Budget hot hatch

[twosmoke300]

Driven plenty of those , not sharp enough for what I want I'm afraid . No diseasels either

[Dave_Q]

Gots to be the Puma or the 200/25/MG in that price range.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2004-MG-ZR-160-GREY-/281777512768?hash=item419b3fa140

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rover-25-1-8-VVC-2000MY-GTi-/291414840183?hash=item43d9ad9377

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Puma-2002-1-7-16v-Zetec-S-123bhp-2-x-keepers-95-000-miles-racing-MOT2016-/161813695243?hash=item25acd90b0b

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Puma-1-7cc-16v-79-000-miles-1-family-owner-/281786297847?hash=item419bc5adf7

 

Galloping rot or extreme kettleage, choose your poison.

[trigger]

What you really want is a Starlet SR!

[ruffgeezer]

Rover Streetwise ... It could be yours for £7, do you feel lucky

 

 

 

Seconded You've to wring it's neck to get to the good bit, but it's a nippy wee thing.

[HH-R]

Facelift 25s got ZR steering racks and are nice to drive, they tend to avoid the Lexus lights/crap mods that ZRs get plastered with. Mine only had 84 BHP* but was OK, the 105 must make a big difference. 1.6 even better.

 

The Fraud IB5 boxes these (later 25/ZR) got are feckin awful though, a gearchange only Charles Atlas would have got on with. Give me an R65 any day.

 

*my definition of a powerful car

[wuvvum]

Here's a 200 VI for £475 BIN - I think that includes a year's test.  It's in Somerset at the moment too so right end of the country for you.

 

Just like mine, only better. 

 

[J-T]

I had a 306 GTI6 about 10 years ago. I really liked it, it was very well spec'd for the day - rain sensing wipers (which were crap), air con etc. But my god it was a snappy bastard, it's the only car I've ever spun. It was on a set of budget tyres when I 1st got it and I would go as far as to say it was dangerous in the wet. Put some Goodyear F1s on it which sorted it out quite a lot but then I still managed to spin it again and stuff it into kerb a few months later (because you're a great driver when you're 19!). New back axle sorted that little mishap. Can't see you getting one for £500 though.

 

I'd cast another vote for a Clio 172, as quick as the pug but more predictable handling (yes I have driven both).

 

You may find a BMW 318ti compact for that money, think they have about 140bhp? You won't find the 3dr Civic VTI but might find an Aerodeck or 5dr which I think had about 175bhp?

[Barry Cade]

Another vote for one of these, mine cost less than 500 quid, was fault free and FUN.Wish I still had it.

 

 

[PiperCub]

Another vote for the 206GTi (& that from a 205GTi owner!!) - I don't really like them personally but know several people who've had them and while not wildly in love with them, do rate them as quick and pretty resilliant. They are cheap right now too and you'll get a usable one for under a grand, you'll struggle to get a 106GTi for that money that's much good & not a heap of trouble brewing. Similarly, I can't see you getting a GTI6 for your budget - good though they are. While they are pretty common still they do seem popular and from what I've seen, do command reasonable money (unless munted) if for no other reason than for their parts to mod other cars.

 

Alternatively, the Saxo VTR - no, it's not as powerful as the VTS but otherwise the same difference in the real world plus it's much cheaper to insure. I used a VTR for a while some years back and thought it was a fine little car. Yes, it has the usual French issues but what do you want for the money! In the same vein, if you can find one, the old AX GTi was good and quick mainly 'cos it weighed bugger all.

 

And another vote for the Clio 172. I don't reckon these will be as cheap as they are now for much longer so worth a punt.

[320touring]

£500 buys a ropey clio 172.

 

rag it til it dies, strip and sell bits to boy racers for more than it cost.

 

buy a slightly better one.

 

rinse and repeat

[Eddie Honda]

It's not fast and it's a bit shite, but does a Metro GTa not  tick the tepid-hatch, pointy and fun boxes ? (Can they be had for under a monkey? - I've not a clue)

[phil_lihp]

Or get yourself onto the list for Philibusmo's Y10 1.3GTie.  

[ShiteRider]

Lupo 1.4 sport?

