As thread title – is there anything around for this sort of money that could be considered real fun? Age doesn’t matter, but no suggestions of 90bhp rollerskates, just because they are nimble…

Golf gti. You’ll pick up a decent mk2 16v for that kind of money.

Clio 182?

Clio 172 182 197
Good luck finding a decent MK2 for that money.

Mini Cooper S

3 to 4 should get a focus st as well. Thirsty bugger though but a great car and practical. 225 bhp version is a great car.

Fiesta ST.

Civic Type R
Leon Cupra
Audi S3
Golf GTI
Clio 172
MINI JCW

Civic Type-R?

I thought Mk2 Focus ST but they seem to be mega money.

For me the last really good hot hatch was the 306 GTI. The modern ones are more powerful more economic and probably more reliable but god they are dull! Driven Golf R and an S3 had a modded Vrs all very capable but boring. Understeer seems to be the default handling characteristic these days. If I was looking for a fun small car these days with that budget I would be looking for a Swift GTI. At that price it isn’t about ultimate power or 0-60 it’s about how it goes round corners and how it handles. The smile on your face as you stick to the arse of a golf gti on a twisty road with ease. Or this https://www.gumtree.com/p/peugeot/peugeot-306-gti-6-low-mileage-only-84-300/1228715145

Chuck Morris – Member
Fiesta ST.

£3-4K would only get the old one, which isn’t in the same league as a Clio 172/182

Clio 197s are fast approaching this price bracket now, but that’s driven by horrendous fuel economy

Clio 182.
We’ve got a Panda 100hp, but that only just scrapes past your 90bhp roller skate rule. Brake pedal has had very little use.

A micra 160sr (clio chassis) is great fun. As is a 172

A gamble on a rx8?

For that sort of money you could get a good MK1 SEAT Leon Cupra R or a Mk2 Leon FR 2.0 TFSI

Paid £2300 for my GF’s S3 only a couple of years ago.

OK it’s 17 years old now, but it’s only done 145k miles now (was 132k when we got it), its wanted for nothing and has been lovingly cared for, few subtle mods including Cold Air induction kit, Stage 1 remap, and coilover suspension (only around 20mm drop, but dear lord it corners flat!).

With 265bhp, 4wd, full Recaro leather interior, returning 29mpg average and 35-40 on a run, classic Hot Hatch looks yet proper Audi refinement and (almost) Golf running costs…

It’s an awesome motor! I love it to pieces and will be gutted if it has to go.

Just looking around it seems that others have begun to cotton on to this classic, as prices are definitely on the rise!

We like this story @mboy 8)

Audi TT, golf GTI mk5, Corsa VXR, Audi S3

3.2 v6 56 plate 3 door a3, top spec, sline, full leathers ect.. 75k… £3500 – message me.

I had an older S3 as per mboy, liked it but didn’t love it, it doesn’t handle like a hot hatch. I still have an A3 3.2 dsg as per THIS THREAD & it’s a shockingly bad hot hatch, good at cruising & mildly fast once going but dull as ditchwater.
I recently bought a Type R FN2, the one I got cost £7k but cheaper cars are available, it’s a proper hot hatch, better handling than a MK11 golf with a lot more power, I would liken it to a 205 1.9 GTi but with much better build quality.

HTH
Cheers.

Quick edit, the previous type R is a better hot hatch but a little to full on for me, for the same reason I owned 2 205 GTi’s in the past & sold them within days for MK2 golfs, then FN2 is expectable as a grown up 😉

Or even acceptable 😯

Mini Cooper S R53. with a smaller super charger pulley kit and spark plug change would be rapid enough and easily in budget. The whine from the supercharger is addictive, the trips to the petrol station for super unleaded, less so.

Might find and Mi16 engined 205 for that.

Corrolla T Sport . .

RS Twingo 133 if you want smaller. Clio if you can find one.

Define ‘fun’.

An MX5 is more fun to drive than any hot hatch, if you actually want a car that is engaging to drive and improves your skill.

If you just want loud and fast then get any of the above

You can get a 130i for £3-£4k, it might not be an amazing spec, but it’s still a 3 Litre straight 6 in something that is not much bigger than a Fiesta.

I just found a great car on Auto Trader.
http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201702172423761?atmobcid=soc3

Download the app to find your perfect car.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=uk.co.autotrader.androidconsumersearch&referrer=utm_source%3DApp%2520Share

Not the fastest but certainly better built than the clio. Has the essential mods (breathing mods on these work wonders) and it’s a nice car to drive.

