So I am after another little budget bruiser. I think its undeniable that the french make the best cheap/fun cars, so I have made a shortlist:-

106GTi
Saxo VTS
306GTi6
Renaultsport 172

I want a car that I can just get in and drive, without being paranoid at every little noise.

Ive had a saxo and a 172 before (phs2) but I like the idea of a 306GTi6


Any advice?

 

Citroen ZX 16v, very underrated car..... I love ZX's

 

If I had to have any, Clio 172 would be the choice. Good bang for buck power and fun. None of them are the last word in quality, but you can't argue at the value!

 

seat leon cupra 1.8 20v turbo

ive owned 2 of the four the saxo and 106 and there fun but really not great wouldnt touch the 306 as they have never been a fast or fun car

a mate of mine has a 172 cup and it seems pretty quick and handles well 90% of them have knackered rear shocks and all have knackered steering wheels

 

306 gti's have gearbox problems a friend of mine had 4 let go he was a savage though.

 

Clio for me, nothing else is close. Built like crap though

 

I'd love a GTi 6, as said, gearboxes can be a bit iffy, and they need cambelts every 36k!

 

Clio 172 all day long.

Awesome bang per buck and still returns 40 to the gallon!

Make sure the belts have been done and by a specialist or Renault.

 

The Clio 172 is a great car to drive, but there's no way I'd want one as a daily mode of transportation. The build quality is shocking.

And as for this line:

That makes every car on your list totally unsuitable.

You've got an RS Turbo as a fun car/project right? In that case, buy something more refined and sensible as a daily car. It'll be a million times better than anything on that list as a daily driver and will make you appreciate the RS Turbo more for what it is.

If I was looking for a sub £2k car to drive daily, I'd buy one of these every time

http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/3858914.htm

But just something like a decent, low mileage Focus 2.0 Zetec or Mondeo or anything would do.

 

I was with you until the Rover

 

Clio

 

Octavia vrs

 

Gti-6 mine was an absolute roit. Handled really well and was quick enough to have plenty of fun. Arse end steps out lovely on loft off so watch out lol

 

How about a Audi a3. I bought mine for 1.5k. 1.8 turbo petrol. It had been chipped to 190bhp. It was pretty fast and in 3 years of ownership all it needed was 2 oil changes, 2 tyres and a clutch. They never go wrong

 

Leon cupra, octavia vrs, audi a3 1.8t quattro, gti-6 or rallye, clio 172 or 182, e36 325i or 328i, e46 323ci, 325ci, 328ci, vauxhall astra gsi redtop or gsi turbo, corrado g60 or vr6 golf gti 16v mk2, 205 gti 1.6 or 1.9, astra gte 2.0 8v or 16v just my input lol

 

great cars no doubt, not really a hot hatch though.

 

GT6 for me. Handle very well, pretty quick, good on fuel and phase 3's look nice. Also sound so good with a big cone filter. Had one last year as my daily and it never gave me any problems and just bought another one last week to use as a track car.

 

How about trying to strike a deal for that 206 gti for sale on here? Looks like a nice thing.

 

Clio 172, ideally a Cup. I had one as a daily and it didn't bother me in the slightest. Build quality isn't the best but not as bad as people make out either. tbh I don't think modern Fords are much better than modern french cars in that respect.

 

Phase 2 106 Rallye with 106GTi/Saxo VTS conversion. Awesome

 

Clio 172 for me

 

I have an 02 plate 172 forsale £1450 owns it 98k full fat 172 16" prorace 1.2's carbon splitter ect

 

ford focus st170 can be bought sub 2k. I had one for 5 years and other than a clutch never wanted for a thing

 

I'd be looking at something totally different for a daily runner, as has been said, you want something that will make your RST feel special when you drive it.

E36 Beemers can be had in your price range, or something like a Saab 9K..

 

180bhp turbo, easilyy chippable, same chassis as a golf gti and a hatch if we talking mk1, just as much oh a hot one as the others mentioned imo

 

If you want your RST to feel special when you get in it then get a Fiat 126.
Clio bad build quality?
Mine's done numerous track days, 107k, daily driver and not a squeak or rattle inside!

 

if it was me id be buying this rather than some shitty french tin can lol

328 sport

 

Shares in Esso?

 

172 all day long, superb little cars

 

better on fuel than my brothers 182 clio when driving hard, motorways driven sensibly 27mpg or alittle more

 

E36's are a little too...... Shall we say..... Takeaway driver for me.

Ive never had, or even driven a 306GTi so thats top of the list at the mo. Can always sell on ang get myself another 172 if I dont get on with it.

PS..... The turbo is going, up for sale, bored of it already

 

Something must be far wrong with your brothers 182 if the mpg is worse than a 2.8 BMW lol

Get him to change the lambda's.

172 / 182's are awesome on fuel.

 

its long gone mate it only had 40k on the clock spent more time in renault being fixed under warranty cost him 9k and was the biggest heap of going lol

 

My 172 was pretty faultless and returned cracking MPG, but I got bored and sold it for the RS Turbo.

If I got another clio, I think I would go for a Phs1, just for the looks/rawness...... but would probably miss things like auto lights/wipers, lol

 

i couldnt stand the driving position in the clio found it so uncomfortable and on the motorway it was so noisy, was ok when on the edge but prefered my 106 gti for thrashing about/fun factor

 

It may have a tailgate, but think you'd be hard pushed to argue its case as what people have come to recognise as a proper "hot hatch".

I would much rather have one of those for a car to drive every day of the week than a Clio though, 1000%.

As a driving tool the Clio is superb, but as a daily mode of transportation, no thanks.

 

You must have been in some properly rough/abused clios.

Mine was perfect for a daily, albeit the clutch was a little heavy. Nice torquey engine, a/c, elec windows, auto xenons, everything worked.


In fac tell me again why I sold it? LOL

 

Because me and ant had ERST's and you wanted to be in our gang?

 

I've had 3 of them and only buy serious minters. It's just far too small, tinny and harsh for a daily driver for me. I like a nice, soothing drive, but something that still had plenty of grunt when needed.

But if that's your bag and you can live with it, it's the best driving car on your list.

 

Yeah but they are shite! Crap on fuel and slow as fuck.



Clio all the way IMO. Surely miles better than an older 306