The fun small cars thread

[Buster Highmen]

These things, 1973 Mazda Rx3, were nutso fast:

[detrusor]

64 MGB. Carr I learned to drive in. Would get rubber in all gears, again to slow to lose your license. I actually gave it away when I got the quote to fix the rust (25k). Had eaten into large portions of the frame.


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[Benny Profane]

Got one for my daughter this summer. 2005 Mini Cooper S. Thing is an absolute blast to drive. Kiddo thinks so too!
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Omg. Mine was the same electric blue with the white stripes. I had the cool mag wheels, though. '03.

[BmillsSkier]

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Couple years ago I was visiting the North Coast for the holidays and saw a completely mint one of those in front of the local ski hill. Think it was there for a demo day. It even had the white wheels like this. Fuckin rad.

The boy's rig. I drove it around a lot while he was away at school. Four banger with 5 speed MT. Impossible to drive without a big smile on your face.

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Hells yes. My best friend in high school got a 95 new with that same setup but in emerald green. Big ol 31"s, a stick, and nothing but smiles as you drove around. The cooler in the bed helped too.

[MagnificentUnicorn]

I had this car, it was really fun. It handled surprisingly well



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[MakersTeleMark]

My friend owns one of these which I have worked on and driven a ton. Scary is the best way I can describe it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbeam_Tiger

[Mazderati]

my first car was a manual '93 Celica GT-S.

We had the same first car. Think mine was a 91 or 92, though.

[BCMtnHound]

Enjoying the VW GTI love here. First car was a '78 scirocco, and loved it driving the Kootenay highways and backroads. Could outpace the cool kids with their chevy ss between Nelson and Balfour through the corners. They couldn't believe there was only a 1.6L with a 5sp under the hood. Replacing the clutch eventually cost more than what the car was worth, but it was time for that '85 toyota p/u anyways.

[Aldo]

My friend owns one of these which I have worked on and driven a ton. Scary is the best way I can describe it.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunbeam_Tiger

That’s a cool piece right there , buddy just bought one but a four cyl can only imagine the 289 in there….

Have had a few fun little rides;
Volvo 142e
Volvo 122s wagon
Vega wagon
Escort gt
Audi 4kq
Audi 90q
Audi turbo Quattro coupe

[plugboots]

Ah. These are my people.
Lots of BMW 3-Series, Golf R, (given to daughter who traded it in for a GLA AMG), way back when had a ‘72 Mercury Capri, shopping now for a Miata.
Buddy’s TR6:

[comish]

Have had a '16 Golf R 6sp for the last 6+ years. Other than 2 cracked windshields, not the cars fault, it's been flawless. Super fun car! Nearly 300hp w AWD in such a small light car = fun! Nearly 30mpg on the highway. Can fit a 9' longboard, or in the back there is room for a MTN bike, kid ski racing quiver, or 3 kids. Super practical and still fun!

Won't sell it till I get a new one of the next generation, although not sure I'm a fan of new interior...

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[plugboots]

New Golf R look great to me. Want.

[MakersTeleMark]

That’s a cool piece right there , buddy just bought one but a four cyl can only imagine the 289 in there….

It's insane. When you rev the engine the entire car bucks left and right. Brakes are down right, I don't know how to describe it, like you have lost them.....? It's redonk. Only way I can put it. It's a freak that should not exist, but holy shit it wakes you up right quick.

[skajah]

From the 10 year old/what could go wrong thread, still rocking it, put 150,000 miles on it since.

Any love for the Honda del Sol?
Ever since my commute got nuts, I have been looking for a low mileage, unmolested 1993 del Sol with the d15 1.5L SOHC motor. They get 40 mpg.
Solid runner without breaking the bank.

My current del Sol (second one) has 276,000 miles and is officially retired. Cost me 2 grand and lasted 3 year with nothing needed but regular oil changes.

I found this last week; 129,000 miles, bare bone stock, even down to the radio/cassette deck (which has to go immediately). Super clean, drives like new. At 500 miles/week, I figure I can get another five years of worry free commuting.
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Pussy magnet

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[schuss]

Whats your plans with it?

