Corsa to corsa. 5k to spend what next?

[va1o]

big_boz said:

Yes, having had 3 mundane, slow super mini's, with relatively crap build quality and nothing really going for them for the enthusiast all of which cost not a lot of money new, he traded up to a £30k+ luxury, rear wheel drive "sports" saloon, well known for its excellent handling...Pretty decent trade up to my eyes. He has know traded that for a BMW 125d Msport.

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

Whats your point now that we have both sides of your (i assume) power to weight ratio comment.....?

... seriously?

A 520d is just boring, dull and dreary fleet fodder that belongs in the company-car car park. Nothing exciting or sporty about it whatsoever. A very competent car but lets not pretend it's something special.

[big_boz]

va1o said:

... seriously?

A 520d is just boring, dull and dreary fleet fodder that belongs in the company-car car park. Nothing exciting or sporty about it whatsoever. A very competent car but lets not pretend it's something special.

I hardly said it was akin to a Boxster, its a bloody sight better than a flipping Corsa though!

10 years ago you would hardly have described a 180BHP rear wheel drive BMW 5 Series as dreary would you! I assume you have driven one based on your comment "Nothing exciting or sporty about it whatsoever", You hustle one down a decent B-road (I have) and I think you might change your tune. Well balanced, plenty of power, good steering and brakes. Just because it is favored by the fleet club doesn't make it any less capable a car, and certainly a massive step up from a Vauxhall super mini.

Typical PH nonsense.

[va1o]

Get a grip man, its a 2.0 4-pot diesel designed purely with economy and co2 in mind. It does that very well and is the best in segment, but lets not pretend its some sort of performance RWD saloon!

[scarble]

big_boz said:

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

omfg, 113bhp/tonne!!?!?!
I bet everything blurs when he hits the kickdown yo!

[big_boz]

Right my final comment on this Off Topic Subject.....

va1o said:

its a 2.0 4-pot diesel

So What? Don't start the stupid "no Diesel engine can ever be good" argument that will make you look silly

va1o said:

designed purely with economy and co2 in mind.

Are you sure? If it was just designed for this purpose, it would be front wheel drive, it wouldn't be tuned to 177BHP, It wouldn't have been made to handle or grip in the way which it does, it would run skinny eco tires. etc...etc.....

va1o said:

lets not pretend its some sort of performance RWD saloon!

As i said, i never implied that it was some sort of rip roaring High performance Sports car, but to say that it has no intentions of this description is foolish, of course it does. The BMW 5 series is sold as a sports saloon and it behaves, and drives as such. I know as i have driven various E60 5's. It says something that the "base" model has 180BHP, hardly and eco focused line up is it? But i will concede if you (or anyone else) consider that its not a good trade up from a Corsa, so be it, Clearly there isn't much else that I can say that will make any sense to you.

[HustleRussell]

Va1o, Scarble- I'll have what you're having.

[va1o]

I bet the Corsa weighs a fair bit less than 1585kg too. Would expect it to be more in the region of 1000 - 1250 kg

[Dracoro]

big_boz said:

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

Where on earth have you got these weight figures from?

The Corsa 1.4 is about 1000kg
The 520d is about 1500kg
The 125d (I assume you meant 123d) is about 1400kg

OP - For £5k (possibly less), I would suggest a Fiat Panda 100HP. Cheap to fuel/run, fun round town, a "bit" different, charming little cars.

Edited by Dracoro on Thursday 9th May 12:57

[big_boz]

Dracoro said:

big_boz said:

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

Where on earth have you got these weight figures from?

OP - For £5k (possibly less), I would suggest a Fiat Panda 100HP. Cheap to fuel/run, fun round town, a "bit" different, charming little cars.

AT gross Vehicle weight...is that not correct? not sure what it includes? figured it looked about right 5 series would figure about 2T in my head.

Regards the Panda 100HP, agree, fantastic little car, BUT i couldn't live with one, my Knee is exactly the correct height to bash the dash in an irritating place.

[ali4390]

Dracoro said:

big_boz said:

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

Where on earth have you got these weight figures from?

Just what I was thinking.

Parkers has a 1.4 Corsa at 1102kg, putting it at 89BHP/Tonne.

Which appears to be more than the 520d...

[Dracoro]

See my post from above, all from Parkers.

AT is notoriously incorrect.

[big_boz]

ali4390 said:

Dracoro said:

big_boz said:

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

Where on earth have you got these weight figures from?

Just what I was thinking.

Parkers has a 1.4 Corsa at 1102kg, putting it at 89BHP/Tonne.

Which appears to be more than the 520d...

They were all like for like AT gross vehical weight, taking the same figure from parkers the 520 D is 1510kg, so 117BHP per tonne so c.25% better, exactly the same difference % wise as the other figures...... funnily enough

[djfaulkner]

Volvo S40?
http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/v...

[Dracoro]

big_boz said:

ali4390 said:

Dracoro said:

big_boz said:

And Vauxhall corsa 1.4..98BHP weighs 1585kg...62BHP/Tonne
BMW 520d 177BHP weighs 2060KG...85BHP/Tonne
BMW 125D 218BHP weighs 1925KG...113BHP/Tonne

Where on earth have you got these weight figures from?

Just what I was thinking.

Parkers has a 1.4 Corsa at 1102kg, putting it at 89BHP/Tonne.

Which appears to be more than the 520d...

They were all like for like AT gross vehical weight, taking the same figure from parkers the 520 D is 1510kg, so 117BHP per tonne so c.25% better, exactly the same difference % wise as the other figures...... funnily enough

Oh quite, wasn't a dig at you per se but I wonder how/why AT get it so wrong. Weight info can be quite important, esp for those researching cars for towing purposes etc.

[scarble]

HustleRussell said:

Va1o, Scarble- I'll have what you're having.

1 dose of reality coming up..

[jaacck]

Went a bit off topic I see, but ye does anybody have any thoughts on a 2003 s3?

[va1o]

jaacck said:

Went a bit off topic I see, but ye does anybody have any thoughts on a 2003 s3?

Bit old, probably been driven to within an inch of its life and been round the block a few times. Doesn't have much going for it apart from the badge and soft touch interior plastics. Oh and the coilpacks on the 1.8T are a pain. For £5k there are better cars available

[scarble]

But clearly you don't want our advice you just want to be told that what you've already decided is a good idea otherwise you wouldn't completely ignore the oodles of fantastic recommendations and that is why the thread went off topic.

Have you had a go in a Swift Sport yet?

oh and from what I've heard the MPG on the FSI engines is hard to get to official figures. Assuming it's an FSI engine.
This thread:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=86&t=774595&nmt=1996-2003%20audi%20s3%20Real%20world%20mpg%20/%20running%20costs
says 33 MPG and if that's ok with you then you might as well get a Clio 1*2, it'll make you smile more than the Audi.

Edited by scarble on Friday 10th May 07:27