Which ~15k Hot Hatch?

[iaind]

I fully understand this, if the seating position isn't for you then it's definitely not the right choice. I had an A4 S-line for 2 painful years that I had to endure and I didn't even want to drive it.

Yep I looked at an A4 before concluding I wanted a newer hot hatch instead and that seemed to have a similar issue, the clutch pedal is in a really weird place.

I get that the M135i is technically a better car than the others but a combination of the comfort issue and higher running costs (partly due to the age/mileage I'd be able to afford and partly due to it being a more complex machine) mean it doesnt really fit the bill

 

[Webzta]

Yep I looked at an A4 before concluding I wanted a newer hot hatch instead and that seemed to have a similar issue, the clutch pedal is in a really weird place.

I get that the M135i is technically a better car than the others but a combination of the comfort issue and higher running costs (partly due to the age/mileage I'd be able to afford and partly due to it being a more complex machine) mean it doesnt really fit the bill

The A4 was dreadful, they seem to have created a feeling of space but to do this have made it so when you drive your arms are kinda out straight. IE if you put your arms on the door panel or central arm rest there is no possibility to reach the steering wheel

Short journeys were OK, over 20mins was tiresome and I felt I was constantly having to correct the car/wheel.

 

[LiE]

How about this GTI? It has performance pack, DSG. Private seller so you can probably wiggle on price but also get a good feel for it's history.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201906108866301?keywords=performance&aggregatedTrim=GTI&price-to=17000&make=VOLKSWAGEN&sort=year-desc&model=GOLF&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly New&onesearchad=New&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=ex11al&radius=50&page=1

 

[iaind]

Saw that as its the closest one to me but its black (pain to keep clean, trying to avoid) and not sold on DSG. I get its a good box, but its still an auto box in a hot hatch. It'd need to try it really but not about to go using some blokes own car as a test drive for it!

 

[LiE]

I would recommend trying the DSG. When you are driving normally it's so much better than manual. Then when you want to drive spirited, use the flappy paddles or the gear selector to change gears manually. I also think the DSG can handle more power if you go that route.

Yea black isn't ideally, but when it's clean it does look fantastic.

 

[Jony27]

I would recommend trying the DSG. When you are driving normally it's so much better than manual. Then when you want to drive spirited, use the flappy paddles or the gear selector to change gears manually. I also think the DSG can handle more power if you go that route.

Yea black isn't ideally, but when it's clean it does look fantastic.

Does that mean that it always on Auto but if you want to change gears sooner? use the paddles. Or do you have to switch it to manual or whatever?

 

[LiE]

Does that mean that it always on Auto but if you want to change gears sooner? use the paddles. Or do you have to switch it to manual or whatever?

When you use a paddle at any time it will switch to manual mode, so you are in control of the gears.

 

[Ev0]

As above, if you use a paddle it'll change the gear up/down (if the car allows) and put you into a temporary manual mode. If you leave it a certain amount of time, or hold the right paddle down, it'll stick you back into auto.

Or you knock the gear lever to the left to leave it in manual mode. When in manual it'll still change down if the revs drop low enough, but from what I remember it doesn't automatically change you up when you get to/hit the limiter

I'm on my fourth car that uses a DSG box, two of those Golfs (GTD and an R), and it's been good in all of them.

 

[Kenai]

from what I remember it doesn't automatically change you up when you get to/hit the limiter

It will, certainly on all the applications I've encountered. You need to remap the box to stop it auto upshifting at the limiter.

 

[Ev0]

I don't remember it doing on the R, as I do remember embarassing moments where I'd not realised I'd left it in manual and it starts bouncing off the limiter, oops. But also a high chance of me not remembering things right

Different box/car to that one but I'll give it a test on the RS3 once it's back from the garage and see what that does.

 

[9designs2]

I think you can over analyse this, just go try some and buy what ever your heart and trousers tell you .
There is no right or wrong car here really.
Personally I quite like Leon Cupra’s had a couple of older ones, tend to keep away from the rest of the VAG group now as they can easily be boring to drive. BMW would go auto (wife has 120D xDrive M-sport, which is very nice)
I would pitch in Fiesta ST, current one if you can get in budget, or a ST200 previous, probably little else will be as much fun. Problem for me with a Focus ST, it isn’t the RS, so I never bothered, they obviously over budget. Left field idea Volvo V40 T5 chassis is based on a Focus, one with the sports suspension is great. Real sleeper, nice to be different.

 

[ExoMale]

a car will be as fun as you try to make it, people say the golf is a boring car, ive driven a bluemotion 58 plate 1.9 tdi and for a 108hp 180 odd torque car that was on steal wheels i had a lot of fun in it, was quick and could chuck it about a bit, so can only imagine what a more powerful sporty version like the gti will be like. hell i have a 1.6 petrol pug 2008 suv/crossover thing and can have gret fun in it.

the mini has go kart handling and really connected to the road, i had fun in a normal cooper, a 180 plus version even in estate form will be more fun, hell the cooper s countrymans would be fun.

the focus ST has a cracking sound from the 5 cylinder, if you like that sound and would prefer german then theres always the s3 or rs3 whichever has the 5 cylinder, them things are quick and fun.

