Living with an FD2? And, anyone got the AST suspension?
Discussion
So, FD2 owners, what's the car like to live with on a day-day basis?
I've no doubt I'd love the car for Sunday blasts, but it would also have to serve as a daily hack and transport my wife and dog on long journeys: I don't want to have to put up with them both complaining all holiday long that the car is too stiff for them.
Anybody running the AST upgrade from Litchfield? How much of a difference does it make?
Any comments or general impressions on living with the FD2 welcome!
Cheers!
I've no doubt I'd love the car for Sunday blasts, but it would also have to serve as a daily hack and transport my wife and dog on long journeys: I don't want to have to put up with them both complaining all holiday long that the car is too stiff for them.
Anybody running the AST upgrade from Litchfield? How much of a difference does it make?
Any comments or general impressions on living with the FD2 welcome!
Cheers!
I've had my FD2 a year now and have covered 8500 miles in it. It's my daily drive, weekend car and track car in one and it's an awesome driving experience 
The car is very stiff, it won't be to everyone's liking but you will get used to the firm ride very quickly. My other half is 36 weeks pregnant and doesn't have any problems in the passenger seat of the car, equally it will soon become the family car. The reward for the firm ride is the superb handling and it's a fantastic piece of engineering, easily the best type R IMHO (having driven them all bar the EK9) and it didn't get 7th place in the 2007 EVO COTY for nothing.
I have also driven an FD2 with the ASTs fitted and they do alter the ride quality. The car is still stiff but the dampening is softened and obviously it is an adjustable system to. Problem you have at the moment is that the AST kits come from Europe and due to the exchange rate are very expensive right now, ASTs have gone up in price and FD2s are likely to as well as they now cost about £2k more for a new one due to the £ falling against the yen.
Changing the tyres can also make a difference to the ride as the RE070s have a super stiff sidewall but the grip on them is fantastic. Best bet is to take one out and see for yourself, your local roads will also dictate how the car is day-to-day for you.
The car is very stiff, it won't be to everyone's liking but you will get used to the firm ride very quickly. My other half is 36 weeks pregnant and doesn't have any problems in the passenger seat of the car, equally it will soon become the family car. The reward for the firm ride is the superb handling and it's a fantastic piece of engineering, easily the best type R IMHO (having driven them all bar the EK9) and it didn't get 7th place in the 2007 EVO COTY for nothing.
I have also driven an FD2 with the ASTs fitted and they do alter the ride quality. The car is still stiff but the dampening is softened and obviously it is an adjustable system to. Problem you have at the moment is that the AST kits come from Europe and due to the exchange rate are very expensive right now, ASTs have gone up in price and FD2s are likely to as well as they now cost about £2k more for a new one due to the £ falling against the yen.
Changing the tyres can also make a difference to the ride as the RE070s have a super stiff sidewall but the grip on them is fantastic. Best bet is to take one out and see for yourself, your local roads will also dictate how the car is day-to-day for you.
Thanks giger.
Test drive is obviously the only way I'll be able to find out for sure - something to look forward to in the new year I think.
In the meantime, I see VW are flogging off R32s with decent spec and delivery miles for £20K. That's got me twitching in their direction again...
Test drive is obviously the only way I'll be able to find out for sure - something to look forward to in the new year I think.
In the meantime, I see VW are flogging off R32s with decent spec and delivery miles for £20K. That's got me twitching in their direction again...
MB1 I keep switching between the two. It's a heart vs. head thing ...
Ref links to the cheap R32s, they were in a VW ad in the Telegraph motoring section yesterday - official VW ad listing R32s at various delears around the country. Unfortunately I didn't keep but I think one of the dealers was Basingstoke.
Might be worth poking around on the VW site..
Ref links to the cheap R32s, they were in a VW ad in the Telegraph motoring section yesterday - official VW ad listing R32s at various delears around the country. Unfortunately I didn't keep but I think one of the dealers was Basingstoke.
Might be worth poking around on the VW site..
ALawson said:
Giger 36 week eh? You will be becoming a dad very soon, congrats.
Thanks mate I've driven a R32 with DSG and was VERY unimpressed. No sense of speed, handling was ok but nothing compared to the ATR and the DSG box whilst quick made you feel evem more disconnected from the drive - plus you could never drive it totally manually. Even in sport mode the box will override if you are in a low gear for too long
Great mile muncher & easy going car etc but not for the car enthusiast IMHO but probably a good middle ground car. I'd go for an edition 30 GTI over the R32 though.
Yea I think a manual Edition 30 would be the best comprimise, you get similar if not better performance (depending on what you read) deffinately if you chip it. I understand the internals on the 30th are the same as the S3 so can take it, also the tax is based on about 180 g/km from memory.
