Need help finding the right car to modify!

SlowmanRob

New member
Points
11
Location
Preston
Car
Hyundai i30
Hi, I'm new here. I've been into cars for most of my life but since passing my test just over 2 years ago I've been thinking about buying a good car to modify. I originally had my eye on the newer 2.0l focus ST, then the mazda 3 mps, then the hyundai tuscani... but now after reading up on the tuscani I realise the engines aren't very responsive to modifications. (Such a shame as it is a beautiful car.) And the others, well.. I'd struggle to find ones with low milage at the price I have in mind.

I figured that if I could find a low milage car for under £5,000/ £6,000 and allocate a couple of grand to modify I would have a decent car with decent bhp without spending loads.

So, what car would you recommend?
 
Buy a Skoda Octavia vRS 2.0 TSI does zero to 62mph in 6.8 seconds and has a top speed of 154mph. Even the 2.0-litre TDi diesel does 8.1 seconds and 144mph.

Whatever you do don't let some bozo sell you you an tuning chip electronic gizmo that tricks the ECU into thinking the engine is still cold and so to pump extra fuel in and stink out the neighbourhood with smoke and fumes. Then it will French frie the ECU or throw a con rod into the crankcase.
 
Greetings and welcome to our TorqueCars forum :)

Not familiar with the car recommendation above but if gladrags says so then that's good enough for me. You could with a small investment try installing a performance air filter and give the car a full service, then explore the options to have the car engine ECU properly remapped. It would also be an idea to have a word with a couple of the tuning companies stating what the car is exactly and what if any additional hardware you might require for various stages of tune that they offer, this will reduce the money waste of buying unnecessary performance parts.
 
You only passed your test 2 years ago? I would also be saving a grand or two for your insurance! Insurers are not overly keen on young/inexperienced drivers with modified cars.
 
I spotted that too LM but did not know if the OP was a young slip of a thing or a mature late starter ;)
 
I'm 26, so I'm a late starter. I checked insurance on a 350z and I was quoted £800. I currently pay £550 for my 1.6 i30.. I used go compare to check prices, you can get cheaper quotes by contacting the cheapest insurers directly though.

I also checked the price of a supercharged hyundai tuscani 2.0 SIII with cold air induction, misc engine mods and ecu remap, i was quoted £1050.. which actually isn't too bad. But the 350z would be faster.. unfortunately I don't have the money for the 350z ha.

Also, I am not sure about the octavia RS TSI, it just looks a bit boring to me. Im really picky, which is a ball ache when trying to find the perfect car with my budget.
 
put simply if its quick its expensive to insure and if its modded even more so.

So first you need to define the level of performance you want and do you just mean in a straight line cos a tuscani wont go round corners quickly (well not on my scale anyway)

If you have a budget of around &k (5-6 + 2) its probably safest to buy a car thats is quick standard . Civic type R for example or a rs ford of some kind .

Or you could buy something older and jap (scooby, or a skyline gtst ) You can buy a decent GTST for £4K and spend the rest on insurance

but dont buy a hyundai if you want a proper performance car
 
A word of advise once the modification bug hits there is no known cure other than bankruptcy or death.:eek:

I second what Sleeper has said |B

I have been checking mobility scooters to see if they have a turbo powered model so I can zoom down the hallways in a nursing home in the not too distant future.:rofl:
 
put simply if its quick its expensive to insure and if its modded even more so.

So first you need to define the level of performance you want and do you just mean in a straight line cos a tuscani wont go round corners quickly (well not on my scale anyway)

If you have a budget of around &k (5-6 + 2) its probably safest to buy a car thats is quick standard . Civic type R for example or a rs ford of some kind .

Or you could buy something older and jap (scooby, or a skyline gtst ) You can buy a decent GTST for £4K and spend the rest on insurance

but dont buy a hyundai if you want a proper performance car

I think what I am looking for is a project car that I can also drive daily.. I wouldn't mind the odd day when it's in pieces and I can't go anywhere but my goal is to get a car that has reasonable performance and make it fast! I'm not bothered if it's not the fastest car on the street, anything around 6 seconds would be great. My car right now is 11 seconds to 60 and I'm bored of it to be honest. I crave that feeling of being pushed back into your seat and the adrenaline rush that comes with the experience as a whole, from the sounds and acceleration to the police chases (that part was a joke )

I really love scoobies, but I'm just not sure if I want to start with something as quick as the wrx... I'm sorry, this is a nightmare.. I'm extremely picky... I would settle with the Mazda 3 mps but I can't find any low milage in my price range.
 
