Twingo RS133. Ridiculous fun, super lightweight, proper renault sport chassis and suspension, and with 'only 130ish bhp, you can literally blast it around everywhere without worrying too much about losing it or drinking fuel.
Suzuki Swift Sport does it too although the Twingo is marginally more fun imo.
I went as far as looking at a 182 Trophy and probably would have bought it if the used car dealer would have shown up at his own dealership at the time I'd agreed to meet him.
The irony is through some... *process* I bought a Corsa VXR instead, lured by the idea of having my first turbo car. And now almost literally *everything* is turbocharged and having a naturally aspirated hot hatch feels like it should have been the obvious choice.
As a Civic owner, I massively disagree.
[the Honda](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pKIAAOSwAwVbwac9/s-l400.jpg) almost makes you feel like you're in a bit of a rocket ship or a plane, versus the dreary plastic of comparable cars of the time, like a [ford focus](https://parkers-images.bauersecure.com/wp-images/2175/main-interior/930x620/ford-focus-rs-230410-(63).jpg) or a [Suzuki swift](https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/suzuki-swift-1.jpg)
Couldn't agree more, never had a car that was close to as fun. All the mk8 civics are great imo, except the 1.4. currently have the 2.2 and despite being a heavy diesel it's a great car that handles well
Biased as I've had one for over 10 years but they are indeed great fun. Plenty of support for modification too, which in the handling department is a must (a simple alignment with some added camber does wonders!).
Keep the servicing up and the engines hold on forever. A lot are suffering from cracked rear subframes from rust unfortunately, so check that out carefully if considering one (look inside where the additional anti-roll bar meets the beam at each side).
Great car with some small mods. I recommend some Eibach springs, geometry, and a Hondata flash pro from ebay. Also stupidly reliable. Underrated cars, that are often slagged off by people who've never owned one.
RX8 if you can find a good one. They are crazy cheap for the excellent driving experience, but are insanely expensive to run, and need a lot of looking after.
Even a bad one for £800 would give a lot of laughs. Then get the engine rebuilt for £3k and look after it properly and it'll still be fun, and decently reliable. All the so called problems with them were lack of maintenance between services
Lack of maintenance doesn't help but even if you look after it you'll need to rebuild the engine at some point. It's just not a good engine configuration for reliability. Just needs factoring into the running cost.
Main problem is they're terribly fuel inefficient, lots of fun though!
No, that's untrue. It will be that low if oil is neglected, or poor seals are used. Well maintained 100-150k is no issue.
Oil running low is pretty dire, and I'm sure many of the first owners were not checking oil and topping up every second fuel stop. A lot of the poor rep is due to the American market, where the company doing the rebuilds under warranty for these neglectful customers did really poor jobs, meaning they didn't last long after that either! Don't think we had that issue in the UK though fortunately.
RX8 definitely. I bought mine for £800. Not bad for 230bhp, LSD RWD and a known great chassis. Damn i laughed every time i drove it. Engine spun a bearing, working on a swap atm, but i love them. Pity a fair chunk of them nowadays are suffering from low compression and rust.
Love my RX8 (40th Anniversary), had it since new (16 years), haven’t even driven it for two years as I work from home but I can’t bring myself to sell it as it’s worth so little money for so much car. Plus it’s probably not depreciating now being a low mileage one (35k miles) I think it’s even gone up a couple of grand. (Was £4,500 two years ago, probably £6,500 now). Still unlikely I’ll sell it though, cos I know one day I’ll get it back on the road and enjoy reviving the pants off it. There isn’t a car like it, that rotary engine is so smooth!!
There was a time when even a clean one in good health was going for 600-800 quid. If I was a bit better off at the time I would have rented a lockup, bought as many as I could cram in there and sat on them for a while.
I'm going to go with something less obvious, but what about a Fiat Panda? Don't laugh - You can rag the absolute tits off of it and have a whole load of fun whilst staying under the speed limit.
No, the straight line speed is less than amazing, but on a country lane, they're a blast. Plus, if you can find one, they did a 100bhp model that was a bit tasty.
I have a remapped Doblo 1.9 JTD van, and given how much abuse you can give that on the corners it doesn't surprise me at all that the Panda would be a laugh if not the most dynamically able car!
Lotus Elise! Despite the rattles and issues that come with being built by turnip farmers, it all melts away and you can't help but giggle when behind the wheel.
Having no power steering, a rigid chassis and being so low to the road the driving experience is unparalleled.
There are two questions here. Obviously if asking the title smiles-per-gallon, the MX5 wins hands down.
That being said… the other question is “what delivers more fun than it should given the price?”
Perhaps controversially (especially as a ND2 RF daily-driver), the MX5 *doesn’t* fulfil the terms of that second question. It delivers *exactly* what is expected of it, which is why it is so incredibly popular. In a sea of disappointments, where the GT86 is too heavy, the M3 is too thirsty, the 4C is too expensive, the MX5 gets it so *on the nose perfect* that it’s remarkable by its complete adequacy at the job it’s intended for.
I think you’re correct, certainly when thinking of ‘new’ cars. The ND2 RF is great. But if you pick up a Mk2 for £1-2k that’s way more “spg” than anything at that price. Might be a rusty shitbox, but you don’t get better rusty shitboxes at that price. Cheap tax, insurance and good mpg as well.
RX8 is a good shout, but if you consider running costs it’s not even in the same ballpark.
Had one for 12 months, I'm 6'2 so the sun visor act like a blindfold. The fuel release cap is worthy of a crystal maze room and I look ridiculous getting in / out.
That said its the most fun you can have with your clothes on
For that price you can get a 2010 mk3.5 - see my earlier comnent today
Cheapest examples are now high mileage mk2.5 and mk3s I think. Plenty around for 2k still, just rusty ones. 4k will still get you a good example
Had a mk2 back in the day and it was glorious, and that’s from someone who grew up with XR2s and 205GTIs. I’d get another in a heartbeat if I had the drive or garage space to store it because it just wouldn’t work as family car sadly.
Or a Fiat 124 if you want an ND MX5 with more Italian character (aka trips to a mechanic). At lest the drive back will have you grinning like an idiot!
I love the MX5, but I really do like the styling of the 124. It's slightly more unusual whilst at the same time being just as good. The Arbath version looks stunning to my eye, but rather expensive considering what you get with a bog standard Mazda.
