Info on the VX220 from a new owner, cross posted from a trackday forum:

Could've bought the turbo had I wanted to but the NA's a better balanced car for both road and track IMO (not that ours will see the track much, it's a road car, although I am taking it to Anglesey in September). Turbo's a bit heavier, so feels planted on the road if a little soft and it's mightily impressive through the gears, very torquey engine as you'd expect. I just found the NA to be a better handling car, the suspension's better, makes it easier to drive cross country without constantly working at it (roads are in crap condition where I live) and safer for the wife to use if she wants to. That's not to say that if you want to drive like Damon Hill you can't, it's very rewarding to drive quickly.

They seem better screwed together than the Elise and as you say, it's got a much stronger engine that's pretty unstressed in standard form (140bhp). Certainly modified up to 180bhp they don't seem to suffer either. My car's only a year old but I do plan to modify it slightly to about 170bhp, which is relatively inexpensive and Vauxhall will still honour the warranty.

If you wanted a challenging track car I'd say buy the turbo, but if you just want something to have fun in, buy the NA.

Have a look on www.vx220.org.uk there's quite a few cheapish early VX's on there as long as you don't mind it being silver

actually, took VX220turbo out on Bedford autodrome and it is a very well setup car. Yes, there are the usual turbo features like lag, requiring the correct revs for manoevres, but really zippy. Would heartily recommend it. Especially after a wee bit of tuition on its sliding characteristics - bit different from my Scoob.

Went to try an take a look at a VX220 today, to see if it is anymore practical than the Elise. Made sure I picked a VX220 dealer. This was what happened:

Me: "Do you sell the VX220, I can't see any here ?"
Salesman: "Oh, we share it with our other branch. They have it this week."
Me: "You've only got one car between two dealerships ?"
Salesman: "Yes. I could phone you when it is our turn next."

Hmmm

I made a start towards buying a new car today. We went out and looked at TVRs and Porsches. The main task of the day was to make sure that both Eryl and I could reach the pedals...

I had prepared myself to be disappointed by the TVR Tuscan, I know build quality reflects the cost (faster than most Ferraris for a third the price). I was still surprised however by how many little bits of trim were falling off the 2-3 years old cars we looked at.

Happily we (ok, Eryl ) could reach the pedals in both the Tuscan and Boxster.

The Tuscan interior feels like a very special place to be, the curves that make up the design just flow around you so well. It is huge inside as well, I hadn't realise that there was so much space. We really could take the kitchen sink with us.

The Boxster interior is not so special, it feels like a "normal" car. It does however feel much, much more solid. The two year old Boxster we looked at really did look brand new still. It was surpisingly cramped inside though, with my knees touching the dash as the do in the MX5.

I can see this is going to be a very difficult decision. Need to arrange some test drives this week...

Well, after all that faffing about I have chickened out of silly car ownership for the moment. I've decided to leave it for a few months until I have more cash and take advantage of the normal convertible winter price drop.

I'm going to buy something cheaper and "sensible" in the meantime, while I get the MX5 fixed (I'll probably sell the MX5 as soon as it is fixed).

Of course, "sensible" probably means a 5-door Subaru Impreza WRX. Looks like I can get a decent one for around £12-13k. The plan is to keep this as my second car when I finally get the "silly" car.

If I were you, I'd be looking into a Shelby Cobra replica. I don't know how many of your rules that breaks, but there's something to the idea of a car simple enough that you can fix it all yourself.

Anyway, it's just an idea. Here's a link for the manufacturer I like, though: Era Replica.

While I understand your concern about the handling of the Cobra, the manufacturer I linked to has designed a new chassis and suspension that are supposed to increase handling dramatically. You might want to at least take a look.

Of course, if it's something you're concerned about, I'd never buy something that expensive without driving it or at least having some solid references.

I'm not even sure if the ERA is available over here, from their website it looks like just a US operation.

There are literally dozens of different Cobra kits available in the UK, so of which probably have much better handling than the original Cobra road car.

Even without any handling issues a Cobra doesn't meet a few of my other requirements for my "silly" car anyway. I couldn't cope with the roof for a start, I am going to be driving the car in question for 12k+ miles a year in UK weather.

As I said, if I could own a whole range of cars a Cobra replica would be one of them. As it is, if and when I get a kit car it will be an Ultima GTR http://www.ultimasports.co.uk/gtr/index.html

And if you actually want a 5 door Impreza that handles well through corners, the 2001 model was the last of the light ones. The newer models all have more power, but they are significantly heavier - which is why I ended up getting a 2001. And it is slowly being modded so will have more power soon.

