Hot Hatches

Paddo81 · 12-09-2009 9:34pm #1

Im trying to offload my petrol guzzling old Beemer (318). When I do, im in the market for something smaller, lighter, quicker and not as crazy on the tax front.

Ive trawled the car sites and looked at all the usual colts, clios, fiestas and the like. Im wanting to avoid something like a Civic but dont want anything too common like a fiesta. Budget 6grand.

Any suggestions welcome!

VolvoMan · 12-09-2009 9:37pm

What about a Peugeot 106/205 GTi or 306 GTi-6?

CR 7 · 12-09-2009 9:43pm

One of these?

:pac:

Vertakill · 12-09-2009 9:45pm

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Toyota/Celica/1.8-VVTI/200937195188350/advert?channel=CARS

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Toyota/Celica/VVTL-I/200934194953008/advert?channel=CARS

Not exactly a hot hatch but not far off.

Just noticed the common part of your post... Celica's getting kinda common.

bazz26 · 12-09-2009 9:47pm

Skoda Octavia vRS:
http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200937195156456

Eccles · 12-09-2009 11:18pm

Oh the vRS seems like such a nice car for the money ...so ,anyone who's ran one...?what are they like ?Do they 'feel' like a hot hatch or a fast saloon?Handling?MPG?Reliability?

TestTransmission · 12-09-2009 11:35pm

Eccles wrote: »

Oh the vRS seems like such a nice car for the money ...so ,anyone who's ran one...?what are they like ?Do they 'feel' like a hot hatch or a fast saloon?Handling?MPG?Reliability?

I have one,a 2002..

I love it,the engine is very responsive.
Handles pretty good for a big hatch,
I get about 30MPG (all depends on how you drive it tbh)

They're fairly reilable,I have had an issue with central locking and window wipers though

Car should have a fsh,oil needs to be changed regularly.

Paddo81 · 13-09-2009 9:56am

Yeah the Peugeots a possibility. The Skoda....... well Im defintely looking for a smaller car, that seems more like a compact saloon. Also I want to keep it down to 1.6 or less for various money saving reasons.

What are your opinions on Clios? I saw a review on TopGear of it awhile back. On the site the opinion is -

"As much as we all want the Renaultsport 197, you will still have a blast in a boggo diesel."

Sounds promising - always had a slight feeling they were abit of a ladys acooter-ment though. What you think?

bazz26 · 13-09-2009 2:56pm

Paddo81 wrote: »

Yeah the Peugeots a possibility. The Skoda....... well Im defintely looking for a smaller car, that seems more like a compact saloon. Also I want to keep it down to 1.6 or less for various money saving reasons.

What are your opinions on Clios? I saw a review on TopGear of it awhile back. On the site the opinion is -

"As much as we all want the Renaultsport 197, you will still have a blast in a boggo diesel."

Sounds promising - always had a slight feeling they were abit of a ladys acooter-ment though. What you think?

You will be hard pushed to find a Clio diesel here and I would not describe the 1.5 dci as quick, economical yes but definately not quick.

To be honest your fairly limiting yourself if looking for something quick from 1.6 litre or less on a €6k budget. The Peugeot 106 GTi or Citroen Savo VTR are you main options I think.

CyberGhost · 13-09-2009 3:16pm

Toyota Starlet Glanza V Turbo?

Small, fast, only 1.3l.

mp22 · 13-09-2009 3:42pm

Renault twingo gt tce 1.2l (tax is 156)

roadwars · 13-09-2009 3:47pm

mp22 wrote: »

Renault twingo gt tce 1.2l (tax is 156)

Hardly the hottest hatch and at €10k not exactly that cheap

mp22 · 13-09-2009 3:53pm

roadwars wrote: »

Hardly the hottest hatch and at €10k not exactly that cheap

sorry did not notice the 6k limit,its quick enough for a old fella like me

klaus23 · 13-09-2009 4:25pm

I have a Clio 172 and with the exception of the E36 M3 there isn't a car under €10k that floats my boat more than it.

