want a 200+bhp toy

So you want a small RWD or 4WD, turbo, 200+BHP car.

moon on a stick.

you say nothing "lardy" like a merc or a bimmer....there are VERY few small/light card that have RWD or 4WD and even less with a turbo!

small/light and turbo'd will probably be FWD

RWD/4WD and turbo will be what you class as "lardy"

200+bhp for a grand is easy but not including insurance and tax!

you'll just get a nail.

1k + tax and insurance maybe.

Mason

surely thats "lardy" though ;o)

Legacy Turbo might crack 200 with some fiddling.

Saab 900 T16 has everything you want apart from 200BHP and RWD. Easy (and cheap) to get that power out of it though, and they handle well. Great on the back roads as they are pretty narrow, and very good on the motorways too. You'd pick up a useable one for around £750+. I insure mine on a classic policy as a 2nd car with Firebond for £190fc with a 6K mile limit..

Mike

I have to dump it!

excess of 100 mph)

a daily runabout, so

MR2 MK1 would be in budget, only 120bhp though but weighs f*ck all, 200bhp is fair enough but power to weight is far better factor.

you may get a s**te old cavalier GSi for that budget but again both cars i mention aint turbos, save a bit more and get something decent!

Carlton gsi3000/bmw e30 325i, the 325i won't make 200 bhp tho more like

170-180. Not much else your going to be able to get for sub £500.

I was going to suggest and E30 but they've allready been discounted as "lardy" ;o) he's obvioulsy never driven one plus he couldnt have a dump valve which would obvioulsy upset him :o)

Lardy???

Erm, no they're not... especially tail-end wise.

-----

*slaps head*

I know. I own one...

in his forst post he refers to bimmers as "lardy"

better?

Mason

R5 turbo? not sure on prices of these now but definitely not lardy and also turbo'd though only FWD. I had one a few years back with 178bhp according to well lanes dyno after a few tweaks although admitted it cost a few hundred to get there. It was very quick and lots of fun but guzzled fuel like a bastard.

And shares in the local oil refinery?

I've had one in the past too, you see... ;-)

Well I suspect he was generalising, tbh...

My R5 is for sale too ;o) imagine that

They normally are...

a little judgemental...

I'm 36, a parent, and not 100% stupid (just 95%)

was just trying to get some info, wasn't rigid (hence the second question)

as has been said a few times power to weight is more important, I've had

130 psi cars b4, no idea what power to weight ratio they are.. but large family cars. (so lardy for this exercise)

I LOVE the Mk1 MR2, and they are finally getting into my bracket, (although not as dead quick I believe they handle well (and I've kept up with Vamps "saga")) also love the idea of a two seater...

my problem is the budgets low, its supposed to be a hobby car, (no probs with getting my hands oily!!) but also a learning curve, I've never driven rear wheel drive (apart from an old marina.. and it kept slipping back end out, but prolly because I've not driven one much)

how hard are Mk1 MR2's to work on?

would like a turbo, but think on my budget, that could be a BIG mistake..

all your responses have given me something to think about!!

oh and the bmw lardy comment is basically cos I don't like them! no real reason for this conclusion.. just personal choice!

again thanks for all comments..

Lost

Sorry...my humour

Hi :o)

130PS = f*ck all especially in a biggish car.

Yes, very

fairly trick IME

Yes...they break a lot, especially cheap ones

goody.

go out and buy (or at least drive) a decent one. You'll change your mind ;o)

welcome :o)

Mason

"lardy" ;o) he's obvioulsy

psi cars b4, no idea

this exercise)

not as dead quick I

idea of a two

getting my hands

from an old

driven one much)

reason for this

MR2's are very easy to work on just not for me :) check out the MR2 mk1 club, loads of helpful people and info, think it's

light, handle VERY well. my MR2 turbo is a blast compared though :) but no where near as fun on the backroads! the turbo is scary shit down the country roads near me hehe.

I had one last year briefly:

Plus points:

----------- The wind in your hair (T-Bar model, you see...) Nice revvy bombproof engine The just love being thrashed and slung into corners at silly speeds. Women, love them - I don't think I've had any other car that when it was announced I was getting it, attract anywhere near as many 'ooh, we'll have to go out for a drive in it!', or admiring glances as I tore down the road in it.

Neg Points:

------------ T-Bar roof panels *always* leak, and the roof tends to rot near them More rot... everywhere, especially in complete bastard places like the cars midriff, both where you can see, and can't. Braking heavily can be quite hairy, especially if on a choppy road, given there's no real weight pinning the front wheels to the floor, so hopping and skipping right when you don't want it to, is the norm. I got the impression that if it did ever let go properly due to me pushing it hard, it wouldn't be with much warning, and they do encourage you to keep pushing on. Bugger all interior space - whilst it may well attract the 'ladeez' in the first place, there's not much scope once you're 'parked'! As you say, not all that quick, but so what - stick to the twisties or posing outside McDs with the roof panels out!

I'd say almost certainly, that at around £500, you'd be lucky to get anything worth having. Even a grand might not guarantee a good one, and plenty of people will be happy to try and sell you a dog for around that.

For all their bad points, I'd like another... but decent ones now command decent money, so unless you're really quite gifted with a welder, I'd say steer clear.

Having said all that, for all their sins and the lasting impression that I would, if I'd kept the last one, have finally had the big smack I'm long overdue, they're pretty addictive.

Well being mid engined, these aren't your atypical RWD - much harder to light the rear tyres up or lose the rear end... but when you do, much more likely to end in real tears.

Not very, if what I've been led to believe is true.

Gah... you utter bar-steward... you've got me *really* hankering for another one now.

I've never had the pleasure, but they don't look like my idea of fun having seen under the bonnet of one!

You could maintain a Saab 900 Turbo on a budget, there's so many s/h spares sellers (cheap too) around. Having changed an engine and box, brake discs and done some tuning, I can safely say that if I can do it, anyone can!!

Cheers Mike

thats coz the engine isn't under the bonnet it's in the back :) believe me revving to 7k rpm is fun :)

1.6 does seem a bit small but a few people have squezzed the 3SGTE from the MKII MR2 turbo into one and more recently a camary V6 :) there are some supercharged MK1's around either conversions or jap import offical ones but they go for around £3-4k and can get 190bhp out of them easily with a big pulley.