ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Due to where I spend most of my time driving (mountain ish region) I have been pondering a change to something small and nippy, it doesn't need huge power as it'll be useless 95% of the time, so I'm more interested in scolded cat via bhp to weight ratio and gearing.

I drove a mates 206 recently and after about 10 mins getting used to it I really started to fancy something similar.

I used to love XR2's so the thought of a Fiesta ST is really appealing but not set in stone, what I really need is something that's going to be reliable or at least if it has known faults either I'll make sure they have been sorted before I buy or sort them myself.

So what I'm really looking for is your recommendations and experience in the £3/5k price range, cheaper the better really as still not decided if I want to trade the wagon or not but probably would for the right car.

timmy2take

iTrader: (7)

Clio 172/182 Cup with the Megane 225bhp turbo engine in :>

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Sounds nice but I want something out of the box and pretty much standard, I'm not a modder so don't really want to be messing with it or breaking things on a regular basis, I want to be able to kick it's head in and know that it'll take it as all the components were designed to work together at that power level.

taylor85

iTrader: (5)

mazda 3 mps

taylor85

iTrader: (5)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2008-mazda...item1e9d1a00ed

jayallen

iTrader: (31)

For that money and the fact you want to kick the $hit out of it in standard form, a CTR is the only real option IMO.

hodgy0_2

Yeah, I looked really hard at these a few months ago

Flawed I,m sure - but look quite exiting

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

TBH i'd sooner keep my wagon than get one of those as it's pretty much the same size, if I'm going to change it needs to be a go cart.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Again I think they are a bit big for what I'm after also don't think it would be any better than the wrx and probably lose out in a lot of situations.

thenewgalaxy

A Clio 197 is the kind of car you can thrash the **** off without killing yourself and cooking the head gaskets - towards the end of your price range too.

I had a Clio 200 Cup and it spent most of its life over 6000rpm.

Have you thought about a Type R Civic as well?

dpb

Xsara vts.

Barxy

A fiesta st will seriously dissapoint you buddy, they are not like the old fords at all.

For that price the best car you can buy to have a lot of fun in that will be reliable too even if you thrash it about will be a civic type r. Ive had one and my fiance has one currently, one of the best cheap fun cars you can buy!

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Hummm! Not sounding too good for the Fiesta ST, tbh I'd have thought 150bhp would be decent enough, I don't expect whatever I get to be like a Subaru.

0-60 is not really an issue and same goes for top end as I rarely go over 100mph, I'm just after go cart like handling and some reliability.

I'm not saying I'm going to murder it but it'll get given beans for 30mins at a time and the odd sprint / track day with mechanical sympathy, it's got to do my daily duties too so I'm not going to kill it.

Aren't the Clio's and Pug 206 gti's up to this sort of thing either?

Barxy

You will be so utterly dissapointed if you buy an ST. I had more fun in my old 2000 zetec-s than in the ST.
I can vote for a clio 182, i had one and loved it, great fun, quick, well spec'd, but found it a bit small (im 6'4) plus with the family and kids it just doesnt work.
Although ive never actually owned one, we get a few of the newer cliosport 197's in and some of the brand new clio RS's but neither are quite as good as the 182 in my opinion, just dont feel right to drive.

Seriously cant stress enough how great the type r is fr an all rounder every day car.

Have you considered an astra vxr, or the older astra gsi, they are pretty good allrounders. Or maybe a mark 1 focus RS if you can find one in your budget?

b road blaster

I had a 206 gti 180 for a couple of yrs and that was thrashed from day one, i found it to be a good reliable fun little car.
They can be had cheap nowdays but you do need to find a good standerd one not one thats done the rounds in a maccy D's car park.
Agree with above comments on fiesta st150 drove one once and hated the thing and thought it was slow and felt awful in the bends.
Having said that i now got the mk7 fiesta st180 and thats back to a fun car.

stilover

I was of the same idea a few months ago. Wanted something small powered but nippy to get to work and back in.


