Next Motor?

[Arran]

Been thinking about changing the Clio for a while now, due to various reasons.

Been considering the following:

Mk 2 Seat Leon Cupra 240 TFSI

In white or Blue, preferably have xenons. Not really bothered if it is a facelift or pre-facelift. I have driven both, the face lifted car was nicer to drive. Having difficulty in finding one tbh.

Mk 2 Mazda 3 MPS.

Not driven or even been to see one yet, but they are running 260 bhp, amazing! 2.3t, the tax band is now lower than the old model, so is only £10 a year dearer than the Clio. The best thing about these cars is the specification. It has got everything! It would embarrass a lot of much bigger and expensive motors!

Any opinions or experience of these cars anyone has they can share?

Also considered an S3, but they are a bit expensive, although the performance is very nice. Not looked at one either.

BMW 3 series coupe, which the missus doesn't want. So not really an option any more.

 

[Martin]

Leon without a doubt, i followed 1 the other day in white, think it was the K1 and it was rapid, it had a decat on aswell i think because it sounded mental.

Your right about the MPS aswell, when i had an impreza everybody always used to moan they could never lose a MPS and some even said they were beat by them. IMO they look a bit boring tho and too much like the standard car which im not a fan of anyway.

 

[roystinho]

Weigh up what you like or dislike about the clio, than ask yourself will the next car build on or ruin those parts

I'm not overly fussed on power (obviously a car needs a decent amount), but handling is more important. So I've looked at things that are equal to or better handling than the clio, so a Leon or Mazda wouldn't enter my head. I'd be looking at Cayman's, Exiges/Elises, R26.r etc for myself.

If you don't hold the handling in high regard and want something quick, then any of the above would easily tick the boxes. I'd probably go S3 sportback, but like you say they're expensive

 

[RalphyBMW]

If I wasn't going to do track days I would probably get a diesel.

IIRC the boot isn't overly large on the Leon, and I think both have somewhat low rent dashboards, the Mazda dash is fussy I think, while the centre part of the Leon dash is just far too big for what goes in it and is made of unappealing materials.

 

[Arran]

The reasons for changing the Clio is that I want something a little 'softer'. I want something that is good for going on holiday in, we go on holiday in this country quite a bit, but other than that we don't do many miles as I have a work van and the missus works 3 miles away! She has a SportKa and now we are living together, having 2 cars does not make sense. She doesn't like driving the Clio, she says the suspension is too firm and it's too difficult to drive smoothly, which I can agree with. Also, when I get to drive the car, it's usually when we are on holiday or going to the shops etc, so handling is not of most importance any more. The Mazda will cost more to run and as I say I haven't driven or seen one yet. The Leon will be cheaper to run, but I imagine that both will work out to be SLIGHTLY cheaper to run than the Clio.

The dash on the Leon is questionable, but they look better when sat in the car than in the pictures. I like the way they feel when you drive them, but the brake pedal is too firm, too sharp and lacks progression and feel. Some of the areas where I thought most cars now came with, such as soft touch materials and dampened grab handles, which you get in the Clio aren't on the Leon, which made me a little disappointed. Plus their salesmen are useless. Not one has called me back, out of about 4 I have spoken to.

 

[slime]

I am having totally opposite thoughts....my GF has just bought a nice sensible Golf (as driving the Clio isn't her most favourite for the same reasons as you guys...and she's scared of scuffing the wheels!!)...so, as we now have a sensible car I going to change to a car I don't need.....I had thought about a TVR and looked at a T350 for sale locally... and then came to my senses....a Lotus PH2 Exige or Elise 111R are seriously being considered.....maybe in the spring....

 

[Arran]

I can understand you going for the lotus as a toy, but my situation is that we don't have enough money to tax and insure something like that and get a sensible motor. I doubt the missus would be happy in something boring either. Plus I like having the nice car to go away in. We're kind of hoping that once we sell both our cars, we won't have to put much towards getting one new car and will free up cash every month to save for a house deposit. I've recently moved in to her parents house so we can car share. There are a few other reasons too, but I won't keep on! Lol!

