New car, £5/6k budget.

[danza]

Crap interior build/platic quality aside, they're brilliant cars. Congrats.

Mine was a company car, and I passed it onto a colleague upon leaving the firm in November. He's astonished at how well it handles and grips, although like me complains at it feeling despetaely like it needs a 6th cog. It gets better MPG pootling from mainly his front door to work (1.5 miles @ average 38mpg) with a few longer journeys in between, than it did on the wife's work run every morning (13 miles of mainly A road at ~70mph @ 36mpg). Keep an eye out for leaks into the boot around the lights (wet boot floor carpet/wheel well). The gear linkage on mine broke, and you could go for 2nd or 1st and end up in 4th or 3rd respectively. This was a known issue though, and there's an updated, stronger replacement part. Don't think it was part of any recall, even though it was bloody dangerous trying to pull out of junctions in 3rd.

Mine was red, which seems the most common colour. Then Silver, black and finally metallic white (which I still haven't seen one of).

Those aren't the 'original' F1s on the front are they? Can't tell from the photo what the rears are.

 

[piggeh]

As in the tyres? Not sure.

The only A-road I do most days is the 50mph section of the A3, probably similar to what your mate was doing.

I actually quite liked the interior, it's not the soft touch plastic they have in some cars but having looked at a lot of cars recently it certainly holds its own, quality wise.

Couple more pics (all from the dealer's website)

 

[danza]

Looks nice.

The interior looks nice (no quirkiness like the Yaris or Twingo for instance, which is one major reason why I went for a Swift) and is very functional, just as you say - not the highest quality materials. However, all cars at this end of the size scale apart from the MINI and more recently the A1, have skimped on interior to keep sale price at a minimum. But then you get a lot more elsewhere with the Swift. Does yours have the false floor in the boot that you can store stuff in and put things on top of?

Mine rattled a bit, but that's not too big an issue. I actually rather miss it.

Oh, and the ashtray is removable and actually should live in the little compartment behind the handbrake.

 

[piggeh]

Looks nice.

The interior looks nice (no quirkiness like the Yaris or Twingo for instance, which is one major reason why I went for a Swift) and is very functional, just as you say - not the highest quality materials. However, all cars at this end of the size scale apart from the MINI and more recently the A1, have skimped on interior to keep sale price at a minimum. But then you get a lot more elsewhere with the Swift. Does yours have the false floor in the boot that you can store stuff in and put things on top of?

Mine rattled a bit, but that's not too big an issue. I actually rather miss it.

Oh, and the ashtray is removable and actually should live in the little compartment behind the handbrake.

I'm wondering what I've missed now! Didn't check the boot out to such an extent! Will have a look once I get it Have to say the keyless start is a bit quirky - rather than have a button to start it they've just exchanged the key slot for a plastic knob to turn it on.

Not a fan of the MINI anyway, took some driving lessons in one and they always seemed a bit of a novelty for novelty's sake (putting speedo in the middle for example).

I have option to part ex my Fabia, so going to place that on ebay during the week and if it goes for more than the part exchange value offered, will be a few more quids in Quite nice to have the chance to flog it privately with a car lined up to replace.

 

[danza]

Good stuff. Not sure the boot floor thing wasn't a later addition, so yours might not have it?

I could happily live with all the things I've mentioned against the Swift in this thread, but there was one thing that I didn't get on with the car - the pedals. They're very, very light coming from my Civic Type R, but then the cars are at opposite ends of the scale in that respect. I've never driven a car with such a heavy clutch before or since owning my Civic, or with such progressive feeling brakes. The Swift was a bit all or nothing and very light to operate in comparison, but I did get used to it when driving it on a frequent basis. I did find it very easy to stall though.

The keyless start and entry is great though. It takes a little getting used to, and almost seems to play up sometimes, but that's more likely me forgetting how to use it properly than anything. I tried to keyless enter/start my Civic on numerous occasions, and even left it with the key in the ignition a couple of times outside work after using the Swift! I must've absent-mindedly got out the Civic, pressed where the little rubber button is on the Swift door handle, and though 'there, that's all nice and locked now'.

The most fun I ever had driving a car was in my Swift around various twisty bits near to home. The Civic is much faster, but just doesn't go round bends the same at all. Steering in the Swift feels brilliant too, and is really confidence-inspiring. I found the driving position very good too. I did have to have the seat all the way back and down, but then I am 6'3" tall! The seats are quite good too, although I put a bit of weight on in the couple of years I had ine and found the bolsters a little snug sometimes .

Oh, and one ohter interseting thing with the Swift Sport is it will actually drift quite well for a FWD car (turning off TC and planting ones foot on roundabouts is a good way of doing this). One final thign I liked about the Swift was the engine note/exhaust note. It has that weird whizzy whooooooooooooooop sound under heavy acceleration like an old Mini, and a lovely burble for only a 1.6.

 

[piggeh]

Good stuff. Not sure the boot floor thing wasn't a later addition, so yours might not have it?

I could happily live with all the things I've mentioned against the Swift in this thread, but there was one thing that I didn't get on with the car - the pedals. They're very, very light coming from my Civic Type R, but then the cars are at opposite ends of the scale in that respect. I've never driven a car with such a heavy clutch before or since owning my Civic, or with such progressive feeling brakes. The Swift was a bit all or nothing and very light to operate in comparison, but I did get used to it when driving it on a frequent basis. I did find it very easy to stall though.

The keyless start and entry is great though. It takes a little getting used to, and almost seems to play up sometimes, but that's more likely me forgetting how to use it properly than anything. I tried to keyless enter/start my Civic on numerous occasions, and even left it with the key in the ignition a couple of times outside work after using the Swift! I must've absent-mindedly got out the Civic, pressed where the little rubber button is on the Swift door handle, and though 'there, that's all nice and locked now'.

The most fun I ever had driving a car was in my Swift around various twisty bits near to home. The Civic is much faster, but just doesn't go round bends the same at all. Steering in the Swift feels brilliant too, and is really confidence-inspiring. I found the driving position very good too. I did have to have the seat all the way back and down, but then I am 6'3" tall! The seats are quite good too, although I put a bit of weight on in the couple of years I had ine and found the bolsters a little snug sometimes .

Oh, and one ohter interseting thing with the Swift Sport is it will actually drift quite well for a FWD car (turning off TC and planting ones foot on roundabouts is a good way of doing this). One final thign I liked about the Swift was the engine note/exhaust note. It has that weird whizzy whooooooooooooooop sound under heavy acceleration like an old Mini, and a lovely burble for only a 1.6.

Cheers man, looking forward to it even more now The clutch pedal felt fine for me but then I'm going from a Fabia diesel to Swift so probably the other end of the spectrum from you!

Out of all the cars I've looked at it was really the only one which I actually felt excited about, and I think it's good to get something which I'll look forward to driving rather than something that might bore me senseless.

Will have to watch my weight, maybe extra motivation to lose a stone xD