I'm localish to you and will happily help you fit another engine to your MX5.

I might just take you up on that offer. Not for a few weeks though, need to get a new car sorted out first.

As for what to replace it with, I'd go for a VX220 - you would be suprised how much you can stuff in there for a week away

I might go and take a look at one then. I was only really joking about the Vauhall thing, I don't really care what badge the car has on it as long as it is good to drive.

Unless it has lots more space than an Elise it is a non-starter though. We struggle when we go away for a couple of weeks in the MX5, there is no way we could manage in an Elise.

I a couple more options have occured to me:

- buy a £10-15k Subaru Imprezza Turbo wagon as the "sensible" car and an older £15-20k Elise or Griffith for sunny days
- buy a £10-15k Subaru Imprezza Turbo wagon and £15k on the first years membership of P1 International (and start saving the £12.5k for next year)

For anyone who does know what P1 International is, it is a car club that gives you access to the following selection of cars:

    Lamborghini Murcielago
    Ford GT
    Aston Martin Vanquish
    Ferrari 360 C. Stradale
    Lamborghini Gallardo
    Ferrari 575M Maranello
    Bentley Arnage T
    Ferrari 456M GT
    Ferrari 550 Maranello
    Ferrari 360 Spider
    Bentley Continental GT
    Aston Martin DB9 (Sept)
    Porsche 911 GT3 RS
    Ferrari 360 Modena
    Porsche 996 Turbo
    Porsche 911 GT2
    Bentley Arnage
    Porsche 996 Turbo Cab
    Mercedes SL55 AMG
    Porsche Cayenne Turbo
    Porsche 997 CS (Sept 04)
    Noble M14 (Autumn 04)
    Mercedes SL500
    Aston Martin DB7
    Ferrari 355 Spider
    Porsche 996 C4S Cabrio
    BMW M3 CSL
    Maserati 4200 GT
    Mercedes E55 AMG
    Range Rover Vogue
    Porsche 996 Carrera 2
    Ferrari 355 Berlinetta
    Audi RS6 Avant
    BMW M5 (April 2005)
    Noble M12 GTO-3R
    Caterham Roadsport SV
    AC Cobra
    Lotus Exige S2
    BMW M3 Convertible
    Mitsubishi Evo MR340

For £12.5k a year (with a £2.5k joining fee in the first year) you get 6,000 miles of use. They have a points system, so if you choose to drive a Lamborghini Murcielago on summer weekends then you don't get as many days driving as if you drive the Noble on autumn weekdays. They reckon that members average 70 driving days a year.

www.p1international.com
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