I used to look down on the MR2 in my younger, more foolish days. "Not enough power" was the kind of thing I would utter. My dad eventually convinced me to try one a few years ago and it's been my favorite car I've ever owned and so much fun to drive as a daily. The power isn't an issue, you sit so low (Mines been lowered further) and you're so close to the engine, it feels and sounds like you're going much faster than you are. I used to have a Porsche 928 and that felt like you were doing 50 when you were actually doing 90. The MR2, does the opposite, which is a neat trick and you get to hold the loud pedal down for longer. Awesome bit of kit.
I owned a black Brabus roadster-coupe about 10 years ago and I have to say it was so much fun to drive (like driving a go-cart), it handled really well and really did turn heads wherever I went. However the Ecu Sam unit did fail on me due to water ingress and at the time only mercedes could replace which at a deal was £1500! But apart from that never had any other problems for 2 years, it was cheap to run and drive daily. Drove regularly from Aberdeen to Bournemouth for about £70 fuel with cruise control set. I had a Bailey's dump valve, induction kit and tuned to 120bhp. Bought for £5000 with 34k miles on it and sold 2 years later for £7500 with 55k miles on it. Now they are about £8-10k for a well cared one. It has been the one car I regret selling.
I'll vote for the MR2 - had one for several years. Great fun and pretty reliable. Great at any speed with the roof down. The facelift model as shown in the video has a 6-speed manual box, whereas pre facelift are 5-speed. Precats can be checked for damage by removing two lambda sensors and peering through the holes. Probably the worst thing on the car is the handbrake which is pretty much an annual MOT failure.
That God dam hand brake! Just two years had new calipers for its MOT and now mine requires cables too! I love my MR2 but it's been a real pain! The Precats died in mine so a new engine has been popped in. Some day it'll be turbocharged and just work 😩😂
I owned an Elise S2 111S in that exact colour for 8 lovely years. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every single mile. I've been lucky enough to drive a huge variety of cars over the years across everything from hatchbacks to supercars, and I've raced for over 20 years too in an equally broad variety of cars. Despite all that though, the Elise remains the best road car I've ever driven. By quite a long way actually. Good call on the other choices too! I'm especially fond of the mk3 MR2.
Love the MR2.. We've had it 14+ years and not one single issue.. It's supposed to be the wife's but on a warm summers eve I often sneak it out for a blast around the beautiful English countryside.
I think the only true used McLaren alternative would be old Lotus Espirit turbo, maybe the early Exige (due to pace and real downforce) and old none stratospheric priced supercars.
Here's a tune I'd been looking for from a racing game. It's on YT as "DiRT Rally Soundtrack - Full Mix - PC Release (OST)" @ 7:59 called "Watching The Wind".
Looks like a good choice of cars , the good thing is you can actually drive them to the max or near as dam it on the public highway so long as the 50 are other wise engaged , where as with a car like McLaren , Ferrari , Porsche , not even get close to anything near flat out
@@varolussalsanclar1163 only if you don't know "how to". Mine is in excellent condition at over 350 000km as daily with the original engine, gearbox, electric system and body parts. No garage for mine.
I have a tidy, clean original Boxster that cost me just over £2k. Well looked after example. Ignore the scare stories about IMS bearing failure and cost of maintenance parts as its just hype. Also ignore the many online experts that will state you can't get one for less than £5k. Keep your eyes out as could get a tidy one for £2500 but be quick when you see one. I don't drive it fast only cruise about when the sun is out as the UK roads are too busy
@@kingofthewestmidlands4049 thanks, I’m often on Autotrader and eBay checking prices, but having bought my wife an ‘07 SLK for her 50th earlier this year, I need to build up my spare funds again.
@@marvinsamuels1237 I had an SLK and sold it about 10 years ago and are nice cars. Keep looking where you are, what I will say is ebay prices are silly.
