Went to look at a new car today?

[Kev_Ush]

I went to look at a Corsa 1.8 Sri style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":huh:" border="0" alt="huh.gif" /> ....I know, it a vauxhall but it wasn't that bad and it makes me sad

to think that I actually like it. I took it out for a test drive and it seemed as quick as the lupo, the handling was pretty good for standard too...better than standard lupo GTI anyway.

There are a few things I don't like. Mainly they're like clits and every c*nts got one and also the cheap plastic feel inside. But then there is alot of stuff that its got in its favour. like cheap insurance (group 9), loads of extras, they're quite spacious and cheap servicing and parts.

The main question I want to know is would I burn in hell if I bought one? style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":evil:" border="0" alt="evil.gif" />

[ryan lupo sport]

id say there faster then the lupo gti! my mate has one it does go................

but it maybe fast! but its also *****!

looks and feels cheap

[Joe]

I don't think theres much in it from when I drove one my mate had. and the gearbox is poop imo. like a big pot of jam with a wooden spoon in it. stick with the lupo much more style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shades:" border="0" alt="shades.gif" />

Edited May 19, 2006 by syphon123

[Kev_Ush]

id say there faster then the lupo gti! my mate has one it does go................

but it maybe fast! but its also *****!

looks and feels cheap

Yeah it does look and feel cheap but its still not a bad motor. If it is faster than the lupo its not by much.

A big plus is the cheaper insurance group without losing the performance.

[AndyW]

Oh dear, I'm not a badge snob, I like fast Renualts, Fords, anything really. But a current Corsa? I don't care what engine they stick in it, its a woefull car, with only one redeeming feature, its slightly warm ish.

The interiors crap, they look rubbish in that no effort has been put into making them look like the hot model (unlike more modern sporty Vauxhalls), terrible gear box, small inside but not that small a car. I don't have any roadtests to hand, but I don't think the press liked it either.

I presume your not mad enough to be buying new? Surely theres something more interesting out there that takes your fancy?

If what you really want is a hot Vauxhall I'd do one of two things, wait for the Corsa VXR, which sounds promising, or wait for Astra VXR prices to drop.

Edited to say, of course, its your money and your car, don't listen to us!

Edited May 19, 2006 by AndyW

[Kev_Ush]

I presume your not mad enough to be buying new? Surely theres something more interesting out there that takes your fancy?

If what you really want is a hot Vauxhall I'd do one of two things, wait for the Corsa VXR, which sounds promising, or wait for Astra VXR prices to drop.

Edited to say, of course, its your money and your car, don't listen to us!

No i'll never ever buy another brand new car again, lost to much money on the lupo.

I'm not after a hot car, I'm after a cheap car with cheaper insurance without losing performance as I feel £2000 a year is a bit much for a lupo, thats without modifications! I know a corsa will never be as interesting as a lupo GTI but it does seem a sensable(sp?) car.

I looked at a focus st170 which was the same money but my insurance company wanted an extra £400 so thats out the question. I'll never buy a french car and I don't like fiats. If anyone has any sugestions on other cars please let me know.

I know its my money and my car but I would like the opinion of people with good taste in cars style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[AndyW]

No i'll never ever buy another brand new car again, lost to much money on the lupo.

Ah thats ok then, was worried you were going to make a Vauxhall salesmans week. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

Whats your budget? You could get similar performance and lower insurance by going diesel, probably. Not an ideal solution, certainly in my eyes, but one many people go for.

Edited May 19, 2006 by AndyW

[Kev_Ush]

About £8500 tops. I wouldn't mind a fabia vrs but I don't think I'd get 1 with that money thats still got manufactors warranty on it, thats another thing I want.

[AndyW]

Hmm yeah, that was the car I was thinking about, good alternative, and more interesting than the Corsa. But yeah, they are popular, and used values are pretty good for them. With £8500 your looking at a 2003 car, so potentially out of warranty, or it will be in 6 months or so.

What about the Fiesta below the ST, the oil burner in that is meant to be pretty good and nice to drive. Plus it looks like the ST, so a bit different too.

Edited May 19, 2006 by AndyW

[Arun]

What about the Fiesta below the ST,

the new zetec s dosent perform nearly as well as a lupo gti, about as fast as a sport.

nice to drive tho, and a pretty good reliable car

[Kev_Ush]

What about the Fiesta below the ST, the oil burner in that is meant to be pretty good and nice to drive. Plus it looks like the ST, so a bit different too.

Yeah I like the look of the st's I might have a look at the diesels. I'm not going to rush into buying a car because I don't want to be too disapointed by what ever it will be. I've rushed into buying every car I've owned including the lupo... lucky for me the lupo wasn't disapointing.

[csi_bha]

mk1 leon cupra is on offer for that budget style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> if ya find a 2003/4 model style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

[AndyW]

mk1 leon cupra is on offer for that budget style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> if ya find a 2003/4 model style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile.gif" />

But its also a much higher insurance group, with a 1.8T and 225-odd bhp. Insurance is obviously an issue for Kev, if hes paying that much for the Lupo.

And yeah, Arun, it was the Zetec S I was thinking about, but couldn't remember the name.