The new ones do have much more soundproofing, if you like that kind of thing, but I am just not a fan of their cornering - on twisty UK roads they just can't cut it. Bloody good off the line though (the STi's anyway, not the standard WRX - so if you get a WRX, think about modding for performance )

(finally back from the honeymoon...)

I don't get why you dismiss the Honda S2000 so quickly. It's somewhat plain in its appearance, but by all accounts it's a balls-out fantastic track car, a perfectly acceptable stuck-in-traffic commuting car, and it's just a plain old reliable Honda. If I had a three-car garage, the S2000 would be on my short list.

(should really read the bbs more often!) 34k...

Hugo

Well, whilst you lot have been doing all that, I've ordered an automatic Renault Megane cabriolet, the one with the metal folding roof.
I've decided that it's time, after 8 years, to say goodbye to MGF driving, and the automatic makes it available to Mrs.B.
My one worry is that it has too many toys to go wrong, and a metal folding roof engineered by Mercedes or Lexus is one thing, but the same thing by Renault or Peugeot may be a different proposition.
I can't say I'm particularly bothered about wipers and lights that start automatically, or locks that unlock as you walk towards them, it's just more to go wrong.
What amazes me is that the dealerships are so ignorant of the products, once again, I enter the showroom knowing more about the car: The apathy really pisses me off.
However, on the upside, plenty of room for 2 HU's, the Empeg is well safe!

The engineering for those folding metal roofs is done by a handful of firms that specialise in things like that. They can and do jam even on the Merc ones.

Make sure you don't raise or lower the roof on a hill...

Only one chioce, brand spanking new lotus exige.

These things have the most awesome grip i've ever experienced! My mate had one over the weekend and showed me what it could do. Looks mean as hell as well!

Much better inside than the elise, for one there's actually some padding on the seats (unlike the elise where it's a bit of fabric over the carbon fibre) and they're actually pretty comfortable - you can get it with air-con as well.

Plus you got so many people looking at pointing!

Clarksons review

By far the coolest car i've been in for ages.

No boot space though, infact it looked like less than the elise!

Adrian

Well, I bought my "sensible" car:



2000 registered 5 door Impreza Turbo, 57,000 miles, £10,500

P.S. Don't worry, the gold wheels are being repainted silver as we speak !

The silly car will have to wait til next spring.

Ooh very nice! What model is it?

Just the standard Impreza Turbo "sportswagon", so 208bhp. I very different car to drive compared to the MX5, it is going to take some practice until I can drive it smoothly at speed I think. I am used to having the throttle nailed to the floor 80% of the time when "pressing on", that is going to have to change...

Yay!!! Top choice for practical family car!! Now join the SIDC and come play at the track days:-)

These babies do the best, controllable 4-wheel drifts!

I picked the Impreza up today, complete with its now non-gold wheels.





It is much faster than I was expecting, it is going to take a while to get used to. Great fun though

Nice! Now install an empeg in it!

I do plan to, might be making a visit to Cambridge Car Audio. Need to work out where to put the amp though. Don't want it in the boot, so I guess the only place is going to be under the passenger seat, haven't looked to see how much space there is yet.

It certainly looks in excellent condition. I seem to see more and more badly repaired ones on the road now. I suppose the really old ones are getting into the cheapo price bracket.

It is in extremely good nick. The seats and carpets really do look brand new (there are a few scratches on some of the interior plastic). Apart from a handful of stone chips on the bonnet there isn't a thing wrong with the exterior. There isn't even a single parking ding.

There are two problems with it so far. Slightly squeally brakes (I'll probably replace the pads with some EBC Greenstuff to fix that). And the passenger footwell fills with water when the aircon has been on for a hour, the dealer will have to fix that.

I am also having problems with the clutch squealing in 1st and 2nd, but I think that is just down to adjusting my driving to having over twice as much torque as I'm used to. I think I just need to apply a little less gas when releasing the clutch.

I managed to curb one of the wheels to day while parking, still at least I have got it out of the way, I was bound to do it sooner or later...

Dinging a door is kind of out of my control. I try to park in quiet parts of car parks, but it only takes one careless idiot. I had a fit the first time I picked up a dent on the door on my MX5...

I am hopeless at avoiding kerbing my wheels. I very rarely parallel park and on the odd occasion that I do I often end up touching the kerb.