UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

So, I've had the Polo for about 2 years now, and it's seen out an RX-8 and a Golf. I've recently got a 330d and I love it! I've tried (and failed) to sell the Polo in the past too.

I went for a drive in the Polo the other day, and it just doesn't do anything for me like it used too. Yes, it's quite good fun but just doesn't excite me any more. My plan in the long term was to try and get a b18 Honda engine into it somehow, and use it on track days.

Looking around Pistonheads/eBay there are e30 325i's available for Polo GTi money.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BMW-E30-325i- ... 642wt_1270

Am I mad?!

Omg yes sell it........ E30's are cool!

It depends what you are looking for in all fairness and how you want to drive

I loved my GTI but I knew that if I thrashed it something would go wrong which is the main reason I decided to sell up.
They are awesome little cars but they do need to be well looked after otherwise there will be problems but the same applies to all German cars.

There is simply too much technology put into them and the performance aspect is often over looked for comfort, styling, gadgets etc
It's like the Golf GTI's & Audi S3's which have fantastic engines with good power figures but the car is weighed down with too many extras and unnecessary luxuries which IMO are not needed in a "Hot Hatch", as a result they are both very heavy and handle like bus. Coilovers seem to be essential with most VAG cars because the standard handling is terrible and dangerous in some cars from my experience.

If you want something that you can abuse then it has to be Jap but if you are looking for an all round good car then go German again.
German cars are nowhere near as reliable as people make out (particularly the new cars) there is always something going wrong whether it be a sensor or a coil pack

You don’t get that with most Jap cars which is what appealed to me, I don’t need Sat nav, heated seats, electrical everything, climate control, Aircon etc
The Germans are too sensible these days, you don’t see any crazy projects anymore like the Polo G40, Corrado G60, Audi Quattro etc

I wouldnt say my Mk5 GTI Ed30 handles like a bus In fact, it handles better than most cars I have driven on the road.

The MK5 Golf may have been a bad example but I know for a fact the S3 is awful, particularly the earlier 8L models
I still dont think the Golf is what you would call good at handling though, better than most normal road cars maybe but not than similar powered performance cars.

It's comfort over performance with ze germans you cannot have a comfortable car that is really good at cornering unless you spend 3 or 4K on suspension.
They dont really make a proper "drivers" car anymore which I think is a shame, even the M3's & M5 BMW's are motorway cruisers these days

6N2 GTI 00 wrote:It depends what you are looking for in all fairness and how you want to drive

I loved my GTI but I knew that if I thrashed it something would go wrong which is the main reason I decided to sell up.
They are awesome little cars but they do need to be well looked after otherwise there will be problems but the same applies to all German cars.

There is simply too much technology put into them and the performance aspect is often over looked for comfort, styling, gadgets etc
It's like the Golf GTI's & Audi S3's which have fantastic engines with good power figures but the car is weighed down with too many extras and unnecessary luxuries which IMO are not needed in a "Hot Hatch", as a result they are both very heavy and handle like bus. Coilovers seem to be essential with most VAG cars because the standard handling is terrible and dangerous in some cars from my experience.

If you want something that you can abuse then it has to be Jap but if you are looking for an all round good car then go German again.
German cars are nowhere near as reliable as people make out (particularly the new cars) there is always something going wrong whether it be a sensor or a coil pack

You don’t get that with most Jap cars which is what appealed to me, I don’t need Sat nav, heated seats, electrical everything, climate control, Aircon etc
The Germans are too sensible these days, you don’t see any crazy projects anymore like the Polo G40, Corrado G60, Audi Quattro etc

I've never worried about driving the GTi hard - it gets driven that way most times I go out in it. The only thing to ever fail on me is the alternator!

I'm looking for something fun to drive (not too compentant like my RX-8 was though), preferably RWD, older (early 90's ish) and something I can treat as a project and do up, but still take to a track without fear of it exploding or being totally outclassed by everything. Plus with the 80/90's vintage, there won't be all the satnav/airbags etc to weigh it all down.

