*NA* Roadster recommendations

A

AcroGimp

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AcroGimp
So I am thinking a bit more seriously about getting some kind of roadster to supplement my Grand Cherokee and motorcycles for fun in the sun transportation in SoCal. Previously was interested in the Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) but too many horror stories about getting them through smog on Rennlist.

Target is ~$15K. Looking for experiences with:
- Honda S2000
- Mazda Miata (MazdaSport or V8 conversion)
- Porsche Boxster S
- MGB (really, love these little things but never owned one)
- Anything I didn't list that might be fun

The Boxster S is kind of leading in my mind right now but open to and looking for experience/thoughts from the august collective here.

Thanks in advance.

'Gimp
 
I'd pass on the Boxsters and Miatas. They can be "zippy", but aren't that much fun in my experiences. I've never driven a V8-conversion, though. MGB's are terrible unless you get one that's been completely restored, and even then they're nothing to crow about, performance-wise.

I'd vote S2000 in that list, but there are some MB roadsters that aren't too bad, like a mid-90's 500SL (v8/v12 depending on year). They made plenty of 300ZX roadsters as well that would be more fun than a Miata.

If I were looking for a roadster, personally, I'd be looking for something more like a Cobra replicar from Factory Five Racing, but that would be pushing your budget up another $5-8K for basic version. I'm not sure how CA deals with kit cars and smog, though.

Edit: don't know how I left out C5 Corvettes, best roadster for the money and tons available for $15K.
 
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I have a. 93 Corvette Coupe. The next one might be a Z06. My personal opinion is a sports car with a standard transmission. I've hung around a local S2000 group. If I wasn't pleased with Chevy and Corvette, I would take a look.
The 2012 Honda Goldwing I just got has contributed to that opinion too.
 
Personally, when I lived in San Diego, I loved my Mini Cooper S (turbo model). Like a street legal go-kart. Best part of my day then was the commute to/from work.

The Mini is not as much fun here on the east coast (roads are absolutely horrible).
 
I love our 1999 BMW M Roadster.
She is fast, handles well and is very forgiving.
The brakes are great and she gets over 20 miles per gallon.
I purchased her with 24,000 miles and she has 110,000 miles on her now with no significant repairs.
 

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Vance Breese said:
I love our 1999 BMW M Roadster.
She is fast, handles well and is very forgiving.
The brakes are great and she gets over 20 miles per gallon.
I purchased her with 24,000 miles and she has 110,000 miles on her now with no significant repairs.
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No offense, but over 20mpg's isn't exactly groundbreaking with a 2 seat roadster. Even the Corvettes and other thirsty V8's will get close to 30mph+ on the highway.
 
Fearless Tower said:
Personally, when I lived in San Diego, I loved my Mini Cooper S (turbo model). Like a street legal go-kart. Best part of my day then was the commute to/from work.

The Mini is not as much fun here on the east coast (roads are absolutely horrible).
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I second this. My 2006 Mini Cooper S convertible 6 speed is like a go cart to drive, which I love. It's a high RPM, not much low end low torque package, although it's got a super charger so it's little better (IMO) than the turbo. You wouldn't want to drive it over expansion joints all the time. Jar your teeth out! But get one with a warranty!

Really it depends on what you find fun. Corvettes and some of the MBs will really pin you in the seat with torque and go like stink. They handle well and have very good performance, but are not what I'd call nimble in feel. (The go-cart thing again.) S-2000 and even Miata's are fund but I have too long a torso to fit in one with the top up. Both of those are high RPM not much low end torque as well.

What makes a car fun to drive to you?

John
 
If you're willing to consider MGs (and that's a bold move), you might also look at the Fiat 124 / Pininfarina Spyders. Nice little buggies, as long as you know how to clean the contacts in a fusebox (dissimilar metal corrosion).

Or a Triumph TR-6?

But really, an S2000 would be nice.

And don't forget the amazingly-good Pontiac Saturn Sky / Pontiac Solstice, great little roadsters killed by corporate ineptness.
 
I daily-drove my S2000 and enjoyed the heck out of it. So much that when I got another car in March (needed the cargo space), I kept the S2000.

--Carlos V.
 
SCCutler said:
If you're willing to consider MGs (and that's a bold move), you might also look at the Fiat 124 / Pininfarina Spyders. Nice little buggies, as long as you know how to clean the contacts in a fusebox (dissimilar metal corrosion).

Or a Triumph TR-6?

But really, an S2000 would be nice.

