evo

M3 evo cab or even better an M roadster.

Recently had a drive of an S2000 - fantastic little car but IMHO was gutless and would seem even more so compared to the rest.

M roadster has the TVR's pace matched to BMW reliability, also the M version doesnt look girlie in the slightest - especially in black!!

Dracoro

Magic Boot - I was in exactly the same position as you a few months ago. 'twas either to be a Cerbera/Chimaera or the S2000. (All the others in the lists are for badge snobs & they're hardly exclusive in comparison to the Honda or TVR). Not a reason to dismiss them but I also wanted a car that people look at and go 'Wow!, what's that, nice looking car' etc. rather than 'poser, rich b'stard(i wish i was tho!), typical bmw/porsche driver' etc.

The decision came down to one single factor

Servicing TVR per year is gonna be around £500 if you're very very lucky(unlikely) or up to £1200 (more likely) and that's assuming nothing bad has gone wrong.

Honda service was £128 for me all in. Says it all really (well, apart from telling you that I'm a bit of a scrooge )

If I could afford £1000 min per year on servicing & so forth then I'd probably of got the Cerbera/Chimaera/Griffith.

Magic Boot

Dracoro,

I've observed your postings on the s2ki Forum and thought that i'd seen the username somewhere before!!!

Thanks for the info., I have now made up my mind and am certainly going for an S2000 in April . From looking at the web piccies i'm hoping to get myself a Silver 2000/2001 model with the slightly outlandish red leather.

Do you have any pointers for buying other than checking the warranty recall work, clutch , rear screen & wheels?

What is the car REALLY like to live with day to day? I'm faced with 12,000 miles per annum and the car being kept on my driveway overnight.

Thanks.
Chris (Remster - s2ki.com)

Dracoro

Hi Magic Boot!

Mines a MY00 Silver with red interior(red leather seats, door inserts and red carpets - all standard issue, MY02 onwards had the option of the same but with red dash and trim but that's a bit too much for most! so most go for the same style as pre02's.)

Check tyres. They MUST be the following Bridgestone S02 Potenza (205x55x16 Fronts, 225x50x16 Rears). If they are any other make of tyre then the rears must be 245 as that's the footprint of the S02 225 (weird but true). Some people put GY F1's on and those and the std Bridgestones are the norm. The car can be upset by the wrong tyres (SO3's are a no-no apparently as are any other makes). Basically it's ok if its S02's or F1's. All 4 SO2's can be had for £340 if you shop around so good value.

Rear screens - mine was 'misty' but with some screen cleaning cream and elbow grease it comes up very nicely. you'll always have scratches on plastic screens (smaller glass windows on MY02) but shouldn't be too bad.

Check the hood fits OK. It should do but if it's had the hard top option you'd best check they both fit ok.

Check the recall (well it's a product update, not a safety recall) has been done. Check clutch, wheels for corrosion (mine are being replaced under warranty) and not much else. They are quite solid motors (Honda reliability etc.). Try to get one in warranty so even if it does need work done, it's covered. Honda dealers seem OK to me. Happy to do what they should etc.

Common upgrades are rear speakers and better ice (stock unit is OK though, just not very loud with the top down at 100mph ) Has dash controls so if not a std ICE then check they work (you can get adapters for them though).

For the money and type of car it's very solid TBH.

I've had mine 4 months and done almost 10,000 miles and it runs sweet as a nut, no real problems (apart from me getting used to RWD ) Boot space is OK, you can stuff things behind the seat when the hood is up, it's reasonably quiet inside (no hood flapping, scuttle shake etc.), a/c is nice given the type of car. Great performance if you rev it (and the sound it makes!) but it's no slouch up to 6k-rpm so if perfectly ok round town, on motorways etc. But be careful in the ice!! and in bad rain if the tyres are low! Same goes for any roadster really.

Any LOADS of people will look at you! Took a bit of getting used to at first as I'm a shy chap but when the hood is down, the sun is up it's heaven & people can look as much as they like!

Gosh, I'd better stop now!

BTW - where are you located, there's a few meets that happen from time to time and the S2ki.com seem a nice bunch (no kiddy-tossers as they can't afford s2000's!)

Magic Boot

Thanks for that Dracoro. Most helpfull.

I'm located in North Leicestershire and will certainly be checking out some of the s2ki meets once i've snared me an S2K. Roll on April, I can't wait! I suppose it gives the weather time to sort itself out.

Thanks again
Chris

Magic Boot

Trying to decide where to invest £18-£20k of my hard earned for some soft top summer fun!! I will be buying in early April so have plenty of time to change my mind several times!!!

I want a good looking car that is going to excite me when the other half isn't in the passenger seat. It's got to be semi practicle which rules out the Lotus Elise I feel.

I've reduced a long list down to the following cars;

- TVR Griffith 4.5BV or 500 (FOR Shape/Noise/Performance, AGAINST reliability)
- Honda S2000 (FOR VTEC 9000rpm engine/shape/exclusivity/reliability, AGAINST handling on the limit pre. '02 cars)
- Porsche Boxter 2.5 (FOR Image/Noise/Handling & Performance, AGAINST pass the clippers, something for the weekend sir & costs)
- BMW E36 M3 Cabriolet (FOR Engine/Looks, AGAINST Image)
- Porsche 911 Cab/Targa (FOR Looks/Image, AGAINST Money pit)

Where would you spend MY money??

I need advice to clarify my muddled mind, so even if you think of some other softtop worth considering then please reply. Cheers for the advice in advance guys.

[Edited by Magic Boot - 2/6/2003 1:50:31 PM]

Magic Boot

Saxo,

Honda is pretty cool in a Jap. techno kinda way and does feel nice when you get up into the VTEC zone. I agree that I can get a decent 01 (X,Y) plate car for my money. But, will it provide the smiles though when I look at it parked in the driveway and when I press the loud peddle?

Carl,

I've test driven both 4.0 & 4.5L Chimps and was impressed more with the noise than the handling and pace. The finish on the TVR's was poor at best but does get better as one would expect with newer cars. I like the shape of the Griff more than the Chimp and in 500 form it's a bit of n animal. I'm just a bit bothered with fuel/service costs and my annual 12k miles per annum.

Cheers for the replies both.


[Edited by Magic Boot - 2/6/2003 2:03:03 PM]

Bombjack

Running costs probably considerably higher with the Griff, but hopefully the previous owners will have taken the worst of it.

As for the Elise, 6'2 is no problem if you're flexible. If not, forget it and don't drive one. You will not want to know what you're missing.

[Edited by Bombjack - 2/6/2003 3:34:18 PM]