Need some informal advice...

Swift Sport is a great car (ask Ciaran WRX his better half drives one).

Great handling, great reliability, great fuel economy... but rare enough to find and command a real price premium (even the non sport models are making strong money). Definitely would be on my short list though if you can find one that is in budget.

Plenty of previous gen Civic 1.8 for sale at reasonable money at the moment.
Also very reliable and great handling... and the 1.8 are easy on fuel and can be got at better prices than the smaller engined Civics.
 
Keadeen said:
Swift Sport is a great car (ask Ciaran WRX his better half drives one).

Great handling, great reliability, great fuel economy... but rare enough to find and command a real price premium (even the non sport models are making strong money). Definitely would be on my short list though if you can find one that is in budget.

Plenty of previous gen Civic 1.8 for sale at reasonable money at the moment.
Also very reliable and great handling... and the 1.8 are easy on fuel and can be got at better prices than the smaller engined Civics.
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Thanks Keadeen, lucky for me the missus didn't go for the Honda, don't get me wrong there is nothing wrong with Honda as a product but the stigma that comes with owning a honda... I'm not a fan and don't particularly like the look of them although the missus did like the S2000 but again too much for the missus, and after much deliberation the missus has 2 options so far the Swift or the the RAV4 1.8. let's see what happens knowning my wife she may just go completely bat $#!t and by a frikken opel :icon_eyes:
 
Lol, they're quite different cars.

RAV4 is a nice and reliable "mammy wagon" in 2wd spec. Despite it being 1.8 it is not fast once you get to the higher gears...
and don't expect it to handle. Maybe handling not to bad for a jeep SUV type... but any normal car like a bog standard Golf or Astra will handle better.

Swift on the other hand... is a very keen and precise car to drive. Very satisfying.

Another very interesting option in this category is a MINI. Brilliant handling, premium feel and look, and good fuel economy provided you go for the late 2007 onwards models that have the Peugot engines in them.
 
Keadeen said:
Lol, they're quite different cars.

RAV4 is a nice and reliable "mammy wagon" in 2wd spec. Despite it being 1.8 it is not fast once you get to the higher gears...
and don't expect it to handle. Maybe handling not to bad for a jeep SUV type... but any normal car like a bog standard Golf or Astra will handle better.

Swift on the other hand... is a very keen and precise car to drive. Very satisfying.

Another very interesting option in this category is a MINI. Brilliant handling, premium feel and look, and good fuel economy provided you go for the late 2007 onwards models that have the Peugot engines in them.
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We had a look at the Mini's but the only one i'd buy is the cooper S, but we want to keep it Japanese, not a fan of the french cars, never have been. The reason we're looking at the RAV is because it would be useful for transporting the Dog around at the moment i'm forced to do so on the back seat of my Leggy. :(

The Suzuki is a nice stylish little Jammie with loads of squirt and a good package, it has loads of style too...

The missus also said she would love a little convertible so i was wondering if anyone knew about the little mitsubishi colt CNC, they are still fetching premium prices so was wondering if they were any good for what they are?
 
I know it's not a jap but the fiesta st is a cracking car cheap to insure and parts are very cheap and the have great mpg and are very fast little yokes
Few on donedeal
 
The missus also said she would love a little convertible so i was wondering if anyone knew about the little mitsubishi colt CNC, they are still fetching premium prices so was wondering if they were any good for what they are?
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Driven quite a few of them and actually just sold one about two months ago.
Was snapped up within a week of advertising it and drove it for a bout a month.
The one I sold was a 2008 Colt CZC, 1.5, 2 owners from new, 71k kms and full service history.
Comes with aircon and trip computer as standard. Sold it for €2500.

The 1.5 has plenty power to be comfortable to drive, but not a fast car. Easy enough on fuel with short journies around 7.4L/100km and longer journies 6.2L/100km. There is a LOT of wind noise in them though despite being a hard top convertible, also there is quite a bit of trim noise and noise from play in the roof in them. The roof has two manual lock handles that even when adjusted will creak and make small knocking sounds as the car flexes during bumps and cornering. In fact with the roof down I think the body is lacking rigidity and flexes way too much for my liking. At motorway speeds you really need to speak up to be able to hold a conversation. Compared to a Peugot 207 CC which I had at the same time and also recently sold... the Peugot was totally quiet inside - as quiet as a normal car. Also the Peugot has a much larger boot. One thing to mind on all Colts is the gearbox, especially the syncromesh going up or down to 2nd gear. It is in the design of the box and usually worse when cold (hard to go into any gear when cold compared to when they warm up a bit). This problem gets worse with age and wear. If it is not too bad yet then I have found that Slick50 Gearbox fixes this problem quite nicely (was told by a Mitsubishi mechanic to use this to cure the problem if not too bad yet). In summary: they're nice enough little cars, easy to run, low depreciation and small money buys you 8-10 year old example... however they are noisy inside, the body flexes a lot, and as such don't expect this to be a driver's car.
 
