Hot Hatches

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Morba said:
3 hours a day in a car and you want a hot hatch?

go for a barge, you could have something very nice for that price range

The main reason for the change (apart from the Cav failing an MOT, and some potential big problems on the horizon) is that I'm bored of a barge.

A mate has just got hold of a Mk1 Astra - stripped out to the metal, bucket seats, XE in the front... I would be a bit cautious about spending lots of time in that day to day, but anything with doorcards even - bring it on!

The interior of the 106 GTI, with half leather seats looks like a positively luxurios place to be to me... Part of the reason the Rallye appeals - I'm a bit of a stripped out racer purist at heart.
 
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timbob said:
The main reason for the change (apart from the Cav failing an MOT, and some potential big problems on the horizon) is that I'm bored of a barge.

Sounds like you are bored of naff old banger Cavs. Every car is different.

You might manage a 528i for £4k. Expensive to run but... completely different to a cav ;)
 
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Stonedofmoo said:
I thought there was a 180 and a 205 celica. The 205 being the 240bhp model?

nope, celicas model codes used to be STxxx, the GT4 being STxx5 and the GT generally STxx2

the mid 80s pop up lights is the ST16x
the mid 90s pop up lights is the ST18x
the late 90's bugeye (mine) is the ST20x

so, since mines a bugeye GT4, my model is ST205. the regular GT version is ST202
 
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timbob said:
I'm sure the 200sx would be fairly economical off boost... The question is whether I'd be able to restrain myself for the 3+ hours I spend in the car every day at work! The answer - probably not!

Dont know much about turbos but couldnt the boost be set to 0 so that you can still hold the gears and get some economy. If it was a supercharger, you'd could slip the belt off the pulley or something.
Having to stop and get out of the car to enable its full performance might restrain you enough, like they have people do with the Veyron
 
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boosted cars are absolute dogs if you dont boost em - they have low compression ratios.

plus you would still be fuelling as if you were boosting, and tbh getting a remap done on some kind of boost controller isn't worth the saving in fuel
 
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106 rallye has been mentioned, why not the 306 GTI-6 :D

Superb handling and a lovely close 6speed ratio box, I would be a bit biased though as I have one ;)
 
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Gixer said:
106 rallye has been mentioned, why not the 306 GTI-6 :D

Superb handling and a lovely close 6speed ratio box, I would be a bit biased though as I have one ;)

It has been mentioned, in Xsara VTS guise ;) Good cars, if a little highly stressed engine-wise, giving poor mpg if driven hard.
 
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[TW]Fox said:
Sounds like you are bored of naff old banger Cavs. Every car is different.

You might manage a 528i for £4k. Expensive to run but... completely different to a cav ;)

Oi! Banger Cavs! Might not be quite in the same league as your mondeo, but for £1300 when I got it, it's great. Same power as the mondeo, it's lovely condition inside, air con, electric everything, cheap to run and maintain. I've done over 50,000 (almost) trouble free miles in it, and I'll be sorry to see it go.

But it does handle like a boat.

Was looking at 328s earlier. Would have gone for a test drive this afternoon if the dealer wasn't on holiday!

I'm leaning towards a nice condition, low mileage 106 GTI at the moment... Any comments?!
 
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timbob said:
I'm leaning towards a nice condition, low mileage 106 GTI at the moment... Any comments?!

They are fun to drive, but if your doing serious millage they arent the most comfortable cars. At 70mph your looking near 4000rpm in 5th gear so MPG isnt great. You really dont get a great deal of kit either.

I love mine, do around 35k a year in it and its been pretty reliable.
 
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Hate said:
boosted cars are absolute dogs if you dont boost em - they have low compression ratios.

plus you would still be fuelling as if you were boosting, and tbh getting a remap done on some kind of boost controller isn't worth the saving in fuel

Have you ever drove a turbo? Fuelling is based on MAP for a start so thats a total reflection on how much air the engine is consuming.

At part throttle on the motorway cruising pretty much every turbo car WILL not be boosting.... this is why when you put your foot down the car goes forward faster, the throttle plate now presents less of a restriction to fill the intake manifold with pressurised air.

But as you pointed out they are 'generally' lower compression which reduces effieciency and hence MPG.

To me the real hot hatches are the NA screamers, real fun you can have at sensible speeds. CRX VTEC is the often overlooked pocket rocket, failing that a 106 Gti would take my fancy.
 
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Jonnycoupe said:
Have you ever drove a turbo?.


i drive a celica GT4. there is certainly a turbo on that which does boost a little on cruising, depending.

although this is coming from a prelude VTEC i've adjusted my driving style depending on what my boost guage is telling me
 
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Gixer said:
106 rallye has been mentioned, why not the 306 GTI-6 :D

Superb handling and a lovely close 6speed ratio box, I would be a bit biased though as I have one ;)
No ****!

Any kind of speed in one of those and they handle comparitively poorly.
 
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Gilly said:
No ****!

Any kind of speed in one of those and they handle comparitively poorly.
They really don't (Imo ;)). What are you comparing it too if you think the '6 handles poorly? :eek:
 
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Maybe I am a little spoilt with the Cup, but it wasn't long after my Fiesta had gone when I first drove a GTi6. I'd always really liked them. I was left fairly disappointed.

My mum's 206cc handles a fair bit better than it too IMO.
 
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timbob said:
Perhaps his Clio 172?! Only the best handling hot hatch in recorded history! :p
Maybe, the 172 is a great car but I'd be very suprised if it beat a '6 round a twisty track.
 
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