Forgot to add came with A/C and rain sensitive wipers etc.
Sporty Gti6 looks thanks to the skirts, crystal headlights/ fogs, gti6 alloys and spoiler.

RLE, is that the 90bhp version or the 110? I can imagine the 110 might be bearable performance wise especially if it was remapped but I don't think I could hack the 90bhp version. As much as the GTI owners hated it kitting the lesser 306s out in the manner you describe helped looks a lot!

Was yours a private or trade purchase?

90bhp. Up to motorway speeds seems relatively quick. Plenty of torque available as well. Appreciate probably not the quickest but I found it hard to ignore when I saw the residuals. Good ones seem to be in demand (3 doors especially and I'm fairly sure that if i decided to selll tomorrow it would be gone before the weekend for slightly more than I paid.

Looking at remapping but as its only for work not too sure whether I'll bother.
Servicing only cost me £60.00 @ a specialist as well.

Purchased from a trader btw.

Good luck with the search

Puma isnt a bad idea really, but a bit of a girly car, would be fun though

The 9-3 isnt that heavy by the way, mine is circa 1300 kilo's, but mine is the base spec, so no toys like A/C to lug around, I prefer to call it a 9-3 (Bowls) Club Sport rather than poverty spec !

UPDATE

Ok, we are back from our holiday and have been offered a fantastic £1100 for the fiesta. That means we can probably opperate in the £3-4000 range but certainly no more and preferably at the lower end of that range. Current thinking is 206 GTI as favourite followed by 1.7l puma and we'll probably go see some this weekend.

Our needs are:

* Must be pretty peppy OR handle well (pref both)
* Must manage 30mpg for daily hacking around and 37+ if you are on a run being careful.
* Must be 1998 or newer
* Must be sub 70k miles unless there is a very strong reason for a departure (i.e. bombproof engine)
* Must be every day practical for a couple
* Must not be utterly boring such a base model 1.6 zetec focus.

be adventurous and try an alfa 145 2.0 cloverleaf, handles well engines certainly peppy and its different. you can get 35 - 38 mpg if your nice to it. and reliability isnt that bad, only real downside is the slightly strange driving position,if you can cope with that its great. we got my other half one for just under 2500,98s with 58000 miles

Criminal looks IMHO scooby222 - Not got the usual alfa beauty. I'll keep an eye on them though in case a really good one comes up locally that might be worth a closer look.

I am following this thread with interest. I have a little more to spend than you but the criteria is largely the same except I need 4/5 doors and I would like a 'classy' car.

Ive had a 306 hdi for a year now and not had a problem with it. It handles good and goes pretty well once you get out of 1st.

Another vote for the Puma here. I ran one for a couple of years and despite the girly image and lack of rear seats it was a great little car for hammering around :) It always produced good miles per gallon which is suprising because I gave it death everywhere :D

Nissan Primera GT P11 model

Not a 206GTi, whatever you do. It was hugely over-rated by the press, and they were not exactly impressed by it.

If you ignore the mileage thing you could have my 2001 Alfa 156 2.4 JTD Veloce, I'm getting 42-46mpg from it, but it has got IIRC 94k on the clock at present, which will probably be 95k after going down to Scooby Shootout tomorrow (which is still nothing on an engine that will do over 400k miles). Handles fine on smooth roads, but would be crucified by a VTR or VTS on a bumpy backroad (Alfa's chassis engineers seemed to think that sports suspension should only work on smooth tarmac). Seems to be about as quick as a mk5 GTi in a straight line :) Roomy interior, leather, aircon, ideal for commuting, but the somewhat lifeless steering, dubious suspension setup and a turning circle to rival a GTi-6 let it sown somewhat as a fun car.

156 JTD's seem to be relatively bomb proof after the first few thousand miles where they tend to visit dealers to get the manufacturing problems resolved. I've done around 7k miles this year in it without any hint of a gremlin. One of those cars where high mileage is good.

156JTD

Cracking cars. Great MPG and brilliant on motorways. You can just sit there in 5th and hardly hear the engine.

Dont listen to the sceptics cos theyre not as unreliable as they make out as long as they are serviced correctly (probably cursed myself now)

Update 2

We've decided to go for a Ford Puma 1.7 - drove one today on a T-plate with 39,000 miles and it was excellent. It really was as good as everyone says they are and totally hid its fiesta roots. The grearbox was smooth and precise and the steering well weighed with nice feedback. The chassis seemed fun and adjustable but appeared to lack the full on grip of say a VTS and again in a straight line it was potent and quite torquey but without the urgancy above 4000rpm of the Saxo. In every other department though it has the VTS licked - reliability, build quality, interior, packaging, etc. It also felt like it had a little more low down pull than the Saxo. Say 2000rpm in 4th for example.

