HOWY

My finances aren't great and the wife is telling me I have an expensive car (WRX 08 hatch on 3yr PCP)

I had hoped to keep it until next May and get the new WRX (finances permitting) but that won't be coming to UK anyway. So I have just been considering what I could change it for that still offers performance but may be a cheaper option. New cars considered so far Golf GTI or Civic Type R GT with LSD or possibly Fiesta ST next year. Any other ideas????

bigsinky

big depreciation hit if you had the car from new. the dealer will rape you in part ex. you say "new" cars considered so far. i take it you mean 2nd hand "new" cars? wtf is your wife doing out of the kitchen anyway?

pslewis

S3 Quattro is the nearest I came to my Impreza Wagon .... but TowBar not allowed!

Civic Type R? ..... the Civic Diesel Type S beats it for pure driving fun, I couldn't believe it either until I experienced it myself - give it a crack?

Fiesta ST is quite small ... but great looking.

Golf GT 1.4 Petrol is amazing - really, really good car .... but so bland to look at!

Mazda 3 mps is raw and manic - Band K Tax too, so reasonably friendly.

I've done them all over the past 5 months .......

HOWY

Guessing Audi's will be too exopensive as I will have to do a PCP again.

Tried the Mazda MP3 before I got the WRX didn't like the torque steer.

Also might consider a Clio sport 200 but ideally wanted a 4 door.

pslewis

Stay away from the French!

codie247

have you tried the Renaultsport Megane? Or an older Megane R26? Think you may be suprised.

Lee

codie247

Garlic???

Lee

tim's wrx

Some unbelievable deals here:-

http://www.nationwidevehiclecontract...S_GT-20353.htm

HOWY

went for a test drive in Golf Gti Mk6. It was a DSG model with all the extras. Drove OK but it didn't really excite and when I asked for a price for the spec I wanted (5doors without DSG but with Satnav) it came to about 27K and that didn't even include xenon headlamps!

Makes my WRX seem like great value. I am now keen to try a Meganne 250 / cup they seem to be getting very good reviews and should be a bit cheaper. Anyone driven one yet?

Mark'sWRX

I've driven a few of the suggestions.

The wife has a mk5 Golf GTI. Paid £13k for a fully specced 2 yr old which would have been £26k new!

The mk6 is even more money and I agree a well specced one is way too much £.

The Civic Type-R I found awful. The engine was fun (but it wasn't my car or my fuel so didn't worry about thrashing it), but I can see it getting a bit tiresome. The handling was good, but the ride was appalling. I had to slow down to 40 on one of my favourite back roads (normally do 70ish) as I was being thrown around. The visibility is the worst of any car I've ever driven, too.

Not driven a Megane, but they do get good reports and many owners seem to love them, but I've read too many bad things about all French cars to even consider one.

The Focus ST is a cracking all round car and would be worth a look.

My current favourite is the Volvo C30 T5. Same engine and chassis as the Focus, but a bit softer and better quality interior. 3 door only though and probably appeals more to oldies like me than young'uns.

TBH, I don't know how much you'd save with any of them. The best will do 3 or 4 more mpg and maybe £50-100 less insurance. The road tax will be the biggest saving if you get one under the 225g limit.

Scooby Wagon Addict!

iTrader: (10)

Having come from a Volvo and been on the forums, DO NOT buy the C30 .. they have huge reliabilty issues
Having met a few other owners who have or have had these they would never buy 1 again.. stick to the Focus ST

Steve

my06 ppp silver

iTrader: (2)

fiesta st is a great car, used to own one, but only 3 doors, but try the zetec s tdci as well, fantastic little car for the money. lower top speed yes, but not far off similair accelaration figures to the ST (it actually feels quicker) a similair comparison made earlier with the civic, low insurance group and tax band. mondeo tdci is also a good all rounder as is the galaxy, dont work for ford btw but in terms of diesel performance i think ford are miles ahead of anyone else, and usually cheaper than its competitors. failing all of the above a nice V5 passat may be a nice car with all the gadgets, nice interior and decent power as well.

my06 ppp silver

iTrader: (2)

im not. you dont miss a trick eh lee

SRSport

I thought it was higher tax with 231g/km annoyingly taking it just over the limit and putting it in the same tax band price as a Bugatti Veyron

Mark'sWRX

The original version is 231. The latest shape (2009-) is now 224g.

Mark'sWRX

Just had a browse on a C30 forum and OMG!

Cheers for the heads up. I was seriously considering one for the wife's next car.
Maybe not now.

rexlee2004

What does PCP mean?

Brun

PCP

Norman Dog

iTrader: (1)

That's what I'm after next.
Drove one running 300BHP, very impressed.

my06 ppp silver

iTrader: (2)

focus st is a cracking car, no denying it. but in terms of actually saving money, considering trade in loss, i think it would be a bad move as in the long run would not be far off the overall costs of the scoob

HOWY

Yes certainly not going to get much for trade in but if Subaru aren't planning on replacing the WRX I'm going to have to swap makes anyway at some point. There will be a new Focus out next year so I suppose the next ST might be worth waiting for!

WRX_SWRT

iTrader: (2)

the st is horrific on fuel worse than the scoob i got rid of my st worst car iv ever had on fuel including e46 m3 2 classics and now 3 newages.

muzzler

I've got the Mazda 3 185 Diesil for work, after a few teething problems with the air flow sensor it has turned out to be a cracking little car and only £125 road tax and 45mpg....got mine on PCP for £18000

F1 CJE UK

iTrader: (8)

i have just ordered a skoda VRS 0%apr and vat off. makes one hell of a car for the money. (scooby is staying so i want with the tdi)