Suggestions for fun daily driver

motorguy

Houbara wrote: »

The OP should grow up/mature and forget about "having fun " on the public roads of the UK MX5 is utterly useless for everyday work horse duties but good for the people who run the Salons
.Waste your money with the bores on track days where you can smash it up without taking anyone elses life if you want to tear !!! around like a loony
IF you want to get sensible and also buy the best deals search your local dealer who specialises in ex Motobility cars . 3 year old small cars usually with super low mileages.
eg currently on sale in Doncasters best dealer (cej3000) are 2 x 2015 Skoda Citigos with mileages of 3122 and 5000 at £5995 or the VW Up 2015 with only 1867 miles at slightly more £6250. This is a money saving website after all

This is clearly going to come as a shock to you, but you can have fun on public roads without endangering anyone else OR breaking the speed limit OR breaking any laws. :eek:

I get pleasure from my Cooper S even just driving it to the shops and back. Likewise with any MX5 i've owned. Its just a pleasure and fun to be in. It puts a smile on your face.

I can see how that has previously washed over you if you've been driving a 1.0 Citigo.

Any please dont try to bang the "MoneySaving" drum as the mantra of the site is to get what you want in the most cost effective way, not eke out a living in the most boring way possible.

The O/P wants a car they can enjoy and that will be fun and a pleasure to drive, that can be done on ANY budget and doesnt mean someone has to drive a boring little shopping trolley if they dont want to.

Sorry that your life has left you feeling that is your only option.

neilmcl

motorguy wrote: »

This is clearly going to come as a shock to you, but you can have fun on public roads without endangering anyone else OR breaking the speed limit OR breaking any laws. :eek:

I get pleasure from my Cooper S even just driving it to the shops and back. Likewise with any MX5 i've owned. Its just a pleasure and fun to be in. It puts a smile on your face.

I can see how that has previously washed over you if you've been driving a 1.0 Citigo.

Any please dont try to bang the "MoneySaving" drum as the mantra of the site is to get what you want in the most cost effective way, not eke out a living in the most boring way possible.

The O/P wants a car they can enjoy and that will be fun and a pleasure to drive, that can be done on ANY budget and doesnt mean someone has to drive a boring little shopping trolley if they dont want to.

Sorry that your life has left you feeling that is your only option.

Couldn't agree more. And for the record I'be never owned a MX5 myself but I would never be so presumptuous, and lets face it rude, to try an tell others what sort of car they should be getting or how they should be feeling about the cars they drive.

Houbara, perhaps you should go back to the energy forum as motoring discussions don't seem to be your thing.

motorguy

neilmcl wrote: »

Couldn't agree more. And for the record I'be never owned a MX5 myself but I would never be so presumptuous, and lets face it rude, to try an tell others what sort of car they should be getting or how they should be feeling about the cars they drive.

Houbara, perhaps you should go back to the energy forum as motoring discussions don't seem to be your thing.

Exactly.

The MX5 would be the very car that can easily be fun at normal road speeds and conditions. My favourite was a humble little imported 1989 one with a heady 113BHP 1.6 litre engine and its only luxury was electric windows and PAS. Even driving at 50MPH was a pleasure and put a big grin on my face every time.

Having fun =/= breaking the law, speeding or causing a nuisance / risk to other road users.

Mr_Adds

If rear space is not an issue, I'd recommend a Mini Roadster. I have just sold mine after 2.5 years, albeit a cooper S. Great fun to drive, I averaged 43 mpg, bigger boot than Mini hatch and can get the roof down in the summer. In fact my old one is up for sale at a garage for just over 9k, so you can easily get a good one in budget.

Avoid newer shape F series Minis, as they are riddled with electrical faults and paint issues.

DrEskimo

bertiewhite wrote: »

Why?