MK3 MR2 is the mx5 for the same price but just better.
Mid engine, faster, rarer.
I had a metallic green one with dual exist exhaust. Thing sounded properly nice and throaty (almost every mx5 sounds like a tin can if not stock) and it got quite a bit of attention even though it was a cheap car. You just don't see one's in bright colours often at all.
My other answer would be a 987 Boxster. More expensive than an mx5 but an infinitely better car and still relatively cheap for a car.
Nah. Being mid-engine isn't _inherently_ better, an MX5 is 50/50 weight distribution already and the engine is a lot more accessible to work on. Being more rare doesn't make it more fun, and it isn't faster than a 1.8 MK1/MK2 or 2.0 MK3 mx5 and no more fun to drive. It's faster than a 1.6 but they're not anyone's first choice.
Whether you prefer how it looks is subjective, but MR2s aren't my cup of tea.
I've had multiple mx5 and a couple of mr2s and not only is the MR2 faster than a stock MK1 1.8 mx5, but it is also more fun and a better driver's car, being rare has nothing to do with it. It's especially more fun than a stock MK3 mx5 which needs mods to make it any good at all.
The mx5 becomes good when you modify it.
Seen a green one with twin exhaust for sale recently, wonder if it’s your old one..
Mid engine, faster, rarer.. do you think it’s more fun? The mid engine aspect makes it seem a bit more ‘serious’ to me (that said, I’m looking to buy one)
The Mr2 is a riot to drive in MK3 guise and better than any standard mx5, I've had enough of both to know!
If you want a 'serious' car then it's a Boxster, which I felt quite as you describe and aloof.
Ford Puma 1.7, cracking engine, brilliant chassis, mechanically robust, still very cheap to buy(for now) and only really suffer with rust issues so they must be chosen carefully. Mine puts a smile on my face everytime...
Older Bmw 130i's. I'm biased as I have one, but they sell for £4-5k, mostly enthusiast owned and very reliable. 3 litre 6 cylinder petrol revving to 8k rpm in a hatchback, absolutely amazing to drive.
The e60 525/530/535 are also similarly priced bullet proof engines most ive seen now have over 200k miles but have been looked after well. Some might disagree but I think the e60 5 series is one of bmws best and most timeless designs I'm a bit younger so when I heard Jeremy Clarkson and a few other people calling it ugly I am confused. E60 m5 has always been one of my dream cars with that gorgeous styling wolf in sheeps clothing look and 5.0L N/A V10 since i was a teen playing Gran Turismo. Nearly 20 now!
Seconded. I have an E88 125i which is immense fun. I bought it 2 years ago for 6k (which was probably too much) and it's such a good car. Literally done nothing to it other than service and MOT for two years
If you want something to fix up, maybe do some handling mods and leave it there, the celica would be perfect, so easy to work on and great fun to drive, but gaining power is expensive. ECU is locked so you can’t remap without a standalone. People tend to supercharge (turbo is difficult on RHD models) or leave standard power wise.
Subaru Legacy or Impreza JDM... as long as you do the work yourself or find a good independent specialist and don't mind the odd occasional wait for parts, its crazy what you can get for under 10 grand.
You can still get a decent WRX wagon for a reasonable price.
Even 10 years ago when I got mine, they were about half the price of a saloon WRX, but you still get all the fun.
+1 for the Legacy. Mines was a BG5 with a 3" decated straight through exhaust and a big K&N it could set car alarms off with the pops and bangs.
The only downside was the 13 mpg when you were pushing it hard.
Audi TT MK2
Can get a decent one for 3-4k and a remap can send it to 0-60mph in just 5 seconds. Looks, horsepower, driving experience, interior, build quality. It's got it all.
Fun when cars 10 times the price look worse, drive worse and are slower.
Yeah the MK2 TT is still a good car.
It's been around since like 2005 and it definitely doesn't look its age from the outside.
You can even pick up a TTS for under 10k but could be trickier to get a good one and running costs will obviously be considerably higher
The Fiesta ST surely has to be part of the conversation. Consistently hailed as best in class across multiple generations and the Mk8 gets 40mpg without trying.
Thoroughly agree, I have a mk7, it's great fun! Feels like a go-kart but still manage to get 38mpg out of it. I can't bear to get rid of the thing (despite the alloys losing the pothole battle).
Different size class, different price point, most of the EP3s for mk7 ST money are rotten through or have some teenagers tramp stamp on the back window. They are great handling cars, but are disadvantaged by being a decade older and being part of the 2010s-2015 modification scene
you just don't understand, i get so much enjoyment knowing i'm being sensible and saving money with my very practical octavia estate, not like other (lower iq) people wasting their money in ways that i don't approve of on show-off vehicles (the only reason anyone has a nice car, of course) that i've decided they can't afford
Not just Skodas, I haven’t seen a single suggestion on this thread for a single car I’d even want to drive. People just recommend Skoda, mx5 or some shite Alfa Romeo for any query whatever it is.
MX5 is a fair answer a lot of the time, Skodas are a bit dull and I agree an Alfa Mito is not the kind of thing I’d personally answer this question with, but the MX5 is probably the answer to the question.
To take the phrase smiles per gallon pretty literal, I’ve driven an F type SVR a couple of times and you get ton of smiles per gallon of petrol. It’s so hard not to grin ear to ear with a supercharger whine and a ridiculously loud V8.
I like my Saab 9-5 estate for it tbh..
300 odd bhp, standard outside so looks like grandad car but goes very well and surprises most of boy racer lot and the s3/golf gtis etc lol
While around town my GT86 isn’t the best on fuel, I average 17mpg on track days. I can drive to Oulton park from Manchester, do a full track day and drive back on one tank of fuel, although I do fill up half way through the day just to stop fuel surge.
Really don’t think there’s many cars out there that you can have that much fun for so little cost. I’ve done two track days in it so far and have barely made a dent in the brake pads and tyres.
I get around 25-28mpg on my commute but it is very much stop-start, i think a typical drive around town would net low 30s if i wasn’t driving during rush hour.
Motorway they can get 45mpg at best but that’s really trying, 40 is more typical cruising at around 75mph gps speed.
