RUN AWAY! It's another what car thread....

[LeeThr]

Well the inevitable has happened and the 206 GTi has died. Cant really complain though. I bought it for £400 and never intended to put it on the road, plus I have done about 10,000 miles in the poor thing. But by the end of the week I'll be back in my 1.4 which I dont really fancy the idea of for too long as it's not even half the power of the GTi & the GTi didnt cost me any more in fuel a week to run than the 1.4 did.

Anyway the plan is to break the GTi and get what I can for that should get my money back and a bit more hopefully. Then sell my 1.4 and go buy something else. Hopefully I should have around £1,500 to spend. Excluding insurance. However Im not too sure what I want next.

I wouldnt mind another 206 but I dont know what I would go for engine wise. I did at one point want the 1.6 16v XSi but after having the GTi I think the minor step back in power would put me off and I would end up spending on the engine to get it to a similar level to the GTi, in which case I should just go buy another GTi. Im not too keen on the idea of a GTi 180 as I did drive one a little while back and was left feeling very disappointed and thinking it was an extremly overrated car for what it was. It's a nice car too look at, I couldnt fault it in anyway, but to drive it was just missing the magic of a hot hatch. My GTi 138 allthough it was slower actually felt faster and more involved. So thats out the window. I think it will have to be another hot hatch next but I dont know what. Maybe a 205 GTi. But im also thinking of maybe a step in a different direction and getting a 406 Coupe with the 3.0L V6 engine as they really are going for pennies these days.

Anybody got any ideas/suggestions?

[Krikkit]

Letting out my biased opinions on French hatches I'd say a 106 Rallye.

Being objective I'd say a 309 GTI - reasonable ones come up for that cash and they're fantastic.

[LeeThr]

If I was to go after a 106 rallye I would want the S2 version which is a pretty rare car and as such does fetch a few £.

I have also been considering a 309 GTi as well. Not too sure though.

[williamp]

if you can get insurance, think barge. Luxo barge. With a v8 of some description. Xj8/xjr/merc s class/bmw/lexus.

[Emeye]

Instead of an unreliable french car, why not get an unreliable Italian car - like an Alfa? My 155 is still going strong (with the father-in-law) after buying it for £401 over a year ago. Has a few quirks but has never broke.

How about an Alfa 156? I'm tempted! Just try to buy one that has had the Belt and tensioners done recently.

Edited by Emeye on Wednesday 11th April 17:47

[LeeThr]

Insurance shouldnt be too much of an issue. The GTi cost me £1500 at the age of 18 with 1 years no claims and it is a group 28 car.

French electrics are bad enough without going to the italians.

[anonymous-user]

Clio 172
MG ZR
Proton Satira (had lotus involvement?)
Mk5 Escort RS2000
Alfa 147
Mazda MX-3
Toyota Corolla (there must have been a 3dr sport model)

sorry, thats little more than a random list of lukewarm to hot hatches but there is some scope there and you should be able to pick any of them up in reasonable condition for <£2K (maybe not the Alfa?) and they could all be a fairly rewarding drive

[Alfanatic]

156 v6. As long as the engine is growling away you won't care if the on board clock thinks its always sixty eight minutes past 888.

[si_xsi]

I take it your handy with a spanner then!

I'd go for a nice 106 GTI or series 1 xsi 1.6. Don't see many about now.

[Krikkit]

LeeThr said:

If I was to go after a 106 rallye I would want the S2 version which is a pretty rare car and as such does fetch a few £.

I have also been considering a 309 GTi as well. Not too sure though.

Plenty come up for sale - there's not many left, but regularly come up on the owner's club forums etc in various states of originality - from standard cars to completely stripped re-engined rally cars etc. £1500 gets you quite a bit.

Personally my blue S2 Rallye makes me a bit giddy every time I see it.

si_xsi said:

I take it your handy with a spanner then!

I'd go for a nice 106 GTI or series 1 xsi 1.6. Don't see many about now.

Good choices - GTI's are pretty cheap, XSI's are much harder to come by and a ballache to get the right parts (being half S1 and half S2).

[LeeThr]

si_xsi said:

I take it your handy with a spanner then!

I'd go for a nice 106 GTI or series 1 xsi 1.6. Don't see many about now.

Well ive just done a complete engine and gearbox change in my 1.4 206.
Had the old engine out and the new one in on two of its mounts with the whole wiring loom, coolant pipes and ancilleries swapped over in less than 12 hours with a 4 hour break in the middle whilst stuff happened with a lady friend

[DanDC5]

Clio 172.

[LeeThr]

Just spotted this in the classifieds... http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/3755216.htm

Anybody got any oppinions?

[Emeye]

LeeThr said:

Well ive just done a complete engine and gearbox change in my 1.4 206.
Had the old engine out and the new one in on two of its mounts with the whole wiring loom, coolant pipes and ancilleries swapped over in less than 12 hours with a 4 hour break in the middle whilst stuff happened with a lady friend

You did wash your hands didn't you, you stud?

[LeeThr]

Emeye said:

LeeThr said:

Well ive just done a complete engine and gearbox change in my 1.4 206.
Had the old engine out and the new one in on two of its mounts with the whole wiring loom, coolant pipes and ancilleries swapped over in less than 12 hours with a 4 hour break in the middle whilst stuff happened with a lady friend

You did wash your hands didn't you, you stud?

I had gloves and barrier cream on and I did wash my hands

[Emeye]

LeeThr said:

Emeye said:

LeeThr said:

Well ive just done a complete engine and gearbox change in my 1.4 206.
Had the old engine out and the new one in on two of its mounts with the whole wiring loom, coolant pipes and ancilleries swapped over in less than 12 hours with a 4 hour break in the middle whilst stuff happened with a lady friend

You did wash your hands didn't you, you stud?

I had gloves and barrier cream on and I did wash my hands

That is some awesome contraception.....

[Defcon5]

DanDC5 said:

Clio 172.

This man is correct

[Brett748]

As above. Clio 172. Reasonably quick, good on fuel and damn good fun. I've had one myself and now own a 182. I had to have another RS Clio, and I had the PH holy grail of a MK1 MX5 (brilliant) in between them.

[LeeThr]

Im a bit put off the 172 by the fact that a friend of mine has one and whilst it is a very capeable car when its running. He's had quite a few problems with his. Mainly the fact it just randomly chooses not to start. And the fault just cant be found. I really couldnt be doing with a car that was just going to stop unexepctedly every so often. With both 206's if somethings gone wrong its been pretty easy to diagnose.

[NadiR]

I quite like the idea of the 106 XSI that someone suggested above. However, have you considered Jap cars? A Civic VTI for example? Extremely reliable, shouldn't cause you any problems, and bags of fun.