Been chatting with a pal today who owns Jacobs old inferno about what would you replace your megane with??? I own an R26 done 7 track days this year and a ring trip and can't fault it, also how capable it's is against much more exotic machinery is astounding. I've always been a fan off e46 m3's but there's a lot of naff examples out there and could get costly on track, also like dc5's but it would have to be a fresh import and I reckon I'd miss the boost. Only other car that appeals is the 135i, it would need a lsd fitting and a few bits but I reckon it would be very capable. So what other cars do you guys look at???
I've been looking at Z4m's same engine as the E46 in a smaller and rarer car. Or an evo 10 but not with the semi auto. Insurance is the only thing that stops me buying a car like that! I'm going to test a 265 tomorrow hopefully because like you said, these renaults give people a surprise and are much more capable than people think! Got my eyes one one for next spring but I've never driven one, but I'm sure it's like a more refined and slightly faster R26!
Mk2 Mazda MPs, Use to own one last year but had to sell it because of money problems. great car. I know the torque steer is bad but it's so fun to drive and the chassis is capable. engine and gearbox mounts are a must to change. I will own another next year
Yeah the 275 trophy I drove at Oulton park was great, I was no slower in my R26 but the 275 was easier to push on. Only thing is it feels much of a same. Yeah there a very underrated car, everyone that has one loves them. Only thing that puts me off them is the 500 pound a year tax
E92's a good shout, prices seem to be coming down as well they don't seem to have quite the same following of the 46.
E90 M3, Lotus Elise / exige, or Porsche 911 of sorts. Not much to beat the overall package offered by the Megane to be honest. It's a fantastic car! I drove an Elise some time ago and it felt quite slow. Would need to be a special one to replace the Megane.
Tbh I'm looking at 2 996 turbos atm as they have always been the car Ive always wanted but I'm still partly thinking keep the money and the megane as this car is perfect
There's some nice type R powered Elise's out there too. Yeah 996's don't seem to quite demand the 997 money either, my friend and his father in law own centre of gravity, very well known for chassis tuning in the Porsche community
All the cars I've looked at I don't fit; Elise, my legs are too long. Couldn't get my foot on the clutch without knocking it out of gear. Cayman, torso too long and my head is touching the roof even with the seat all the way down.
Brothers got one, nice car but unless you went with a DSG because you really wanted an automatic I wouldn't think they're any kind of upgrade. Not got the chassis or the diff of the Meganes either.
Exige Cup or a Porsche of some sort, anything else Inc M's wouldn't be a step up in terms of performance. I had planned on getting rid for one of the above but I think I'll just keep it and make it a bit more hard core. Ie cage etc
A beetle RSI. Always wanted one, but I don't think I'll ever get rid of the Meg, I'd only buy stuff to go alongside it..
This is a difficult one for sure. The German cars with N/A engines tend to have crazy long gear ratios and some of them to much weight as well the result being you just don't get a big enough torque hit compared to a Meg. A good friend of ours has a 996 C4S which for example feels to me no more urgent than my stock R26 even though it would murder it off the line and above about 90 mph where the drag and power really comes in, this is the problem though for all of these cars as we don't drive them much at those speeds or fast off the line. The Meg is blooming incredible on normal roads at normal-ish speeds. Generation 2, 987 Cayman or Boxster would be tempting to me because of the sound and the stronger engines than older boxsters/cayman, not cheap though.
Another problem is the next level of cars are more powerful so you need to be going really fast to appreciate the speed. The Meg is good as it feels fast as well as being fast. BM's being so refined and well built don't feel like you're going that fast so you're more likely to be doing licence losing speeds! I'd love a Porsche 911 of some sort. They are just so fat. However the one I'd like I cannot afford!
Realistically a new focus RS a year after they have been released however it all depends on what the mk4 Megane is like. Unrealistically but still something I will consider is an Audi RS6 4.0 v8 one. However this would be when they're around 30k mark!
I replaced mine with an Elise, which would beat most Meganes on a track, not so on a road mind. I love my Elise, but sadly it has to go. 170bhp in something that weighs 750kgs is brilliant fun with such a capable chassis.
At the moment my car pick is; Megane RS for UK track days GT-R for Euro trips and Spa / Nurburg SL55 AMG F1 for roof down weather I think if I was to add another car it would be the latest RS6 as a family car, Litchfields one sounds amazing but with house move in 9 days any new car or replacement at the moment will probably be in the form of Lego
I'm selling my Meg and intending to get a VX220. The issue with the meg is that it's so capable on the road that I don't get a buzz unless I'm doing licence losing speed which if I'm honest is most times I drive it (weekend car). It's going to end in tears at some point so seems logical to get rid and get something which is fun in a different way. I'm sure I'll miss the straight line speed initially but the VX will hopefully make up for it in different areas.
When the RS6 C7 is about 5 years old it will be around £30k. A lot of car for not much money ! I've been in a C6 RS6 with just a exhaust and MRC remap pushing 753bhp ! The fastest car I've ever been in ! Was hysterically quick !
Yes they are immense! I haven't been in a C7 however my brother owned a C5 one mapped to 500bhp! And that was stupidly quick for its time!!! However it's crazy when you think map a current Golf R and I bet it isn't too far off!
MRC tuning have tuned a few golf R's to near 500 bhp ! With TTE turbos. Never had a run in with a golf R in my B5 RS4 but did with a TTRS with tiptronic ! Was quick but I left him behind my car was running 471ps at the time now it's 496ps
My best mate had a golf R (DSG) and when standard vs my standard 250 if he didn't launch it and I got a decent start it would be neck and neck up to around 60ish then it would pull. In gear it would also pull! He then got it mapped at REVO and my god! It was blisteringly quick! I was driving and destroyed a C5 RS6! He now has a marina blue M4! Not jealous at all!
I do like the new M4 ! I've always been a BMW fan even thou I've owned audis for 14 years ! Went to the Nurburgring with my mate in he's csl M3 ! Very special car ! And shooting up in value
My pal has a vx and I think you'll be in a for a shock in terms of refinement. It's very raw compared to the Meg! Fun car but feels pretty rough and basic and rattley inside. I'd go for an Elise myself if you are going down that route. More desirable and better resale value. I'm 6 3" and found the vx too small but strangely the Elise I drove fit me fine.
My mate has just bought a VXT. I've been in it a couple of times as a passenger and it feels pretty fast all of the time. I'm not worried about refinement tbh. I did about 30k miles in 18 months in a mk3 MR2 which had a straight through cat-back exhaust so the VX as a weekend car will be fine. My budget is 8-8.5k and the car will have to live outside. The S1 is prone to leaking isn't it?
Had one too!! Traded mine in went I bought the Trophy. Only reason I got the Megane was because Mazda aren't doing an MPS of the current shape. Loved mine to bits but damn they are expensive to run! My next car will either be the new Meg RS as long as it is a 4 door, or the new Mazda CX-5 when that arrives. Two completely different choices but I'm keeping the Trophy as a weekend car and the new one in a few years will have to be more practical!
Seriously hard question this one! The interior is important so rule out all the Audi's so I would look at BMW's 1 coupe (now 2-series).
I'm in a serious quandary as to what to replace mine with. What can you get under 15k that's does what a Megan's does any better? Looked at older S4avant in sepang blue.
