New rag to work car

[richard-t8pn4]

Need a new motor to drive to work, want a fun fast car around 200bhp + ideally.
Not so fussed about the mpg and I have about 5k tops.

I am looking at...….

Corsa vxr?
Astra vxr?
Focus st?
Volvo c30 2.5t?
Megane 2.0t cup?

any other suggestions im open to and can anyone tell me any warnings of these particular cars or good things about them, the good the bad and the ugly stories please

many thanks

[RSTurboPaul]

What's your commute like?

100 miles of motorway?

20 miles of single track roads?

[richard-t8pn4]

50min commute. mix of motorway and single roads, windy and straight. I work early and late shifts to roads are pretty clear at my time of commutes.

[richard-t8pn4]

about 40miles

[Martyn76]

Clio 182/200, comfy and loves having it's neck wrung.

[richard-t8pn4]

after a turbo ideally...

also read that clio cups have awful steering

[RSTurboPaul]

richard-t8pn4 said:

after a turbo ideally...

also read that clio cups have awful steering

Where have you read that?

Clios are generally accepted as being some of the best handling, best steering drivers' cars around.

If you really don't like the power steering, you can always remove it.

[richard-t8pn4]

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/renault/...

this says the steering is "woefull"

[richard-t8pn4]

have Renaults improved on the engine front in the years gone then??

when I was a boy racer back in the early 2000s they where known for head gasket issues etc. Was always the thing to avoid Peugeots, Renaults and Citroens and aim for german/Japanese hot hatches?

its been a while since I have looked as I have had my r32 golf for years and years now but his life has ended

[Prohibiting]

richard-t8pn4 said:

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/renault/...

this says the steering is "woefull"

[richard-t8pn4]

obviously I would test drive a car myself anyway but I do scan the net first generally

[egor110]

richard-t8pn4 said:

https://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/renault/...

this says the steering is "woefull"

wrong cup , try a 172 cup or if you want a bit more comfort a standard 182 .

also worth having a drive in a mini cooper s and a civic r type see what you think .

Edited by egor110 on Tuesday 23 July 15:51

[Nerdherder]

Mini Cooper S is a fun steer too. 172 best shout so far.

[egor110]

Nerdherder said:

Mini Cooper S is a fun steer too. 172 best shout so far.

Personally i found both fun , the 172 felt lighter and more nimble the cooper s has loads more torque and is far more stable as in it doesn't feel like it's going as fast but look at the speedo and it's shifting .

other than the cambelt every 5 years and clutch replacement i think the clio is cheapest for maintenance and fuel .

[richard-t8pn4]

I did want something a bit more pokey tho around 200+. I looked at type r's but I wat a car with good low end acceleration if I was being picky

[EmmaJ]

Ragging a turbo door to door won’t do the bearings much good unless you’re going to fit a turbo timer to allow it to cool down after you get out or factor in few miles of mellow driving to let it cool naturally.

[richard-t8pn4]

I always let it warm up and warm down and would consider a turbo timer. I have driven imprezas and starlet gt ep82s in the past which where fitted with a turbo timer

[Integroo]

Does it need to be practical?

SLK350 R171.

272bhp, 5.5s to 60, RWD.

Apparently reasonably reliable other than some which had engine problems - would need to find one that had it fixed or was after MB fixed it.

[V1nce Fox]

Impreza?

[mikey P 500]

Thi. have recently bought an 05 wrx for around your budget, good fun to drive.