Jamesemt

I currently have a blob eye WRX (sti lookalike), but fancy a change. I've never had a soft top, but always fancied one. If I had the cash I'd get a Boxster, but I haven't...

I don't drive the WRX hard any more, so to be honest its a waste me keeping it...and I'd like to keep my licence.

I'm looking to try and do some kind of straight swap with my 53 plate 8k mile WRX, but don't know what to go for. I'm guessing mine's worth around the £10k - £11k mark.

Amount of seats is unimportant, and I don't really have any requirements as its a second car. Only requirement is fun!! I'm not that keen on a new shape MX5 either.

Are new shape MR2s considered too girlie?? Can you get decent VX220s within my budget?

scrappydog

Honda S2000 should be on your list - not too girlie, faster than your WRX, good fuel consumption, reliable (esp. compared to VX), decent size boot and easy to live day-to-day.

For just fun driving without much practicality then a NA VX220 would be nice. Certainly a whole heap of driver thrills more than the MR2. Although both MR2 & VX/Elise will have high grin-factor at legal speeds as they are so small, low and reliatively light. But if you want the "drivers car" then not much can touch the VX. Also quite rare/interesting sight on the road as opposed to MR2.

If you're into the whole scene type thing, then an Elise has a fanatical following similar to Scoobs.

Hope this helps and all IMHO,

Andy

scott8629

As regards to softtops with more than 2 seats.

The only person that looks good in the back of a convertable is Hitler.

Dream Weaver

Depends on your size as well.

We wanted a S2000, but at just over 6ft, and heavier than I should be I cant fit in an S2000 comfortably enough, same thing with all the others - MX, VX, Elise, etc.

Only one that I fit in is the TT Roadster, so looking at them at the minute

dazdavies

iTrader: (22)

That does surprise me I'm 6 ft 1 and thought the TT was awful although that was one with a roof rather than a soft top. I had to nearly bend double to get my head underneath the roof when getting into the car. I have always liked those cars until that moment.

Was the soft top roof up when you sat it one? If not I'd try again

Brendan Hughes

Cateringvan.

The Chief

I was going to buy a MR2 roadster before i got my Scoob, now admiteddley not as quick as your WRX, but check out all the write-ups about them - they rave about the handling, if 138bhp is not enough for you a filter H&S full system and a Unichip will see comfortably in excess of 160 bhp and coupled with its 975kg weight - that puts it on par with a (standard) Scoob's PTWR, if thats not enough a Turbo conversion can be had for 3k.

Shame the storage space is crap

Dream Weaver

Tried it with roof up and down and it was fine, oodles of room comapred to the S2000. Even my elbow room was compromised in the Honda.

Jonathan Davies

If it's a second car, why not get a classic Alfa Spider? Not fast exactly, but definitely fun and very classy. Fun at licence-friendly speeds too.

For 10k you get a fully restored better-than-new version. (Like this for example http://www.alfaholics.com/cars_for_s...ument_54_4.php)

5 or 6k will get a nice one and bags of change to fiddle with it if that's your thing.

Parts a-plenty, upgrades too if you want more speed.

Classic insurance, and you won't lose much money when you sell.

big MO

A bimmer vert

JamieMacdonald

968 Convertable might be an alternative to a Boxster?

Jamesemt

Sorry, forgot to add that I want something newish as I won't be able to afford to change it for another 4 years...and I don't want to feel that I've traded the Scoob away for something really old.

How easy are VX's to get in? I once tried to get in an Elise and was amazed how bad it was...and I'm only a shortarse...

Even though its a second car, it will have to do the work run maybe six times a month (including winter) so don't want a Caterham.

scrappydog

VX is not a great deal different. Slightly easier, but still a faff compared to normal cars.

To be honest, if you tried an Elise and didn't really like it then I wouldn't bother with the VX either. It really depends on your priorities and personal preferences....and who am I to tell you what you will or will not like? (if you know what I mean!)

I use an Elise as a daily drive, but I'm not going deny it can be a pain sometimes. It's just that the -ves never outwaywhat I see as the +ves. I also own a Classic Scoob which the wife uses mostly.

Sounds like the S2000 will give you more than enough performance (I think you'd find the MR2 lacking), is reliable and easy to live with as a daily drive. However, it is quite an engaging drive and sounds fab a full revs - so it still is something special.

If your not bothered about a drivers car, then obviously a TT will be quick but lacking in character and handling. It's just that you mentioned Boxster in your first post, and I reckon if you were comparing a Porsche to a TT and an S2000; the TT would be way behind the S2000 in terms of driver enjoyment.

Just some thought,

Andy

mg driver

citroen 2 CV

Hanslow

Just sold my MR-2 roadster. Two years of trouble free fun motoring

If you want something that you can race off the dragstrip traffic light grand prix, probably not the best car. If you want something that you can have fun in at legal speeds, it certainly does that It's not quite in Elise / VX territory, but it's not far off. Having said that, the published (pub talk) 0-60 is about 7.9 for the manual, one of the owners did a run of about 6.2 on standard setup measured with a Gtech pro.

You get the hairdresser / gayboy comments, but then you get them in any soft top

With regards to luggage space, myself and the missus managed a week away in the lake district with full complement of walking gear with no problems.

The thing I would suggest is go and try them all. They all feel different and you will know which one is right for you and which ones are wrong quite easily. On paper, they all have different pros and cons, but the drive will tell you so much more.

There are tuning options for all of them, it's just how much you are willing to spend and how much more you want your insurance to be.

16vmarc

Me and my brother sat in an Elise once, we're both over 6` and was quite funny trying to get out!

SiDHEaD

Not being funny, but was the luggage on her lap? We went to look at one for my mom and there was no real storage. 2 little flaps behind the seats which might accomodate 1 shopping bag each. The missus is still getting one when she finishes uni


S2000 has a huge boot for a roadster, and i used one as a daily driver doing 80 miles a day for a year no problems at all. I'm 6 foot and fit in it fine, particularly in the MY04 onwards model as the've redesigned the door cards etc to make more room.

Hanslow

Nope, but she did have a little in the footwell As long as it's packed in soft bags we never had any problems. Don't forget the huge storage compartment under the bonnet

Only used mine to do the shopping a couple of times but never had a problem getting a full weekly shop in there (in the proper storage compartments, none in footwells or on knees ).

You must have big shopping bags in Kidderminster

I've no doubt that the MR-2 has the worst storage capacity for a car of this type, you just have to be a little inventive and use soft bags. With the soft top up as well, you get a decent storage shelf behind the seats that is a good 3-4 inches deep.

As a second car, it's all about the driving dynamics and which one best suits your driving style. I'd have loved an S2K, but when the insurance quote was more than what I was paying on the Scoob, it put me off. Plus they were more expensive for what I was looking at. Lovely cars though, I'd have one if someone gave me one

LG John

I agree I've been on numerous weekends away and even on holiday with my girlfriend in it and with a bit of careful planning and some good old jiggery-pokery you can get a heck of a lot in such a small car. As for physical drivers size there are plenty of fairly big blokes that drive them.

There is always the seat lowering option. There is a mod that is documented on s2ki where you can lower the section of the seat that your bum sits on. It can be dropped 1 inch with ease and more if you are happy to start removing some of the filler/padding from the lower section (I wouldn't as the leather will ripple/sag). I intend to do this mod one weekend when the better weather arrives for that 'low slung' feel

automodellistagt

MR2's are awesome fun, they handle like go carts, sound great, and i know theyre fast, my sti ppp was not catching his 180 bhp model in a straightline put it that way

downside, they look girlie standard, but theres lots of subtle kits and spats that sharpen the whole thing up. And the storage space is shocking

would consider one for the summer if it at least had some sort of boot

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

"Recommend me a soft top"


OK

Crazy Chick

Cookie.

cookstar

iTrader: (6)

Whad i do

Dave_68

I recently sold my S1 Elise to fund my 05 STi purchase, due to baby If I was going to have another 2 seater softtop it would definantly be another Elise (probably S1 again) Had it 5 years & loved it. Test drove the MR2 (roadster) before getting the Elise & was really impressed with it, not as good as the Elise but much better than MGF/MX5's or similar...

Like the S2000's & of course the VX's too but certainly wouldn't touch a TT, found them similar to the old shape SLK "Numb".....

The Chief

Check this kit out for an MR2.........

http://www.aprperformance.com/prodde...tcategoryID=81

ac427

How about kit cars?

or a Sunbeam Tiger!

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Think that was Jeremy Clarkson's line!

farmerwrx

try and get a test drive of a nissan 350z convertable. had a test drive of a audi tt 3.2 dsg first was ok but then the 350z, it is so much better we have a gt model with all the extras this one