Recommend your 500 quid 'hot hatches'

Stormster

Stormster

Stormster

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I thought this might make an interesting thread for us who're skint and like a bit of cheap 'performance' from our cars - something relatively nippy that handles ok and is worth buying for the money people ask for them.

I might buy another car to play around with soon up to £500 - something cheap, nippy, sportyish, probably from the 80's era and am interested to see what you lot suggest :) Post cars which you think you'd be able to pick up that wont be TOTALLY busted for the money ;)

Stuff like 205GTi's, Nova GTE's, XR3i's and all that lot!

Cheers :D
 
VW Scirroco?

VW Golf GTi?

Astra GTE (Isn't the Nova GTE just a horrid rusty heap with stick on tat? Always thought the Astra was the proper hot hatch)

Lancia Delta Integrale?
 
Peugeot 205 GTi
Peugeot 309 GTi
Volkswagen Golf GTi Mk2 8v (16v will be poor for this money)
Volkswagen Jetta GTi 16v
Vauxhall Astra GTE 8/16v (16v will be poor for this money)
Vauxhall Nova GTE
Vauxhall Nova GSi
Vauxhall Nova Sport
Renault 5 GT Turbo (will be poor for this money)
Ford Escort XR3i
Ford Fiesta XR2
Ford Fiesta XR2i (starting to drop to this price recvently)
Citroen AX GT
Citroen AX GTi
Citroen BX GTi
Citroen BX GTi 16v
Toyota Corolla GTi (FWD)
Suzuki Swift GTi
Daihatsu Charade GTti (will be poor for this money)
Lancia Delta IE
Lancia Delta HF Turbo
Fiat Uno Turbo
 
er u sure it was an integrale and not just a delta???

Thats a ridiculous price for one.

if I was spending that probs a 309gti would be my choice.
 
Originally posted by alextgreen
Metro GTi tpi if you look and bargain hard and buy on a wet, cold monday morning.

First hand; they shift.
Click to expand...

There was an article in Car & Car conversion I think (only got it for teh rally design catalogue) which they did excatly that. Went out with £500 each and bought a track day car.

This is from memory, so may not be totally accurate :)

The cars:

BMW 325i (E reg?)
Astra GTE (F reg?)
Citroen BX GTi - didn't cost the allowed £500, and with the leftover got 2nd hand slicks.
Metro GTi 16v (H reg?)

Guess which one got the highest score (if not the fastest lap)? The metro :D :D :D I think they did that cos they overtook a Superu WRX thingy, and got a picture of the driver of that giving them the bird! Was a superb article.
 
Some good suggestions, keep 'em coming :D

What do people think of MK2 XR2's? I kinda stopped liking 'em a while back as every one I saw wasn't just rusty, the floorpan was completely rotten! Not good lol.

Still, saw one the other day and it looked well rapid. Sounded quite funky aswell, I think it was a good 'un :)
 
A mate of mine has recently had a couple of MK1 MR2's for that sort of money. They're nothing to look at (one of them was in a shed that collapsed around it :p) but mechanically sound and I can vouch that they go pretty well :D
 
Fiesta 1.6 S - similar performance to the XR2i (0-60 in 9secs)
 
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Originally posted by daz
Fiesta 1.6 S - similar performance to the XR2i (0-60 in 9secs)
Click to expand...

differant suspension, less... stuff if ya get me but a cheap option yes. 9.3 seconds ;)

there more like an XR2 but in the mk3 shell basically.
 
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Originally posted by nutcase_1uk
There was an article in Car & Car conversion I think (only got it for teh rally design catalogue) which they did excatly that. Went out with £500 each and bought a track day car.
Click to expand...

read that the other day, was a good read!!!
 
nope :) though I have seen some LHD 114GTis (rather than the metro name)

Another vote for hunting down a metro gti (especially J reg and later, again first hand they shift) £500 buys you a good early one or if you badger like CC&C a good looking later one. Oh and inCC&C the metro actually got the slowest times, but the BMW was near death, the astra had a big oil surge, the citroen was good, but slicks. It got good rating for reliability and driveability/handling and being the best condition oh and they liked going round the subarus and said it had the most potential (read see mikes 200BHP+ metro)

also the MG's:
MG Metro Turbo
MG Maestro
MG Maestro Turbo
MG Montego
MG Montego Turbo
--- getting rare now!

what about Si's car the 220 GSi turbo, he did not pay a lot??? and its rapid!

Reliant Scimitar SS1 - these seem to go for various prices :) 2 seats, cabriolet and ford xr3i or rover k series or nissan turbo engine! possibly tatty for £500 though

Volvo 480/480 Turbo -- smart and sporty
Volvo 360GLT -- 2 litre RWD, no need to pay £500

Polo GT?
 
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fiat uno turbo :D

HILARIOUS car :p Strip it out, up the boost put better brakes on and er it doesnt seem to have a rev limit :D £500 should buy quite a good one, only thing 2 watch out for is rust. DONT buy this car if u want something with gadgets though :)
 
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