Which hot hatch?

[blearyeyedboy]

Turn the question on its head: which would you regret not buying?

[Yipper]

Get a Porsche Cayman for ~15k and a cheap Nissan (or whatever) for ~1k and the B&Q run...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

[stuart_83]

Yipper said:

Get a Porsche Cayman for ~15k and a cheap Nissan (or whatever) for ~1k and the B&Q run...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

I've looked at the Cayman (specifically the 'S') but there's two things that put me off it; bore scoring, and service costs. Both are huge potential money pits.

Golf R is fantastic admittedly, and I could scrape one in the budget, but I don't have a garage to sit it in and am scared of theft. My brother's mate is a local copper who advised me not to touch one unless I got GAP insurance and an Alsatian in the house!

[stuart_83]

blearyeyedboy said:

Turn the question on its head: which would you regret not buying?

The Megane.

All day every day. The Cupra is a magnificent car and I would be over the moon to own one, but the Megane actually gets me inappropriately excited.

[Ahbefive]

I'm surprised that anyone would ever actually want a Leon. They are just so bland and forgettable. The mk1 was a smart looking car but the latest one is just zzzzzzz.

I'd much rather a Golf R and GAP insurance or the Megane. Either way I'd still go GAP insurance.

[DoubleD]

stuart_83 said:

blearyeyedboy said:

Turn the question on its head: which would you regret not buying?

The Megane.

All day every day. The Cupra is a magnificent car and I would be over the moon to own one, but the Megane actually gets me inappropriately excited.

I think that answers your question. If the Cupra is boring now, imagine what it would be like in a years time.

[ZX10R NIN]

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.
[/quote]

Faster where? Down a A/B road the Megane will out class the Golf R & a manual Golf R is pretty similar to the Megane in acceleration terms.

The Golf R is slower than the RS265 Megane.

[DoubleD]

Fun is more important than fast for me.

[stuart_83]

My MK1 Cupra R was a fantastic machine ... probably have fonder memories of that than my 3 x RS Clios.

Anyway, I've spoken to the dealer and am due a call in the morning about the Megane.

Hopefully put a retainer / deposit on it tomorrow. Fingers crossed! This one specifically is the one I'd have ... if it goes I may reconsider my choice. You'll see why once all is sorted!

Edited by stuart_83 on Monday 5th December 20:13

[Yipper]

stuart_83 said:

Yipper said:

Get a Porsche Cayman for ~15k and a cheap Nissan (or whatever) for ~1k and the B&Q run...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

I've looked at the Cayman (specifically the 'S') but there's two things that put me off it; bore scoring, and service costs. Both are huge potential money pits.

Golf R is fantastic admittedly, and I could scrape one in the budget, but I don't have a garage to sit it in and am scared of theft. My brother's mate is a local copper who advised me not to touch one unless I got GAP insurance and an Alsatian in the house!

Shouldn't really let a bunch of ratboys stop you enjoying life. Just get GAP insurance, a stoplock and a motion-sensor outdoor light.

[Yipper]

ZX10R NIN said:

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

[quote]Faster where? Down a A/B road the Megane will out class the Golf R & a manual Golf R is pretty similar to the Megane in acceleration terms.

The Golf R is slower than the RS265 Megane.

A Golf R DSG is almost 2 seconds faster to 60mph and on the 1/4-mile than a Megane RS265. Get a cheap remap and the R is roughly 20 seconds faster than the Megane round the Nurb.

Edited by Yipper on Monday 5th December 20:26

[stuart_83]

Yipper said:

Shouldn't really let a bunch of ratboys stop you enjoying life. Just get GAP insurance, a stoplock and a motion-sensor outdoor light.

I know ... to be honest I'm more concerned someone taking the girlfriend's car when coming in for my keys, or damaging it.

She's had it for 10 years, and loves it to bits. Would hate to think of someone taking it while they're nicking my keys.

Just don't want to attract attention for the sake of it if I'm honest. I've been a Renaultsport fanboy for about a decade (I'm 33) and had my first Clio 172 at 21, so as you can probably tell from the thread I've been leaning more that way!

[DoubleD]

Yipper said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

[quote]Faster where? Down a A/B road the Megane will out class the Golf R & a manual Golf R is pretty similar to the Megane in acceleration terms.

The Golf R is slower than the RS265 Megane.

