Supra alternative!

[tDR]

The ST205 GT-Four is faster and more reliable than the other rally slags of the era. It also has better brakes and is very easy to get 300bhp out of - BPU pretty much. It's a bit of a backroad weapon like that. Better looking too IMO! It's Supra like in it's rear bulging haunches.

Practicality wise they are hugely practical - will seat two adults in the back comfortably and have a big boot.

The thing to watch out for with them is that the suspension figure of 8's and banana arms have been done. They need doing around 70k miles and it'll cost you around a grand to get done...

Cheers,

Brian.

[Becks]

What about the volvo C70 very very nice cars to drive all the extras and easy to tune with it being a 2.3turbo 5cyl with 240hp

PERFORMANCE
Acceleration, sec
0-30 mph 2.4
0-40 mph 3.7
0-50 mph 4.9
0-60 mph 6.2
0-70 mph 8.1
0-80 mph 10.1
0-90 mph 12.3
Standing quarter mile, sec/mph 14.7/98.3
Top speed, mph 155 mph
Braking, 60-0 mph, ft 112
Lateral acceleration, g 0.86
Speed through 600-ft slalom, mph 67.3
EPA fuel economy, mpg, city/hwy 19/26 (est.)
Est. range, city/hwy., miles 352/481

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-VOLVO-C70...1%7C240%3A1318

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/1998-R-Volvo-C...1%7C240%3A1318

[AJI]

Originally Posted by chinstrapped

Nothing wrong as such, but aren't they quite unreliable? I got the impression they run quite a stressed engine, hence needing service more often than most...

I have an EVO6 and my bro has an EVO4... both cars have proven to be very reliable.
Mainly because we have not modified them too much.

Both cars come rated at 280bhp+ standard, and simple de-cat, manual boost controller and filter sees them approaching 300bhp+ with ease.

For reliability purposes and power this is as far as you need to take them for everyday use.


The frequent servicing that you mention is all about the oil change.... especially on the GSR versions that have the AYC.

Both mine and my bro's are the RS versions without the AYC diff. So servicing is much like any 'normal' car.


For comparison I had a GT4 previous to the EVO6... and in terms of performance the EVO6 (and even the EVO4) is a league ahead in every aspect over the GT4.



But the problem is that a lot of EVOs have been modified significantly and this is where the reputation of unreliability arises.

I'd say you would not go far wrong to choose either GT4 or EVO or Subaru... but keep to the clean cars.

[grahamc]

What is wrong with the Type R engine? I hve a 1996 wagon, STi, with 160K+ kilometers and still goin perfectly, recently dyno'd at made full power

[Tom]

Audi S2?

http://www.pistonheads.com/sales/915551.htm

http://videos.streetfire.net/video/S...2-ca_29836.htm

[Stealth-1JZ]

how about a 1JZ Soarer TT ?
plenty of room in the back seat and decent boot aswell.
i use to hall round the ex and her 2 kids + kids junk in mine no prob.

mine at just under 300whp/350fwhp now with 370ft/lbs
you can get them quite cheep,mine was just under 3K in 06 and only thing that went wrong with it was a burst rad

[chinstrapped]

Becks and Tom: thanks for your suggestions. Becks, I wouldn't have dreamt of a Volvo to be honest, although that white one is definitely an attractive car! If it was RWD / 4WD it'd probably be on the shortlist. Tom - that vid is mental, I thought WOW if only they went like that as stock!

Brian, AJI and GrahamC: your replies have been really useful - I'm a little reassured by my various choices, and thinking perhaps it's not a bad thing to have a wide-ish range of potential cars to choose from... That way I can wait for the 'right' car to appear (in terms of things like FSH, sensible mods etc), rather than worrying too much about having a particular model.

