What would you have?

[DMilsey]

Right so I am now 21 and next year I fancy getting myself a warm/hot hatch at around £20k.

Options:

Vauxhall corsa vxr

New Ford Fiesta ST

Skoda Fabia vrs

Seat ibiza Cupra

Peugeot 208 gti

At a push I may be able to afford a ford focus st but tbh it's abit out of my reach at the moment.

I don't think I would have another fabia, as I would like to try something new.

What would you have?

[Chris]

20k gets you quite a bit.

The VXR is very boy racerish which is fine if thats your sorta thing. Pretty hard suspension and quick in a straight line.

For me, it would probably be the 208 gti. The french have always been pretty good at turning cars into hot hatches.

[DMilsey]

Yeah the vxr are very common and abit boy racerish but I think that's okay considering I'm 21 lol, plus they drive very well.

I think I need to see a 208 in the flesh and drive one as I'm undecided on the looks and having driven the standard car I'm unimpressed.

[dobbey]

How about the forthcoming Honda Civic Type-R? If Honda sticks to their claim that it'll be the fastest fwd car to go round the nurburgring, it'll be quite a car 8)

[DMilsey]

But is it not due in 2015?

[dobbey]

I heard mid-late 2014. Wait that bit longer and have money left over

[vRS19TD]

Fiesta ST coming out in 2014.

Not sure i like the front end. :(

[DMilsey]

The fiesta st is due mid 2013? I like it. Best looking fiesta yet IMO.

[vRS19TD]

The fiesta st is due mid 2013? I like it. Best looking fiesta yet IMO.

It was saying 2014 on Google just. Maybe it will be late 2013 like the current model was.

Just checked and Fords website says launch of 2013.

Peugeot 208 Gti:

[@Lee]

Not sure i like the front end. :(

looks like a carp or a barbel, some kind fish anyway

[DMilsey]

It's defiantly 2013. Even the ford website says so http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/FutureVehicles/Fiesta-ST.

The new fiesta is in showrooms now and been told they will start taking orders for the st in jan.

Not sure on the 208, need to see one in the flesh.

[vRS19TD]

looks like a carp or a barbel, some kind fish anyway

What is it with fish today?!?!

I quite like the Vauxhall Corsa VXR Nurburgring:

[@Lee]

the only thing I like about that is the colour I'm afraid :(

[vRS19TD]

It's defiantly 2013. Even the ford website says so http://www.ford.co.uk/Cars/FutureVehicles/Fiesta-ST. .

I know, i said that above.

Going by the looks, either Peugeot or Fiesta but maybe see what else is around closer to the time of changing.

[vRS19TD]

the only thing I like about that is the colour I'm afraid :(

Squint a bit more.

I saw it on Top Gear and liked how it handled, etc.

[DMilsey]

Ah so you did mate, sorry got reply happy!!

Yeah I need to not get to excited and change my car prematurely!!

I think all of above cars are pretty similair and its going to come down to the deal I can get :-)

[Titanium_Man]

Right so I am now 21 and next year I fancy getting myself a warm/hot hatch at around £20k.

Options:

Vauxhall corsa vxr

New Ford Fiesta ST

Skoda Fabia vrs

Seat ibiza Cupra

Peugeot 208 gti

At a push I may be able to afford a ford focus st but tbh it's abit out of my reach at the moment.

I don't think I would have another fabia, as I would like to try something new.

What would you have?

I would go with none of them... citreon DS3.... 200+ out of the box and not a single mention of the word chavvy ..... Just my 2p worth!

[Paul007]

Seat Bocanegra ? Same car as the Fabia vRS, but an awful lot nicer to look at IMO.

[TriggerFish]

Out of those, the 208 - I hate the rest.

If it were me, a DS3 as said, or a RS Clio. That said, just drive one of each, there maybe a clear personal winner.

Surely you could get a couple of year old 'bigger' car, like a 330i/C230/whatever Audi make or something. Although I can fully understand the hatchback appeal, don't assume insurance will be less. My Golf GT was a fair bit more than my 330d and I'm the same age as you and a 'high risk' student.

[mannyo]

The problem with the VXR is the dealer network, Vauxhall dealers are terrible when it comes to after sales and chances are the car you chose will have been parked on an airfield for months before being driven.

Ford have there own problems, and if you read several threads dotted around the internet you'll see why.

VAG group dealers are at least helpful both pre and after sales.

[DMilsey]

I should of said, the car I will be getting will be brand new, so that puts the seat bocrenegra and 330i out. Althouh I have thought about maybe a less hot 1 series but then again the styling is awful.

Ds3 - I think it looks cheap with it black and orange wheels and ds3 stickers all in the cabin. Really not my thing.

Clio RS - actually forgot to put this on my list as the new one that's due is a really good looking thing and a1.6 turbo rather than a 2.0 n/a.

Vauxhall dealers - i have heard they're truly shocking! Plus the corsa vxr nurburgring is really over priced!!

Edited 17 December, 2012 by DMilsey

[skodanorman]

Can I ask why you want new so bad? £20k will get you an awful lot of performance car with enough change to pay for the insurance - just look in Evo for some suggestions. An early Lotus Elise can now be had for sub 10k. I think you'll get a lot more bang for your bucks if you don't go after a "13" reg.

[BossFox]

Can I ask why you want new so bad? £20k will get you an awful lot of performance car with enough change to pay for the insurance - just look in Evo for some suggestions. An early Lotus Elise can now be had for sub 10k. I think you'll get a lot more bang for your bucks if you don't go after a "13" reg.

Have to say I'd agree.

Problem with buying any high performance car new is it's going to lose a fair chunk of value in the first year or two.

Going a few years old gives you access to a lot more vehicles.

While not in the price bracket, my toy lost 30% of it's value in the first year.

Luckily I bought it a year old with less than 4k miles on it.

[skodanorman]

Have to say I'd agree.

Problem with buying any high performance car new is it's going to lose a fair chunk of value in the first year or two.

Going a few years old gives you access to a lot more vehicles.

While not in the price bracket, my toy lost 30% of it's value in the first year.

Luckily I bought it a year old with less than 4k miles on it.

Yeah I am not having a go and I can certainly see the appeal of a nice new car. I bought my Octavia when I was 21 and I bought the best (and most expensive) that I could. 18 months later I've seen how much money I've lost and I'm now essentially in a negative equity situation which means I'm stuck paying back a loan to a much higher value than the car will ever be worth again. Every time I see a Subaru Imprezza with better performance for sub 5k I kick myself. That said, if it is what you really want then go for it - go for it all the way.

I like to think the 208 GTI will recapture the essence of the 205 GTI - a test drive would reveal all. Otherwise I think I might be tempted by a Corsa... I drove a standard 1.4 hire car one and was surprised how well it went and handled.

[DMilsey]

A few reasons I want new.

1. I have a 62 plate already, don't think I could go back to having an old car

2. I couldn't afford the running cost of a scooby/Evo

3. I can most likely get service plans and warranty brand new.

4. I plan to get a bike for out and out performance ready for next ahem summer

:-)