The situation is, in the next couple of weeks, she’ll have over £9k from a car sale to spend on either a Clio Williams or a Moonstone blue Peugeot 106 GTI with 25k miles. Obviously not all of the money, but up to a certain amount. There are a few minter low mileage GTI’s knocking about on the forums, 2002 – 03 registration. Looking at around £6500 for a beaut. That leaves however much left she’s willing to spend on modifications – engine tuning, suspension, wheels etc.
A low mileage Clio Williams is, by all accounts, harder to come by – I’m talking less than 30k miles. They look awesome, handle like a go-kart and have plenty of power onboard, which can be upped if needed. Cant really change the look of the car, it comes out of the box looking that good.
Both cars are temperamental. Need looking after and don’t really take abuse that well. I’d say the Williams is the stronger of the two engine-stick wise. Standard form the Williams is far more pleasant on the eye, but if putting splitters, bodykits and bigger wheels on floats your boat then the 106 GTI will destroy the Clio. Don’t know what it is about the Mk1 Clio, but it doesn’t take cosmetic modifcations too well, whereas the GTI does (in moderation of course).
I’d go for the Williams 3 as I’ve had 2 of them, but she’s had a Quiksilver 106 and Rich-D’s old China blue 106 GTI and she loved it (but sold it because the mileage was creeping up – 68k!!)
Think its swinging 106 direction at the moment, but surely the lure of the 2.0 has more to offer?