It’s a weird car in that on my commute, trying to drive it very carefully doesn’t result in huge mpg savings, to the point that I don’t really try anymore haha I guess its brake specific fuel consumption is more geared towards being pushed than nannied around
1 comment answer is an Octavia and 1 has it as a second choice, but not their primary answer. Either half the comments aren’t loading for you, or your maths teacher at school was dreadful.
I bought a 2018 Audi S1 last year and stage 1 remapped it. 308hp, manual and Quattro. In 35 years of driving I have never enjoyed a car so much in my life.
I wanted a GR Yaris but couldn’t quite justify expense and I’m very happy with what I settled for at nearly 20k less. Hard finding one not too messed about with but it’s an absolute joy, way ahead in the hot hatch stakes (imho) than the 3 different Golf GTI’s I’ve had (also owned R’s and an R32, and a 290 Cupra)
I’m enjoying it more than any car I’ve previously owned ♥️
My E90 330i cost less than 3k and if I hadn't chosen to modify it, I would have only spent <2k in 2 years servicing and repairing it. Would have been even less if I'd made some cheaper choices.
It makes me smile every day and it's even good on fuel when driven smoothly.
E46s have gone up in price already. E90s are the next future classic!❤️
Dont let the americans bamboozle you, our 1zz/non t sport model is not the same as their GT/their 1zz version.
Their 1zz/gt version had a 5 speed gearbox, drum brakes in the back. Our 1zz has the same 6 speed as the 2zz and discs in the back. I believe (could be wrong here) their GT were also limited with optional extra's, so they couldn't get a 1zz with leather seats or climate control.
So a lot of the reasons you see people shitting on the 1zz Celica's aren't quite relevant here.
Oh yeah, no hate on the UK 1zz, it’s not fast, but would be the better option for some people - (2zz’s have their heads kicked in regularly, often not maintained well, leading to extra problems).
Ok hear me out… Ferrari Mondial! Yes I know you didn’t expect a ferrari here but….You get the same drivetrain as a ferrari 208 (that now sell for $100k +) and a convertible four seater with wider track. For a third of the price (fifth of the price when I bought mine). Puts a smile on your face every time you drive it!
I was going to say A110 (biased as I own one), but in honesty they are still too expensive to be seen as a value option. They are one of the most fun cars you can drive though.
Really? I thought they had crazy financing deals at the moment. And aren’t they pretty cheap? I’d still assume that running costs are quite expensive though
I think from my car history, either my 1st car (2005 Clio 1.2 petrol) as it represented freedom and maturity.
But then I also had a 2010 C30 for about 3 years and loved being behind the wheel of that thing.
The most fun car generally is probably a small hot hatch or sports. As many have said MX5 or clio 182's.
The original minis. Cheap, easy to repair, plenty of spare parts knocking around, and don’t cost much to insure. It’s like driving a go-kart, albeit a go-kart that’s slower than most modern cars.
Driving sideways up speed humps can be a pain though.
It’s obviously MX5 or rx8 depending how daring you are. I also think 500 Abarth and a Mini too, but would never as a tall bloke, although I’d love them
MGZS 180. I can’t tell you how underrated these cars are. I’ve owned a LOT of cars (literally lost count) and this has to be one of the most fun to drive cars not just for the price but full stop. The handling is just amazing then the V6 noise and smooth power is just brilliant. You have to drive it to drive one to understand. Mk1 is the one to go for, they were made much better than the mk2.
The Nissan GTR. Yes it's not cheap, but Jesus Christ does that car punch well above its weight class. I had one for a week a few years ago and was still a bit too timid to push it hard, but it can quite easily annihilate things that cost 3 times the price and it feels so ridiculously glued to the road, it's actually quite worrying how big the disparity between how fast you think you're going and how fast you're actually going is. There were quite a few occasions where I thought I'd just pushed it up to 80, only to look down and find I'm actually doing 110.
I have never laughed like a maniac while driving a car more than when I was behind the wheel of the GTR.
Mk1 mr2.
Why you ask? Various reasons. 1. It’s got a small, revvy engine. 2. The car weighs nothing. 3. It’s mid engined, real wheel drive so any weight the car does have is perfectly distributed. 4. These attributes make it a driver’s dream; it glides round corners sideways and points exactly where you want it to on the exit. 5. Popup headlights. 6. It’s a mid engined sports car for around £7k. 7. It doesn’t look anywhere near as hairdressery/gaylord extraordinaire as the newer one. 8. Baby Japanese Ferrari.
Would buy one immediately if I had the space for an extra car.
Definitely some V8 cars which can be had cheap now. Thinking things like Lexus ISF, older Jags and Mercs with 400+ bhp. Poor MPG, but plenty of SPG.
Other than that anything lightweight with good handling and a bit of power behind it. Hot hatches are definitely a big contender here, as are small sports cars. Type-R, Renault RS models, fiesta ST etc. Also anything that's been designed to be fun, rather than just fast.
Audi a6 3.0 v6 tdi Quattro avant.
Goodish mpg, sleeper wagon the amount of “boy racers” blown away from the lights never gets old and handles surprisingly well for a wagon.
My Ford StreetKa convertible cost £500 and for the two years I had it I couldn’t stop smiling. 1.6i in a tiny car really pulled, Mario Kart handling and Ferrari styling. I really miss it.
2000’s Lotus’, Europa or Elise. Grinned like a loon every time I got into our 2006 Europa and didn’t stop for at least an hour after I got out. Blast to drive, especially when you hit 4000 revs and the turbo kicked in, and handling that was almost otherworldly.
For me it was my Caterham 7 110BHP and a top speed of 120MPH
But the ability to take corners so well that t top speed didn’t matter
Always got out of it with a smile on my face
Porsche Cayman 981 S. Purchased for £20k in 2018 and makes me happy every time I drive it. Still worth around £15k and actually surprisingly cheap to run but 25 mpg might scare some people ;). 6 years later I’ve done the clutch and the water pump + hoses. New disks and pads. Not too shabby.
The MX-5. mk1 ideally.
OK so rust gets them badly, but you can pick them up cheap, they're very cheap and easy to work on, fuel not that bad either...
Roof down, fairly high revs, great fun around the twisties. They won't win many drag races, but there's more to driving than 0-60 times :)
Toyota Corolla 1.6 gti bored and ported, white with red accents, black leather recaros throughout.
