suggestions for UNIQUE, fun-to-drive first car

Hey everyone,

I'm currently looking for my first car, and would like some suggestions.
I have driven motorcycles, and they have given me respect for what can happen when you are new at controlling somthing that goes fast, so I am not looking for a extremely fast car right now.

What I really want is a fun to drive, UNIQUE looking car. I'm thinking maybe a old classic car, or somthing that really stands out from the crowd, is manual, and fun to drive. Cheap is very important, as is low-insurance.

Any suggestions?

TIA!!!
RE

a ballpark dollar figure would help a lot

But anyway not sure if this is cheap by what you have in mind: for around 10-15K USD you can find an early 90's lotus espirit

the espirit would be a unique car. also, a porsche 944 is pretty unique car to me. and of course it would be fun to drive, its a porsche. but i don't thing unique and cheap go together.

I was thinking ~3 grand... Come on you guys can think of somthing!

Yugo? They were quite a blast to drive (Nothing like wondering if the car will stop this time or not) AND they are unique (Most are on the way to the junkyard).

ummmmmmm, unique car and 3k? ummm, you could probably find a nissan 280z. those are nice unique cars. but of course i think so, i like z cars.

You want unique and fun for under 3K? And you'd prefer something older?

Well...............................

Lancia Beta Scorpion.
http://www.lanciamontecarlo.net/Scorpion/photos/lancia1.jpg
Fiat X1/9
http://www.gadgets.co.nz/mjv/cars/images/x19.jpg
Triumph GT6
http://www.boscary.com/images/triumph_GT6_avant.jpg
Triumph TR7
http://www.austin-rover.co.uk/images/tr7_01.jpg
Opel GT
http://www.automobile-riekmann.com/verkauf/opel_gt_1969_rot_l.jpg
Saab Sonnet
http://www.priceofhistoys.com/museum/carli99/unknown/saab4.jpg
MGB GT (I own one personally, great little car)
http://www.oldtimer-links.de/images/gallery/mgb_gt_v8_cr01.jpg
1965-1969 Chevy Corvair Monza coupe (later cars didn't have the scary snap oversteer caused by the early swing axle suspension)
http://www.americandreamcars.com/1967corvair100103.jpg
Austin-Healey "Bugeye" Sprite
http://media3.motorcities.com/03HRK295667687A.jpeg
MG Midget
http://www.classiccarsltd.cwc.net/images/MG_MIDGET_1.jpg
Triumph Spitfire
http://autosclasicos.espaciolatino.com/archivos/triumph-spitfire01.jpg
Fiat 124 Spyder
http://www.fiat124spider.it/images/FIAT_124_MAURY.jpg
Porsche 914
http://www.electroauto.com/gallery/graphics/914-5.jpg

There are probably more cars, and to keep it under $3,000 you may find some of these cars in worse shape than others. But any one of these little sports cars will keep you grinning for years.

I could get one of those things for under 3 grand? Awsome! Where do I get one?

Then run or carbs too, right, which means I know how to work with em!

Where can I find those??

Thanks!

Big J

what about a datsun or whatever?

wait wait, i looked in your (big joer) profile to see what country your were from since almost all the cars layla mentioned aren't necessarily found in the states. under vehicle info, it says you have a 300zx. but the title says this will be your first car. did i miss something here?

Fiat X1/9
http://www.gadgets.co.nz/mjv/cars/images/x19.jpg


My GOD!!! It's a timewarp!!! I feel like I'm in 1980's New Zealand all over again!!! (That's got to be from the '80's- Most White on black plates wouldn't look that good today)....


Memories.... :p

wait wait, i looked in your (big joer) profile to see what country your were from since almost all the cars layla mentioned aren't necessarily found in the states. under vehicle info, it says you have a 300zx. but the title says this will be your first car. did i miss something here?

uh oh! lol. :comprage1

Okay, first off yes all of these cars are available in the U.S to varying degrees (admittedly, Lancias are the rarest).

Finding the cars are just a classifieds ad or a jaunt through online sales away. Here's a basic idea of availability.

#1 - MGB. World's 3rd best selling sports car of all time. Roadsters outnumber the GT coupes about 20 to 1, though. Chrome bumper cars were 1960 (year of introduction) to 1974. 1975-1980 were the rubber bumper cars. Chrome costs more than rubber. Coupe costs more than Roadster.

#2 - Midget/Sprite. These two shared all the same running gear, and the MkII Sprite was just a rebadged Midget (commonly nicknamed "Spridget" by enthusiasts. They're a bit trickier to find (in fact the Sprites are getting pricey) because they're a little less usable as cars than the bigger MGB, mostly due to their 65hp 1100cc OHV fours. Plenty of engine to have fun in a 1500lb roadster, but not quite enough to get you out of the way before the inattentive dumb broad in the Excursion turns your classic British roadster into a classic British steel pancake.

#3 - Spitfire. The Spits have a more potent engine than the Spridgets, a cool transverse leaf spring IRS, and sold in greater numbers, but rust claimed a bunch of them. Keep your eye out for Spitfires that look to have a lot of rear camber. That means the leaf spring is starting to rot away. :eek7:

#4 - 914. This is the baby Porsche that is only slightly more loved than the 924. It's a Volkswagen/Porsche hybrid that drives great and drives forever, but most Porsche owners wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole. Ah well, they still sold in bunches and their loss is your gain.