A Golf R DSG is almost 2 seconds faster to 60mph and on the 1/4-mile than a Megane RS265. Get a cheap remap and the R is roughly 20 seconds faster than the Megane round the Nurb.

Edited by Yipper on Monday 5th December 20:26

But is it more fun to drive than the Megane?

[ZX10R NIN]

Yipper said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

Faster where? Down a A/B road the Megane will out class the Golf R & a manual Golf R is pretty similar to the Megane in acceleration terms.

The Golf R is slower than the RS265 Megane around a lap.

Yipper said:

A Golf R DSG is almost 2 seconds faster to 60mph and on the 1/4-mile than a Megane RS265. Get a cheap remap and the R is roughly 20 seconds faster than the Megane round the Nurb.

You did note I said manual Megane vs Manual Golf R (the DSG will always be faster) do you not think you can map the Megane, having driven both they're different types of car but I'd take the Megane every time.

[stuart_83]

I've not driven the Golf R, but suspect it's a bit of a weapon.

Liked the Cupra loads, especially how effortlessly it moved through the gears with the DSG.

But driving the Megane ... Whole other level of fun. The way the speed builds is far different to the VW group cars, the way it feels and grips ... Even at low speed I think it felt more rewarding. Just felt like something special, a feeling I didn't get from the Cupra. It was incredibly proficient, just lacks that edge that the Megane has.

It's something you can't put your finger on ... Everyone should have a go!

[blearyeyedboy]

DoubleD said:

stuart_83 said:

blearyeyedboy said:

Turn the question on its head: which would you regret not buying?

The Megane.

All day every day. The Cupra is a magnificent car and I would be over the moon to own one, but the Megane actually gets me inappropriately excited.

I think that answers your question. If the Cupra is boring now, imagine what it would be like in a years time.

I'm now 37. The Megane is the car I regret not buying 4-5 years ago. The need for an estate in my life now rules that out for many years.

I'm hoping that I can buy my "classic" Megane for buttons once the world has moved on a bit... but I'm likely to be in my 50's before that will work in my life.

I'm loving the Dad Wagon that is my Octavia vRS, but if you don't consider me a role model then think of me as a terrible lesson.

[Chongwong]

My cup packed RS250 Megane has averaged 33mpg over the last 6000 miles... I'm not gentle either as I take it out for a thrash at least twice a month. In daily driving I don't drive like Miss Daisy either. You will not regret the Megane, I've never had a car that makes me smile as much.

[nunpuncher]

I went through the Cupra or megane (265 I was looking at) a few months back. I actually had already ordered a Cupra on the cheap lease deals but every time I looked at one I just felt completely uninspired.

I've always been a hot hatch person but never had a megane so I just felt I should own a megane so I read up on all the variants and tracked one down with the cup chassis at a dealers not far away. I took it for a good long drive and there is absolutely no questioning that that thing is a better drivers car and far more rewarding in that sense than the Cupra will ever be. However, after just over an hour of mixed driving on Scottish roads it's nature of wanting to be "on it" all the time was starting to annoy me. I'm 40 years old now and probably about 5% of the time I'm in the car I want to pretend I'm a racing driver. I don't know if it really is my age that's softened me or the last 2 years spent in a Golf R just has me appreciating a car where you can turn the wick up or down to suit. Hell, I can even look past the fake noise as at least it lets me travel in peace after those harder days at work or if I've been up half the night with the kids.

If you're still patient enough to tolerate a harder car then you should definitely Do the megane now. I think I could only handle it if my driving was purely pleasure and I never had to transport family in it. FWIW I also think the megane will hold its value much better than the Cupra.

[GrumpyTwig]

Yipper said:

Get a Porsche Cayman for ~15k and a cheap Nissan (or whatever) for ~1k and the B&Q run...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

Or just get a 2014 Golf R. Much faster and sturdier than a Cupra or Megane.

Only from a standing start, Cupra and Megane fairly on par otherwise and dynamically better.

[nunpuncher]

Both the cupra and the megane consistently post better lap times than the golf R on tests. The golfs party trick is being able to launch without fuss and therefore posting impressive 0-60 and reasonable 1/4 mile times.

From 30mph+ I'd say my golf actually felt slower than the cupra as they are pretty much identical power yet the cupra is slightly lighter with less transmission loss.