TheArtistFormerlyKnownAsSTR – Member

As thread title – is there anything around for this sort of money that could be considered real fun? Age doesn’t matter, but no suggestions of 90bhp rollerskates, just because they are nimble…

What is a ‘hot hatch’ to you, then?!
One of the criteria for fun for me would be ‘nimble’. Handling for me would trump power…..

Corolla T-Sport as mentioned above would be a good shout….190bhp or thereabouts with variable valve timing so it loves being revved & doesn’t really respond until it’s being thrashed…..not sure it’s the best handling car though. My mate had one & my old diesel Ibiza could keep up with it on twisty Welsh roads without too much bother.

Previous generation Ibiza Cupra – the one with the 180bhp 1.8T engine?

MkV Golf GTi should fit in the budget

Focus ST170

Original Civic Type R

I had mk 2 GTI Golf as my daily driver 4 years ago, compared with newer kit it wasn’t that hot but it handled brilliantly and was such fun to drive. I agree with the nimble idea, get a Astra and find out how badly it handles.

Not the fastest but certainly better built than the clio. Has the essential mods (breathing mods on these work wonders) and it’s a nice car to drive.

I would trust the reliability of a Clio 172/182/197 over that era of Fiesta

Buy a tatty bodywork but well serviced Mk5 golf gti, strip out the crap inside and choose how far you want to take it with a superchips remap then start fitting bigger turbo/injectors/intercooler/exhaust/suspension etc.

Don’t forget the stickers up the side of the doors and on the tailgate, these are worth at least 10bhp per sticker

It’s hard to look past a Clio for that money, provided you can find one that’s been well cared for.

However, I’d agree with FunkyDunc – as you’ll know, I’ve had both an MX5 and a hot hatch (190bhp Fabia VRS). The VRS is faster everywhere, and more practical, but if you’re getting it for enjoyment, to use when you’re not in the truck, the MX5 is going to be much more fun.

I’ll probably be under my ’02 172 this weekend getting ready to sell it this weekend, you’d probably be able to buy 2 for 3k! I’ve had it moth-balled your a year after doing the big cambelt service last year. Was really hoping to keep it as a fun car, but my motorcycle project takes priority…

What is a ‘hot hatch’ to you, then?!

0-60 < 7s

My mk5 Golf GTI was about that kind of money but we weren’t specifically looking for the ‘hot hatch’ side of things – we wanted 5 doors and DSG but theres loads of decent looking manuals around for that money. Ours had FVWSH, even down to wiper blades being replaced and tyres done. Its a great car – I’ve had the same engine in a manual mk2 Octavia vRS and yes, the Golf is smaller but with the DSG box this feels a LOT quicker. One of the few cars I’ve ever had which I’ve not yet had the urge to tinker with.

Define ‘fun’

Quite… Different things to different people innit, hence the varied suggestions!

I had an older S3 as per mboy, liked it but didn’t love it, it doesn’t handle like a hot hatch. I still have an A3 3.2 dsg as per THIS THREAD & it’s a shockingly bad hot hatch, good at cruising & mildly fast once going but dull as ditchwater.

Driven a number of S3’s, and I can tell you that the coilovers (and stiffer anti roll bars I believe) have transformed the handling! Ours is most definitely “fun”… Not only that but it’s proper quick, almost quick enough that the manual gear change has become the weak point in “making progress”…

Have owned a fair few cars mentioned in this thread, and driven many more of them. I never thought I could feel so excited about a relatively boring German hatchback, but that car makes me grin from ear to ear every time I get in, even as a passenger! By contrast my 3L Z4 is more “fun” in the traditional sense (big engine, rear drive) and it’s decently quick too, but I haven’t fallen for it in the same way as our S3!

The 3.2 v6 is a heavy lump to stick in the nose of a hatch and does ruin the handling somewhat. I’ve a friend with a TT with the same engine and box, he justifies keeping it purely on the noise alone… But then he’s the kind of guy that would rather drop £100 on stickers to make his bike look prettier, than get his forks serviced (which they’re in dire need of), so read into that what you will! 😉

An MX5 is more fun to drive than any hot hatch, if you actually want a car that is engaging to drive and improves your skill.

Hilarious!

Hilarious!

At £3-4k, and driven on the public road, he’s probably right.

Having owned 3 MX5s, whilst I can see their appeal. I’m not sure I’d class one as a hatchback though?!