No Brainer right ?

Author
Discussion

kiseca

9,339 posts

219 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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I tried a Mk4 Golf GTI turbo, and found that a dull drive, no idea how much worse a 1.6 would be. On the other hand, if it's your dad's then it's a car you know whether or not you can trust. It will probably be fine for the day to day stuff.

Never driven a 206 but even the GTI hardly set the motoring press on fire at the time. Peugeot haven't been known for producing decent drivers cars for a long time now and the 206 was the first in a long list of disappointing offerings. So even though it's a 2.0 and has a GTI badge I wouldn't rely on it being entertaining. Just a bit quicker, smaller, and tinnier.

Or, to put it another way, from what I know of the cars the Mk4 Golf is very good at being a practical, comfortable, premium feeling family hatchback. The 206GTI is not particularly good at being an involving, exciting, hot supermini.

Edited by kiseca on Saturday 1st November 08:51

BritishRacinGrin

24,635 posts

160 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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I beleive the Golf GTI came with the gearbox that didn't randomly blow itself to bits. 1400 and 1600 ones did.

Ed.

2,173 posts

238 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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The only 206 I drove had pedals offset to the middle and the clutch was set far higher than the brake. This may have just been the knackered one I drove but it annoyed me. Any reason other cars can't be considered?

CoolHands

18,604 posts

195 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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the golf is a boring tub of lard

80quattro

1,725 posts

195 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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The Golf is definitely the most un-GTi driving experience ever. A 1.6 must be utter pants.

I would go for the Peugeot. Quicker 0-60 and more fun than the Golf !

skyrover

12,671 posts

204 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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both poorly built crap boxes IMO

my money would go on a honda civic

SidewaysSi

10,742 posts

234 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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Both are junk. Get a 306 or a Mk1 Focus IMO

80quattro

1,725 posts

195 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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SidewaysSi said:
Both are junk. Get a 306 or a Mk1 Focus IMO
+1

My missus had a couple of 306's a few years ago. Both great cars. They are disappearing quickly out of the classifieds now.

ManOpener

12,467 posts

169 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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The Crack Fox said:
shake n bake said:
The 206, unless you have no interest in driving.
I love driving, but I'd rather crawl naked over a million dog turds than to drive a 206.
When learning to drive I used two instructors. One had a K12 Micra 1.2 in beige, the other a blue 206 HDI. If I had to drive one of them for the rest of my life, it would undoubtedly be the Micra.

Oilchange

8,447 posts

260 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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correct answer
shake n bake said:
The 206, unless you have no interest in driving.

Baz Tench

5,648 posts

190 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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Neither. I just died a bit inside just thinking about those two.

I would be looking at a Suzuki Swift Sport.

blearyeyedboy

6,283 posts

179 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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OP, is the correct answer "Use a taxi/bus/hire car until you find a car that suits you"?

My first car was bought under time pressure. I would never do so again; it broke down regularly and cost me more than its worth to keep it on the road for two years.

The Crack Fox said:
I love driving, but I'd rather crawl naked over a million dog turds than to drive a 206.
Really? I'll buy you a pint if you crawl over a single dog turd in preference to driving any small hatchback for 20 yards, never mind a million bits of poo... rofl

Cledus Snow

2,090 posts

188 months

Saturday 1st November 2014
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e21Mark said:
Cledus Snow said:
MiniMonty said:
'88 Austin Cooper
A what?
Mini


Edited by e21Mark on Saturday 1st November 07:55
1988 Cooper? Don't think so.
1961 to 1969 and then from 1990 to 2000.

Leptons

5,113 posts

176 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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Nearly £2k to spend and that's the best you can come up with? They're also sub £800 cars.

Oilchange

8,447 posts

260 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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I'm amused by the dislike for the Peugeot, they are seen regularly out on track as racing cars and being featherweight/ 2 litre powered they really do hold their own against bigger stuff, particularly in the twisties.
I have had some great duels with a couple of drivers in my Esprit at Anglesey, Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.

Blaster72

10,824 posts

197 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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Cledus Snow said:
1988 Cooper? Don't think so.
1961 to 1969 and then from 1990 to 2000.
I think he meant Rover Mini not Austin Cooper

kiseca

9,339 posts

219 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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Oilchange said:
I'm amused by the dislike for the Peugeot, they are seen regularly out on track as racing cars and being featherweight/ 2 litre powered they really do hold their own against bigger stuff, particularly in the twisties.
I have had some great duels with a couple of drivers in my Esprit at Anglesey, Oulton Park and Brands Hatch.
I don't think anyone is saying the 206GTI is slow.

Oilchange

8,447 posts

260 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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No, fair enough, but the original post alluded to the Golf being the logical choice. Why? Reliability? I wouldn't call anything VAG as any more reliable than any other French or Italian stuff out there
206's are cheap and easy to work on and the engines and gearboxes are pretty strong.

One guy thrashes his car racing then garages it and it doesn't see sunlight till the next meet. Still has air con/stereo too.

e21Mark

16,205 posts

173 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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We had a MK3 Golf and gave the bloody thing away, just to be rid of it. It used to get though a coil every few weeks and had no end of annoying problems.

loskie

5,196 posts

120 months

Sunday 2nd November 2014
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I had a 92(J) mk3 Golf 1.8cl. Bought at Auction for £3.5K at about 5 years old and 55000m. Ran it till 12 yr old and 180000m. It had a very hard life up forest and farm roads but was serviced as and when required. Sold it for £600 to someone who used it for a van for a year , he then sold it to a girl who had just passed her test.

IMHO far more robust than cars built today. As was my 1999 Octavia that followed it.