Bye, XR4i

Ew.

You can get help, you know...

-- JackH

I'm seeking it, but in the meantime - budget of £219 ex. VAT per month, or less. Want fun. Have driven 116. It is fun. RWD, sharp chassis and semi-practical.

Open to suggestions - two-seater cars have been excluded though, I think ;)

Richard

But the BMW is basically a two seater when you look at the space in the back, plus a small boot, it's ugly and it's underpowered. If you want fun you may as well buy a Mini One

i quite like them but i think the 3 door version of the 1 series looks nicer, but it aint out yet i don't think :)

How is this different to the 116?

It doesn't appear to have hit every branch on its way down the ugly tree.

HTH

-- JackH

Skoda Fabia vRS. Love em (as an everyday car)

I never thought I'd see the day where I'd choose a Skoda over a BMW, but absolutely.

-- JackH

It looks nicer and doesn't have the BMW image, probably quicker too if I could be arsed to look up the figures.

But not just that. You'd choose a diesel Skoda over a petrol BMW!!

You should send that comment in to Skoda as an advertising line. Seriously. It's Fab. :-)

-- Stuart.

I don't get it either. It's like the people that have something to say about the 1-series appear to have never actually seen one (or driven one). I hate the idea of owning a BMW, especially one that people who like BMWs will think was me buying a car 'to get onto the bottom of the BMW ladder'.

The 1-series bootspace is perfectly adequate, a vast improvement over my Beetle, and rather better than the MINI which, as any fule no, is also FWD and comparatively boring. And yes, I have driven both.

I don't know what brand of crack one needs to smoke to consider the MINI even remotely comparable, but people need to lay off it.

FWIW, the Golf is only 20 litres greater with the seats up, and 155 litres more (I think - quick Googling bombards me with Golf Plus details) with the seats down.

I could well stil buy a MINI, but I must admit I can't think of any logical reason to over the 116 when I know I like how the BMW drives.

What I have seen is RX8s. They're in my price range. I am very sorely tempted. 290 litres boot, though - still better than the 140 my Beetle offers I suppose.

Richard

I wouldn't, though ;)

They cost the same as the BMW, and if I'm going for something boring and FWD I'll take a Toyota Yaris. Skoda might have me at the £119 end of the contract hire market, but not for the same money as an RX8.

Richard

It comes branded?

YKIMS. Fuel consumption is horrendous but at least it'll be someone elses when the apex seals need doing.

I have joked in the past that the Skoda badges look about the same size as the BMW ones. Hey presto, problem solved ;)

Richard

I've seen one, that's how I know they're ugly. It's just my opinion, I wouldn't worry about it too much, it's you that's spending the money.

I can be - and having driven both, I'd agree:

Mini One - 0-60 10.9, top speed 115, torque 103.

What that doesn't tell you is that the BMW is quieter and smoother than the Mini, although it needs to be revved more than I'd like. The 1.6 in the Mini is coarse, which is no great surprise given the origins.

You see the dilemma? The 1 series, if people actually pay attention instead of going 'ewww, it's a little BMW' and listening to idiots on TV, actually makes a pretty strong case for itself - and it does get stronger when you drive it.

My gf appears to have given some sort of blessing to the RX8. I'm still torn though as she wants a Sera Auto, I have a Sera manual which I won't part with, so we'd have no practical car.

Richard

I know... they're 'only' the 192PS models but that is still going to spell f-u-n around here. (F*ck! Unexpected! Nearmiss!). I almost think it would be rude not to... and contract hire is definitely the way to own an RX8. Thrash it like it was built to be, then hand it back before it goes bang.

Richard

Fair enough, and ugly is an argument (and I agree, they're ugly. But I find most modern cars ugly - it is at least 'interesting'). But, your other arguments don't make sense; the 116 actually has 'reasonable' rear space, performance and luggage capacity.

Richard