If you want something properly quick you will probably have to sacrifice reliability.

If i was to spend 8K and wanted a daily, reliable motor that was a laugh i think i would probably be looking into a clio 197 with a fair bit of change for the rainy day fund and an RStuner.

The VAG stuff is so good, but i find them all boring.
But dont know really, cars have got good recently, these days everything is excelent really, as well as having a reliable, safe and quiet bus im get the hankering for more basic and raw car, a FRST starts to appeal a lot.