Once you go for Toyota engine/gearbox the Mantra of Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious changes to Lots of Trouble Usually Stupid. Changing the dead HVAC fan today.
I was always surprised at the massive number of convertibles in a country of wind and rain. Love the idea but will never buy one. If it has to be without roof, let it be a boat...
I used to have an MX5 (god how I miss it) and had the top down loads. The heater is awesome and driving round on a crisp winter's day with the wind in your hair was just gorgeous. You can drive it in the rain too, anything over 25 mph and the rain tends to go over the car, but be careful if you get to traffic lights as you'll be damp. The most wet i ever got was when I parked it at Homebase on a sunny day with the roof down. 15 minutes of looking at power tools later and you could hear the rain hammering on the metal roof of the warehouse. Took me about 3 days to dry the seats and carpet out!
This is a great channel! Useful and highly informative. I’ve subscribed, but so hope you are able to do a few such ‘comparison’ videos with North American videos (I’m Canadian and notes that you did one for South Korea).
@@19grand I've owned 2 and I'm about 6 ft, head room is very good, leg room is pretty good as well. Jeremy Clarkson could fit in it and he's 6 ft 6 inches
@@19grand Well to be honest I didn't own my first one for very long because it decided to go wrong, and I've just got my second one, so I can't speak positively about reliability. Fuel economy can be very good as long as your right foot isn't heavy
Will stick with the mx5 lol The mr2 has no boot space at all. The brabus smart is quite rare. If you bought a lotus for 12 grand, It would probably need 12 grand Spent on it, to make everything work.
@@brianhume4743 so your saying a sports car Shouldn't have a boot lol it just makes it more Than a one trick pony. Try taking a mk3 mr2 Across france. A road trip to scotland. A weekend Hill climb in wales. With no luggage space lol I owned an mr2, thats why i got rid of it. DUH !
I owed the MR2 for 3 years. The handling was terrible. It went from understeer to snap oversteer. The chassis suffers from bad scuttle shake and flexes during hard cornering. It's unpredictable on the limit. Who wants a sports car that you can only drive at 80%... Not me. Replaced it with an MX-5 night and day difference.
Did you drive any other Mk3 MR2's to ascertain where the problem lay? Presumably you bought after reading reviews of their excellent handling? Their set up is quite sensitive (ie tyres) but your description is not our experience. Fantastic fun wee cars!
@@viewsfromtherebelbase I've driven a few MX5's of different generations thanks- they are great cars for our Scottish roads. I like the MK1 MR2 greatly- I even have it's 'predecessor' the Fiat X1/9... Look, I'm just suggesting that your experience of the MK3 MR2 is not universal- perhaps you endured a lemon for 3 years? We are fitting the 2ZZ engine in one just now because it's chassis is clearly capable of handling the extra power. There are youtube autocross vids to substantiate it's dominance: ie 'The 2ZZ MR-S Wins...''
@@garethmcrae668 I've always thought that's the 2zz was the engine it should if left the factory with. Good on you. Also thought the car deserved double wishbone suspension no the McPherson struts.
@@viewsfromtherebelbase Yes, double wishbone is deffo best. We are fitting some X bracing to beef up rigidity, which was not introduced until facelift I believe. Happy driving!
Nah, unless your an expert and even then I'd imagine you could catch a major cold with any of these. Old, specialist cars like this can get very expensive very quickly....No ta.
The MR-2 is just a mid-engined Corolla (Auris) though. For some reason, Toyotas are not popular in Europe (only the fifth highest selling brand), but elsewhere the Corolla is among the most common cars on the road and Toyota is the number one selling brand.
I need to consider moving to the UK. In the US the Lotus is worth over $30,000 and where I live they are over $40,000! Hell the MRS can be seen anywhere between $8,000 and $12,000
Not very. £2k for a good car is cheap. If someone offered me a mansion for £500k, even if I couldn’t afford it, I’d still say it was cheap. Something being labelled as cheap is relative to its perceived value. Not whether it’s affordable or not.
