Sporty-ish manual petrol hatch £10-15k

[Newcarbuyer555]

Hi all,

Looking for some advice on a 2nd car please.

I have a sports car which has been my only car for the past few years. Due to expanding family plans, I am looking for a “daily driver” (will only be used in winter & some weekends as I don’t need a car during the week).

Criteria:

• Around size of VW Golf
• Not SUV / crossover
• Able to take 4 people
• 5 doors (incl. hatch)
• Fits 6’5” driver comfortably on longer drives, including to France / around Europe
• Relatively modern & safe – 7 – 8 years old maximum I’d say?
• Anchors for a child seat – the car needs to be able to take one infant and be safe in doing so
• Manual
• Petrol
• RWD would be amazing (but obvs BMW only) but not mandatory
• No major ticking time bomb known issues on platform / engine (it’s possible I would only have the car for a couple of years so don’t want massive bills)
• Somewhat sporty (e.g. good handling, can rev match / heel & toe on downchanges etc)
• Doesn’t have stupid modern headrests that push your head forward
• Not Japanese or Korean (so this would mean VW, Audi, Seat, Fiat, Alfa, Citroen, Renault, Peugeot, BMW etc?)
• Price range £10 – 15k
• Insurance – “cheap” to insure. I live in a very high risk area of London, so this is a consideration if the particular model is known to be expensive to insure

My thoughts would immediately go to an older Golf GTI or similar, however the issue is that my wife may also want to drive this car in future. She is 35 and has never held a license, so when she qualifies she would be on P plates. Does this mean I would be limited to 80hp econoboxes, or does the fact that she will be older + female mean the insurance may be more reasonable than for a normal new driver?

If insurance makes it impossible to get something sporty, then I’d forget putting her on the insurance as there is a chance she will never actually learn to drive at all, or learn manual…

I tend to maintain my cars to an extremely high standard (preventative maintenance, replacing things before they break, only the very best tyres etc), so would be looking for a similar enthusiast owner, low number of overall owners etc.

Appreciate your help!

Edited by Newcarbuyer555 on Saturday 25th March 19:10

[Newcarbuyer555]

Zero7 said:

Not sure if it meets 'all' your criteria, I've got a 308 Gti as a stop gap and it's a proper hoot to drive.

Thank you. Any criteria you think it wouldn’t fit? This was actually on my list, as it happens… but would need to find one locally to see how the fit is.

[Newcarbuyer555]

Zero7 said:

Zero7 said:

Not sure if it meets 'all' your criteria, I've got a 308 Gti as a stop gap and it's a proper hoot to drive.

Wont be any room behind you if you are tall, that's about it.

No issues, other people who would go in the car are only 5’4” or so.

308 GTI is interesting. Looks like good ones are >£15k though? (And ideally I’d prefer to spend at the lower end of my budget!!!).

Any big issues with the 308 platform or the GTI engine? Seems a lot of power to be extracting from a 1.6!

[Newcarbuyer555]

classicfred said:

Focus St

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/14566725

Someone once told me all cars in / around Bedford are stolen / clocked?

[Newcarbuyer555]

Driver101 said:

The Alcon brakes are an issue. The pistons corrode and the calipers need replaced or rebuilt with stainless pistons.

The brake discs are also very expensive. The discs will set you back about £800 alone.

Expect most of the used cars available in need of a front brake refresh.

Very helpful, thank you.

[Newcarbuyer555]

ZX10R NIN said:

If/when your wife passes then buy her an eco box, keep your 2nd car nice & safe from those kerbs!!

I'd take a good look at the Astra GTC VXR they're a cracking steer (only bested by the Megane/308 GTI PS270) & because it's a Vauxhall the insurance numbers are normally lower then the German options.

GTC VXR, the ones with Nav also come with the upgraded stereo too:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302094...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301283...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302274...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202301263...

308 GTI PS250:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303105...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303235...

308 GTI PS270 under 15k:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302154...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202212302...

Leftfield

Giulietta Cloverleaf would leave you with a nice amount of change left for a smart car for the OH when she passes:

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302084...

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202303095...

Thank you very much, will take a look at these.

A 3rd car is absolutely out of the question as parking costs several thousand a year, so whatever I buy needs to be wife-friendly, or sold and replaced with an econobox if needed.

Really not sure I can see myself in a Ford or Vauxhall, but I’ll keep an open mind.

Wouldn’t be seen dead in a Kia though, which someone else suggested!

I’m really more of a French/Italian/German car man.

[Newcarbuyer555]

Macron said:

ChrisH72 said:

Mk3 Focus ST is good, as someone suggested.

Unless it's from Bedford. Everything in Bedford has been stolen. Someone once said.

Checked this - sorry it was Birmingham they meant.

[Newcarbuyer555]

Any thoughts on BMW 130i s?

[Newcarbuyer555]

ChrisH72 said:

RS Megane could do the job for that budget.

I know it's only 3dr but i've managed fine since my son was 18 months old. In a way its always been easier getting him in and out of car seats whilst facing him. Tilt and slide the front passenger seat forward and you can pretty much climb in which I've always found quite easy. Nowadays (age 7) he just gets himself in and out.

I also like the 308 but would be put off by the brakes. Also the face-lift model is closer to 20k I think.

Mk3 Focus ST is good, as someone suggested.

You probably wouldn't consider it but those Astras with the 200bhp 1.6 turbo are very much under the radar. SRI or Elite trim seem to offer good value and I hear they drive very well.

3 door would be a non-starter.

[Newcarbuyer555]

Hub said:

Good cars but all pretty old now?

Top of budget would get a reasonable m135i, or alternatively if insurance is an issue look at the (rarer) 2.0 125i.

(I don't know if it suffers the same issues as the same era 3 series 2.0 N20)

Aah, interesting. I really know nothing of cars built after around 2003! What was the last year the 130i was made?

Will also take a look at m135i but honestly I’d rather have an immaculate version of a lower model than buy a “cheap” instance of a higher model. My weekend toy provides all the fun one could need, so 2nd car just needs to be mildly sporty, but more importantly, reliable and safe

[Newcarbuyer555]

Seat Leon and an APR remap to 250hp? Anyone have any experience with these?

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202302224...

http://www.goapr.co.uk/products/ecu_upgrade_18tsi_...

(Also need to investigate if the clutch will hold the remap)