right - the time has come. Golf is going back to the finance company.. I cant afford the Audi B7 S4 that i wanted, this will have to be on the back burner until im better off.

I want to spend under 10k - but get something Newish, Quickish, Reliable (no turbo) and not look like an asbo sporting chav.

it seems a CTR is the only real option, can get a 2003ish for 7k. whats the downside to this? - i understand that it may not have that 'german' feel to it.. but its not exactly a vauxhall is it.. jap is half good, right?

thoughts and maybe other suggestions i havent considered?

thanks in advance

 You'll have to put up with some pretty poor fuel consumption when you give it some - lucky to get in double figures if you keep it in the Vtec, they don't really handle that well, are ludicrously expensive to repair when they go wrong, they are chav mobiles already!

Toyota Corolla T-Sport Compressor are really nice and murder Type R's

Pros: Its Japanese

Cons: Its Japanese

Having just come from Honda ownership (2.2 VTi Prelude), I can say that they're reliable and well built and when driven properly are pretty quick.  The obvious downside to having a revvy lump is that there is considerably less torque (well someone had to mention it!) so you've gotta be in the right gear to get the best of the engine and ideally up above 5K for spirited driving. If not, you will get caught out especially going up hill.  I nearly got done by a 106 for attempting a gradient in the wrong gear on a dual carriage way!

The VTEC lumps are awesome in their engineering though, they're bulletproof provided they're looked after as with most modern engines.  It will put a smile on your face when you get about 5K and ping it off the limiter, but if I'm honest that fades away - even more so when you see the looks on people's faces when you're caning the nuts off it to get up to pace.

Plus, I'd say that bread van shape Type-Rs sadly fall into that charv-mobile category these days - see more of them on the roads then MK4s!

Hmm - ok..

MPG

I get low 20's when im running the golf normally - if i 'drive it like i stole it' i get 9 MPG so im used to poor economy.

low torque

Having a turbo that takes a while to spool up gives the same issue, if your in the wrong gear or the wrong revs you can lose against a lesser car. Specially annoying is that by the time you've caught up, you run out of road.

Chav-ness

Its a known fact that the MK4 is firmly in chavland now - as they are getting cheaper, more idiots are buying them. going on personal experience ONLY, ive seen prob 10 tacky looking MK4's to 1 tacky looking CTR.

Plus Points...

Lower tax band

Lower insurance

Better MPG when driven normally.

Its also only to tide me over until i can afford the S4 - its not a long term solution. just a stop gap.. but might as well have fun in the gap..

am i trying to justify it to myself, or you lot?! :)

What about getting a Leon Cupra-R?

Personally id get one of these!!! 

The problem with the DC5 Integra is the rediculous price to buy, they still cost well over £10k

yeah I'd have to be looking at an LCR or maybe an S3 for around 10k

 350z?

Pros - great fun, great gearbox and gearstick placement, seats, VTEC hooning and excellent reliability record

Cons - typical Jap low rent interior, rattles, the fact that everyone will want to race you, crap stereo, duff steering feel, and breadvan styling.  

Still a great car though 

thesaint:

I want to spend under 10k - but get something Newish, Quickish, Reliable (no turbo) and not look like an asbo sporting chav.

paddeh:

yeah I'd have to be looking at an LCR or maybe an S3 for around 10k

 

lol... DOH!

lim_walk:

 350z?

for under 10k ?!

How about a nice Scooby for the money instead?

The Civic should be reliable if you get a good one, but I find it lacking in the looks department and wouldn't like to have to keep revving it so hard to get the best performance out of it...

Wigster. 

Admittedly as your not wanting a turbo you will need to opt for a bigger cc engine and in theory you'd be hit with high road tx etc. Looking at Autotrader within your 10k budget you could get:

Integra DC5 (instead of the civic as its not a common) , 350Z , RX8 , Lotus elise,

or ZM3 (Admittedly this would push your budget)

TheSaint:

lim_walk:

 350z?

for under 10k ?!

yeah mate... ive been looking at one of these but im detered by the road tax and running costs... have a look on Autotrader though.... there are a few for under or around 10k!!!!

I like 'em. Definately a nice step up from the Mk4 IMO.

AFAIK they just work out of the box, no need to upgrade suspension, wheels, ARBs, engine, brakes etc, they are just a good fun car.

Not sure what road tax bands they fall into though? I remember looking a while back for a pre march 2001 model but I don't think any existed at that point in time.

trbd:

AFAIK they just work out of the box, no need to upgrade suspension, wheels, ARBs, engine, brakes etc, they are just a good fun car.

Thats exactly my thinking - i raced a CTR a new months ago (when my car was boosting properly as apposed to just when it felt like it) and we were dead even... mines running 237bhp! - ive spent more than id like to admit on it, and it still needs more.. with the upgraded power it really needs a FMIC for example.. just seems to be a never ending list just to get it to a state that the CTR is at already!

i want a standard car thats reasonably quick in STANDARD form!

thanks to everyone thats mentioned the 350z - i must admit i was shocked to see that i could get one on my budget.. but the running costs are not acceptable at this stage (half the reason ive shelved the S4...)

Yeah. Only thing putting me off shelling out on a shiney new motor is the state of society today, too much vandalism, door bashing etc, it would only stay "nice" for a matter of weeks round my way.

Thats the good thing about the golf in a way I guess, it doesn't look particularly sporty so doesn't attract much attention, I don't have to worry where I park (could just be a 1.4 etc) wheras a CTR is a CTR at the end of the day :)

I think its a CTR's are pretty awsome cars, though i the integra has much more street cred but thats out of the question you already mentioned. A guy i work with sold his GTI 1.8T not that long ago and got a CTR. He says if he could swap it for his mk4 tomorrow he'd do it. I think the problem for him is its only a great car when your giving it some and much better round the corners than the golf, but for a daily driver and taking his kid to school the golf was so much better and still put a smile on his face when he wanted to have fun.

So from what he has said, if you are looking for a relaxed drive to get you places, buy another car. If that dosent bother you and you like to have fun a lot, you cant really go wrong.

 I think a nice Seat Leon Cupra R with a remap :)

Could probably get quite a nice 330i for that money, albeit it would go against most of your criteria though. Hmmmm what about a 330d?