Yet another what car thread... Or is it ??
Discussion
Here we go again your thinking... Another what car thread... Yes you are correct another what car thread has appeared... However I have a sole focused use for this car & my already selected choices span across various genres...
I will be travelling to the Ring in May/June of next year, to drive it myself for the 1st time and shortly after I shall be going to work overseas for a year or two. So I would like to the trip as memorable as possible and in doing so I believe that I must select the car that offers me the most fun and feels just a little bit special. 0-60 times etc not important to me. Running Costs not important to me. The only boring criteria I have is, that the car should be reasonably easy to resell (I know how the used market concerning performance cars currently stands) besides this I just want it to be a laugh and deliver the thrills to make trip the real event it should be.
So without further ado I present the candidates. What I need from you fellow PHers are your own experiences and collective knowledge to push me towards the car that will deliver the thrills I am looking for.
Saloon: Honda Accord Type R - Subaru RB5 PPP - Ford Mondeo ST220
Coupe: Honda Integra Type R (DC2) - Fiat Coupe - Alfa Romeo GTV V6 - BMW (E36) M3 3.0
Hot Hatch: Honda Civic Type R (EP3) - Peugeot 306 Rallye - Renault Clio 182 Cup
Sports Car: Lotus Elan M100 - Fiat Barchetta - Toyota MR2 (MK3)
Thanks for your time
Lew
(Current Stable BMW E36 328Is - Peugeot 306 DTurbo (with extra Boost) - Honda Civic 1.6 ESI)
I will be travelling to the Ring in May/June of next year, to drive it myself for the 1st time and shortly after I shall be going to work overseas for a year or two. So I would like to the trip as memorable as possible and in doing so I believe that I must select the car that offers me the most fun and feels just a little bit special. 0-60 times etc not important to me. Running Costs not important to me. The only boring criteria I have is, that the car should be reasonably easy to resell (I know how the used market concerning performance cars currently stands) besides this I just want it to be a laugh and deliver the thrills to make trip the real event it should be.
So without further ado I present the candidates. What I need from you fellow PHers are your own experiences and collective knowledge to push me towards the car that will deliver the thrills I am looking for.
Saloon: Honda Accord Type R - Subaru RB5 PPP - Ford Mondeo ST220
Coupe: Honda Integra Type R (DC2) - Fiat Coupe - Alfa Romeo GTV V6 - BMW (E36) M3 3.0
Hot Hatch: Honda Civic Type R (EP3) - Peugeot 306 Rallye - Renault Clio 182 Cup
Sports Car: Lotus Elan M100 - Fiat Barchetta - Toyota MR2 (MK3)
Thanks for your time
Lew
(Current Stable BMW E36 328Is - Peugeot 306 DTurbo (with extra Boost) - Honda Civic 1.6 ESI)
Edited by lou556 on Friday 12th August 18:36
But then again I could get familiar with another car before I go to the ring via a few track day's ? I just want to have a great experience. My BMW just feels a bit clinical to me, I know the E36 M3 is listed but I feel they have a much harder edge to them and that engine gives great character to the car.
Coupe: Honda Integra Type R (DC2) - Fiat Coupe - Alfa Romeo GTV V6 - BMW (E36) M3 3.0
After a response from another thread in regards to what makes a car 'special' I have fallen towards the coupés.
Which one shall it be, The raw, focused yet fluid Integra. The charismatic, entertaining yet wayward Fiat Coupe. The Soulful, Passionate and glorious sounding GTV V6 or the deadly efficient sledgehammer with a sprinkle of over-steer that is the M3.
The hunt is on! Positive feedback / experiences at this point would be appreciated and yes I could keep the 328i but it hasn't got that something special that I am looking for....
After a response from another thread in regards to what makes a car 'special' I have fallen towards the coupés.
Which one shall it be, The raw, focused yet fluid Integra. The charismatic, entertaining yet wayward Fiat Coupe. The Soulful, Passionate and glorious sounding GTV V6 or the deadly efficient sledgehammer with a sprinkle of over-steer that is the M3.
The hunt is on! Positive feedback / experiences at this point would be appreciated and yes I could keep the 328i but it hasn't got that something special that I am looking for....
Ditch the FCT from your list - it's not in the same league as the other 3.
