andyr

I've posted this on the GTI-R Owners Club board but thought I'd post here too to try and get people's opinions.
I've looked at a few WRX's and also a couple of GTI-R's fairly local to me and having phoned for insurance I've pretty much decided that a GTI-R is what I'm going to go for as a WRX is more expensive to buy + insure - the company that quoted me the best for the GTI-R was close on £900 more for a WRX !
So, I've seen , but have yet to test drive, a couple in central Scotland : one black H reg 36K miles for £6k and the other a 93 a 93L reg, 41k miles. Both look ok, not immaculate but pretty decent considering they're 12 / 9 years old and have been shipped half way across the world.
Anyone have any opinions on these or could even advise on who might cast an expert opinion over one or the other ? Is a compression tester worth buying to try that test myself ?
Any other opinions gladly accepted !

Thanks in advance.
AndyR

[Edited by andyr - 9/24/2002 1:51:48 PM]

andrew420

go to www.gtiroc.com

there is a buyers guide and an FAQ

That is what I used to buy my GTI-R last yar and I havent looked back since.

FWIW the mileage dont mean squat..............it easy to clock the before they even leave Japan. Mine had 40k when imported and was a 94 L I have seen 90's with 36K so something must be a miss somewhere. Just makes sure its straight and mileage wont be a problem.

Try to buy one that is modded already and you will save loads.

Andy

andyr

Thanks : I'll take a look and tread carefully !
Test drives on both cars booked for Thursday.

andrew420

I was in the same position as you a year ago...............the insurance was the same but the wrx was a bit more. I looked a couple of scoobs a Lancia Evo and the sunny. I wanted something a bit rarer than the scoob but relaible for everyday use and went for the sunny.

Andy

Brun

Y what?

andrew420

the insurance was the same on both cars .......................but the wrx cost more to buy

Robertio

iTrader: (1)

Andy, if you join up to:

ss-r

You can check with them, there are at least 2 GTi-R owners on the list (based in Scotland) who may well know about the cars you have looked at. Marc @ the garage (also on the list) works on their cars, so may be willing to check a car out for you, if the owner is happy taking the car out to Wishaw (no harm in asking)



[Edited by Robertio - 9/24/2002 6:54:04 PM]

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Hi

I'm in a position at the moment where i've got both a GTi-R and a 94wrx.
The GTi-R can't be beaten for the money and blows my scooby away for acceleration(unless your talking 100mph+)
Make sure you get one with a decent clutch though, mines got an AP. I've had the GTi-R a year and a half and it's been ultra reliable running 1bar of boost, exhaust, filter etc. Don't be put off if you test drive a standard one cause they are about as quick as a diesel van!! but 1bar is roughly 270 - 280bhp & is very nice. Bit of advice as well if you get one take the exhaust temperature sensor out of the exhaust (near the cat), it's only there to protect the catalytic converter really (which you should bin if there's one on the car) the reason I say this is because after owning three GTi-R'S i've had intermitant probs with all of them where sometimes the car loses some performance, on my current car this was really bad and would cause the car with no warning to lose loads of power and really hold back. After taking it to SE nissan they located the exh temp sensor as prob, it was shafted and sending a false reading to ecu to retard the timing thus making the car slower, this removed and timing re-set transformed the car and it drives superb (so remember that). Wonder how many other GTI-R owners have this problem to a mild extent?
My scooby is on standard boost though, but i've got hks exhaust, air filter. But at the same boost levels it wont be as quick as the nissan. But it does handle better when pushing (much less understeer) but the nissan feels more solid handling at lower speeds.
And I am selling the nissan, but only coz I need a change (and scooby needs new wheels and clutch and suspension, and........

skiddus_markus

Did you just weld a plug over the gap left by the EG Temp sensor?I've got a mongoose on mine and there is a hole for it.

andrew420

just screw a bolt into it that has the same thread as the EGTS

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Yeah thats it!
I just put a bolt in and zip tied the temp sensor up outta the way.
Definately reckon it's worth doing if you've got one of these cars cause like I say i've had 3 gti-r's and they've all surffered it at some time at differing degrees.
My current one's for sale if anyone know's someone for one?

andyr

Well, I've driven the 2 cars that I had previously looked at and ...
I'm not totally sure !
The one closer to me, which is the older of the 2, is internally not as quite as nice as the other one : gear lever gaitor is slightly loose and has come unclipped and is frayed, pedals have been replaced by metal ones (which I'm not too keen on the looks of plus it means you can't see what the wear was like, steering wheel isn't too worn. Seats etc look fine, no real wear, some of the electrics don't work, ie mirrors, central locking + windows : minor points which can be fixed but unless it's just a fuse which has blown it might indicate a car that hasn't been cared for ? but the rest of the interior is pretty much ok.
Body is fine , no obvious paint and on the very short test drive I had it ran fine : I may drive it for longer tomorrow if I get the chance. The newer of the 2 drove well apart from the suspension beign rock solid - think it has adjustable GAB units may be expensive but are also unbearable on current settings for the road. Also this car had a real nasty rust bubble at the rear edge of the rear drivers side arch trim - is this common as the bodywork is one major thing that is putting me off this car -there were a couple of other areas of paint also that looked like they had been sprayed.
Both cars started fine, oil pressure initially sat around 3/4 of max then dropped to around bar on idle, no nasty engine noises, quite a noisy engine but no knocks or rattles that I detected.
I'm still pondering but the Edinburgh car is a little cheaper also and assuming a longer drive shows no nasty noises I am attracted to that car a bit more. Thoughts ?
AndyR

[Edited by andyr - 9/26/2002 11:58:34 PM]

Gavin G

Don't get one!

A mate used to have one and it gave nothing but trouble. It was more often in the garage being repaired than it was on the road!

IMO of course

Gavin

nisr227

Gav - my brother had a lightly modified older WRX Scooby, and guess what, he had endless problems with it too, sold it in the end.

He prefered my GtiR and he eventually bought one too, he rates it as a quicker car (it does have well 350bhp with forged pistons etc) and we both agree, more enjoyable to drive. But with any car at the end of the day, there are always bad eggs in a basket, there are a lot of poor GtiRs out there which people have imported just to get on the band wagon. Look hard and there are decent ones about. People just wack up the boost and then wonder why they blow pistons!

Look after it with the correct fuel (optimax) and SETUP, and don't go silly on the boost (no more than 1bar/14.5psi), and of course get it serviced reguarly.........it will be fine.

If your into modifying, then after running better brakes, clutch,intercooler and pistons, the only real limiting factor with GtiRs and really big Power (350bhp+)are the gearboxes, and a company called PAR are developing some very capable ones now.

Correctly modified and SETUP GtiRs are up there with the likes of STis and Evos, they are just another option and cheaper, although they can be expensive to run like any quick car. Most road users don't know what they are and how quick they can go... which can be great fun showing them!

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Do get one!

Yeah rust should be a concern, could be repaired accident damage? cause as I said earlier ive had 3, none of which have had any rust (2 H plates and 1 K plate).

andyr

I'm still a little undecided but of the 2 cars that I drove, admittedly the test drive of the first, the more local of the 2, was very short but certainly cosmetically it looked fine - a longer test drive would deffo be required if I go for that one, but the other one which did drive well other than rock hard suspension, is, I think, out of the question due to the small but nasty rust patch : I also don't think that these cars should have any rust having come direct from Japan and it makes me more suspicious about it's history : both rear arches had some paint 'issues' : the rusty side also had an area with very slight 'orange peel' effect : pretty hard to detect but there nonetheless, and the other side looked like there was some form of paint reaction with tiny bubles in the paint or lacquer.
Still pondering ..