I agree with you on the Jap front - simple, hardcore cars. Problem is, most Jap things I'd want - like the ek3 Type-R, ae86, Integra - are more than I can afford (Polo value + ~£1k). This is why I'm drawn to the E30 - they start quite cheap, but can get up into five digit values in good condition. That appeals to me a lot, taking something scabby and turning it into a minter, but it still being usable along the way and being able to turn a profit at the end too. Still looking for other ideas though, maybe an old CRX or something. . .

On an older car like that I doubt any will be much better than the others for reliability (German vs. Jap etc), it'll be a case of finding a mechanically sound one over a complete dog.

Going from an RX-8 to a Golf then to a 330 Sport, I wouldn't say the Golf is a good handling car! (Granted, not a ed30 (but a GT), but it was terrible!).

mx5 is screaming out to you I reckon mate, dirt cheap parts and it's jap. Easy to paint easy to work on.....

Considered the MX-5 before, but never really wanted one though. Not sure why, just something about them doesn't excite me (I'm pretty picky!)

Just discovered the Galant VR-4. The insurance though. . .

Nissan 300 twin turbo is cheap to insure though, but yet, I'm still drawn back to the e30

You can pick up a little civic with a b16 or b18 conversion done for next to nothing. Or go integra dc2 if you can find one. Crx would be epic......
Dare I say 106gti, there silly quick little things....
S13 or s14 Silvia
Mr2 spider
Toyota glanza v spec turbo
Mitsubishi fto gpx
Toyota alteza are epic cool

I'm out now lol....!

Nice list there Craig

I agree about the MX-5 they are good little cars and you pick them up for next to nothing these days, a good old import are about £800-1000
Lots of potential and they wont cost a fortune to modify and run which is cool (reliable as anything)

The old Honda CRX Delsol's are decent too, really cheap but the delsol imports have the B16A2 which I think run 170bhp (normally 160) so plenty of power for a lightweight convertible.
The E30 Beamers are stunning looking cars though and I can see why you would want one, they are probably my favourite BMW of all time, I lost interest in the M3's after the went on to the E46.

Honda Civic VTI MB6 would be a good choice too, they look boring (based on the rover 400) but they do have the B18C4 engine with 170bhp and a LSD so have plenty of potential.
If you bought one of them and stripped it out with a few Integra DC2 goodies it would be a track weapon. You can pick up an Accord Type R for £1500 now too

Integra's I've looked into but, and the CRX, although the square ones are pretty rare.

106gti - would rather not another car like this really - do love these though.
S13 or s14 Silvia - like them, insurable, on the list.
Mr2 spider - never been a massive fan of these.
Toyota glanza v spec turbo - insurance says nope
Mitsubishi fto gpx - would prefer RWD and not a fan of the style
Toyota alteza are epic cool - like them, quite a bit to insure the 3 litre though and a bit newer than the rest. On the list though.

Thanks for the ideas - I'm currently looking into the E30 still, and CRX (possibly a no go on availability), the S14, the Celica GT-4 (can I put up with that rear end though?!) and the Alteza with the 3 litre engine.

I did reply to this last night, but clearly didn't hit the submit button.

Iv had a toyota starlet ep82 before cheaper to ensure than a glanza but same engine

I had it running 200bhp on the ct9 turbo was such a fun car anddddd at 19 with 2 years ncb my insurance was £1400 with all mods told not the nicest looking car but so much fun racing and smashing honda s2000 and alot of honda type rs and 106 gti

Starlet would be a good choice too, especially the older one's as the Glanza's fetch pretty good money

They are hideous but very quick when modified, serious tuning potential and great fun although for the same money you can get a Pulsar GTI-R

Keep it N/A though especially for track fun as they are far better than anything charged, throttle response is what you need on the track

6N2 GTI 00 wrote:
They are hideous Pulsar GTI-R & Starlets

Thats for sure but cracking fun ay.Glanza V are quite nice looking though but as you say fetch alittle more P's.

£1,400 to insure a Startlet is madness! I'm paying less than that to insure two cars atm!

I've settled on the E30 though - just to get the 4pots/seats off the Polo and sell it, then find a decent BMW and choose a colour - white, red, black or an awesome shade of grey. . . . I started with white, but think I'm erring towards grey now.



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With you on N/A over turbos too - plus it's one less thing to go bang, esp. if under stress and tend to sound better.