And don't forget the amazingly-good Pontiac Saturn Sky / Pontiac Solstice, great little roadsters killed by corporate ineptness.
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Along the same line take a look at Datsun Roadsters. I just sold my '68 2000 and wish I had the room to get another one.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk
 
48dodge said:
Along the same line take a look at Datsun Roadsters. I just sold my '68 2000 and wish I had the room to get another one.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk
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Also there are many good examples in California.

Sent from my SM-G925V using Tapatalk
 
AcroGimp said:
So I am thinking a bit more seriously about getting some kind of roadster to supplement my Grand Cherokee and motorcycles for fun in the sun transportation in SoCal. Previously was interested in the Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) but too many horror stories about getting them through smog on Rennlist.

Target is ~$15K. Looking for experiences with:
- Honda S2000
- Mazda Miata (MazdaSport or V8 conversion)
- Porsche Boxster S
- MGB (really, love these little things but never owned one)
- Anything I didn't list that might be fun

The Boxster S is kind of leading in my mind right now but open to and looking for experience/thoughts from the august collective here.

Thanks in advance.

'Gimp
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MGB all the way, or a TR-6 (or TR-4 if you really want comfortable and cool.

The Miata would be okay, but it's a swing and a miss at what an MGB was. First thing is it has a girl's seat, a Japanese, tiny assed, girl, seat. My ass isn't big and I wear 32" waist pants, and the Miata seat had the outer seat support digging into my butt cheeks. A set of Recarros would cure this, but the car itself is still a miss. It could be made into something though with a major effort.

I like the S-2000 Honda and it's on my list.

The Audi TT is another, however the Boxter and SLK Mercedes I will pass on having driven them.

There's another "outside the box" roadster out there and that's the Chevy SSR. That's one of my future vehicles.
 
BMW Z4 -haven't tried it yet, but reliability is surprisingly high for a german car.
Audi TT - test drove - exhaust seemed to be sucked into the passenger compartment
Mini Cooper S - own it, love driving it, on first name basis with service writer, lead mechanic and area expert mechanic. Will never own a Mini again. Ever.
Infiniti G37/Q60 - hasn't passed the wife's eye appeal test, but I enjoyed driving it and have happily owned other Infinitis. Coupe RWD is the best of this family - utter balance.
Volvo s60(?) - has a surprisingly large backseat - if 4 seaters are an option.
 
masloki said:
BMW Z4 -haven't tried it yet, but reliability is surprisingly high for a german car.
Audi TT - test drove - exhaust seemed to be sucked into the passenger compartment
Mini Cooper S - own it, love driving it, on first name basis with service writer, lead mechanic and area expert mechanic. Will never own a Mini again. Ever.
Infiniti G37/Q60 - hasn't passed the wife's eye appeal test, but I enjoyed driving it and have happily owned other Infinitis. Coupe RWD is the best of this family - utter balance.
Volvo s60(?) - has a surprisingly large backseat - if 4 seaters are an option.
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If you like V8 rumble, maybe a Mustang convertible?
 
masloki said:
BMW Z4 -haven't tried it yet, but reliability is surprisingly high for a german car.
Audi TT - not a roadster
Mini Cooper S - not a roadster
Infiniti G37/Q60 - not a roadster
Volvo s60(?) - has a surprisingly large backseat - if 4 seaters are an option - by definition, not a roadster
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Roadsters are 2-seat and open top (or at least convertibles). Don't get me wrong, I like the Infiniti G37 coupe, it's just not a roadster.
 
I restored an MG and drove it for a while and then my son drove it through high school. He bought a truck to drive the highway to college. When I got recalled to active duty I sold the MG.
It is a tinkerers dream but a drivers nightmare.
I still remember the old joke-"Why do Brits drink their beer warm?" "Lucas refrigerators."
 
SoonerAviator said:
No offense, but over 20mpg's isn't exactly groundbreaking with a 2 seat roadster. Even the Corvettes and other thirsty V8's will get close to 30mph+ on the highway.
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If you have a point I have missed it.
Good gas mileage is not the point of a fast roadster for me.
I get 23 miles per gallon driving back and forth to the airport across the fields of the Santa Maria Valley.
The M Roadster has been a very economical car to own and drive for me.
I can find joy in an otherwise lackluster day.
As the prelude to flying it is great foreplay.
 
Vance Breese said:
If you have a point I have missed it.
Good gas mileage is not the point of a fast roadster for me.
I get 23 miles per gallon driving back and forth to the airport across the fields of the Santa Maria Valley.
The M Roadster has been a very economical car to own and drive for me.
I can find joy in an otherwise lackluster day.
As the prelude to flying it is great foreplay.
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My point was that just about every roadster out there will get 20mpg's. You listed the fuel mileage for your M roadster as being over 20mpg's, as if it was something of particular note to the car. You have to work pretty hard to make a 3Klbs (or less) car get sub-20mpg's.