How cheap have used ST's gotten I wonder? They haven't been out that long, but might have dropped to around 10k? That might be optomistic though.

[Adam K]

my ibiza cupra used to be cheap (relatively) to insure.

i was 21 with 0 years ncb and 6 points and a fault claim and was paying £1200 fully comp for an £8500 car.

[MattyB]

They're not faster than a LupoGTi. Less power (123bhp) and weighs over 100kilo more. Add in the 6 speed box for the Lupo...

EVO measured an 8.6 second dash to 60, quite a pace off the Lupo.

They rated it as 3/5, saying its a "Sensible Supermini" but "Lacks any real flair"

But overall - its a Corsa, FFS. Everyone knows they're rubbish - the chavs only buy them because they're cheap. A guy posted on a computer forum once, saying "I don't know why people buy Lotus Elises when they could have a 2.0 16v Corsa like mine - its faster, handles better and is more fun"

Needless to say, he was mocked and laughed at even by geeks - but Vauhall should be thankful that there are idiots like that who buy the Corsa and keep them in business.

Sniff Petrol said it best: "Vauxhall Corsa - show the world you know fuck all about cars"

[Tigz™]

No time to post but.

Girl at work has one, 04 reg.

No faults yet.

Supposedly fun to drive (she had a 206 GTI before)

Looks really good on the outside.

Nice seats, but nasty dash.

Nice (for standard) Sound system.

Lights look nice with the slight tint.

[DJ]

Kev, if you get a Corsa I swear I'll smack you with a wheel brace.

Alternatives:

Anything...!

... Without knowing your budget its hard to say. I'm assuming you are after a hatchback as well so:

Alfa 147

Fiesta ST

Polo GT

Focus ST

A3 1.8T

[AndyW]

my ibiza cupra used to be cheap (relatively) to insure.

i was 21 with 0 years ncb and 6 points and a fault claim and was paying £1200 fully comp for an £8500 car.

Surely they are higher insurance group than the Lupo?

... Without knowing your budget its hard to say. I'm assuming you are after a hatchback as well so

His budgets £8500, and insurance is an issue, both of which rule out a couple of the cars you list.

[DJ]

Missed that bit then sorry!

Ibiza Cupra or Fabia/Octavia VRS then as well.

[Bikerz]

I don't think theres much in it from when I drove one my mate had. and the gearbox is poop imo. like a big pot of jam with a wooden spoon in it. stick with the lupo much more style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":shades:" border="0" alt="shades.gif" />

One of the few cars iv driven loads and i love the gear box far better thean lupo sport (but then the sport doesnt have as gd box as GTI), handles as well as lupo sport, dont know if i would go as far too say better to, far more low down grunt than lupo that is very nice.

I considered one of thsese, but the fact they commen as muck and the incurance is alot (more than a lupo GTI for me) as they see corsa and male and they see boy racer and carge a forune, so do check and dont just go by the group

[BigMon]

My mate had a 1.2 16v Corsa as a courtesy car, and I have to say it wasn't actually that bad.

All you lot who are slating it, have you actually driven one or are you just "believing the hype"?

It's major flaw was that the steering was appalling, so the handling wasn't great. But it had a great little engine, and the interior wasn't that bad. To listen to what's been said you'd think it was a Lada!

[MattyB]

Its not hype though style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> Talk to anyone who knows about cars (ie, not a friend-of-a-friends mum who always has Corsa's) and they'll tell you there are far better cars in its class.

Its not that its a bad car in its own right - just that its a bad car when you compare it to what else is available.

[BigMon]

Its not hype though style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" /> Talk to anyone who knows about cars (ie, not a friend-of-a-friends mum who always has Corsa's) and they'll tell you there are far better cars in its class.

Its not that its a bad car in its own right - just that its a bad car when you compare it to what else is available.

But that's just the problem, this friend of a friend's uncle's mum malarkey. I bet you'd be surprised if you drove one.

I'm not saying they're best in class, or even a great car, but the base ones at least aren't as terrible as all the reviews say they are.

If we're going by reviews then the new Polo GTI must be crap. style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink.gif" />

[AndyW]

My mate had a 1.2 16v Corsa as a courtesy car, and I have to say it wasn't actually that bad.

All you lot who are slating it, have you actually driven one or are you just "believing the hype"?

It's major flaw was that the steering was appalling, so the handling wasn't great. But it had a great little engine, and the interior wasn't that bad. To listen to what's been said you'd think it was a Lada!

I've driven the Mk1 and 2, both as bad as each other, the 1.8 doesn't really feel like a 1.8 and you'd have to check the spec sheet to work out how much power it had.

And the gearbox, don't get me started.

[BigMon]

I've driven the Mk1 and 2, both as bad as each other, the 1.8 doesn't really feel like a 1.8 and you'd have to check the spec sheet to work out how much power it had.

And the gearbox, don't get me started.

Well, my mate has a Proton Satria GTI and a 1.7 Puma so he's reasonably well versed in nice cars.

I've never driven or been in a bigger engined Corsa so can't comment, but my mate's main gripe about his 1.2 16v Corsa was the lack of feel from the steering. Apart from that, it was a hoot and he said he'd consider having one if necessary.

Maybe the 1.2 16v is the pick of the bunch?