In what fucking way is that Brambus Roadster a McLaren alternative? It is slow, ugly, and shit. MR2 and Lotus Elise - sure, that Brambus is just a joke. Nobody who thinks a McLaren would be awesome would look at that monstrosity and consider buying it.
I used to look down on the MR2 in my younger, more foolish days. "Not enough power" was the kind of thing I would utter. My dad eventually convinced me to try one a few years ago and it's been my favorite car I've ever owned and so much fun to drive as a daily. The power isn't an issue, you sit so low (Mines been lowered further) and you're so close to the engine, it feels and sounds like you're going much faster than you are. I used to have a Porsche 928 and that felt like you were doing 50 when you were actually doing 90. The MR2, does the opposite, which is a neat trick and you get to hold the loud pedal down for longer. Awesome bit of kit.
I owned a black Brabus roadster-coupe about 10 years ago and I have to say it was so much fun to drive (like driving a go-cart), it handled really well and really did turn heads wherever I went. However the Ecu Sam unit did fail on me due to water ingress and at the time only mercedes could replace which at a deal was £1500! But apart from that never had any other problems for 2 years, it was cheap to run and drive daily. Drove regularly from Aberdeen to Bournemouth for about £70 fuel with cruise control set. I had a Bailey's dump valve, induction kit and tuned to 120bhp. Bought for £5000 with 34k miles on it and sold 2 years later for £7500 with 55k miles on it. Now they are about £8-10k for a well cared one. It has been the one car I regret selling.
I'll vote for the MR2 - had one for several years. Great fun and pretty reliable. Great at any speed with the roof down. The facelift model as shown in the video has a 6-speed manual box, whereas pre facelift are 5-speed. Precats can be checked for damage by removing two lambda sensors and peering through the holes. Probably the worst thing on the car is the handbrake which is pretty much an annual MOT failure.
I’ve had two and both were fantastic drivers cars 👍🏼
That God dam hand brake! Just two years had new calipers for its MOT and now mine requires cables too! I love my MR2 but it's been a real pain! The Precats died in mine so a new engine has been popped in. Some day it'll be turbocharged and just work 😩😂
I owned an Elise S2 111S in that exact colour for 8 lovely years. I can honestly say that I enjoyed every single mile. I've been lucky enough to drive a huge variety of cars over the years across everything from hatchbacks to supercars, and I've raced for over 20 years too in an equally broad variety of cars. Despite all that though, the Elise remains the best road car I've ever driven. By quite a long way actually. Good call on the other choices too! I'm especially fond of the mk3 MR2.
Love the MR2.. We've had it 14+ years and not one single issue.. It's supposed to be the wife's but on a warm summers eve I often sneak it out for a blast around the beautiful English countryside.
I think the only true used McLaren alternative would be old Lotus Espirit turbo, maybe the early Exige (due to pace and real downforce) and old none stratospheric priced supercars.
I own the Brabus in this Video. Still going strong. Absolutely love it.
The first time a car I actually own is featured in an alternative fifth gear test! So exciting! Mine is the Mr2
Its very under rated and outstanding value. Good choice.
I own a smart Roadster Brabus Xclusice Coupe since 2005. 16 years and my love is still growing 🥰
Congratulations!
I have a roadster coupe 82hp with over 350 000 km on the clock, bought at 160 000, 5 yrs ago
MR2 absolute joy to drive and own 👍🏼
The value for money is exceptional and you don't see many on the road. Good choice.
I had a Smart Roadster for a while, wonderful little cars, an absolute joy once you get used to the funky gearbox.
2:55 8 years later and I'm still trying to find this background music. Dear Fifth Gear, please help!!!
Whigfield - Saturday Night
Tune and a half
Here's a tune I'd been looking for from a racing game. It's on YT as "DiRT Rally Soundtrack - Full Mix - PC Release (OST)" @ 7:59 called "Watching The Wind".
