What - Best Handling - Car? 172/182? 106GTi?

[snowen250]

Hello all,

First off, sorry to do this to you all but I’m after some advice.

I currently drive an Octavia VRS, which I don’t really enjoy. It’s a bit wallowy, doesn't handle all that well and to be honest, I don't much like the engine in it either.

So I’m looking to go back to my roots of a good handling car (I grew up driving original minis and had a Clio 197 Cup that I loved)

My what car parameters therefore are thus:

Must handle well! I'm talking country lanes, very throwable. This is what I miss most about the Clio.

No less than 30MPG. I need to commute 40 miles a day in this wagon.

Budget of about 3K.

Can the insurance please be low? I pay just £600 for the Skoda, i can go up a bit but you know. Nice not too.

To answer the inevitable regarding MX5's, I agree they are excellent. I just can’t see myself driving one? Some friends have them, 1s and 2s, but I’m just not sure it would suit me.

172s and 182s are where I’m leaning, but 182's seem to be above my budget for good ones, is there much difference between the 172 and 182?

Any left field suggestions are well received.

Thanks!

Simon

[Captain Muppet]

DC2 Integra Type R?

[white_goodman]

Peugeot 306 Rallye/GTi?
3-Series?
Focus ST170/Mondeo ST220?
Civic Type-R (although insurance may be pricey)
MR2

Edited by white_goodman on Tuesday 18th December 16:05

[Grovsie26]

Captain Muppet said:

DC2 Integra Type R?

Less than 3k, gonna be a crap one.

Insurance will be pretty high.

40 miles a day in one...........

On what planet is a ST220 chuckable? It's got a whackin great V6 and weighs over 1.5 tonnes.

[snowen250]

white_goodman said:

Peugeot 306 Rallye/GTi?
3-Series?
Focus ST170/Mondeo ST220?
Civic Type-R (although insurance may be pricey)

+ DC2 Integra

The 306 GTi-6 is on my short list in fact, do they compare to 182s etc in the handling stakes? I know they can be acquired cheaply. I'd like to point out that crap interiors and rattly interior trim worries me not. All i care about is it being mechanically reliable (i actually need to get to work more often then not) and it being a fun place to be for 2 hours a day.

3 series would surely not be that throwable? Certainly my M3 wasn’t, good on an A road, but less good on tight country lanes.

The Focus or Mondeo options don’t do much for me i'm afraid. Plus the Mondeo must be a bit big and I would have guessed not that good on the handling stakes. Happy to be wrong though.

Civic Type R, I’m surprised I can afford one. I shall go have a look....

And I’d love an Integra, but when i looked before sub 3K ones all seemed a bit tired. And my insurance would possibly rise. I'm 24 by the way, 25 before renewal, grade A (i think, the best one) postcode with 3 years ncb, one accident all on my own and 3 points.

Thanks for the replies guys, appreciated.

[Captain Muppet]

Grovsie26 said:

Captain Muppet said:

DC2 Integra Type R?

Less than 3k, gonna be a crap one.

Insurance will be pretty high.

40 miles a day in one...........

On what planet is a ST220 chuckable? It's got a whackin great V6 and weighs over 1.5 tonnes.

My daily drive is an S1 Elise, the ITRs I've been in seem like limos in comparison.

[white_goodman]

snowen250 said:

+ DC2 Integra

The 306 GTi-6 is on my short list in fact, do they compare to 182s etc in the handling stakes? I know they can be acquired cheaply. I'd like to point out that crap interiors and rattly interior trim worries me not. All i care about is it being mechanically reliable (i actually need to get to work more often then not) and it being a fun place to be for 2 hours a day.

I haven't driven a Rallye/GTi but a friend had one and rated it highly. In fact, he changed it for a more practical vRS like yours and then promptly bought it back about a month later for much the same reasons that you don't get on with yours. He uses it as his daily and reckons it is as fun and handles as well as a 205 GTi but being a more modern car is more comfortable and reliable to live with day-to-day.

[snowen250]

white_goodman said:

snowen250 said:

+ DC2 Integra

The 306 GTi-6 is on my short list in fact, do they compare to 182s etc in the handling stakes? I know they can be acquired cheaply. I'd like to point out that crap interiors and rattly interior trim worries me not. All i care about is it being mechanically reliable (i actually need to get to work more often then not) and it being a fun place to be for 2 hours a day.

I haven't driven a Rallye/GTi but a friend had one and rated it highly. In fact, he changed it for a more practical vRS like yours and then promptly bought it back about a month later for much the same reasons that you don't get on with yours. He uses it as his daily and reckons it is as fun and handles as well as a 205 GTi but being a more modern car is more comfortable and reliable to live with day-to-day.

That sounds exactly what i'm looking for to be honest, i'd like a 205, but feel it's just a bit too old to be a daily with such high miles being done.

I shall investigate the 306 idea further.

Thanks

Simon

[Robb F]

snowen250 said:

172s and 182s are where I’m leaning, but 182's seem to be above my budget for good ones, is there much difference between the 172 and 182?

My 182 was £2300 with 62K on the clock, and apart from the melted steering wheel and kerbed wheels was (and still is) pretty mint. I spent £500 on getting the cambelt, dephaser and tracking done, so I knew the engine was 100%, so still under your budget.

I see 33mpg ish around town, and up to 45mpg on the motorway at 70mph.

The 172 is slightly less powerful, but just as fun, and the 172 cups are the fastest Clio of that model. The 172 has less equipment standard and has a hidden single exhaust rather than the visible twin on the 182.

