lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Ever since the Essex meet and my little trip in Dan's Elise I've got this niggling little thought of swapping the MX-5 for one......is this madness??? It would be a second car but I would use it for some lengthy trips - I know its a stripped out vehicle (but the MX-5 isn't exactly refined so I'm not worried about it being hard going! In fact the turtle isn't exactly a cruiser! ) and it would also be the car to start doing some track stuff in. Finally..... Budget, well up to about £8500 - £9000 probably if I sell the cat and raid my piggy bank.... Am I insane? Are they lethal in the bad weather? What sort/model should I look for? Insurance? I know nothing about them apart from the fact they are funny to get out of, made a nice noise and look funky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 You are indeed insane. The idea of the MX-5 was a cheaper running alternative to the TT. What you should have done all along was buy a 10 year old diesel to rack some miles up on, and drive the TT for the more spirited drives. And that is what you should do now, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy2shots Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Good car but may be a poor example for that kind of money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] You are indeed insane. The idea of the MX-5 was a cheaper running alternative to the TT. What you should have done all along was buy a 10 year old diesel to rack some miles up on, and drive the TT for the more spirited drives. And that is what you should do now, too. [/ QUOTE ] I don't want a diesel. I want something that is as much fun as the TT to drive as my work is so boring I will shoot myself if I have to drive there in an old diesel, see a mad person for 5 hours then drive home. (no offence to old diesel drivers!!) My drives are my only salvation! The Mazda wasn't bought as really cheaper to run than the TT - but to keep the miles off the TT as its on a PCP with 17K miles a year. But maybe I should ditch the idea of a second car altogether and just use the TT all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simonl Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Surely using the TT all the time is the only sensible thing. A car sitting on a driveway doing nothing hardly makes financial sense Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sayerbloke Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 I'd be weary of buying a Mk1 [Or "S1" in Elise terms]. As you know, they are very simple cars meaning the only thing that could go wrong would be the Rover K series engine itself. And guess what? It probably will. On the plus side, it was in production for years so you could probably source a replacement if it went big-time. I'd be more likely to buy the vx220 myself Though as I'm sure Bazza will tell you, both are said to be "interesting" in the snow and ice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Lottie, for £9k I'd buy the latest, best-equipped A3 or Golf diesel you can find. Get it chipped up and you will have a different kind of enjoyment: Twice the performance of the MX-5 at least (you will be shocked) and comical range from the diesel engine. Plus you'll be travelling distances quickly and in comfort. The added bonus is how much less you will lose when you come to sell it also Not an Elise I know but I can recall an instance of a very furious Elise driver on a trackday who was about as unhappy as a person can be after just having been forced to yield to a Revo'd A3 1.9 TDi on a trackday! Different Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Lottie, for £9k I'd buy the latest, best-equipped A3 or Golf diesel you can find. Get it chipped up and you will have a different kind of enjoyment: Twice the performance of the MX-5 at least (you will be shocked) and comical range from the diesel engine. Plus you'll be travelling distances quickly and in comfort. [/ QUOTE ] Now when its put like that it sounds quite a good idea......... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Also, for that money, there are so many Clio 182s and Cups about - add a grand or 2 more and you can find a Trophy which will be absolutely cracking and still comfortable over distances. The Elise will surely be infinitely more compromised and uncomfortale over the sort of distances you're talking about - not to mention so, so much more expensive to run. Remember, you're meticulous about everything and won't let the odd niggle lie. It'll be relatively cheap to buy but will soon become crippling to maintain to A1 standard I'm sure. Why have I turned so sensible?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shark_90 Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Driving an old diesel isn't a bad thing. It calms down one's driving style immensely. Pootling along at 70 doing 55mpg is just as pleasurable as doing 100 doing 25mpg, just in different ways. Instead of the rat race, you get there relaxed, with no pent up anger, and no run-in's with the 100mph reps in the fast lane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 The Rattle Race Driving a Golf TDi didn't calm me down at all I should add. Drove it almost flat out everywhere for 3 years and was still pleased with 40 mpg day in day out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 The Mazda slows me down although its not a slow car as Thorburn proved when he followed very close behind the turtle in Dorset!! Thing is I really need to keep some miles off the TT, but want something that is comfortable yet capable of acceleration and is fun. Elise appeals as its so impractical and thats the kinda girl I am. But I hear what you're saying about running costs etc. What can you chip a Golf up to? Don't want a Renault as it will just be as expensive as the TT to run in reality - insurance, petrol and so on. Either got to be wildly impractical petrol car (Elise) or maybe Golf with chip, or stay with MX-5. Or sell MX-5 and use TT and spend 4 grand on chocolate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRobin Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Each to their own of course, but I can't understand why a single (not family) person would want two cars, especially as both the TT and MX-5 are both performance cars. