A drivers car for £1.5k?

[TheFungle]

With a budget of £1.5k is it possible to find a car that will satisfy someone who values the quality of the steering and chassis control above all else?

I've previously owned a Ford Puma and fully appreciate how wondrous they can be. I'd be open to owning another but prices are creeping up slowly, even for somewhat mediocre ones.

Practicality isn't a concern and I don't mind the more leftfield option, I'm also not a power we so would be happy with the 'non-GTI' option.

[Nickp82]

Mazda RX-8 is worth a look, the running costs are heavy but the chassis is fantastic and the engine offers a quite unique experience.

It’s a bit harder to find a good one for £1500 now but they’re out there, particularly if you go for the lower power 192.

[ZX10R NIN]

Focus ST-170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Alfa 147 Ti

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Collezione

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

MG ZS 180 a very sweet steer with a nice V6

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZS-180/303633623870?...

ZS

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-METALLIC-2005-MG-...

206 GTI 180

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-206-gti-180/224...

[tumble dryer]

172 and 182 Clio RS's. They're out there at that price and for touchy-feely they take some beating for the money.

[TheFungle]

ZX10R NIN said:

Focus ST-170

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Alfa 147 Ti

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

Collezione

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202...

MG ZS 180 a very sweet steer with a nice V6

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZS-180/303633623870?...

ZS

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-METALLIC-2005-MG-...

206 GTI 180

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-206-gti-180/224...

Good shout on the Focus and 147. I wonder how the STs have held up over the years?

[smiley_boy2501]

Just bought an MR2 for 1400 quid and they are possible at that price.

Every single Ford in the world has rusty arches/rusty everything but apart from that Puma/Mk5 Fiesta/Mk1 Focus for FWD.

MGF

Clio RS's/knacked are a bit rare at that price.

Saxo/Xsara VTS/306 GTI-6

R53 Cooper S

That's the kinda stuff I was thinking of prior to nabbing the MR2

Is MK1 Swift Sport available at that?

[SAS Tom]

MX5 is the answer

[ZX10R NIN]

TheFungle said:

Good shout on the Focus and 147. I wonder how the STs have held up over the years?

Pretty well if they've been looked after but you will have to check for rust, the 147's seem to have fared very well.

[AdamIndy]

TheFungle said:

Good shout on the Focus and 147. I wonder how the STs have held up over the years?

I came here to say an ST170 but was beaten to it. I owned one for 8 years. They get a lot of stick on here but they really are a cracking car if you buy a good one. The chassis is fantastic and the engine is good too. The main thing to worry about is the IMRC actuator(a silver box on the bulkhead). It will go wrong at some point, it’s a Ford only part and around £300 to buy and an hour to fit. The gearbox is a bit ‘meh’ as the gearing is pretty long. Only use motorcraft(genuine Ford) spark plugs, I tried 2 different types of NGK plugs and lost a lot of power when it got hot. I have no explanation as to why, it just did.

I did 50000 miles in mine on road and track where it punched well above it’s weight. I absolutely hammered it on track and it never once let me down. Keep it above 5000rpm and they go quite well.

They’re getting on a bit now but don’t let that put you off, they’re solid and dependable cars.

[nuttywobbler]

Toyota Corolla T Sport.

[anonymous-user]

Panda 100hp

[samoht]

Peugeot 306 another possibility
this XSi is up for £2k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202... but lower-powered ones are available for less

[TheFungle]

samoht said:

Peugeot 306 another possibility
this XSi is up for £2k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202... but lower-powered ones are available for less

Now that is lovely

[ajprice]

samoht said:

Peugeot 306 another possibility
this XSi is up for £2k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202... but lower-powered ones are available for less

Nice, and these days it's about the same length, lower and narrower than a new 208.

[Mr Tidy]

I sold my BMW E46 325ti Sport Compact just within that budget a couple of years ago.

It would fit the bill for anyone who liked RWD, manual gearbox and a straight 6 N/A engine.

[Belle427]

2 cars that impressed me and I always looked forward to driving have been the mx5 and the Clio sport 172.
Difficult to beat for little money.

[TheFungle]

Belle427 said:

2 cars that impressed me and I always looked forward to driving have been the mx5 and the Clio sport 172.
Difficult to beat for little money.

I've had a Mk3 MX-5 and a FF 182 so know how good they can both be.

At the budget I think examples of those would be far too leggy and tired.

[ahas]

SAS Tom said:

MX5 is the answer

^ this.

[Ankh87]

I have a few recommendations

Toyota MR2 Mk3
Toyota Celica or Corolla T Sport / 190
Mazda RX8 or MX5
MG F or TF
Renault Clio 172/182
Skoda Octavia VRS
Audi TT 180/225

[Cocknose]

ajprice said:

samoht said:

Peugeot 306 another possibility
this XSi is up for £2k https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/202... but lower-powered ones are available for less

Nice, and these days it's about the same length, lower and narrower than a new 208.

I like that a lot, that's only going to go up in value as well. I wonder how easy it is to find spares for those.