GR86 Anything else

grzoostuff

grzoostuff

Totally Hooked
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Hi All,

Seeing all the metal at the sportcars in the park, gets you thinking is there anything else to consider similar to the GR86 in terms of cost, maintenance, depreciation and rear wheel drive fun?

Specs:
Around £30-£35k.
"Reasonable" annual maintenance costs.
Slow/minimal depreciation.
Rear drive.

Plenty of metal in the park - saw some nice S2000's, though they they are fetching around £15k - 20k I think, some nice M2's.
Any ideas?
Cheers.
 
Don't think there are many options. Mostly older cars and possibly none as cheaper to run.
E46 m3
Caterhams
718 caymans/boxsters

MX5 lose value so not on my list, alpine a110 lose value, cheapest is around 38k
 
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Agree, would love an analogue M3, but would worry about the rear subframe and other bits rotting away.
Cayman/boxsters - any specific models that may retain value?
Good call on Caterhams,
 
I debate selling often. Not because I don't love driving it but because it's money sitting there in something I'm only occasionally using. Almost feeling guilty I own it in an odd way. Money could go on other things but as I know all too well, life is short so enjoy it, which is why it stays. Plus I've bought the wheels, another exhaust imminent and some other bits so can't justify letting it go. Long term the Swift will be run until it dies then replaced with a hot hatch of some kind. The GR86 more and more seems to be the nicer days or longer runs. But also have the bike too and that takes my time also but this is being used for work on nicer days to use it then instead. I haven't taken the 86 to work in over a year because the road into work is horrendous. If it's ever resurfaced that may change. Wherever I go it's almost always with the dog now and while the 86 can do it, it's still a faff. In the Swift it's open a door and he jumps in. In this, it's put him in his box on the back with the seats flat. It's also nice owning a shed as I don't care about it. Some of the lanes we go down to get to some of the hikes really aren't suitable for the 86.

But by far the biggest reason it stays is there's nothing like it. Yes, you could go used M2, possibly a Comp but I could see that getting more frustrating to own. It's already an issue with cameras everywhere.
 
If you consider cost, maintenance, depreciation and rear wheel drive fun, then not a lot. And if you add in a manual gearbox and cars of a similar age, then even less.

The Mustang and M2 are options, but maintenance costs will be more. As per anything Porsche, Lotus and the Supra / Z4 and a manual is rare in some of these.

A Caterham could be an option, but only if you use your GR86 as a toy / weekend car.

I think the MX-5 , probably the RF is the closest option. Still a coupe when you want it to be, but the added bonus of being able to put the roof down when you want. Just not as practical or as focused as a driver's car.
 
OPC100 said:
I think the MX-5 , probably the RF is the closest option. Still a coupe when you want it to be, but the added bonus of being able to put the roof down when you want. Just not as practical or as focused as a driver's cacar.
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For me, the MX-5 is too small. If you can't go away for a weekend with 2 people, then it may as well be a Caterham as it'll only ever be used as a toy.

The 86 is about as impractical as I can get away with and still use it a lot.
 
How about the latest BMW Z4, especially the straight 6 B58 engine M40i.

Those are in budget.

MX5s are great, but so small inside and if you are over 6ft, your head sticks up over the windscreen.
 
Own a MK4 MX5, 6ft and I fit in the car rather than over it, and you can easily go away for more than a weekend in it, as I have done. MX5 is easy to do, ive done a week with two up to Skye in an Elise!
 
Some interesting options, BMW i8 think I saw one in the sportscars day, looks great, but what happens with the battery in future.
Alfa looks great, have they improved on the reliability yet - the selespeed was known for it's self destruction in the past.
Lotus def work a look.
Good shout out for the Subura version of the GR86!
Coming from the GR, would the MX feel a bit underpowered, not driven one of the lastest iterations yet.
The new Z4's likely to depreciate significantly - although saw an older Z4 coupe at the meet, which still looks good and if it's an M may hold value better.
🤔
 
Gibbo78 said:
Own a MK4 MX5, 6ft and I fit in the car rather than over it, and you can easily go away for more than a weekend in it, as I have done. MX5 is easy to do, ive done a week with two up to Skye in an Elise!
Click to expand...
That wouldnt happen with my wife 😆
 
On the MX-5 side what about the alternate Abarth 124 spider. When I was told I was not high enough up the list for a GR86 here in Denmark I bought a Fiat 124 spider and I love it (I think more than my BRZ!). I understand that the Mazda MX-5 ND is a touch nicer on the handling side by a few degrees but to my mind the turbo engine in the Fiat/Abarth is better to live with and with great sound and performance potential. I find I can fit nearly the same amount in the boot of the 124 as the BRZ... but obviously you have a spare wheel option / rear seats in ours. Biggest issue is not space but the seats - in base NDs / 124s, after two hours I am done for vs 24hrs in the BRZ (including sleep) and still feeling good. You need the Recaros ideally.

In the UK Abarths seem to have been holding their value really well over the last couple years - having dropped heavily from new.
 
Abarth 124s is a good shout but I didn't include them as they aren't within the £30-35k the op asked.
Giulia Quadrifoglios is another one to consider
 
Gibbo78 said:
Own a MK4 MX5, 6ft and I fit in the car rather than over it, and you can easily go away for more than a weekend in it, as I have done. MX5 is easy to do, ive done a week with two up to Skye in an Elise!
Click to expand...
2 pair of pants and a tooth brush, that's 8 days worth of wear 👌 😁

Abarth 124s are on my wife's short list. A car often overlooked, pretty rare to see too. She outright refuses to consider an ND MX5 though, despite being the same chassis, she says it's too small.

1000047372.webp
 
The problem is the 86 ticks so many boxes, commuter, comfy tourer, track hack, it’ll take a weeks shopping, it will seat 2 adults & 2 kids and it’s cheap enough not to be fussy about it,
I’ve been looking at other options as i could live with something less practical, the only thing that really draws me is a caterham but that might be a step too far as a winter commuter 🥶
 
I really didn't need the 86 - I was trundling about in a 12 year old Fiesta 1.4 for about 7 years prior...
But, I knew it was going to be a pretty unique, last-of-the-breed kind of car, at sensible money.
If I were to buy something else, it would probably be totally different, like a Lexus UX or something.
 
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