I've had a lupo for 9 years (the last four as a garden ornament) not a speck rust on it, small, handles well and build quality is a lot better than golf for some reason.

My money though? I'd puma.

[MarvinsMom]

wasn't there a crazy mad version of the proton compact in the olden days that has some silly number of horse powers?

 

assuming that there are any left then one of those could be bought, I imagine for next to nothing? 

 

I also remember there been an Almera SRi/GTi, again if there are any left that have not been thrashed/crashed/rotted away then they too will be next to nothing to buy.

[face]

If I was in this position I would just go for a Puma 1.7 without hesitation - sweet tough and flexible engine, fabulous short-throw gearbox and sublime handling. Even the 1.4 is a cracking drive.

 

They look really fresh still and have no real competitors.

 

I think these are a little bit special and are an absolute steal at the moment.

[beko1987]

Puma all day long.

 

ZX Volcane right up until you said no derv, which is a shame as even normal 1.9td's will be fine with a bit of tuning and servicing!

[J-Rod]

Saxo VTR. I'm thinking we should start a campaign to save the solid ones before they're all gone. They seem to be disappearing fast. 

 

I do find myself coming down on the site of ST170s though, if you need a bit more space. Looks like they're at the bottom of the market at the mo  

[greengartside]

This is what you want....

 

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-FORD-FIESTA-ZETEC-S-BLUE-/141762653089?hash=item2101b66ba1

 

I was going to bid on this myself but SWMBO says no.

 

It's an ex-Ford Press Vehicle too, for extra shite points.

 

 

Video of it in action...

 

If you do buy it then I'd like first refusal when you decide to sell. SWMBO will have to lump it...

[jonny69]

For the price those Pumas are on for, if the car falls to pieces you could sell the fackin' Zetec to the oldskool Ford crowd for pretty much what you paid for the car.

[J-Rod]

Jeez... Paddy McGuinness needs to pay Steve Berry royalties for pinching his voice.  

[Lacquer Peel]

Puma all day long.

 

ZX Volcane right up until you said no derv, which is a shame as even normal 1.9td's will be fine with a bit of tuning and servicing!

You could get a ZX Volcane with the 1.9 and 2.0 XU petrols if I remember correctly.

I'd go French too, great ride and handling balance.

[tooSavvy]

Satria GTi Proton.....

 

Mitzi parts box... not terminally tinwormy either.

 

 

TS

[They_all_do_that_sir]

I seem to remember reading that many of the ST170s never made close to 170bhp from the factory, most are kicking out closer to 150 (still enough in a focus!)

 

MG ZS 160 are a fantatsic car, evo raved about them back in the day

[Bren]

With £500 budget I would avoid a ford unless you are a decent welder.

 

Clutches and cambelts on the fiesta are not cheap - many decent ones bridged because the clutch has gone.

 

My brother had two ST 170's - handle well but flaccid performance and they like fuel.

[Junkman]

With £500 budget I would avoid a hot hatch unless you are clinically insane.

 

EFA

[oldcars]

Proton Satira?

 

Beaten to it 

[Alexg]

Those Satria GTI's look great, but seem to have a bit of a following. I think you'll struggle to get a half decent one for £500. Close to £1000 seems to be more the going rate

[Ghosty]

ST170s have DMFs, and any one that costs £500 is going to need serious structural and/or mechanical work. Parts prices are all over the place and the cars although well specced are apparently so-so to drive.

Old Man considered them (on a £2k budget), but all the potential problems (and DMF) put him off.

 

Satria GTi seems to be a common theme - basically an improved Mitsi Colt. Not easy to find though and they are fairly sought after.

 

Personally I'd go for a Saxo VTR, there seem to be a lot of decent ones around £5-600.

[Ghosty]

Come to think of it, it's probably shit but there's a Corsa C with a 1.8 and 120bhp, that could be interesting*.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall-Corsa-1-8-SRI-16V-5-Door-/331644104478?hash=item4d37876f1e

 

Early ones look very sedate too for bonus confusing people at the traffic lights.

[Alexg]

Bit rare to find but the Daihatsu Sirion Rally is worth a look. I've seen a couple on ebay go for around the £500 mark. They're only a 1.3 but with 110bhp and popular rally cars.