Wanted (and still do) a 106GTI, but couldn't, and still can't find a decent one. Decided to look at the Renault Twingo 133 RS.


Had a couple test drives, and got a 2012 MKII with Cup Chassis. I forgot what fun you can had throwing a car into corners and roundabouts. It ain't got much poke on the straights, but is certainly a laugh in the corners.

mikejenkins

For high revving but low speed laughs:

Mazda MX-5 is more fun than anything else mentioned in this thread but is obviously not a hot hatch.

I really like the 1.7 Ford Puma, these can be picked up for sub £500.

LSherratt

iTrader: (1)

For a decent EP3 CTR which hasn't been owned or trashed by a chav you're looking at the top end of your budget. I almost bought one before my Subaru. There are so many bad ones about!

Barxy

£4k will get you a nice facelift CTR with decent mileage. If you want a premier edition or something very low mileage you will need £5/6k really

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Thanks for the replies.

I really don't want to go similar sized vehicle to what I already have as that would totally defeat the object. I know the Civic is a good car but it's just too big and not what I'm after.

I was tempted to chuck a grand at a clio 172 last week but thought better of it as I think I'd sooner throw £2/3k and my wagon at a decent low milage one if I was going to go for it, just not sure what they are like for reliability, there's a nice black F1 with Recaro front seats for 5.5k that I would have gone for had my car been here with me now, just for the seats alone as Ive got a bit of a fettish for sexy seats at the moment.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

I love Mazda MX 5's but just not suited to the roads out here, greasy and not wide enough to really take advantage of the handling, which is why I'm after changing the wagon, there are places I can use it but I have to go out of my way to do so and all the sprints out here are better suited to small cars and `i'd like to do a few this summer as it's really cheap and accessible fun.

ditchmyster

iTrader: (7)

Yeah I saw your thread, what do you think to it?

stilover

Well, the Renault flimsy build quality isn't great. But the handling is pretty damn good. Its got Eco tyres on the front, and another brand on the back. Once I change thee tyres to something decent all round, it'll be even better.


Roundabout are the most fun. Can get it chucked in hard, and bring the tail out with a bit of lift off oversteer.


Not exactly what you'd call fast in a straight line, but back roads are a blast.


Driving position is a bit awkward though, as the steering wheel is set at a funny angle.

Barxy

If you can, grab a 182 over a 172, with both cup packs.

And they are more fun to drive than the 197s.

Oh and ill agree with the 106gti... Such awesome fun little cars!!!

RS Grant

DC2 Integra Type R or EK9 Civic Type R.


Cheers,
Grant

lozgti1

I'd love a bit of fun in a little hot hatch

Mind you,had more fun in my weekend toy 'classic ' mini cooper than anything I had done for years

But these old minis go for silly money now!!

(Think Jason Bourne throwing it around and the Italian Job....they really are pretty much like that...lol)

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

What about a Puma Racing?

Not sure whether they've gone up in value now, but I looked at one a few years ago and it was peanuts.

Really fun in the handling scale and an engine that begs to be spanked, albeit only 170bhp. Was really impressed when I went in one. Dare I say it was far more fun than the Evo 6 I had at the time (we swapped go's)

Barxy

I LOVE the Ford Racing Puma.... Great little understated car! Not the quickest but very rare and great fun little car to throw about. Look the nuts too.

FlatoutDave

Get yourself a DC2 pal best front wheel drive car I've ever driven. Out the box a great track car too. Another fun car is a 205 1.9gti.

bustaMOVEs

iTrader: (31)

182/172 cup, best all rounder at stock power, few tweeks in handling, thrash able, easy to repair when go wrong (but make sure belts and dephaser have been done by a pro), strip it, bucket seat it, change left over too.
And can be turbocharged later if you get bored.
A good consumable toy IMO for YOUR needs.
A bit different drivability and position in a French car but you get used to it (that's the only thing I disliked)