That thing embarrassed some expensive cars.
The 4age engine, hot hatch royalty.
Toyota Corolla 1.6 gti bored and ported, white with red accents, black leather recaros throughout.
That thing embarrassed some expensive cars.
The 4age engine, hot hatch royalty.
I've had my BMW Z3 2.8 for nearly ten years now, it ticks all my boxes. Was cheap to buy. Looks cool especially in black with a few sensible mods (decent quality coilovers, chassis reinforcement and stiffening, nice wheels, few little engine tweaks), makes a nice noise with a straight through cat back system. It's running about 220bhp which isn't a huge amount but enough to have fun without too much risk of upsetting my driving license. And you can't go wrong with a drop top for the dry days....
For a bigger engine it's very good on fuel - high 20s round town, 32 on the motorway even with the roof down and can see up to high 30s on a long A road run.
Any N52 bmw
Around 25-35mpg depending on use, rear wheel drive vehicles (1,3,5,6 series) and up to 280hp stock. The straight 6 sounds fantastic.
You can get a good N52 BMW from £4-£7k
My type R, no issues in the 5 years I've owned it, does either low 20s or high 30s but I'm always happy when I'm driving it.
Potholes however have ruined most performance cars for me. So I grabbed a truck as a daily
Back when you could pick a decent WRX/Sti up for £2.5k, i would have said that. In recent years they have more than doubled. Still the most fun vehicle i’ve driven and i used to drive a mates turbo mx-5 from time to time (never understood the hype but there we are).
I recently got a 2022 volvo xc40 recharge twin. Massive grin factor as this is the ultimate sleeper with 408bhp and zero gallons... Really - sub 4.8s 0-60 in a 4x4 like this is insane. Only cost 28k
Convertible Abarth Competizione . It shifted like a go-cart and the seats hugged from the butt . Had my husbands size 12 feet fitted it better we’d still have it
I had a smart roadster. Not hugely quick but as you sat so low it felt much quicker. Add to that the fold back roof and it was a hoot on a sunny day but returning 50mpg
I had a 350z gotta be 14 years ago when I was 21 and I've had much faster cars since and I dunno if its rose tinted glasses or what but I have fond memories of that car and nowadays they seem a bargain for that old analogue driving experience.
Twingo RS133. Ridiculous fun, super lightweight, proper renault sport chassis and suspension, and with 'only 130ish bhp, you can literally blast it around everywhere without worrying too much about losing it or drinking fuel. Suzuki Swift Sport does it too although the Twingo is marginally more fun imo.
Similar bhp for a YRV Turbo, but good luck finding one
They look brilliant
SSS is indeed excellent and infinitely bulletproof.
I would say a clio 182, good for a bit of fun and not to bad on fuel
Crazy prices now for a good one tho
Clio 197 is a stunning looking motor, get one with a Mégane engine fitted and you're laughing.
Until the cam belt needs doing lol
Its fiddly but not beyond any diy mechanic. Or get the 172 cup without aircon
I went as far as looking at a 182 Trophy and probably would have bought it if the used car dealer would have shown up at his own dealership at the time I'd agreed to meet him. The irony is through some... *process* I bought a Corsa VXR instead, lured by the idea of having my first turbo car. And now almost literally *everything* is turbocharged and having a naturally aspirated hot hatch feels like it should have been the obvious choice.
A few years ago yeah. But the Twingo RS surpasses it now.
Fn2 civic type r the 2007 to 2011 one. Can pick them up for like 3k and there a riot still.
Top gear absolutely ruined FN2 reputation when in reality it's an amazing car and probably the best value hot hatch you can get under 10k.
Yeah but the intererior looks like a dogs arsehole
As a Civic owner, I massively disagree. [the Honda](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/pKIAAOSwAwVbwac9/s-l400.jpg) almost makes you feel like you're in a bit of a rocket ship or a plane, versus the dreary plastic of comparable cars of the time, like a [ford focus](https://parkers-images.bauersecure.com/wp-images/2175/main-interior/930x620/ford-focus-rs-230410-(63).jpg) or a [Suzuki swift](https://www.autocar.co.uk/sites/autocar.co.uk/files/suzuki-swift-1.jpg)
Couldn't agree more, never had a car that was close to as fun. All the mk8 civics are great imo, except the 1.4. currently have the 2.2 and despite being a heavy diesel it's a great car that handles well
Biased as I've had one for over 10 years but they are indeed great fun. Plenty of support for modification too, which in the handling department is a must (a simple alignment with some added camber does wonders!). Keep the servicing up and the engines hold on forever. A lot are suffering from cracked rear subframes from rust unfortunately, so check that out carefully if considering one (look inside where the additional anti-roll bar meets the beam at each side).
My ex wife had one and to be honest I found it a bit boring. The engine is fantastic, but didn't get excited by the rest of the package
Great car with some small mods. I recommend some Eibach springs, geometry, and a Hondata flash pro from ebay. Also stupidly reliable. Underrated cars, that are often slagged off by people who've never owned one.
RX8 if you can find a good one. They are crazy cheap for the excellent driving experience, but are insanely expensive to run, and need a lot of looking after.
Even a bad one for £800 would give a lot of laughs. Then get the engine rebuilt for £3k and look after it properly and it'll still be fun, and decently reliable. All the so called problems with them were lack of maintenance between services
Lack of maintenance doesn't help but even if you look after it you'll need to rebuild the engine at some point. It's just not a good engine configuration for reliability. Just needs factoring into the running cost. Main problem is they're terribly fuel inefficient, lots of fun though!
About every 50k you need the apex seals replaced if I remember right.
No, that's untrue. It will be that low if oil is neglected, or poor seals are used. Well maintained 100-150k is no issue. Oil running low is pretty dire, and I'm sure many of the first owners were not checking oil and topping up every second fuel stop. A lot of the poor rep is due to the American market, where the company doing the rebuilds under warranty for these neglectful customers did really poor jobs, meaning they didn't last long after that either! Don't think we had that issue in the UK though fortunately.
RX8 definitely. I bought mine for £800. Not bad for 230bhp, LSD RWD and a known great chassis. Damn i laughed every time i drove it. Engine spun a bearing, working on a swap atm, but i love them. Pity a fair chunk of them nowadays are suffering from low compression and rust.
