Eddoe

What do you guys think of them????

I have had a MY99 uk turbo, and now have a saxo vts, need to get back into the 4x4 turbo cars i think and these are available as fresh imports for approx £4k

What are they like to drive compared to a scoob and whats the performance like??

Cheers

coxie

if you want to know about performance ask the guy in the black sti on the east lancs road today.he gave up blocking my passage after two attempts ..lol..to get away as he was going nowhere. i own a gti-r running approx 330bhp and i realed him in no problem.

dont listen to knowalls who say they break all the time as they dont if serviced properly. go over to www.gtiroc.com and head for the forum for correct answers to q's

ive ran approx 330 bhp for 2 years and not had any breakages.for the price theres nowt to match em.

skiddus_markus

In contrast I was driving a mates GTiR(approx 290bhp) to Traxx today and was easily pushed out of the way by a modified 22B(looked very nice) being followed by an Escort Cosworth on the M1 at around 100km/h(ahem).
Mod for mod the GTiR is usally quicker ut the Impreza handles better.BTW-shouldn't this be in other marques.

ukdave

ive got a mate with one, now theyre a really fun car,very quick easily tuned,loadsa stuff available for them but expect regular rebuilds if u drive them hard coz these make scoobys look reliable!!!!!! my mate bought his about 18mths ago paid alot for it at about 6.5k put a unichip on it rollerbearing turbo,tarox 6pots+discs,alloys,defi link gauges etc,so ur looking at around 10k now which fair enough up to yet he chose to do-however the car now stands him at around the 15k mark due to rebuilds etc. If you can afford it do it but me thinks its cheaper to own a scooby,that said it always makes me grin when im in it!!!!!300bhp in a car that size-wicked check out http://forum.gtiroc.com/phpbb2/index.php http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...d/PICT0001.jpg pic of me mates pulsar

what would scooby do

Mate had one 300+bhp and it ate gearboxes all the time..

andymar00

They are same as any car you can get good and bad, I ran a 360 bhp GTIR for 2 years as my only car did 60,000 miles 2 oil changes and driven hard, never had a problem but a mate with a standard GTIR had 2 gearboxes in 12 months

Andy

Carl2

I don't take it easy in mine, but then it's almost standard (250bhp) and it's been fine for over 2 years. One of the fastest cars off the mark if you launch it right Your average competitor either can't drive or needs around 50bhp to beat you

RB5_245

70/30 torque split with the front taking most of the drive, soft engine internals. I wouldn't want one personally but they are quick off the line. They get better 1/4 mile times than similar powered scoobs but that advantage is lost on the open road.

For that money you could also have an MR2 turbo, maybe an EVO 1 or 2, or an early wrx type RA.

I'd put the MR2 as the safest bet, and the wrx as the most fun.

Dave

cheddar bob

£15K ...ouch wonder if he realises he could have bought a P1 or a 300bhp+ STi V for that sort of cash.

Carl2

The drive is split 50/50 on the Gtir and I think the weight maybe 70/30 front/rear.

CCC review here

RB5 245 do you have a 245bhp RB5? if so have you any 1/4 mile times for it as a comparison?

RB5_245

I've seen some reports say it's 50:50. I wouldn't bet my house on it, But I'm sure it's 70:30.

Mine's quite a bit more than that. I was comparing times of other cars and terminal speeds. By having equal times and lower terminals it would tend to indicate the gtir's had less power, but better launches.

Dave

ukdave

Tell me about it,the thing is if he came to sell it now even with all the mods it would probably only fetch 5k,just rang him actually and hes at john noble motorsport having summat sorted out ha ha 15k and rising, think its only actuator trouble though so shouldnt b too bad.

prodriva

I've allways liked these since going to the Motor Show at the NEC in the early 90's in one (MGRV8 made its first UK public appearance IIRC).

