We currently have 2 cars a 07 Audi A3 TDI and a 05 Ford Ka Luxury, my Mrs has a 90 mile commute to make 4 days a week for work so she uses the A3 most days, but over the last year or so my own motorway miles have increased quite a bit which I'm finding tiresome in the Ka, I quite like the Ka around town and its fun on a twisty B road, but its lack of power really tells on motorways, I think it is now getting around to the time to replace it with something with a bit more "go" in it.

I want to stick with something quite small but still practical, I guess I'm thinking along the lines of a junior hot hatch, something that can put a smile on my face on a B-road,  I have drawn up a short list and what I have so far:

VW Polo 1.8T GTI -not driven one yet  but being compared to the original Golf GTI is no bad thing in my book, but used prices seem a bit high.

Ford Fiesta ST -Decent handling and a corking engine but not sure about the image? and finding one without silly stripes all over it might be difficult.

Suzuki Swift VVT Sport -again not driven one but it gets good reviews and not sure I like the styling, only seen a couple of them would need a closer look.

Mini Cooper -low mile examples at a decent price seem rare, and would I regret not going for a Cooper S?  

Any comments of the cars I have shortlisted or any other cars I should have a look at? Would consider anything less than insurance group 16, under 8k with low'ish miles, the choice years ago would have been easy it would have been a small French hot hatch, but they seem to have forgotten how to make them along with reliability issues.

of those Ive driven a swift, a LOT better than the previous model.  Where Suzuki got that thing from I dont know, but its a LOT better than I was expecting!

I wouldnt get a Fiesta ST. I bought one new. I think they are OK, but the performance is crap for a 2L. Id get a Civic Type-R if I was to go back to when I bought it.


Could get a good example of an Impreza for 8k!!

evo, no question. if the budget is 8k that is

or a good 200SX

In fact, a supra TT - NON uk.

Quote from: ShaunWe currently have 2 cars a 07 Audi A3 TDI and a 05 Ford Ka Luxury, my Mrs has a 90 mile commute to make 4 days a week for work so she uses the A3 most days, but over the last year or so my own motorway miles have increased quite a bit which I'm finding tiresome in the Ka, I quite like the Ka around town and its fun on a twisty B road, but its lack of power really tells on motorways, I think it is now getting around to the time to replace it with something with a bit more "go" in it.

I want to stick with something quite small but still practical, I guess I'm thinking along the lines of a junior hot hatch, something that can put a smile on my face on a B-road,  I have drawn up a short list and what I have so far:

VW Polo 1.8T GTI -not driven one yet  but being compared to the original Golf GTI is no bad thing in my book, but used prices seem a bit high. Zzzzzzzzzz...

Ford Fiesta ST -Decent handling and a corking engine but not sure about the image? and finding one without silly stripes all over it might be difficult. One without the stripes would be ok, but its still a tarted up cheap runabout..

Suzuki Swift VVT Sport -again not driven one but it gets good reviews and not sure I like the styling, only seen a couple of them would need a closer look. These look nice, but you know every single person who gets one did so cos its slightly cheaper than a mini...

Mini Cooper -low mile examples at a decent price seem rare, and would I regret not going for a Cooper S?  There are loads around with low mileage cos most ppl get them on PCP over 3yrs with a 10k/yr limit... Ive driven both and the S is a hoot to drive but it looks naff next to the std Cooper unless its all JCWd up. The extra performance aint worth the hike in insurance, and minis aint about straight line speed anyhow.. Get a chilli pack one.

Any comments of the cars I have shortlisted or any other cars I should have a look at? Would consider anything less than insurance group 16, under 8k with low'ish miles, the choice years ago would have been easy it would have been a small French hot hatch, but they seem to have forgotten how to make them along with reliability issues.

Get the mini, its the mostest fun except maybe the swift but the swift looks cheaper and not nearly as cool.

i think youre limiting your fun value tbh. im selling my s4 and it will literally piss all over the above cars from a great height with its 325 brake. its also comfortable on a long drive, up at 6k and fully loaded with all the electrics you could need.

Matt

Thanks for your comments so far, I think a few of you have missed the point of going for a smallish car this is very much a second car and will not be used much at all in the evenings and at weekends, so with that in mind I want to keep the running costs and insurance down to a sensible figure (under 500 quid)

Im not looking for a all out performance car just something I can have a bit of fun on B-roads with and is ok on the very hilly motorways we have round here. So Evo's and Impreza's are out I'm afraid, I just couldn't justify the running cost to myself! ...then there is the slippery slope of modding them, I don't want to get bitten by that bug again! lol

Went to look at a Polo GTI yesterday at my local VW dealer, would rather have a Mini tbh just need to hunt down a Swift to look at will have a look over the weekend

Quote from: bytejunkiei think youre limiting your fun value tbh. im selling my s4 and it will literally piss all over the above cars from a great height with its 325 brake. its also comfortable on a long drive, up at 6k and fully loaded with all the electrics you could need.

Matt

S4 is fun, but its not evo territory - theyre worlds apart.

An evo is over 300KG lighter, much, much, much better handling and 0-60 times in low 4 second range on 8s and higher (high 3s in some higher models)

S4 is a good car though.

Quote from: Mark

Quote from: bytejunkiei think youre limiting your fun value tbh. im selling my s4 and it will literally piss all over the above cars from a great height with its 325 brake. its also comfortable on a long drive, up at 6k and fully loaded with all the electrics you could need.

Matt

S4 is fun, but its not evo territory - theyre worlds apart.

An evo is over 300KG lighter, much, much, much better handling and 0-60 times in low 4 second range on 8s and higher (high 3s in some higher models)

S4 is a good car though.

loved my s4. just not the fuel bills. determined to have another one some day, but set it up properly and big turbos on it.

never realised the new evos were so quick. not got the money for one so never investigated.

moving onto a mk1 gti again.

mk1 golf gti - would be perfect with an 1800 20V T

I know Im probably going to get slated on this one, but a small, good a handling fun car?

MX5 ideal for summer?

Would love a MX5! as it does ticks a lot of the boxes of what I'm looking for performance/handling wise and also the running costs but it's not practical enough, I would be having issues with the lack of space on a weekly basis unfortunately.

Had a look at are rather nice Swift on Monday it was a 1.5 GLX rather than a Sport, there seems very few examples of the Sport round here for sale at the min,  I was rather impressed with the drive and also the cabin, which is a cut above what i expected for a small Jap car, think it's one of those cars where colour choice is paramount I don't think they look good in dark colours or silver, black is the only Sport I have had a good look at and they look far better in red IMO,  I would say it was on a par quality wise with the Polo GTI I looked at last week but not as bland!

Mini`s are 10 a penny round here so I learning towards a red Swift Sport at the minute, but still need a test drive!

Im gonna put in a good word here for the Yaris T-sport.

-35mpg even when thrashed
-Spacious enough, sliding rear seats gives rear leg or bigger boot
-Pretty nippy, quick as a mini cooper
-Awesome fun on a b-road blast for what it is
-Cheap insurance
-Relatively cheap to buy

Jaimz

clio 182 or higher

Quote from: JaimzIm gonna put in a good word here for the Yaris T-sport.

-35mpg even when thrashed
-Spacious enough, sliding rear seats gives rear leg or bigger boot
-Pretty nippy, quick as a mini cooper
-Awesome fun on a b-road blast for what it is
-Cheap insurance
-Relatively cheap to buy

Jaimz

Dont stop when you want it to