Which would you take the keys for?

[Stevoox]

So...got a little temptedat the weekend, passed by the local dealership and then left 3 hours later...

Quite a hard decision because the Trophy is simply an epic car to drive, fun, rare and just feels special - but I keep getting an itch for something German.

The AMG was a great place to sit, very nice to drive, absolute power house and with the AMG performance exhaust equipped it sounds unreal! However, it is a 42K car with the options i want is it worth that much over the Trophy?

So which of the two would you have and why?

1. Trophy, remapped to 314bhp

2. A45 AMG, 360BHP (below is the spec on how i would have it)

 

[-Eddie-]

I've only ever driven a Megane 265, and sat in the A45. Both are nice places to be, albeit worlds apart.

For me, I would have the Megane. Simply because I know of two people who have A45 and several who have Meganes and the Megane is just a much easier car to live with. Also the price, the Megane is what around a third of the price now than a new A45? Personal circumstances dictate that is never be able to afford an A45 anyway lol.

If you've an itch to scratch and the money to buy one though, go for it.

 

[Matt W]

In my opinion an AMG should be a V8.

Would 100% have the megane.

 

[Rogue]

At 42k, that is a ridiculous amount of money to get yourself into at your age.

That said, I'd have the AMG.

Or a 275 Trophy.

 

[Stevoox]

At 42k, that is a ridiculous amount of money to get yourself into at your age.

That said, I'd have the AMG.

Or a 275 Trophy.

That's what I'm thinking...

It is a large figure...I could afford to have one but it would reduce the amount I can save each month towards a mortgage by about half.

Love the look and sound of it though...If it was sub 30k id 100% go for it.

 

[Chris]

Your megane is a special car, so that for me.

Plus 42k for that is a lot...

 

[Stevoox]

Your megane is a special car, so that for me.

Plus 42k for that is a lot...

And that's what make it even hard. It feels special. I've been to so many pistonheads meets, parked amongst a number of 458's / gallardos etc and it attracts more attention because it's generally the only one there.

Personally for me it has that wow factor but at the same time I have the itch for a powerful german car

 

[Rogue]

There's one thats built to that exactly look round my way and I'll be honest, it looks better as a picture than it does in the flesh.

And tbh, if I were spending that kind of money on ze germans, probably better options out there.

 

[mark_1873]

If you have the money and are comfortable with the payments and running costs then go for it mate.

I've seen a couple with and without the Aero Kit and to be honest it just looks like its trying to hard with the Aero Kit.

The main option that I'd tick would be the performance exhaust :001_tt1:

Another way to go would be to lease one especially if your going to have to move it on for a house purchase ?

 

[Gez]

For that sort of money. I'd be looking at the M///

E92 M3 with the competition pack....

 

[Johnny 99]

I have no personal experience of either but everything I've read suggests that the AMG, whilst blisteringly quick is not satisfying to drive wheras the Megane is a real driver's car. I write as a Merc fan who hankers after a C63 AMG but runs an E class cabriolet as my daily driver with my RS200 for weekend fun.

 

[Chris]

Its funny I was just looking up reviews for the A45 AMG, click onto autocar, half way down the page they have a 'top 5 hot hatch' advertisement type thing to click on, with the Renaultsport megane being #1. Ironic. :thumbsup:

 

[Yiannis197]

IMO It's one thing to have an itch for a different car and another to spend £42k on that 4pot merc, especially when coming from a Trophy with 311 bhp (even though that merc is very fast on straight line with that gearbox and 4wd traction)!

No way for me. Either keep the megane or buy a more special german with more cylinders, rwd etc.

 

[Rye197]

I have got an itch for the A45 but at that price IMO its ridiculous, if I was going to spend the money for me it would be a 2nd hand c63 for less than 40k

 

[Guy]

The Megane! £42k on a hot hatch is ridiculous. With that money...

I'd buy a Nissan GT-R and spend the £5k in change you would have on learning how to drive it round the Nurburgring!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../nissan/postcode/bs82re/radius/1501?logcode=p

Or if I wanted to spend the whole £40k - how about an Audi R8?!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ew/quicksearch/true/page/1/usedcars?logcode=p

As good as that hot hatch may be. If you're spending serious money you should be able to get a seriously serious car (great English :blink.

 

[Stevoox]

Thats what gets me...its 42k for a car that isn't actually any more ahead of mine in terms of performance. 0-60 yes the A45 would win due to 4WD but after that or from a rolling start then i actually think it would go to the Trophy...lighter and more torque. Not all about speed though

I love alot of things about the merc, cracking looking car, stunning interior, nice to drive but is it double the price of the megane better (if at all better..) - not sure.

Then the other factor is im 23 and need to focus on property, opting for the merc would make the amount i can save each month drop a few hundred.

 

[Stevoox]

The Megane! £42k on a hot hatch is ridiculous. With that money...

I'd buy a Nissan GT-R and spend the £5k in change you would have on learning how to drive it round the Nurburgring!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif.../nissan/postcode/bs82re/radius/1501?logcode=p

Or if I wanted to spend the whole £40k - how about an Audi R8?!

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classif...ew/quicksearch/true/page/1/usedcars?logcode=p

As good as that hot hatch may be. If you're spending serious money you should be able to get a seriously serious car (great English :blink.

Id thought that but servicing on those cars would be too much. Gtr is what, 3K+ a service? £500 a corner for tyres. If a clutch goes out of warranty, 12K.

I'd be putting a deposit down but also financing. Financing on a new car is a much lower percentage compared to used, plus on new you can sometimes get the car for virtually cost price

 

[Stevoox]

While i remember, might be useful to others... website like www.drivethedeal.com or www.uknewcars.com are pretty handy to see what the best reductions and offers are about.

 

[Robo_#1]

No way I'd blow 42k on the Merc. They just aren't special enough for that kind of cash, if it were 30k-ish like other german rivals like the Golf R or S3 then maybe, but the look of them and their performance just isn't in the 40k+ bracket for me. Also I'm yet to see a good review of them.

If I had 40k+ to spend, I'd get something properly special like a GTR or even better and see if I could pick up a BMW 1M, sound investment as they don't really depreciate, that way when it's time to buy property you can just sell it on, whereas the Merc will loose 5-6K the day you drive it out the dealer. TBH, when it comes to hot hatches it takes something special to beat off the Meg.

 

[Jimmy]

I'd go for the Trophy, if it were me. As many have already said, 42k is so much for a Merc hot hatch... Especially when you already have a very special car.

One of my biggest regrets is getting into debt in the past over car financing, when I had the choice to put that money towards savings/property.