Cheap......ish cars with oooomph!!

311

Hello ,I've been going through cars the last couple of years and never really came to a conclusion on a car that would suit me.

Lately ,I've noticed theres a
170Hp 1.4 tsi golf
200hp 2.0 civic type R
192hp Corsa

What are the build comparisons of the above ? ,I've read the new corsa comes with an over boost facility ,which adds more torque if it's needed.
The corsa has a 1.6 engine ,ouputting a massive 190hp . They say the car was reinforced with testing on a german racetrack.

The new type R sounds good ,but I'm afraid to take a gamble on a badge thats spent so much on advertising.

The golf is my safest bet ,but an expensive one .

I'm open to diesel engines ,torque is more important to me ,provided the car can move from a standstill without loosing breath.:)

redman

_Brian_ wrote:

I'm open to diesel engines ,torque is more important to me ,provided the car can move from a standstill without loosing breath.:)

What about a 3.0 V6 166 with 237 bhp?

colm_mcm

(fetches popcorn...)

311

3.0 V6 is not really an engine that I could afford to run.

I was also looking at the subaru 2.0R station wagon ,160HP .But I am afraid the power will disappear quickly and I'm left with a car I can't sell.

JHMEG

Of the 3 you mentioned the only one with any racing pedigree is the Honda.

But anyway...

Cheapish to me would mean something like:
Lexus/Toyota Soarer 2.5 twin turbo (280bhp)
944 Turbo (about the same)
MR2 Turbo (240bhp if you get the right year)
Older Evo (~270bhp)
FTO GPX (200bhp)

Not cheapish in my mind, but there's also the S2000, older M3 etc..

No diesel will be as fast as any of the above.

gyppo

_Brian_ wrote:

I'm open to diesel engines ,torque is more important to me ,provided the car can move from a standstill without loosing breath.:)

No diesel I know of will be fast from a standing start. Fast diesels come into their stride from about 80km/h, which makes them a quick and safe car for overtaking.

311

JHMEG wrote:

Of the 3 you mentioned the only one with any racing pedigree is the Honda.

But anyway...

Cheapish to me would mean something like:
Lexus/Toyota Soarer 2.5 twin turbo (280bhp)
944 Turbo (about the same)
MR2 Turbo (240bhp if you get the right year)
Older Evo (~270bhp)
FTO GPX (200bhp)

Not cheapish in my mind, but there's also the S2000, older M3 etc..

No diesel will be as fast as any of the above.

The evo ,or an s2000 would be a dream for me. I suppose if I kept my eye out ,i might get an s2000.
I've not even searched for an s2000 ,I presume any s2000's that are on the planet are looked after ,considering their image and priceband.

colm_mcm

if you can live without the 07 reg, you could get a serious amount of car for 25-30k. If the driving exprience matters to you then you shouldn't let the age of the car get in the way.

311

I'm not really bothered bye age ,I seen a 92 white scirocco on sale a while back and I was very tempted.

I know of the new VW iROC thats due out next year aswell ,that would be probably the surest new purchase that I would make. Definetly if it had the 2.0 gti engine.

I don't have any experience with decent cars at all. I've been in a few alright ,but I've never driven any.

projectgtr

purely out of the 3 you listed: the type R with out a shadow of a doubt, personally i like the 4door type R but god luck getting one.

what kind of cars have you had up till now??



if personally had 30k id be hunting a Nissan Skyline R34 GTR (vspec2 nur edition if possible:) )

311

06 civic hatch at the moment. I have a van for work.

I've had 7 Vans and 3 cars. corrolla ,astra ,civic.
I thought I'd go through life without a decent car ,but I really want to get one now.

I'm afraid to buy the new type R ,in case it's a bog standard car with a fast engine.

Atomic Pineapple

second hand stuff you can tune up is the way to go

Atomic Pineapple

get a honda integra dc5

unkel

_Brian_ wrote:

3.0 V6 is not really an engine that I could afford to run

Really? I'm not trying to be patronising, but buy any of those 3 cars new and you'll suffer an enormous amount of depreciation. Way more than insurance, petrol and tax would cost all together on a second hand car with a 3.0 V6 engine. But that depends on your circumstances of course.

All I'm saying is: don't dismiss options without having explored the feasibility of them!