My sister in law had one from new and after just 4yrs the turbo went. Whilst I appreciate it's just a single case, researching online to try and sole the issue did suggest it was a fairly common issue. In all it was pretty underpowered and she didn't enjoy ownership of it.

bertiewhite wrote: »

I've found a few coopers at 3 yrs old at just over £8K on 30-40K miles online this evening and I do like them. Do they wear well?

That seems very cheap. Are these the 'One' models, with very little options? Looking online, most decent 2/3yr old models are around £10-11k, which was how much my OH paid for hers when it was 3yrs old with 20k on the clock. Things like the Chili pack, are really worth having.

Yea has only had 1 out of warranty repair, which was a replacement thermostat. Quite a common problem, but hardly expensive to fix at £300 from a main dealer.

bertiewhite wrote: »

I'm not sure that's for me but I do like the new Twingo, for the same reason I like the Fiat 500. And the Citroen C1 for that matter.

I would strongly urge you to test drive one. The power delivery is really unlike any petrol car, and the running costs are basically nothing. Charging is a few quid, as apposed to £50/60 a week, no VED and servicing is just £89 per year. On top of that, the warranty can be extended from year 4-10 for just £289 a year.

motorguy

Mr_Adds wrote: »

If rear space is not an issue, I'd recommend a Mini Roadster. I have just sold mine after 2.5 years, albeit a cooper S. Great fun to drive, I averaged 43 mpg, bigger boot than Mini hatch and can get the roof down in the summer. In fact my old one is up for sale at a garage for just over 9k, so you can easily get a good one in budget.

Avoid newer shape F series Minis, as they are riddled with electrical faults and paint issues.

My advice would be wholly converse to that.

I've never been a fan of convertible versions of hatchbacks - they just look "wrong" IMHO. And the Roadster is no exception as far as i'm concerned - although not as bad as the Convertible. If the O/P wants an 2 seater open top, he'd be much better advised to go for a car that was designed to be a 2 seater, such as the MX5.

The roadster also runs on the older technology and the older MINIs are known for major faults.

The new F series isnt "riddled" with faults and paint issues. It also rates far higher in reliability surveys than its predecessors.

Scrapit

Fiesta st not been suggested?

Mr_Adds

motorguy wrote: »

My advice would be wholly converse to that.

I've never been a fan of convertible versions of hatchbacks - they just look "wrong" IMHO. And the Roadster is no exception as far as i'm concerned - although not as bad as the Convertible. If the O/P wants an 2 seater open top, he'd be much better advised to go for a car that was designed to be a 2 seater, such as the MX5.

The roadster also runs on the older technology and the older MINIs are known for major faults.

The new F series isnt "riddled" with faults and paint issues. It also rates far higher in reliability surveys than its predecessors.

If you read the Mini owners forums, there are numerous quality issues with the early F series Minis, mainly electrical, gearbox, and the door seals that rub the paint off the door shuts.

The Roadster was introduced with the LCI upgrades in 2012 onwards, so Cooper S has the N18 engine which has none of the N14 faults for timing chains, HPFP, thermostats etc, and the Cooper went from N12 engine to N16 engine which seemed to sort timing chain issues.

I like the MX5's, but being 6ft 4 i cannot fit in one!

gord115

daveyjp wrote: »

Last model swift sport.

Avoid smart and Twingo.

Agree,other half has a 2014 Swift Sport.Great fun,cheap to run and mega reliable.
Also well equipped.

If not MX5

almillar

IF you want to get sensible and also buy the best deals search your local dealer who specialises in ex Motobility cars . 3 year old small cars usually with super low mileages.

OP literally asked for a fun car and you talk about sensible, and give a lecture to boot!
If OP is willing to go older/cheaper, there's the Toyota Celica, MR2, Ford Puma. I'm sure there's a hot RenaultSport Clio on budget, but maintenance costs will go up. A 2010 ish Mini Cooper S is great fun too, as above. If 'fun' is on the list, I'd go for an older Cooper S over a newer Cooper.