If You Had...
- Thread starter Tute
- Start date
Okay, time for a bump to this as i'm really looking to buy anytime now.
After looking around, I've set a concrete budget at £12K and I've narrowed it down to basically the following:
Seat Leon Cupra (non R)
Golf R32
Focus ST (w/Mountune kit)
Mazda 3 MPS (facelift)
I've test driven all but the Leon (as there aren't many around where I live). The Golf has what I thought was a great engine but beyond that didn't really excite me. The Focus I drove was stock and a good drive with a decent engine but didn't feel as urgent as the Mazda or Golf, and it's also hard to get one with a decent spec (compared to the Golf/Mazda).
The Mazda I found to be the best all-rounder, quick and with all the toys. Also you can get ones with 20K on the clock and some of the original warranty left in the budget, whereas with the R32 I need to go much older.
Still, i'm finding it hard to actually commit to a decision. I'm going to be trading in the current car so I believe that rules out private sales.
I think I've ruled out everything else that might fit the criteria, and i'm happy with those four in the shortlist. It's just a case of actually making the decision.
What would OcUK Motors do/choose?
After looking around, I've set a concrete budget at £12K and I've narrowed it down to basically the following:
Seat Leon Cupra (non R)
Golf R32
Focus ST (w/Mountune kit)
Mazda 3 MPS (facelift)
I've test driven all but the Leon (as there aren't many around where I live). The Golf has what I thought was a great engine but beyond that didn't really excite me. The Focus I drove was stock and a good drive with a decent engine but didn't feel as urgent as the Mazda or Golf, and it's also hard to get one with a decent spec (compared to the Golf/Mazda).
The Mazda I found to be the best all-rounder, quick and with all the toys. Also you can get ones with 20K on the clock and some of the original warranty left in the budget, whereas with the R32 I need to go much older.
Still, i'm finding it hard to actually commit to a decision. I'm going to be trading in the current car so I believe that rules out private sales.
I think I've ruled out everything else that might fit the criteria, and i'm happy with those four in the shortlist. It's just a case of actually making the decision.
What would OcUK Motors do/choose?
Thanks, but Fox has already covered the "OMG HATCHBACK" rhetoric.
Because it would mean owning an E81?
The 1.4 yes, but the 1.75 ones seem to start at £15K and go upwards from there.
Thing is, I want to do the hot hatch thing for a couple of years before I move up to something bigger. I know that if I was to go, for say an E46 M3 now i'd never be able to make the downgrade in the future and it is something I just want to do.
Hence why Porsche/350Z never made the list.
Hence why Porsche/350Z never made the list.
Trust me, my heart wants me to find another £6K to drop on a Focus RS but my head wants to own a house at some point in my life.
Just to add to what you said about the R32, do you consider the Seat/Ford/Mazda to be noticeably less reliable than the Golf then?
Would it annoy you if I said i'd really like it to be a hatchback? I mean I've thought about this long and hard, I would say it's taken 6 months just to get to where I am.
I can't even explain why I want a hot hatch. It's like an itch, and I feel I must scratch it. I also have other itches - like an Evo itch, and an E90 M3 itch. But I can't afford either of those (yet).
I can't even explain why I want a hot hatch. It's like an itch, and I feel I must scratch it. I also have other itches - like an Evo itch, and an E90 M3 itch. But I can't afford either of those (yet).
You're not allowed to want what you want, you have to want what OcUK Motors wants
Personally, if an R32 was in anyway a consideration it'd have to be that. I know full well it's not meant to be as dynamically pleasing as the GTI and other hot hatch rivals but that engine... I just love them.
It wouldn't annoy me in the slightest (why would it?!)
I think if i had to have a hotch (ha, that was a typo, but it works nicely) i would have something like the GTI ED30 or Focus ST facelift.
The Mazda 3 MPS will freefall in value, the Golf R32, whilst has a nice engine noise, uses more fuel and isn't supposed to be as sharp as the GTI and the Seat Leon has, quite simply, one of the worst interiors i've laid eyes on. It's hideous.
I am coming from a Mk.2 Leon and the interior doesn't bother me that much. I'd just like it to not rattle or fall to bits (hence why nothing French made the list). [Edit] And CC is a requirement.
Also my tentative limit for power is around 225bhp upwards, i'd like it to feel considerably quicker than what I currently have (otherwise what's the point) and i'd like nothing older than about 2005/06.
Also VW's dealer network seems to have a very odd idea of what the Ed.30s are worth. None of them on there are anywhere near £10K!
MCS?
Oh, and the FN2 CTR is really not my cup of tea at all, coming from something that is basically all TORKS I think it would drive me insane. It's one of those cars that if you want one, you just "know" it, and I really don't.
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DZCC is the biggest one. Then there's the smaller stuff like the stereo upgrades, the privacy glass, keyless entry/start, PDC, USB/BT, and satnav. DZCC is not that common really, and ones with it tend to sell well before I can get there to have a look at the car in question.
I thought of the Mountune packages as i'm considering going with a warranty, not sure yet mind. Is the official Ford warranty worth bothering with or is it a "warranty direct special"?
