Car for Uni, Suggestions?

[stingray1987]

Hey guys/gals I will be returning my current lease car within the next 3-4 months and as such I am starting to think about what to replace it with, I thought I would post on here and see what you think.
I am a student and have another 12 months left at Uni so I’m looking for something reasonable to run. Looking at spending under £2000 and another £1000 most to fix it up, little project maybe .
I am 29 with 5 years no claims bonus so insurance isn’t the major issue, more mpg and parts.
I have rebuilt a few Vauxhall engines and used to own a saxo vtr and replaced almost everthing on that haha, so doing work myself is no problem.
I will be using mainly A roads, 70 mph but would like something a little more fun to drive than the little 1.0 I have had for the last 3 years (cheap for uni).
I have been looking at the following cars.
- Saxo VTR (hopefully pick up a cheap one with engine issues and replace engine)
- Saxo VTS (but unsure about MPG and if it’s worth the extra on replacement engine)
- Vauxhall Corsa C 1.8 SRI
- I was looking at VW 6N polo 16v as I had one before and loved it but gearboxes are crap. same with 6n2 GTI just no replacement gearbox's available (or as i can find when searching online).
I can’t really think of any warm hatch’s that are cheap to buy, run and easy to work on.
The clio 172 for example is a great car but my budget is a little low to buy one and have money spare for repairs.
Can you think of any i may have overlooked? Just looking for suggestions really.

[Spendyrx]

Mk5 zetec s fiesta. Usually just welding needed on them

[Gandi699]

Does it have to be a warm hatch if insurance isnt an issue?

plenty of choice of other stuff 2k - I wouldnt even consider a corsa sri 1.8, vtr or the polo much better options out there than that if you ask me.
You'd easily get a smart vts or 172 for 2k, or even a 182 with the belts done too. £2000 is ep3 money these days, a high milage one anyway, and the same goes for the early r53 cooper S. There probably loads of Vag 1.8T or PD tdi stuff too at that money but they'd arent my bag so cant really comment on those.

As for the mk5 zetec S, its slower than a VTR and rusts even more viciously with bottom end trouble quite common on the engines - you'd be better off with a Ford puma (even though puma engine swaps into the fiestas are common). If you happen to like welding then get a metro vvc or 1.8 turbo conversion, they can be a properly fun little car when built right but you may not want to use it as a daily just depends how hardcore you are in regards to comfort when driving - I knew a chap who used to do Ellesmere Port to Wolverhampton and back again each day in an 185bhp stripped out metro gti.

[Stissy]

I bought a little 16v 6N2 Sport a few years back (actually, three years ago today according to TimeHop) as a cost saving car. It was a fantastic little car and saved me loads of money.

[Gandi699]

how about a 1.5D 106/saxo/ax on waste veg oil from the chippy? lol

[welshpug]

Originally Posted by Gandi699

how about a 1.5D 106/saxo/ax on waste veg oil from the chippy? lol

99% of them are lucas pumps.

[stingray1987]

Cheers for the ideas guys, the 172 or 182 if i can find one ill defiantly consider.

I learnt to drive n a mk5 fiesta actually so a nippy one of them could be fun yeah.

[Stevos106]

A focus st170 can be had for that price just make sure it's had a clutch change but you can pick up some crackers still for not a lot of money and the handle really well and haven't got that smaller car shit build quality.