marc_p Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Ok, so once the N/A has been resprayed I think I'm going to put it up for sale and get something else as a daily, so if anyone has any experiance/feedback with any of the below cars, that would be great (economy is something I'd like TBH). I will probably be spending about £2k but still want something a little bit different like the Supra but with better economy, cheaper insurance and something that will be a little more fun on the tight twisties on the way to work. My shortlist at the moment is: Toyota mk2 MR2(non turbo) Honda Prelude 2.2 V-Tec Mitsubishi FTO GPX V6 So if anybody has any experiance with any of them, your feedback would be much appreciated (or if you have any ideas for other cars, let me know, but it needs to stick within the needs I specified above) Cheers Marc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Can I chuck a Ford Puma into the list? MX-5 too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arbedark Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Experience from a friend who had a Prelude, you will get worse MPG than the Supra, no matter how sedately you drive. Although I do love the idea of a highly fettled Prelude similar to the one they showed on BMI once. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_p Posted May 10, 2011 Author Share Posted May 10, 2011 Can I chuck a Ford Puma into the list? MX-5 too. I've just sold my MX-5 2 weeks ago, spent a fortune on it (off in July edition of Banzai), it was heaps of fun but they are suprisingly un-economical and actually the same price as the Supra to insure, also, the size of it inside did annoy me from time to time, along with the fact you couldn't really 'relax' in it on long journey's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 VW Corrado Even the VR6s are economical compared to an NA, they're well built, rare, comfy and handle amazingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I've just sold my MX-5 2 weeks ago, spent a fortune on it (off in July edition of Banzai), it was heaps of fun but they are suprisingly un-economical and actually the same price as the Supra to insure, also, the size of it inside did annoy me from time to time, along with the fact you couldn't really 'relax' in it on long journey's. Fun around the twisties and relaxing on long trips don't generally go hand-in-hand. Surprised you found that with the MX5 though. You're the only person I've ever heard saying they're un-economical. Maybe it was the particular car you had. Something like this? http://pistonheads.com/sales/2793911.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Fun around the twisties and relaxing on long trips don't generally go hand-in-hand. VW Corrado Surprised you found that with the MX5 though. You're the only person I've ever heard saying they're un-economical. Maybe it was the particular car you had. Something like this? http://pistonheads.com/sales/2793911.htm Mk1 mx5s are bad on fuel, many will struggle to average 25-30mpg, and they're only 1.6/1.8! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 VW Corrado It's average at both IMHO Mk1 mx5s are bad on fuel, many will struggle to average 25-30mpg, and they're only 1.6/1.8! I assumed his wasn't a mk1 as he said it was a lot to insure it... surely a mk1 would be on a classic policy? That's what I'd have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicolai Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I would say a mercedes for comfort, but than again your looking for a economical car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hamiltonsupra Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I had the FTO - good enough, to be honest and handles really well (sounds ace)- major lack of grunt though is the real dissapointment and this detracts from the whole experience. But if its for the twisties then you cant go wrong (watch out for coolant leaks which are common - the passenger side carpet is usually a tell tale of problems as this gets soaking too) Also i had issues with exhaust manifold - expensive - so worth a check (but what do you expect from an old car.) Also as above i would definatley recommend a Corrado - 1800 16valve - not 2 l 8v- (or go for a g60 supercharger) easily the most fun cars i have driven/owned !(supra apart) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abz Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 I had an FTO before (GR model though), although 170bhp but not 200bhp like the GPX they are more reliable. Lovely V6 sound with an ITG Filter, not bad looking cars too, handle quite well too, not the fastest thing to be in! For fuel it was okay considering it was a 2.0 V6 engine with Triptronic. It has hardly any sound deadening so can be very noisy on motorways! Over all good seats and a nice drive. I should have taken you for a spin in the CTR! They great in the twistes! Not too bad on power either! Didn't do too bad keeping with you lot on the Dragonball! Pretty decent on fuel as well. I'd maybe recommend as a daily, get a Honda Civic EK9 (Maybe a coupe) with a B18 in it, can't go wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 It's average at both IMHO Really? The VR6 can achieve circa 38mpg on a run (very economical for a 2.9 litre) it rides well, is comfy and has bags of torque for overtaking. What part of that is bad for long distances? It's a very accomplished cruiser. For a FWD coupe, the handling is only bested by the DC2 Integra (however, the Corrado is a good match for the DC2 on the road, as the ride is much better). The VR6 will understeer a bit if pushed too far, but no worse than the competition. The smaller engined models have almost perfect handling balance, resulting in 4 wheel drifts rather than under or oversteer. It has plenty of steering feel to. So they handle well too. They are also well built, but being built by Karmann, they also feel quite special inside. The leather trim on some models is very nice, easily surpassing any FWD rivals. They are also extremely practical, having a large boot for a coupe, with a hatchback. The rear seats fold almost flat too. As an all rounder, they take some beating The smaller engine models bring more economy and cheaper insurance, while none feel particularly slow (other than the 8v) early VAG 1.9 TDi engines drop straight in too (it's almost plug and play electrics too), which can be tuned easily to 200hp while still providing over 60mpg when fitted with the 02a CTN gearbox. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanc Posted May 10, 2011 Share Posted May 10, 2011 Clio RenaultSport? Plenty of 3 wheeled fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Really? The VR6 can achieve circa 38mpg on a run (very economical for a 2.9 litre) it rides well, is comfy and has bags of torque for overtaking. What part of that is bad for long distances? It's a very accomplished cruiser. For a FWD coupe, the handling is only bested by the DC2 Integra (however, the Corrado is a good match for the DC2 on the road, as the ride is much better). The VR6 will understeer a bit if pushed too far, but no worse than the competition. The smaller engined models have almost perfect handling balance, resulting in 4 wheel drifts rather than under or oversteer. It has plenty of steering feel to. So they handle well too. They are also well built, but being built by Karmann, they also feel quite special inside. The leather trim on some models is very nice, easily surpassing any FWD rivals. They are also extremely practical, having a large boot for a coupe, with a hatchback. The rear seats fold almost flat too. As an all rounder, they take some beating The smaller engine models bring more economy and cheaper insurance, while none feel particularly slow (other than the 8v) early VAG 1.9 TDi engines drop straight in too (it's almost plug and play electrics too), which can be tuned easily to 200hp while still providing over 60mpg when fitted with the 02a CTN gearbox. I guess that's your opinion mine is slightly different but it could be that you're more experienced than me on such matters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_p Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 I assumed his wasn't a mk1 as he said it was a lot to insure it... surely a mk1 would be on a classic policy? That's what I'd have done. It was a mk1 1.8, struggled to get any classic policy due to age and modifications. I had the FTO - good enough, to be honest and handles really well (sounds ace)- major lack of grunt though is the real dissapointment and this detracts from the whole experience. But if its for the twisties then you cant go wrong (watch out for coolant leaks which are common - the passenger side carpet is usually a tell tale of problems as this gets soaking too) Also i had issues with exhaust manifold - expensive - so worth a check (but what do you expect from an old car.) Also as above i would definatley recommend a Corrado - 1800 16valve - not 2 l 8v- (or go for a g60 supercharger) easily the most fun cars i have driven/owned !(supra apart) Cheers for the info there fella, got the TT Supra so not really looking for anything 'fast', but great info. I had an FTO before (GR model though), although 170bhp but not 200bhp like the GPX they are more reliable. Lovely V6 sound with an ITG Filter, not bad looking cars too, handle quite well too, not the fastest thing to be in! For fuel it was okay considering it was a 2.0 V6 engine with Triptronic. It has hardly any sound deadening so can be very noisy on motorways! Over all good seats and a nice drive. I should have taken you for a spin in the CTR! They great in the twistes! Not too bad on power either! Didn't do too bad keeping with you lot on the Dragonball! Pretty decent on fuel as well. I'd maybe recommend as a daily, get a Honda Civic EK9 (Maybe a coupe) with a B18 in it, can't go wrong. Had too many Civic's, I need a change, although, knowing me, I will probably end up with another Civic, I always do Really? The VR6 can achieve circa 38mpg on a run (very economical for a 2.9 litre) it rides well, is comfy and has bags of torque for overtaking. What part of that is bad for long distances? It's a very accomplished cruiser. For a FWD coupe, the handling is only bested by the DC2 Integra (however, the Corrado is a good match for the DC2 on the road, as the ride is much better). The VR6 will understeer a bit if pushed too far, but no worse than the competition. The smaller engined models have almost perfect handling balance, resulting in 4 wheel drifts rather than under or oversteer. It has plenty of steering feel to. So they handle well too. They are also well built, but being built by Karmann, they also feel quite special inside. The leather trim on some models is very nice, easily surpassing any FWD rivals. They are also extremely practical, having a large boot for a coupe, with a hatchback. The rear seats fold almost flat too. As an all rounder, they take some beating The smaller engine models bring more economy and cheaper insurance, while none feel particularly slow (other than the 8v) early VAG 1.9 TDi engines drop straight in too (it's almost plug and play electrics too), which can be tuned easily to 200hp while still providing over 60mpg when fitted with the 02a CTN gearbox. Great info there fella, thanks Looks like it's an FTO or Corrado, appreciate all the info from everyone. One thing about the Corrado, what are they like reliability wise? Don't they have bad rust issues? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I guess that's your opinion mine is slightly different but it could be that you're more experienced than me on such matters. I'd just like to know why you think it's average? I've got alot of experience with Corrados, and I've never heard anyone who's driven one find them "average" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
