Anyway... so what's so bad about getting one of those?
They're supposed to be really good fun, and I believe they're a bit more resilient than the AX before them, in terms of bits falling off every five minutes.
Rose tinted glasses. They handle like crap - minimal outright grip and no weight makes for terminal trail oversteer especially on dodgy surfaces. Power and lack of weight means terminal understeer under power. It's like all the hankering after 205s and early Golf GTis.
The thing is... I actually liked my Nova GTE - I tried my cousins Saxo VTR a while back, and found it had the same sort of fun buzziness up to a point... which is where the VTS carries on.
It felt fun to drive anyway, and I'm doing little out of town miles by necessity these days.
They were cars for the time, but if you're used to a torquey, comfy, quiet, stable passat you'll find an /olde skoole/ warm hatch holds very little charm 1 hr into your journey.
When money allows it'll be a 5 series, or another Volvo, or some other big quick saloon for me.
Okay, the good is that the Saxo is easy to find. Both are nippy, the VTS naturally more so. They are nowhere near as scary as say a Peugeot 205 GTi but they are not as alive, as alert, they feel... well... modern car about it.
But with the tail happy handling, just not as communicatitive about it.
Didn't the VTS and GTi have hot start problems too?
No, that would be something like a BMW Z3 or Toyota MR2.
See, I don't get this... aren't the 106 GTi and Saxo VTS identical, mechanically?
I wasn't aware that the 106 was substantially heavier, either, so why the slower listed 0-60 etc., for the 106?
That aside, my cousins VTR felt the closest to my GTE that any modern hot hatch has, in terms of 'fun to drive'.
Erm, no idea.
If they weren't so cramped (for the larger amongst us), and prone to rotting out big style in places you'd rather they didn't, I'd happily have another T-Bar Mk1 MR2. As it stands, having recently sat in my mates one and found I fit quite comfortably, I have a hankering for an MX5 in the next couple of years, if finances dictate it a possibility.
A few reasons, one as Tim said, Citroen geared the VTS to reach 100 kmh (not
60) at the limiter in second. It has a slightly strange gearbox set up, there's a big gap between first and second, and indeedy between second and third, but fourth and fifth are closely set up. Perfect for higher speed blatting but a bit awkward for city use.
Now I'm told that the Peugeot has the same gearbox and the same final drive, but its gearbox feels more natural and better for all speed action.
The second reason is that Peugeot get four big blokes to sit in it at the drag strip, because this slows it down and keeps the insurance grouping low.
Hmm. They're fun enough but are not as rewarding as a "proper" 205 GTI. If the Sportka had more poke it would give the VTR a thorough kicking, the handling is better sorted.
The VTS' 1.6i-16 certainly had a starting problem, basically, it wouldn't start. :)
I'm 6'2" / 3" / whatever and chunky, and I could get by in the mark one MR2. When Merlin sold his (check out the Ka 'vs' S40 'vs' MR2 article on my website) I was up for buying it, but the Charlie said no.
Hmmm. Keep the Passat, you'll bring forward the day when you can get what you really want closer. Otherwise the VTS may be just a passing stage.
They're not as poorly built as the AX, aye, but they are a strange lot. They'll never rust, unless damaged, but the trim gets brittle and rattly just as the engine is run in.
Still, good fun on the drag strip though, because they'll still be wheelspinning at the 60 foot marker if the driver is brutal...
For the price you'll pay on a 106/Saxo you'll get a nice mk1 MR2. Its not that difficult to have a look to see if it's rusty of not :) And you can live with being cramped if you're not using it for long distances, the fun you'll have will more than make up for it :)
If it was a midlife crisis, it would be a Cobra/Ferrari/Lambo/GT40, not a quickish shopping trolley that demands a knees round the ears and elbow in the ashtray driving position.
Loved the one I had briefly last year - top fun with the roof panels out, caning it round some fast country roads I know near here.
But... because I'm all body and no legs, with the roof panels in, it was, even with the seat right back, a case of head touching the roof unless I sat really prone.
Another factor is, I have two little cherubs... something with four seats if I'm spending the bulk of what the Passat fetches, is a prerequisite really... hmm... unless I start using the Cav for family duties again I suppose.
Main thing at the mo, is I want something that's good fun to thrash the crap out of round twisties, and the VTS seems ideal. :-)
Yes, but as stated elsewhere, I am all body and no legs - similar height.
I dunno so much - I've always enjoyed the more decent hot hatches I've owned, and lamented selling them more than most of the cars I've had.
Indeed... and this is what I miss about my Nova, and what SteveH hated so much about it, the time he drove it back from me when we picked up another of my cars, a while back. :-D
"But it scrabbles out of roundabouts"
"You say that like it's a bad thing!" :-)
Loved that car... a shame it was getting so in need of TLC in the end, as I never did find out exactly what had been done to the engine, but it had more poke than any others I've since tried.
In a way, I now wish I'd kept it, and thrown some money at it.
Indeed, shame we didnt get a T-bar, but at least the sunroof comes out!
My girlfriend, at 6ft, has that problem in hers as she sits bolt upright. It doesnt bother me as I have my seat reclined back a bit. Dont remember it being a problem in my gold one though, so maybe the seat got altered for the later ones.
Swift GTi is fun on a budget, but it wont be as fast as a VTS obviously. Why not a 205 GTi? Miles cheaper than the VTS and equally (if not more) fun.
The overall feeling at the time was 'this is a real hoot... but if I roll it, I'm most definitely dead'. ;-)
Hmm... maybe.
They're all tending to be a bit ropey now, unless you pay top money for one... at least from what I've seen of the few I looked at last time I was considering getting one.
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