Upgrading from first car to something faster and cheap?

[infernouk]

Hey guys,

I have driven my first car, a corsa 1.0l base spec, since 2011 and am now 26 with 6 years no claims. It has 30k miles on it all from me...and the coil pack has gone 3 times. Other than that, its been fine.

Issue is i love cars and wanted something a bit quicker to get about it. I work in london so have no day to day need for a car, so thought it was a good time to perhaps get something else when theres not as much pressure on its reliability day to day.

I was looking at the PCP/Lease route but I think due to how quickly i swap jobs at the moment, i dont want something so long term burdening me. Thinking about it id be happy to swap it in for another 2011ish model car. Only think is i really hate dated interiors, so im looking for something on par with my corsa or better and i know a lot of cars around this time had very odd design choices.

My thought was a Civic Type R FN2 from around 2010/2011?

Perhaps something like this: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

My concern is just running costs if things break, but its a honda...so not sure if thats likely?

I assume i can get 3-4k for my corsa, then i can probably get a cheap loan for the remainder, 5k or so to get a 9-10k car

Cheers for opinions on this path

[Gareth1974]

The wheels don't look right on that FN2 link, they're not ones that came as standard as far as I know, and possibly might be smaller than you'd expect - 18" were standard, or you could upgrade to 19".

I ran a 2011 FN2 for 3 years/30000 miles, and there's a lot to commend them - brisk performance (not quick compared to today's £30k 300bhp hatches), characterful engine, spacious and practical. Mine did 30mpg over my ownership which was a mix of urban and long runs. I think they look great too. No reliability issues at all.

Downsides were very firm ride, and an unsettled motorway cruiser pulling about 4K rpm at 80.

[infernouk]

Gareth1974 said:

The wheels don't look right on that FN2 link, they're not ones that came as standard as far as I know, and possibly might be smaller than you'd expect - 18" were standard, or you could upgrade to 19".

I ran a 2011 FN2 for 3 years/30000 miles, and there's a lot to commend them - brisk performance (not quick compared to today's £30k 300bhp hatches), characterful engine, spacious and practical. Mine did 30mpg over my ownership which was a mix of urban and long runs. I think they look great too. No reliability issues at all.

Downsides were very firm ride, and an unsettled motorway cruiser pulling about 4K rpm at 80.

Cheers, yeah that was more of an example than a definitive choice, ideally i want a black one.

Good to hear that they are reliable, my main concern is budgeting the payments and then it blows up! But many of the 9-10k models have full Honda history and no mods

Obviously id prefer the latest model or the version after this one for performance but I dont think theres any way the finance adds up for me

[infernouk]

to add to this, is a cayman S for around 10k a bad idea? i assume that could be a money pit

[mikey P 500]

Cheap to run car but with more performance that cords, for weekends, and considering 2 seat cars, sounds like you need a mx5 (prob a mk3 with folding metal roof for parking in London).

[infernouk]

mikey P 500 said:

Cheap to run car but with more performance that cords, for weekends, and considering 2 seat cars, sounds like you need a mx5 (prob a mk3 with folding metal roof for parking in London).

unfortunately i have a lot running dislike of the MX5 styling, wont own one, though i accept they are great value. It wont be parked in london, itll be left at my parents home

[Integroo]

As someone who is looking to buy an FN2, their interiors aren't the greatest. Lot of hard plastics.

[Butter Face]

Yes interior is very plastic Japanese and the ride is firm, but it's a Type R civic not a diesel golf.

OP, they're fantastically reliable, check history or oil changes, check the car over fully and go for it.

Of course, the EP3 is better but the FN2 is ace too.

[Integroo]

I wouldn't pay a three grand premium for a super low mileage example tbh. If you're spending 9 grand, get a CW FN2 from 2009/10 with the LSD. Otherwise, spend 5k on a 60k miles 2006 model.

[Gareth1974]

If you want a model with LSD, it's no just the championship white card that have it, all of the cars made on the final year or so of production had it.

Also, a reason why many cars have a full Honda service history is that you could buy a 5 service pack for £599 when new, a bargain

[infernouk]

so is it worth spending the extra for the LSD newer model? im all for saving some 50% of the value but if its a deal breaking feature then id rather have it

[Gareth1974]

If you read reviews of the championship white edition when it came out they said the LSD had a positive effect but not massive effect http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/car-reviews/honda/hon... or https://www.topgear.com/car-reviews/honda/civic-ty...

