Small, nippy, economical cars... Suggestions?

So, basically, the MX-5 needs to be replaced by something pretty economical/cheap to insure. I've gone through all my options and the one that keeps coming out on top is a Lupo or Arosa 1.4 Sport... which I quite like. However, I'm sure there's a few options I'm missing, so here's my criteria...

1) Not diesel, too easy to just whack up the boost, and a non-tubby will be a dire drive IMO
2) Much be fairly nippy, not like mental but enough to put a little smile on my face
3) Cheap to insure, mpg preferably up in the 30+'s
4) Have fairly readily available bits for tuning
5) Future potential incase I decide to keep it

Looking at the stats, the 1.4 sport (100bhp) looks to be nearly as quick as the MX-5 with half the fuel and two-thirds the insurance, with the ability to look pretty fudging cool - but if you can beat that, then go ahead!

Oh, and budget... around £2500, less is better

blue clio with stripes...oh wait thats gone

if im honest i'm a fan of the Lupo Gti so if you could get one with the small engine then that

Micra?

You could import a City for £1200... Same power as the Lupo but half the weight, with an LSD as standard?? Winner IMO.

Find me a City for that price, and I WILL buy one!

How much mpg do you need?

http://jdmgarageuk.mine.nu:10100/yahoo/trans_parts.php?code=JjE0Mzc3NDE3NiZodHRwOi8vZjQuYXVjdGlvbnMuYy55aW1nLmpwL2ltZzM1OS5hdWN0aW9ucy55YWhvby5jby5qcC91c2Vycy83LzMvNC8wL3N0YXI4MnhsLXRodW1iLTEzMDY3MDcwNTk0NzM0OTQuanBn

£672. Add £500 importing/registaring it and job done.

Crack on.

Ad, preferably above 30 when motorway at motorway speeds, probably not hitting much more than 20 atm!


Stu, favourited, and if it's still there when the MX sells then I'm having it. Imagine that, an actual working City in Gloucester

Saxo vtr or fiesta zetec s

Fiesta zetec s my mrs one dose mega mpg and handles like nothing ive ever driven before. Plus when your ready focus st 170 lump in barrrp

106 Rallye, surely has to be. The added bonus is you know your way around them

Jamesy, not a fan of VTR's, for some reason I never got on with my old one compared to my 106's. Zetec-S is a good shout, not 100% on them but might be worth a drive!

Mr Sutlow - it's crossed my mind many a time already, in fact Jacob's already offered me a swap for his, thing is, it's actually cheaper for me to insure a GTi, and finding a decent S2 for decent money just doesn't happen. Plus I'm not sure if I can go back to replacing stuff every other week - do miss the GTi though, and I'd quite like a go at getting the Rota's to fit one!

Buy a nice reliable black one that seems to soldier on constantly, being nice and cheap to run. Rotas on Rack would be interesting, especially if you were to post it on RR

Don't get ANOTHER 106, you've manage to move on, why go back?

Considered a Clio?

There good...

Stu, don't worry, I highly doubt I will be!

Sam, did love the passion wagon, would need to have stripes mind haha!

Love that city!

Micra with nice wheels & drop. Then sell to Sam when he finishes uni.

Adam86 wrote:

Micra with nice wheels & drop. Then sell to Sam when he finishes uni.

I'm down for that

106GTI WTF.......just 30+ mpg could be a problem. Amazing little cars, miss mine loads

I'd probably be willing to sell my City for £2500 deffinately cleaner than the one Stu posted!

I like the Lupo, reasonable economy on a 1.0 to 1.4, though relatively heavy but thats probably why its got an ncap4

I wouldnt mind my dads 05 plate 1.6 civic when he sells up next year. 1.6 110bhp drives & handles reallys nice and he gets 44mpg!

But it would mean replacing my jeep with the civic. Although l wouldnt sell the jeep id just declare it sorn incase l wanted to use it again lol.

Talking of civic's, there is a d15b ek3 civic on pistonheads for £600. It's in need of a little tlc apparently, but it's the ultimate economy civic (I'm almost considering buying it for a donor for the city) its a 1.5 3-stage vtec, 130bhp, at idle and low revs it goes into economy mode and at high revs goes into sports vtec. Good versions tend to go for around 2.5k

my next plan

Early Clio Sport or 172?

Was on parkers earlier and your 5 should be doing 31mpg combined according to their figures.

I should be so lucky

MR2 n/a will easily get over 30 mpg.

You will get a nice rev 3 t-bar with leather and premium sound system for 2-2.5k.

Then drop in a v6

Maybe change your driving style?

Just a thought

Hmm... It's a thought... Only downside to that is I can imagine I'd always regret not buying a tubby.

Track God ftw

Sam, I actually have over the past 2 weeks to see what it's like - conclusion was that unless I drove everywhere under 2000 rpm then it makes no difference...

I have a micra 1.3 SR at the moment while my car is going through insurance... Whata beast! Almost as quick as saxo vtr and this baby is on 143576 miles ;-)

Honestly tho who knows.. I raced a lupo gti 6 speed jobby, before the xsara was crashed into and i ate it alive... Just go test drive a range of cars and see what takes your fancy :-)