imi Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Experience from a friend who had a Prelude, you will get worse MPG than the Supra, no matter how sedately you drive. Obviously either there was something wrong with his car or with the way he drove. I owned a 2.2Vti prior to the supra, in London City the car always gave me around 25-26mpg, on the motorway it easily hit the mid thirties. The supra in BPU used to give me around 22mpg in the City while my single now gives me around 18-20mpg for the same driving behaviour. The 2.2Vti was an amazingly reliable car with a bulletproof h22a8 engine. mine was pushing just over 220bhp. Great car. Here is a pic of mine. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2271/5709730190_7006d13312_z.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Great info there fella, thanks Looks like it's an FTO or Corrado, appreciate all the info from everyone. One thing about the Corrado, what are they like reliability wise? Don't they have bad rust issues? To start with, a good Corrado VR6 will spank an FTO. They're a fair bit quicker while being much more economical. Rust can be an issue with Corrados, but no worse than say a mid 90s Honda Civic (EJ?) The trick is to get a completely rust free one to start with, which isn't too difficult thankfully. Then it's just a case of cleaning it alot (though I'd have it waxoiled and re undersealed, just for peace of mind) Avoid the 2.0 8v. It's too slow while being just as expensive to run as the 16vs. The 1.8 and 2.0 16v models are the most reliable, the engines lasting many hundreds of thousands of miles if serviced properly. I'd avoid the 1.8 supercharged g60 models, as the g-lader supercharger requires and expensive rebuild every 60k. Performance wise, the VR6 is the one to go for. However you should be careful to make sure there's no rattling on startup, which probably means the chain tensioners want doing. Ideally, buy one that's had the tensioners done, and get it compression tested for peace of mind. Like any old car, make sure all the electrics are working. Common Corrado failings are the electric rear spoiler, and the sunroof and the seat heaters in leather seats. Personally id bin the sunroof in favour of a glass moonroof from a Passat b4, which is a direct swap. Parts prices vary. Many parts are common with the mk2/mk3 golfs and b4 passage, and these are generally very cheap. The expensive parts are generally bespoke ones, such as body panels. Ideally, I'd be looking to spend circa £4k on a VR6. For that, you will get a very tidy non Storm VR6 with low miles and leather. Air con is very rare, but does appear occasionally. £2-2.5k will get you a similar condition 16v Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I'd just like to know why you think it's average? I've got alot of experience with Corrados, and I've never heard anyone who's driven one find them "average" I've got a bit of experience - granted mainly with newer cars - and so when I drove the Corrado I found it distinctly average. The last one I drove was rattly, with a harsh ride and an interior that was falling apart. Sure, the steering was good and it handled well, and the engine was excellent, but for me it was far from the complete package you're making out. The question is a difficult one on such a budget, and I'm not sure there is a car that ticks all of the boxes. Maybe some compromise is required. However, I'd have the Corrado over an FTO every single day of the week. Hateful cars IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_p Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 The question is a difficult one on such a budget, and I'm not sure there is a car that ticks all of the boxes. Maybe some compromise is required. However, I'd have the Corrado over an FTO every single day of the week. Hateful cars IMHO. The budget can be expanded for the right car, in an ideal world I'd like to spend £2k, but if the car is able to average mid-high 30's MPG, then willing to go to like £3.5k-£4k Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_jza80 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I've got a bit of experience - granted mainly with newer cars - and so when I drove the Corrado I found it distinctly average. The last one I drove was rattly, with a harsh ride and an interior that was falling apart. Sure, the steering was good and it handled well, and the engine was excellent, but for me it was far from the complete package you're making out. The question is a difficult one on such a budget, and I'm not sure there is a car that ticks all of the boxes. Maybe some compromise is required. However, I'd have the Corrado over an FTO every single day of the week. Hateful cars IMHO. Sounds like you've driven a bad one unfortunately, many owners these days are more concerned about their 'stance' than keeping them well maintained A well cared for example will seem very solid, certainly more so than a Supra. If you're after something a bit newer Marc, I'd go for a Hyundai Coupe over an FTO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest hamiltonsupra Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 If you can get a minted STORM V6 D/green keep it hidden away for a few years for a nice pension - these will be serious collectors items in the future. The info above on Corrados is spot on - though i have had major issues with oil leaks on some and they turned into serious money pits - apart from that they are solid, great to drive and stunning ! - (if i had a spare couple of grand i think ive talked myself into another) (if you find one with a working active spoiler then get some dosh on the lottery too) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Can I chuck a Ford Puma into the list? I'd chuck that in too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz6002 Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I'd chuck that in too. Massively under-rated car based on another massively under-rated car. They are such good value now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlotte Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Massively under-rated car based on another massively under-rated car. They are such good value now. Plus really fun to drive and economical. I'm getting rid of mine soon in favour of a bigger more luxury type affair but I'll miss it when it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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