This link explains the main differences: http://www.cliosport.net/content/guides/Renault%20...

HTH.

Edited by Robb F on Tuesday 18th December 16:20

[snowen250]

Robb F said:

My 182 was £2300 with 62K on the clock, and apart from the melted steering wheel and kerbed wheels was (and still is) pretty mint. I spent £500 on getting the cambelt, dephaser and tracking done, so I knew the engine was 100%, so still under your budget.

I see 33mpg ish around town, and up to 45mpg on the motorway at 70mph.

The 172 is slightly less powerful, but just as fun, and the 172 cups are the fastest Clio of that model. The 172 has less equipment standard and has a hidden single exhaust rather than the visible twin on the 182.

This link explains the main differences: http://www.cliosport.net/content/guides/Renault%20...

HTH.

Edited by Robb F on Tuesday 18th December 16:20

Thanks Robb, that comparison is very useful. I really enjoyed my Clio, but the 197 was a bit thirsty, so a 172/182 seems a logical choice. I have also heard negative comments about the driving position so I will definately have to try one out. Your MPG figures sound good, my commute is a short countrylane bit, M-Way - A Road - D/C - Town So pretty varied! I used to get low 30s from the 197 at best, 23-24 from the M3 and mid 30s from the VRS.

Simon

[SuperchargedVR6]

snowen250 said:

I currently drive an Octavia VRS, which I don’t really enjoy. It’s a bit wallowy, doesn't handle all that well and to be honest, I don't much like the engine in it either.

Blimey, don't let the VAGsters hear you say that

I had the pleasure of being driven (at a fair lick) in my friend's 182 Cup some years ago and other than it's flimsy build quality, boomy cabin & busy engine at motorway speeds (probably the cause of the boomy cabin) sticking in my mind, it was a very, very tidy handler indeed.

The Trophy with it's super expensive SACHS dampers is supposed to be something else.

No experience of a 106 GTI but if it's anything like a 106 Rallye, again, very capable little cars.

[Chris71]

Anecdotally, quite a few of the cars suggested so far could fall foul of the 30mpg rule in the real world.

I'd suggest spending the upper end of your budget on a really nice Clio 172 Cup.

[snowen250]

SuperchargedVR6 said:

snowen250 said:

I currently drive an Octavia VRS, which I don’t really enjoy. It’s a bit wallowy, doesn't handle all that well and to be honest, I don't much like the engine in it either.

Blimey, don't let the VAGsters hear you say that

I had the pleasure of being driven (at a fair lick) in my friend's 182 Cup some years ago and other than it's flimsy build quality, boomy cabin & busy engine at motorway speeds (probably the cause of the boomy cabin) sticking in my mind, it was a very, very tidy handler indeed.

The Trophy with it's super expensive SACHS dampers is supposed to be something else.

No experience of a 106 GTI but if it's anything like a 106 Rallye, again, very capable little cars.

I bought it on the advice of VAGsters! It's also been far from reliable, with lots of niggly little problems. All fixed now though potential buyers! Its not a bad car, its just not a 'fun' car you know?

A trophy would be great, but its out my budget i think. The rawer more focused car would be my choice.

Simon

[bertieg]

for all out handling on a budget, id look at a saxo/106. my old vts was just fantastic, down a lane none of my friends car had anything on it (including a octavia vrs, mk2 golf, fiesta st etc) straight line speed isnt too shabby, but struggles with a bit of weight in the car

i now have a 172, and as a package its undoubtably a better car, but just loses out slightly in the corners, feeling ever so slightly too modern/comfortable. the saxo was quite harsh, but it was fantastic

[Raize]

Out of all the cars I've driven the 924 was the best handling, the Ford Focus the second best, the Land Rover Discovery the worst. The tractor doesn't even count it's so bad.
So I have to recommend a 924 or, more likely, 944.

[wifiwupding]

Left field = Ignis sport. compared with the MX5 I have now it was a better B road car I think, the engine was just so much sweeter than that on the mx5 and just loves to rev I even prefer the gearbox it was very slick and precise I find the mx5s box a little heavily sprung and the handling was awesome, very adjustable with your right foot

Standard
107hp
103lbft
0-60 8.8sec
945kg
40mpg
Recaro seats
Enkei light weight alloys
Requires super unleaded otherwise they run rough

and you could easily get a mint 2005 model for 3K

[snowen250]

While i've no doubt the Suzuki is a great car, id also like to do the occasional track day, so i feel something with a tad more "oomph" would be useful.

Out of the Saxo and 106 i'm afraid i would lean toward the 106. Simply as i prefer them. Is it an image thing? Possibly.

Thanks again for the replies though.

Simon

[bertieg]

snowen250 said:

While i've no doubt the Suzuki is a great car, id also like to do the occasional track day, so i feel something with a tad more "oomph" would be useful.

Out of the Saxo and 106 i'm afraid i would lean toward the 106. Simply as i prefer them. Is it an image thing? Possibly.

Thanks again for the replies though.

Simon

id undoubtably do the same if i were after one again and had the budget to pick up a good example of either. it just so happened a good saxo (oxymoron?) turned up when i was looking. mechanically, they are very nearly the same, and you wouldnt be disappointed with either

[danp]

facelift mk3 mr2?

[snowen250]

Never thought of a Mk3 MR2, i never heard of them being all that great to be honest, certainly not able to hold a candle to a decent 106GTi/Saxo Etc.

I think i shall have to look more into the VTS notion.

Simon