Have you thought about a track only car that is towed to tracks as that would save you the insurance and rego money that could be spent on go fast bits ??

That is basically what I do when I need a speed fix.|B :D
 
"My car right now is 11 seconds to 60 and I'm bored of it to be honest"

Oh the joys of the young and innocent .

honestly thats not a a knock or even a criticism. Those that know will appreciate it

Fact is
you have a 12 car as a daily drive you want a 9 second car cos your bored
you get a one - Marvelous
but then within a month (or less) you are used to it and want an 8 second car cos your bored
you get an 8 second car and within a month ..............
you get the picture



And if you dont you soon will
 
"My car right now is 11 seconds to 60 and I'm bored of it to be honest"

Oh the joys of the young and innocent .

honestly thats not a a knock or even a criticism. Those that know will appreciate it

Fact is
you have a 12 car as a daily drive you want a 9 second car cos your bored
you get a one - Marvelous
but then within a month (or less) you are used to it and want an 8 second car cos your bored
you get an 8 second car and within a month ..............
you get the picture



And if you dont you soon will

That's human nature I'm afraid. We seem to be infinetly unsatisified, always wanting more. And yeah, I think about a 6 second car and I assume it will make me happy. But it's a short lived pleasure leading to the desire for faster acceleration. Even as a petrolhead, you will eventually get bored with what you have, no matter how much you desired what you have right now.

The question is, are we addicted to cars or are we addicted to the way cars make us feel?

Is it the car itself that gives us pleasure or the chemicals in our brain that are released when we interact with cars? I think you'll get where I am going here..

Why do I want a fast car? Because it feels good to accelerate quickly, to be in control of such a powerful thing. But its just my lack of happiness that makes me persue something that could essentially release those "feel good chemicals" in my brain like serotonin/adrenaline/dopamine ect..

It's not the car itself that makes me feel good, it's my brain. Imagine if it was possible to gain enough control over the brain that you no longer needed external objects to trigger these chemical releases?

Just food for thought... Maybe I shouldn't let my desire for a fast car take away my present happiness. Thanks for reminding me what really matters.
 
Hello and a very warm welcome to TorqueCars from me the admin! Really nice to have you along.

Keep reading the articles on our site and this forum... you'll pick up loads of good common sense tips and don't be afraid to post questions, were all here to share our knowledge and experience.

We run a really fun and interesting car community and many have said we're the friendliest around, always ready to help out where we can.

Enjoy your time with us, post loads and feel free to ask any questions or begin new threads and discussions. We're always interested to hear your comments and views on our existing topics and in the hot polls.
 
Have you considered a MK2 Focus ST? Decent power from the standard setup and the turbo will give you the shove you're looking for. You could pick one up in your price range and they're extremely modifiable to north of 400bhp if you have the time and money. Best of luck in your search
 
Hello and a very warm welcome to TorqueCars from me the admin! Really nice to have you along.

Keep reading the articles on our site and this forum... you'll pick up loads of good common sense tips and don't be afraid to post questions, were all here to share our knowledge and experience.

We run a really fun and interesting car community and many have said we're the friendliest around, always ready to help out where we can.

Enjoy your time with us, post loads and feel free to ask any questions or begin new threads and discussions. We're always interested to hear your comments and views on our existing topics and in the hot polls.

Thank you for the warm welcome, I'm completely new to the modding scene so no doubt that sometime in the near future I will be relying on you guys to give me the knowledge I need.

Have you considered a MK2 Focus ST? Decent power from the standard setup and the turbo will give you the shove you're looking for. You could pick one up in your price range and they're extremely modifiable to north of 400bhp if you have the time and money. Best of luck in your search

I'm guessing you have, or have had an ST then? The ST was the car I originally had in mind, but I was looking at the mk3. Obviously I don't have anywhere near that amount of cash, but it's nice to dream right?

I heard tourqe steer can be an issue on both the ST and the RS though, would you say it's an issue for yours?

I actually had an experience in a 400bhp RS, think it had the stage 1 or 2 Colin performance kit on it. It was a rocketship, I've never felt my heart race that quick before. I think the guy said it does 0-60 in around 4.5 seconds.

I guess in a way it gave me the desire to get my own project car and start modding, but I don't want to rush into it. And I'm still saving up.
 
Yes mate used to have the mk2 pushing 315bhp and now had a mk3 pushing the same. Had a blast in a stage 5 Dreamscience mk2 some years ago, that thing was mental! The mk2's are relatively cheap to pick up these days. Torque steer was never an issue in the MK2 as i recall. Can be a little squirrely in the mk3 but only because I have an aggressive map on so when you plant it, it goes mental. lol
 

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