Another change... small, cheap, fun.

LostPhil

LostPhil

LostPhil

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Joined
6 Feb 2007
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Location
Norwich, Norfolk
I need something smallish and fun without costing the earth to run... for less than 2k. What would you get?

I was thinking MX5 at first, but I really don't want a soft top. Then again, lots of potential (supercharger etc), fun to drive and can pick up an older example pretty easily.

Other initial thought was a 205 GTI. I had a 1986 1.4 GR (single carb) as a first car, loved the thing so it'll be warm and fuzzy etc to be driving round in the hot version! Probably a 1.6.

Any ideas would be appreciated, seem to overlook some obvious choices.

EDIT: Seems 205 GTI's are going for more than 2k for the most part. Hmm.
 
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106 gti/saxo vts can be had for under £2000 easy enough.

Maybe a phase 1 clio 172, might be struggling to get a nice one with £2k but maybe worth a look.
 
Clio - theres a couple of fun models although pushing the price a bit - but less chavvvvy than the saxo/peugeots. They also tend to be cheaper to drive.

Personally I have a lot of love for the Golf VR6 tho some people might call em chavy - but they are very much subject to taste and not cheap to drive - but very little matches the feeling on the open road.
 
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My brother got into motorcycles recently... by the time he'd done the training, got a bike and proper protective gear was easily over 2K total and he didn't go for anything special.
 
Id consider a 106 Rallye S2... wouldnt lose much money if any over time and fits the bill.. would be good too if you enjoyed the 205
 
I thought this thread had died a lonely death :D

Will keep an eye out for GTI-6's and 106 GTI's, would rather the 106 out of the two as it should be more chuckable and easier on fuel! I didn't think decent examples of either would be available for under 2k but it seems there are a few about.

The 106 Rallye S2 looks intruging...Will it be a better driving machine than a GTI? Seems to be way down on power but not really that slow at all (on paper).

To be honest, I like most of the french hatches... just not the Xsara VTS. Phase 1's look alright, phase 2's make me want to stab myself in the eye.

Besides the 172, any other Clio's worth looking at?

The only problem with a hard top MX5 is not having anywhere to put the hard top! But it's a small thing, I will have to test drive one to see what it's like to drive. Veering towards a hatchback at the moment.

Cyanide said:
Bike licence, bike and insurance will be less than £2k :p
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I've never ridden in my life, how much roughly would it be for lessons and a licence? I'm a quick learner! I know it's tongue in cheek but always wanted to ride.
 
LostPhil said:
I've never ridden in my life, how much roughly would it be for lessons and a licence? I'm a quick learner! I know it's tongue in cheek but always wanted to ride.
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Depends how you want to do it. CBT so you can ride a 125 is ~£100, helmet, jacket, gloves and boots around £300, bike'd be around £700-1k if you grabbed a sensible 125 and insurance should be ~£400ish for your first year.

Even a crappy bog standard 125cc commuter will do 70-80mph, <10s to 60, 70+ mpg, £15 a year to tax.

You could do your full test straight away. A full weeks course and test would be £4-500
 
106 S2 Rallye do hold there value better than the 106 GTI, which means you'll struggle to find one for £2k you'll get a S1 Rallye. Another 106 worth looking at maybe would be the 1.4 xsi, you'll get one for around £1000
 
What's all this rubbish I've been hearing lately about 205 GTis being expensive? I bought my GTI a few months ago for £1,400. That's for a completely rust free shell with a fully documented 81,000 miles on the clock, a GTI-6 engine conversion done by a reputable 205 engineering firm (I.E, not lashed together on the cheap on some driveway in the Midlands) with receipts for the engine work labour alone for more than what I paid for the car, a rebuilt bottom end, new lifters, new brake discs, bucket seats and harnesses, sorted suspension, recently serviced, 9 months mot etc. Yes, I got a great deal (I knew the seller was after a quick sale and I haggled like a mofo), but it shows what you CAN get

The thing is You CAN easily get 16v GTis for sub £2,000. The quality of the work depends entirely on who converted it, but they do exist. Which makes me wonder why people are struggling to find half decent 8v cars for that sort of money. 205 GTis are creeping in 'classic' territory, but there are still plenty about!

You aren't going to get a S2 Rallye worth owning for under £2,000. Heck, you'll struggle to get a S1 Rallye you'd want to own for under £2,000, the scene tax on them is utterly retarded. Personally I'd rather spend the money on a 205 XS or something and drop a 16V TU into that.
 
Aye, looks like they are still commanding between £2000-2500 so maybe a S1 instead.
Revs harder anyway :D

Oh and the LAST thing I'd be doing is looking at one that's had some engine conversion done. It'll be a snakes pit of issues if you don't know exactly what you are looking for/at

S1's going in the region of £1300-£2000
 
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I only had a quick flick through Pistonheads and Autotrader for 205s, I was just surprised at the prices some of the standard unmolested ones. I'll start combing owners forums when I put my car up for sale but I haven't really considered engine conversions, mainly because I just prefer a standard car.

Cyanide said:
Bike stuff
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Thanks for that, I'll keep that in mind! Not now, I need a car really but it looks like it'll be easily doable in a year!
 
my choice would probably be a 205 however i would go for a 8v turbo engine conversion from a 406sri, mountains of torque and tunability and the 205 handles it v well.stock internals are good for around 300bhp too and is acheivable with new turbo and manifold + engine management to suit.
might not suit a few people who love the na revving the nuts off driving but i love them.
and i am also a bit fo a old skool pug fanboi

Regards
Andy

Edit: as for sourcing one 205gtidrivers normally has quite a few 205s for sale on it some are sheds but occasionally a pristine one crops up
 
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