Side note: I think the BMW roadsters are great looking cars and I agree that fuel mileage shouldn't be on the forefront of anyone's mind when shopping for one.
 
Oops, forgot one.
Porsche Boxster - 2002-2008 (check other forums for exact years) had some issues with engines grenading and getting no support from the mothership.
@ Sooner, Audi TT definitely a 2 seat drop top. Not sure why that isn't a roadster
@Acro - the rest I cross shopped when we were looking for fun in the sun. Not sure how tightly you want to hold the line on back seats or overall size. If it is just fun for the dollar, Miata will probably check that box the best, assuming you can fit in it comfortably.
 
masloki said:
@ Sooner, Audi TT definitely a 2 seat drop top. Not sure why that isn't a roadster
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He probably says that because it's base is also sold as a 2+2 coupe. Granted, those rear seats are essentially for show and child safety seats.

--Carlos V.
 
SoonerAviator said:
My point was that just about every roadster out there will get 20mpg's. You listed the fuel mileage for your M roadster as being over 20mpg's, as if it was something of particular note to the car. You have to work pretty hard to make a 3Klbs (or less) car get sub-20mpg's.

Side note: I think the BMW roadsters are great looking cars and I agree that fuel mileage shouldn't be on the forefront of anyone's mind when shopping for one.
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Nah, you just switch to nitromethane and using 20 gallons a mile becomes possible.:lol:
 
Toyota Mk1 MR2SC t-top.
A rocket with Japanese reliability. The supercharged MR2's are generally well cared for by because they are pretty rare.
 
Unbeliever said:
He probably says that because it's base is also sold as a 2+2 coupe. Granted, those rear seats are essentially for show and child safety seats.

--Carlos V.
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Correct, I forgot they had the 2-seater version. I always thought they were underpowered anyway.
 
My wife lets me drive "her" Audi TTS roadster - it is NICE.
Previous wife let me drive her Boxster - never liked it, too disconnected from the road.
If you want the genuine Roadster experience then do what I did and build and drive a Caterham Super Seven Sprint. :yikes::goofy:

(Also have a Frogeye Sprite - but let's not go there - talk about potential thread drift!)
 
Interesting that you threw MGB onto that list. If you have no experience with the old British roadsters then it would probably feel kind of like driving a farm tractor to you compared to modern cars. I still have an old Alfa Romeo Spider, which was decades ahead of the MG in the days, but despite being fun on twisty mountain roads it's not so great for commuting among hoards of Toyota Prius's and Honda minivans.

All Lucas jokes aside however, he did invent the dual beam headlamp

Dim and flicker.
 
AcroGimp, it really depends on what you want.
Do you want something newer with all the modern conveniences and reliability, power and performance, or, do you want something with older classic good looks and affordable fun on the curves?

To those guys who said the MG is "terrible" or a "drivers nightmare", I say BS!

The MGB is not a performance car, never has been and never will be with the standard 4 banger. There are many V-6 conversions that obviously have plenty of power. The MGB was built for affordable fun and is great fun on twisty country roads.
Parts are available for almost anything and relatively cheap. Working on it is just like working on a tractor, simple and mostly easy to get to. Normal maintenance is required, like changing fluids and setting points, something that almost anyone with a little mechanical knowledge can do. No computer diagnostics needed here.

Buy the best car you can afford, $15,000 will get a top of the line one and really nice ones are only in the 7-9 grand area. Rust underneath any of the British car is always an issue to look out for, same for the electrics if someone who doesn't know anything has gotten in there earlier and done a hack job on the wiring.
Many of these cars were bought new by college kids on a tight budget and sometimes things were just patched up on a dime. Sometimes the electrical bullet connectors have some corrosion and don't always make good contact, those can be cleaned up and still give good service. How good do you think your Honda electrical connections are going to be after 35 years on the road?

I'm lucky enough to own an early '74 MGB and it's been very reliable, I put on about 3000 miles per season in Minnesota, and that's in only 7 months of driving.

 
You can be like ZZ Top and roll in this:

db_28_Billy_Gibbons_of_ZZ_Top_brought_out_this_sweet_deuce_roadster.jpg


I think they're friggin' awesome, but I'll bet a nice example is well north of 15K.
 
Had a TR6, fun ride but kept me busy in the garage.

The S2000 is a great ride and a lot of fun with great reliability.
 
pilot_dude said:
Had a TR6, fun ride but kept me busy in the garage.

