Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

What’s your 1st car?

Does the 2nd need any kind of practicality?

motorbike

Without question.

Nothing comes close to VFM.

Other reasons:

1. they are physically small.
   
2. you can work on them yourself.
   
3. £3k buys you something with relatively low miles and wear compared to a car.
   
   

Finger in the air based on this thread... for a £3k fun car (whatever that is) you've got a 70% chance that it will cost you double that in keeping in useable condition on the road.

2004 Triumph Daytona

EXUP

Husky

Obviously the risk of death with any of the above is quite high

I mean, I love a German barge.
https://youtu.be/FYAUCC49mpg

This question has me searching auto trader for Clio 197s again.

eCargo bike

MX5, get a boot rack fabbed that you can stand a MTB on by the fork and carry the front wheel in the passenger seat

Clio 182

Unless you have an absolute hankering for clutch kicks, a Clio 182 with good rubber will be very fun.

I go through scenarios like this constantly. Ideally the first vehicle is useful so the second vehicle will get occasional use. If It's a fun car then Mk1/Mk2 MX5 or Clio 182, as pretty much everyone else suggested would probably be the pick of the bunch. A slightly left of centre choice would be something more obscure like an Alfa 145 Cloverleaf as I've always loved the look of them.

If I wasn't going down that route I'd love to buy a cheap van and convert it into a bit of a low budget adventure mobile.

I've got a 182 and would never want it as my main driver; got the 95% depreciated german barge for that.

Its loud, cramped and very much a tin-box but its brilliant fun to drive so very happily keep it is a second car. You can pick up a good one for £2k and have £1k left over to spend on track days and track day upgrades/consumables.