To drive and enjoy it. We'll see if it needs any mods or not.might hit a track day, but most weekends are kid stuff or outdoor stuff

[Bushwacka]

To drive and enjoy it. We'll see if it needs any mods or not.might hit a track day, but most weekends are kid stuff or outdoor stuff

My only wish is it had double wishbones up front(one of the biggest plus of the Miata is double wish bones). Otherwise its seems like the most fun you can have for any cost while still being able to haul 4 race tires with no trailer. If I were to track one of those my only mods would be better brake pads, stainless lines and ATE gold fluid. Even just switching out the brake fluid can really make it safer on track. The rest of the car is up to the task but brake failure on tracks are probably the number one reason cars get totaled on tracked.

[schuss]

My only wish is it had double wishbones up front(one of the biggest plus of the Miata is double wish bones). Otherwise its seems like the most fun you can have for any cost while still being able to haul 4 race tires with no trailer. If I were to track one of those my only mods would be better brake pads, stainless lines and ATE gold fluid. Even just switching out the brake fluid can really make it safer on track. The rest of the car is up to the task but brake failure on tracks are probably the number one reason cars get totaled on tracked.

Yep, if I started tracking with any regularity it would definitely get a big brake kit. From the parts catalogue, good chance even the last gen Brembos will bolt right up as none of the normal brake parts changed and the knuckles etc. are interchangeable.

[Bushwacka]

Honestly, you would be surprised on how many actual road race cars just do lines, pad, fluid. I think it because people who race NASA/SCCA are dirtbags, rich dirt bag, but dirt bags none the less.

it is nice that the new Twins are mechanically similar to the old ones.

What track do you go to?

[singlecross]

Track days are a great way to get in touch with your car’s capabilities and have made me a much safer, more involved driver day to day. I should look at getting back into it now that my teen kids are just starting to drive. Great investment in driver training. My experiences with BMWCCA were great. Maybe I’ll check out PCA events with the Boxster. Also a good excuse to make sure your car maintenance is up to date to pass tech inspection.

[Bushwacka]

Track days are a great way to get in touch with your car’s capabilities and have made me a much safer, more involved driver day to day. I should look at getting back into it now that my teen kids are just starting to drive. Great investment in driver training. My experiences with BMWCCA were great. Maybe I’ll check out PCA events with the Boxster. Also a good excuse to make sure your car maintenance is up to date to pass tech inspection.

As a former teen who started racing(autocross) at 15(track days at 16, wheel to wheel racing by 18) its also a good way to instill that they know more about car control than 99 percent of the population, and probably cause them to get some tickets. I have yet to wreck a car though and if I had kids i rather have tickets than wrecked cars or bodies.

Sweet E30 man. Both PCA and BMW club allow other makes in, I used to instruct with both of them and I was always a Honda guy. You can also look up NASA HPDE days as well. Also IMO kids should start with autocross first especially if the autocross is wide open with no actual barrier to hit. Autocross is just far safer than track days and in some ways harder to master due to the input per minute being on par if not greater with even stuff like F1.

I

[I Skied Bandini Mountain]

Track days aside, I think snowy parking lots and the kids (and me) drifting the shit out of them should be off limits to overeager cops.

[hawkgt]

Track days aside, I think snowy parking lots and the kids (and me) drifting the shit out of them should be off limits to overeager cops.

seconded

motion carried

edit:

The new (spring 23) Z has my attention. V6 twin turbo 400hp rear wheel drive manual. done

[schuss]

Honestly, you would be surprised on how many actual road race cars just do lines, pad, fluid. I think it because people who race NASA/SCCA are dirtbags, rich dirt bag, but dirt bags none the less.

it is nice that the new Twins are mechanically similar to the old ones.

What track do you go to?

I'm in NH, so we have Loudon, Limerock and that tamworth place in easy distance.

[Bushwacka]

seconded

motion carried

edit:

The new (spring 23) Z has my attention. V6 twin turbo 400hp rear wheel drive manual. done

and Double WIshbones and a Limit Slip on the more expensive model. I am curious how good of a Track/autocross car it will be. The Current Z is not know to be a great autocross car, not that is matter to most people.

I love how this thing looks, and its specs are great as well.

[riser4]

My next two small fun cars for the list are totally serious.

My mom bought a new '85 base model two door Toyota Tercel hatchback while I was a Jr in HS. It was ugly and uninspiring in every way. It was also a blast to drive on the back roads of Chittenden county. It was a go cart. MT, FWD, and mom got decent tires. My mom wondered why it needed new shocks so soon.

A buddy had an '87 Tercel Wagon SR5 4x4. It was a damn fine dirt road rally car. And would eat up snowy roads at 80mph. It's praises have been sung here before. You could pick a line and it would stick to it. Or you could drift it and it would come right back when you wanted it to.