I was looking at Mx5's online and somehow came across Pontiac Firebird 3.1 V6 1990 red ( tax'd + m.o.t 'd) | eBay and from that point I keep thinking it's sort of viable so was hoping someone could put me right one way or the other.

My basic brief at the moment is for something that will be usable to do my shopping in and occaisonal domestic stuff but also to have something to play with on track, it would be my only car for the forseable future. I've wanted an Mx5 for ages but something in the back of my mind has been telling me the second I get one I'll need to move something or someone and won't have the room and if insurable and decent enough on fuel this would seem to fit the bill.

The biggest down side for this particular car is it's so far away so I'd pretty much have to buy it unseen, and the engine doesn't make much power for it's size but that doesn't bother me too much.

Any one on here had anything simillar? I know Flak Monkey on here has a Camaro but I think his is a bigger engine and older platform.

I suspect you ARE mad.

The car is LHD, do not underestimate the grief this can cause. Lots of little things, but one big one is that passengers hate sitting on "the wrong side"
I expect fuel economy will be absolute pants, especially about town.
But worst of all will be the ride/drive. having been on a handful of trips to the US, the hire cars are woeful. The best ones are always the ugly jap stuff. The American V6 cars I have had have been sooooo slooooooow and mushy to drive. So I fully expect this thing to be soft and no use whatsoever on the track. Better off in a marina........
It is in many ways the total opposite of the mx5.

Not mad... just nuts!

Thanks, I'd never even considered about passengers in an LHD car, not that I'd be bothered by that but being curbside would probably make things more annoying. I know US cars have a reputation for terrible ride but this one is supposed to be a sports car of sorts.

I'm still tempted though, and I've found some more but none of them are close by. As it's a GM car, will a Vauxhall engine fit?

Trust me the Americans version of a sports car is not what we consider sporty.
The V6 3.1 will have the power of an old Capri and the whole car will weigh 2 tons or more

another thought, ever tried overtaking a lorry in a left hooker ?

I know someone, who having spent a small fortune uprating and painting a camero did this and had the front wing torn off by oncoming traffic he couldnt see fully.

To be able to see enough to overtake, you need to be a lot further away from the rear of the vehicle in front, which means you need a longer stretch of road. The problem he had was that having held back and spotted the gap, he went for it and when nearing the rear of the lorry, his vision was obscurred momentarilly as he pulled out. He didnt see the car which had just pulled out of a side road. I suppose you could say he should have pulled out further back, but hindsight is always 20/20, and the habits we develop driving "normal" cars tend to stick.

Having said that the fuel it is likely to consume trying to perform such a manouvre will probably curtail any such recklessness !!

Not to mention having to get out and walk round the car every time you go into a carpark or toll booth! Left hookers are more trouble than they're worth as a daily driver. Plus as everyone else says it'll be underpowered, thirsty, and handle like a barge

Buy the MX5

As an 'All rounder' its hard to beat

I had one twenty years ago and loved it. If you want a Sunday cruising toy do it, but for everyday get a runaround.

Buy it, it's the only way you'll learn

Shopping,daily hack and fetching and carrying and the odd track day how about a Subaru imprezza

Mx5 a great car for fun times but no real boot to speak of. I always forget this when we have loaded the trolley up and have to sit amidst the carrier bags inside.

Shocking idea IMHO where are the wet kippers when you really need one

As chap above says, an old scooby would be far better. Probably more economical, definately more practical, and also would get you about in the snow much better than the others.

Can you compare the two?

Whats good in an agile mx5 is lacking in the american slob and there is nothing good about the ameriacn slob that trumps the MX 5. V8 noise maybe.

so to conclude - YOUR MAD!!!!

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Originally posted by afj
Shopping,daily hack and fetching and carrying and the odd track day how about a Subaru imprezza

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Normally cars are sprung very very soft for North America. The roads are just so bad they have to. LHD, Overtaking might be a bit dangerous, and your insurance company might not like the idea either.

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Originally posted by tul214

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Originally posted by afj
Shopping,daily hack and fetching and carrying and the odd track day how about a Subaru imprezza

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From his previous threads, Morcus needs an auto car, did they do an auto scooby?

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MX5, and if you want the soundtrack...

http://www.monstermiata.com/

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Originally posted by stevebubs

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Originally posted by tul214

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Originally posted by afj
Shopping,daily hack and fetching and carrying and the odd track day how about a Subaru imprezza

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From his previous threads, Morcus needs an auto car, did they do an auto scooby?

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They did a Forester..

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Sounds like a good idea, but there are those drawbacks. If you have a more practical main car it'll probably be great

I'd have it

But then it's been decided for you, as the bidding has ended.

Didn't Clairetoo advertise making a subframe for a V6 in a MX5? That might be your better compromise

Well remembered, I do need an auto.

I had considered a Scooby but most of the auto Imprezza's are the weird estates (And I really don't like the way they look) and the insurance is quite steep.

After a sleep it doesn't seem as brilliant an Idea as it did this morning, How it looks is the main draw to it, and from the info I can find it's horrendously underpowered for the weight in standard form, The V8 version is only just quicker to 60 than the Mazda. And even if I bought myself a banger to use as an every day car and got the Firebird it won't fit in my garage so I'd have to park the car I actually used in the garage and move the bigger car everytime, and if I was gonna get two cars I could get a 944 which would be better in everyway (I really don't want one as my every day car because if it didn't die first I know it would get attacked left out side work at night) and would probably be much more fun on track.

A part of me still does think I should just buy one and see what happens but it's a much smaller voice.