The Japanese 90's open top 2 seater trifecta

"Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction" (rustholes-are-weight-reduction) 10/18/2017 at 09:23 • Filed to: None

2

30

When it comes to cheap fun convertibles, I always have those 3 in mind.
I wanted to write some interesting stuff about those, but as I started I got trapped in a car search loop.

So quick one:
CRX Del Sol
Cheap +
Easy to work on +
FWD -

MX-5
Cheap ++
Easy to work on +
RWD +
Headlights go up +++

MR2
Relatively expensive -
More complicated to work on -
RWD +
Rear engine +
Head lights go down +++

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 09:29

0

Let’s not also forget that the NSX and both MK3 and MK4 Supras had targa top options. Supras aren’t 2 seats, but honestly who sits in the back of a Supra?

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 10/18/2017 at 09:33

0

That’s where the cheap factor doesn’t work. I’d love tose too, but would be afraid to take them out on the road (I wouldn’t, but can’t/don’t want to afford them in the first place)

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 09:35

0

MK3's can be had for very reasonable prices these days.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig 10/18/2017 at 09:40

0

The cheapest manual targa MK3 in a 500km radius around me is 9.700€

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 09:40

1

For completeness, there’s the (Mazda-based) Mercury Capri.

There were also DSM convertibles.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Aaron M - MasoFiST 10/18/2017 at 09:42

0

And the Celica convertible, but they were such dogs...130hp and over 3000lbs with the structural reinforcement.

Discerning > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 09:43

0

What about the Z32?

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 09:44

0

Whoa, yeah they are definitely cheaper in the US. The 7M motors just make them less desirable over here, whereas the 1Jz was much nicer in other markets.

Flavien Vidal > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 09:47

2

The SW20 MR2 turbo is much faster than any of those cars... Like, it’s hardly comparable. It’s bigger too and it has actual decent luggage space, unlike the other two...

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Discerning 10/18/2017 at 09:57

0

The cheapest manual Z32 in a 500km radius is 10.000€

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Aaron M - MasoFiST 10/18/2017 at 09:58

0

How could I forget about this one? I didn’t know they were this heavy!

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Flavien Vidal 10/18/2017 at 10:00

0

Yeah, but we only got them naturally aspirated. I might go check one out nevertheless.
I can imagine the turbo is another world, but also not cheap.
I found that the CRX had plenty of luggage space.

Discerning > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 10:02

0

Wow! They go for quite a bit more over there apparently. They are considerably cheaper in the US. Though most cheap examples over here have been beaten up pretty thoroughly

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Aaron M - MasoFiST 10/18/2017 at 10:03

0

We didn’t get the Mercury, and the only convertible eclipse for sale in a 500km radius is sketchy as hell

duurtlang > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 10:20

1

I’ve got a suggestion that’s certainly Japanese, 90's, open top and a 2 seater.

Swift
Cheap ++++
Easy to work on ++
FWD -

You know you want to!

Flavien Vidal > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 10:26

0

Oh really? I didn’t think it had... I’m 187cm, 85kg and if I were to tuck myself in there, I would probably fit in the trunk of a MR2. Then if you remove the spare wheel, you could fit even more stuff... But yeah, I was really pleasantly surprised by the SW20 Turbo... The one I got recently is already sold, but I want another one haha... These things are fun!

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 10:33

0

The weight range of the ST180s was huge...the ST coupe weighed less than 2500lbs, while the GT-S liftback was somewhere around 2800 or 2900. The convertible only came in GT (because the 105hp ST engine was too weak to move it), but still added between 300 and 400 lbs to the roughly 2600lb GT coupe it was based off of. I drove a GT coupe in high school...with the 130hp 5SFE and 2600lb curb weight, it was the best trim short of an Alltrac. The Euro GTs had a 3SGE which made 155hp instead of 130, but with less low-end grunt than the 5S.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 10:36

0

To be fair, I think *every* used DSM at this point is sketchy as hell (or if not, overpriced).

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > duurtlang 10/18/2017 at 10:37

1

And it’s metallic blue! So 90's it hurts

Also: NO

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Flavien Vidal 10/18/2017 at 10:40

0

Mine had a manual roof, that might make a huge difference. I didn’t try, but I could easily fit in the CRX trunk (1m95, 100kg).
It sure looks fun to drive!

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > Aaron M - MasoFiST 10/18/2017 at 10:42

0

An then there’s the 3SGE in the MR2... ;)

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 10:49

0

I wish we got the 3SGE in the MR2 over here. It’d match the character of the car so much better than the 5S does. Not that I’d kick an NA MR2 out of bed...

RT > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 14:30

0

I see this more often than the Del Sol around here:

Cheap +

Easy to work on +

Cute +

FWD -

Literally a Micra underneath - -

RT > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/18/2017 at 14:34

0

Oh and, if you want to be really particular, this was launched in 1999 :

Relatively expensive -

More complicated to work on -

RWD +

That engine +

Seriously though - that engine +++

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > RT 10/19/2017 at 04:12

0

What? I had no idea the Figaro was a convertible!
Would have to wait 4 years for a painless import though

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > RT 10/19/2017 at 04:16

1

I love the S2000!
But they are quite expensive here. around 15.000€ is a minimum

RT > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/19/2017 at 16:17

0

Yep, just with a roof-rail setup.

At least they’re past the US 25 year rule though, so it can’t be that painful.

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > RT 10/20/2017 at 03:02

0

If you live in the US, yes, in France, you either have to homologate it (long, painful and expensive way), or await until it’s 30, then it’s just a letter to the FFVE

RT > Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction 10/20/2017 at 04:14

0

Ah, that explains it.

Here in Britain, it doesn’t really matter about the age, you just need to mess about with the registration process for a while. Plus we already have a lot of Figaros on the roads already, so I doubt you’d even need to import one here.

It makes me wonder though, in France, would importing a Figaro from Britain instead of Japan be less of a pain?

Rustholes-Are-Weight-Reduction > RT 10/20/2017 at 05:04

1

Same struggle, but you would at least not pay the 30% import fee (for now)