Ford Puma vs Suzuki Ignis Sport as a project car
Discussion
Morning All,
After purchasing a house in the coming months I am wanting to have a new 4 wheeled project to tinker with. Something that I could use for an occasional track day but mainly something as a weekend play thing.
Have around £1000 to play with and I know that isn't much however I have nailed it down to two options. Suzuki Ignis Sport or a Ford Puma.
Has anyone had both of them? I have heard lots of people talk about both of these being good and cheap bases track/project cars (I should know as I have had a Suzuki Ignis sport in the past). This is how I see it:
Ignis Sport:
- Had one before and loved it (held up very well in terms of rust and they are tough little cars - was written off after I had a head on impact with a tractor at 50mph and all I came away with was a few bruises - no damage to the cabin and where passengers were sitting)
- Lots of aftermarket parts
- discs brakes all round
- JWRC pedigree
- Aware of how firm the ride is and how bouncy it can be
- Great short ratio gearbox
- Slightly more expensive than a Puma - but only by a few hundred pounds
Ford Puma:
- Lots of people have said they are a hoot to drive and even better when stripped out, with a few modifications and sticky tyres
- Something a bit more left field than the Suzuki, even though the ignis sport is fairly left field already from what you see on the roads!
- Already aware of how much they CAN rust. I know I would need to maybe take my time to find one in good condition
- Cheaper than the Ignis Sport, and generally get lower mileage examples which are unmolested already
So what do people think? Should I get something that I know already to be good fun that I have had in the past or should I give the Puma a go?
Any suggestions or comments would be great!
Cheers
After purchasing a house in the coming months I am wanting to have a new 4 wheeled project to tinker with. Something that I could use for an occasional track day but mainly something as a weekend play thing.
Have around £1000 to play with and I know that isn't much however I have nailed it down to two options. Suzuki Ignis Sport or a Ford Puma.
Has anyone had both of them? I have heard lots of people talk about both of these being good and cheap bases track/project cars (I should know as I have had a Suzuki Ignis sport in the past). This is how I see it:
Ignis Sport:
- Had one before and loved it (held up very well in terms of rust and they are tough little cars - was written off after I had a head on impact with a tractor at 50mph and all I came away with was a few bruises - no damage to the cabin and where passengers were sitting)
- Lots of aftermarket parts
- discs brakes all round
- JWRC pedigree
- Aware of how firm the ride is and how bouncy it can be
- Great short ratio gearbox
- Slightly more expensive than a Puma - but only by a few hundred pounds
Ford Puma:
- Lots of people have said they are a hoot to drive and even better when stripped out, with a few modifications and sticky tyres
- Something a bit more left field than the Suzuki, even though the ignis sport is fairly left field already from what you see on the roads!
- Already aware of how much they CAN rust. I know I would need to maybe take my time to find one in good condition
- Cheaper than the Ignis Sport, and generally get lower mileage examples which are unmolested already
So what do people think? Should I get something that I know already to be good fun that I have had in the past or should I give the Puma a go?
Any suggestions or comments would be great!
Cheers
Clio 172 instead - I sold a very good example which needed nothing for £850 recently. Better than all the above.
If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
Krikkit said:
Clio 172 instead - I sold a very good example which needed nothing for £850 recently. Better than all the above.
If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
Ye I'm not really sold on the whole "Clio" thing really. I suppose it is down to personal choice. My thing with Clio's is a little bit like Clarkson and 911s......can understand the appeal but wouldn't want to have one myself....can't put my finger on exact reason why!If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
tomrunner said:
Ye I'm not really sold on the whole "Clio" thing really. I suppose it is down to personal choice. My thing with Clio's is a little bit like Clarkson and 911s......can understand the appeal but wouldn't want to have one myself....can't put my finger on exact reason why!
Fair enough! It's my default suggestion because it's no more difficult to work on than the Puma, doesn't rot away into nothing in the same way, can be had for not masses more cash, and is massively quicker.Krikkit said:
Clio 172 instead - I sold a very good example which needed nothing for £850 recently. Better than all the above.
If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
850 quid?If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
Must've been rough, non?
granddad had an ignis sport - was way too firm on the road but that's what you want on a track. I had a puma - it was FUN. not massively fast, but t was 100% all the time which made it feel fast.
for spares Id say go with the ford (you can buy another puma and cannibalise it for £100) as the ignis is a little less common. and there are way more off the shelf go-faster bits for the ford.
also consider a Celica 190, an MG ZS, an MR2 Roadster =all cheap and handle very well.
for spares Id say go with the ford (you can buy another puma and cannibalise it for £100) as the ignis is a little less common. and there are way more off the shelf go-faster bits for the ford.
also consider a Celica 190, an MG ZS, an MR2 Roadster =all cheap and handle very well.
tomrunner said:
Krikkit said:
Clio 172 instead - I sold a very good example which needed nothing for £850 recently. Better than all the above.
If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
Ye I'm not really sold on the whole "Clio" thing really. I suppose it is down to personal choice. My thing with Clio's is a little bit like Clarkson and 911s......can understand the appeal but wouldn't want to have one myself....can't put my finger on exact reason why!If you're really set on Puma vs. Ignis I'd say the Puma, but be prepared to write it off for rust after a couple of years. The 1.7 is a fantastic engine though, and it really is a great car to drive.
As for a Puma being a jumped-up Fiesta (and I know the person that said that didn't mean it maliciously), it's no bad thing as the Fiesta from that period was an excellent chassis to start from.
RedAndy said:
granddad had an ignis sport - was way too firm on the road but that's what you want on a track. I had a puma - it was FUN. not massively fast, but t was 100% all the time which made it feel fast.
for spares Id say go with the ford (you can buy another puma and cannibalise it for £100) as the ignis is a little less common. and there are way more off the shelf go-faster bits for the ford.
also consider a Celica 190, an MG ZS, an MR2 Roadster =all cheap and handle very well.
Ye I am also considering the celica 190 and mk3 mr2 roadster. However to get a decent one (one with a decent history etc) you are looking closer to £2000 and I want to have some pennies to do stuff to the car! Had an MG a year ago (ZT 190) and I couldn't live with the build quality and repeated little niggles that went wrong so the ZS wouldn't be for mefor spares Id say go with the ford (you can buy another puma and cannibalise it for £100) as the ignis is a little less common. and there are way more off the shelf go-faster bits for the ford.
also consider a Celica 190, an MG ZS, an MR2 Roadster =all cheap and handle very well.
100% the Puma for me, I have had a couple in the past and looking to buy one soon before they go up in value (really nice ones are starting to fetch pretty strong money already). The engine for me is what really seperates the Puma from similarly nice-handling cars, it just a peach.
The Ignis is undoubtedly fun but it just didn't capture my attention like the Puma.
The Ignis is undoubtedly fun but it just didn't capture my attention like the Puma.
I used a Ignis Sport on night road rallies for years, with only minimal mods, I took everything you could throw at it, never broke, it would give a lot more power full cars a run for there money in the Devon & Welsh lanes, very predictable handling, only changed the rear shocks for AVO units, as it was very lively at the rear on bumpy surfaces, not heavy on fuel, keep the aircon, not bad steering feel for an electric setup.
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