Hello there... new to Fast Frogs

[jonre]

Hi everyone, I am getting the itch to go French again.

I have had a DC2 Integra Type R as a daily driver since 2006  (I'm now in my mid 50's with a bad back and am getting tired of the crashy ride). Seven years after the earthquakes, the roads here in Christchurch are too rough to enjoy most performance cars. They say it will be another 20 years before they are up to scratch again.

I had a Pug 306 XSi for a while and regret selling. It seemed to be from an era when cars were both comfy and handled. More modern stuff is either one or the other.

Im hoping FF will help me find a car that is reliable and not too expensy to maintain and can do B roads, track days and is compliant for our Christchurch goat tracks.  The budget is open to dearer options than shown below, I'm happy to pay top dollar for a good car as I plan to keep it forever. For those that know stuff, feel free to rank my list or add your suggestions :-) Or offer your opinion ...or sell me a beauty.

My short list is ...
Pug 306 GTi-6
Clio 172 RS
Off topic I know, but maybe e30/ e36 325I coupe

A votre santé, and thanks
Jonre

[Pee Dubbaya]

Gidday Jonre & welcome.

I my humble opinion a nice standard 306 Gti-6 would be a good option what your requirements. Many are starting to get on in age and condition to match, but there are still some good un's around if you're willing to be patient and/or do maintenance / replacement of old bits.
Clio 172/182's are fun little pocket rockets, with lack of weight and slighter stiffer suspension giving probably a more involving drive at the expense of some refinement (Pug 106 Gti / Cit Saxo VTS other options in a similar vein).

Could be a couple of members on here with cars of interest...

Cheers

[jonre]

Thanks PW, it seems I'm on the right track :-) Do most cars sell on TM or do a good proportion go through the classifieds here?

Incidentally I currently have the loan of a RS275 Trophy from a kind friend. It is gorgeous, but the ride (though less audibly rattly than my Type R) is just as knobbly. That is what I would like to avoid by getting into an older Ren or Pug.  Cheers!

[Pee Dubbaya]

Yup, or if you want to go a bit more modern then a 208, 308, or Ds3/4 could be options perhaps?

Personally I'd love to have a RS275 Trophy (though maybe not as a daily).

[Mungous]

Bloody 1.6 turbos. A curse on this world!

I've decided that N/A is the only way to go for truly enjoyable hot hatch driving. Fast in-gear acceleration is all well and good, but it's the lack of responsiveness when coming back onto the throttle that annoys me. It's so much harder to balance the car mid-corner when your right foot doesn't have a linear relationship with delivered torque.

I predict that high performance NA powered models will be the highly sought after classics of the future.

[jonre]

The RS275 had been chipped and was very 'efficient' at going fast, often you'd glance at the speedo and be doing a good 30kph more than you thought. I also did a few laps in it at Ruapuna and it was a car you could feel comfortable and fast in just a few circuits. There wouldn't be much else for the price an ordinary driver could do such easy fast laps in. And it runs standard pads and fluid happily lap after lap. Turn up and go... not like the old days.

[drpepper]

Hey mate, just wanted to provide some insight as I've literally done the same thing. Have had a few Type R's, DB8 & currently an EK9 and had the same thing, too crash ride making it not so tractable with power delivery, recently replaced it with a ph1 172 and its a whole different animal. Quiet and sedate in comparison, almost luxury, mind you my civic was on coilovers so had a mega hard ride. Also has a lot more torque so its easier to drive quickly without having to thrash it to the redline screaming ya tits off, all in all very happy 

[jonre]

Hi Dr Pepper, good to know Im not certifiable. I'll share another insight (or confusion)...

Ive spent a year with a 996 Turbo manual and found it maybe less fun round the hills than the 306XSi I had prior. All the magazine and internet reading would say that model 911 is a do all icon... and the  XSi, is the soft version of a car that you wouldn't compare.

I found this pretty confusing. If I can offer any thoughts of value on this, it  is about "context". The 911 was heavy of controls and stiff, but great on wide open roads. The XSi was great for caning around town or the tight hill roads  - both of which in Christchurch are rougher than you would find anywhere.

[bryand]

http://www.topgear.com/videos/chris-harris-drives/chris-harris-drives-porsche-911r-vs-peugeot-205-rallye

The link above has been posted on here before.

"Context" as you say, or horses for courses.

Watch the reaction to the big wallow on one section of road and how the 205 gives a little jiggle while the 911 suffers from all the mass hanging out the back.

[jonre]

Hi Bryan
that a great vid thanks. I may not be mad after all :-)

Heres a pic from the Pug I had in 2014 doing the Country Gents Hawkswood hill climb. Its a great event of mainly European cars. I don't think there are many sealed hill climbs you can do in a road car without a cage. 

cheers J

[drpepper]

Hmmmmmmm......

https://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/renault/auction-1581658520.htm?rsqid=96c8dc40be6244f68a6f81846c4016cd