[Paddy1975]

Had some nice news the weekend and came into some spare (not much but some spare) cash, Wifey immediately sprang into action with the usual, we could have a new kitchen, new patio, new bathroom...... I see it more important to get a little weekend rocket. I was looking at a Z4 3.0I but just wanted to put it out there to you guys, if you had a spare £5-6000 what would you fancy as a weekend toy, not planning on loads of miles got the F30 for that but just a bit of fun.

[Grant_7]

Personally I'd go for something like an MX5. Cheap, reliable but, most of all, fun.

[TodmordenLad]

Originally Posted by Grant_7

Personally I'd go for something like an MX5. Cheap, reliable but, most of all, fun.

+1
No hesitation, MX-5

[MashinBenzin]

I'd take happy wife, but if she's not bothered then I would say MX-5 as well.

[isleaiw1]

Originally Posted by MashinBenzin

I'd take happy wife, but if she's not bothered then I would say MX-5 as well.

My thoughts entirely, home improvements.

Weekend toys are a great idea in theory but in practice life takes over and they are in danger of not getting much use...

Speaking from experience!

[Tengocity]

Maybe a MX5, though I was recently disappointed with the Mk3 one I drove recently. Not nearly as much fun as my mk1 cars.

If there's any doubt you'd use the car enough you could always use the money and hire an interesting car for a weekend or two, or maybe treat yourself to a Palmersport day even.

No running costs to worry about then.

[mcoops]

Happy wife = happy life
But agree that if she is not bothered an Mx-5 is a good shout. Not sure what used gt86's go for, maybe worth a look too?

[DB118D]

Beware rust on an MX-5. They're notorious for it

The right answer is a Boxster, but your £6k could easily become £10k!

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by DB118D

Beware rust on an MX-5. They're notorious for it

The right answer is a Boxster, but your £6k could easily become £10k!

Or a lot more! I know from experience.

Everything on a Porsche costs a small fortune compared to most cars.

[XK140]

Originally Posted by DB118D

Beware rust on an MX-5. They're notorious for it

The right answer is a Boxster, but your £6k could easily become £10k!

Or to put it another way,best to by an top class old Boxster for £10k + in the first place.
GT86s don’t come as cheap as £5k either.

So both out of budget...SLK mk2??...but a cruiser not a sports car.

[blueislander]

MG TF - find a good one for £1500 and put the rest on black

[Eddamoo]

I had a 3.0i Z4 for about 9 years. Loved it to pieces and was great fun. Incredible fun on the limit in the wet. It would even do 40+MPG on a relaxing roof down run to the seaside.

Very good forum too

[JNW1]

Originally Posted by Tengocity

Or a lot more! I know from experience.

Everything on a Porsche costs a small fortune compared to most cars.

From a driving perspective I'd also say a Boxster's a good shout but I'm not sure you'd get a decent one for £6k. A poor one could turn into a real money pit and from what I understand even good ones can cost a fair bit to keep that way; some friends had a 987 2.7 and despite using a very good independent specialist they suffered one or two nasty bills! I suppose it's the old story of these being expensive cars when they were new and when things go wrong the cost of repairs tends to reflect that rather than the used car price you paid....

[Tengocity]

Originally Posted by JNW1

From a driving perspective I'd also say a Boxster's a good shout but I'm not sure you'd get a decent one for £6k. A poor one could turn into a real money pit and from what I understand even good ones can cost a fair bit to keep that way; some friends had a 987 2.7 and despite using a very good independent specialist they suffered one or two nasty bills! I suppose it's the old story of these being expensive cars when they were new and when things go wrong the cost of repairs tends to reflect that rather than the used car price you paid....

From a pure driving perspective I'd say a Boxster is much better than anything else suggested, but the issue with them is exaclty as you've said. No matter how much has been spent on it, it will always need money spending on it. The latest 986 are at least 15 years old, and cars that age have lots of things that can and will go wrong. Sorting cars like MX5s is cheap, and they're relatively simple cars, but start fixing things on Porsches and the costs soon rack up.

Perhaps worth it on a 911 still worth 20k and upwards, less so on 6k Boxsters.

[un1eash]

Mk3 MR2

[Broncho]

MX5

I’ve owned an MX5 as did my other 3 brothers, it was my first sports car, my god did I have fun in that thing, it was a beautifully balanced car with just enough power to have fun.

If it wasn’t raining then the roof was off, mine was a MK2 is, I only got rid as I bought my first BMW, moved house and was getting married all in the same year.

They rot though

[TodmordenLad]

BBR offers some great fettling packages for all generations of the MX-5, as do loads of other tuners, of course, depending on whether you want to keep the engine naturally aspirated or not.
It's the most affordable, fun car I've ever driven, (though never owned, I regret to say) you can't go wrong with one

[XK140]

Originally Posted by un1eash

Mk3 MR2

Good call...personally I’d take one of these over an MX5 at similar money...just don’t expect to carry any luggage on your trip!

[JustChris]

Can you get into biking?

Budget goes a lonnnng way now

[Broncho]

Originally Posted by JustChris

Can you get into biking?

Budget goes a lonnnng way now

Yes because you don’t have to pay as much into your pension as you’ll be snapped in half.

[philiper1]

You can get a Z4 3.0 si for 6k, that's what I'd go for if I needed another one

[XAlp]

Too cheap for S2000?