Performance on a budget

[Matti_f]

As the title says what would you buy and build if you have a tight budget for a fun and quick car. Obviously looking at cars that are cheap to aquire easy worked on and parts readily available.

My mind springs to most Vag stuff with a 1.8t fitted eg. 225 audi tt or Leon cupras etc... Clio 172/182 however most well looked after examples hold their value,

Anyone any outside the box ideas ?

 

[big_pete]

I don't think its possible to have more fun on a budget than in an RS Clio lol

 

[MarkM]

I don't think its possible to have more fun on a budget than in an RS Clio lol

Agreed

 

[warren]

Can you ride a motorbike?

 

[Burt2000]

It depends what you like the most, handling, acceleration or high speed. For me it's the feeling of being pushed back in the seat so it would probably be a turbo,d 4wd car for me....it's hard to look past an early Impreza Sti or evo3 with a few choice mods, being lightweight you have power, acceleration and handling all in one package.

 

[Stu Beck]

Without a doubt a cheap impreza.

 

[Matti_f]

@warren plan is both a car and bike hench the "budget" aspect haha,

@big_pete do they take the absue well being french always had me with a little doubt in the back of my head,

I had been thinking of impreza,clio 172/182, vag 1.8t, or GSI astras with the 2.0t in it.

 

[brendy]

Turbo almost every time for me. After handling mods, you can spend thousands on a naturally aspirated engine and get very little increase. Turbo engines (or SC) respond far better as long as you know its limits.
That said a big engine in a light chassis can be fun too.

 

[MarkM]

@warren plan is both a car and bike hench the "budget" aspect haha,

@big_pete do they take the absue well being french always had me with a little doubt in the back of my head,

Mine's just finished a full year of kirky track days, despite a few minor issues (alternator, crank sensor) it drives there, gets hammered all day and drives home, it's an '02 it's impossible to have more fun for the money, well, you know what I mean......

 

[big_pete]

I absolutely loved my 172. It is by far and away the most fun car to drove I have ever owned and I've owned big power imprezas, countless m3's etc

They do give niggly troubles but they are simple to work on and parts are cheap.

Honestly I can't wait to have another as a toy some day

 

[Delboy23]

Mine's just finished a full year of kirky track days, despite a few minor issues (alternator, crank sensor) it drives there, gets hammered all day and drives home, it's an '02 it's impossible to have more fun for the money, well, you know what I mean......

Going by the fun this man has then a wee Clio would do the trick

 

[s3_trev]

Id say its going to be Japanese or French to the rescue here. Some good recommendations above. VAG wouldnt really stand out to me as performance on a budget unless you buy an old R32 and throw a big turbo onto it or something, and even then its not going to go round a track like a Clio for instance. It would go forward quite well though lol.

 

[Gambit]

An old r32?!? Priced any lately!

An aul audi tt 225 with remap in it, bug or blob impreza wrx with just ppp map will provide enough fun with 260bhp. Both cheap cheerful and parts plentiful

 

[Coog]

Sorry lads, as great as the RS Clio's are you can have as much or maybe even more fun for even less cash. Its called a MX5. Itll do as many track days as a Clio except it won't break down. Plus take it to the local private carpark and you can have hours of banter all on your own. Or out the road roof down with the MRS. Brilliant fun all for a bag of sand, or less.

You'll also pick up a e46 330i for absolutely frig all nowadays. 230+ bhp, RWD and you'll get one cheap. Mate of mine got an early sport for £600 odd and he's having a right laugh with it.

 

[Phil_EK9]

Toyota MR2?

Although, personally I would go for an RS Clio or a 4 door VTI civic.

 

[Michael M]

Mk5 GTI Golf? Some hitting the market for less than 4K now. If you can look past potential rust issues I think they're a great car.

 

[MarkM]

Its called a MX5. Itll do as many track days as a Clio except it won't break down.

You weren't at the last track day then lmao

 

[Coog]

You weren't at the last track day then lmao

No I was too busy fixing my MX5

 

[Coog]

In fairness its rare for them to break down but it does happen... some are 25+ years old now and rubber hoses, wiring looms and sensors, etc perish. Of all the drifting and track days I've done I've had one hose go and a brake caliper seize. That's 4 years worth of serious beatings with very little drama. That's not bad by anyone's standard, especially for something that's 24 years old and shown no sympathy at all.

They're not fast though.

 

[acsmyth]

Corsa Turbo Z20LET - 290BHP | United Kingdom | Gumtree

 

[mike150]

This............
Mercedes E55 AMG TURBO. 500bhp+ supercar slayer mentalist. MOT Aug 2016- £3500ono
If you want to go faster for £3500 get a motorbike.

 

[Boydie]

If I was in the market for a cheap fun car it would be a MK5 GTI then a Clio RS if I needed something cheaper.

 

[cormac81]

There is/was a rough looking mk4 gsi on gumtree for 1500.

 

[cauld1]

That merc is pretty epic, can imagine it could be heartbreaking to look after though!

I would agree with @Coog on the mx5, great fun though not fast. In a similar vein what about a 205 xs if you could get one or a s1 106 rallye. Not overly cheap for a good one but not likely to lose money and again not outrightly fast but great fun. A clio 172 cup would be good too once you bin the seats and put proper buckets in.

 

[56oval]

that merc confuses the hell out of me lol. If i see the pictures right the turbo and chargecooler is in the boot?
How the hell do you get the oil back to the engine? Sump and scavenge pump?