MKI 172, Fiat 20v Turbo or Teg Type-R

[Daipac]

Hi, some people on here may know me and some of you may not. Last year I sold my MKII 172 as there were more important things to me at the time but now I am in the market for a new car.

The three that I fancy are the Fiat 20v Turbo Coupe, Honda Integra Type-R and MKI 172.

The question is, WHICH ONE DO I GO FOR AND WHY ?

The Teg Type-R appeals to me but I have heard that it is a raw race car and you have to keep it above 7k rpm to keep it in the power which bothers me a little, I like to have some low rev grunt too. The Coupe is nice and quick but I dont know about the interior on them, puts me a off a little. Then there is a MKI 172 which is very nice apart from the usual Renault problems with rattles, customer service, etc. I would like a MKII 172 again but I dont think I want to buy 2nd hand with the price of new and used being so close, unless I can find one for £8,500 - £9,000 then I could be tempted !

All 3 cars are within my price range of around £8,000, there is even a MKI 172 for sale on this forum at the moment for £7,400, X reg, 25,000 miles. I think it is CMF 172s if I remember correctly.

I met a lot of good people when I was in this club and if I get the 172 then I can meet up with these people again but I suppose I could do that in whatever car I drove.

I dont expect you to make my decision for me but some advice would be great. If you can think of another car around £8,000 then please suggest it.

Cheers,

Daipac
That Random Welsh Bloke

 

[CocoPops]

You mentioned wanting a mk2 172, there are a few listed on autotrader at 9,000 or there abouts.

If thats you first choice, why not concentrate on looking for one for a while, then "comprimising" and going for the other cars.

I went to look at a 51 plate mk2 172 in Uxbridge for 8,995 iirc.

 

[Rich-D]

Would be the Teg for me every time...

 

[Ben H]

From one Random Welsh Bloke to another:

I looked into a 20V T Coupe in the summer. Great cars and devastatingly quick in a straight line, but very expensive to run if you get one that hasnt been pampered (£800 for an exhaust manifold when they split, which they do!). If youre hooked on B-road thrills then maybe not the right car as everyone admits that the Tipo based chassis can be a bit soggy - but way better than most.

In the end I decided to go for a Williams as Im one of those people who really is hooked on B-road thrills. The lower running costs helped too!

 

[Dansta]

^^^^ yup

 

[Daipac]

Just looked on Auto Trader and there are a couple of MKIIs on there for around £9000, the thing that annoys me is that I sold mine with just 5500 miles on the clock and to get another one for just £1000 less than I sold mine for with 30,000 miles + more on the clock would drive me crazy, I know it would ! Sad I know but hopefully someone will understand.

As for the MKIs, there are a lot around and they are around £7,500 which is a bit cheaper. Dont want to stretch myself too far and make the same mistake I made last time so maybe the MKII is out of the question.

I have heard that said about the Fiats that they are good in a straight line but not so good around the bends and yes I have been told by JamesGTT that they are VERY expensive to run !


So...... it could well be down to the Teg Type-R or MKI 172. Cannot think of any other car in the price range that I like the look of with similar running costs, etc.

 

[CocoPops]

Just trying to play Devils advocate here mate, so dont take it the wrong way.

Would you want a mk1 knowing that that for just a little bit more you could have had a newer mk2 car?

 

[Daipac]

That is fine mate, all advice is appreciated.

If it was £2,000 cheaper which I have seen some tidy MKIs going for then yes I would go for the MKI I think.

 

[Rich-D]

Quote: Originally posted by Daipac on 05 January 2004


Cannot think of any other car in the price range that I like the look of with similar running costs, etc.

How about a 306 Rallye?!

Just as quick as a mk2 172 and can be had for good money now...

I had one before I got the Cup and it was a very good car!



Another alternative is a 106 GTi, which is another car Ive owned and its my favourite of all the cars Ive owned!

Not quite as quick as a 172 as standard, but not that far off and handling is soooo good!

 

[Daipac]

I did like the 106 GTi but my mate had one and had no end of trouble with it and I have heard stories of the head gasket going on them. I always liked them tho so that could be an option but they are bit slower. I consider the 106 to be in the same group as the Saxo VTS, I dont think I would buy either of them.

 

[Rich-D]

Id have another 106 GTi, but I probably wouldnt get another Clio...

 

[Daipac]

Did you find the 106 GTi to be better built than the Clios then ? Would you buy a VTS ?

