Discussion
After idily going through my list of cars I have owned since 1989 I have suddenly realised that I have never owned a hot hatch.
Therefore I have decided to enter,what my wife calls,my mid life crisis and buy a hot hatch but which one?
I have a budget of up to around 20k and it must come from a dealer(warranty).I have come up with Civic type R,Audi S3 and Focus ST/RS at the moment but cannot think of anymore which float my boat.Dont like Golfs or french motors.
Will be used for occasional trackday and everyday commuting to work and back.
Anymore ideas?
Therefore I have decided to enter,what my wife calls,my mid life crisis and buy a hot hatch but which one?
I have a budget of up to around 20k and it must come from a dealer(warranty).I have come up with Civic type R,Audi S3 and Focus ST/RS at the moment but cannot think of anymore which float my boat.Dont like Golfs or french motors.
Will be used for occasional trackday and everyday commuting to work and back.
Anymore ideas?
If you're old enough to have a mid life crisis then you are probably old enough to run a Focus RS mk2 without getting your pants pulled down on the insurance. That said, its also the most expensive car on your list too, but it should resist depreciation at least a little bit better than an average hot hatch.
I'd take one in green with an exhaust upgrade, do it right.
I'd take one in green with an exhaust upgrade, do it right.
Mastodon2 said:
If you're old enough to have a mid life crisis then you are probably old enough to run a Focus RS mk2 without getting your pants pulled down on the insurance. That said, its also the most expensive car on your list too, but it should resist depreciation at least a little bit better than an average hot hatch.
I'd take one in green with an exhaust upgrade, do it right.
This! Although the white ones are growing on me too! I'd take one in green with an exhaust upgrade, do it right.
Daggers89 said:
Mastodon2 said:
If you're old enough to have a mid life crisis then you are probably old enough to run a Focus RS mk2 without getting your pants pulled down on the insurance. That said, its also the most expensive car on your list too, but it should resist depreciation at least a little bit better than an average hot hatch.
I'd take one in green with an exhaust upgrade, do it right.
This! Although the white ones are growing on me too! I'd take one in green with an exhaust upgrade, do it right.
. Could live with one myself if I didnt have to use my car in traffic jam all day helmutlaang said:
Dont like Golfs or french motors.
Also no Vauxhalls!
So really keeping your options open then? Also no Vauxhalls!
BTW - is an S3 not just a Golf in a different dress?
helmutlaang said:
After idily going through my list of cars I have owned since 1989 I have suddenly realised that I have never owned a hot hatch.
I have a budget of up to around 20k and it must come from a dealer(warranty).I have come up with Civic type R,Audi S3 and Focus ST/RS at the moment but cannot think of anymore which float my boat.
Will be used for occasional trackday and everyday commuting to work and back.
Anymore ideas?
ok, I guess some sensible questions.I have a budget of up to around 20k and it must come from a dealer(warranty).I have come up with Civic type R,Audi S3 and Focus ST/RS at the moment but cannot think of anymore which float my boat.
Will be used for occasional trackday and everyday commuting to work and back.
Anymore ideas?
1. Why a warranty? I mean does it really matter that much, even more so if you are going to track it?
2. How much track time? A hot hatch can work well in such a situation, but it's not the most ideal platform for this kind of use, nor the most fun.
3. How much need do you really have for a hatchback? The whole essence of a hatchback is practicality and packaging. If you don't need this, do you really need to plump £20k on just ticking the box? Surely a tidy £2-3k MK1 Golf GTI would suit better?
4. While some of the cars you mention have hatches, they are all large heavy family cars and are in some respects not the same as hatchbacks of old. The Focus for example is almost as big as a Sierra and arguably fills the same market segment today.
5. I presume you'll be using it daily too? In that case for how many miles and is mpg an issue or indeed toys?
Personally if you are wanting a hatch for track use I think you'd struggle to find better than one of these:
But in all honesty with a budget of £20k can you really buy a better hot hatch than one of these:
My personal favourite is the Focus RS 500. Only driven the Megane relatively briefly and it was deeply impressive - quantitatively better than the Focus, I'd say - as well as a nicer place to sit, but I found the Ford more exciting.
Maybe if I'd driven the Megane a bit harder or a bit longer it would have got under my skin, but I found the slightly rough edges of the Focus more charismatic.
Maybe if I'd driven the Megane a bit harder or a bit longer it would have got under my skin, but I found the slightly rough edges of the Focus more charismatic.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff