Somebody Else needs a car

[Somebody Else]

I (finally) passed my test the other day - a little late in life, I know. Anyhow, the time has come to get on the road, and I need a suitable ride. Any petrolheads here able to offer any advice? (I'm not sure this is suitable for the hardware forum)

Just as an idea of the sort of thing I like, the most interesting options so far are a 1973 Triumph Spitfire MkIV, a 1966 Austin Healey Sprint MkII and a 1966 MG Midget.

SE

[spmetla]

Seeing as the only British sports car I've owned is my current '77 MGB I'll give you the advice that it's a good car to learn how to work on a car and requires regular maintenance. Of your choices I know I'd go with the Triumph, it's a cooler looking car (in my humble opinion). There's a lot of reproduced parts available for all the cars you've listed : http://www.victoriabritish.com/ http://www.mossmotors.com/ so that together with junk yards will help you WHEN it breaks down and WHEN something electrical goes out.

They are fun cars though and certainly will turn heads, though I do wish my MGB had a bit more power so that it would be somewhat comparable to higher quality sports cars.

[PanzerJaeger]

Are you set on a classic British roadster? From what I hear, they'll always break your heart.

I don't know too much about those kinds of cars, but I do follow modern cars and the car industry fairly closely, and could probably give you some advice if you're willing to look at a newer model. The car closest in spirit to the qualities of those that you mentioned is the Mazda MX-5. It has that sweet balance of handling, power, looks, and price that made the cars you mentioned so exciting to drive.

What is your price range?

[Somebody Else]

I don't really want to be spending more than a few grand (I'd like to be able to, but I'm not exactly in a high paying job). If I were getting something modern, I'd have to go for something big and sensible like a saloon of some sort (a nice one mind) - though I'm 2 Labradors and a family short of going for an estate... Planning to buy second hand, obviously.

SE

[spmetla]

Well the Midget is certainly the cheapest and there will be a lot of parts available for it. Bear in mind though that with cars that old you will be putting a bit of money in to keep them going. They use leaded fuel so you need to add that to your gas, insurance is usually more expensive and harder to get for "antiques," and some auto shops won't work on older cars like these.

[Hosakawa Tito]

What are you going to use the car for, Somebody Else? A toy/hobby or depend on it to get to work?
If you're a handy mechanic and have access to parts the Midget would be an economical choice.

insurance is usually more expensive and harder to get for "antiques,"

In the states the opposite is usually true. Just about any vehicle over 25 years old qualifies as a "classic", and the registration & insurance are generally cheaper. One doesn't have to deal with all the stricter "pollution control standards" requirements at the yearly inspection either.