#5 - Fiat X1/9. Surprise! This is the car Toyota shamelessly copied to make the MR2. And honestly, while Toyota made a much more user friendly car (Italian reliability is always suspect) and a much faster car (that extra 300cc and the supercharger really help) the little X1/9 is the classic that gets the attention and is much more fun. Still, Italian reliability (usually the fault of mechanics who aren't experienced with servicing the cars) coupled with Italian steel (rust claimed these cars by the boatful) means that Fiats tend to be scattered at times.

#6 - Triumph TR7. Ahh, the TR7. Poor unloved TR7. In the long line of TR's, the TR7 has the stigma of being the slow ill-handling ugly duckling. While ugly duckling is debatable, the TR7 was a world-class rally car and held its own against the comparable MGB, Datsun 240Z, and Mazda RX7. Problem is, when your lineage includes the Le Mans barnstorming TR3 and the hairy chested TR6 (favorite street car of rally legend Paddy Hopkirk), you just can't quite live up to the name. Thus, TR7's are a solid entry into classic sports car ownership and a good bargain for a neat little coupe or convertible.

#7 - Corvair. The car killed by Ralph Nader, talk about a way to start the automotive history footnote on Chevy's most adventurous car ever. Rear engine, RWD, powered by an air cooled aluminum flat six. Independent rear suspension (swing arm at first, then changed to a trailing arm layout lifted from the C2 Corvette but utilizing coil springs instead of transverse leaf springs). But, even with the negative publicity from the Nader book "Unsafe at Any Speed", the Corvair sold by the thousands and was in actuality a good car. The sporty Monza coupe was one of the bigger sellers in the Corvair line, but they can get sketchy to locate. Be cautious when shopping for one, since parts are scarce compared to other 60's Chevies.

#8 - Fiat 124. Basically the Italian MGB. Everything you get in an MGB, just with Italian styling and reliability. Keep that in mind, and you'll realize why there's so many more MGB's than 124's.

#9 - tie - Saab Sonnet/Opel GT. A Swedish FF V4 powered sports coupe (now if that ain't different you're driving a Trabant) and a German/Buick mini-Corvette. These two are scarce, but fun and you're guaranteed to be the only one on your block/in your town driving one.

#10 - Lancia Beta Scorpion. The mini-Ferrari, the 4 cylinder MR Pininfarina styled budget exotic, there's a lot of things the Scorpion has been called. It's also never been called common. When Lancia brought over this car, it was more powerful, more stylish, and more comfortable than the Fiat X1/9. It was also more expensive with fewer available parts and still plagued with (you guessed it) Italian reliability. U.S. sales were around five digits, with the first being a 1. There are probably fewer than 10,000 Scorpions in the whole country. Those that are still around, though, are usually very well maintained and Lancia clubs are fanatical about keeping Scorpions on the road. It's rare, but damn worth the effort.

His profile says he's in Argentina.

And remember that each of those cars will probobly need its purchase cost re-invested into it every year to keep it running.

Theres no such thing as a cheap to run 30 year old car :)

And remember that each of those cars will probobly need its purchase cost re-invested into it every year to keep it running.

Theres no such thing as a cheap to run 30 year old car :)
Exactly. I think the 914 would be an easy one to rn/maintain- Simple running gear, better built body which is less likely to rust and IS built around notoriously robust mechanicals. Parts would be expensive, I'd think, however.

Id like somthing cheap to maintain. And safe too. Any suggestions?

People who read my profile: It says 300zx because I had to pick a car to be allowed to register, and I like 300zx's. I live in the USA.

Thanks for all your help guys!
TIA
RE

yeah, get the ZX then.

i would of suggested the z, but for 3k, you can't get a 300zx in good condition, insurance will kick your a**, and if something breaks, you better have the experience or your will be paying butt loads on labor. some shops won't even work on the vg. but besides all that, 300zx is a great car.

i would of suggested the z, but for 3k, you can't get a 300zx in good condition, insurance will kick your a**, and if something breaks, you better have the experience or your will be paying butt loads on labor. some shops won't even work on the vg. but besides all that, 300zx is a great car.

Eh... thats not somting I want to deal with.

I really wish my parents would let me get a motorcycle and still pay for some of my education...

Priorities:

1. CHEAP - LOW INSURANCE (VERY low budget)
2. FUN TO DRIVE AND MAINTAIN (NOT A PAIN IN THE ___ )
3. UNIQUE AND STANDS OUT

TIA!!
RE

1) CHEAP (<3k) - LOW INSURANCE - CHEAP MAINTENENCE
2) UNIQUE, AND NOT JUST TO PEOPLE WHO KNOW ABOUT CARS
3) FUN TO DRIVE
4) SAFE (Goes with low insurance)

How about something FWD from the late 80 early 90s?

Thinks Honda CRX/Civic, Nissan Sentra/Pulsar, Mitsi Mirage/Lancer etc etc etc.

Thier all pretty cheap to buy, very cheap to run, and willl be surprisingly reliable if looked after with basic maintiance.
And of course any first car is fun, its your first car after all, it should be something you can thrash the crap out of!

What about a pontiac fiero? What trim line is best for the fiero? What year?

TIA
RE

i have heard quite a few horror stories about fiero's. their engine isn't built well at all. but that is going on from what i heard from quite a few people. i still recommend an older z.