Pulsar GTi-R - Madness or Genius??

Pulsar GTi-R - Madness or Genius??

Author
Discussion

CarZee

Original Poster:

13,382 posts

274 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
You can get these things - 240+ BHP, 4WD, Japanese reliability and they start at about £5k on Auto Trader - Surely one of these would make a great track day car for not a lot of money..

Am I missing something?

thom

2,745 posts

280 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
At least it's the kind of car I wouldn't mind (even enjoy) thrashing to death

>> Edited by thom on Friday 8th March 20:14

raceboy

13,272 posts

287 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
Apparently they ARE very quick, and quite 'tuneable' but unless they are run on at least Super unleaded, they have a habbit of going bang, from what I was told there is no real signs of inpending doom, and they seem to run happily on normal unleaded right up until the big bang.
And at £5k the Maxy P type owners probably put any old happy shopper petrol in the things
But I did have a very spirted drive back from TMS one day 'playing' with someone in one in my Chimaera.

CarZee

Original Poster:

13,382 posts

274 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
The way I see it, I'm only thinking about this as a track car, so as long as it doesn't blow up every time I run it, there's no problem - there are plenty of stock parts and recon engines available for these cars..

raceboy

13,272 posts

287 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
Is a Caterham type car out of the question, they seem the popular choice for trackdays, & I imagine there are some to be had for £5kish

Dave_H

996 posts

290 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
Mad Ex-shopping car if you ask me

I've seen under the bonnet of one, wouldn't want to DIY service one. You've got to remove the intercooler to get to most of the bits.

I'm sure they are a good laugh to drive though

CarZee

Original Poster:

13,382 posts

274 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
Caterham type things are my other consideration - I was quite taken by the idea of a Westfield last year.

You're looking at 6k for the absolute bare minimum & a lot more for Wide Body, Zetec/Vauxhall/K Engine, decent seats and decent weather gear. Basically I'd probably need to spend 8-10k on the Westie I'd want.

ZZR600

15,605 posts

275 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
And if they are all like the one my mate it has the fuel economy of a p155head in a pub made my old 2.8 capri look like a wine sipper

ZZR600

15,605 posts

275 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

And if they are all like the one my mate it has the fuel economy of a p155head in a pub made my old 2.8 capri look like a wine sipper


Oh forgot to say bloody fun car to drive though, And will match a cosworth easily on pace and handling

CarZee

Original Poster:

13,382 posts

274 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
The appeal becomes clearer - I don't care about fool economy.. If I have to stick a ton of Optimax in every weekend I'm out in it, at least I'll be smiling while I do it ...

campbell

2,500 posts

290 months

Friday 8th March 2002
quotequote all
This car is very underestimated when it is competing against the likes of subys a evos
I think it woulld make a very good track car and there is a lot of power and torque to come out of there engines, go on by one
Well it just a thought

gtir

24,741 posts

273 months

Monday 11th March 2002
quotequote all
As my name suggests I own one, I bought it only 4 weeks ago and have negative and positive feelings.

My car has 290bhp and was modded by the old owner the engine is capable of handling 400ish bhp as it has forged pistons etc, with uprated turbo and front mounted intercooler etc. Obviously the brakes have been upgraded too.
These are normal mods to be done.

It does around 20/25mpg.

I run 1.2 bar and the 0.60 time is around the 4.8ish mark(this is from the previous owner at a track day)

I have had problems with it, usually my own fault, and It is off the road at the moment until I can whip the engine out to replace the clucth release lever that snapped, as I have an uprated paddle clutch and the standard one threw a mental

With regard to track day, it understeers and this can be corrected with kits.
If you buy one make sure you get it checked out and you have some history, even though most of them are imports.

If it rather unique and the pound per mile smiles are more than worth it, especially when you surprise more expensive modern sports cars.

join the gtir owners club chat site for more info on buying etc.

Can I post the address on this site mr moderator?

CarZee

Original Poster:

13,382 posts

274 months

Monday 11th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:
With regard to track day, it understeers and this can be corrected with kits.
is this pure understeer a la FWD or the sort of understeer one expects of a 4WD car, which will then turn to oversteer as you power out of the corner?

By kits do you mean suspension mods/uprated bushes/anti-rollbars etc?

gtir

24,741 posts

273 months

Monday 11th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:


is this pure understeer a la FWD or the sort of understeer one expects of a 4WD car, which will then turn to oversteer as you power out of the corner?

By kits do you mean suspension mods/uprated bushes/anti-rollbars etc?



As a 4wd car, and 10ish years old it acts as any other 4wd. I kind of like it as it invloves me more trying to get the back out to balance it!

It was obviously built into the car as it is with most cars. Its not mad but compared and uncontrollable with more modern 4wd its noticable, more so in the wet.

Yes, kits like bump steer up to full Whiteline kits will transform it. prices are from £150 to £400.

Mark Benson

7,801 posts

276 months

Tuesday 12th March 2002
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CarZee, have you thought about an Integrale?
I had one for 2 years, it's nota daily driver but great fun and one of the true drivers cars - you can get a reasonably tidy early 90's 16v for around 5 grand these days.

Not as reliable as a Jap car but better handling and no Max P***r imageto worry about...

CarZee

Original Poster:

13,382 posts

274 months

Tuesday 12th March 2002
quotequote all
That's an interesting idea, but are parts readily available?

gtir

24,741 posts

273 months

Tuesday 12th March 2002
quotequote all
quote:

Not as reliable as a Jap car but better handling and no Max P***r imageto worry about...



Max P**er!!!! Please dont label us with that, I beg you.
Ok so it has a few spoilers and such like- you wouldnt call an Lancer Evo Max P**er would you?- but they come with the car not sorced from Max Knobers accesories.

err, ok I agree it does look a bit like a, you know that word I cant mention, but I think its a unique car and once you get over the barriefiedness its a superb mota.

Integrales are great cars, although you will be hard pushed to fine a sorted example, plus they are left hookers and fragile as heck.

ATG

21,319 posts

279 months

Tuesday 12th March 2002
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I am a great fan of Q cars ... so if you got some filler and sorted out those gaping holes in your bonnet ...

gtir

24,741 posts

273 months

Tuesday 12th March 2002
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Wow, thats a great idea and while I am at it I could take those four silly rubber things off that just go around and do nothing...

cammers

396 posts

275 months

Tuesday 12th March 2002
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My friend recently wrote off a '94 Lancia Integrale EVO2
Was a nice car once!!