It's just not the right time for an M3, yet.
My 2 pence....I've owned an R32 for just over 2 months now and to be honest I've not stopped smiling while driving it. I don't for a second regret buying this over the GTI (not sure if an ED30 would sway my decision?).
As others have mentioned, the noise is just addictive, it does have quite a decent selection of toys as standard with many being upgraded to include the RNS-510 nav unit and it genuinely feels like it's been put together properly. i.e. nothing rattles, squeaks or feels flimsy. While the GTI (and I guess the ED30 too) is probably sharper in the twistys, the R32 just feels planted everywhere (it felt more planted than the GTI I test drove). I don't drive like my hairs on fire but even still I've have no drama, understeer, wheels spinning etc in our current weather conditions on wet/greasy roads even when driving spiritedly and pulling away quickly from the lights. It really does inspire confidence.
According to the Roadtrip app I've been averaging about 24mpg over roughly 900 miles of mixed town, a-road and motorway which admittedly isn't amazing but still, the cost of petrol has dropped a few pence lately
Fuel isn't a massive concern. My usage has dropped a fair bit and poor economy really goes with the territory with this type of car. I'd like to avoid the £460 tax out of principle if I can though (pre-March 2006?).
What did you pay for it and how old is it?
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Such as? Try me.
Tempted but I get the impression it's on another level in running costs to the cars above, as well as the fact that I specifically want to scratch my hot hatch itch.
Come on Matt82, which hot hatch would you, personally have?
I'd rather have my extremeties shot at with a 50cal rifle than own a Mk2 Megane.
Now that's a good solution for the OP
Insurance is utterly biblical on these, for some reason. Twice the price of an E46 M3! Plus i'm an Evo man.
Scirocco R for £14K? Where?
Evos come with Evo running costs. I think i'd rather take my chances with an M3!
As an aside, I took out a Mountune'd Focus ST today and it's a much better car than the stock one. Big wafts of torque from 2.5K all the way up to the redline. A very decent car.
Only problem is the one I specifically drove. I know it's well specced, low miles, and quite new, but I can't bring myself to pay what they're asking for it (although bear in mind the upgrades to it are probably £2000 alone).
http://tarnockgarage.co.uk/used.php (it's the 59 plate ST3 in blue)
Out of interest, what's wrong with this to warrant the price?
http://www.mitsubishi-usedcars.co.u...78/mitsubishi-lancer-evolution-gsr-sst-fq-300
http://www.mitsubishi-usedcars.co.u...78/mitsubishi-lancer-evolution-gsr-sst-fq-300
Okay, this is where I am with it.
I like the Mazda, the Golf, and the Focus. They're all great cars. The thing is that I can't bring myself to part with more than about £10K for any of them - they're great but not worth that much in my eyes. That's not a problem for the Golf/Focus as you can get those for sub-£10K but the Mazda would mean going for a pre-facelift which I don't really want to do.
The idea of just skipping and going to the likes of an M3 or Evo does really tempt me as they are the kind of cars that warrant the extra money, but the running costs scare me with these.
Would someone versed in the workings of the M3/Evo give me an idea of what these are going to cost to run versus the hatchbacks? Is it going to be noticeably more? Am I over-reacting?
Thanks for all your help so far, I really appreciate it as I was worried that I was just going to get bashed to hell for wanting a hatchback.
I like the Mazda, the Golf, and the Focus. They're all great cars. The thing is that I can't bring myself to part with more than about £10K for any of them - they're great but not worth that much in my eyes. That's not a problem for the Golf/Focus as you can get those for sub-£10K but the Mazda would mean going for a pre-facelift which I don't really want to do.
The idea of just skipping and going to the likes of an M3 or Evo does really tempt me as they are the kind of cars that warrant the extra money, but the running costs scare me with these.
Would someone versed in the workings of the M3/Evo give me an idea of what these are going to cost to run versus the hatchbacks? Is it going to be noticeably more? Am I over-reacting?
Thanks for all your help so far, I really appreciate it as I was worried that I was just going to get bashed to hell for wanting a hatchback.
Lol, i'm happy to blow the original £14K if needed, but it would need to be on a car that feels like it warrants £14K, and none of those three do, sadly. I think that's why i'm unwilling to commit, simply because it feels like overspending.
All that time adamant that he wants a hatchback and now suddenly it's M3 / Evo land again. What a waste of time
Don't start. I just want to make sure i'm making the right decision here. When I bought the Leon I was technically spending someone else's money so it was easier. Now it's mine and it's a car i'm buying to enjoy I want to be certain I do it right.
Yes i'm going around in circles a bit but i'd rather do that than kneejerk into the first thing I see.
Can't see it doing more than 10-12K a year.
[TW]Fox;23472246 said:
Fair enough.
I would take the Focus RS over the Megane all day, every day. I also fail to believe that the Megane can overcome a 100bhp disadvantage enough to take an RS500 on the 'ring.
Of course, if you'd like to source me and it seems credible, i'll happily retract that.
Of course, if you'd like to source me and it seems credible, i'll happily retract that.