Non-turbo to Single?

No, this isn't a question about NA-T conversions.

I've recently put my non-turbo Supra up for sale, and I'm looking for something with a little more go. While I have been seriously considering a TT Auto, I can't help but want a 6spd Single.

The question is, should I? Would a jump of that magnitude be too much? Would I/you likely end up in a hedge or is it the power something you easily/quickly adjust to?

For the sake of this 'debate', the most powerful cars I've driven are a TT Auto (very briefly), and a VXR Monaro (around Rockingham ).

I'm mainly interested in the opinions of those who have already driven / owned a single and can look back on their experiences...

No, this isn't a question about NA-T conversions.

 

I've recently put my non-turbo Supra up for sale, and I'm looking for something with a little more go. While I have been seriously considering a TT Auto, I can't help but want a 6spd Single.

 

The question is, should I? Would a jump of that magnitude be too much? Would I/you likely end up in a hedge or is it the power something you easily/quickly adjust to?

 

 

For the sake of this 'debate', the most powerful cars I've driven are a TT Auto (very briefly), and a VXR Monaro (around Rockingham ).

 

I'm mainly interested in the opinions of those who have already driven / owned a single and can look back on their experiences...

And I was bricking it watching you:p

I went NA to BPU and that was totally fine but single is a big jump. I'm sure you'll be ok with it though mate. Only one way to find out though, get one;)

A single is only as quick as you drive it, if you don't want to go fast don't put your put down.

Just cause it's got 500bhp doesn't mean it's a monster all of a sudden. Simply get used to the power delivery and over a course of a few days/weeks you'll feel totally comfortable.

Course give it a few more weeks and you'll be used to the power and wanting more

For reference I went from a 270bhp MR2 turbo straight to a single turbo Supra.

how much money do you have every week your buying something! whatever you do i want in on it!

if its for the sprint series then yes but you will want a small t61 or maybe a 35r id say.

i cant see it being a problem. its not like your unused to a rwd car. i went from my clio to my NA and it scared the pants off me at first. Then when i went TT it wasnt so bad. Go for it i say. Mr whiffin has a very nice black single 6 speed atm

The two things to consider are:

How much driving experience do you have?

Do you have the knowledge (and money) involved in keeping a nicely spec'ed single on the road for the long-run?

I haven't had the honour of owning an NA, but my current car started as a stock TT, went through BPU and is now single.

how much money do you have every week your buying something! whatever you do i want in on it!

if its for the sprint series then yes but you will want a small t61 or maybe a 35r id say.

I currently have a tray full of coppers, I think there's some silver coins in there too. Would you like me to count them for you?

It would be for a road car, though if I did get one I expect it would see the nurburgring and the odd track day, and hopefully most of europe. Track/Sprint car will always stay seperate, and honestly I'm rarely left looking for more power on the track.

How much driving experience do you have?

 

Do you have the knowledge (and money) involved in keeping a nicely spec'ed single on the road for the long-run?

Driving experience? It sounds like a simple question, but I'm really not sure what you mean by it?

Knowledge will come with time, I'm not going to suddenly become proficient with the workings of a turbo car without owning one, but I am always learning (though I still consider myself a newbie).

are you not tempted by Bromy's NA-T kit?

Not in the slightest.

are you leaning towards the tt ? think about it do you REALY need all the power a single?

Test drive a few and see how you get on, Jazzy's looks a decent single:)

A single is only as quick as you drive it, if you don't want to go fast don't put your put down.

 

Just cause it's got 500bhp doesn't mean it's a monster all of a sudden. Simply get used to the power delivery and over a course of a few days/weeks you'll feel totally comfortable.

 

Course give it a few more weeks and you'll be used to the power and wanting more

 

For reference I went from a 270bhp MR2 turbo straight to a single turbo Supra.

i beleive this to be true, dont listen to people who say oh youll kill yourself, they are small minded, if your mature enough to respect the power of the car youll be fine and could save u alot of money in the long run

Tbh mate the single is easier to drive as power comes in alot more progressive than even bpu, well mine does anyway;)

are you leaning towards the tt ? think about it do you REALY need all the power a single?

If I go for a manual, then I really want a single due to..

Tbh mate the single is easier to drive as power comes in alot more progressive than even bpu, well mine does anyway;)

Thanks for all the responses.

Oh and don't worry Martin, I'll be keeping the NA 5spd for some time, so you can 'show me up' on the track, strip and drift.

Alex, if you don't mind me asking how old are you, how many years have you been driving, how long have you been driving your NA? Have you driven it through the winter months? Any close calls? Do you feel confident driving it? By confident i mean, should you suddenly need to brake hard or if the backend suddenly breaks away you would instinctively know what to do and be able keep things in control.

