Anyone here ever owned a 306 GTi6?

[Chris71 0]

This might sound like a slightly random question on a Corrado forum, but has anyone here ever owned a 306 GTi6? The reason I ask is I've narrowed it down to that or a VR6 for my next toy. I'm interested in any comparisions, but particularly costs.

 

It's a head versus heart thing really. Both appeal, but the Corrado is probably my favourite. However the GTi6 is a bit more practical and (being an ordinary 4-cylinder hot hatch) is presumably going to be cheaper to run. It's a question of how much cheaper really.

[Jim Bowen 1]

but will you be driving the 306 wishing you'd got the corrado? :lol:

 

am sure if you got the corrado you wouldn't feel your missing out on anything 8)

[Danny B 0]

I owned one for about a year......nice car but I always felt it needed a little extra poke.

 

Very cheap to maintain in my experience and never let me down. Great fun in the corners and decent on the motorway - I did a lot of long distance in mine. Probably difficult to get now but I always fancied the Rallye instead, less is more in this case :shrug:

 

I really like my 306 but I love my corrado :luvlove: ......says it all I suppose !!

[Kevin Bacon 5]

Each car has it's merits, you'll have to test drive both and go with your heart on this one :D

 

I've owned French cars in the past and in my experiences, the only bits that are cheaper than German cars are the body panels (much thinner metal, LOL!). The electrics (a Peugeot achilles heel) and mechanicals aren't much cheaper at all, more money in some cases.

[Danny B 0]

......oh and another thing - it has an odd driving position, not sure if it was just me but I always felt I was driving on it rather than in it :)

 

I think a lot of hatchs suffer from this kind of thing ( i.e. focus ) - you will never feel this way in a corrado though !!

[Chris71 0]

Yep, the Corrado is definitely different to a Focus! I had my first drive in one a few days ago (thanks to one of the guys on this forum) and it has a really nice driving position. I'm quite fortunate in that I get to drive quite a few interesting cars through work and yet the Corrado has one of the best seating positions I've come across.

 

I've also driven a GTi6 in the past, but that was quite a long time ago. From memory it's much as you'd expect really - the 306 felt more nimble and pointy whereas the 'Rado is a bit more solid (also mirrored in the controls and the gearchange); the VR6 feels significantly faster in a straight line, sounds a lot nicer and is arguably more comfortable. I guess in summary the 306 felt like a very good example of an old school hot hatch, the Corrado felt like something a bit more exotic - I used to have a 944 and I can see a few similarities to that, for example.

 

The main thing is cost though. I've heard suggestions that the GTi6 wouldn't really cost that much more to run than any other 4-cylinder hatchback (barring a little more on fuel and insurance), whereas I've heard some quite high figures for keeping a VR6 in decent shape. There's no question I'd rather have the Corrado all things being equel, but it's not as if the Pug is an unnapealing prospect - I quite fancy one of those too and the running costs might tip the balance.

[wallpaper_01 0]

You had a 944 and your worried about cost?! I dont know, I suppose it depends on how you drive them depending on fuel, you can have 35+mpg in corrado but if you drive fast it will be below 30mpg. Not driven but I imagine similar from gti6 maybe a bit better.

[Chris71 0]

You had a 944 and your worried about cost?! I dont know, I suppose it depends on how you drive them depending on fuel, you can have 35+mpg in corrado but if you drive fast it will be below 30mpg. Not driven but I imagine similar from gti6 maybe a bit better.

 

I had one, yes, but my current day-to-day car is a 1.6 Focus! :)

 

Fuel costs don't worry me too much as I cycle to work and only do about 7,000 miles a year - a lot of it on the motorway. What worries me is the cost of maintaing one in good condition (and to a lesser extent insurance - best quote I've had so far is £750).

 

Realistically though any performance car is going to be more than the Focus, the question is how much more. That's why I'm so interested in the comparison with the GTi6 (4-cylinder hot hatch plays 6-cylinder coupe...) If the Corrado was significantly more to run than the Pug it would become a no-brainer I'm afraid, but if they were going to be the same I'd go for the Corrado any day. In between... well, I'm not sure yet!

[robbo101 0]

I did testdive a GTI-6 once I thought it was ok but nothing special. That and its no different in looks to a diesel 306.

 

My mate the brought one not long after. It is a nice car don't get me wrong but the turning circle is pants due to the 6 speed box and its a car you have to rev hard to get it to shift. I love the vr6 as it can do either gentle cruising or thrash the hell out of it happily. Where the GTi-6 always need a little stick to keep it moving. He also had a bad time with runnign costs he had the pipe fail and overheated needing the head skimmed and new headgaskit not long after had the suspension fail on a front and crawling home the tyre exploded due to rubbing on the broken spring.

 

I guess he was just unlucky with his though and thats my point I have had m vr6 5 years now its got 175k on the clock and its used daily. Its been off the road twice in that time for a broken fuel pump and the rad leaking. I have had to do the rest of the plastic pipes for water in the car over the time I have owned it but never let me down just small leakes that I drive with for a few weeks and sort out on a weekend. Some people are lucky with there vr6 I am guessing I am one of them (Talking reliability here as mine is not a minter or anything) and as you say some have a nightmare and wouldn't concider having it as their only car.

 

Good luck with whatever you decide on though :)

[Wastegate86 0]

had one a few years ago,

great all round hot hatch

found the engine and gear changes fantastic

however the clutch's are so heavy that it can ruin the driving experience a bit :?

 

overall found it mega reliable in the year i owned it, but it had been well looked after.

the only major downside IMO is the styling is way out dated

so the corrado wins hands down for me :salute:

[andy 0]

They are cool little cars, a very good all round package I think. However, the fact that the turning circle is vastly different left to right, I find just ridiculous. You have to make sure you're approaching a parking space from the correct side or you'll need a nine-point turn to get in. Oh, and they are definately not at the same pace as a VR6 Corrado on the open road. :) You do get sensible ride quality though, which is something that seems to escape the Corrado.

[Chris71 0]

had one a few years ago,

great all round hot hatch

found the engine and gear changes fantastic

however the clutch's are so heavy that it can ruin the driving experience a bit :?

 

overall found it mega reliable in the year i owned it, but it had been well looked after.

the only major downside IMO is the styling is way out dated

so the corrado wins hands down for me :salute:

 

Can you give me an idea of the differences in maintenance costs? I realise a G60 will be different to a VR6 (like I'm after), but the engine seems to be one of the more reliable areas on the Corrado, so hopefully it's still a relevant comparison?

[WreckedGecko 0]

I have actually got both at the moment, the Rado is mid r32 transplant, and the Gti-6 is my current runabout,(needs some TLC) at least untill the rado is finished, so the pug is for sale in a casual sort of way (hint hint :D ).

 

I enjoy them both both for very different reasons. The Gti-6 you can hammer, but it has the 6 speed box for crusing, and a suprising amount of torque for a 4 pot. Plus its got the half leather and alcantara (spelling?) interior.

 

But the downsides are that the cambelt tends to go every 30-40,000 and when it goes it can be more economical to get an new engine then repair the snapper.

 

The C you can naturally waft with and then dive into some B roads when you feel like it.

 

Its a fizzy little hot hatch vs a powerful coupe.

 

If you are in london any time soon i would be more then happy to take you out in the Pug, sadly the Rado has no engine or front suspention or indeed any form of front crossmember at the moment, so getting about in that would be difficult. :lol: