Is there anything sub 3k to challenge an S3 ?

rhubarb4 said:
There a sweet looking car but unfortunately for me I cant fit in them lol disadvantage of height. jardo what do you mean by starting and stopping them correctly, is that like leaving our engines running for a bit before we switch off to help the turbo.

Chris.
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No there is a producer to stop them from flooding, if they flood they are a massive pain to re start. The start procedure is from cold start it up, let it idle for 5 seconds then hold the revs at 2500RPM for 10 seconds then drive, and to shut it off you must make sure it is as full running temperature and then hold the RPM at 2500 and retaining the throttle position shut it off. Don't let the throttle up until the engine has stopped.
 
16Klappe said:
No there is a producer to stop them from flooding, if they flood they are a massive pain to re start. The start procedure is from cold start it up, let it idle for 5 seconds then hold the revs at 2500RPM for 10 seconds then drive, and to shut it off you must make sure it is as full running temperature and then hold the RPM at 2500 and retaining the throttle position shut it off. Don't let the throttle up until the engine has stopped.
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Wow thats mad never known a car like that is that because of it being a ****el engine. They have some serious power gains though I always wanted a RX7 when I watched Fast and Furious they look a beast of a car


Cheers, Chris.
 
It's because of their high AFR, anything with a high AFR should be stopped and started like that IMO. :)

Yeah, they are beasts. Properly good cars, if you ever get the chance to...drive one!
 
16Klappe said:
No there is a producer to stop them from flooding, if they flood they are a massive pain to re start. The start procedure is from cold start it up, let it idle for 5 seconds then hold the revs at 2500RPM for 10 seconds then drive, and to shut it off you must make sure it is as full running temperature and then hold the RPM at 2500 and retaining the throttle position shut it off. Don't let the throttle up until the engine has stopped.
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I've heard 95% of people who buy them aren't aware of this, and thus wreck the engines after 40k?
 
JoeD said:
I've heard 95% of people who buy them aren't aware of this, and thus wreck the engines after 40k?
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Yeah pretty much.

I work for Mazda as a salesman, so one of the first things I did when I got the job was get the low down on RX8's because I really wanted to buy one. But when I say I work for Mazda, I mean I am the worst salesman ever and just enjoy talking to people about cars. I would never fudge the truth to talk somebody into buying one of mine over a car within our network which better suited their needs.

With RX8's as long as they have been run in, stopped and started correctly, had the spark plugs changed on time and always run on 5w30 synthetic there is no reason why they shouldn't run for 100K+ with no major issues. People give rotaries a bad name because they don't know or understand them, they will run them for 60K and not spend a penny on anything internal. No Cambelts/Chains, no waterpump replacements, no head gasket etc that you would fork out for on a normal engine and wonder why they lose compression and start drinking oil. They need no more monetary maintenance than a standard 4 pot with a turbo, they just need it spending in different areas.

And if anybody needs any more convincing on rotary engines, this one revs to 13K -

[video=vimeo;33096856]http://vimeo.com/33096856[/video]
 
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superkarl said:
personally id consider a 200sx s14a. an enthusiast owned one thats prob had alot of work done already. just flippin dangerous in the wet!
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Not a bad shout, very cruisey cars though, I was never convinced with it being a B-road racer, bit more of a grown-ups car. Certaily a handful in the wet, in fact i've never had something that was so keen to let go even with decent rubber on. Cheap and easily modded though with a bullet proof engine. Lack of soundproofing especially in the rear makes them a bit noiser on the road than you'd expect in a GT.
 
16Klappe said:
Yeah pretty much.

I work for Mazda as a salesman, so one of the first things I did when I got the job was get the low down on RX8's because I really wanted to buy one. But when I say I work for Mazda, I mean I am the worst salesman ever and just enjoy talking to people about cars. I would never fudge the truth to talk somebody into buying one of mine over a car within our network which better suited their needs.

With RX8's as long as they have been run in, stopped and started correctly, had the spark plugs changed on time and always run on 5w30 synthetic there is no reason why they shouldn't run for 100K+ with no major issues. People give rotaries a bad name because they don't know or understand them, they will run them for 60K and not spend a penny on anything internal. No Cambelts/Chains, no waterpump replacements, no head gasket etc that you would fork out for on a normal engine and wonder why they lose compression and start drinking oil. They need no more monetary maintenance than a standard 4 pot with a turbo, they just need it spending in different areas.

And if anybody needs any more convincing on rotary engines, this one revs to 13K -
Click to expand...

Same as me fella, only thing on the RX-8s i'd mention is that on pre 56 plate cars some have issues with ignition coils etc which a right pain on those as it can cause unburnt fuel in the combustion chamber which can cause the cat to overheat. thats just for starters..! £5ks worth of damage! / new engine! But they are very good.
 
on the subject of sub 3k cars that you'd have over an S3, this just popped up on a forum I use for £2900!