- ITR is probably my favourite affordable car to drive, probably edging the ubiquitous MX5. It really is THAT good, and most especially is that good ON the limit - it's throttle-adjustable but isn't French "oh my god where's the back-end going", it's got great steering, and it's got the most gloriously neutral attitude through corners. It's also completely on your side if you f'k it up, breaking away progressively and telegraphing it all, so it'd be a safer 'ring companion than the E36, for example.
Downsides to the ITR are it IS wearing to drive on long-distance M-way schleps - 5,000rpm at 90mph with little soundproofing. Erm...and that's about it. Buy one which has had RTA bushes done and where the gearbox feels tight enough and you shouldn't have any worries in the short-term - mine's 12y.o. with 72k and beyond the usual servicing it's only needed RTA bushes and (just recently) rear hubs.
- Alfa GTV has probably the best-sounding engine of the Coupes, and that's a tough list for engine note. Supposed to handle rather tidily too, and is the best looking. Don't know much more than that, but a road trip in an Italian car is always cool.
- E36 M3...is underrated. Very quick for the money, decent chassis. Given the power and driven wheels it'd take more balls to drive the 'ring for the first time, but it was probably developed there, so it should be right at home. Probably the best long-distance car of the three, too...
One thought - make sure you're insured! A 3P claim against you for personal injury because your insurer specifically excludes the 'ring will ruin your whole day!
- ITR is probably my favourite affordable car to drive, probably edging the ubiquitous MX5. It really is THAT good, and most especially is that good ON the limit - it's throttle-adjustable but isn't French "oh my god where's the back-end going", it's got great steering, and it's got the most gloriously neutral attitude through corners. It's also completely on your side if you f'k it up, breaking away progressively and telegraphing it all, so it'd be a safer 'ring companion than the E36, for example.
Downsides to the ITR are it IS wearing to drive on long-distance M-way schleps - 5,000rpm at 90mph with little soundproofing. Erm...and that's about it. Buy one which has had RTA bushes done and where the gearbox feels tight enough and you shouldn't have any worries in the short-term - mine's 12y.o. with 72k and beyond the usual servicing it's only needed RTA bushes and (just recently) rear hubs.
- Alfa GTV has probably the best-sounding engine of the Coupes, and that's a tough list for engine note. Supposed to handle rather tidily too, and is the best looking. Don't know much more than that, but a road trip in an Italian car is always cool.
- E36 M3...is underrated. Very quick for the money, decent chassis. Given the power and driven wheels it'd take more balls to drive the 'ring for the first time, but it was probably developed there, so it should be right at home. Probably the best long-distance car of the three, too...
One thought - make sure you're insured! A 3P claim against you for personal injury because your insurer specifically excludes the 'ring will ruin your whole day!
It just didn't feel like a sports-car:-
- understeery
- agricultural gearchange
- flat seats (which, being leather, meant you run the permanent risk of sliding onto the gearstick around roundabouts!
)
Quick - felt clearly quicker than the ITR, although part of that was probably the torque from the turbo. But didn't have the finesse or the roundedness of the better competitors...
Keep meaning to drive the GTV but never got around to it...
- understeery
- agricultural gearchange
- flat seats (which, being leather, meant you run the permanent risk of sliding onto the gearstick around roundabouts!
)Quick - felt clearly quicker than the ITR, although part of that was probably the torque from the turbo. But didn't have the finesse or the roundedness of the better competitors...
Keep meaning to drive the GTV but never got around to it...
Update -
After further deliberation and discussion with friends and fellow Pher's I have narrowed the choice down to the Integra Type R and the GTV V6. I shall now test drive both, read countless reviews and trawl the owners clubs to find get a idea of just how big of a hole the ownership experience will leave in my pocket!
My current view is that the Integra will a deliver unmatchable driving experience with peerless reliability and the Alfa will be... an Alfa and that is a exciting ownership prospect.
After further deliberation and discussion with friends and fellow Pher's I have narrowed the choice down to the Integra Type R and the GTV V6. I shall now test drive both, read countless reviews and trawl the owners clubs to find get a idea of just how big of a hole the ownership experience will leave in my pocket!
My current view is that the Integra will a deliver unmatchable driving experience with peerless reliability and the Alfa will be... an Alfa and that is a exciting ownership prospect.
lou556 said:
My current view is that the Integra will a deliver unmatchable driving experience with peerless reliability and the Alfa will be... an Alfa and that is a exciting ownership prospect.
Can't argue with that. Find decent examples of both, drive 'em both on a good test-drive, go from there...Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff