Nippon Sporties

Matt B wrote: Tempting, very very tempting. The 3sgte swap is so well documented I don't think it would be that hard really. I assume it uses the same mounts, but I haven't really looked into that thoroughly. Also, no intercooler or requisite plumbing to worry about. Just honest-to-goodness lag-free naturally-aspriated relatively worry-free fun. Maybe once the car isn't my daily driver I can rationalize moving out of STS.

Yeah, same mounts.

Wiring would be interesting though, and JDM coil packs are about $100 apiece.

You're doing too much thinking & not enough donking. Two words: Lexus donk. Coupe or salon, it don't matter. Donk it and they will come.

Seriously, I'd look into a Lexus, especially the sc300 coupe with a manual. The small rwd 4 door is cool too.

BoxheadTim wrote: Actually, especially an FD will be a lot cheaper here in the UK than it is in the US. We got a lot of grey imports from Japan for starters and used cars are generally worth a lot less than they are in the US.

Ah I didn't think about the grey-market cars. Not fair. They only made 13,xxx FDs for the US market and they're priced accordingly. Besides, I don't want to get one with a body kit from Mattel or crazy graphics all over it, or one with enough boost running through it to take over for the space shuttle.

impreza 2.5RS....late '90s model.

get a nice-condition one for $3-4k, use $6k to make it very fast (RSTi).....

• looks good
• handles well
• AWD is fun, no matter what anyone says
• can be made to be very, very fast

Lexus is an american company that makes modified Toyotas isn't it?

Anyways the RX-7 Gen 3 is awesome but it's sitting in my garage being slowly worked on because i've only been driving officially for the last 4 months (passed my test that long ago). Regardless of the fact I could drive a car before that and know a little about engines and how they work, my insurance will still be high for the first year at least and the RX-7 would cost me £3450/$5700 insurance for the first year. (NO im not some jumped up teenager i'm in my early twenties).

I was looking at the old Accord/Civic Type-Rs but the insurance on those is just is almost as bad, may end up going with the RX7 after all but tbh, the rotary engine sounds a little clangy to me at times, even on fully restored models on youtube that's why I was looking at Honda and their awesome vtec engines.

EDIT: The Civic Type R 2002 model would cost me around £2800/$4600 so I might be going for one of those for a year until my premium comes down, then start using the RX-7

Zman wrote: Lexus is an american company that makes modified Toyotas isn't it?

Nope, Lexus is Toyota's fully-owned luxury brand. Their cars are mostly rebadged luxury Toyotas (i.e. Toyota Altezza= Lexus IS300, Toyota Soarer= Lexus SC300, etc.), though there are some Lexus-unique models that Toyota builds. They've been around since 1989 because Toyota was worried their milquetoast reputation would hamper their ability to sell their luxury models in the US. I think Toyota's trying to take the brand global now, so there are more Lexus-unique models now than in the past.

You have a FD RX-7 and you're looking for a different car!?!?!

How are you supposed to be this,

Without this?

BTW, gotta disagree about the sound of rotary, uncorked rotary = WIN

I saw an episode of Wheeler Dealers on the Lexus LS400 and I assumed the UK got them officially. The Soarer & Altezza share a lot with the Supra.

And google some lexus donk pics. You may have trouble with MOT, but you'll definately leave an impression on the ladies.

What about a Pulsar GTI-R? These seem like they'd be awesome.

TL;DR

Can you get an R32 Skyline where you live? You may be able to get a GTS-T in your price range. If they were readily available here, I'd have a GTS-T. I have no need nor want for the AWD system.

Zman wrote: Lexus is an american company that makes modified Toyotas isn't it? Anyways the RX-7 Gen 3 is awesome but it's sitting in my garage being slowly worked on because i've only been driving officially for the last 4 months (passed my test that long ago). Regardless of the fact I could drive a car before that and know a little about engines and how they work, my insurance will still be high for the first year at least and the RX-7 would cost me £3450/$5700 insurance for the first year. (NO im not some jumped up teenager i'm in my early twenties). I was looking at the old Accord/Civic Type-Rs but the insurance on those is just is almost as bad, may end up going with the RX7 after all but tbh, the rotary engine sounds a little clangy to me at times, even on fully restored models on youtube that's why I was looking at Honda and their awesome vtec engines.

slaps forehead

Dude have you listened to most uncorked Hondas. They sound like ass usually. And this is coming from a Honda driver. I know these aren't Japanese but you can TVRs and Caterhams over there. Holy E36 M3 those are better then anything to ever come out of Japan including Miatas (that should start a riot)

Uncorked Hondas do sound like ass. Again, coming from a Honda driver.

Rotaries sound wicked, IMHO

(cough) ST205 (cough)

TucoRamirez wrote: I saw an episode of Wheeler Dealers on the Lexus LS400 and I assumed the UK got them officially. The Soarer & Altezza share a lot with the Supra.

We certainly got the IS, GS & LS models officially. Soarers are only available as grey imports but there are plenty of them around for little money. Especially the V8s, but then again they're short a couple of turbos.

TucoRamirez wrote: And google some lexus donk pics. You may have trouble with MOT, but you'll definately leave an impression on the ladies.

I don't think driving over them because you couldn't see them counts .

