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New Tin Top for SWMBO
Worzey - 8/2/10 at 01:53 PM

My wifes is after a new car to replace her Mazda 6.

I thought I'd throw it over to you lot for advice, suggestions and any experience of the vehicles in questions.

Her requirements are:

1) Must be sporty
2) Ideally 4/5 doors
3) Ideally 5 seats
4) Nice interior (read not plastic)
5) 1-3 years old (£15k budget)
6) Reasonable running costs
7) Must have "Wow" factor!!! - Subjective I know

We looked at the following already:

1) Renaultsport Clio 200 Cup - Great drive, basic interior (too plastic) - No go - she hated it.
2) Seat Leon Cupra R - Great fun, comfortable, fast, correct amount of doors and seats - no Wow factor - its a maybe.
3) Civic Type R GT - Looks cool, only 3 doors and only 4 seats - We've not driven it but its the current favorite due to WOW factor (but in red only)!

Considering:

Hyundai Coupe III
Mazda 3 MPS
Mazda RX8
Ford Focus ST
Renaultsport Megane 230 F1

Anything else we should be considering? Any views on the cars already suggested?

Anyone on here selling something like this?


blakep82 - 8/2/10 at 01:56 PM

from the list you posted, focus st would be my top of the list, rx8 2nd, i personally aren't interested in the others lol.

is she wanting to buy a brand new one. i'm very much liking the focus's at the minute. in white

ah, i see now, 1-3 years old

[Edited on 8/2/10 by blakep82]


deezee - 8/2/10 at 01:59 PM

I heard NASA are selling some shuttles. They have doors, seats and also the WOW factor. They are very sporty with a nice interior.



tegwin - 8/2/10 at 02:02 PM

Isnt there a sporty volvo R thingy.... not sure how much it is... but the pictures I spotted last night looked quite interesting....


Worzey - 8/2/10 at 02:02 PM

quote:
Originally posted by deezee
I heard NASA are selling some shuttles. They have doors, seats and also the WOW factor. They are very sporty with a nice interior.





Nice Idea - but I suspect budget and running costs might be out-of-this-world.

Although, its a fun way to take the kids to school - they'd be over the moon.


iscmatt - 8/2/10 at 02:07 PM

Vovlo C30 R Design 2.0 Pre-facelift to be within budget

or perhaps Abarth 500 which is new and in budget


iscmatt - 8/2/10 at 02:07 PM

Oh and to add, from your list i would take the closest look at the ford and seat


deezee - 8/2/10 at 02:12 PM

quote:
Originally posted by Worzey

Nice Idea - but I suspect budget and running costs might be out-of-this-world.

Although, its a fun way to take the kids to school - they'd be over the moon.


LOL True, True..... but it would make the school run in under 20 seconds, although you'd have to repack the parachute after each run.


carpmart - 8/2/10 at 02:41 PM

From your list I would go for the Ford Focus ST.

Not on your list, what about a 3 series?

Finally, what about a VW Scirroco?


sucksqueezebangblow - 8/2/10 at 03:01 PM

BMW 120d
BMW 320i SE Saloon
Audi A3 Sportback
Volkswagen Golf 2.0 GT Sport TDI Diesel


Danozeman - 8/2/10 at 03:07 PM

For me Leon Cupra R and Focus ST3.


richardR1 - 8/2/10 at 04:11 PM

Focus drinks fuel like crazy so might not be inline with your reasonable running costs requirements. Can thoroughly recommend the Leon, girlfriend has an FR TDi with 170bhp and is a fantastic car, goes very well and always between 40 and 50mpg. She bought hers for £11.5k on a 57 plate when it was a year old with 13000 on the clock so you will have plenty left in the budget to maybe add a little bit to the wow factor.
We went to the south coast of France last August in hers and i drove non-stop (apart from an hour on the ferry and diesel stop) from Hull to Bandol just along the coast from Monaco. Very healthy average speed and mid 40's to the gallon.
If you want more WOW and less mpg get a Power Red Astra VXR for £13k and add 3" Piper exhaust, dreamscience remap and rear anti-roll bar. I bought mine new in 2008 and love it.


phoenix70 - 8/2/10 at 04:33 PM

Unless they modified the suspension on the Civic Type-R, I wouldn't buy one. I like a car with a firm ride, but I'd rather end my journey with my fillings still in place.