 

[Rich-D]

Quote: Originally posted by Daipac on 05 January 2004



Did you find the 106 GTi to be better built than the Clios then ?

Yeah.

Had it for 2 years, and although it did have a few problems in that time, it was a lot better than the Clio has been and thats not even 6 months old yet!

This was it >>> http://www.peugeotperformance.net/gallery/106/richdzidek106gti/richdzidek106gti.htmlhttp://www.peugeotperformance.net/gallery/106/richdzidek106gti/richdzidek106gti.html

Quote: Originally posted by Daipac on 05 January 2004



Would you buy a VTS ?

Probably not...

 

[CocoPops]

How about:-
http://forum.cliosport.net/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=3&TopicID=62845&PagePosition=1mk1 172 on here for 7000?

 

[Daipac]

I remember that car now ! I saw those photos of it ages ago, looks MINT !

About the VTS, me either !

Coco, just saw that now but it has too many miles for my liking. CMF 172s has done 25,000 miles for £400 more.

I am in no rush so I can afford to be choosy but I just cannot make up my mind what to look for. All of the cars have pros and cons.

 

[Rich-D]

Thats one car I really regret selling...

 

[Daipac]

Funnily enough I have just borrowed Apocolypse Clarkson off a mate and JC, along with Richard Burns and Tim Harvey rated the 106 GTi as the 2nd best handling car in the world beaten only by a Ferrari 550 ! This was back in 1997 but still very impressive !

 

[rt172]

Integra. Do it!

 

[Rennie]

I have a Fiat coupe 20VT LE and a clio Williams 3. They both use more or less the same fuel going to and from work (£15 = 100miles / Mostly town with a bit of fast road )

Anyway the coupe is fairly expensive on parts / servicing etc. but this is changing all the time more and more garages are taking them on and parts are available 3rd party. What you need to look at is performance per £ and the coupe is cheap as chips to buy but you have HUGE performance - Mines running around 285BHP with some mods, a hybrid turbo and few extras it will go into the 300s. The suspension has been lowerd and handling is spot on, Mind you I dont try and find its maximum corner speed very often

Look at coupe LEs and Pluss you get 6 speed gear box, nice recardo leather interior, push button start, strut brace, brembo 4pot calipers, bodykit, air con etc. as standard. oh and 220BHP - Just watch out for the cam belt £1000 from Fiat and £500 from a specialist!! - But that doesnt need done often

I have driven a type R and they are great cars but too close to the Williams for me.

http://www.fotango.com/p/eba00401924f00000001.jpg

cheers

Simon

 

[Daipac]

Rennie, I have been looking at the LE and Plus models as they have the body kit on them with sideskirts, etc. They look sweet but the cost of running it if something goes wrong seems to be very high ! This still puts me off a bit and until 3rd party parts become cheaper then I dont think I will bite the bullet and buy one even tho the performance tempts me !

 

[TheJesus]

get a Williams, cheap to buy, rare and great driving fun and comfy to boot. Is insurance an issue, or are you over the magical age of 25?

 

[Ben P]

That coupe turbo looks awesome.

What MPG do they give?

 

[Rennie]

The coupe gives around 26-28MPG Town driving.

Insurance was the best point I was 24 when I bought it and it had the following: Pace Enlarged IC, Charge Cooler, Dastek Unichip, Miltek Stainless exhaust & Lowerd suspension. It is an LE so it is in group 19/20 and the insurance was £680 fully comp now £640 @25

I priced insurance up for an Evo V £1450, and a subaru RB5 £1240. The money saved I insure the Williams

The Williams is £350 for insurance fully comp. (standard)

 

[Daipac]

TheJesus, insurance is not a problem, all of the cars in question are around the same figure. I am 24, 25 in May.

 

[jonnyboy]

Fiat coupe - it a no brainer really innit?

 

[BigBoreBri]

If your up for changing your driving style slightly id definatly go for the integra type R, i had a CRX and then a MK1 172 and although they had different characteristics they were both fun to drive!

