£4k - spec me

AHarvey

AHarvey

AHarvey

Soldato
Joined
6 Mar 2008
Posts
10,085
Location
Stoke area
Hi,

So, in a week I start a new job in Stoke and I need transport as the A4 we've got will be used for the school run etc.

I'd love a 350z, but a £4k budget doesn't leave a lot of options there. I've also been looking at a motorbike and although i'd stretch to get a 2017 Duke 390 once you add on gear + licence it's going to be too difficult talking the wife round.

So, I'm going to be doing 2 x 18-22 miles a day to and from work, want something that's going to be fun to drive especially when I put my foot down now and again. Age isn't an issue, reliability is though and not average/below average mpg isn't an issue. I don't mind 2 seats, wife would like 4, just in case :(

Options I've found are something like:

A 2006 VW Golf 2.0 TFSI GTi - something like this
Audi A4/A4 Avant 2.0 TFSI
Audi S3 / S4 but I know there can be some issues, high running costs etc
Seat Leons - everyone I've seen looks cheap on the inside.
Civic Type r's but not really a fan
RX8's - hungry and high maintenance, like a fat towie wannabe.

Anything I am missing
 
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I like the golf gti out of your suggestions. Nippy and decent fun. Decent enough fuel economy too when you need it. But then I do like mine loads, so probably a bit biased.
 
Mazda 3 MPS
Megane RS 225

Both 5 door so you can chuck the kids in the back fairly easily. I have zero history with either though, so don't know if they would be a money pit, but seems to fit your criteria?
 
I agree ST220 for 3k great for a longish commute that involves any motorway driving.
Op I wouldn't look at 10yr old Hot hatches for 4K they are going to be high mileage nails for that price. If you wanted a good 2006 GTI, Type R, ST 350z etc your looking near to 5k for a good example
 
Megane R26 (although more realistically the 225 but try to find one with the decent bucket style seats).
 
Can you up your budget by £1k?

Then you could pick up a lower mileage example of a Golf GTI or maybe even an Audi A3 3.2

The Saab above is interesting didn't realise they produced that engine.

Also a BMW 130i could be an option
 
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Something 1.8T based would give some cheap smiles per miles.

You'll have enough left in the pot for some mild tuning which should see 200+bhp (based on something with AUQ in it and a trip to R-Tech).

I personally would be going with MK1 Octavia vRS but you would get a Leon Cupra R for that money.

Interesting you think the Leon is cheap inside, it shares the same dash as the Audi S3 of the same era.

Edit - what about an Impreza WRX?
 
don't buy a shabby old golf like that one

saab v6 / vectra vxr is the £500++ tax one

buy a nice clean standard golf gti - make sure it has xenon's

or buy a clean 330ci e46, I drove one the other day first time in 5 years, it was a good example and pulled so hard and strong I really enjoyed it

impreza wrx is a good shout too, a late 2004-2005 mint unmolested example though

i'd avoid st220 like the plague they are so slow and flat to drive, really need ragging to death to make them move. In this day and age a 2.0 tdi would have no problem keeping up with one
 
A Saab is about as far from fun to drive as you can get though :p

Also the later ones were just Vauxhalls underneath, they are not as bulletproof or well made as the classics.
 
DannyW said:
i'd avoid st220 like the plague they are so slow and flat to drive, really need ragging to death to make them move. In this day and age a 2.0 tdi would have no problem keeping up with one
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Not really mate you obviously didn't drive it properly. I'll admit the ST220 is a strange car driving normal it feels slow and lethargic and needs an open road to get going through the gears but it pulls very well from 3.5k and keeps going to 7.5k revs and has no problem easily keeping up on the move with the Focus ST225, Golf GTI of that generation.
To then say the E46 330 pulls so strong etc when it is identical performance to the ST220 is just contracting yourself. There's many a thread on PH from back in the day of the 330i vs the 220 showing they have level performance.
 
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