Music link
ua-cam.com/video/9tk0fzw1Xh0/v-deo.html
Thanks for showing us your cheeky pups, Vic!
I've always wanted a Brabus Roadster
Looks like a good choice of cars , the good thing is you can actually drive them to the max or near as dam it on the public highway so long as the 50 are other wise engaged , where as with a car like McLaren , Ferrari , Porsche , not even get close to anything near flat out
Miss the days when Fifth Gear was on Channel 5
Love the smart brabus absolute future classic they touching on 10 grand now!
Really? their are plenty around at 4/5/6k and ones very well kept at that.
£10k? No they’re not lol, 5k will get a decent one
Low mileage ones are.
Absolute moneypit
@@varolussalsanclar1163 only if you don't know "how to".
Mine is in excellent condition at over 350 000km as daily with the original engine, gearbox, electric system and body parts. No garage for mine.
I used to watch Fifth Gear on BBC back in 2000. When I saw the thumbnail, I was like “Is that Vicki?”
Thanks UA-cam algorithm 😂
I think it started in 2002.
Fifth Gear was a continuation of the original Top Gear after the BBC scrapped it, Channel 5 snapped it up
2k for the MR2! Not at the moment 😜
@Baked Belgian Waffle this from 2013
£12k for 111s 🤦🤦
I used to own a white mark II MR2 (and a blue Ford Focus ST170). I miss driving both of those cars.
I loved my MR2. 4 years of driving bliss! Would love to buy another, but I have my heart set on a 986 Boxter.
I have a tidy, clean original Boxster that cost me just over £2k. Well looked after example. Ignore the scare stories about IMS bearing failure and cost of maintenance parts as its just hype. Also ignore the many online experts that will state you can't get one for less than £5k. Keep your eyes out as could get a tidy one for £2500 but be quick when you see one. I don't drive it fast only cruise about when the sun is out as the UK roads are too busy
@@kingofthewestmidlands4049 thanks, I’m often on Autotrader and eBay checking prices, but having bought my wife an ‘07 SLK for her 50th earlier this year, I need to build up my spare funds again.
@@marvinsamuels1237 I had an SLK and sold it about 10 years ago and are nice cars. Keep looking where you are, what I will say is ebay prices are silly.
Once you go for Toyota engine/gearbox the Mantra of Lots Of Trouble Usually Serious changes to Lots of Trouble Usually Stupid. Changing the dead HVAC fan today.
Vicky Broadbean Harvester. She's still got it.
MR2 the best bet I would think .
Question for people in the UK. Are you guys having the same supply chain issues as us in the USA, Indirectly causing used cars to shoot up in value?
Henderson-Butler in Black Leather, can't keep her "Tips" out of my mind, ;-)
I was always surprised at the massive number of convertibles in a country of wind and rain. Love the idea but will never buy one. If it has to be without roof, let it be a boat...
I used to have an MX5 (god how I miss it) and had the top down loads. The heater is awesome and driving round on a crisp winter's day with the wind in your hair was just gorgeous. You can drive it in the rain too, anything over 25 mph and the rain tends to go over the car, but be careful if you get to traffic lights as you'll be damp. The most wet i ever got was when I parked it at Homebase on a sunny day with the roof down. 15 minutes of looking at power tools later and you could hear the rain hammering on the metal roof of the warehouse. Took me about 3 days to dry the seats and carpet out!
Once you own one you'll understand
I Absolutetely Adore you, Vicki
😙
This is a great channel! Useful and highly informative. I’ve subscribed, but so hope you are able to do a few such ‘comparison’ videos with North American videos (I’m Canadian and notes that you did one for South Korea).
Love that wee smart car.
A little tweaking and you can get 130bhp and 30% faster shifts from the gearbox for not a lot of cash.
Really want one!
Dang a Toyota that’s less reliable than Scotty kilmers Celica? Lol
Nice. I think I'd go for the Elise.
