peccy

looking at the GPX Mivec models, some very nice examples out there for less then £5000.

anyone Rate or Slate them?

Senior_AP

My brother had a Manual (full manual - rare) GPX Mivec in the MAroon type colour.

Nice ish looking, turns heads, sounds "odd" in a nice way. Handles well, snazzy dashboard if a little plain.

Not any quicker than my 323i SE saloon though and for group 20 insurance it should be. They feel cheap to drive to, very squeeky and creaky.

He sold it for a MY00 UK Turbo 2000. Difference was mad.

MattN

less than 5k? For a nice one? Don't believe it for a second.

All the ones I looked at were crap, ended up ordring a 1996 GPX from Japan, costs more than 5k though!

Senior_AP

Might get a reasonable GR for that but they are not at all quick.

Adam M

my friend sold his N plate manual GPX mivec in black for 5k, it was in beautiful condition and had a flawless service record.

peccy

yep its true you get a lot of car for you money, £5000 get you a minter

MattN

I couldn't find any nice ones at that price, I could nearer the 8k mark.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

I test drove one before my first scooby. Handling was sharp enough, but the engine was pretty gutless unless thrashed, the ride was crashy and rear visibility was dangerously poor IMHO. The manual gearbox is much better than the sequential auto. if you like a high revving, ultra smooth engine then you'll love it, but I'm a sucker for turbocharged torque.

I came away really disappointed - I'd really wanted one up until I drove it.

zoog

The body styling writes cheques the engine can't match with performance. It all show and no go I am afraid.

I willl concede that the v6 sounds nice at full chat though.

Senior_AP

All in, they're pretty ****.

peccy

Senior_AP

My brother was creaming his pants whjen he looked at one, after about a week of ownership he just said "no quicker than my phase 2 Clio 16v".

The difference was minimal.

I'd look elsewhere if it were me - you may love them though.....but I doubt it.

peccy

not really buying one for speed, or i would buy a cheap scooby for the same money (£5000), but cashing in my STi6 Type R 2.5litre to buy an house and giving my self a few grand for a run-about for a while, am after something stylish, jap, reliable and looks well slightly modded, - so though the FTO would be a good choice, you seen one with the vielside bodykit on Mmmmm mmmm

Andy M3

From my experience, they are just not quick at all - I apprieciate you don't want quick but when a standard Mk4 Gti turbo golf smokes you off the lights, you may get upset -

Last sunday there was around 10 FTO's i know the engine specs vary but the best of the day was a 15.??? up to the 17's ??? Thats saxo VTR quick, or not depending how you look at it ?!?!?

grovesy

"From my experience, they are just not quick at all - I apprieciate you don't want quick but when a standard Mk4 Gti turbo golf smokes you off the lights, you may get upset -"

Standard golf turbo mk4 150 bhp... standard FTO 200bhp and lighter

hows that work then ?

Andy M3

That would work because of torque - without looking i imagine that the golf has about 150lb/ft at 3000 rpm and 150 bhp (on 95 ron) at 6000 rpm

The FTO has 150 lb/ft at 5000 rpm and 200 bhp (on 100+ron) at 8000 rpm ??

On the road how fast a car is depends on it's flexabilty of power v's the drivers capability - a golf isn't exactly hard to drive, put ur foot down turbo spools up and off you go, and a i-VTEC, M-VEC and other VVT high reving n/a cars, timing is everything and if you fluff a gear or anthing it makes a massive difference.

My BMW is the same, 165 lb/ft and 200 bhp @ 7000 rpm - i have had TDI lupos accelerate quicker from a round about than me, both in 2nd gear he pull straight away from 1500 rpm my car doesn't do a lot till 5000 rpm -

Luck of the draw really - i hope that explains my comment ????

Senior_AP

Figures mean ****. Its where the power is and how its used. My 944 Turbo is crap from lights, been done by 1.4 Escorts....but thats not the point. FTO's are wack!!

peccy

went to have a look at one with a few mods for £5500, like the one above, nice motors for that kinda money

Andy M3

Okay -

Senior_AP

Simplistic way of saying wghat you said - figures mean nothing really. Just look at the WRX bug eye, slower than a CLio 172 Cup.

Senior_AP

A bit "The Fast & the Furious" isn't it?!?!?!

I prefer them with nice wheels and slightly (slightly) lower suspension.....just to look at.

Considered an RX7??

MattN

Most people who comment don't own one but 'know' someone that did.

I know someone who owned a 323, it looked ****. I know someone who has a Golf GTi, it's not as quick and looks ****. A clio and VTR I know people with these, not really comparing like for like now are we. You could buy a Nova for £50 and make it quicker than a scoob but it's not about getting as many bhp for as little £ is it it's about what you like.

If you like good looking coupe's then they are good cars. Don't worry about the perfomance you'll be stopped most of the time getting phone numbets off fit birds while the scoobs go driving off to Halfords to see what else they can bolt on and impress 5 year olds.

Senior_AP

Question was asked "FTO - Any good". People answered. They are slow, they are cheap, they are flimsy. I drove my brothers car on numerous occasions - it was "ok" but for group 20 insurance it took the ****.

P.S. Cars don't pull girls - most people learn that before their 19th birthday.

peccy

ive already got a bird anyway, thanks to my STi Type R

peccy

RX7 - just lookin actaully, same kind of money, the latest shape start about 5k, just the running and maintenance costs that may put me off

Senior_AP

IF maintained (big IF) they are very reliable engines. A strange initially to drive (not negatively, just different) but very nice looking (its almost non Jap looking which is good imo).

Rotor tips are cheap to replace, if you don't you will have bigger problems. Its almost like changing oil - do it, costs you nothing. Don't do it and it wrecks everything.

Rotor tips need doing every 30k miles depending on how hard you drive - cost is about £600 fitted. Once done, regular oil change and service, don't let it overheat and it will be fine.

Motoring press love them as a drivers car. Jap version is more powerful and is twin turbo, UK is cheaper to maintain and is single turbo (you probably know that, sorry).

As far as a sexy coupe goes for reasonable money goes, they **** on FTO's, in most ways.

Andy M3

Classy bird then

peccy

thanks for the info, how can i tell if been maintained when looking at them, - get a compression test done?

do some of the rx7 jap import models have a rear seat?

mynickers

Only if it's been 'slightly modified'!

I never liked them, I think they look ****, and for all the cars that get 'girls car label' surely this is the one that should get the most stick??

If I was to get something that looked like this, I would go for a Fiat Coupe 20V Turbo. They don't look that disimilar, and Fiat makes a rather nice noise too. As far as I can tell they don't suffer from the same build quality issues that most Fiats suffer from, and they do perform, I been in one, and they go like stink.

Only downside - try insuring one!

Senior_AP

Thats right I forgot, a Clio Cup simply *cannot* and *is not* as quick a s a WRX bug eye. It just can't be, it isn't, I spent 18k on my WRX, Nicole and Papa can't be quicker, its a scoob, I won't accept that, bollox to actual stats, what if its icy, what if theres grease on the road, what if the 1/4 mile striaght isn't straight but a real world twisty, what if the person driving the WRX was a **** driver.......repeat to fade.

Cracks me up. Bug eye WRX IS slower than a Clio Cup. Off the line the scoob is sharper but in gear it quite simply isn't. My Clio 172 was quicker than the WRX and the Cup is quicker than my old 172.....!!

I think they look like little shoes but no argument that they are quicker than a WRX bug eye.

Not a quick as a classic though - that drag strip vid was just an example of the classic f$cking the start up and the Clio getting it spot on.