So the Roadster is probably getting sold, but might wait to prices hopefully pick up in spring.

Replacement…fun (or at least “can go round corners” and ~10s 0-60), £3K and cheap to run. Whilst I could get a high mileage, “rated” car like a Mini/1 series/Fiesta/500 etc I’m drawn to left field things like Swifts and Colts…lighter and cheaper to run, good reliability.

Is this daft?

Suziki Swift I think would be a good bet.

3k will get you the 1.6 at about 10 years old and leggy or the 1.5 with a similar age but less miles.

Given up on the ‘sensible’ car then?

Brother in law has a Mazda3 of some warm to blimmin quick standard.
It’s 10 years old, worth bigger all, and apart from a new clutch has been totally reliable for 100k..

This is as sensible as I’m prepared to go Rik!

There’s a Colt with 94bhp, £30 VED and 50+ mpg combined. That’s sensible, no?

There’s also a 147bhp one…

I do wonder if these lighter Cara will be noisier at cruising speeds.

Winner…

As I’ve said the Swift Sport is meant to be excellent. All the motoring press seem to love it, despite its obvious power defecit to other warm hatches.

The Fiesta ST of the era you could afford is not one of the greats. I think the Colt is an interesting option but I’d rather a Swift.

Or you could go for Rickos’s dream car, the Lupo GTI. They look amazing.

Suzuki Ignis Sport.
Smaller, uglier and cheaper than the Swift, the blue ones are quite nice.

Panda 100hp, future classic and all that.

I had a Colt hire car in about 2010. Awful, truly awful and I’m a big fan of boring functional Mitsubishi cars. (Mid-80s Lancer & Carisma owner).

despite its obvious power defecit to other warm hatches.

I expect it’s weight compensates…

Apparently not in terms of outright speed, but the handling is meant to be superb.

Thought about a Panda 100?

Panda 100 started this train of thought a year ago.

There are faster more efficient cars around tho.

Audi A2 – thats a pretty leftfield choice. I’m not sure on the 0-60 but lots of great ideas in that car

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201706056147211?

Skoda Fabia VRS’s upto 2007 are also pretty well rated, but I seem to recall they were diesel only?

Twingo Sport?

Audi A2 – thats a pretty leftfield choice. I’m not sure on the 0-60 but lots of great ideas in that car

Loved our A2 but it went through suspension like nobody’s business – we only had it a year and it was back to the garage three times.

Got a Panda 100hp, whilst not as fast as some of the cars we had before it, there is rarely a need to slow for corners. Surprised some big German stuff on B roads and you can rev it quite high, sings along then.

Despite being our fun car, it has turned out to be far quieter than expected on motorways and more efficient than our sensible car, seems to return about 40mpg most of the time.

Swift Sport is a good shout too, no badge status and straight forward NA engine.
Clio 182, cambelt is key, don’t skimp. Will also get faster as bits fall off.

Ignis, I’ve no idea how well the sporty one drives but, the MIL (most destructive force known) has failed to destroy it

Swift is a good shout, personally I’d rather have one than a Mini and certainly a Fiat 500 – the orignal versions of those cars yes all day long

My dad had a colt czc turbo convertible. It was hilarious fun

Interestingly, following are suggesting various cars I’ve condered, Cup etc. Also thought of a Wind.

Argh decisions!