The car was one of the few offical UK Sunny's and very few people knew what it was in those days. The drive to the NEC was awsome, had never been in such a quick car aside from a Tressa Quattro in the mid eighties (now that was quick). The looks we got on the M25 were so funny. They must have thought it was your average Sunny but when we hoofed it jaws just dropped!!!

The weather was bad on the return journey and I will never forget going round the slip road off the M40 onto the M25 at stupid speeds in the pouring rain. The car was 4-up and it still stuck to the road like it was on rails. Needless to say I was very impressed with this totally standard GTI-R apart from a very expensive radar detector

EddScott

I had mine for 2 years and it was great -full stop!

During that time the only thing that needed repairing/replacing was the fuel pump which had to be upgraded anyway to take 1 bar (mods done at Powerstation). And a fuel hose needed replacing.

I REALLY wanted another R when funds had improved but as I now have a daughter I needed 4 doors so bought the Impreza. You must make sure you've got the funds to cope with rebuilds etc or at least buy one thats already been rebuilt recently. Don't buy one straight from JPN either as you've got no idea where its been (I found fishing tackle under the carpet in mine!)

Buy one from the GTIROC and one thats well known by the other members as a good example. Looked after they will last just the same as Imprezas - abuse them and they become as weak as female emotions

Oh, and if you thought your fuel bill was high and your insurance was high on your UK turbo wait till you buy the GTIR My UK turbo is a good £300 cheaper on insurance and I get 30mpg from the scoob and not be lucky to get over 20mpg.

Don't know what it does but theres a pipe from the turbo that runs past the I/C. If you take it off something happens that means the turbo just keeps on going - gives you stupid acceleration but kills the car in about 30 seconds. I ran mine without the pipe twice and it flew! but it will kill the car ASAP.

If I had the time, money, space I'd certainly buy another one.

jameswrx

iTrader: (4)

Excellent cars IMO, I've had 4 of the blighters now (had 2 wrx's too), had one of them for 2 years and still miss it. Handling wise they understeer a lot compared to the scoob but it can be sorted. Both with a set of 17" wheels and lowered the GTi-R is better looking IMO. Performance is similar on the road, on 270-280bhp examples of both I'd say the gti-r would have it up to 70mph or so (just) then the impreza would be slightly faster to their respective top speeds. Interior is better in the gti-r IMO (compared to early scoob), I've just bought a 95 wrx and forgot how bland and agricultural they look and feel, that noise and feel of the indicator stalk when you signal is enough to nearly put you off the scoob alone LOL

nisr227

...there is no other 4wd pocket rocket like em. Fantastic and chuckable fun, in a small, raw, quick package. And it IS 50/50 split, but the heavy engine sits up too close to the front so it does understeer somewhat, this car be reduced with decent enough mods and then you can play with the backend far better

An old car now, so there are many ****ters around, but its just nice to be different than the usual Scoobs, Evos and Cossies you see on the road. With the right mods (i.e development that never happened by Nissan) then they can be awesome little cars. I'm into my 5th year of ownership with mine and still loving it, with slowly improved mods over the years.

As I said, they are old cars now so you gonna have problems with modified, but if your worried about a possible rebuild, or gearbox failure, and these can also happen on scoobs with higher boost or older cars, then theres no harm in being prepared and having a contact who car do this for you, just in case it ever happens, but it might not.

The problem is there are a lot of owners who are not satisfied with the stage 1(ish) modified 270-300bhp and want far more, IMO the costs involved to go way past this and having somesort of reliability with uprated internals and quaffe gearboxs isn't worth it on such an old car, but I admire the effort people put in. My bro sold his older WRX and then spent £15k+ on modding a blue Pulsar (370+bhp) and admits he got carried away on mods before selling it (famliy) for just over half this, ouch, but loved it never the less.

Carl2

That's the pipefor the wastegate actuator. Without it you run unlimited (well as much as the turbo will produce) boost and yes it will kill the engine fairly quickly as it leans out at the top end.

