to buy a mid-life crisis car?

[huffythethreadslayer]

In my defence, I am middle aged (45 this year) and am in the middle of a health scare (lump on neck...probably a cyst, but has scared the sensible out of me) and so....I'm looking at something completely impractical and fun to drive instead of the boring old Ford Fiesta I'd been looking at.

Dd is 10 and really wants a convertible mini, but it's more than I can afford, but I am now thinking soft top instead of big booted :)

What do you reckon??

Thank mnistooaddictive. I am feeling a bit that way at the moment

My lads are adults now (20 and 23); they like my MX-5 too.

(Much kudos at the school gate, btw.

OldLady, my ds pops the bonnet and shows everyone the engine the first time they see mine - whether they're interested or not

As for being show offy - I don't think an MX5 is show offy at all. I mean, you could easily spend £20k let alone £5k on a dull anonycar (my new word ). And good lord, everyone deserves a holiday.

Obviously I didn't know your mum huffy but one of the ways I justified buying my car was that she would have been very approving. She'd have loved talking about her daughter "the one with the sports car"

And yes, life's too short.

Oh, so I see anonycar wasn't my idea. Ho hum!

You clearly didn't know my mum Jenai. She'd have mocked me horribly. Which just makes me want to do it even more

Whenever I drive it I'll hear her head in my voice saying, with a slight grin, 'you soft sod...driving round in a kids car'.

That'll keep the memories alive :)

Really? Oh purrleasee! MX-5's are hairdressers cars! They are sports cars for those who dont know any better
Sorry all, its a no-go.

Get a FTO GPX Mivec for around £5000, or a Ford Mustang GT for around £8k. Look at Petrolheads.com.

:)

Monkeyface. You are clearly a true petrolhead. I, sadly, am not even a faker. I just want something that looks swish and that I can drop the lid on whent he sun shines.

I also don't have the cash for the Mivec (couldn't find anything for less than £8k.)

I tried to check out petrolheads, but it came up as pistonheads? I'm still gonna look through it. Have bookmarked it for later, when the kids have stopped playing and things settle down.

I thought Mustangs were pretty poor on reliability? Or have I mixed them up with something else?

Mustangs may be poor reliability, but thats not what a mid life crisis is about.
Mustangs pull 350bhp, on a 4.5 litre V8 engine, giving you 0-6 in about 4 secs.

Who cares if its not reliable

check this one...
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2134462.htm

Can I put a word in for the delightful MGF or TF. I've had mine for 3 yrs, and he's called Colin.

My Grandad died in Jan 2007, and because my mum died before him, me and my bro got her 5th of his estate between us. It was £6500, so wouldn't really have made any impact on the mortgage, and we'd been looking at going from crappy L reg Golf to a 2-seater for several months, maybe even 2 years.

Anyhow, we were cruising the Autotrader website daily, and found my car from a Home Dealer in Peterborough, about 30 miles from home. Went to see it, test drove it, bought it, still love it IMMENSELY.

Amittedly, mine is the top end model (TF160), but the others are good too, and although they've just brought out some new models, I still think the 1999-2005 model years are the best. Now you could pick one up for about £2500-£4000 depending on the age and model. You also find that those that have owned them have looked after them.

Also, we have become very keen members of the MG Car Club, and now do quite a few social things with them - it's not just weirdy beardy petrolheads

As well as looking at the likes Autotrader, check out the specific magazines for the ones you like, as there'll be classifieds in the back - the MG one is called MG Enthusiast, and WHSmith stock it, or your newsagent will be able to get it.

www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/2134462.htm

monkeyfacegrace you have just shown how little you know about cars. I bought an FTO for my ex and while it was a nice car it's not a real sports car. It's front wheel drive so is a compromise and even the newest ones are now too old. It's a boy racer's car for people with just enough taste to realise that a souped up Corsa is still a Corsa... although some of the hideous body kits I've seen on them suggest that people with no taste are buying them.

Mustangs are good cars... if you live in the US. They handle well as long as you don't go round any corners and the steering wheel is on the wrong side which makes overtaking a gamble. How fast is your car if you can't overtake the old man in a Suzuki Wagon R?

Those who don't know think that MX5s are hairdressers cars. Those who have driven one know that they are fun little sports cars that are brilliant to drive.

Saab 93 Aero convertible. You could get a 53 plate for less than 7k

Oh, and for the record, I was 32 when I got my car. Mid-life crisis, my arse, just a desire for a fun car to drive on the cripplingly dull commute to work!!!

and while I'm here.... the FTO has the double whammy of being a Mitsubishi and a grey import which means any repairs will cost you an arm, a leg and your first born child. My finances still haven't recovered from having to replace an alternator on my ex's car.

Oh the MGF is DEFINTELY on the list. The Saab is a bit outside my price range, but is a very, very attractive little car.

I think I'll give anything that's too unreliable a miss. I can't afford to have my wheels at the garage all the time. Reliability is still part of my mid-life crisis, I'm ashamed to admit. Otherwise I'd go for the Morris Minor and get the engine swapped for a Marina engine and get the body reinforced so it can actually hit 80 with my foot down.

Sadly,though, my old age has taught me that brakes are really good in a car...as is an engine that starts first time most times, if not every time.

I'm off to look at links...

here

If you're looking at MX-5s then the Honda S2000 is well worth a look too.

I would pick the honda over the mazda as it is frighteningly fast

Oh give over nocake, an MX5 is awful, and common, they are every where.

FTO's are imported, but Mitsi engines are great. If overtaking is a gamble, then you shouldn't be driving.

I didnt hear the op say anywhere that upkeep costs were a problem. She also didnt say that she wanted a cheap to run car. She asked for a mid life crisis car, not one any 18yr old could buy the week after passing a test.

If you are so anal about having a real wheel drive, get a Corvette.

fight! fight! fight!

This is soooo much more interesting than those BLW/BF/MMR bust ups.

MX5s are indeed two-a-penny round here (although my BIL - lives in another area, works with cars) rarely sees them. Doesn't bother me at all, tbh.

The joy of a relatively-common car (like the MX-5, which also features high in reliability-lists) is that spares are cheaper. Grey imports are all very well for petrolheads who don't mind/positively enjoy bonnet-up times, but for someone who just wants to have fun on the school-run/daily commute, they're a pain.

[been there, did that with motorcycles]

DH has just bought his midlife crisis car (although not sure you can have a midlife crisis at 32!) which is an audi TT, its cool!! if you go for the hard-top rather than the soft its a 4 seater car and the boot is actually a good size.