£9-15K - Hot Hatch, Mrs Friendly and Daily Driven... - Page 1 - Car Buying

EnthusiastOwned

Original Poster

730 posts

138 months

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Thursday 15th February 2018

Hi chaps,

I'm back in the market for a used car, having had PCP's for the past 3 cars I'm now looking used again. I've pretty much always had German cars and I'm now sick of them so fancy a change.

A budget of around £9-12k which seems like the sweet spot for something around the 2010 mark and sub 50k mileage.

Running costs don't really bother me, but I don't want something which is unreliable and too expensive when it goes wrong. The Mrs will be driving it too as we'll be sharing a car now. probably 80/20 split in the driving department. It'll mainly be used for commuting (5 miles each way) and then decent runs up and down the country.

I'm not fussed about balls out speed as I've come to realise that you can't really go fast enough to enjoy hyper hatches anyway - so something more fun and useable works for me.

I've narrowed it down to:

Civic Type R (FN2) - Championship White or the M200
Megane RS - 250/265 (probably a cup) or the F1 Team

Is there anything else in this price range I should be looking at, if not - out of the above what's the safest bet as I know very little about car's which aren't German.

Shiv_P

2,989 posts

126 months

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Thursday 15th February 2018

Fiesta ST?

EnthusiastOwned

Original Poster

730 posts

138 months

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[news]

Thursday 15th February 2018

Shiv_P said:

Fiesta ST?

Don't they get nicked like it's 1990 again?

Shiv_P

2,989 posts

126 months

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Thursday 15th February 2018

EnthusiastOwned said:

Don't they get nicked like it's 1990 again?

From recent figures they aren't even in top 10 being stolen, it's just the stories are being very well voiced on PH because it's a v popular "PH" car at the moment

ZX10R NIN

29,858 posts

146 months

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Thursday 15th February 2018

EnthusiastOwned

Original Poster

730 posts

138 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

ZX10R NIN said:

Good finds!

Out of those, I think the Renaults are the better cars which means i'll discount the others completely. That trophy is lush, but I think i'd have to compromise with a cup car with lux pack for drivability day to day - auto wipers, lights, climate etc. And opt for the standard lux seats with memory position (I can't even get into the car without adjusting the seat after I've used it - so memory seats are a godsend). I bloody love the recaro's though - and that car is only 30 mins away so I might take a look.

kiethton

14,454 posts

201 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

Put my fiance in an M135i 3 months back and she loves it - an early one may creep into top of budget?

Yegap

55 posts

98 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

I've got a feeling OP won't want an m135i (OP I hope it all worked out for you in the end)

Just another suggestion on top of the others mentioned, perhaps a Seat Leon 2014ish Cupra...

EnthusiastOwned

Original Poster

730 posts

138 months

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[news]

Friday 16th February 2018

kiethton said:

Put my fiance in an M135i 3 months back and she loves it - an early one may creep into top of budget?

Yegap said:

I've got a feeling OP won't want an m135i (OP I hope it all worked out for you in the end)

Just another suggestion on top of the others mentioned, perhaps a Seat Leon 2014ish Cupra...

Indeed, my M140i was the worst car i've ever owned - It's one of the reasons I have a dislike German cars now. My past few have been shockingly unreliable and with the current German automaker trend of lying, cohesion, cheating, gassing monkeys etc, I want to distance myself from them. They do not follow brand values I want to be a part of.

Leon's, Golfs, A3's etc - As above, but mainly I've had too many of them and fancy a change.

culpz

4,962 posts

133 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

Clio 200 Trophy? That's providing that you don't mind having a DCT as apposed to manual.

Dapster

8,609 posts

201 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

Not sure how "Mrs Friendly" this is - it's a bit of a shouty boys car, but I'll leave this out there. 330bhp...

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

nickfrog

23,899 posts

238 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

EnthusiastOwned said:

Indeed, my M140i was the worst car i've ever owned - It's one of the reasons I have a dislike German cars now.

You reckon all German cars are no good because you didn't like one German car ?

What was wrong with it ?

MorganP104

2,605 posts

151 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

How about a SEAT Leon Cupra, or Cupra R?

Ticks all the boxes (including the "missus friendly" one). Worth a look... Though the styling's not to everyone's taste. After a diet of straight-laced Germans, a spicy Latino might be just what the doctor ordered. wink

EnthusiastOwned

Original Poster

730 posts

138 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

culpz said:

Clio 200 Trophy? That's providing that you don't mind having a DCT as apposed to manual.

I think they may be a little too small, I quite like the shape before, but I've heard the gearboxes are a bit pwarp! I think I prefer the Megane still.

Dapster said:

Not sure how "Mrs Friendly" this is - it's a bit of a shouty boys car, but I'll leave this out there. 330bhp...

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

I love these, the Mrs hate them and it's a no go. frown

nickfrog said:

EnthusiastOwned said:

Indeed, my M140i was the worst car i've ever owned - It's one of the reasons I have a dislike German cars now.

You reckon all German cars are no good because you didn't like one German car ?

What was wrong with it ?

I didn't say that. It's one of the reasons. The cars a lemon but BMW have been literally the worst company I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with. That along with the fact that my past four German car's haven't been the reliable or premium as they'd let you believe, along with the fact German carmakers appear to be woefully corrupt in their dealings - I fancy a change.

MorganP104 said:

How about a SEAT Leon Cupra, or Cupra R?

Ticks all the boxes (including the "missus friendly" one). Worth a look... Though the styling's not to everyone's taste. After a diet of straight-laced Germans, a spicy Latino might be just what the doctor ordered. wink

I had a Leon FR, I liked it. It's still a German in a fancy frock smile

culpz

4,962 posts

133 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

nickfrog said:

You reckon all German cars are no good because you didn't like one German car ?

What was wrong with it ?

If you look in his garage, the majority of his cars have been German.

I think he's generally just after a change. I can understand that and i some-what share his sentiments. The majority, if not all, of German cars that i've had or even driven, have all been very clinical and numb. Not boring, per se, but not exactly fun to drive either.

Hammy98

884 posts

113 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

I know it is 'German' but have you considered a late R56 Mini Cooper S JCW?

Should get a well specced one with reasonable mileage for your budget, and the R56 feels very un-BMW.

Make sure its a facelift car with the N18 engine to avoid issues, the early ones ate timing chains.

MDCB

64 posts

96 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

MDCB said:

How about a 2013 SLK AMG Sport with 43k miles?

Just about to flog mine and matches your criteria (apart from not being a hatch and being German!)

MRobbins1987

509 posts

151 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

Does it need to be a hatchback? I would have a fd2 over the fn2, if it needs to be a hatchback get the Megane.

DoubleD

22,154 posts

129 months

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Friday 16th February 2018

Dapster said:

Not sure how "Mrs Friendly" this is - it's a bit of a shouty boys car, but I'll leave this out there. 330bhp...

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

Arent the engines meant to be really unreliable?

EnthusiastOwned

Original Poster

730 posts

138 months

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Saturday 17th February 2018

I’ve looked at and driven a few Megane RS’ today.

Not sure I like them. In cup/lux flavour the extra comforts don’t seem to suit the character of the car. It’s like it can’t decide what it wants to be. Stiff bouncy suspension mixed with an almost silent exhaust system. The engines are strong but need to be worked to get the power out, yet it seemed very undramatic. Is it a balls out hot hatch? An every day driver. Who knows.

I feel very underwhelmed.

I tried to contact Shytner about the yellow one linked above, on the third attempt I finally got through and was told someone was on their way to look at the car but I should still come anyway. I declined. I’ll try again tomorrow if the cars still available.