I take it everyone is agreed I need to be aiming towards the bigger budget then? There are certainly some nice-looking ST205s on Pistonheads at my lower £4000 budget (with fig-8s done as well as good SH and BPU), but all the Evos and Scoobys are right sheds! When you start looking at scoobys around £7000 though, you start seeing names like JM-Imports and Newera

Worth the extra outlay? That £3000 difference could do a lot of upgrades and servicing to a GT-4!

[chinstrapped]

Originally Posted by Stealth-1JZ

how about a 1JZ Soarer TT ?
plenty of room in the back seat and decent boot aswell.

Just had a look at the pics of your car - it's a pretty thing actually! A genuine 300RWHP is not to be sniffed at either: but you seem on first glance to have done some pretty extensive mods... Nice cold-air feed Could be worth a look, especially if it can get to those figures on £7000 less purchase price...

GrahamC: didn't the Type R engine have a bit of a rep for going bang?

[Stealth-1JZ]

Originally Posted by chinstrapped

Just had a look at the pics of your car - it's a pretty thing actually! A genuine 300RWHP is not to be sniffed at either: but you seem on first glance to have done some pretty extensive mods... Nice cold-air feed Could be worth a look, especially if it can get to those figures on £7000 less purchase price...

GrahamC: didn't the Type R engine have a bit of a rep for going bang?

LOL any advantage
heres my last dyno result
http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=179555

Modifications:

Apexi power intake €60
blitz nur spec R cat back and decat €520 [2nd hand supra decat]
Greddy spec R FMIC €600
walbro pump €90 ithink
aremotive FPR €130 [not needed unless u wont over 400hp]
e-manage blue
e-o1 boost controler €450 bought them both 2nd hand

so just call it 2K euro with mapping charges

[chinstrapped]

Originally Posted by Stealth-1JZ

Apexi power intake €60
blitz nur spec R cat back and decat €520 [2nd hand supra decat]
Greddy spec R FMIC €600
walbro pump €90 ithink
aremotive FPR €130 [not needed unless u wont over 400hp]
e-manage blue
e-o1 boost controler €450 bought them both 2nd hand

so just call it 2K euro with mapping charges

Hmm definitely worth a test drive then! Cheers for the linkys

In the meanwhile, I've been looking at this:

http://www.pistonheads.com/SALES/990429.htm

Ok so they're old cars with a reputation as money-pits and ugly as sin to boot... But I had a go in one recently - it was hilariously quick! Really, are these such a bad idea?

[loks]

Having just acquired a MKI Aristo for 2K British notes just recently, I can highly recommend them - especially coming from a NA Supra....

They can certainly get your nipper from A-B a lot quicker and also have a huge boot - just be careful of the boot struts - my boot lid has tried to guillotine my head off on a couple of occasions now :headless smilie:

Be careful of the filler cap, it is on the other side and has caught me out also on a couple of occassions too

Apart from that, great cars.

[Stealth-1JZ]

no probs

on the GTi-R front i can chip in there as im mates with the oweners of the 3 biggist power 1s here.
the big week point is there gearbox,much more then 350hp they wont last long,the ppg kit is a common upgrade.
there brakes are fairly bad aswell if you like to drive hard.
the GTIROC is a good place for info

[buster123467]

i no someone sellin a 2.5 soarer for 1400 very well looked after all of the cars hes had have been well looked after hes just one of those blokes! it is in devon tho but if ya want more info just let me no!

[hadyn]

Been reading this thread with interest as often daydream/think a lot about an actually real alternative to the goodness that is the Supra TT.

Most of these cars, I wouldnt class as genuine alternatives, but offer different strenghts in terms of practicality, 4WD etc etc

The cars I would consider next, if mine blew up or something would be:

Soarer 2.5 TT or V8 to pimp around in
Legacy GTB/B4 RSK Twin Turbo
Nissan Stagea Autech (GTR estate )
BMW M5
ST2O5 GT4
Evo 7

and I think thats about it

[skim41]

might a late spec rx7 be somehting for you, very agile, 280hp as standard and killer looks