Folks,
I'm looking for a little hot hatch as a second car, with about £3000 to spend. Think I'd like a Saxo VTS or similar. Any thoughts?
I know shopping around to find a car that hasn't been thrashed or hooned around in will be crucial. I also don't won't to buy a modified one to keep insurance costs normal.
Thanks.
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If age isn't a barrier, what about a 205 GTi 1.9? Kev (Blue Haddock) will be able to recommend an owners club for you that will have plenty of good examples.
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If age isn't a barrier, what about a 205 GTi 1.9? Kev (Blue Haddock) will be able to recommend an owners club for you that will have plenty of good examples.
Did i hear my name mentioned!
If your looking at buying a sporting Pug have a look at www.pughosting.co.uk/forum which is the home of the Peugeot Sport Official Owners Club. The three possibilities than spring to mind are the 106 GTI, 205 1.9 GTI and the 306 GTI6.
My choice would probably be a 106 GTi as it's a good mix of speed, handling and fun. There was a top gear special a few years back where it came second only to a Ferrari in a handling contest. You will also be more likely to find a 106 GTi that hasn't been thrashed compared to the Saxo VTS which were often sold to young kids with the offer of free insurance and cheap finance.
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I wouldn't put 'pocket rocket' in Google search if I were you, although you might find an owner club...........
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I wouldn't put 'pocket rocket' in Google search if I were you, although you might find an owner club...........
I just had to do it.....PMSL
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I just had to do it.....PMSL
And me!
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Not everyone's cup of tea, but the 1.6/1.8 VTi Honda Civics are reliable, very quick and handle well. Available in 3/5 door hatch, also 2 door coupe. Plenty around at £3000. Ignore any without a full service history.
Ed.
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Is a Polo G40 too old for you? Not as quick as the 205 GTi 1.9, but keeps up with 205 GTi 1.6 though.
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google-expect you'd have quite a bit of change from your 3k for that kind of pocket rocket!!
There's an excellent looking G40 site if you google. Don't seem to have been many RHD models made though.
Is the 106Gti immune from all those ECU fragility/quality issues the reputedly afflict the 205? Or might one be better off with a 1.9 with an ECU upgrade? Only ask because I adored the 2 205s I owned, albeit diesel with penchant for consuming tie bar things.
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www.bayingbasset.com
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What about the 106 Rallye, it was a cracking little motor, but you have to keep the revs up to make it fun - I preferred it to the GTI, but then I liked the "basic" look of it.
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Personally i think that the 106 Rallye is overly expensive for what it is - you will get a better 106 GTi for the same money as a tired 106 Rallye. Plus it's got all the toys on it too.
The reason i didn't recomend a 205 GTi is that even on nice tidy low mileage examples you will need to repair and replace items such as the bottom arms and the valve stem oil seals. These aren't that expensive if you do them yourself but if you get someone to do them for you it will be expensive.
If you want to have a look at possible options try this company. They're not the cheapest around but it will give you an idea of the sort of thing you are looking at.
www.justgtis.com/
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How about an Alfa Romeo 145 Cloverleaf.
2.0 Twin Spark engine, pure, unadulterated fun in a small(ish) car that handles fantastically.
They can also be had for about £1500 and they don't get modded or driven by chavs.
look at forum.alfa145.com for more info.
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Can't believe I didn't post that.
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not quite a pocket rocket,,but ive been looking at spending that sort of money and i found these cars
NISSAN 300ZX TURBO (h reg or thereabouts)
MARK II GOLF GTI(or corrado)
TOYOTA SUPRA (l reg or there abouts)
big cars and faster than your pockets rockets..
mine will be a spare car for a bit of fun :-)
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www.storme.co.uk
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what age are you looking at? this makes a big difference to choices.
under 5 years old? then the VTS is a fast car but I'd happily trade some of that speed for better build quality of an alternative (?)
I just sold my VW Polo 16v (99) for 3k and to be honest it was a fantastic car. Fast and well built, absolutely immaculate and very well built so picking another up at that price should be easy. They are 100bhp standard but in reality a little more than this.
Not sure what else you can get at about 5 or 6 years old, are you thinking older? If so then the mk2 golf is definitely a pocket rocket with character.
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Fiesta turbo. Lots of go and torque steer.
For £3k you'll get a good one. Standard ones (unmodded) best).
Watch for fakes from XR2is
madf
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If you have bigger pockets for a bigger rocket, how about a Citroen ZX Volcane?
I had the Volcane Turbo Diesel which was fast and economical, I expect the petrol one would be quicker off the mark
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Does the ZX Volcane use the same 155bhp Engine from the 306 S16 >>
If you can live with the smallness and cramped peddles of the 106 GTI get this (Or Saxo VTS if you want something cheaper but with more jip from other road users) or a 306 gTI 6/ Rallye if you want something bigger faster but less foregiving and more thirsty on the fuel Or the Xsara VTS, Same Engine, 5 gears less Kudos but can pick up a 5 year old model probably fot £3k
What's with the 106 Rallye talk - 100bhp and you have to rev the tits off them to get anywhere fast, after a while it becomes annoying.
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all hot hatches are thrashed thats why they are bought, the vicars wifes second sister might have owned an unthrashed one but i bought that last week,go by your gut feeling and hpi afore ye buy.
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
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Does the ZX Volcane use the same 155bhp Engine from the 306 S16 >> If you can live with the smallness and cramped peddles of the 106 GTI get this (Or Saxo VTS if you want something cheaper but with more jip from other road users) or a 306 gTI 6/ Rallye if you want something bigger faster but less foregiving and more thirsty on the fuel Or the Xsara VTS, Same Engine, 5 gears less Kudos but can pick up a 5 year old model probably fot £3k What's with the 106 Rallye talk - 100bhp and you have to rev the tits off them to get anywhere fast, after a while it becomes annoying.
Yes the ZX 16v does share the same 2.0 16v engine as the S16 and yesthe 306 GTI6/Rallye does share an engine with the Xsara VTS.
I'd always prefer a 106 GTI to a 106 Rallye - more power and toys for less money and more liekly to find an unabused example.
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You can't say all Hot Hatches are thrashed, Mine's too fragile to thrash and too uneconomical although now I have 4 new Tyres, new shocks and discs and pads all round that may change soon !
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do you not have a 306 GTI6 ian? that's just asking to be wrung by the skin of it's neck!
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You can't say all Hot Hatches are thrashed, Mine's too fragile to thrash and too uneconomical although now I have 4 new Tyres, new shocks and discs and pads all round that may change soon !
whats the point in owning it if it doesnt get the occasional therapy? i posted on here a few weeks ago that i dont redline cars but i didnt say i didnt clear their tubes out either
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
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Occasional Blast and Thrashed are different things.
Of course mine get the occasional blast but i don't scream round the streets in it and it's V highly maintained as it's now on 103k and recent rolling roads show it is only 2 bhp down on standard.
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surely the peak torque is at the redline? and standing still so its easier to keep it there than let the throttle off?sorry not trying to say anything bad but i always found rolling roads got the worst out of owners/ operators and havent been on one since the 80"s so things might have changed?
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\"a little man in a big world/\"
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ibiza cupra sport 16v and have change, i fancy one of those myself.
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What about a Citroen Xsara VTS?
170bhp - it's mechanically the same as the 306 GTi-6 except for the lack of 6 speed box. Good news is that it costs half what a decent GTi-6 does.
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