Reasonably practical, anonymous, reliable, easy accessability of spares, active owners club/forum, specialist help avaliable in UK. Drop me a PM if there's any question you need answered or would like a look around one.

30mpg on the combined cycle is about normal, while high 40s can be achieved on sedate long runs.

You'll pick one up in the UK for anywhere between 2000 and 3000 stg. Buy on condition, not mileage as they are tough little cars. Many come up for sale cheap before belt change intervals, budget 400stg for this with KTEC, nr. Bournemouth. Make sure you have the dephaser pulley done also. VRT on 2000s is 740ish, and then allow another 1500 for some choice mods/nice brakes/sticky tires.

How quick? A standard car will lap Mondello in 2:09 in the right hands.

deadlast · 13-09-2009 5:47pm

How about a Corolla T-sport?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/968068

0-60 in under 7 secs.... Bit of a sleeper!

klaus23 · 13-09-2009 5:52pm

deadlast wrote: »

How about a Corolla T-sport?

http://cars.donedeal.ie/for-sale/cars/968068

0-60 in under 7 secs.... Bit of a sleeper!

They're a quick car but much like the Hondas everything is right at the top end, there isn't a nice linear power delivery and you have to work hard to extract everything from it. Handy for pootling around town, yes but it's either on-cam or off-cam and annoyingly so. In comparison, the Clios valve timing technology is a lot smarter and continuous, it feels really quick ALL of the time rather than just a top end kick in the backside.

ION08 · 13-09-2009 7:01pm

The corolla T-Sport is a very good suggestion, but that aswell is a 1.8

.. I suppose if all you want is low cc/high power hot hatch you could also consider a civic vtec or turbo glanza .. if you don't mind being perceived as a scrote that is

- or a 106 gti?

I dont really understand your reasoning though... more than likely you will probably end up with a 1.6 or therabouts .. which for tax purposes is minimal in difference compared to your current car. Also, i wouldnt bank on saving big bucks on economy either.. as on paper, again, there wont be much between a hot hatch and your beemer's mpg... and remember a hot hatch will inspire you to put the foot down a lot more every now and again which will probably see your mpg plummet worse than you beemer.

Donest really make sense - its false economy imho .. especially if you actually factor in the money you may be losing trading between the cars.

... Now if you said you just fancied a change that would be a different story

Ferris · 13-09-2009 7:13pm

ION08 wrote: »

... Now if you said you just fancied a change that would be a different story

I'd say thats more like it, 318 vs a Clio 172 or 106gti, I know what i'd rather drive. I've driven both the 172 and the 106 and they're great little goers. The gearboxes both of them can be fragile however.

What about a GTi-6?

deceit · 13-09-2009 7:20pm

A punto gt 0-60 7.2 and 34mpg driving mixed boost and normal driving would be an option. 1.4 so cheap on tax also.

klaus23 · 15-09-2009 3:01pm

To be honest, while the 106GTi is quite light they are down a fair bit on power compared to the 172/182. The 306GTi-6, while quick tips the scales at 1300kg. On top of that they're starting to get old now, while you'd be doing well to find a clean, unmodified Punto GT.

If you don't want to go French, I'd suggest an EP3 Type-R.

Mayshine · 15-09-2009 3:25pm

Something like

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Focus-ST/200935195021936/advert?channel=CARS

Nice on the twisties, not too slow and comfortable.

stealthyspeeder · 15-09-2009 3:29pm

Mayshine wrote: »

Something like

http://www.carzone.ie/search/Ford/Focus-ST/200935195021936/advert?channel=CARS

Nice on the twisties, not too slow and comfortable.

Correct me if im wrong but that is not a focus ST as advertised is it?

ION08 · 15-09-2009 3:37pm

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Correct me if im wrong but that is not a focus ST as advertised is it?

I think its an ST170 but not sure.

I think you may be thinkin of the 5 pot turbo 2.5?

jimmyskank · 15-09-2009 3:42pm

Citreon xsara vts/c4 vts - cheap to insure but taxing a 2.0l all the same. Great value and great fun to drive IMO.

Drummerboy08 · 15-09-2009 3:45pm

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

Correct me if im wrong but that is not a focus ST as advertised is it?

Its the older, ST170 (2.0 Duratec 170bhp) Stealthy. Nice car to go.

stealthyspeeder · 15-09-2009 3:47pm

ION08 wrote: »

I think its an ST170 but not sure.

I think you may be thinkin of the 5 pot turbo 2.5?

Yea I was thinkin of the 2.5

ianobrien · 15-09-2009 4:35pm

What about the Fiesta ST? It has 150hp from the factory and Cosworth do an upgread pack for the 2.0 Duratec engine to bring it to 170/180ish (or 300hp is the wallet's deep enough)

I know that it lacks the power of the Clio 172/182 and the EPs Type R, but remove the stripes and it can look like a Fiesta LX with alloys (well, maybe...)

JHMEG · 15-09-2009 7:45pm

deadlast wrote: »

How about a Corolla T-sport?

Or a Celica 190. Dunno if it comes in under budget, but they are quite civilised, with progressive power delivery. Working the (slick) gearbox is part of the fun of driving.

In comparison, the Clios valve timing technology is a lot smarter and continuous, it feels really quick ALL of the time rather than just a top end kick in the backside.

Clio is 172bhp from a 2.0L, vs 190bhp from a 1.8L. I think the difference in character is down to displacement and the additional torque that goes with it. I doubt the Clio is any smarter.

Sqaull20 · 15-09-2009 8:32pm

Paddo81 wrote: »

Yeah the Peugeots a possibility. The Skoda....... well Im defintely looking for a smaller car, that seems more like a compact saloon. Also I want to keep it down to 1.6 or less for various money saving reasons.

What are your opinions on Clios? I saw a review on TopGear of it awhile back. On the site the opinion is -

"As much as we all want the Renaultsport 197, you will still have a blast in a boggo diesel."

Sounds promising - always had a slight feeling they were abit of a ladys acooter-ment though. What you think?

Think a Fabia VRS would suit you, especially if you want something quick that wont cost much to run.A simple 300e remap will see them putting out around 165-175bhp and 400nm+ of torque, thats enough to frighten most things in a straight line.When remapped they can be as fast as things that use twice the amount of fuel.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200927194462671

Forget about mpg and get a Mini Cooper S.I rented a standard 118bhp Cooper while on holidays and it was brillant, plenty fast for an n/a 1.6 and it handled like nothing else, I was very suprised and while my fabia might be quicker in a straight line, I do miss that mini, way more fun.Only bad thing is it redlined at 6500rpm, supercharged 163bhp+ one would be heaven though.

http://www.driving.ie/usedcars/index.cfm?fuseaction=car&carID=200935195022308

Owen · 16-09-2009 8:42am

You can pick up Cooper S' now landed for about the 10k mark. The early ones had 163 Bhp, but it's so so easy to increase that and reliably too. A smaller supercharger pulled (About 60 Euro), an Air-intake (150 Euro) and a remap (300 Euro) will take you to 205 Bhp, and if you fit a high flow manifold for around a grand, you'll end up with over 220 Bhp - and all reliably. It's nearly impossible to break the engine in the 2002-2006 Cooper S as inside it's agricultural. Simple engineering, and reliable parts, and a hell of a lot of fun.

Plus, for handling, there's nothing close! And this one has all the toys :
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1132161.htm

.Longshanks. · 16-09-2009 8:50am

PaintDoctor wrote: »

You can pick up Cooper S' now landed for about the 10k mark. The early ones had 163 Bhp, but it's so so easy to increase that and reliably too. A smaller supercharger pulled (About 60 Euro), an Air-intake (150 Euro) and a remap (300 Euro) will take you to 205 Bhp, and if you fit a high flow manifold for around a grand, you'll end up with over 220 Bhp - and all reliably. It's nearly impossible to break the engine in the 2002-2006 Cooper S as inside it's agricultural. Simple engineering, and reliable parts, and a hell of a lot of fun.

Plus, for handling, there's nothing close! And this one has all the toys :
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1132161.htm

How would a tuned Cooper S like the above be on juice? Assuming normal driving

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