The R32 does apparently sound the dogs, but as you say a bit nose heavy so not the ultimate in handling but better than alot of other cars.
The R32 does apparently sound the dogs, but as you say a bit nose heavy so not the ultimate in handling but better than alot of other cars.
When I drove an R32 (with DSG), I was immediately struck by its comfort, feeling of solidity and general loveliness of the engine. But by the end of the drive, I was getting mildly frustrated cos it never felt like I could really get hold of it and the gearbox always seemed to have a better idea than I did.
On the other hand, by the end of my FN2 test drive, I was getting a headache.
I reckon, if I'm going get a headache, I might as well go the whole hog with an FD2, and keep a packet of paracetamol in the glovebox.
On the other hand, by the end of my FN2 test drive, I was getting a headache.
I reckon, if I'm going get a headache, I might as well go the whole hog with an FD2, and keep a packet of paracetamol in the glovebox.
I have done 120k miles in my ATR in 6 years, 90% of those were motorway miles. I would say the average motorway speed would be about 85-95 leptons, so always reasonably noisy.
I may go for a slightly softer main car to do the majority of our milage and then upgrade the Mx5 to something more westfield/caterham for hooning!
I may go for a slightly softer main car to do the majority of our milage and then upgrade the Mx5 to something more westfield/caterham for hooning!
Giger, have you still got the FD2? How is it working out as you're "do everything" family/track car?.... I ask as I tested one at Litchfields at the weekend and whilst I thought it was fantastic in the vtec zone, I did have a few concerns about day-to-day "liveability".
1. How are the RE070's in really wet weather/snow?
2. Is the dash now rattling like a b*gger after the continued abuse it gets from the hard ride?
3. What sort of MPG do you get on a motorway cruise?
4. Is it noisy on a motorway cruise?
5. What is the stereo like?
6. Can you easiliy fit in all your baby clobber?
Sorry for all the questions, but its great to get the answers from someone who actually lives with the car day-to-day!
Cheers matey,
Dave
1. How are the RE070's in really wet weather/snow?
2. Is the dash now rattling like a b*gger after the continued abuse it gets from the hard ride?
3. What sort of MPG do you get on a motorway cruise?
4. Is it noisy on a motorway cruise?
5. What is the stereo like?
6. Can you easiliy fit in all your baby clobber?
Sorry for all the questions, but its great to get the answers from someone who actually lives with the car day-to-day!
Cheers matey,
Dave
daveknott5 said:
Giger, have you still got the FD2? How is it working out as you're "do everything" family/track car?.... I ask as I tested one at Litchfields at the weekend and whilst I thought it was fantastic in the vtec zone, I did have a few concerns about day-to-day "liveability".
1. How are the RE070's in really wet weather/snow?
2. Is the dash now rattling like a b*gger after the continued abuse it gets from the hard ride?
3. What sort of MPG do you get on a motorway cruise?
4. Is it noisy on a motorway cruise?
5. What is the stereo like?
6. Can you easiliy fit in all your baby clobber?
Sorry for all the questions, but its great to get the answers from someone who actually lives with the car day-to-day!
Cheers matey,
Dave
Hey Dave, got your msg and have since found this. I'll reply again as the info may be of interest to others. A quick update beforehand, the car is now 14 months old and has covered nearly 10,000 miles. It's been awesome and is now performing the family role admirably.1. How are the RE070's in really wet weather/snow?
2. Is the dash now rattling like a b*gger after the continued abuse it gets from the hard ride?
3. What sort of MPG do you get on a motorway cruise?
4. Is it noisy on a motorway cruise?
5. What is the stereo like?
6. Can you easiliy fit in all your baby clobber?
Sorry for all the questions, but its great to get the answers from someone who actually lives with the car day-to-day!
Cheers matey,
Dave
1) RE070s - fantastic tyre, probably the best high grip tyre in dry/near dry conditions but like many tyres in it's category they are not the best in the wet. They will clear standing water and are fine for day-to-day driving but you wouldn't want to push or provoke them to much in the wet. That said I haven't had any issues with them.
2) Rattles - no different from any other JDM car
3) MPG, 31 on a long haul, 27 around town. Very respectable for the performance and size of car
4) No sound proofing in the car so can get noisy. However coming from an ATR this wasn't an issue for me. Changing the tyres will help eliminate some noise but I haven't found it to be an issue.
5) FD2 comes without stereo and speakers as standard so either spec your own or go with importers install.
6) Superb family car. 2 ISOFIX points in the rear and we've had a few weekends away and easily got everything in the massive boot.
Hope that's some help
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