It's the only Ford I've ever driven that I've liked and I think it's the best overal compromise as we get a nice useable small car that won't cost a fortune to run or repair and it has just enough poke, grip and adjustability to keep me from wanting to slash my wrists driving it every day.

The car was advertised at £3995 and had a few little scuffs and scratches (most will come out with a machine polish). The guy offered £3500 without us even talking money yet so we could maybe squeeze him a little more. Going to look at a few more for comparison before we talk turkey with him.

Puma is a cracking handling car. As is the Fiesta, Focus and Mondeo.

You'll understand that but it seems most on here these days believe handling = ESP and/or grip.

A good choice.

I am glad you have finally made your choice - it has been an interesting read.

I too have decided on a beater, similar requirements to yourself, except I need 5 doors. I am looking for a low mileage, mint Golf Mk3 16v.

Enjoy your beater as and when you find it :)

Finding a good car in this price range is soooo bloody hard. The t-reg one we drove earlier was nice but a little tatty inside and out. We'd like to do a little better if we can but we still regard that one as a likely purchase. We don't have the benefit of time since driving the scooby to work and back every day costs a fortune!!

We just looked at a private 2001/Y on 41,000 that was in very good condition externally, recently serviced, mint inside (really MINT!!), drove like it was two days old and FSH, etc. But I got under the car and noticed a little seepage from the gearbox - it was mentioned in feb/07 paperwork as something that needs investigated and its obviously not been put right. It MIGHT just be something cheap and simple but I really don't want to take the risk. The guy was willing to deal at £4,000 and that was before I pushed him - £3800-900 would have been a fair price were it not for that one issue! It just seems at this price range nearly ever example has 'something' to put you off :(

Planning to look at two tomorrow near my work and possibly a 3rd on the way home

Another thing.... a lot of the ads for puma's say they have traction control but I don't see a button to switch it off. Do they actually have it? Seems a bit of a low powered car to require TC?

IIRC it has traction control under 30mph. Cracking car, sold a 1.7 2001Y on 40000 miles a few years back for c.£4000, it was a Cat D though, but straight. Great car. Nothing went wrong on it over two years running. Wife loved that car, only sold because she got a company car. I enjoyed it too, superbly balanced car, brilliant. You might break it though with your reputation ;) Don't over-rev the engine in them in particular, the valves on raced examples like to touch pistons I gather. Make sure the proper Zetec oil goes in of the correct viscosity to keep the engine quiet. Oh, and a patient had a lorry collision in one and didn't do too well, but it only weighs just over a ton. All have a driver airbag and ABS if you get a late one IIRC.

Cheers John and thanks for the revs and oil tip. You know I'll struggle to follow the revs one ;)

You mention not buying a Focus due to the "image" thing, but then you fancy a girly Puma :D

You should try driving a 3 door Focus before making any decision - the handling and chuckability on them is absolutely amazing, and if I was doing a track car again I would choose a Focus without question.

As for 206 GTI, it doesn't deserve the GTI badge (even the 180) - crap things.

Dream my beef with the focus is that you are just another office schmo when you drive one. I work for a local authority, spend a lot of time on a subaru internet forum and have a 150gb porno collection. I'm a big enough loser in life without adding a Ford Focus to the mix :D

We ended up buying a puma and its a cracking little car. Nippy enough although sadly lacking the sort of urgency/willingness that makes an engine a jem, comfortable enough, easy to drive, 'ok' looking and big fun. Chuffed with it - just hope it stays reliable and trouble free :)

Like Pumas a lot - One of the best handling FWD cars you can buy.
Saw a Racing Puma yesterday - Even tastier.

My only beef with Pumas (non Racing) is the drum brakes at the rear - Seems a bit odd on a "sporty" car.

Like Pumas a lot - One of the best handling FWD cars you can buy.
Saw a Racing Puma yesterday - Even tastier.

My only beef with Pumas (non Racing) is the drum brakes at the rear - Seems a bit odd on a "sporty" car.

:D

150gb, wowsers!! :notworthy

Made me laugh that.

But, SB, Sorry, a Puma isnt enought to save you !

150 gb you say..... have you ever wanked youself into a coma ?