Why are XR4x4s so cheap?

[zumbruk]

I was thinking of buying a cheap car for track days/RWYB only. I have a soft spot for 2.8 Capris, but from idle curiousity I had a look at XR4x4s on Auto Trader. Why are they so cheap? Do they go wrong a lot and are expensive to fix, or something?

[zumbruk]

Yes, I know. "Because they're crap" is not a valid answer. Why are they worth less than 2.8 Capris, for example?

[zumbruk]

Except that a similarly aged Cossie is worth 10 times as much....

[Podie]

The XR4x4 was a bit of a dog round the corners... whereas the Cossie is quite good... well, good enough for the Escort version to be a chopped Sierra Cossie.

XR4x4 was OK in a straight line, due to the V6, but the handling never really was there. Dodgy, agricultural 4x4 drivechain, and poor engine location led to understeer..

.. whilst the rear drive Capri... was at least entertaining and offered oversteer on demand, due to the agricultural rear suspension setup.

[TeamVR]

Well my old XR4x4 ain't too bad around corners I can tell you!!
They're cheap because they are frowned upon and also because they were made in much,much higher numbers than the 2.8 Capri.
I paid £800 for a mint car(fsh,totally standard,xroc car)and spent another £2000 turning into the loudest ,crudest track car I could find.Most four wheel drive cars suffer with understeer but there are lots of ways of dealing with this.Suspension settings can make a big difference as I have found first hand.
The way i looked at it,I wanted to start trackdays but didn't want to spend a lot.Didn't fancy a Golf(I am 6'5" and 18 stone),liked E30's but the good ones were all a bit too dear to modify so I settled for the XR4x4.Derek Bell(yes THE Derek Bell)has got one that he uses for an allrounder and if it's good enough for him...........

[marki]

i ran one for a couple of years back in the early 90`s good cars , solid as a rock i got fond memorys of her

[westy04]

Podie

I think your getting a little mixed up. The XR4x4 was great round corners but dog slow on the straights. I brought one 200 quid at an auction just for a laugh and it was a great car. Sold it 2 months later for 400 quid.

[DMc]

The xr4x4 it a good car my dads got a xr4i there are both really good cars

[kojak69]

I had an XR4x4 a few years ago, and it never let me down. Only thing I had to mend was the prop shaft, and one of the uv joints. It was a great car.

[stainless_steve]

I had a xr4i when i was 21 year old,newish car at the time.It was a fantastic car loved it to bits, plenty of room in the back too,could lay down np if you know what i mean

[T88CAN]

Owned a XR4i for over 18years took it out of retirement earley this year i`d stored it since 1994 ex FMC car with every extra plus some

[stainless_steve]

T88CAN said:

Owned a XR4i for over 18years took it out of retirement earley this year i`d stored it since 1994 ex FMC car with every extra plus some

wow 18 years is along time,think they made afew with turbos.
great cars in their day

[DMc]

stainless_steve said:

T88CAN said: Owned a XR4i for over 18years took it out of retirement earley this year i`d stored it since 1994 ex FMC car with every extra plus some wow 18 years is along time,think they made afew with turbos. great cars in their day

Yes they had conversions done by Janspeed and Turbo technics in 1983/84 TT conversion was 200Bhp with cosworth matching performance, quicker than Mungos Ibiza

[phib]

Seem to remember they was a conversion called a minker TT about 400bhp from memory looked terribile but went like s off a shovel !!!!

any one remember anything about those ?

[stainless_steve]

phib said:

Seem to remember they was a conversion called a minker TT about 400bhp from memory looked terribile but went like s off a shovel !!!! any one remember anything about those ?

A friend of my dad had one of these,he bought a new 4x4, sent it staight to them.
It came back a race car,very fast car
The car looked standard apart from a little badge on the back,car sat slightly lower and you could just make out the twin shocks on the rear
I think he said it stood him to 40 grand

[T88CAN]

Minker Twin Turbo by turbo technics based on 2.9 V6 xr4x4 with 323bhp/348lbf.ft torque claimed perfomance figs as follows
0-30 1.6
0-60 4.8
0-100 11.8
max 150 (limited)
price £33700 in 1992!!!(a new 4x4 sapphire cossie was just over £20K)

[doogalman]

I've had 2.8 and 2.9. 2.9 was a better car. however i wanted something on a tight budget which was a workhorse during the week, yet could still be fun on the nurburgring. Yes they struggled on the flat out sections (so i would just back of rather than try to stay with much faster cars/bikes). But the corners were were i enjoyed playing. Good old cars that are cheap fun. Now running quattro coupe and s1 elise. Both also great fun.

[littlegearl]

they're probably all British...

no really, the British one's fell apart while the one's built in Germany tend to last longer...

my advice is go for it, strip it out add some Spax and a good service (or more if you have the £££) for the engine and go nuts...

[T88CAN]

littlegearl said:

no really, the British one's fell apart while the one's built in Germany tend to last longer...

ALL XR4i`s XR4x4`s and COSSIES were built at Saarlouis
(Belgium)

[littlegearl]

sure you could get XR4's built over here!?! must be misled...

where were the XR6 and 8's built then???