tried to be sensible but think I've gone too far!
tried to be sensible but think I've gone too far!
Author
Discussion

motorsportbeng

Original Poster:

200 posts

177 months

Tuesday 10th July 2012
quotequote all
Hi all, I'm a 20 year old student with a bit of a car dilemma. Working in motorsport since I was 16 has meant I've always had cars which have never stayed standard and are silly and impractical, such as Fiesta's and BMW's which made too much noise and shook you to bits.
Acquiring a cheap tin top racer meant that tinkering scratch was itched, so I got a 8L Audi A3 1.8t that was meant to be a plain, reliable run around so I could concentrate on the track car. Its a great car, quickest thing I've owned, which drives smoothly and gets almost 40 to the gallon cruising along in 6th but I just cant get into it, there's no sort of character or fun factor with the lazy roley handling characteristics.
With my 21st birthday coming up I think I need to find a fun car that will stay standard but reflect my age a bit more, budget of around 4 grand and the only things that spring to mind to me are an EP3 Civic type R or a Seat Leon Cupra R.
Both return insurance quotes of a manageable grand a year which is good but if anyone has any other suggestions around the same sort of price/insurance bracket I would love to hear it.


okie592

2,711 posts

184 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
Focus St over a civic although civics are pretty fun, dont bother getting a leon, much the same to drive as a a3.

im sure some PHs will reply ether E46 or MX5, so you might as well get one of those.

motorsportbeng

Original Poster:

200 posts

177 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
cheers but they aren't really in my price range and I don't really fancy a mx5.
I was under the impression though that the leon cupra R's are meant to be a stiffer, tighter car to drive?

okie592

2,711 posts

184 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
motorsportbeng said:
cheers but they aren't really in my price range and I don't really fancy a mx5.
I was under the impression though that the leon cupra R's are meant to be a stiffer, tighter car to drive?
they are and its mainly down to the bushes and anti roll bars etc, alot of golf boys fit them to theirs so not really worth buying a whole new car over

but the s3, TT , golf octvia 1.8ts are all pretty much the same aswell

when i said focus st i meant st170 which a top spec minter should be less than £4k, defo worth a look in this size of car

how about a alfa?

slevin911

652 posts

193 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
Im 21 next sunday and have a 924,not on the road yet though.Will be will in your price range but they though lack power but if you are after handling etc they would be a could choice!

DanDC5

19,548 posts

184 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
okie592 said:
Focus St over a civic although civics are pretty fun, dont bother getting a leon, much the same to drive as a a3.

im sure some PHs will reply ether E46 or MX5, so you might as well get one of those.
Focus ST is neither a) more fun than a CTR. I've owned the Civic and driven an ST enough to know how fun it is, and have a friend who has gone from a Civic to the Focus, in his words, he misses the Civic but when he sells the Focus knows he won't miss it in the same way as it's not as much fun. and b) available for anywhere near £4k yet.

Buy the Civic, it's decent enough on fuel when cruising and so much more fun than the Leon ever will be.

LiamM45

1,035 posts

197 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
if you find the A3 1.8T boring, the Leon Cupra R will be just as boring, I have driven a couple and they just don't do anything for me.

Try a Mk3/Mk4 Seat Ibiza Cupra. A Mk3 with a K03s turbo setup, so around 230-240bhp (mine RR'd at 239bhp at RS Tuning last week) is pretty good fun, mine cracks 0-100mph in around 13 and a bit seconds so no slouch! Good fun little cars, just try and find one that's been well looked after.

Mr Happy

5,779 posts

237 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
You should be able to pick up a S14A 200SX for that kind of money. Get a UK spec Touring with the leather etc, and it's a nice place to sit too, while giving you a turbo'd RWD shove...

Going to a ST170 from a 1.8t A3 would be a daft move imo, you'd need to go up to a MK2 ST but there's no way on earth you'd get one for £4k!

There's always the leftfield choice of a C70 T5 with a RICA remap (as near as makes no odds) 300hp and more dead cows covering the inside than in an abattoir!

LCR265

1,222 posts

178 months

Wednesday 11th July 2012
quotequote all
I'm 20 and have a Leon Cupra R.

Powerful enough, easy to remap and fairly solid. Less common than the Golf, but the steering doesn't have the same feel as my old Focus or 106 GTi. That said, I'd still have the LCR over the CTR or ST170.