If you are, then the step up to a TT shouldn't be too much of a learning curve. Both cars are essentially the same, ie. big, fairly heavy, RWD cars, the main difference you will experience is that the TT accelerates a lot faster and so will spin up it's rear wheels more easily, particularly in wet conditions. This is not usually an issue when pointing in a straight line, but can easily catch an inexperienced driver out when cornering eg. In your NA you may be able to plant the pedal as you accelerate out of a given corner no problem, in a TT with the added torque, through the same corner you will need to ease the power in feeling the limits of the traction.

In a TT you will also need to learn the transition point of the sequential turbos. When the second turbo comes online you get a fair surge in torque, which can easily catch an inexperienced driver out. This take a bit of time to get use to in a manual car, but with good accelerator control becomes second nature. In an auto though you have the addition of the gearbox kick down to get use to. Having the gearbox unexpectedly kick down mid corner and the subsequent hike in torque you get from the second turbo can make things very interesting!

very well put nic, and glad your on the mend;)

i beleive this to be true, dont listen to people who say oh youll kill yourself, they are small minded, if your mature enough to respect the power of the car youll be fine and could save u alot of money in the long run

Possibly you're right, but I have read too many stories of crashes and members being killed on here to accept that is true for everyone. Someone may *think* they are mature enough and a good driver and be able to handle a powerful rear wheel drive car, but a lot of people on here over the years have been proven wrong.

I use to think I was a good driver, I drove many different cars and had a fair bit of experience, but looking back I was over confident and reckless. It took rolling my car 4 times and me and a mate walking away with only bruises to knock a little bit of sense into me.

Or then again I'm possibly just being small minded

...

That's a lot of questions Nic!

I'm 25, with 5-6 years of relatively uneventful road driving under my belt. I've done over 6,000 miles in the 5spd, and 12-14,000 miles in the Auto, both have been driven in winter, on icy, very wet, and very snowy roads.

I've done track days, a drift day, a few sprints, also been on the kick plate at Rockingham (though not in my own car, yet). Never had any dramas on the road, though I have had a few spins on the track (have to find the limits of the car somehow ) and generally kept the car on the track when doing so. I will no doubt be doing more of the above in an effort to continue to improve my driving ability and reactions (and have fun).

If it was me advising myself I would go manual TT first personally, but as Jamie says try test driving or getting a ride in as many cars as you can, TT/single, auto/manual before deciding.

A 500+hp single is a LOT of fun, especially on a track, if you do decide to get one just make sure it is a good one.

I didn't have much experience of powerfull rwd cars tbh, and I went straight into my t88 single.

The thing is I respect the car and how much power it has. I don't floor it round any corners and take it easy unless I have straight road in front of me.

IMO you can get to very silly speeds very quickly in a single, I tend to find I don't "mess about" in it around town just for the fact you are up to 60/70 mph in a matter of seconds.

The previous post are all very true. How would you drive the car on the road? Are you the sort of person to give it some round the corners, or do you tend to drive sensible?

If you respect what the car can do you will be fine with a single, although if you push them they have a tendancy to bite you in the arse

Just test drive Pauls current stock - you'll know straight away. I found a single too much for a daily drive, but would be a dream for ocassional/track day use.

And, to echo previous posts, it matters not so much how much power you have but how you use it. If you're sensible any car is safe

On the road a single you very quickly get used to but as people have said you cant go planting you foot in corners etc as you will loose the back quite easily.

Like Simon has said I was suprised by how smooth the power edelivery is on track though. It would be easy to get yourself into trouble into a braking zone though as you are going that much faster than in an NA.

Depends if you plan to take it on track days? Why not sell the Aero top and use the money to get yourself a run about whilst you go TT route on the white one??

Depends if you plan to take it on track days? Why not sell the Aero top and use the money to get yourself a run about whilst you go TT route on the white one??

If I got one, I expect I would occasionally.

The aerotop is up for sale, and I have plans for the white one - TT lump doesn't appeal for that due to weight.

I haven't decided what I want to replace the Aerotop with yet, there's a TT Auto I'm very interested in, nice TT Manuals seem to be around £10k (earlier in the year there were nice ones for £6-7k ) and a good Single looks to be £13-16k. A single appeals but at the same time doesn't, there are a lot of things I could do with the £7-9k it would cost over a TT Auto..

Possibly you're right, but I have read too many stories of crashes and members being killed on here to accept that is true for everyone. Someone may *think* they are mature enough and a good driver and be able to handle a powerful rear wheel drive car, but a lot of people on here over the years have been proven wrong.

 

I use to think I was a good driver, I drove many different cars and had a fair bit of experience, but looking back I was over confident and reckless. It took rolling my car 4 times and me and a mate walking away with only bruises to knock a little bit of sense into me.

 

Or then again I'm possibly just being small minded

lol yeah small minded

Go for single Alex, it is most cost effective in a long run, if you will go for it slowly and carefull, you will get used to it pretty quick. Build up your confidence, but do not go faster than your guardian angel can fly