3dr vs 5dr

[JoeP]

After this rather emotive subject was rather insensitively raised the other day I'm just curious as to everyone's honest opinions. I appreciate that 5 doors are a lot more practical but it is my opinion that cars with any kind of sporting pretension should only have 2/3 doors. As such, can anyone suggest a car where the more door version looks better?!

[Mattcheese31]

RX-8 is a 4 door . . . . . . .:p

[JoeP]

Ah, but it only comes with 4 doors so the 4 door can't look better than the 2 door;-) Besides, I always wondered why they bothered and thought it would have looked better as a proper 2 door :-) In fairness it is quite a funky design if not a bit gratuitous.

[Tom]

306.

/thread

[Toms306]

A 306 isn't a sports car, and I actually prefer the shape of the 5 door, seems more 'even' spaced (cantel think of the word).

However for sports cars, 2 door ftw....

[Pompey306mark]

Loads of car manufactures are now making sports cars with 4 doors.

Focus st.
Porsche
Merc
Aston martin

Then you have all those hyper coupes, 4 doors, 4 seats.

[ozonehostile]

im not fussed about the 306 having 3 or 5 doors, each has its own good and bad points look wise.
i have a 5 door just because it was a phase 1, bianca and low milage going cheap but id just as happily bought a 3 door if one was available at the time i was looking.

handling wise there might be a 0.000000000000000000003% difference between the two but not enough to notice, i certainly cant tell the difference between the current 306 and my old '6 when going round corners

[cwspellowe]

After this rather emotive subject was rather insensitively raised the other day I'm just curious as to everyone's honest opinions. I appreciate that 5 doors are a lot more practical but it is my opinion that cars with any kind of sporting pretension should only have 2/3 doors. As such, can anyone suggest a car where the more door version looks better?!

Mazda RX8
Alfa 156
Focus ST
New Clio RS

Loads of "sports" cars are coming out with four doors now. Nothing "sporty" about a number of doors, it's just bodywork...

[JoeP]

Loads of car manufactures are now making sports cars with 4 doors.

Focus st.
Porsche
Merc
Aston martin

Then you have all those hyper coupes, 4 doors, 4 seats.

This is my point entirely a 911 looks better than a panermera, a DB9 looks better than a Rapide etc. Are they sports cars or just fast saloons posing as sports cars?

[cwspellowe]

Loads of car manufactures are now making sports cars with 4 doors.

Focus st.
Porsche
Merc
Aston martin

Then you have all those hyper coupes, 4 doors, 4 seats.

This is my point entirely a 911 looks better than a panermera, a DB9 looks better than a Rapide etc. Are they sports cars or just fast saloons posing as sports cars?

Sports cars. They're not just fast saloons, i'd consider a RR Phantom a fast saloon, a Rapide is a sports car as it can be driven spiritedly.

[Jonny b]

I think 3dr looks better! But there is some lovely looking 5 doors on here!!

That said it don't matter as much to me as it seems it does to some people lol

Not like I wish em dead or spit on the floor when I see a 5 door ha ha

And she thinks IAM Angry lol

[Jonny81191]

Meh, all have their good/bad bits. And as far as handling goes, have a ride in my 'state some time. Seems half decent to me

[Mattcheese31]

mo' doze mo' hoze . . . / thread . .

[Slam Wagon]

Cant get a 3 door estate so its got to be 5 door for me.

[Jonny81191]

Cant get a 3 door estate so its got to be 5 door for me.

well actually.....

[Mattcheese31]

would've been epic if they'd actually made that . .

[Eeyore]

yeh shame they only made a few

I really cba with this discussion. The 5 door looks a lot better spaced however if you want sports obviously you want the 3 door to save weight and the back doors become pointless once its stripped with a cage.

[lolsteve]

3dr for me, but then the 3dr's tend to have more people do stuff to them. Though have seen some very nice 5drs recently

[Toms306]

3 door estate looks awful! But then the 5 door estate isn't much better. However estates aren't built for aesthetics lol.

Plus, how much heavier are 5 doors than 3? 3 door doors are bigger and heavier so theres probably not much weight difference in it.

[rd070707]

More door, more whore.



/thread

[C.A.R.]

3 doors, always. For me, the best looking feature on a 306 is the shape of the C-pillar and the rear quarter window. A 5-door loses this attribute (and the awesome bonus fake filler cap)

I agree with the OP, performance cars or sporty-looking cars look much better in 3-door guise as it is more coupe-esque.

RX-8: what's 2 lots of 1.5 doors?!
Focus ST: the old 3 door looked better, the new one is nowhere near as smart-looking as the 3-door only Astra VXR...
ClioSport: again uproar from current Renaultsport owners who don't want a 5-door

The 306 wheelbase remains the same no matter what the configuration so I call BS on it being more practical, in fact the door opening is much bigger on a 3-door...

5-doors for those who couldn't find or afford a nice 3-door
Estates for grandads
3-doors for the cool kids

[r3k1355]

3 door cars look much better, but after owning a 5 door I don't think I'd ever buy a 3 door again.

If it's your daily, and you've got more than one friend the 5 door car is the one to have.

[Jonny81191]

Erm, the wheelbases are different slightly IIRC but also the estate boot is bigger and it has roof rails and more headroom. I agree though, 3dr VS 5dr you're not gonna gain much.

[Mattcheese31]

3 door cars look much better, but after owning a 5 door I don't think I'd ever buy a 3 door again.

If it's your daily, and you've got more than one friend the 5 door car is the one to have.

talks sense ^^^^^^ . . . . .5 door opens in a smaller space too for tight parking .

[C.A.R.]

f*ck tight parking, if you're too fat to get in my 3 door without touching the parallel car with the door then you are too fat to get a lift I'm afraid

Also, wheelbases are identical in terms of size.

[puglove]

Not really a sports car. But i think the datsun 510 looks much better in 4door

[Marcus1991]

3 door for me, I think I would have regretted buying a 5 door.

[Mattcheese31]

in truth i like them both but 5 door is so much more practical for a gazillion reasons, so 5 door ftwimho . .

[Piggy]

I dont get why manufactures even designed 3dr hatchbacks, or other cars with back seats...whats the point??

If your car is a sports car and has no need for people in the back,then yes 3drs...or 2dr, whatever...

but a hatchback is supposed to be a useful machine, so 5drs.
Think of money saved if they hadnt thought... "now thats a good car, hmmmm, but lets make it a bit less useful and removed the back doors"?!?

FYI: new Focus ST comes ONLY in 5dr hatch or 5dr estate...and Ford know what they doing when it comes to hot hatches

[Rippthrough]

3 door, lighter, stiffer, easier to stick the kids in with those giant doors. Looks better. Isn't gay.