What RWD sports car

[dan]

I've decided I can't do FWD any more so I need a sensible RWD car that isn't ruinous to run but still fun enough to enjoy. It doesn't need to be ballistically quick as i've got my lotus for that but it needs to be proper rear drive fun and be a proper car that I could take on a road trip. Don't need more than 2 seats.

Budget 20k.

I don't think I want an old porsche. My mrs had a 987 3.4s and apart from the wonderful engine and the noise it made it felt heavy and ponderous.

I drove a bmw 140 a while back and it felt like a wallowy old mans barge although the lack of diff and spinning an inside wheel probably didn't help my feelings towards it.

I've had 2 S2000's and as much as I like them I don't want another as they are known to rot away before your eyes.

Don't need another elise.

I could only really come up with 2 choices, what can you lot think of?

[Rich B]

M4

[Matty]

I mean, ignoring the obvious, only others that spring to mind are:

GT86? Might be a bit lacklustre.
Z4? Can get facelift for 20k (2019ish)
F-Type?

But they're heavier boulevard cruisers more than anything, especially the latter two and unlikely to fit the bill if you find the Boxster ponderous.

Ultimately, from the brief it's difficult to look past an MX-5

[Swervin_Mervin]

Hmm, I was going to say Lexus RCF but I'm guessing that would be a bit lardy. There's one on AT though with 196k at £14k

So, I'll go 370z or this lovely Z3 M Coupe


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408132856005

[GG.]

What's the budget?

[dan]

What's the budget?

Still 20k

[dan]

Hmm, I was going to say Lexus RCF but I'm guessing that would be a bit lardy. There's one on AT though with 196k at £14k

So, I'll go 370z or this lovely Z3 M Coupe


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202408132856005

There was a chap picking up one of those the day I picked up my last S2000 and I always thought it looked nice, but after driving the 140 recently i'm turned off bmw's completely (apart from the ones that are 3 times my budget).

[dan]

I mean, ignoring the obvious, only others that spring to mind are:

GT86? Might be a bit lacklustre.
Z4? Can get facelift for 20k (2019ish)
F-Type?

But they're heavier boulevard cruisers more than anything, especially the latter two and unlikely to fit the bill if you find the Boxster ponderous.

Ultimately, from the brief it's difficult to look past an MX-5

GT86 interests me, but i'd probably look at an MX5 over one of those as it seems to be the same but softop to me, in broad terms.

I do like a soft top I can't deny that.

F type too big and too heavy for me, not a drivers car as far as i'm concerned. I drove a V6 a few years ago and thought my dad would like it.

[Carlos]

Birds M140i with a really poor advert that look like a hidden gem

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202501218232857

[mik]

VXR8

[KiwiDave]

GT86 interests me, but i'd probably look at an MX5 over one of those as it seems to be the same but softop to me, in broad terms.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - they're similar up to 70% Beyond that a GT86 has much more intent. Harder you drive it, the more it crashes and bangs about, but the more it wants pushing. All three of the current gen MX5s I've spent decent time in get pretty wallowy and vague in how they respond to what you're asking of it.

[GG.]

What's the budget?

Still 20k

Ah yes.

Yeh I'd probably go with a Z4M if you didn't much like the Boxster. I guess the 987 is too similar to an Elise being mid-engined, but ultimately heavier.

The Z4M will be heavier still, but much livelier. Maybe the 3.0si may be good enough (same engine I had in a 330i and loved) but wouldn't bother with a standard Z4 3.0 - they were just a bit gutless compared to the newer engine.

[dan]

GT86 interests me, but i'd probably look at an MX5 over one of those as it seems to be the same but softop to me, in broad terms.

I've said it before, I'll say it again - they're similar up to 70% Beyond that a GT86 has much more intent. Harder you drive it, the more it crashes and bangs about, but the more it wants pushing. All three of the current gen MX5s I've spent decent time in get pretty wallowy and vague in how they respond to what you're asking of it.

I've never driven either so i'm perfectly place to judge

[dan]

I guess the 987 is too similar to an Elise being mid-engined,

Couldn't be less so, other than having 2 seats, there is nothing similar in the way they drive at all.

[dan]

VXR8

Too big and heavy for my taste.

[nuttinnew]

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... 25&fromsra

[KiwiDave]

I guess it depends what you wanna do with it, if you're driving the balls off it, it's pretty easy to see a Lotus would better either of them. So arguing that your use for it will always be the more mellow driving you do, the MX5 may be the better choice.

But having seen your driving antics, not sure how mellow you ever drive?

The one thing I would say is that a GT86 is really easy to fuck up, and very difficult to make better than OEM. Only Toyota's, Endless or AP's brake upgrades work in my opinion. The only suspension upgrades that have worked are the factory TRD, Sachs upgrades or Ohlins and KW - all the other brands have made the car worse. The engine is shit, but after a while you don't care because you just spend your focus on driving it rather than noticing what noise it makes.

I still have mine because I can't currently afford a 911. An Exige/Elise is the only thing between a GT86 and a 911 that delivers on the driving tool level as far as I'm concerned. The MX5 isn't hard edged enough to my taste. The M2 keeps getting looked at and I've driven one but for all the obvious advantages, the ruinous running costs work against it, as does the fact I can only get a manual BMW here by importing it myself. I would acknowledge though, running costs here vs being in Europe could be quite different.

[V8Granite]

If you take BMW out there isn’t really much. I instantly thought a really nice E46 M3.

I’m assuming a TVR Chimera is out ?

Dave!

[dan]

If you take BMW out there isn’t really much. I instantly thought a really nice E46 M3.

I’m assuming a TVR Chimera is out ?

Dave!

Definitely no TVR's, I want a proper car, i've already got a load of home made shit at work

I've never been a bmw man, i've always seen them as cars for other people that I like to look at but i've never got on with driving them. Other than an E30 M3 actually, which I really enjoyed, every other (later) bmw i've driven has felt very bland.

[GG.]

I guess the 987 is too similar to an Elise being mid-engined,

Couldn't be less so, other than having 2 seats, there is nothing similar in the way they drive at all.

I've never driven an Elise but surely they more similar to a Boxster than a FR coupe, or would you say an MX5 is closer to an Elise than an Elise to a Boxster drive wise despite being a different layout?