For all out grunt then get a 172 but prepare for Reno running costs, VTEC engines are sumwhat strange at first to get your head round; i use to drop to 2nd @ 50 just to get the VTEC online... but once the VTEC is engaged there manic to say the least

 

[paddymph]

fiat coupe, running costs arent that bad if u know the right people, its just insurance thats quite high, grp 19/20.

love em!

http://erc.qmuc.ac.uk/cliosport/gallery/full/1073419566__Image007.jpg

 

[James20VT]

http://fed.cix.co.uk/fiatfront.jpg

http://fed.cix.co.uk/fiatside.jpg

soon too be 40mm lower and on 17x8 Azev A alloys

i love it.... it attracts soo much attention when im drving... everyone looks at me, even when its parked and people walk past!.......... mine is the only one in jersey with this bodykit and this colour... so dont see them everyday

i need a new manifold for mine... £800 for performance one....

i average 250miles per tank of fuel... which is roughly same miles i did in the williams and R5GTT. so not bad £ performance

James.

Blue 20V Turbo, Ssprint decat, Scorpion 4" imola cat back exhuast, Novitec chip, Blitz TurboTimer, Blitz SpecR Boost controller, K&N filter + 100mm Ducting pipe running behind bumper

 

[Daipac]

The Coupes are great looking cars which is what attracted me to them in the first place. The LE and Plus models are so much nicer I think because of the bodykits on them. I am still not sure about the interior especially the dashboard. With me living in Swansea too then the right people to keep running costs down are a long way away !

I am still very undecided, one minute I will think I want a Type-R then I get scared off as they seem very RAW and I think it may be a bit harsh compared to the comfort of my MKII 172, is this a fair assumption ? Next minute I fancy a Turbo Coupe but then get put off by the concerns I mentioned above then it comes back to the MKI 172 and it just isnt my old MKII which then puts me off.

Sh*t, I am a right fussy bugger ! When spending this amount of money tho I think I need to be.



PS James, it looks stunning mate as I already know after you sending me the pics, thanks for confusing me even more ! ha ha ! The new manifold for £800 dampened the excitement a bit tho !

 

[Iain C]

its gotta be the integra !
You may find a cup for 8.5k if u r lucky

 

[Mondial172]

There is a CUP in East Grinstead for 9k.

Fiat is nice if you like that sort of thing. Id go for the ITR

 

[paddymph]

interior of the Coupe is actually the only part of the car designed by Pininfarina, the rest is done by the bloke who went on to design the new Z4.

 

[Daipac]

Dont want a Cup, A/C and Leather was too nice in the 172 to be without, thanks for the suggestion though.

paddymph, yeah I read that on one of the Fiat websites I went on, read about all the history and how the designer went to BMW.

 

[Rasclart]

I would go for the Integra

But I have never driven a Fiat Coupe. Would like to though.

test drive a few of both and see what you think.

 

[ChavyBoy]

Feck me Dai your back mate...

Got to be the Teggy or the Fiat, both good, teggy is one of the best handling FWD cars in the world but the fiat is a turbo so lots of tuning potential.



But dont listen to me I bought a Brand new Fabia vRS sith ESP and Traction control so I know nothing !



BTW gonna whip you in PGR2 so sort it out and get yourself back online.

 

[Iain C]

Quote: Originally posted by Daipac on 06 January 2004
<FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #407db6">Dont want a Cup, A/C and Leather was too nice in the 172 to be without, thanks for the suggestion though.<FONT style="BACKGROUND-COLOR: #407db6">paddymph, yeah I read that on one of the Fiat websites I went on, read about all the history and how the designer went to BMW.

You wont find many comforts in an integra

 

[paddymph]

tellin u fiat!!!

so nice to drive as well, everythings in the right place, despite what everyone says handling is good, back end will go out a bit bit just go back on gas and all 220 horsies will rescue u! Arr, what fun.

 

[JonC]

Diapac,

I am currently selling my MKII Clio 172 as my wife is expecting twins. I have posted this in the For Sale section

http://forum.cliosport.net/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=3&TopicID=55555&PagePosition=26http://forum.cliosport.net/display_topic_threads.asp?ForumID=3&TopicID=55555&PagePosition=26

I have it advertised in Autotrader for £8900, so if youre interested make me an offer Mobile: 07941 054 884

 

[Dean]

dont f**k around mate

test and inetgra, but make sure you know how to use and abuse it, it likes that

there mint cars, have decent mpg for the performance

one of the best front wheel drive handling cars ever and are bullet proof

revs like a bike goes like a rocket!

 

[greeper]

Welcome back Daipac, as you can probably tell I sold my 172 as well.

I would not have another 172 unless it was a very good deal. Honda make better cars so the Integra would be my first choice. A (Fix It Again Tomorrow) Fiat I would not touch, I know they are fast and can be tuned but they are too ugly I would have a CTR over the Fiat.