Retro hatchback ideas?

Crizzy

Crizzy

Crizzy

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Bristol
So possibly my two favourites are the 205 gti and mk2 golf gti.

However both are becoming difficult to find good examples without paying out silly money for them. Any ideas what else I could get on a small budget of 1k?

I've also considered the 306 gti-6 but again quite few and far between. I think I'd rather a hatchback over a coupe and I need back seats so no more mx5s! No other criteria really, but nothing too thirsty or unreliable.

Would love the 205 most of all but these are quickly becoming collectors items it seems, my advice if you have one - do not sell, these will be worth a fortune one day!
 
Why do you want a retro hatchback? What are you looking to get out of it? Are you handy with spanners?

Agree about the future collectability of the 205 GTI.

Edit: the cheaper end of the market for the Corrado 16v could probably be had for your budget.
 
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306 gti6 is a good option. All of the pluses of a 205 with a better engine and gearbox. Its got quite a lot of unique parts but luckily its not that expensive. Engine is great though.
You could even get a mint rallye for less than 3k these days.

Ive had one for a long time now and basically just cant bare parting with it. Ive put about 50k on it now. Had it 5 years or so.

The engine is quite impressive foe what it is and has a lot of features that you wouldnt expect.
Stainless manifold, double valve springs, baffled sump and the head is amazing. You can install a supercharger that will give 450hp but the head can flow for that as it is so its very free flowing.

I believe its also the most powerful 2 litre engine that doesnt use variable valve timing. Or a turbo.
 
I know that revisiting the past can often be disappointing, but I would love to find a nice example of a Renault 19 16v that I could buy again after someone wrote mine off almost 10 years ago.

I loved that car, finding a decent one for sale now (hell finding any for sale now) is a task in itself.

I ran it as cheaply as I could as was at uni then some naff jobs so would be nice to be able to have one to get up to scratch.

Totally not worth it from most angles, not that quick and dated, but loved the handling and the seats were still some of the comfiest I've sat in.

The 172 I had after was far superior in most ways, I'd still rather have a nice 19 I think but only if it was to be a second car.
 
Hades said:
Why do you want a retro hatchback? What are you looking to get out of it? Are you handy with spanners?

Agree about the future collectability of the 205 GTI.

Edit: the cheaper end of the market for the Corrado 16v could probably be had for your budget.
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The thing that got me into cars was the mk2 golf. There was something about that car at that time that made it a very special car. The way it looked the way it made you feel, well just about everything about it really.

When I passed my test there was no way I could afford to run and insure a golf, so I got the closest thing I could at the time which was a mk2 polo. I loved that little car, from its unconventional long body ('bread van' model) to its charming quad headlights, it wasn't a golf but it wasn't a million miles away.

Since then I've owned a number of cars and recently sold my mx5 due to the incoming of a small baby. At the moment we only have one car between us but when my wife returns to the working world it's going to mean that we'll most likely need another car.

My dad has an old 106 diesel 1.4 and while it's a bit of a heavy pig to drive there is something about it that takes me back to my younger days, it's ignited a bit of nostalgia in me and I found myself looking at cars that seemed so unattainable when I was young. Very little about modern hatchbacks get me excited as those cars that I used to obsess about when I was younger. To be honest it doesn't even have to be the GTI as even a standard golf driver or 205 would probably tick most of the boxes, it's not like they're even that fast nowadays anyway.

So there's my answer in quite a long winded way, I'm after something a bit retro to help me reclaim a bit of my youth I guess!
 
Here's a list (note: I haven't looked into their prices):

Ford Fiesta XR2
Ford Fiesta XR2i
Ford Fiesta RS
Ford Fiesta Zetec S
Citroen AX
Citroen Saxo VTR
Citroen Saxo VTS
Fiat Uno
Fiat Punto
MG ZR
Rover 25 :p
Proton Satria

Then you've got the various Astras, Novas, Golfs, Polos.

Then you've got the Jap stuff that I can't be bothered to look into.
 
Crizzy said:
The thing that got me into cars was the mk2 golf. There was something about that car at that time that made it a very special car. The way it looked the way it made you feel, well just about everything about it really.

When I passed my test there was no way I could afford to run and insure a golf, so I got the closest thing I could at the time which was a mk2 polo. I loved that little car, from its unconventional long body ('bread van' model) to its charming quad headlights, it wasn't a golf but it wasn't a million miles away.

Since then I've owned a number of cars and recently sold my mx5 due to the incoming of a small baby. At the moment we only have one car between us but when my wife returns to the working world it's going to mean that we'll most likely need another car.

My dad has an old 106 diesel 1.4 and while it's a bit of a heavy pig to drive there is something about it that takes me back to my younger days, it's ignited a bit of nostalgia in me and I found myself looking at cars that seemed so unattainable when I was young. Very little about modern hatchbacks get me excited as those cars that I used to obsess about when I was younger. To be honest it doesn't even have to be the GTI as even a standard golf driver or 205 would probably tick most of the boxes, it's not like they're even that fast nowadays anyway.

So there's my answer in quite a long winded way, I'm after something a bit retro to help me reclaim a bit of my youth I guess!
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Similar reasons to me getting a retro car a few years ago and I have loved every minute of it. I think that realistically you would probably need more than your current budget but good luck in your search. I would also look on the owners forums as you can get a far better feel for the car and owner on there.
 
I have a 106 Quicksilver. Fantastic little car. Nippy so can only imagine what the GTI is like. Lower it and tighten get bigger ARB's and you have a very fun car.

Toyo Proxies are 40 quid a wheel too lol. I want either a white rallye next or a indigo blue GTI.

Also. Ignore the book figures to 60. mine says 11.8 or something I done it in 9.5. The reason why the GTI is in the lower insurance bracket to the VTS is because the 0-60 is marketed at 8.4 when in reality its closer to 7 seconds. They filled the car up and done it. Cheeky gits. Better for us though.

Get a GTI.
 
Crizzy said:
So possibly my two favourites are the 205 gti and mk2 golf gti.

However both are becoming difficult to find good examples without paying out silly money for them. Any ideas what else I could get on a small budget of 1k?

I've also considered the 306 gti-6 but again quite few and far between. I think I'd rather a hatchback over a coupe and I need back seats so no more mx5s! No other criteria really, but nothing too thirsty or unreliable.

Would love the 205 most of all but these are quickly becoming collectors items it seems, my advice if you have one - do not sell, these will be worth a fortune one day!
Click to expand...

There's bags of choice, but for under a grand you'll struggle to get much from the 80s other than a Golf GTI, the Mk 2 is still fairly reasonable.

Later stuff like Saxo VTRs should be more achievable.

My 205 is parked up doing nothing. I just don't see the point in selling it, though I have literally no use for it.
 
For £1k you get neither a good example, nor a decent model IMO.

For a proper retro classic, you'll need to spend at least £2k, and then be prepared to spend that again fixing niggles and stuff any car of this age will require. It's got to be done for love, as it doesn't really make financial sense.

I would love a mk2 Golf, but I'd be looking to spend closer to £4k to get a properly sorted one.
 
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