The S2000 is a great ride and a lot of fun with great reliability.
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I'm sure it kept you busy. The triumph and MG were notorious for not starting, blowing up,etc. The austin Healey was a great car, both the four and the six but again not reliable. Many were converted to a small block Chevy V8 and were great cars. Same with British motorcycles. My wife drove a healey 3000 and it was constantly quitting or not starting. Especially in damp weather. It's why the japs did so well later with the Datsun z models, etc. No comparison.
 
champ driver said:
AcroGimp, it really depends on what you want.
Do you want something newer with all the modern conveniences and reliability, power and performance, or, do you want something with older classic good looks and affordable fun on the curves?

To those guys who said the MG is "terrible" or a "drivers nightmare", I say BS!

The MGB is not a performance car, never has been and never will be with the standard 4 banger. There are many V-6 conversions that obviously have plenty of power. The MGB was built for affordable fun and is great fun on twisty country roads.
Parts are available for almost anything and relatively cheap. Working on it is just like working on a tractor, simple and mostly easy to get to. Normal maintenance is required, like changing fluids and setting points, something that almost anyone with a little mechanical knowledge can do. No computer diagnostics needed here.

Buy the best car you can afford, $15,000 will get a top of the line one and really nice ones are only in the 7-9 grand area. Rust underneath any of the British car is always an issue to look out for, same for the electrics if someone who doesn't know anything has gotten in there earlier and done a hack job on the wiring.
Many of these cars were bought new by college kids on a tight budget and sometimes things were just patched up on a dime. Sometimes the electrical bullet connectors have some corrosion and don't always make good contact, those can be cleaned up and still give good service. How good do you think your Honda electrical connections are going to be after 35 years on the road?

I'm lucky enough to own an early '74 MGB and it's been very reliable, I put on about 3000 miles per season in Minnesota, and that's in only 7 months of driving.

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Suh-WEET!

---

Just remembered: how about a Triumph Spitfire?
 
I have the same "wants" as the OP.

As an old TR-6 owner, I can tell you that if you want a car to drive, get one of the Japanese models. If you're looking for something to tinker with, get a TR, MG, or Healey. You're forever adjusting, lubricating, replacing, etc. The cars are easy to work on and very simple, but the components are essentially the top of the line circa 1965 in Britain. I.E. not things that are particularly reliable or low maintenance. And now, all of the NOS (new old stock) parts are about gone and much of what is available is of lesser quality.

Personally, I discount the Boxster because of the IMS bearing issue. Google "Boxster IMS Bearing" and you can read about it for days. Essentially, there is a cam (?) bearing that is under-lubricated and if it goes, you're in for a $15k engine rebuild. There are few warning signs of failure until the ultimate failure, and that's a bad thing. Also, a friend with a Cayman tells horror stories of parts costs (and durability) for routine replacement items like brake discs.

If we're talking rice burners, I like the Miata better than the Honda, but that's a personal preference. I think it fits the same niche as an MG or TR, with 100x the reliability. The earlier car you can buy, the better of a sports car it will be (IMO). As the Miata has evolved, it has gained a bunch of features at the expense of weight. Weight is the enemy of a sports car.

So put me in the Miata camp. Early one, preferably. Maybe with a little boost on the engine, but I value longevity and ease of use more than raw acceleration. Installing a V-8? Not for me, but would certainly add a lot of zip.
 
Here's what you need. The good engine was made up through 1994, the same year that a "decorative" backseat was added "for insurance purposes." Mine has the original V-12, no back seat, and with the top down will carry luggage for my wife for a week. In fact, we took it on our honeymoon.

It's fun, acceleration is good on the road but not so much from a standing start. I get 17-18 mpg on Super when traveling, 12-13 around town. There's not a hill in western NC, east Tenn or WV that she won't go up at or above the speed limit. People in the next lane talk to me at red lights, asking about the car. Power everything, ABS, airbags, safety galore.

Pedal to the floor, she does 50 in 1st gear. Press it hard, she won't shift until 62. Two doors, two seats, two air bags and two AC compressors. The Brits can make good cars when they really want to. Just like a plane, though, you gotta know that you're buying a good one; I just got lucky. Run away from one with a Chevy V-8!!
 

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Thanks for the MB reminder, totally forgot the SL500 and, gulp, SL600 - R129 (sexy 90's wedge) or R230 (modern beauty).

Thanks for all the replies, this is helpful - no rush just looking for ideas and experience.

'Gimp
 
AcroGimp said:
Thanks for the MB reminder, totally forgot the SL500 and, gulp, SL600 - R129 (sexy 90's wedge) or R230 (modern beauty).

Thanks for all the replies, this is helpful - no rush just looking for ideas and experience.

'Gimp
Click to expand...

If I was going for an MB SL, it would be a 63-71 280SL.
 
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