I'm even more curious now, to know your power and times

memski

Engines aren't as chocolate as everyone thinks, for a 10+year old car mine's taken a lot of abuse, mapped for 20psi on stock T28 for the past year and now with a much bigger turbo and 600cc injectors it still takes it on the chin -all with stock engine and gearbox (was around 330bhp before, now it feels a hell of a lot faster). Car is used every day for commuting and pleasure - has rarely let me down.

RB5_245

Only run it once in it's current state. 13.5 @108, not that impressive but it was with a 2.6sec 60ft, 2000rpm launch, lazy clutch saving gear changes and still hit 60 in 4. something seconds.

Anyway off topic, sorry.

Dave

nisr227

Memski -water injection, oil cooler, big front mount etc does helps when running that boost, a good few don't, my next list. Would be cool to see what it does on a rr now.

Also, there's ways of looking after the box such as using organic type clutches with less stress, feeding power in, not using such huge wheels, etc etc.
Launch the car hard all the time, carry out snap quick gearchanges, don't change the oil reguarly, come on boost hard everytime, or not knowing its history..... and its no surprise boxes brake. Like scoobs, you have to have some tlc on an old car.

EddScott

nisr227 - I live in Haverfordwest and met your bro and his car a few times. I had to go for the scoob due to my family too. Shame he had to sell up as his was quite unique.

I really really wanted Phil C's black R - the one with the Turini Kit and PS2 etc... Some lad had first refusal and bought it. Think it came back on the market within a couple of months but by then I'd bought the Impreza. Also the R that had the Malboro paintjob I would have snapped his arm off.

Like I say, when I can I'd like another.

scoobydoobeypoo

all i can say about the scooby is hows number 3 piston as they seem to have a big problem with this melting


in the subaru

nisr227

Eddscott - yeah Mark mentioned you in the area. He's now got a Mk1 Golf Gti Campaign and a VR6 so you may still see him at some meets. Altough he did have some problems with the car, he got it built quicker and better and it was damn fine when he sold it, he was gutted. Next time the R's going for a blast to Pembs and i'll have to pop over.

I don't know what it is, but the R seems to have character, epescially when it was as fast as a scoob years before, and being so small, raw and different its unique.

66 Blue

Awesome cars, my brother had a modded one and it ran fine for years, the SR20DET engine is a peach, this car also comes with quad throttle bodies as std!!! getting big power ower it relatively easy with 300BHP be easily attainable!!!
Off the mark these cars are super quick beat many many cars off the light no problem!! in fact it would accelerate easily upto 145MPH reagrdless of it drag... just need to up teh power to force its way through!!!
Good handling light chuckable and feckin scary to see in your mirror esp. with a front mounted intercooler and side mounted number plate
deffo recommend one and don't believe all the bull$hit about what ppl say...

coxie

well said that man couldnt agree more.

skiddus_markus

I love mine but as mentioned before the gearboxes do break if abused and sometimes when not-mine did after 2 years of 1/4 miling and 3 years of fast starts.A mate has done 4 boxes on his even with driving carefully after the first one went.

MarkTurbo

I think that statement is a bit OTT In my opinion the SR20 DET engine in the Gti-r's is a lot stronger than a scooby engine

I've got one of the uk spec sunny's and its done 124,000 miles now and the only major thing thats ever been touched on the engine was a new headgasket and timing chain at 110,000 miles. I dont exactly give the engine an easy life either. I think they're starting to get a bad reputation now cos they've dropped in price and are getting bought by knobbers that just turn the boost up and then wonder why it goes bang

Its just a shame the gearboxes arent as good as the engines, i've broken 2 boxes in the time i've owned mine

kammy

Agree with 66 blue. Top motors.
Regards with the gear boxs, carnt you use a dakar box with shorter ratios, 120mph max, but is very strong isnt it, and very (very) rare or have i been informed by a numb nut?
Kambo

MarkTurbo

The dakar gearbox isnt actually any stronger than a normal box. Its just got different gear ratios thats all

Carl2

and maxes out at 127mph