311

Is the 530D a BIG car ,or does it drive so well ,that you forget it's big?

sesswhat

_Brian_ wrote:

Is the 530D a BIG car ,or does it drive so well ,that you forget it's big?

It is big but it comes with a special pass that lets you dump it across two parking spaces;)

Stephen

I lust after the Type-R. The 2.2 turbodiesel Civic is not available in Ireland but sells loads in the UK. Apparently they can be chipped up to about 190bhp (up from the stock 140). Mmm...

bazz26

_Brian_ wrote:

Is the 530D a BIG car ,or does it drive so well ,that you forget it's big?

You could always get a 330D instead:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=600143

Alternatively the Civic hatch or saloon Type R can be got:
http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=688966

http://www.carzone.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=702742

smash

How about 190bhp 1.8 celica VVTLi

prospect

Is this to be your everyday car, are you looking for big boot or four seats etc.?

if not:
http://tinyurl.com/3ykw7b

Although you'll get cheaper than that in the UK.

Wossack

/me plays the vRS card

siralfalot

Wossack wrote:

/me plays the vRS card

feck, beat me to it!

an Alfa 156 or 147 GTA, a whole lot of car for the money :cool:
and contrary to what the great unwashed generally think, no more or less expensive to run than any other performance car

and besides, no-one can truely be a petrolhead until they've owned an Alfa

Cyrus

156/147 gta, yes please!

and if you are looking at a 530d look at the 530i instead, and at the sports version handles a lot better

R.O.R

Had a '07 530d M-Sport for the weekend and it is stonking. Doesn't feel that heavy or large and the mid range kick from that engine is amazing. New Ford Mondeo Saloon is now the same size as a 5 Series.

I wouldn't even bother considering the 530i, no one wants to buy them 2nd hand and I think the diesel is quicker and a dman site cheaper to run.

A friend has just got out of a Golf GTI in to a new Type R and is delighted with it. It's not just a bog standard car with a big engine. Tom Fox in Drogheda have one in their showroom and I was up in Tom Canavan's yesterday and they were cleaning up a gorgeous looking black one.

Think I'd still side with Wossak and siralfalot and go for a VRS, but one of the oil burners ;-)

layke

:rolleyes:

_Brian_ wrote:

170Hp 1.4 tsi golf

The 1.4 is Supercharged and Turbo charged. I bet (without looking) this will be one thirsty car. You will prolly enjoy a whole 6mpg

redman wrote:

What about a 3.0 V6 166 with 237 bhp?

In that case get a 99 2.2L Vtec Prelude Type S at 240 bhp from it's engine. 237bhp from a 3L is, well, not impressive at all.

gyppo wrote:

No diesel I know of will be fast from a standing start. Fast diesels come into their stride from about 80km/h, which makes them a quick and safe car for overtaking.

A friend had a TDI Golf and it was pretty much all Torque. Held it's own against a 150bhp supercharged Levin until eventually it started to pull away. This was a beat off the mark, top end wasn't great though. That said i'm sure you could get a petrol equiv that would leave it for dead.

That Said, Clarkson said it best about the 2L Golf GTI. "200BHP from a 2L Turbo engine? They totally missed the point".

The S2000's, they cost a bomb in Ireland and the VRT on them is a real killer.

Tbh the Honda is the only one with a high Powered NA engine and a suspenstion system to match. that said I am a bit of a Honda fanboy, but from the list you gave it's the best of the lot. Depreciation is not bad on Hondas either.

easyontheeye

cheap to buy ....but not cheap to run!

Cyrus

R.O.R wrote:

Had a '07 530d M-Sport for the weekend and it is stonking. Doesn't feel that heavy or large and the mid range kick from that engine is amazing. New Ford Mondeo Saloon is now the same size as a 5 Series.

I wouldn't even bother considering the 530i, no one wants to buy them 2nd hand and I think the diesel is quicker and a dman site cheaper to run.

A friend has just got out of a Golf GTI in to a new Type R and is delighted with it. It's not just a bog standard car with a big engine. Tom Fox in Drogheda have one in their showroom and I was up in Tom Canavan's yesterday and they were cleaning up a gorgeous looking black one.

