Car Advice: petrol warm hatch? 40 MPG+ im out of ideas...

[DanQyou]

Hi Guys,

I currently drive a Mini Cooper D which is OK, but im looking to change for something a bit more fun to throw around. Im not ever really going to push the handling to its limits but do enjoy putting my foot down. Would really like a great sounding warm hatch such as an abarth 500 135hp but that wouldn't be good to run getting low 30's real mpg over my mileage. Not sure if this would even exist but the following is what im looking for:

Petrol
(happy with Manual or a GOOD auto (DSG))
sub 8.5 to 60 <- This isnt a Major thing I just want the car to feel fast, for example I had a DS3 THP which did 0-60 in 7.4 and a Guilietta which did it in 7.9 but the Guilietta felt a lot faster.
40+ real MPG (would be happy with 37+)
Decent sounding engine
With regards to price 11k max but no real minimum (as it would be great to find something cheaper and spend less money!)
Reasonably reliable (im terrible with spanners)

Thanks in advance guys!

Dan.

[anonymous-user]

Only way I can think you're going to get that performance and economy combo is LPG, unless you're willing to drive everywhere with economy in mind which you say you're not.

You must do mega mileage for mpg to be such a big deal?

[DanQyou]

20k a year roughly.

[lemonslap]

How about the Vw Polo Blue GT?

[s m]

DanQyou said:

Hi Guys,

I currently drive a Mini Cooper D which is OK, but im looking to change for something a bit more fun to throw around. Im not ever really going to push the handling to its limits but do enjoy putting my foot down. Would really like a great sounding warm hatch such as an abarth 500 135hp but that wouldn't be good to run getting low 30's real mpg over my mileage. Not sure if this would even exist but the following is what im looking for:

Petrol
(happy with Manual or a GOOD auto (DSG))
sub 8.5 to 60 <- This isnt a Major thing I just want the car to feel fast, for example I had a DS3 THP which did 0-60 in 7.4 and a Guilietta which did it in 7.9 but the Guilietta felt a lot faster.
40+ real MPG (would be happy with 37+)
Decent sounding engine
With regards to price 11k max but no real minimum (as it would be great to find something cheaper and spend less money!)
Reasonably reliable (im terrible with spanners)

Thanks in advance guys!

Dan.

You might be able to find one of these for 11k

http://www.motors.co.uk/car-37300131/sp


1.4 TFSI

AUTOCAR tested one in Feb 2013 with a full road test

Warmish performance -same as a 106gti roughly or a GT86 to 60mph, 130 max

It was timed against a Citroen DS3 1.6 THP Sport (153bhp ) and was a smidge quicker, also quicker on the dry handling circuit.
The average mpg they recorded on test was 39.8 mpg with a Touring figure of 49.0 mpg. The average figure gives an idea of what you might achieve

[s m]

lemonslap said:

How about the Vw Polo Blue GT?

I was typing a reply out as you typed that!


Great minds.......

[Matt UK]

Spend a 1/3 of your £11k max on a decent Mini Cooper S R53, leaves you loads left over for petrol at 30mpg.

The difference betwen 30mpg and 37mpg over 20,000 miles is not huge in comparison to you having £11k to spend

At £5.50 / gallon it's £693 a year.
Or £58 a month
Or £13 a week
Or £1.90 a day

Get what you want and live a little.

By the way, on my boring commute a MCS can return 40mpg.

[Impasse]

New shape Suzuki Swift Sport like this one.

(no connection to that advert, just the first one in the classifieds.)

[s m]

Matt UK said:

Spend a 1/3 of your £11k max on a decent Mini Cooper S R53, leaves you loads left over for petrol at 30mpg.

The difference betwen 30mpg and 37mpg over 20,000 miles is not huge in comparison to you having £11k to spend

At £5.50 / gallon it's £693 a year.
Or £58 a month
Or £13 a week
Or £1.90 a day

Get what you want and live a little.

By the way, on my boring commute a MCS can return 40mpg.

^

This too is also true to an extent - but being an older car and you "not being good with spanners" you'll have to factor in more maintenance over and above the newer cars

[DanQyou]

Thanks Guys! the BlueGT looks great along with the Ibiza that shares the engine, but they are at the very top of the budget. Id love a MCS R53 (supercharger whine!! ) if anything did go wrong id be clueless :/. I will take a look at the VAG cars and the swift (:

[scjgreen]

Fiesta ST?

[Axionknight]

A Fiesta ST is a good shout - ace cars.

How about a Citroen DS3, the 1600cc turbo? THP I believe the engine is called.

EDIT: Already had the DS3, duh me.

[DanQyou]

DS3 was OK but felt slow due to massive gearing (70+ in second!!) had gearbox problems & it sounded like a tractor at times..... pretty sure the previous owner was trying to tell me something (the private reg left on was J777ANK)

[Matt UK]

DanQyou said:

I'd love a MCS R53 (supercharger whine!! ) if anything did go wrong id be clueless :/.

The later turbo-charged MCS seems to have more than it's fair share of problems, but the R53 has a reputation for being pretty decent engines. They must be stong as they are often tweaked to 200bhp+ and there are plenty in the classifieds with 100k+ miles. Plus they are in one make racing and regulars on track days.

Mine is on nearly 90k and feels as solid as you'd like, I'd set off on a cross-continental drive this afternoon in it if I Ihad to. You just need to check the oil weekly as some of them do use a bit and that is when people have problems (not unexpected though really, not many engines like running without oil...)

If mine went wrong, I'd not much clue either, just get a tow to a garage and say "can you fix that please". Loads of great Inde firms have sprung up to support these cars so knowledge is out there and prices reasonable.

I'm a bit of a fan of ours, having originally scoffed when BMW launched the bew Brand.
If rear seat / boot space is not a hige priority, you should try one

[DanQyou]

My old Ds3 1.6T is supposed to be very closely related to the mini R56 CS engine wise, sounded bit dull and lifeless to be honest.I will take a look at the R53's as it does literally everything I want bar the fuel economy (saving that in buying costs)

[Matt UK]

I get a genuine 40mpg on a run in mine.