hot hatch, what to go for??

[harry1]

as above please just waned to get some ideas,no bigger than 2 ltr and no 5 doors cheers petrol heads
budget of around 3 grand btw

[Zak33]

Mk3 GOlf GTI 16v was a nice car, but I;d be tempted to say Astra GSi 16v (first version) and then sort the suspension, or 306 GTi 16v.

Or....if you're hard enough..106GTi 16v

3 grand buys a lot of cars though chap. What kinda thing you got in mind?

Mazda 323 is shockingly good too.

[Moby-Dick]

What about a ZX16v or a Xsara VTS - cheaper than chips and much less badge snobbery than the 306 ( even thoguh they are both dodgy french cars )

[atrull]

205 1.9 litre ?

[harry1]

i love the gti-6 but its normally a money pit and to get a nice one three grand aint quite enough i have thought, i like the 106! but its simalar to the cheaper saxo vts (the same car actually) i have mk3 golf atm, i like the mrk 2 but reliable? love 205s but dunno if i wouldwanna soend alot on an older car will check it out though? was looking at starlet turbo rofl look cool

[360bhp]

Escort RS Turbo
205 GTI
Pulsar GTI-R
Starlet GT
Proton Satria GTI

[harry1]

lol at rst and gti-r bit to much to insure i think, dnt like escorts anyway,and tbh the pulsar is ugly as sin

[Moby-Dick]

ugly but quick

Civic VTI ?

[harry1]

yer fooking quick, saw one in town other week got tlking, showed me it was complety HKS putting out 410 bhp silly power
didnt consider that civic.

[Zak33]

Let me assure you, that a 106 GTi 16v is NOT the same as a Saxo VTR. Nor is a Saab 93 the same as a Vectra.

Underpinnings are one thing...but suspension settings, choice of shocks, spring rates, antiroll bars etc are miles seperate.
I would NEVER suggest a Saxo VTR...but the 106 GTi 16v is one of the GREATEST CARS EVER MADE.

I have pounded one around the valleys of Buckinghamshire and the track at Silverstone. It is equally happy on both, supple, felxible, a joy to drive, just small.

Nissan Sunny GTi 2.0 16v is very fast too..and subtle.

[harry1]

hence why i said saxo VTS and they are the same car

only prob with some of the nissans ect they are a bit ugly but i love the looks of a 106 gti

[kalniel]

i i like the mrk 2 but reliable?

Hell yes. I used to drive one with over 236000 on the clock. Still went like a rocket.

[Fox]

Xsara VTS.

Mechanically identical to 306 GTi-6 save for the 6 speed box. Same everything else, including the 170bhp 2.0 16v engine.

Nicer interior, slightly more boring exterior (Although it doesnt look like an old banger a la old Golfs) but half the price of a GTi-6.

[harry1]

hehe wat are they like then im intrigued
the golf i mean i dont like the look of the xsara im afraid, doesnt fit the hot hatch image lol

[Zak33]

hence why i said saxo VTS and they are the same car

no...they are not.

First...you mean a Saxo VTr not a VTs

Second..a VTR is not the same car as a 106 GTi. They had totally different chassis engineers, and they do not drive the same...at all.

[Zak33]

Xsara VTS.

Mechanically identical to 306 GTi-6 save for the 6 speed box. Same everything else, including the 170bhp 2.0 16v engine.

Nicer interior, slightly more boring exterior (Although it doesnt look like an old banger a la old Golfs) but half the price of a GTi-6.

nearly true....306 has different handling characterstics, thanks again to the chassis engineers at Peugoet, and the money they were given to sort the balance.

Xsara VTS is a great car though....really nice. But not a 306 Gti-6.