Jump to content
SAU Community

Recommended Posts

Hi guys, I'm just after some suggestions for a mate who's after something cheaper than his big heavy falcon as he wants to tie up some debts and wants a cheaper run around. He does enjoy driving and wants something that will be fun through some hills ect so if anyones so some recommendations it would be much appreciated.

So far he's been looking into Pulsar SSS's and Starlet GT's. He's got around 10k to play with give or take and it will be a daily driver so nothing too old as he does want it to be reliable.

Cheers.

Link to comment
https://www.sau.com.au/forums/topic/221913-small-fun-car-recommendation/
Share on other sites

  • Replies 65
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

If practicality is also a concern, Subaru Forester GT.

Otherwise, if fun and smallness are the main concerns, I saw some RenaultSport Clios advertised for $13K and they are heaps better than an N14 SSS.

More power, less weight, more luxury items, a lot newer than the Pulsar. I'm hearing a lot of wanting to retain money so I'll assume mods are out. I've owned an N15 SSS and driven an N14 a few times, as well as test driven a Clio in the hills, and the Clio is by far the most enjoyable. Aside from the French build quality, you can't lose.

Holden Astra SRi Turbos are starting at $15K advertised. With the turbo torque it'll be a bit more easy to drive fast than the Clio, but from the test drive I had it feels slow as the torque curve is so flat and its more remote in the steering. Still, like the Clio, its a Motor Magazine BFYB winner so it can't be that bad.

Pretty sure you can find an SR20DET powered S13 for that price, but its age may put him off. If he's looking at Starlet GTs he's got no problem with early-to-mid 90's cars, though.

Edited by scathing
R32's or 33s..........there getting really cheep. and under 10k if you have a good look

cant believe this hasnt been sugested yet...

True but he's not really going to save on petrol and insurance for him would be a killer. He only just got his license back for DUI.

R32's or 33s..........there getting really cheep. and under 10k if you have a good look

cant believe this hasnt been sugested yet...

I ruled the R32 out because its age, and the R33 because of insurance and running costs.

The R33 is also relatively big and heavy, which seemed outside the brief (mind you, so its the Forester but at least it has practicality on its side).

Suzuki Ignis Sport

Say, an 04 to 06 model. We used one for recce at targa Tasmania this year and it was WICKED. So good in fact I'd happily race one at Targa (and we were in a 34 GTR this year)

:(

Cute little car. I'll show him but there doesn't seem to be many for sale.

post-50030-1212377519_thumb.jpg

my p10 sedan sr20det 4wd

if he is after the same handling and corner ability of a skyline but not the fuel bill a N14,SSS pulsar/ primera would be the one,

readily avalible parts, easy to convert to turbo if the itch is there to do so. drivline options also can Fwd or 4wd.

Sr20de/t

the primera is a cheap initial purchase as it isnt seen as a "performance car" like its two door cousin or its bigger brother the skyline. , cheap to run and is way under it's potential as a performance car, the curb wieght is less than that of a gtir hatch aswell.

the primera i originally picked up for 1600 dollars nz compared to the gtir below which craig picked up for 6 grand.

the primera was originally only a sr20de 4wd but a thicker head gasket a cheap plug in play and secondhand turbo set up

still didnt come to the cost of the gtir.

post-50030-1212377572_thumb.jpg

mates gtir sr20det 4wd

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now



  • Similar Content

  • Latest Posts

    • Yeah I suspect even if you hold airmass per cycle/cylinder constant if you get too far away from stock you're still going to have problems running the factory tune within the bounds of the factory load scale. Cams, different displacement/rod ratio, etc. I'm just lucky that the GTIII-SS with wastegate boost + CA compliance cats is pretty much equivalent to stock turbos. When I have actual space I can finally get it tuned and modify the fuel system for flex fuel to 100% handle any detonation concerns when cranking the boost to whatever those dinky turbos can put out.
    • I would say no, why, because my daughter, who also lives in Goulburn, hasn't recommended us going there Pity, as we miss all the German joints around in Sydney, actually, the restaurants are the only thing I really miss about Sydney, and a special mention to Ishibanboshi at Bondi Junction, their Kara-age Don is heart cloggingly deliciousness (always added a special boiled egg...or 2) 😋 
    • Does that German restaurant still exist in the old place out the NW end of Goulburn? When I say "out the NW end of"...I am really being vague. It was 1997 when I was last there, and the only point of reference I can recall is that it was on the opposite side of the main drag from the big merino. And when I say "opposite side of the main drag", I don't mean "on the main drag". It was either a couple of streets back from there, or might have even been out in the sticks a bit further. Was an old farm building or mill or somesuch. And when I say "the big merino" I might actually be thinking of a completely different part of town, because I just looked on maps and the big bugger is not where I remembered him to be! The food was good, consisting largely of various German mystery-meat sausage/loaf things and kartofflen.
    • So while the second sentence is completely correct and the whole point of the conversation, the first sentence bears consideration. If this bloke is just hoping to throw big turbos on and drive it around, because there are no helpful facilities at all in his tropical paradise** then he likely has zero chance of even knowing what the TP is on the last column in the stock maps, let alone know whether the ECU is operating anywhere near it or past it. So the point is very very moot. And, per what I said before, at stock boost on those turbos, you may well be off the end of the map. **I'm just back from Vanuatu, so I know exactly what small Pacific nations can be like wrt paradise without requisite facilities. But it's not even that simple. I put a high flow on my car and had to drive it around without a proper tune because of the lack of opportunity*** to put the bigger AFM and injectors into it to allow it to be tuned. I had to turn the boost down to less than I had before, and back off the boost controller's ramp, because it was exploring parts of the map that it didn't drive in before, and really couldn't access for tuning on the dyno either, and so was pinging. It was still well within the last column, because when I first**** set up the Nistune on the Neo I rescaled all axes of the maps to give some more space to explore. ***Family dyno was broken ****This was 13 years ago, and the TIM thing wasn't a thing then and so TP would definitely grow when pushing past the stock tune's limits.
    • Yep, this bit another local owner. I caught it before putting the transmission back into the car, what I noticed was the pressure plate fingers weren't flat and even. It's more obvious with the pull style clutch because the throwout bearing ring was visibly not flat once everything is put together. Nismo should really update their instructions to call out this specific detail. I'm not even sure the clutch as-shipped orients everything properly.
×
×
  • Create New...