Cheers

Scott


TimC - 8/2/10 at 04:51 PM

This isn't perhaps what I'd have but it seems to fit your criteria pretty well:
Passat CC

ETA: Sorry, went away from PC and came back thinking budget was £15-17.5k.

My bad.

[Edited on 8/2/10 by TimC]


Worzey - 8/2/10 at 05:27 PM

Thanks for the input so far.

BMW 1 or 3 series might be an option.

I used to own an Audi A3 Sportback 140 TDi Sline DSG - so she want's different thats also easier to say.

Golf GTI's don't have the WOW factor apparently.

We've got the Civic test drive booked on Saturday back-to-back with the Type S 2.2 CDTi so I'll let you know how this goes.

The Ford ST is a great car - but its a Ford - her view on everything blue oval is based on a poverty spec 1.0 fiesta from 1986 that she owned- all other Fords are crap by association - I'm trying to change her view

Astra VXR - Now there's a thought - too plasticy?

Can you get a Scirocco for £15k? That might be a goer!


richardR1 - 8/2/10 at 05:42 PM

Not going to pretend the Astra is BMW like inside but i rather like mine, the later ones with the Piano Black fascia do look nice and the standard Recaro seats are excellent. It is also very well made and hasn't given me a single problem. At the least I would recommend giving one a test drive, might not be for you but i doubt you will find it dull. The dreamscience remaps are fantastic as well, simply plug the handset into the port under the dash and select from the different maps on there and return to standard whenever you need to. Combine this with a 3" exhaust system and you looking at 285bhp

Description
Description


[Edited on 8/2/10 by richardR1]


omega0684 - 8/2/10 at 06:23 PM

dare i say it, Astra Diesel 1.9 cdti (ti in red) 150 bhp, very punchy!

does it meet your preference

1) Must be sporty - YES
2) Ideally 4/5 doors - YES
3) Ideally 5 seats - Yes
4) Nice interior (read not plastic) - Not to Bad
5) 1-3 years old (£15k budget) - YES
6) Reasonable running costs - YES
7) Must have "Wow" factor!!! - Subjective I know - Stick some VXR alloys on it & YES


richardR1 - 8/2/10 at 07:38 PM

quote:
Originally posted by omega0684
dare i say it, Astra Diesel 1.9 cdti (ti in red) 150 bhp, very punchy!

does it meet your preference

1) Must be sporty - YES
2) Ideally 4/5 doors - YES
3) Ideally 5 seats - Yes
4) Nice interior (read not plastic) - Not to Bad
5) 1-3 years old (£15k budget) - YES
6) Reasonable running costs - YES
7) Must have "Wow" factor!!! - Subjective I know - Stick some VXR alloys on it & YES


And remaps to 200bhp


l0rd - 8/2/10 at 09:09 PM

get her that 4 seater kit car.

4 seat, sporty, fibreglass interior, pleny of doors


iank - 8/2/10 at 09:16 PM

Jaguar X type 2.2d 2007 with 25000 on the clock for less than £14k?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1488580.htm

or more sporty, but less economical what about a 3.0 S type?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1396433.htm


skinned knuckles - 8/2/10 at 09:24 PM

iank is right about the jag. meets all your requirements and it tunes up something ludicrous!

not sure what he had done but my cousins dad-in-law had his tuned up to the point it outran my mates tuned st220 mundano down country lanes and dual carriageways


l0rd - 8/2/10 at 09:31 PM

quote:
Originally posted by iank
Jaguar X type 2.2d 2007 with 25000 on the clock for less than £14k?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1488580.htm

or more sporty, but less economical what about a 3.0 S type?

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/1396433.htm


Did you mean a depresiation X type and S type?

Is tha Jaguar a nickname?

quote:
Originally posted by skinned knuckles
iank is right about the jag. meets all your requirements and it tunes up something ludicrous!

not sure what he had done but my cousins dad-in-law had his tuned up to the point it outran my mates tuned st220 mundano down country lanes and dual carriageways


Could be but the depriciation kept up with it.

[Edited on 8/2/10 by l0rd]