Hot hatch / coupe suggestions - Page 1 - Car Buying

arron77

Original Poster

7 posts

96 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

Hi all,

Looking for a new fun car to drive. I have ~40 miles round trip commute each day (minimum 12k annually) so something with half decent MPG is a plus. Willing to pay up to £20k but would prefer closer to £15k. I'd like something at most 3 years old so a good chunk of the depreciation has already gone. I'm a stickler for getting a decent residual value so I'm against a diesel with the current uncertainty (unless anyone can convince me otherwise). So far I have considered pretty much everything but would appreciate any opinions and pros and cons on the following:

Hot hatch

Golf R - love the look and surprisingly low insurance costs for me
Cupra - could pick up an auto
Fiesta ST 2/3 - not as sold on the looks but can get great deals and best MPG of the lot

Coupe

420i - love the look again, high BMW servicing costs put me off
GT86 / BRZ - BRZ edges it on looks for me, aware they are basically the same car

Other considerations

Focus ST
Golf GTD - can find some very good deals on this, just diesel makes me hesitant
A4 s-line - interior is great, can find good deals for diesel again

Deerfoot

5,143 posts

205 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

Your budget will get a decent M135i if you can relax the 3 year old condition, it's where I'd be looking...

arron77

Original Poster

7 posts

96 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

M135i's were in consideration but the insurance cost for me is £350 more per year over the Golf R for example! Due to this I have ruled it out

Deerfoot

5,143 posts

205 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

Here's a nice M135, up for £16,400, well under your max budget of £20,000. That leaves plenty left for the extra insurance....

Go and drive one, the £350 extra will be worth it.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

kiethton

14,470 posts

201 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

We just got an M135i, got a high spec 5 door auto @ 2.5 years old for £18k

You'll get one in budget.

If residuals are a key driver maybe relax the age limit, cars depereciate less as they age, something like an Elise will give you near free motoring.

pidsy

8,567 posts

178 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

Mini JCW?

TJC46

2,196 posts

227 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

VW Scirocco would be a good choice, especially if your budget could stretch to the R model.

https://www.goodgearguide.com.au/slideshow/573322/...

PaddyPadsPat

210 posts

101 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

I would rule the 420i off on the basis that it would be terribly slow and a bit awkward if a manual. Especially when you compare against the others on the list. I've got a 420d and the torque from Diesel suits this car more than petrol unless it was a 435i.

Coming from a Golf R and a Golf GTD myself, I would say the R is the best car I've ever driven and is the perfect daily driver.

arron77

Original Poster

7 posts

96 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

Deerfoot said:

Here's a nice M135, up for £16,400, well under your max budget of £20,000. That leaves plenty left for the extra insurance....

Go and drive one, the £350 extra will be worth it.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

That looks like a great deal, I usually try to avoid private sellers but in this case it appears very well looked after!

arron77

Original Poster

7 posts

96 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

kiethton said:

We just got an M135i, got a high spec 5 door auto @ 2.5 years old for £18k

You'll get one in budget.

If residuals are a key driver maybe relax the age limit, cars depereciate less as they age, something like an Elise will give you near free motoring.

How did you manage to get that for £18k? I've been window shopping a while and cheapest I've seen is £19k for a similar description to yours

arron77

Original Poster

7 posts

96 months

[report]

[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

PaddyPadsPat said:

I would rule the 420i off on the basis that it would be terribly slow and a bit awkward if a manual. Especially when you compare against the others on the list. I've got a 420d and the torque from Diesel suits this car more than petrol unless it was a 435i.

Coming from a Golf R and a Golf GTD myself, I would say the R is the best car I've ever driven and is the perfect daily driver.

Did you go manual or DSG? Much easier to get a manual in my budget

kiethton

14,470 posts

201 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

arron77 said:

kiethton said:

We just got an M135i, got a high spec 5 door auto @ 2.5 years old for £18k

You'll get one in budget.

If residuals are a key driver maybe relax the age limit, cars depereciate less as they age, something like an Elise will give you near free motoring.

How did you manage to get that for £18k? I've been window shopping a while and cheapest I've seen is £19k for a similar description to yours

Bit of a combo of right timing (late November/December) and high miles for its 2.5 years (60k) but with her doing 5k a year it's irrelevant.

We got:

5 door
Auto
Pro nav
Harmon cardon
Reverse camera + F&R sensors
DAB
Bluetooth
Adaptive LED with high beam assist
Folding seats

Likely more I've missed, ~£10k of spec IIRC

PaddyPadsPat

210 posts

101 months

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[news]

Wednesday 17th January 2018

arron77 said:

Did you go manual or DSG? Much easier to get a manual in my budget

For the R? Manual of course! cool

ZX10R NIN

29,893 posts

146 months

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Wednesday 17th January 2018

Jonno02

2,262 posts

130 months

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Wednesday 17th January 2018

You need to get out and drive each one.

HJMS123

988 posts

154 months

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Thursday 18th January 2018

Jonno02 said:

You need to get out and drive each one.

Take your common sense elsewhere please ... this is general gassing

ilikejam

1,185 posts

137 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 18th January 2018

Deerfoot said:

Here's a nice M135, up for £16,400, well under your max budget of £20,000. That leaves plenty left for the extra insurance....

Go and drive one, the £350 extra will be worth it.

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...

That looks a cracker for the price and the sort of thing I'd be looking at in the OPs situation.

Only thing I'd suggest is maybe try and find a 2014 model with the newer steering wheel as it looks so much better IMO.

arron77

Original Poster

7 posts

96 months

[report]

[news]

Thursday 18th January 2018

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks for the suggestions! Personally don't like the look of the Megane. A250 looks great so I'll keep an eye. I'm also wondering would there be any point in getting a Focus ST over a Fiesta ST...lots to consider

As another person mentioned I need to get out there and test drive some!

Trevor555

5,025 posts

105 months

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[news]

Thursday 18th January 2018

arron77 said:

I'm also wondering would there be any point in getting a Focus ST over a Fiesta ST...lots to consider

If you want nippy and economy the Fiesta is hard to beat.

tonyb1968

1,156 posts

167 months

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[news]

Thursday 18th January 2018

Look no further than a Peugeot RCZ R, falls into your price bracket (though 63/14 plate cars for around 15k), cheap to run, it does 50+mpg (or around 44mpg@75mph), it doesnt need super unleaded for that either, sub 6 sec 0-62mph, 1.6ltr 270bhp engine, insurance is surprisingly cheap and its only £145 for annual tax. Boot is huge, 380mm Alcon brakes up front, Torsen LSD (none of this electronic pretend s

te), and you don't need to sit there wondering what setting you should be driving around in either because it doesnt have or need it. 10 on autotrader at the mo, about 290 in the country so its rare smile