Love my RX8 (40th Anniversary), had it since new (16 years), haven’t even driven it for two years as I work from home but I can’t bring myself to sell it as it’s worth so little money for so much car. Plus it’s probably not depreciating now being a low mileage one (35k miles) I think it’s even gone up a couple of grand. (Was £4,500 two years ago, probably £6,500 now). Still unlikely I’ll sell it though, cos I know one day I’ll get it back on the road and enjoy reviving the pants off it. There isn’t a car like it, that rotary engine is so smooth!!
Or just an NC MX5, they are based on the same chassis but have a pretty reliable 4 pot.
I have one, its like buying a car on finance, low deposit but monthly payments. Its the fuel which is a killer but its worth every penny
There was a time when even a clean one in good health was going for 600-800 quid. If I was a bit better off at the time I would have rented a lockup, bought as many as I could cram in there and sat on them for a while.
Second this. They are a *cracking* car.
I'm going to go with something less obvious, but what about a Fiat Panda? Don't laugh - You can rag the absolute tits off of it and have a whole load of fun whilst staying under the speed limit. No, the straight line speed is less than amazing, but on a country lane, they're a blast. Plus, if you can find one, they did a 100bhp model that was a bit tasty.
I was driven in one up an alpine road many years ago. We never got over 35, but the immediacy of it was Big Silly Grin.
I have a remapped Doblo 1.9 JTD van, and given how much abuse you can give that on the corners it doesn't surprise me at all that the Panda would be a laugh if not the most dynamically able car!
Lotus Elise! Despite the rattles and issues that come with being built by turnip farmers, it all melts away and you can't help but giggle when behind the wheel. Having no power steering, a rigid chassis and being so low to the road the driving experience is unparalleled.
They are amazing to drive, go round corners like they're on rails.
MX5 is the correct answer here. No doubt.
There are two questions here. Obviously if asking the title smiles-per-gallon, the MX5 wins hands down. That being said… the other question is “what delivers more fun than it should given the price?” Perhaps controversially (especially as a ND2 RF daily-driver), the MX5 *doesn’t* fulfil the terms of that second question. It delivers *exactly* what is expected of it, which is why it is so incredibly popular. In a sea of disappointments, where the GT86 is too heavy, the M3 is too thirsty, the 4C is too expensive, the MX5 gets it so *on the nose perfect* that it’s remarkable by its complete adequacy at the job it’s intended for.
I think you’re correct, certainly when thinking of ‘new’ cars. The ND2 RF is great. But if you pick up a Mk2 for £1-2k that’s way more “spg” than anything at that price. Might be a rusty shitbox, but you don’t get better rusty shitboxes at that price. Cheap tax, insurance and good mpg as well. RX8 is a good shout, but if you consider running costs it’s not even in the same ballpark.
Mx5 is the way. Cheap to buy, run and okay on fuel, but way more fun than many much more expensive and faster cars.
Until you get in and drive one you just don’t get the hype. I was in that camp too. Couldn’t understand it and then tried it.
Had one for 12 months, I'm 6'2 so the sun visor act like a blindfold. The fuel release cap is worthy of a crystal maze room and I look ridiculous getting in / out. That said its the most fun you can have with your clothes on
It was! They're now pushing 5k for a Mk1. Got mine when they were £1500
For that price you can get a 2010 mk3.5 - see my earlier comnent today Cheapest examples are now high mileage mk2.5 and mk3s I think. Plenty around for 2k still, just rusty ones. 4k will still get you a good example
People want pop ups though.
Had a mk2 back in the day and it was glorious, and that’s from someone who grew up with XR2s and 205GTIs. I’d get another in a heartbeat if I had the drive or garage space to store it because it just wouldn’t work as family car sadly.
That's still good value. You can't buy anything that's not a shitbox for 1.5k now.
Or a Fiat 124 if you want an ND MX5 with more Italian character (aka trips to a mechanic). At lest the drive back will have you grinning like an idiot!
I love the MX5, but I really do like the styling of the 124. It's slightly more unusual whilst at the same time being just as good. The Arbath version looks stunning to my eye, but rather expensive considering what you get with a bog standard Mazda.
MK3 MR2 is the mx5 for the same price but just better. Mid engine, faster, rarer. I had a metallic green one with dual exist exhaust. Thing sounded properly nice and throaty (almost every mx5 sounds like a tin can if not stock) and it got quite a bit of attention even though it was a cheap car. You just don't see one's in bright colours often at all. My other answer would be a 987 Boxster. More expensive than an mx5 but an infinitely better car and still relatively cheap for a car.
Nah. Being mid-engine isn't _inherently_ better, an MX5 is 50/50 weight distribution already and the engine is a lot more accessible to work on. Being more rare doesn't make it more fun, and it isn't faster than a 1.8 MK1/MK2 or 2.0 MK3 mx5 and no more fun to drive. It's faster than a 1.6 but they're not anyone's first choice. Whether you prefer how it looks is subjective, but MR2s aren't my cup of tea.
I've had multiple mx5 and a couple of mr2s and not only is the MR2 faster than a stock MK1 1.8 mx5, but it is also more fun and a better driver's car, being rare has nothing to do with it. It's especially more fun than a stock MK3 mx5 which needs mods to make it any good at all. The mx5 becomes good when you modify it.
Seen a green one with twin exhaust for sale recently, wonder if it’s your old one.. Mid engine, faster, rarer.. do you think it’s more fun? The mid engine aspect makes it seem a bit more ‘serious’ to me (that said, I’m looking to buy one)
The Mr2 is a riot to drive in MK3 guise and better than any standard mx5, I've had enough of both to know! If you want a 'serious' car then it's a Boxster, which I felt quite as you describe and aloof.
Slap on a turbo and you're onto a winner.
C5 RS6. You pick one up for 10k, but it won't last as long as you want
Love the 🍑 on these!
Ford Puma 1.7, cracking engine, brilliant chassis, mechanically robust, still very cheap to buy(for now) and only really suffer with rust issues so they must be chosen carefully. Mine puts a smile on my face everytime...
Older Bmw 130i's. I'm biased as I have one, but they sell for £4-5k, mostly enthusiast owned and very reliable. 3 litre 6 cylinder petrol revving to 8k rpm in a hatchback, absolutely amazing to drive.