Vicki is an absolute go’er!
She can drive the lotus to my house any day
😘💨💋
The MG TF 160 is available for peanuts. Not as quick as the lotus, same engine issues but not far behind in performance.
Vicki: with my tips in mind
Us: yep your tips are always on our minds.
I think the lotus is the best value 👌
These 3 suggested as "Mclaren alternatives" lol
Still upset that fifth gear burned down top gear props. 😭😭
MR2 - what a bargain for the top down days!
I'll take any one of those for the prices shown, but I might have to go to Canada and see the Xcg rate
How do you get an Elise for 12k?
they gone up in price since then i sold my last lotus for 10k and bought one recently 22k :(
Viki is still as lovely now as she was yrs ago ..
Are any of these cars practical for men or women or other over 6 ft?
The Smart is
@@Brebgonreally!? Surprised to hear that.
@@19grand I've owned 2 and I'm about 6 ft, head room is very good, leg room is pretty good as well. Jeremy Clarkson could fit in it and he's 6 ft 6 inches
@@Brebgon you like it as a car obviously. Running costs and reliability an issue?
@@19grand Well to be honest I didn't own my first one for very long because it decided to go wrong, and I've just got my second one, so I can't speak positively about reliability. Fuel economy can be very good as long as your right foot isn't heavy
Forget the Cars . . . VBH !!!!!!!! Please ! 😈😈
That Lotus is a real winner.
Will stick with the mx5 lol
The mr2 has no boot space at all.
The brabus smart is quite rare.
If you bought a lotus for 12 grand,
It would probably need 12 grand
Spent on it, to make everything work.
@@brianhume4743 so your saying a sports car
Shouldn't have a boot lol it just makes it more
Than a one trick pony. Try taking a mk3 mr2
Across france. A road trip to scotland. A weekend
Hill climb in wales. With no luggage space lol
I owned an mr2, thats why i got rid of it. DUH !
This is the best motoring tv program.
8 year old programme and I’m pretty sure the prices are still the same!
The MR2 is still cheap I think, but the Elise has gone up considerably!
As a biker, these are the cars I'm drawn to.
For the heater? Nothing colder than a bike.
I would go for BMW 325
Reliable, Cheap to buy and fun to drive
How much Ferrous Oxide do you get for your buck....lots I recon
Love Victoria
Renault Wind anyone?
Cheap, very rare in Britain, quirky. Surprisingly good fun when you thrash it 😋 . Just a thought 🤔
Did you forget the Mazda MX-5?
The Elise for me.
I guarantee there is a pool of water in the back seats of that Smart Roadster. They all leak rain water.
I have not seen an MR2 anywhere for 2000 lbs.
I’d go for the M. That other M though, the MX-5.
@Alle Warten Auf Das Licht I don’t know, the fastback has a hard top ;)
Just try unsticking an Elise in the dry with good tyres…..
Sheesh. £20-35K now for the Lotus.
Always remember what LOTUS stands for....
I've owned an S1 for 24 years, the problems were all in the 1st year (14 replacement shocks?)
VBH: the legend
I owed the MR2 for 3 years. The handling was terrible. It went from understeer to snap oversteer. The chassis suffers from bad scuttle shake and flexes during hard cornering. It's unpredictable on the limit. Who wants a sports car that you can only drive at 80%... Not me. Replaced it with an MX-5 night and day difference.
Did you drive any other Mk3 MR2's to ascertain where the problem lay? Presumably you bought after reading reviews of their excellent handling?
Their set up is quite sensitive (ie tyres) but your description is not our experience. Fantastic fun wee cars!
@@garethmcrae668 I have owned and driven many different types of sports cars including the mk1 & mk2 MR2. Loved the mk1. I suggest you drive an MX-5.
@@viewsfromtherebelbase I've driven a few MX5's of different generations thanks- they are great cars for our Scottish roads. I like the MK1 MR2 greatly- I even have it's 'predecessor' the Fiat X1/9...
