£8k fun, reliable and 4/5 doors what do you buy?

[captain worm]

Need a replacement for the wife's R56 mini cooper... I'm not asking for much but I'm looking for something that;

1. Needs to be fun to drive and yet sits OK on a longish run
2. sub 8s 0-60
3. Petrol (no DPFs to foul up)
4. Has at least 4 doors and 4 seats
5. Pref a hatch for the dog but not crucial
6. Reliable - probably will need to keep going with 100k + miles
7. Don't really want anything more than 9/10 yrs old and ideally less than 70k(see no#6)
8. No more than £8/9k
9. Must have kudos amongst petrol heads
10. I am a bit of a badge snob but prepared to compromise
11. Not too fussy about economy but I don't want it to cost the world to maintain

My other option is to look at a PCP for around £200 per month with about £2k down although I'm not sure what this would yield..

Current shortlist;

2007 130i - at the top of my list but rare as hens teeth
2006 330i - with the N52 engine, getting a bit long in the tooth now
2010 Mitsubishi Ralliart - Not sure I could live with the Jap interior
2010 Focus ST - Never been a fan of the brand. Heard that the Volvo 5 pot can drop the timing belt with no warning
Mk5/6 golf GTI - prefer the 6 but 8k only gets a leggy early model. Not sure about reliability?

and the wildcard

2010 Civic - the spaceship one, but only available with the 1.8 in 5 door:/

Help!?

[ZX10R NIN]

I'd recommend the Focus especially in ST-3 spec they're reliable well built with a great engine the intercooler being their weak point, some people will point towards liner issues but these seemed to affect heavily boosted cars. I've not heard about an issue with the belts mine was used on track days & never gave any problems.

They are hard to find in ST-3 though.

2009 ST-3
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

2010 ST-3
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[captain worm]

Thanks - will take another look.

Anyone else got a view on the focus? In general reading up on them they come across pretty well... I think I've always just had a thing about ford.!

[cerb4.5lee]

I run a 2006 E90 330i with the N52 engine and other than the fact it's a saloon I find it a lovely all round car, had it 3 years next month and it had 48k miles on it when I got it.

It's now on 66k miles and it's been spot on, plenty for sale with over 100k miles on so they do take the miles too if needed.

I wanted a family motor that had a bit of power if needed yet doesn't cost a fortune to run, also ran a E90 330d for 6 years and did over 150k miles in it so I knew what I was going to get as a car.

As you mention I would also look at the 130i(hatch more practical) or the E91 Touring but both are rare cars.

A friend of mine has a Focus ST and he's really happy with it and I've considered getting one(I'm a big Ford fan) for the hatchback practicality because having a saloon limits this massively.

Recommend the 330i because it drives nicely and I like the driving position and the engine is very smooth and it chases the redline very well, the engine is very muted which is a shame though.

[captain worm]

Loved my 330i and there is lots of choice... I just cant convince my wife that we should get one for some reason she thinks a 1 series is much more accessible!

[cerb4.5lee]

captain worm said:

Loved my 330i and there is lots of choice... I just cant convince my wife that we should get one for some reason she thinks a 1 series is much more accessible!

Didn't realise that you've had a 330i! I didn't need to sell them to you because you already know how good they are.

[captain worm]

Indeed - leman blue on lemon - it was great, always regretted selling it

[cerb4.5lee]

captain worm said:

Indeed - leman blue on lemon - it was great, always regretted selling it

Nice...my ideal combo, have leman blue but have boring black for the interior

[briang9]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...

you need to ditch the badge snobbery bit, remember this is just a Golf GTi or Audi TT with a different body shell

[JJ55]

130i or the golf if it was my money.

[captain worm]

I actually really like the VRS, but just a bit too big a practical for my second car (car no.1 is a Torag!)

130i's are proving really difficult to come buy a low mileage example at the right price.... only 2 on the trader at the moment, a red one and the other over 9k

Lots of nice looking very reasonably prices 325i's... What are peoples thoughts? Would I just be longing after the 330i?

[ZX10R NIN]

That's only a question you can answer.

[captain worm]

Looked at an 2010 Leon FR TSI today and despite the slightly plastic dash I was quite pleasantly surprised.. very VW inside and I like the looks. What are peoples thoughts on the FR to drive / live with??

[Hawkers]

Have a Leon FR myself very nice to drive. It's basically a golf so you get all the benefits at a lower cost.