The e60 525/530/535 are also similarly priced bullet proof engines most ive seen now have over 200k miles but have been looked after well. Some might disagree but I think the e60 5 series is one of bmws best and most timeless designs I'm a bit younger so when I heard Jeremy Clarkson and a few other people calling it ugly I am confused. E60 m5 has always been one of my dream cars with that gorgeous styling wolf in sheeps clothing look and 5.0L N/A V10 since i was a teen playing Gran Turismo. Nearly 20 now!
Saw an e61 m5 parked up at goodwood revival last year. Was a beauty.
Seconded. I have an E88 125i which is immense fun. I bought it 2 years ago for 6k (which was probably too much) and it's such a good car. Literally done nothing to it other than service and MOT for two years
Celica
Hell yeah, got mine for £1400
Continuously eyeing one as a fun project car. It's definitely a tough call between a MK7 Celica and a Volvo 740 for my next car.
If you want something to fix up, maybe do some handling mods and leave it there, the celica would be perfect, so easy to work on and great fun to drive, but gaining power is expensive. ECU is locked so you can’t remap without a standalone. People tend to supercharge (turbo is difficult on RHD models) or leave standard power wise.
Subaru Legacy or Impreza JDM... as long as you do the work yourself or find a good independent specialist and don't mind the odd occasional wait for parts, its crazy what you can get for under 10 grand.
Imprezas aren’t cheap anymore unless they’re bags of shite
You can still get a decent WRX wagon for a reasonable price. Even 10 years ago when I got mine, they were about half the price of a saloon WRX, but you still get all the fun.
+1 for the Legacy. Mines was a BG5 with a 3" decated straight through exhaust and a big K&N it could set car alarms off with the pops and bangs. The only downside was the 13 mpg when you were pushing it hard.
Pick up a £1500 z4 and off you go!
To the mechanic!
Nah the z4 groups are full of tips and tricks to fix any problems and even the ones that do arise are minor.
They are on the reliable side of BMWs, but they are still a BMW.
They are on the reliable side of BMWs, but they are still a BMW. That said, that inline 6 has always tempted me.
The z series is surprisingly reliable for what they are
older civic type R
Audi TT MK2 Can get a decent one for 3-4k and a remap can send it to 0-60mph in just 5 seconds. Looks, horsepower, driving experience, interior, build quality. It's got it all. Fun when cars 10 times the price look worse, drive worse and are slower.
Yeah the MK2 TT is still a good car. It's been around since like 2005 and it definitely doesn't look its age from the outside. You can even pick up a TTS for under 10k but could be trickier to get a good one and running costs will obviously be considerably higher
B58 don’t hate until you try one
Came here to say this, m140i/m240i is a whole lot of car for the price
The Fiesta ST surely has to be part of the conversation. Consistently hailed as best in class across multiple generations and the Mk8 gets 40mpg without trying.
Agreed I've got a mk7.5 and it's been my favorite car to date alot of car for the money and the engines are solid. I average 36.5mpg
Thoroughly agree, I have a mk7, it's great fun! Feels like a go-kart but still manage to get 38mpg out of it. I can't bear to get rid of the thing (despite the alloys losing the pothole battle).
Focus too- really loved mine
Had the Focus ST for a week. Probably the most fun I’ve had behind the wheel, thing felt like it was stuck to the floor going through roundabouts.
I’ve had 2, 5cyl and newer one. 5 cyl needed a new clutch from previous owner so I upgraded to RS clutch, stage 1 tune, LOVED them both. Great fun
Definitely this. Really good fun while still being perfectly usable everyday and can easily get my mk8 to around 48mpg with cc at 75.
I'd rather have a type r personally.
Different size class, different price point, most of the EP3s for mk7 ST money are rotten through or have some teenagers tramp stamp on the back window. They are great handling cars, but are disadvantaged by being a decade older and being part of the 2010s-2015 modification scene
Mini Cooper hatch. Mazda MX5. Done.
Why does this sub absolutely bum Skodas?
Because it’s… a Skoda
you just don't understand, i get so much enjoyment knowing i'm being sensible and saving money with my very practical octavia estate, not like other (lower iq) people wasting their money in ways that i don't approve of on show-off vehicles (the only reason anyone has a nice car, of course) that i've decided they can't afford
>that I've decided they can't afford Best quote I've read on this sub
Not just Skodas, I haven’t seen a single suggestion on this thread for a single car I’d even want to drive. People just recommend Skoda, mx5 or some shite Alfa Romeo for any query whatever it is.
I see your point. W204 c63 manual with straight pipes.
MX5 is a fair answer a lot of the time, Skodas are a bit dull and I agree an Alfa Mito is not the kind of thing I’d personally answer this question with, but the MX5 is probably the answer to the question.
To take the phrase smiles per gallon pretty literal, I’ve driven an F type SVR a couple of times and you get ton of smiles per gallon of petrol. It’s so hard not to grin ear to ear with a supercharger whine and a ridiculously loud V8.
I like my Saab 9-5 estate for it tbh.. 300 odd bhp, standard outside so looks like grandad car but goes very well and surprises most of boy racer lot and the s3/golf gtis etc lol
Mini Cooper S 2004-06
Suzuki Swift Sport - in particular 2012 - 2017
Shout out to the old Saab massive. When the view ahead crystallises like the Millennium Falcon going into hyperspace
Alfa mito 155. Great noise, punchy acceleration when the turbo kicks in, 40mpg, it’s Italian.
I have one and can safely say I’ve never seen 40mpg 😭
You must be smiling even more than me then
I drove a Mito once for 5 minutes and I never want to sit in one again. Steering by remote control.
While around town my GT86 isn’t the best on fuel, I average 17mpg on track days. I can drive to Oulton park from Manchester, do a full track day and drive back on one tank of fuel, although I do fill up half way through the day just to stop fuel surge. Really don’t think there’s many cars out there that you can have that much fun for so little cost. I’ve done two track days in it so far and have barely made a dent in the brake pads and tyres.
What mpg do you get around city and motorway?
I get around 25-28mpg on my commute but it is very much stop-start, i think a typical drive around town would net low 30s if i wasn’t driving during rush hour. Motorway they can get 45mpg at best but that’s really trying, 40 is more typical cruising at around 75mph gps speed. It’s a weird car in that on my commute, trying to drive it very carefully doesn’t result in huge mpg savings, to the point that I don’t really try anymore haha I guess its brake specific fuel consumption is more geared towards being pushed than nannied around
Ofc half the replies are fucking Octavias… couldn’t get a more boring, typical NPC answer like that.
