First Test Drive: Thoughts?

[Dillz]

For my first test drive I jumped straight out of a VX SS Auto and into the T and loved it. The owner was cool too, I was dordling around respecting his car when he tells me "Well punch it, see what it can really do". I loved the power at the time but now want more, don't forget these car are designed not to wheelspin, dump it at even 3k and then see what happens.

[RSK]

Mate what kind of car are you after, a T I know but what specs?

Scotty

I have a few preferences but I am somewhat leanient

-I'm after a 2003-2004BA, if an MKII pops up I would be interested. Love the MKII rims.

-I havn't thought about a BF Auto, but should one pop up, I may consider it seeing as the trans is tough.

-In terms of km's I'm hesitant with anything over 70'000kms would prefer something around 50,000.

-I want it to have a full service history.

-I want the 4spd Auto, not the 5spd Manual.

-I would prefer leather.

-AND premium sound.

-In terms of car colour: Preferences are silohouette, blueprint, blood orange, vixen red, lightning Strike

That's about it off the top of my head.

I'm a bit dissapointed however as a blueprint 2003 with 50,000kms, full leather, premium sound, and warranty sold privatly here for 22,000 just before christmas =( Oh well I'll keep looking.

Edited 09/01/08 01:07 AM by RSK

[Dillz]

What's you budget mate as that will help narrow the field down. Oh and Venom sh*ts on Vixen

[MiKa]

I stepped out of an VS V6... I was a Expensive Daewoo fan at the time, so took an VY SS for a spin... What can I say, it was quiet, they seemed to be everywhere on the road, and worst of all it was slow...

I continued to look around for a new car, and saw that T's were goin fairly cheap these days...But wasnt too keen on a ford, anyway saw one I liked (Phantom) took it for a drive, as soon as the boost hit me and my old man were like 'Sh*T' this has some balls. It crossed all the right boxes, made all the right noises (except for the diff clunk) and in the end the badge was the least of my worries..

A year and a bit later, now boosted, the only thing I like about holdens is seeing them in my rear view mirror LOL.... The VE HSV's are HOT though....

I say buy the T, spend about a grand on a ETID/custom tune, and you'll have the beast u want....

Mike.....

[RSK]

What's you budget mate as that will help narrow the field down. Oh and Venom sh*ts on Vixen

My budget can stretch out, but most importantly I want to find a good deal.

22g for that private low km blueprint, with premo sound & leather would have been a great buy for me. Left it a bit too long =(

A blood orange 2003 with 50,000kms, at a DEALER, stock interior, stock sound, went for 21,500. I would have gotten this aswell as there was an extended warrenty option. Again, left it too late. Only really started looking properly christmas eve. =(

edit: As for colour, I'm hesitant about a any red, even slightly hesitant about blood orange, as red's are quite prone to fading.

Edited 09/01/08 01:58 AM by RSK

[Dillz]

You will be lucky to find a MkII they way you want for under 25k, I say go for a BA I Auto for 22 with everything you want, that would be a good buy.

[kaldek]

Ah the old "turbo feels slow" debate. Turbos are funny that way - power isn't linear and the first 2,000rpm off the line is slower than a stock N/A XR6. But then the boost builds up and at 4,000rpm it absolutely slingshots. Someone else here referred to it as feeling like a rubber band, which I agree with. I'm positive my stock turbo is laying down about 5.8 second 0-100 even with that slow initial takeoff. Once you're moving is where the engine matched to good gearchanges shows you what it's got. I have the ZF 6-speed in my BFII and it changes gears right into the sweet spot when you want the power.

There is a video of a guy doing 5 second flat 0-100 in his turbo, apparently stock aside from a 3,800rpm stallie on the auto transmission. So yeah to get that immediate boom off the line you need some method of getting into boost before moving. The stock stallie is set quite low so it's very hard to hold the brake and get the motor spinning. Not only that, but the ECU has these things called "torque tags" which cut power to the motor (like a rev limiter) when you really try to hold the brake and rev it up. I think they compare your efforts on the throttle against the cars actual speed and shut things down when there is a risk of driveline damage.

Edited 09/01/08 02:26 AM by kaldek

[RHR]

I went from an Au xr6 to the T. Loved the t as soon as I drove even with the stock power. Now it has the edit and it can take on holdens finest with ease (on my private race track)

[djgelling]

I'm a bit dissapointed however as a blueprint 2003 with 50,000kms, full leather, premium sound, and warranty sold privatly here for 22,000 just before christmas =( Oh well I'll keep looking.

I don't want to hijack your thread, but was that rego "WYR-636". If so that was my old car... I'd seen it on Carsales again for about 3 months, then it dissappeared just after Xmas. I was wondering what he got for it.

[RSK]

UPDATE BUMP: XR8 Test Drive!

The last week I've been curious about the performance of the XR8 as I've never driven one before. After work today I decided to go to a local dealer and try one out.

Spoiler alert: This car was absolutely brutal compared to the T I drove. With the T I left feeling disappointed, like my expectations weren’t met. With the XR8 I stepped out semi shaking trying to wipe the smile of my face.

Story:

The drive started off with the dealer taking it out the yard. Initially it felt just as quiet as the T. Sticking it into performance mode and into 1st proved otherwise. A quick squirt off the throttle and it hauled. Semi impressive but still short of what I'm after. I later learnt that it had alot more left.

So we swapped seats and I was off.

First corner I put the pedal to the floor. We punched up to 60 pretty quick and felt the traction control kicking in a few times. Impressive, but where was that brutal sound everyone raves out?

Easy solution: driver and passenger windows both down.

Pulling out onto the main road the car felt at ease. Smooth and quiet through traffic. As we approached an intersection I chose to turn right up a very steep hill with a 70kmh limit. Foot to the floor, bit of urgency up to about 40kmh/3500rpm, and all of a sudden it was like it turned into a monster. A massive surge of power pushing me straight back into the seat. The sound was violent. The brutal speed and urgency of the engine roaring I could only sum up in two words: f*cking crazy.

The biggest "I almost sh*t myself" moments came approaching a set of traffic lights, turning left, onto a 3 lane 80 zone. Turning the corner at around 15, I nailed it, up to around 40, the car unsettled, stepping out mid apex and unbalancing at the rear a bit, traction control again to the rescue. With my foot still mashed to the floor all the way the thunderous roar and torque put a smile on my face. Insane.

Conclusion: Without a doubt way more impressed with the XR8 at the moment. This test drive was much more thorough however, taking in alot of different road conditions and windows were down which gave a much better impression of speed/noise. One problem however that stood was the awful brakes. Spongy and mushy. Felt like they were about to fail and brake shudder was really apparent. Not good.

Next step however is to jump back in a Turbo and see what it has. Don't want to be writing off the Turbo without a proper thrashing