Why hello all, I'm not too much of a car guy (I enjoy cars and how they work, but don't know a whole lot, although I've slowly been learning), so I could use some advice. I've been contemplating buying a little sports car to use as a summer 'daily driver'- it wouldn't be used for groceries or trips really, just a fun car for the summer. So, what are some things to look for in such a car? I've been thinking of something like an MG midget, or even a triumph (like a tr-6), so nothing too expensive (and it wouldn't be in show condition). Thanks!
classic/sports daily driver
- Thread starter olps
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A Mazda MX-5 is a great fun car. A friend of mine had one and I drove it around a bit. All depends on your budget I guess.
Triumph Stag would be my pick. That little V8 has one of the sweetest exhaust sounds ever made.
One reason why i love my Series 8 RX-7... driving around in a twin turbo rotary is alot of fun.
The 911SC is a fun classic car that makes a great daily driver. Dead-nuts reliable, inexpensive to buy and maintain, and a surprisingly practical car as well.
There are too many variables for this question to be answerable -- What are you looking to spend? Do you want new or used? Convertible or coupe?
Anything from a Miata to a Z to a Porsche to a Ferrari could fit the bill -- but it all depends on what exactly you are looking for.
IMO, the easiest answers (with the broadest appeal) -- and middle of the road spending-wise ($30 - $40K) -- would be either a new Z, or a used Boxster, but that leaves a lot of room to go in either direction.
Good luck!
Anything from a Miata to a Z to a Porsche to a Ferrari could fit the bill -- but it all depends on what exactly you are looking for.
IMO, the easiest answers (with the broadest appeal) -- and middle of the road spending-wise ($30 - $40K) -- would be either a new Z, or a used Boxster, but that leaves a lot of room to go in either direction.
Good luck!
- Thread starter
- #8
My current vehicle is a rough and ready 4 wheeler; great in the winter, but I'd like something with more finesse for the summer.
As for cost, I'd like to keep it under 10 thousand. Sprites are wonderful, but a midget would have to do
I'm quite partial to English cars too. Anyone have much experience with them? Otherwise I'm just looking for a little sporty car (60's-70's) that I can tool around with under the hood. What sparked my interest is seeing a number of MGs and a few Triumphs selling for 4-10 grand.
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Remember when buying a british car.
Lucas Electric (The prince of darkness) is rumored to have developed the intermintent wiper, self dimming headlight, and holds the patent on the short circuit.
Be sure to get it home before dark.
Seriously everybody I know with a british automobile, is on a first name basis with the only garage in town that will work one. there is a reason they are cheap, ask what the maintenance bill has been on them.
Lucas Electric (The prince of darkness) is rumored to have developed the intermintent wiper, self dimming headlight, and holds the patent on the short circuit.
Be sure to get it home before dark.
Seriously everybody I know with a british automobile, is on a first name basis with the only garage in town that will work one. there is a reason they are cheap, ask what the maintenance bill has been on them.
- Thread starter
- #10
hmmm, very good point. Something like that (especially electric) would definitely be an issue as a daily driver.
Take a look at the Miatas - find a used one in decent shape with a good clean top on it and you will have a whole lot of fun. The Miatas are fairly reliable and there are enthusiast sites on the net that can help you with keeping the mechanics of a used one up to snuff. Very fun little cars to drive.
I'd agree, the miata is the closest modern interpretation of the cars u mentioned, without all of the maintenance issues. Heck for 10k you could probably get one that comes with a hard top and drive it in the winter too! 10k will give you a lot of options for the miata, though other options for a DD would be an mustang GT conv, possibly even an 80s early 90s corvette or a BMW Z3
I wonder, is Lucas related to Morelli? I had always heard that Magneto Morelli was the prince of darkness (Italian cars)
Seriously though, airplanedoc makes a good point about reliability of your car. Parts availability is another thing to consider, certain uncommon vehicles might require shipping in of parts or even you shipping the part to be rebuilt at a specialized shop.
Some people enjoy working on them when they break down on the side of the road, but if you are on a date with the wife or girlfriend and they are wearing high heels and your car breaks down...
When my wife and I met she had a Pininfarina Spider convertible (basically a fancy Fiat) and I had a Firebird convertible (I also had a Toyota as a daily driver) I swear her car HATED me, but it finally was okay with me after I spent enough time working on it. Maybe I just learned its quirks, but we got over 100k miles out of it.
Anyway, we both drive Subaru wagons now and I do not miss having to work on cars one bit. BTW, some of the Subaru WRXs are pretty fun to drive.
Have some fun test driving lots of different vehicles and buy something that makes your heart sing.
+1.
I owned a 1995 in Laguna Blue (look it up - only 500 made in that color that year!) for about a year. It had 186,000 miles on it, was missing pieces from the dashboard, had a leaking original ragtop, and was the single most fun thing I have ever owned in my entire life.
Dead reliable, handled exactly like all the hyperbolic stories you've ever heard said that it would, and only cost about $2,200. When I sold it after a year, I got more for it than I paid in the first place.
I will own another again someday, and hopefully soon. Had to sell it because we were having our first kid and I just couldn't justify keeping it when it wouldn't hold a car seat. I miss it every day, and stare at the ones I pass on the road in my giant station wagon.
Go with the Miata.
Ask around where you live at some garages and see who will work one on a MG Triumph, Fiat etc. I have a good friend who has a MG-b and there is only one place in town that will work on it. All the other shops as soon as he mentiones it, they say they don work on them.
One thing you might want to look into is a Karmann Ghia. It is basically a volkswagen beetle with a body by Ghia coachworks of Italy. Mechanically sound and simple to work on if necessary
One thing you might want to look into is a Karmann Ghia. It is basically a volkswagen beetle with a body by Ghia coachworks of Italy. Mechanically sound and simple to work on if necessary
- Thread starter
- #17
Wow, lots of people voting for a miata. I never fully understood why some call them 'girly'?
My current vehicle is a rough and ready 4 wheeler; great in the winter, but I'd like something with more finesse for the summer.
As for cost, I'd like to keep it under 10 thousand. Sprites are wonderful, but a midget would have to do
An MG would be cool in the right condition.
+1 any old (aircooled) VW is a fun car. Not flashy, but for 10k, you could build one that would put a miata to shame. And mechanically, they're the simplest i have ever worked on, except maybe a go-kart
I had an Austin Healy Sprite (similar to the Midget) and used to work on cars for a living; I would avoid the MG at all costs, due to the cost and questionable availability of parts. Doubly so on Fiat and Alfa.
The Miyata and 911 are good calls. Mazda really nailed the design on the Miyata and parts are easily found; same goes for the 911.
The Miyata and 911 are good calls. Mazda really nailed the design on the Miyata and parts are easily found; same goes for the 911.