Look, I'm just suggesting that your experience of the MK3 MR2 is not universal- perhaps you endured a lemon for 3 years?
We are fitting the 2ZZ engine in one just now because it's chassis is clearly capable of handling the extra power. There are youtube autocross vids to substantiate it's dominance: ie 'The 2ZZ MR-S Wins...''
@@garethmcrae668 I've always thought that's the 2zz was the engine it should if left the factory with. Good on you. Also thought the car deserved double wishbone suspension no the McPherson struts.
@@viewsfromtherebelbase Yes, double wishbone is deffo best. We are fitting some X bracing to beef up rigidity, which was not introduced until facelift I believe. Happy driving!
always choose Toyota, lexus no matter what type of car your after.
honey, i cant afford a McLaren shirt...
... but my wit is priceless...
The lotus should be fairly reliable as long as you get the one with the Toyota sourced 4 cylinder.
These cars are not even in the same area code performance wise. An Exige S or First year Evora 400 are as cheap as McLaren substitutes get.
Would you like to come to my house this evening? You may remove my hush puppies and socks and nibble my toes. My name is Gaylord.
Where is this lotus for 12k . Show me one and I will buy it.
Nah, unless your an expert and even then I'd imagine you could catch a major cold with any of these. Old, specialist cars like this can get very expensive very quickly....No ta.
The MR-2 is just a mid-engined Corolla (Auris) though. For some reason, Toyotas are not popular in Europe (only the fifth highest selling brand), but elsewhere the Corolla is among the most common cars on the road and Toyota is the number one selling brand.
Honda CRX Del Sol is the best
I need to consider moving to the UK. In the US the Lotus is worth over $30,000 and where I live they are over $40,000! Hell the MRS can be seen anywhere between $8,000 and $12,000
no way in US you can buy fire arms and shoot targets in yer back yard
This episode must be from 2010! These prices are farrrrrr too low
V.b.h, makes any car look good..... 😁
9.2 seconds to get to 60? My disco gets there in 6.3………..
Totally missing the point
A driving Brabus for under £12k? Here: forget it.
What about the MGF?
111s for £12k? Cash waiting
Has Vicky every done any Bikini modelling? I would love to see her.
Where's the mx5?
in a girls garage
Wouldn't the alfa 4c be like a budget McLaren with the carbon monocoque
2000 grand great insurance na fuel na and general up keep na lol
Beer money more like tap water money
The cheap alternatives are better than a Mclaren.
in what way give me one example
997 Turbo and its better.
Vicki..... My ideal wife 🤪🤪
Fun drives.
How privileged do you have to be to think £2K-£17K is cheap?
Not very. £2k for a good car is cheap. If someone offered me a mansion for £500k, even if I couldn’t afford it, I’d still say it was cheap. Something being labelled as cheap is relative to its perceived value. Not whether it’s affordable or not.
So 1 car for 2000£ then
Im in love.. every mans perfect woman..
Vicki you are gorgeous. Also, amazing video.
NO MAZDA MX5??? WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOU????
She said, if you want an open air experience in a mid-engined car. Obviously the MX-5 doesn’t qualify.
is a girls car
Alternatives to the McLaren? Seriously?
"alternatives" lol not even on the same planet
2000?
Looking good girl 👍
my MG F Trophy is quicker and handles better than that MR2!
That MR2's shite.
You will not get one of those cars cars for 2k today, not one worth having anyway...
Didnt the Lotus have a Toyota engine!? Or did that come later!?
That came later when they used a modified version of the MR2 engine
Latter, either are great cars.
In what fucking way is that Brambus Roadster a McLaren alternative? It is slow, ugly, and shit.
MR2 and Lotus Elise - sure, that Brambus is just a joke. Nobody who thinks a McLaren would be awesome would look at that monstrosity and consider buying it.
Totally incorrect