Small PH type car for the Wife

[Vidal Baboon]

I'm stuggling a little for ideas as I don't generally look at this end of the market.

Requirements are:

£3500ish max
No older than a 2000- unless it's a reliable classic & parts are cheap
Smaller than a MK3 Clio
Reliable- She's a District Nurse, so can't be breaking down between call outs.
FUN
Small Boot- No Cappuchino/Copen/Smart Roadster types...
Econmonical (over 32MPG)

Cars I've come up with so far.

Lupo GTi (very expensive for what they are)
172 Clio Cup
StreetKa
Yaris Sport
Smart Roadster Coupe (pushing the budget a little)

The thread was sparked by a topic in Readers Cars- a Diahatsu Cuore TR-XX. It looks bloody brilliant!

What else is there avaliable from the Jap Import market?

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Monday 29th March 16:54

[Chris71]

Vidal Baboon said:

Reliable... 172 Clio Cup

That's a question I hasten to add, not simply rumour mongering!

On a similar note, how about an Alfa GTV or Ford Puma?

[Vidal Baboon]

Chris71 said:

Vidal Baboon said:

Reliable... 172 Clio Cup

That's a question I hasten to add, not simply rumour mongering!

On a similar note, how about an Alfa GTV or Ford Puma?

I've heard about Aux. belt failure & taking the cambelt with it, but apparently it's best to get them done in advance of the service shedule...

Alfa GTV, hmm, parts & MPG
Puma is a little bit too big hence the StreetKa (i'm being picky!)

[sherman]

If you only need 2 seats an Mx5 really does fit the criteria.

[Mr E]

There's a popular Japanese sports car that is the stock answer to all questions. Wish I could remember what it was...

[Vidal Baboon]

sherman said:

If you only need 2 seats an Mx5 really does fit the criteria.

I'll have to edit the opening post.

Neighbours have:

Mk1 Golf GTi
x2 classic Mini Cooper
MX5 Mkl
Lupo Sport/Gti

Can't be seen to be copying

[garycat]

SportKa

[Wadeski]

Toyota Glanza turbo import?

[Vidal Baboon]

Wadeski said:

Toyota Glanza turbo import?

Now you're talking. The ones from Gran Turismo?

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Monday 29th March 17:06

[Robert060379]

Panda 100hp (same engine as the 500 Abarth but practical five door car), Punto HGT (1.8 bulletproof Bravo/Brava HLX engine), Punto Sporting (1242 engine head issues ironed out by the Bravo/Brava 80 developement and six speed box), Stilo 1.6 (100-110bhp same chassis as the 2.2 Stilo Abarth just a few tweaks to make it as quick, offen one owner cars as well)..........

[excel monkey]

206CC?

[300bhp/ton]

Something different. A Suzuki Jimny. It's small, light weight, rwd and has a peppy engine. Good fun to drive, albeit in a totally different weigt to a hatch. Economical and cheap to run and go anywhere ability to boot. They even do a soft top version.

[Vidal Baboon]

I like the Jimny, but the missus says it's ugly.
Which is a shame as I'd'have liked to have turned it into a bit of an off road toy.

By the way, thank you for the email on the Smart RC

Punto & the Panda are on the list. Panda is still right at the top of our budget, which would bag us a very cheap one- which may need work doing to it.

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Monday 29th March 20:45

[NiceCupOfTea]

Puma is 4m long, according to Google so is the Clio, and the Yaris is only 25cm longer.

[Vidal Baboon]

NiceCupOfTea said:

Puma is 4m long, according to Google so is the Clio, and the Yaris is only 25cm longer.

Yaris was bigger than a Puma! Is that the previous gen Yaris or the new one?

I'll have a look, but would rather have something a little different. Like a Jap Kei car...

[Robert060379]

Vidal Baboon said:

I like the Jimny, but the missus says it's ugly.
Which is a shame as I'd'have liked to have turned it into a bit of an off road toy.

By the way, thank you for the email on the Smart RC

Punto & the Panda are on the list. Panda is still right at the top of our budget, which would bag us a very cheap one- which may need work doing to it.

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Monday 29th March 20:45

Have a haggle since the scrappage scheme second hand values on cars that don't qualify have spooned. A guy at work has just got a Panda 100Hp black edition for £2495.

[edo]

"the wife". FFS.

[Somnophore]

Lupo GTI is out, 6k + for a good one but I've test driven one now and they're great, and will hold value better than almost any modern second hand car.

My money would be on the puma, my gf has one and loves it, handling is epic and it's nice and revvy/nippy

[NiceCupOfTea]

Vidal Baboon said:

NiceCupOfTea said:

Puma is 4m long, according to Google so is the Clio, and the Yaris is only 25cm longer.

Yaris was bigger than a Puma! Is that the previous gen Yaris or the new one?

I'll have a look, but would rather have something a little different. Like a Jap Kei car...

Sorry, I meant shorter!

Smart Roadster Coupe / Cappo are good (my dad has/had both) but Roadster will be over budget, and Cappo will have issues as a daily driver for that money (mainly rust).

Have you looked at Fiat Barchettas or Honda Beats?

[Vidal Baboon]

edo said:

"the wife". FFS.

What's your problem?

Edited by Vidal Baboon on Monday 29th March 21:17