I never drove one without a LSD so I can't comment about if it makes a huge difference or not, but I don't recall any wheelspin issues, but I'm not one for flooring it in first gear out of junctions anyway

[Butter Face]

And torque steer isn't really something to worry about

[infernouk]

so something like this would be a better option without LSD?

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2016...

[Gareth1974]

It probably wouldn't be the deciding factor for me. Obviously cars which have it will cost more anyway as they'll be newer. That car has sat nav, a rare option. Not sure if it's any good though.

[infernouk]

Gareth1974 said:

It probably wouldn't be the deciding factor for me. Obviously cars which have it will cost more anyway as they'll be newer. That car has sat nav, a rare option. Not sure if it's any good though.

yeah i really dont see value in a 6 year old sat nav, its pretty much just the LSD

Though i am super temped by the cayman now if i can find budget to cover its additional expense

[HumanDoing]

If it's genuinely a hatchback you're looking at then 3 year old Fiesta STs would fall in that price bracket - might be worth a test drive to see if the car is 'enough' or if you really feel you'd like to go up to Type R 'hyperhatch' territory. If you end up going for a convertible then there's a reason MX-5s get so much praise on here also.

[infernouk]

HumanDoing said:

If it's genuinely a hatchback you're looking at then 3 year old Fiesta STs would fall in that price bracket - might be worth a test drive to see if the car is 'enough' or if you really feel you'd like to go up to Type R 'hyperhatch' territory. If you end up going for a convertible then there's a reason MX-5s get so much praise on here also.

my friend has a 3 year old ST mountune and its nice, but its still just a fiesta to me, i liked the type R as the stylings a bit more silly. Only new type R are hyperhatch, the older FN2 is slower than an ST

Not bothered about form factory really, just something exciting and a bit less common, i have no kids and dont drive friends around so im as flexible as can be

[ZX10R NIN]

infernouk said:

Hey guys,

I have driven my first car, a corsa 1.0l base spec, since 2011 and am now 26 with 6 years no claims. It has 30k miles on it all from me...and the coil pack has gone 3 times. Other than that, its been fine.

Issue is i love cars and wanted something a bit quicker to get about it. I work in london so have no day to day need for a car, so thought it was a good time to perhaps get something else when theres not as much pressure on its reliability day to day.

I was looking at the PCP/Lease route but I think due to how quickly i swap jobs at the moment, i dont want something so long term burdening me. Thinking about it id be happy to swap it in for another 2011ish model car. Only think is i really hate dated interiors, so im looking for something on par with my corsa or better and i know a lot of cars around this time had very odd design choices.

My thought was a Civic Type R FN2 from around 2010/2011?

Perhaps something like this: http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

My concern is just running costs if things break, but its a honda...so not sure if thats likely?

I assume i can get 3-4k for my corsa, then i can probably get a cheap loan for the remainder, 5k or so to get a 9-10k car

Cheers for opinions on this path

If any car has a problem that involves an Alternator/AC Pump it won't be cheap even on your Corsa, look for lots of receipts to show regular maintenance mileage wouldn't be as big a hang up as showing the car has been looked after, for example you could buy a 2008 car that's only got 40k FSH on the clock but has been serviced 3 times I'd rather buy a car with 60k that's been serviced 8/9 times.

I'd also consider the Focus in ST-3 spec they're a good hot hatch:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

The VXR's have a good following too:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

In truth only test drives will tell you what car you prefer.

Also if you want a N/A car with an LSD then take a good look at the Clio:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

[infernouk]

ZX10R NIN said:

If any car has a problem that involves an Alternator/AC Pump it won't be cheap even on your Corsa, look for lots of receipts to show regular maintenance mileage wouldn't be as big a hang up as showing the car has been looked after, for example you could buy a 2008 car that's only got 40k FSH on the clock but has been serviced 3 times I'd rather buy a car with 60k that's been serviced 8/9 times.

I'd also consider the Focus in ST-3 spec they're a good hot hatch:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

The VXR's have a good following too:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

In truth only test drives will tell you what car you prefer.

Also if you want a N/A car with an LSD then take a good look at the Clio:

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2017...

thanks, i drove the clio for a few days back when i worked in automotive, it was great fun but the interior was brutally plain and poor, also id have to have that spoiler if i went for the clio! (even though none of these seem to have it?) but i seem to remember the cup version was worse than a regular version with the cup chassis and spoiler.

any reason for linking that one over the others on sale?

Edited by infernouk on Sunday 20th August 11:38