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alastair_A3 Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I'd be weary of buying a Mk1 [Or "S1" in Elise terms]. As you know, they are very simple cars meaning the only thing that could go wrong would be the Rover K series engine itself. And guess what? It probably will. On the plus side, it was in production for years so you could probably source a replacement if it went big-time. I'd be more likely to buy the vx220 myself Though as I'm sure Bazza will tell you, both are said to be "interesting" in the snow and ice! [/ QUOTE ] The 1800 K Series in my caterham has been fine. Plus replacement engines are cheap, i bought a spare from an elise for £1800. But i also think the sporty clio is a good idea, i hear they are a hoot to drive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Each to their own of course, but I can't understand why a single (not family) person would want two cars, especially as both the TT and MX-5 are both performance cars. Just my opinion. [/ QUOTE ] Because I am insane. And extremely wealthy. PS One of those comments is a fib. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Don't want a Renault as it will just be as expensive as the TT to run in reality - insurance, petrol and so on. [/ QUOTE ] Listen to me Cheap to buy, 2 years remaining warranty and very good mpg on a run. It won't be that bad at all. Insurance? I bet you have 5 years no claims. Give Shiela's Wheels a call The Elise will kill you every time it needs attention and as much as I like the idea of an Audi or Golf diesel, repairing them won't be cheap when they DO go wrong... The more I think about it the more the answer is: OR even one with the stripes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Damn you Mollox you're almost talking sense.... Can I really justify having the TT and a Clio Sport thing though???? What is the depreciation like on them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Yes you can. Just don't ever merge their names They *seem* to lose an initial chunk, making year old cars so tempting, but don't forget also that there will always be an army of boy racers hankering after them once they reach 3 years old or so so prices will be held up by that to an extent. Also, the car is reaching cult status, all good for depreciation I would say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Lottie, last weeks Autocar made interesing reading. They ran an Ariel Atom and a Puggy 107 1.0 together as an experiment (rather than spending £30K on a Boxter). An extream example I know, but they concluded that the 1 car route was the one to take. Sitting in a wet traffic jam on the M25 in the 107, made the guy wish he had a £30K car instead of his £22K and £8K fleet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Surely you mean the Atom, Jim? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lottiefox Posted August 31, 2006 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Lottie, last weeks Autocar made interesing reading. They ran an Ariel Atom and a Puggy 107 1.0 together as an experiment (rather than spending £30K on a Boxter). An extream example I know, but they concluded that the 1 car route was the one to take. Sitting in a wet traffic jam on the M25 in the 107, made the guy wish he had a £30K car instead of his £22K and £8K fleet. [/ QUOTE ] Anyone want to buy an MX-5??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazza_g Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] I'd be more likely to buy the vx220 myself Though as I'm sure Bazza will tell you, both are said to be "interesting" in the snow and ice! [/ QUOTE ] the VX220 and the Elise are both fun in bad weather - no driver aids to help you out of trouble, not even power steering I ran mine as my sole car for a year - but didn't relish having to put gloves, coat, scarf and a hat on to drive in the winter However, as a second car - I reckon it would be brilliant, you only live once Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CarMad Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Well I want to do the opposite to the Atom / 107. Get a resonable car for the daily drive and an Elise for the weekend. Your all making you head not your heart make the desisions, call yourselves petrol heads. Lottie, I would deffo look at your options on an Elise than a bloody Clio for goodness sake. An Elise is special even when you aren't flying around, a clio however practical just won't fire your soul, and thats what you want isn't it ?!!? Otherwise whats the point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimdiesel Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 [ QUOTE ] Surely you mean the Atom, Jim? [/ QUOTE ] Nope. He was sat in the 107. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mollox Posted August 31, 2006 Report Share Posted August 31, 2006 Ahh. I get it now Don't listen to Carmad, he's thinking of buying a diesel BMW for goodness sake Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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