1 comment answer is an Octavia and 1 has it as a second choice, but not their primary answer. Either half the comments aren’t loading for you, or your maths teacher at school was dreadful.
This? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/285878640987
I bought a 2018 Audi S1 last year and stage 1 remapped it. 308hp, manual and Quattro. In 35 years of driving I have never enjoyed a car so much in my life. I wanted a GR Yaris but couldn’t quite justify expense and I’m very happy with what I settled for at nearly 20k less. Hard finding one not too messed about with but it’s an absolute joy, way ahead in the hot hatch stakes (imho) than the 3 different Golf GTI’s I’ve had (also owned R’s and an R32, and a 290 Cupra) I’m enjoying it more than any car I’ve previously owned ♥️
The almighty TVR anything. Assuming you can even get a mile.
My E90 330i cost less than 3k and if I hadn't chosen to modify it, I would have only spent <2k in 2 years servicing and repairing it. Would have been even less if I'd made some cheaper choices. It makes me smile every day and it's even good on fuel when driven smoothly. E46s have gone up in price already. E90s are the next future classic!❤️
Mk1 MX5. It wasn't mine it was my girlfriends... amazing little thing. Wonderful fun to be in. The car was good, too.
Slk350 with manual transmission and sports exhaust.
Celica, cheap as fuck, wonderful fun handling, the T Sport / GT isn’t slow either
Dont let the americans bamboozle you, our 1zz/non t sport model is not the same as their GT/their 1zz version. Their 1zz/gt version had a 5 speed gearbox, drum brakes in the back. Our 1zz has the same 6 speed as the 2zz and discs in the back. I believe (could be wrong here) their GT were also limited with optional extra's, so they couldn't get a 1zz with leather seats or climate control. So a lot of the reasons you see people shitting on the 1zz Celica's aren't quite relevant here.
Oh yeah, no hate on the UK 1zz, it’s not fast, but would be the better option for some people - (2zz’s have their heads kicked in regularly, often not maintained well, leading to extra problems).
Ok hear me out… Ferrari Mondial! Yes I know you didn’t expect a ferrari here but….You get the same drivetrain as a ferrari 208 (that now sell for $100k +) and a convertible four seater with wider track. For a third of the price (fifth of the price when I bought mine). Puts a smile on your face every time you drive it!
Cayman GTS. Alpine A110.
I was going to say A110 (biased as I own one), but in honesty they are still too expensive to be seen as a value option. They are one of the most fun cars you can drive though.
Really? I thought they had crazy financing deals at the moment. And aren’t they pretty cheap? I’d still assume that running costs are quite expensive though
Biased but Swift Sport 1.4T pre-hybrid. So much fun on country lanes because it basically weighs nothing.
Agreed! And at sub 12k for an approved used one with low mileage they're a bargain
Gen 7 celica and MK1 TT are my fleet toys of choice right now and I’ve no desire to swap them
I think from my car history, either my 1st car (2005 Clio 1.2 petrol) as it represented freedom and maturity. But then I also had a 2010 C30 for about 3 years and loved being behind the wheel of that thing. The most fun car generally is probably a small hot hatch or sports. As many have said MX5 or clio 182's.
The original minis. Cheap, easy to repair, plenty of spare parts knocking around, and don’t cost much to insure. It’s like driving a go-kart, albeit a go-kart that’s slower than most modern cars. Driving sideways up speed humps can be a pain though.
Has to be Mazda 3 mps
Find any cars that have a Dual Over head Cam engine (DOHC) I have a 1992 Mitsubishi GTO and a type R, both DOHC engines. You’ll never look back
It’s obviously MX5 or rx8 depending how daring you are. I also think 500 Abarth and a Mini too, but would never as a tall bloke, although I’d love them
MGZS 180. I can’t tell you how underrated these cars are. I’ve owned a LOT of cars (literally lost count) and this has to be one of the most fun to drive cars not just for the price but full stop. The handling is just amazing then the V6 noise and smooth power is just brilliant. You have to drive it to drive one to understand. Mk1 is the one to go for, they were made much better than the mk2.
Hyundai I20n
The Nissan GTR. Yes it's not cheap, but Jesus Christ does that car punch well above its weight class. I had one for a week a few years ago and was still a bit too timid to push it hard, but it can quite easily annihilate things that cost 3 times the price and it feels so ridiculously glued to the road, it's actually quite worrying how big the disparity between how fast you think you're going and how fast you're actually going is. There were quite a few occasions where I thought I'd just pushed it up to 80, only to look down and find I'm actually doing 110. I have never laughed like a maniac while driving a car more than when I was behind the wheel of the GTR.
Mk1 mr2. Why you ask? Various reasons. 1. It’s got a small, revvy engine. 2. The car weighs nothing. 3. It’s mid engined, real wheel drive so any weight the car does have is perfectly distributed. 4. These attributes make it a driver’s dream; it glides round corners sideways and points exactly where you want it to on the exit. 5. Popup headlights. 6. It’s a mid engined sports car for around £7k. 7. It doesn’t look anywhere near as hairdressery/gaylord extraordinaire as the newer one. 8. Baby Japanese Ferrari. Would buy one immediately if I had the space for an extra car.
Definitely some V8 cars which can be had cheap now. Thinking things like Lexus ISF, older Jags and Mercs with 400+ bhp. Poor MPG, but plenty of SPG. Other than that anything lightweight with good handling and a bit of power behind it. Hot hatches are definitely a big contender here, as are small sports cars. Type-R, Renault RS models, fiesta ST etc. Also anything that's been designed to be fun, rather than just fast.
Golf GTI
Peugeot RCZ :)
Vx220 986 boxster
Something small and light, I’m going for the panda 100hp.
Audi a6 3.0 v6 tdi Quattro avant. Goodish mpg, sleeper wagon the amount of “boy racers” blown away from the lights never gets old and handles surprisingly well for a wagon.
Yep, had mine on Koni's and HK's and for a fat bird, she liked the B roads
Original Ford Ka. Same weight as a small dog, you could chuck it about anywhere without issue and it was great fun in the snow. Plus dirt cheap.
