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Mouse_GTI wrote:Even on standard suspension compared to other Polos/Fiestas, I found the GTI to be a big step up

Have you driven a Zetec S (MKV I think) ??????

Sofaboy,

lots of decicions to make. Personally I think it would be reckless to have as powerful a car as the 306GTI6 as your first. I would always recommend spending your first year/two driving a cheap runabout until you move on to something better.

Two cars with good handling, reasonable power, reasonable insurance groups, reliable reputation and priced well, which IMO would be good 1st cars for you to look at are:

Ford Fiesta MKV Zetec S (hard to find an unmolested one)
Citroen Saxo VTR (I personally couldn't live with pedal positions)

Don't just discard them on looks or brand perception, get a drive and judge from that, although I realise there is a lot of kudos on what car you have.

mk4 glx 1.6 wrote:

Mouse_GTI wrote:Even on standard suspension compared to other Polos/Fiestas, I found the GTI to be a big step up

Have you driven a Zetec S (MKV I think) ??????

I had a 1.25 The standard Mk5 Fiesta was the benchmark of it's era imo. My GTI was noticeably better than my 1.25 in the handling department, but it won't be as good as a standard ZS. I lusted after a ZS for 2 years

Mouse_GTI wrote: I had a 1.25 The standard Mk5 Fiesta was the benchmark of it's era imo.

Couldn't agree more. i don't know what they were thinking when they brought out the mark IV, it brings absolutely nothing to the table!

The Zetec S would be a good car to start on, I had my eye on them back in the day.

The only problem is the image they drag around with them nowadays, they're so commonly ragged about by careless youngsters.

Thanks for the warm welcome guys, its wide open at the moment, mainly lurking on the 306 gti-6 forum for minters coming up for sale.

Quite like the idea of a Zetec S but not the image associated with it, if a clean polo with good gearbox appears i may pick that up.

I totally agree that starting with a gti-6 is totally unsensible and i obviously dont plan to crash but im sure it will help me when the time comes.

The weird thing is a few of my mates are a bit soft and when i think about a car i tend to think of ripping the interior out and making it a track slag for the road, whereas everyone else likes the soundproofing, my brother used to own a BMW M3 CSL shortly a while back and I found that to be quite refined, couldn't do any of that to a polo gti as i love the leather, however if i end up with a saxo or zetec s the above will probably happen

If you want stripped out, why not a 306 Rallye then?

The idea of air con is pleasing, but wow does cherry red look good

I miss my Fiesta a lot, although I shared it with my mum it sort of was my first car for 2 years. Always good fun to drive

Mouse_GTI wrote:I miss my Fiesta a lot, although I shared it with my mum it sort of was my first car for 2 years. Always good fun to drive

I owned a Zetec S for a Year, like Mouse i miss my fiesta to, was such a fun car to drive. In my opinion if you want something a bit quiker for your 1st car a Zetec S would b a gd place to start. I had mine for a year with nothing at all wrong with it. I owned it for 12 months, put 12000miles on the clock and sold it for the same price i bought it for. Now you can pick one up at a very resonable price. No gear box worries either, the gearbox in mine was unfaultable. I now own a Red Polo GTi, yeh looks are better, slightly quicker and u get a few more bits and bobs but its insurance group is only 8, compared to the 12 of the GTi. + i could anywhere between 220-280miles to a fiesta tank (£30) but i only get the same in the Polo (£40)

Personly i would take most ppls advise, leave the polo idea out for a yr or so and come back when its slightly more realistic.