 

[Emz]

Sorry to hijack your thread Arran but i'm in a similar situation to yourself. I'm still looking at changing my car for something with better MPG but change my mind from one car to another. I still want something 'nice' but it doesn't have to be the fastest car on the block as i'm more into the looks, but i do like some go! We would need to keep 2 cars, even though we both work at the same place for a few reasons, one being that we have a baby on the way, so we would keep the fiances Clio 172 as the mpg is higher than on the 197.

Have you thought about a Civic Type R for yourself?

 

[Arran]

Civic Type R is a big no go for me. Hate them to look at inside and out. My mate has one and the Clio is better than it in every way other than spec. Which is my fault for not buying a Clio with better spec in the first place. He has had numerous problems with his and says the brakes are rubbish.

We keep narrowing it down to a Leon. Need to go look at a 3 MPS though. Have also thought about a C30 T5, but the boot is terrible and it isn't sporty enough for me. They are nice looking things though and the interior is great with the 'floating' dash.

 

[GrumpyTwig]

The MPS has sleeper factor, though aren't they in the £400+ tax band?

 

[Arran]

No, the Mk 1 MPS is £445 p/y. But the Mk2 is £10 more than the Clio.

 

[GrumpyTwig]

No, the Mk 1 MPS is £445 p/y. But the Mk2 is £10 more than the Clio.

Ah didn't know they'd reduced emissions.

 

[Arran]

The Mk2 is 224 g/km. That's 1 g/km below the £445 p/y tax band (225 g/km). Nice one Mazda!

 

[Fernandez]

The Mk2 is 224 g/km. That's 1 g/km below the £445 p/y tax band (225 g/km). Nice one Mazda!

I was under the impression that these bands would change every year as a further incentive to drive more eco friendly cars. If the mazda is only 1g under you can bet your life it will soon be over.

The Leon does seem the obvious choice. Have you thought about a Golf or even an Alfa Brera? http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/2113844.htm

 

[Arran]

I like the Brera but the engines are under powered and aren't very clean. Plus I think we want 5 doors.

I'm not keen on Golfs tbh. I think they are way to popular and I quite often see chavs or young lads driving them round streets like hooligans. I know I am young, but there's a time and place. They're over priced and cost too much to repair if anything goes wrong.

 

[Arran]

Keep the suggestions coming btw!!!

 

[Azza]

Ever considered a diesel - theres a lot of high performance diesels out nowadays that give in excess of 40mpg and great performance figures.
I was recently looking at an Audi A3 170tdi and there very highly tunable with just a re-map!
I think diesels are quite under-rated nowadays - I've had a lot of fun out on the road in a diesel as for some reason people expect them to be slow bags of s***!
I know my dad's company car is a Renault Laguna 150dci and thats very rapid - fortunately we work at the same company so I get to drive it quite often when not in the van plus hugely reliable as its on 125,000miles now with no problems to report on a 58 plate

 

[Arran]

The missus fancied a Leon FR TDi, but I don't really think it makes sense. They are more to buy and diesel cost more to buy. To get the money back you would need to do big miles, which we don't. I do in the work vans, but not in the car. I would prefer a petrol anyway, so I made the decision to look for petrols.

I did look at an A3, but the 2.0 TFSi S-Line, but they aren't 'sporty' enough for me and I would always feel I should have spent a bit more and got an S3.

 

[slime]

...I reckon the Cupra is the best all rounder.....

 

[T6 SUR]

The missus fancied a Leon FR TDi, but I don't really think it makes sense. They are more to buy and diesel cost more to buy. To get the money back you would need to do big miles, which we don't. I do in the work vans, but not in the car. I would prefer a petrol anyway, so I made the decision to look for petrols.

I did look at an A3, but the 2.0 TFSi S-Line, but they aren't 'sporty' enough for me and I would always feel I should have spent a bit more and got an S3.

I have a PD130 Diesel Golf as my daily driver which doesnt make sense for me. I work 4 miles away from home and it isnt really doing anything for more in the economy stakes.

I would always go for the Cupra R over the FR TDI.

The A3 2.0TFS1 as with most run of the mile Audi's is pretty too conservative looking for my liking
I'm on the look out for a R27 as a nice little daily but if i had a sizeable amount more cash i would go for an MK5 Edition 30 golf.

Just my 2pence worth.