Zman wrote: Anyways the RX-7 Gen 3 is awesome but it's sitting in my garage being slowly worked on because i've only been driving officially for the last 4 months (passed my test that long ago). Regardless of the fact I could drive a car before that and know a little about engines and how they work, my insurance will still be high for the first year at least and the RX-7 would cost me £3450/$5700 insurance for the first year. (NO im not some jumped up teenager i'm in my early twenties). [snip]

Serious suggestion? Get something older and cheaper to insure to build up some NCB first. Obviously I have no idea of your background or driving ability - you might have been racing karts since you were 5 - but I'd still suggest getting something that doesn't deposit your backside in three counties if you get it wrong.

Keep in mind there is no skill involved in driving a fast car slowly, but there's a lot of skill involved in driving a slow car fast. Oh, it's also more fun.

See this there MX5/Miata?

Think what you want about Mitsubishis (that they're junk) and keep the resale value down, so I can buy them for a buck and have a lifetime supply of them. Really, thanks. Yes, they might even have greater than their share of problems, but they're either caused by Bob Costases who ignore the maintenance schedules or shiny happy people who are too cheap to perform it. I'll happily be driving along in my 1G Eclipse with a 4g63 and 300,000 miles on its original motor OR BeBopping around in my Galant VR-4 with 200,000 miles that I bought 100,000 miles ago for $1.06.

Come on, they fixed the timing belt problem in what? 1992?

I was looking at the Honda Prelude's, the insurance quote on one of those isn't so bad and you can buy them second hand in fairly good nick for £2-3k and it gives me some cash left over to work on the RX-7. Maybe once i listen to a Honda I will appreciate the RX-7

Anyways thanks for the advice lads, after looking at the insurance quotes I really need to get in a less awesome car for a bit unfortunately, to get my 2 years no claims. I just figured tht at the age of 22/23 it would go down a fair bit over being 18 but i was wrong

Lastly dont get me wrong on the rotaries, the main reason i did want to avoid them is because my rudimentary knowledge of engines is restricted to non-rotary engines and I was worried id ruin it . I guess I'll learn to love the sound of them...

VanillaSky wrote: Can you get an R32 Skyline where you live? You may be able to get a GTS-T in your price range. If they were readily available here, I'd have a GTS-T. I have no need nor want for the AWD system.

Oh yes we can. But compared to something like an FD, they're a bit of a heavy old bus (yes, I've owned one for a while).

I wouldn't mind a GT-R. The GTS-T isn't a bad car but it needs some work until it's properly quick.

Zman wrote: Anyways thanks for the advice lads, after looking at the insurance quotes I really need to get in a less awesome car for a bit unfortunately, to get my 2 years no claims. I just figured tht at the age of 22/23 it would go down a fair bit over being 18 but i was wrong

It probably has gone down considerably, given what some of my mates tell me about the insurance quotes for their 17/18yo kids. It's taken me about 8 years living and insuring cars in the UK until I got to the point where I'd be able insure almost anything, and that's with holding a car license since 1986. Of course for some insurance companies the world only exists in the UK so I've had my share of "you can't have had a driving license for 20 years, you've only lived here for 10" "Ever heard of an EU license?"...

Best bet really is to get a cheap shed of a car and build up some NCB. Either that or you'll be paying through the nose for the first couple of years.

The Civic or Integra are far better cars then the Predule. There are also lots of cool older Japanese cars to look at such as old Rollas, RX-2, RX-3, RX-4 or Zs.

96DXCivic wrote: The Civic or Integra are far better cars then the Predule. There are also lots of cool older Japanese cars to look at such as old Rollas, RX-2, RX-3, RX-4 or Zs.

Unfortunately none of the older cars you mention above are readily available in the UK, let alone for the sort of money Zman is looking at.

93celicaGT2 wrote: (cough) ST205 (cough)

This guy has an FD and is not satisfied. The ST205 isn't even close to the FD. My suggestion is that he buy an NSX or put a Honda badge on a Ferrari 360. It will satisfy his Japanese obsession and he wouldn't know a ferrari from a yugo, from a ST205 grandma-mobile. My belief is that the ST205 is kind of a fat, ugly version of the previous celica all trac. And like all toyotas it seems that the further you get away from a 1990 example the more issues that you have. Not to mention the uglier, heavier, less sporty vehicles that Toyota has specialized in for the last 15 years.

mattm wrote:

93celicaGT2 wrote: (cough) ST205 (cough)

This guy has an FD and is not satisfied. The ST205 isn't even close to the FD. My suggestion is that he buy an NSX or put a Honda badge on a Ferrari 360. It will satisfy his Japanese obsession and he wouldn't know a ferrari from a yugo, from a ST205 grandma-mobile. My belief is that the ST205 is kind of a fat, ugly version of the previous celica all trac. And like all toyotas it seems that the further you get away from a 1990 example the more issues that you have. Not to mention the uglier, heavier, less sporty vehicles that Toyota has specialized in for the last 15 years.

The ST205 weighs within 100lbs of the previous generation GT4, and makes a rather large amount more power, and will put out over 300awhp with simple mods. Boost controller, intake, exhaust is really all that's needed to get there. It's got rear torsen, better transmission, and ditches that STUPID AFM that the previous gens used.

I didn't notice that he had an FD. If he's got that, then i'm not sure why he's looking for anything else.