_4928608531.jpg


_6934994156.jpg


4.4 V8 740i Sport Individual - ****** lovely!
 
As an all round car the 8L S3 has alot going for it standard equipment and trim is very good plus with a few choice optional extras it can rival some of th newer cars for levels of comfort etc. Performance and handling are not bad for a standard car and doesnt cost the earth to add a few extra bhp same goes for the handling. Looks wise its understated yet very appealing i think plus of course you can get 30+mpg and still use the 4wd in the poor weather.

Alternatives sub £3k that do all that isnt alot when i was looking recently but some of what has been metioned before are all good for there own merits. Toyota`s GT4`s and MR2`s both good fun but they do rust. RX8`s sound great for the money but the MPG is horrible and something about the front wings doesnt look right to me but i do like the rear suicide doors. I think if i just wanted a nice cheap performance car i would get a Honda Vtec of some sort either an old shape civic or accord type R
 
Prawn said:
on the subject of sub 3k cars that you'd have over an S3, this just popped up on a forum I use for £2900!

_4928608531.jpg


_6934994156.jpg


4.4 V8 740i Sport Individual - ****** lovely!
Click to expand...

A local lad bought one of these, Trying to convince himself he had stopped racing...
He then took it to "the ring "
A trip that cost quite a bit !
Lovely motor ,
 
Prawn said:
on the subject of sub 3k cars that you'd have over an S3, this just popped up on a forum I use for £2900!

_4928608531.jpg


_6934994156.jpg


4.4 V8 740i Sport Individual - ****** lovely!
Click to expand...


That is awesome, I do love a supersonic barge.
 
beanoir said:
Not a bad shout, very cruisey cars though, I was never convinced with it being a B-road racer, bit more of a grown-ups car. Certaily a handful in the wet, in fact i've never had something that was so keen to let go even with decent rubber on. Cheap and easily modded though with a bullet proof engine. Lack of soundproofing especially in the rear makes them a bit noiser on the road than you'd expect in a GT.
Click to expand...
tail happy handling can be adjusted through suspension set up and some new arb's on these if you arent brave enough to drive one quick, i know im not. my mate can get the back out so easily which is fun, but dangerous and not for the road at all, he craps himself everynow and again.
i must admit cabin noise even before he stripped it out was quite loud. the cabin is suprisingly nice though, your so low and the dash etc is so big and wrapped around you, almost like a supra is.
i cant believe the price of his mods too, when he tells me i can never believe just how cheap and easy it is to get power out of them. solid engines, and even gearbox's as it obv doesnt use the same as the gti-r. im suprised no-one mentioned the 200sx before the gti-r.
i love the power delivery in my mates, its not tuned, yet, just has all the bolt on mods, and power just comes and comes and comes. unlike the s3 which loses top end. 5 speed box seems to make it seem very quick too, 70 can be had in 2nd, more time riding the wave of power and less time changing gear.

simple styling tweaks and it looks freaking awesome:
200sx.jpg
 
To be honest we have ahd a load of different cars and dont like to spend silly money. We just bought an S3 for around the 3k mark with full history mot tax etc... yes it does want a couple of bits doing but it runs perfectly and does everything well. Sure the Skyline R33 was more fun and quicker when playing, the bugeye Impreza was fast and sounded awesome but both were rubbish inside and built from quality street wrappers, Ford RS Turbos were chuckable but plagued with troubles. We have spent ages trying other cars and thinking about what to buy and we decided on the S3 cos it fitted the bill perfectly to be a car that could wear many different hats and wear them well. I am mega impressed with it and to be honest i didnt think i would be. It also helps that its from the VAG stable too so the parts bin that can be raided for new or used parts is more useful than any other make imo.

just my little opinion on the matter

regards jaz
 
vrbob said:
I think if i just wanted a nice cheap performance car i would get a Honda Vtec of some sort either an old shape civic or accord type R
Click to expand...

Hey thats a good call, I had an itch for the accord type R a while back but really wanted a dc2 or 5, but these aren't cheap enough yet...
The spoiler on the accord is mad !....
 
Mazda 323 4x4 gtx.... Import but 1.8turbo 4wd...many a car been embarrassed by them. Easily tune to 300bhp :-O
 
JtotheD said:
Only prob with those is finding one..! Well when I was looking there was none around!
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Well I haven't got the import gtx however sat stored away I have got the mazda 323 4x4 turbo 1.6 in black with TWR bodykit with a genuine 69k on the clock, 3 owners from new. It's in ****** good nick and completely standard. Again weak points are gearboxes if heavily tuned. Some people have overcome this problem by retro fitting a celica gt4 gearbox.
 
Love those, just put out off by they only came in auto trans in the UK. I'd get one if I could source a manual LHD model.
 
forester s-turbos are good, lower it and its an impreza but rarer
 
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