Sporty Hatchback on a 5k budget?

[HarryC]

I'm looking into buying a new car in the upcoming weeks as my VW Lupo has decided it's time is up.

First kind of decent amount of money being spent on a car as usually i'm spending around 2k. Currently looking at a few sporty hot hatches and just curious on others opinions of the cars, as well as what they would purchase themselves in this situation.

Cars i'm currently looking at:

Vauxhall Corsa VXR
Renaultsport Clio 197
Honda Civic Type R (EP3)
Mini Cooper S

That list is probably in the correct order of favouritism at the moment, however i have read a fair bit about the Corsa and the Clio being pretty unreliable which puts me off as after i have spent this money on it, i don't really want to have to spend a load more getting things fixed on it!

Cheers

[Censorious]

I'd go for good quality and fun.

Honda Civic Type R (EP3)
Mini Cooper S

Both are great to drive and won't fall apart.

[Juanco20]

I'd have thought you'd struggle to find any good examples of those cars for five grand

I've got an 09 swift sport and while it lacks the power of the cars you list, it's great fun to drive. Well worth giving one a test drive before writing it off. Between 4500 and 7000rpm it may surprise you. Plus there are plenty of good ones out there for 5k and fairly cheap to run

[aspirated]

You could get an extremely good example of a late MCS for that. Facelift is essential as it has the shorter ratio gearbox with better in gear acceleration, this example has the HK sound system and sat nav, which albeit is pretty crap (the nav) it means you get a proper speedo in front of the wheel.





Best colour with black leather, it's where my money would be going.

Plus it may be your only chance to own a supercharged car

[rallycross]

Seat Leon or Ibiza 2.0T FR ( your budget will get a 2006/7 model)
Golf Gti (I recently sold a really nice DSG model 2005 Gti with Fsh for less than you budget)
BMW 325 ti hatch ( 3k will get you one)

[billzeebub]

Out of that list a Mini Cooper S

[Test driver]

Golf mk4 r32, Mazda 3mps, focus rs mk1, all good options.

[Censorious]

billzeebub said:

Out of that list a Mini Cooper S

Definitely and easily within budget; in fact you should get a minter for 5k!

[GravelBen]

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/s...

[nottyash]

The Mini isn't the most reliable.
We have a really nice facelift 54 plate, and its just been in for can chain tensioner, can chain and god knows what else. There appears to be a few affected on the net. The newer R56 shape is even worse.
That said it is a hoot to drive. Downsides being brakes and lack of LSD.(option)
Loads around but most poorly specced.
We have the multi function wheel, Harmon Kardon, Xenon, full heated leather, and best of all Chrono pack, which means no centre speedo.

[Buff Mchugelarge]

I had the same choices and got a 197.
The Civic command too much 'jap tax', the Mini is just too small to be practical and vxr's were very high mileage/ ropey at 5k

Renualts are no more or less reliable than anything else. It's just badge snobbery tbh?

[Raman Kandola]

rallycross said:

Seat Leon or Ibiza 2.0T FR ( your budget will get a 2006/7 model)
Golf Gti (I recently sold a really nice DSG model 2005 Gti with Fsh for less than you budget)
BMW 325 ti hatch ( 3k will get you one)

Bought a 57plate leon fr DSG (petrol) for the Mrs over the weekend with 41k miles and full Dealership history so you should be able to pick one up up with higher mileage. Saw one for 4,000, 68k miles, manual, but was the 184bhp model not the 200bhp

[barker22]

HarryC said:

Corsa and the Clio being pretty unreliable which puts me off as after i have spent this money on it, i don't really want to have to spend a load more getting things fixed on it!

Cheers

Where do people keep hearing this rubbish. Both are fairly reliable, as are most cars nowadays. But I would bet that of the above two examples that should a problem arise they will be a damn sight cheaper to fix than your other options.

[Greengecko]

Dig a little deeper and go for the Focus ST, have had a smile on my face since I got mine just over a year ago now.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

There probably are slightly better examples out there with lower miles for similar money. Go for a test drive in one, you won't be disappointed.

[Debaser]

If I wanted a hatchback for 5k I'd be looking at a BMW 1 series.

[Test driver]

Buff Mchugelarge said:

Renualts are no more or less reliable than anything else. It's just badge snobbery tbh?

Hilarious!

[Jim AK]

Anything but MCS.

Too many issues with them IMO. A friend had one for a while (54 plate) & had all this! Warning lights illuminating at random, cam chain & tensioners, as all ready posted, leaks into boot area, high level brake light needed whole unit replaced as glue holding red lens in failed she also needed to replace the jack & tyre pump as they were damaged by the leak & I didn't think the interior was of a very high quality. A lot of rattles & glove box catch broke on more than one occasion. There was also an issue with the PAS motors that caused them to fail (she escaped that one) & manual gearboxes although that may just have been on the basic One model

[JakeT]

Not a typical 'sporty hatch' but this one looks like a minter and wouldn't be too bad when there's inclement weather....


http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...

[Motorrad]

Mazda 3MPS would take my money.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/m...


Not the last word in handling finesse so they say but fast as fook and that's before you map it.

that V6 4motion is comically overpriced and also they're very slow.

[Leins]

Another vote for the 325ti here