 

[9designs2]

1.6 petrol SUV or a Hot hatch, yeah I can see that’s pretty close rofl

 

[iaind]

I think you can over analyse this, just go try some and buy what ever your heart and trousers tell you .
There is no right or wrong car here really.
Personally I quite like Leon Cupra’s had a couple of older ones, tend to keep away from the rest of the VAG group now as they can easily be boring to drive. BMW would go auto (wife has 120D xDrive M-sport, which is very nice)
I would pitch in Fiesta ST, current one if you can get in budget, or a ST200 previous, probably little else will be as much fun. Problem for me with a Focus ST, it isn’t the RS, so I never bothered, they obviously over budget. Left field idea Volvo V40 T5 chassis is based on a Focus, one with the sports suspension is great. Real sleeper, nice to be different.

Yeah you're probably right, I guess the problem is buying second hand its much harder to just trawl around the dealers trying things out till you find what you like

Fiesta is too small though although I do like them. I dont see the existence of the RS as a problem as I dont want a super-hardcore thing, rather a normal every day hot hatch. T5 might be quite cool but literally one for sale last time I looked.

a car will be as fun as you try to make it, people say the golf is a boring car, ive driven a bluemotion 58 plate 1.9 tdi and for a 108hp 180 odd torque car that was on steal wheels i had a lot of fun in it, was quick and could chuck it about a bit, so can only imagine what a more powerful sporty version like the gti will be like. hell i have a 1.6 petrol pug 2008 suv/crossover thing and can have gret fun in it.

the mini has go kart handling and really connected to the road, i had fun in a normal cooper, a 180 plus version even in estate form will be more fun, hell the cooper s countrymans would be fun.

the focus ST has a cracking sound from the 5 cylinder, if you like that sound and would prefer german then theres always the s3 or rs3 whichever has the 5 cylinder, them things are quick and fun.

Not sure if a mk5 diesel can be described as fun or any benchmark for whether the mk7 is the right car or not lol. Of course you can have fun in any cat to an extent, but thats not really the point.

The Mk3 Focus ST is a 2.0 4 cylinder and the 5 cylinder RS3 would be miles out of budget

 

[9designs2]

Current Fiesta is about same size as Mk1 Focus !!! ...

 

[rodenal]

Not internally it isn't (I own one)

 

[iaind]

Current Fiesta is about same size as Mk1 Focus !!! ...

Fiesta Mk7
3982L x 1709W x 2489WB

Focus Mk1
4175L x 1700W x 2615WB

Apart from the width...no its not. The doors are much thicker on newer cars and there's significantly less interior space in the Fiesta. Crucially it has a 292L boot compared to 350L in the focus.

But I'm not buying a Mk1 focus either, I'm buying (potentially) a Mk3. I need a car that a couple of adults can be comfortable in the back of and with a boot big enough for a couple of suitcases or useful for household DIY stuff - fiesta is too small for my needs

More importantly, how on earth did this descent to 108bhp diesel Mk5 Golfs, Peugeot 2008s and Mk1 Focuses?

 

[9designs2]

See it’s already helped to eliminate some options

 

[ExoMale]

Yeah you're probably right, I guess the problem is buying second hand its much harder to just trawl around the dealers trying things out till you find what you like

Fiesta is too small though although I do like them. I dont see the existence of the RS as a problem as I dont want a super-hardcore thing, rather a normal every day hot hatch. T5 might be quite cool but literally one for sale last time I looked.



Not sure if a mk5 diesel can be described as fun or any benchmark for whether the mk7 is the right car or not lol. Of course you can have fun in any cat to an extent, but thats not really the point.

The Mk3 Focus ST is a 2.0 4 cylinder and the 5 cylinder RS3 would be miles out of budget

I am probably confusing the Marks of the focus which I tend to do then, I was on about the square back one that has the 2.5 Volvo engine not the newer shapes. If you buying 2nd hand I’m sure there be plenty of the S3/RS3 going, but likely too end of your budget.

As for the golf diesel part, the point was against the clubeman comment which was criticised for likely not to be fun because of the type of car it is, so the point was you can have fun in any car, don’t just assume.

 

[iaind]

I am probably confusing the Marks of the focus which I tend to do then, I was on about the square back one that has the 2.5 Volvo engine not the newer shapes. If you buying 2nd hand I’m sure there be plenty of the S3/RS3 going, but likely too end of your budget.

As for the golf diesel part, the point was against the clubeman comment which was criticised for likely not to be fun because of the type of car it is, so the point was you can have fun in any car, don’t just assume.

You'd be mad to spend 15k on a Mk2 focus with the 2.5

S3s in budget are quite old and absolutely bottom of the barrel for the RS3...