Keadeen said:
Driven quite a few of them and actually just sold one about two months ago.
Was snapped up within a week of advertising it and drove it for a bout a month.
The one I sold was a 2008 Colt CZC, 1.5, 2 owners from new, 71k kms and full service history.
Comes with aircon and trip computer as standard. Sold it for €2500.

The 1.5 has plenty power to be comfortable to drive, but not a fast car. Easy enough on fuel with short journies around 7.4L/100km and longer journies 6.2L/100km. There is a LOT of wind noise in them though despite being a hard top convertible, also there is quite a bit of trim noise and noise from play in the roof in them. The roof has two manual lock handles that even when adjusted will creak and make small knocking sounds as the car flexes during bumps and cornering. In fact with the roof down I think the body is lacking rigidity and flexes way too much for my liking. At motorway speeds you really need to speak up to be able to hold a conversation. Compared to a Peugot 207 CC which I had at the same time and also recently sold... the Peugot was totally quiet inside - as quiet as a normal car. Also the Peugot has a much larger boot. One thing to mind on all Colts is the gearbox, especially the syncromesh going up or down to 2nd gear. It is in the design of the box and usually worse when cold (hard to go into any gear when cold compared to when they warm up a bit). This problem gets worse with age and wear. If it is not too bad yet then I have found that Slick50 Gearbox fixes this problem quite nicely (was told by a Mitsubishi mechanic to use this to cure the problem if not too bad yet). In summary: they're nice enough little cars, easy to run, low depreciation and small money buys you 8-10 year old example... however they are noisy inside, the body flexes a lot, and as such don't expect this to be a driver's car.
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Wow Keadeen thanks for all the info, if it was only for my wife I would probably say no problem but because I plan on zipping around in it I need to know I will be comfortable and I'm a big lad so space will be an issue let alone body flex, so it looks like we're back to the Suzuki Swift, my only concern is insurance costs on the sport so may need to go for the cheaper 1.3 only just kit it out like a sport i.e: body kit and interior nice wheels etc. My question is then how easy is it to source all of those parts? Ciaran any advice on this?

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If comfort is important then the sport is out its very very hard on the road can't speak on the 1.3 but assume there alot more comfortable and from what I've heard handle well .

Decent room in em for a city car though real easy to get in and out of and great visabilty all round.

Not sure on making a standard one look like a sport just from memory front and rear bumpers spoiler wheels and exhausts interior clocks dials seats ect ect all different wouldn't bother personally but each to there own
bb539e487b91f038b512c8974be5ecb8.jpg


Me and wife 550 comp on it hope that helps

Fyi be aware there a bit tinny
compared to Mini

Another small fun car that I considered and tested was the Panda 100hp (1.4) cool car and good space And fun too if there was one a dealer I'd go see if I were you????

See Mikes photo????
3087e9502961458d0ca53648381bcbf5.jpg


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Ciaran WRX said:
If comfort is important then the sport is out its very very hard on the road can't speak on the 1.3 but assume there alot more comfortable and from what I've heard handle well .

Decent room in em for a city car though real easy to get in and out of and great visabilty all round.

Not sure on making a standard one look like a sport just from memory front and rear bumpers spoiler wheels and exhausts interior clocks dials seats ect ect all different wouldn't bother personally but each to there own
bb539e487b91f038b512c8974be5ecb8.jpg


Me and wife 550 comp on it hope that helps

Fyi be aware there a bit tinny
compared to Mini

Another small fun car that I considered and tested was the Panda 100hp (1.4) cool car and good space And fun too if there was one a dealer I'd go see if I were you????

See Mikes photo????
3087e9502961458d0ca53648381bcbf5.jpg


Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
I'm wondering, if need be, if it can be insured in my name as her as name driver

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The hatch 1.5 runs a EL15 dohc avcs heads.

So not like the older EJ15 sohc engines.



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