Top Gear...

what, like the Japanese, the Germans, the Italians?

Civic R, Golf R32 / BMW 325ti, Alfa 147?

Unfortunately i do!!!

In my case i think it stayed in the lounge for about 2 weeks, along with some prawn crackers and a whole A series engine/gearbox

Why did you have as A series engine in the lounge?

Why not? This particular one had just been bored out to 1380cc, and was well on the way to making 100bhp. We had 2 down the side of the house too (bog standard 1275s or mixed origins). Plus another gearbox in the shed :) Not to mention the other 5 (sometimes more) cars and associated parts. God knows how we got our deposit back after living there for 2 years!

mmmm....

When I was a lad, I worked part-time in a department store. One of my tasks was to move around the management cars parked in the loading bay when someone wanted in or out.

Move it ten yards back, ten yards forward, that kind of thing. Not many 17 year olds get to drive a 560SEC, even if it was only 20 yards.

One night, I had to move a 205 1.9GTi, so I did. Right round the 4 mile one way system. How I did not die in those 3 minutes is still a mystery.

Ah well if it was board out then that's a different matter, I was going to suggest you keep the lounge for engines with more poke but looks like you were ahead of me. (Just don't ask for photos of the "dining room") ;)

Just once I would like to make a post without a spelling mistake! Today just isn't my bay. ;)

I would argue the Clio 172 (soon to be 182...) is a better car as far as being a hot hatch goes.

These 3 aren't really in the spirit of hot hatches though, they're all VERY expensive, and the beemer is slow and makes you look like a wanker. The Alfa is doubt a quality machine though, and the Golf, well its not my cup of tea but i have no doubt its a good car, plus i'd say it was a bit big to be in the hot hatch class :)

Except that you say that like it's a bad thing. Out of that list, I'd have a Skyline first, followed by a Scooby, followed by a 205 GTi - and so would you !

hehe yeah citroen C2? hmmmm

^^^^^^^^^ Are you taking the piss with this now?

Plus, power steering saps power :) When i went from no PAS, to having PAS it was WEIRD at first, kept over-turning into roundabouts and stuff, probly just the huge difference between the cars in question....

OE screwed up my formatting, that ^^^^^^^^^^ should've been under 'handerling'

In a way it is. Making cars easy to drive is fine - but that takes part of the fun out of it. I could have my 205 on the limit, at silly angles and i'd have to sort it out myself. And if i broke it doing that i'd have to fix it myself. Thats all part of the fun of driving. To get something like a skyline near its limit you'd have to be going stupidly fast, probably on a track. And i would hate to think how complicated it is under the skin. I'd rather have a car that i can have fun in, rather than just go quickly. People laugh at my Volvo all the time, but to be perfectly honest i'm having a great time in it, even if it isnt that quick. I may even consider another bigger engined version!

Out of those 3 i think i would have the 205 1.9 GTi (preferably with a 1..6 'box) first, because of the pure enjoyment you can get out of it on the road. If i were had the opportunity to use a track then it would be the Skyline. If i got into stage rallying it would be the Scooby. In each situation you'd be able to take the car to its limits which is where the fun is to be had, and is where the true capabilities of the driver are shown.

:) Unfortuantely that particular engine only lasted about a week, as the mini was bent on an enthusiastic drive to test it out. Its soon to be resurrected in another mini ready to go stage rallying!

thats just the 5 door isnt it?

Pah - you're a luddite :)

Technology is the way forward :)

Yeah, just a 300+bhp 5 litre V8 5 door. Mile muncher, Scoobs, and Evo embarressing power, with a loverly V8 sound, all in a nice family friendly package, without having to shell out on something huge like a Jag.