Think I'd still side with Wossak and siralfalot and go for a VRS, but one of the oil burners ;-)

since when is a 530d faster than a 530i, in e39 guise the diesel is slower in every situation, and thats what his budget would stretch to, i would be surprised if its the same for the e60. but most people spout the same rubbish oh the 530d is a weapon why would you want the petrol!

also a 530i isnt any heavier on the juice than the golf gti, focus st etc, i dont see anyone recommending a diesel version there

same as the 1.9tdi passat 130 roffle!

check the facts first please :rolleyes:

omega man

I off loaded my 06 octavia rs (200bhp) for a bmw 320D mainly cause i wanted a bmw and i was sick of spending so much time and money at the pumps! To be honest i never really got to use the power of the rs enough due to traffic congestion and the fear of more penalty points so i am not missing the power downgrade at the moment. I am more than happy with a solid nice looking motor with enough power for day to day driving and a return of 40mpg.

.Longshanks.

_Brian_ wrote:

170Hp 1.4 tsi golf
200hp 2.0 civic type R
192hp Corsa

Of those three the honda would be my choice hands down.....

_Brian_ wrote:

I'm open to diesel engines ,torque is more important to me ,provided the car can move from a standstill without loosing breath.:)

however i don't think the honda would have the torque of the others - you need to ring its neck....in a very very good way:D

R.O.R

Cyrus wrote:

since when is a 530d faster than a 530i, in e39 guise the diesel is slower in every situation, and thats what his budget would stretch to, i would be surprised if its the same for the e60. but most people spout the same rubbish oh the 530d is a weapon why would you want the petrol!

also a 530i isnt any heavier on the juice than the golf gti, focus st etc, i dont see anyone recommending a diesel version there

same as the 1.9tdi passat 130 roffle!

check the facts first please :rolleyes:

Quite some pedestal you have there Cyrus :mad:

Did I at any point state fact? Think it's you who needs to check facts. The 530i, while having around the same fuel consumption as the Golf Gti etc, suffers from appaling depreciation (because no one wants to buy them - that's a fact stated from the BMW dealers I talk to on a daily basis), and road tax of double the cost of a golf GTI (also a fact stated there for you). Having driven large engine large cars in both diesel and petrol I can tell you that the diesel is a much better drive than petrols - mainly due to them being mated to an auto gearbox and the high torque of the diesel not having to change ratios as much as the Petrol versions.

You may also notice that I did recommend the diesel version of the Octavia VRs rather than the petrol :rolleyes:

Cyrus

not a pedestal at all just not a fan of misinformed opinions.

the 530i doesnt suffer much more depreciation than the 530d, it may be slightly easier to sell a 530d but from my research before i bought a 530i there isnt much in the price of one between 5 and 6 years old. also 530is tended to be better specced with lower mileage and no turbo to go bang.

road tax is not a cost that carrys as much weight as most people think, why would an extra 500 euro a year (less than 10 per week) bother someone when they are spending 25-30k? doesnt make sense, depreciation is a far far larger cost but people dont think of that.

and having driven loads of different cars i still have not found a diesel i could buy, limited rev range, bad smell, poor engine note, turbo problems etc, just because you prefer them doesnt make you right. if you have an issue with a petrol engine changing ratios try a manual they dont have to be auto?

oh and diesel version of the vrs, its a skoda with a 2litre vag tdi engine the successor to the old 1.9tdi, not a refined lump, not for me thanks.

Stephen

Longshanks100 wrote:

however i don't think the honda would have the torque of the others - you need to ring its neck....in a very very good way:D

VTEC engines love to have the nuts revved off them anyway

JHMEG

Stephen wrote:

VTEC engines love to have the nuts revved off them anyway

Going over 8,000 rpm on a daily basis is addictive!:D Especially the change in engine note at ~5,500rpm or so:D

As Clarkson said (talking about the S2000), you don't use your ears to know when to change gear, you use the rev counter.

.Longshanks.

JHMEG wrote:

Going over 8,000 rpm on a daily basis is addictive!:D Especially the change in engine note at ~5,500rpm or so:D

As Clarkson said (talking about the S2000), you don't use your ears to know when to change gear, you use the rev counter.

Yeah i know - was out a quick spin in a 3 door recently. At first i wasn't very impressed with how fast it seemed.... was holding the revs all the way until i realised that the speedometer was set in mph and not km/hr .....opps:eek: suddenly the speed it got to 80 mph and not 80 Km/hr seem so so much different!:D Qucikly pressed the button to change it over to km/hr!
Was very impressed overall - loads of toys as well.

