What driver focused small car - £3k

[veevee]

My 306 GTI-6 is off the road indefinitely. Being a 'drivers car' is my number one criteria for buying a car, and riding my bike for the last few days has strengthened that opinion even more. So I'm in the market for a replacement car. The 306 was the best car I've ever driven, and I can't think of a better all rounder for the price, but nice ones are fairly scarce, so I've considered some other things as well. I've been to see a couple of classic minis today, but they weren't really what I had hoped for, I couldn't really get on with the gearbox, and they weren't quite as amazing in the corners as I'd been led to believe, I'm also slightly sceptical about their motorway ability, but

I do ~/<10k per year, around 10% motorways, the rest a mix, but with a fair bit of town driving (I live in London).

ETA: Need rear seats and some kind of boot.

My list so far is:

106 GTI/Rallye
205 GTI (either)
another 306 GTI/rallye
Clio 172/182
Classic mini


Anything missing?

Edited by veevee on Saturday 12th May 20:33

[kambites]

Um, if you want a "drivers car" why do you have a list solely consisting of hatchbacks? Where the MX-5, MR2, MGF, etc.?

Or do you have requirements that you haven't mentioned?

[veevee]

A modicum of practicality!

Plus I'm not much of a fan of convertibles, I'd like some form of back seats, and my insurance quotes could still be confused with a part time salary.

[interloper]

Might be worth looking at coupes as an alternative to hatches, Celica, Prelude, Alfa GTV and Fiat coupe are all pretty cheap at the mo and the Celica at least has a decent sized boot.

[kambites]

How about some of the 2+2 coupes then? 200SX, Corrado, Puma, Fiat Coupe, GTV, FR Porsche of some kind? If you're over 21, some of them will be eligible for classic policies these days.

[LukeMR2]

What's with all the French crap? Have a look at MR2's if you can afford the insurance get a turbo model.

[ambuletz]

Of that list I'd say 106 GTI or a classic mini.

[nicegums]

id go for the classic mini if it were my money.

[veevee]

interloper said:

Might be worth looking at coupes as an alternative to hatches, Celica, Prelude, Alfa GTV and Fiat coupe are all pretty cheap at the mo and the Celica at least has a decent sized boot.

Have considered it, but can't really see the advantage unless they're going to be RWD. Alfa GTV looks potentially ruinous running cost wise, and rear seats don't really look usable. On occasions I need to put something reasonably big into the car too, which I'd just about manage with the rear seats down, taking up most of the back and poking into the boot too, which just wouldn't work with a coupe.

[JayTee94]

SportKa?

[madmover]

Mx5
Mr2
Civic Type R
RX8
S3 If you can stretch your budget slightly
Golf Gti
Ibiza Cupra
RX7
Subaru Impreza
Alfa GTV V6
Porsche 944
TVR 350I
Fiesta ST
Megane 225
Plus many more.

Edited by madmover on Saturday 12th May 20:23

[kambites]

It's probably worth looking at the Corrado - it's pretty much as practical as a 3-door mk2 Golf, with a wider track and lower CoG so it handles significantly better. I carried things like fridges and bikes in the back of mine. You'd get a leggy VR6 for that money, or a very good 16V (which are still hot-hatch fast). It's probably the third best handling FWD car ever made.

The Fiat Coupe has usable rear seats and a decent boot, although it's never going to be as practical as a hatchback. The prelude's boot is enormous, but the rear seats are tiny.

To be honest though, the only big advantage in a hatch-derived coupe over a normal hatch, is looks.


Can you get a Honda Integra for that money?

Edited by kambites on Saturday 12th May 20:24

[veevee]

LukeMR2 said:

What's with all the French crap? Have a look at MR2's if you can afford the insurance get a turbo model.

What's crap about them? All of the cars I mentioned have got to be in the top 10 handling FWD cars of all time. I don't want an MR2, turbo - insurance group 20! My insurers would just laugh at that.

ambuletz said:

Of that list I'd say 106 GTI or a classic mini.

nicegums said:

id go for the classic mini if it were my money.

Have you driven any of the others?

[veevee]

kambites said:

How about some of the 2+2 coupes then? 200SX, Corrado, Puma, Fiat Coupe, GTV, FR Porsche of some kind? If you're over 21, some of them will be eligible for classic policies these days.

As above really. Half you've mentioned are FWD, and will not be as good out and out handling-wise as the hatches I already listed. I'm a fan of Corrados, but I'd rather have a Mk2 GTI. GTV, Porsche running costs are a no no. 200SX misses the small car mark.

[nicegums]

veevee said:

Have you driven any of the others?

Only driven the 205 gti off of that list but the mini is the most appealing to me.

[kambites]

veevee said:

I'm a fan of Corrados, but I'd rather have a Mk2 GTI.

Out of interest, why? I've driven both extensively and the Corrado is in an utterly different league in handling terms. It's in a different league to any of the other cars you mention in your original post too.

[veevee]

madmover said:

Mx5
Mr2
Civic Type R
RX8
S3 If you can stretch your budget slightly
Golf Gti - which? Mk3 doenst look much fun, Mk2 looks interesting though.
Ibiza Cupra - good suggestion!
RX7
Subaru Impreza
Alfa GTV V6
Porsche 944
TVR 350I
Fiesta ST - not convinced, I'd rather have an ST170, cost the same or less.
Megane 225 - was looking at these, but realistically over budget.
Plus many more.

Edited by madmover on Saturday 12th May 20:23[/footnote]

[footnote]Edited by veevee on Saturday 12th May 21:14

[noosh]

What about a Suzuki Cappucino, you live in the middle, something that small, that nippy (I didn't say fast) and with a less than 1l engine has to be very helpful.

Not exactly practical but theres a glovebox and your lap.

Or for that matter, smart roadster.

[Gargamel]

jaguar s type ? hardly small though

mg rover 160

rover coupe

rover 220 Gsi

Alfa 146

Mazda 323 v6

[jbi]

Toyota MR2
Mitsubishi Starion
Mazda MX-5
Nissan 300ZX