This, that or the others?!

[Vimeous]

Random car hunt again.

Either £2500 Semi-sensible runabout or £6500 (£2.5k + loan) runabout + go for occasional long strop and country run.
Max 6k miles a year
Must be Fun!

So far £2.5k nets:
Lupo 1.4 Sport (£2.4k 55k 53)


and £6.5k
Mini Cooper (£6.5k 65k 55)
S2000 (£6.2k 75k 02)
Impreza WRX PPP Sportwagon (£5k 75k 53)

All of this is without power of the haggle.
What would you choose?
Should an MX5 be on the list?
Your thoughts?

[kalniel]

Hmmm.. S2000

But of course an MX5 should be on the list. It should be on every list

Renault twingo?
Suzuki swift?

[DeludedGuy]

If you have to take out a loan, dont bother. Just get the Lupo GTI, its plenty of fun, in fact have a look at the 00-02 Polo GTI, I took one for a spin a few months ago was lovely to drive.

[Funkstar]

Mini Coopers are over priced, cheap and tacky on the inside and pretty rubbish to drive.

My mum has one, and I really don't like it. Would rather drive either her old Classic mini or my dads Passat estate.

[scaryjim]

If you're looking at the Lupo why not try to track down a 53ish plate Seat Arosa 1.4TDi. Faster than a StreetKa, better fuel economy than pretty much anything in its class at the time, lovely car, apparently nice to drive (sadly never been behind the wheel of one myself though ). I should imagine you could pick one up for around 2.5K - if you can find one, that is...


EDIT: here's one on ebay

[PetrolHead]

For 2.5k could get yourself a early Yaris TSport 105bhp nippy, bulletproof if looked after, i've seen some go past 150k miles without problems.

For 6.5k i'd go for a VAG derv + remap = 170bhp, Fabia VRS, Ibiza fR etc.

[Moby-Dick]

pm'd you something.... interesting.

[PetrolHead]

<snip>

[PetrolHead]

If you have to take out a loan, dont bother. Just get the Lupo GTI, its plenty of fun, in fact have a look at the 00-02 Polo GTI, I took one for a spin a few months ago was lovely to drive.

You don't want a Polo GTI for that kind of money, definetley a Yaris TSport, Polo's at that age will cause trouble. And you will never find a Lupo GTI for 2.5k

[Moby-Dick]

btw if anyone else was interested , I mailed Vim a link to a 190BHP Fabia VRS for sale...
http://www.sxoc.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=464569

[Phage]

Polo GTI £2.5k 70k miles
http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/1985908.htm

[Zak33]

COROLLA 1.8 VVTL-i T Sport 3dr

go find.....

[Vimeous]

Ooooo some good suggestions!

Funkstar you're not wrong! I sat in a modern Mini for the first time last week and couldn't believe the amount of cheap and tacky plastic. Still I suspect I'd overlook it after a drive..... hmm.

Moby sadly can't do Cat D - instamatic-veto from her loverrlyness

Petrolhead's right on the Lupo front. A GTi was 1st on the list until I found they're still £6k for a 75k mile example on a 53-plate!
TBH a facelifted Arosa 100hp or Lupo would be fine but, scaryjim, no TDi's unless it's a ridiculous bargain - useless away from roundabouts and I love rev's!

Now Phage you're pandering to my past love of Polo's , my previous two were brilliant, however just knowing the same engine can be had in a Lupo irks me a little. The Polo will be a fine car but that version is too tall/narrow/understeery for me these days. Needs a bigger motor like Fabia vRS for a proper over-engined feel - Moby - fancy another crack at a v12 conversion?

The best two suggestions so far are the Yaris and Corolla. The Gen2 Yaris 1.8 SR would be ideal but after a quick run in our 1lit Gen2 earlier (nippy, fun, enjoys the thrashing needed to maintain true pace on m-ways) the 1.3 might be perfect. I'll have a hunt.

As for the Corolla. A local garage has a blue 54-plate for £4.5k. Our old works 1.4 had a great donkey but rubbish gearchange, dead steering and felt too narrow - the Verso handled better!
However the T-Sport should fix most of that.

Thing is would you have the Corolla or Scooby wagon? Really?


As an aside her-indoors found a 137k mile(!) S2000 for sub £5k which looks pretty genuine. For G to even look means it's sparked her interest.
Now I'm not adverse to big miles on a car but even then that's a fair few for 9000rpm tuned 2lit!

[Moby-Dick]

Well the V12 is still in the Garage if you want it

I'd have thought your driving style would work well with an S2000 , personally I found the lack of steering wheel hight adjustment was a showstopper to getting in one , but then again I've got fat legs

[Vimeous]

Well the V12 is still in the Garage if you want it

I'd have thought your driving style would work well with an S2000 , personally I found the lack of steering wheel hight adjustment was a showstopper to getting in one , but then again I've got fat legs

Maybe in a go-kart!

Oh you know how I love the revs
Didn't realise they lack height-adjust. That stopped me looking for Gen4 'Ludes a few years back. Need to get behind the wheel ASAP.

Turns out G is almost as influenced by noise as she is by colour .
She loves V8's that GRRRR and now she's a fan of cars that go Pssssht as well
I once mentioned getting a bat-wing Supra but was firmly told only if it Psssht's properly!

[Moby-Dick]

Vent to Atmosphere Dump Vales are so 90's recirc is fine though