Stephen - how is yours on juice? Returning the ecomony of a 1.5 / 1.6 as claimed??

TheOneToBe

Unfortunately I will be selling my baby 2006 North America Fiji Blue Perl Civic Coupe Si, which is basically equivalent to Type R. I am moving to Ireland and have to sell it…it is hard to do it since I will be getting 15K – 16K for it and I would have to pay another 20K to get to same level ….
All I can say Honda all the way… once you hit 8300 RMP you will never try anything else. This car is so much fun. It is like regular car at low RPM’s but once you go over 5000+ and hit VTEC…. 6 speed gear box is amazing… Honda quality is like no other…In North America where it very competitive, there is only two manufactures that can give you reliable car (that you will not need to change anything on for at least 100 000 km) and excellent resale value, and they are Toyota and Honda…
I only think that at 36 000 euro, it is a bit over priced, and I would consider to get it if I would be abele to negotiate a price bit lower….

Stephen

Couldn't tell you yet Longshanks, just picked it up this morning
I filled the tank (50 litre capacity) and took it for a quick run up a national primary route and it was claiming 750km worth of fuel left. It dropped to 600-something around town.

That Type-R price tag is down to the punitive taxes on motoring in Ireland. Once your engine hits 2.0 litres Vehicle Registration Tax payable on a new car is 30% (as opposed to 25%). THEN you get to pay 21% VAT on top of the car+VRT amount!

Motorists get screwed pretty hard in Ireland.

311

The honda is sounding less likely ,I'm sure they're a great buzz . But driving responsibly is as important at this stage.

I think I'd get more enjoyment from a good supply of torque ,especially if it's done quietly.

Thanks for the replies ,

Brian.

OKenora

Heart says....

156/147 GTA all the way, great looks, great performance, cheap to buy for what you get and as reliable as any other car when looked after. Downsides are about 20-25 mpg on a good day and rough on insurance and tax.

Head says

Buy a diesel, Alfa 156 2.4JTD re-mapped for about 200bhp or 2.4JTDm re-mapped for about 230 bhp, failing those the BMW 330d is very quick. I have the 2.4JTD and the 330d and would keep the Alfa every time over the 330d if I had to get rid of one of them. Upsides of both are about 40-45mpg combined driving and not the worst on insurance for cars that can make 60mph in sub 8 seconds when you want them to and over 140mph on the track or long private road .They are both well quick enough to lose you a license very quickly.

Cars I would not recommend, Merc C220, had a run in one yesterday (Avantgarde one) as we were considering a trade for the BMW. EUCH....gutless car, thankfully there were no wet paper bags in the way as it would have come to a complete stop. They are definitely armchairs on wheels with about the same performance.

Spyral

That Type-R price tag is down to the punitive taxes on motoring in Ireland. Once your engine hits 2.0 litres Vehicle Registration Tax payable on a new car is 30% (as opposed to 25%). THEN you get to pay 21% VAT on top of the car+VRT amount!

1.3 mazda.. solve all ur problems.. lol

TheOneToBe

Stephen wrote:

Couldn't tell you yet Longshanks, just picked it up this morning
I filled the tank (50 litre capacity) and took it for a quick run up a national primary route and it was claiming 750km worth of fuel left. It dropped to 600-something around town.

That Type-R price tag is down to the punitive taxes on motoring in Ireland. Once your engine hits 2.0 litres Vehicle Registration Tax payable on a new car is 30% (as opposed to 25%). THEN you get to pay 21% VAT on top of the car+VRT amount!

Motorists get screwed pretty hard in Ireland.

Is it possible to get Type R at lower price then MSRP?

Biro

projectgtr wrote:

purely out of the 3 you listed: the type R with out a shadow of a doubt, personally i like the 4door type R but god luck getting one.

what kind of cars have you had up till now??



if personally had 30k id be hunting a Nissan Skyline R34 GTR (vspec2 nur edition if possible:) )

Was looking these up recently, you'll do well to get a crashed R34 GTR for 30k these days, the prices of them are crazy!

Stephen

TheOneToBe wrote:

Is it possible to get Type R at lower price then MSRP?

You could probably import one from the UK but I don't know whether you'd save any money or not once VRT is applied.