5 Rubbish Sport Cars That Are Cheap For A Reason

If you're packing £3000 and want to bag a used sports car, there are plenty to choose from. There's also ample opportunity to get it horrifically wrong. Here are five budget sports cars you should avoid at all costs.

Hyundai Coupe (RD2)

The main thing the Hyundai Coupe has going for are its looks, which is why Hyundai dropped a clanger when it came up with the facelifted 'RD2' version of the first-generation car. Gone was the sleek, attractive face, replaced with an awful bug-eye look. What were they thinking?

Chrysler Crossfire

When Chrysler decided to use dated Mercedes SLK underpinnings for the Crossfire, things weren't sounding promising. And sure enough, the eventual car the US automaker came up with was a complete dog's breakfast. It was shoddy to drive, not particularly well built and had looks that only a mother could love. The coupe was especially bad in that department - Jeremy Clarkson once aptly described it as looking like a dog squatting down for a poo. Avoid like the plague.

BMW Z3 1.8/1.9 8-valve

Before we proceed, we have to point out that there are decent versions of the Z3. The Z3M Roadster and Coupe models are sublime, and the 2.8-litre edition is pretty quick, despite not being the most scintillating steer. Go for the 1.8-litre or the 8-valve version of the 1.9-litre however, and you're gonna have a bad time. Both puff out a measly 118bhp, sending the Z3 from 0-60mph in a decidedly unsporty 10.1 seconds. Don't be tempted by the low prices, save a little more and get a 2.8-litre or an early Z4.

Mazda MX-5 Mk2

Inevitably when you start talking about cheap sports cars, the conversation turns to the Mazda MX-5. The second-generation model looks mighty tempting if you have a £3000 budget, but don't do it. It's the worst-looking of all the MX-5s, you lose the achingly cool pop-up headlamps of the first-gen car, and they rust like mad. Our advice? Find a sound first-generation car, or up your budget and grab a third gen - early examples are now starting to drop below the £4k mark.

MGF

The MGF could have been a great car, had its development not been so woefully underfunded. MG Rover were severely cash strapped around the time of the F, and if you get behind the wheel of this mid-engined roadster, that really shows. There's so much to hate: rubbish build quality, a plethora of nastily cheap parts borrowed from the bargain-basement Metro, and the dreaded Rover K-Series engine that has a penchant for popping head gaskets. As with the small-engined Z3s, don't be tempted by the cheap prices.