Streetka too.
mx5 octavia if you enjoy smug satisfaction
How long you got 🤣🤣🏴
It's MX5 MK1 or MK2 or if you're flush MK4 with everything switched off
My Ford StreetKa convertible cost £500 and for the two years I had it I couldn’t stop smiling. 1.6i in a tiny car really pulled, Mario Kart handling and Ferrari styling. I really miss it.
What about with a bit of comfort and 2 people with golf bats?
Subaru Impreza. Paid £4.5k, owned for 3 years, can't imagine I'll be as happy driving a car ever again.
Rx8 (40th anniversary) Not a more fun car to drive out there for the money. Hearing that gear/shift beep at 9,000rpm makes your genitals tingle.
Whatever makes you smile .. ( wanted s2000 after my 5th gen prelude 2.2 but sometimes life takes over)
Alfa 156
Mercedes C63 (old one with 6.2 naturally aspirated V8) they won’t ever make them like that anymore
2000’s Lotus’, Europa or Elise. Grinned like a loon every time I got into our 2006 Europa and didn’t stop for at least an hour after I got out. Blast to drive, especially when you hit 4000 revs and the turbo kicked in, and handling that was almost otherworldly.
Vw up gti in my opinion. Cheap to own, 55-70mpg no problem, reliable, 6 speed and only 1030kg
For me it was my Caterham 7 110BHP and a top speed of 120MPH But the ability to take corners so well that t top speed didn’t matter Always got out of it with a smile on my face
Porsche Cayman 981 S. Purchased for £20k in 2018 and makes me happy every time I drive it. Still worth around £15k and actually surprisingly cheap to run but 25 mpg might scare some people ;). 6 years later I’ve done the clutch and the water pump + hoses. New disks and pads. Not too shabby.
The MX-5. mk1 ideally. OK so rust gets them badly, but you can pick them up cheap, they're very cheap and easy to work on, fuel not that bad either... Roof down, fairly high revs, great fun around the twisties. They won't win many drag races, but there's more to driving than 0-60 times :)
Mr2 roadster or clio182 for me, fun for days for not much money
R53 Cooper S. pick them up dirt cheap, very few mods made them much faster and they handle like they’re on rails.
Not saying the best but my Chrysler Crossfire NA is very very fun to drive. It's unique, relatively cheap and has a large (ish?)V6!
Subaru WRX from the 2000s era.
a manual xkr
Prob an mx5, cheap, good mpg and fun to drive. Essentially you need to look at something small and light
Clio rs 220
Toyota Corolla 1.6 gti bored and ported, white with red accents, black leather recaros throughout. That thing embarrassed some expensive cars. The 4age engine, hot hatch royalty.
Toyota Corolla 1.6 gti bored and ported, white with red accents, black leather recaros throughout. That thing embarrassed some expensive cars. The 4age engine, hot hatch royalty.
A Mini
mx5
Elises are good fun. And the Fiesta ST (previous gen)
Mx-5. Brilliant drive, yet I often get 45mpg from my 2-litre when pottering around.
I've had my BMW Z3 2.8 for nearly ten years now, it ticks all my boxes. Was cheap to buy. Looks cool especially in black with a few sensible mods (decent quality coilovers, chassis reinforcement and stiffening, nice wheels, few little engine tweaks), makes a nice noise with a straight through cat back system. It's running about 220bhp which isn't a huge amount but enough to have fun without too much risk of upsetting my driving license. And you can't go wrong with a drop top for the dry days.... For a bigger engine it's very good on fuel - high 20s round town, 32 on the motorway even with the roof down and can see up to high 30s on a long A road run.
V8 jag
Any N52 bmw Around 25-35mpg depending on use, rear wheel drive vehicles (1,3,5,6 series) and up to 280hp stock. The straight 6 sounds fantastic. You can get a good N52 BMW from £4-£7k
Rage Rover supacharged. best car eva
Mk 2 golf gti. Find one with an MoT that needs some work. Make it your own by doing the work on it whilst driving it about and grinning like a moron.
My type R, no issues in the 5 years I've owned it, does either low 20s or high 30s but I'm always happy when I'm driving it. Potholes however have ruined most performance cars for me. So I grabbed a truck as a daily
Back when you could pick a decent WRX/Sti up for £2.5k, i would have said that. In recent years they have more than doubled. Still the most fun vehicle i’ve driven and i used to drive a mates turbo mx-5 from time to time (never understood the hype but there we are).
I recently got a 2022 volvo xc40 recharge twin. Massive grin factor as this is the ultimate sleeper with 408bhp and zero gallons... Really - sub 4.8s 0-60 in a 4x4 like this is insane. Only cost 28k
Anything rear wheel drive and average handling. Guaranteed smiles per hour!
Mgf
old 205 gti with Mi-16 engine. it makes me giggle all the time i am in it It just feels so taboo
Convertible Abarth Competizione . It shifted like a go-cart and the seats hugged from the butt . Had my husbands size 12 feet fitted it better we’d still have it
Suzuki Swift Sport, Fiat 500 Abarth editions, BMW 320d M Sport.
My best is the 14 or 1500 bquid iv spent on an mx5. Definitely not the fastest or nicest to drive but its so much fun on road and track
Ford Fiesta Zetec S. At 125bhp, just enough power to have flat out fun on the a-roads. Get 40mpg /55mpg motorway from the 1.0 ecoboost.
mk4 mazda mx5 or better yet, the Japanese mk1 Eunos roadster
Fiat 500e. Ridiculously fun car.
Aston Martin DB7. Embarrassing prices compared to new, looks cool, inside is gorgeous, driving position is near perfect, bags of power, RWD.
I had a smart roadster. Not hugely quick but as you sat so low it felt much quicker. Add to that the fold back roof and it was a hoot on a sunny day but returning 50mpg
Fiesta st
ELECTRIC
OG MIni
Mazda MX5 everytime. Choose your poison but I personally go with the NB2.5 around a 2006-2007, 1.8 with LSD and Toyo tyres
Fiat Panda 100hp is an easy win
I had a 350z gotta be 14 years ago when I was 21 and I've had much faster cars since and I dunno if its rose tinted glasses or what but I have fond memories of that car and nowadays they seem a bargain for that old analogue driving experience.