Advice?

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 12:09 PM

Just engaging in a little car-dreaming at the moment.

At present, and for all the forseeable future, I'm living in Brisbane and working on the Gold Coast. This results in 150k's of highway driving a day.

Right now, I'm driving a semi-borrowed NF Fairlane, which is awesome. However, in a few weeks, I'll probably have to give it back, which is not awesome.

This leaves me with the Green Machine and an 18R-G powered Toyota Stout (Hilux). Both these cars are great for their own thing (revving in the garage and taking rubbish to the dump respectively), but neither is the sort of car that I want to get in for 2 hours a day.

As good as it is to have a beater ute and a tough cruising car, I'm just feeling that neither of them suits my needs particularly well at this time of my life.

As neither of the cars owe me anything and are (sadly) worth bugger all (compared to what I've spent), the plan is probably to de-register both and use the Stout as a farm car and just sit the Green Machine in the shed and pray for it to appreciate at a greater rate than it rusts.

So after all that bollocks...

What do y'all think of R32/33 Skylines? I just want a stock, manual coupe - something I can drive to work every day but still be happy flogging around on weekends.

Basically, my criteria are:

Stock, but performance-oriented
Under 20k purchase price
Efi
Sub 5-litre, but fuel economy is not really a concern
Preferably manual
Preferably a coupe

Any suggestions? Not incredibly concerned about brands either - would be as happy in a Chev or a Nissan or a Toyota or a Ford or whatever, just as long as it's relatively reliable...

montyv8 · 20-10-2005, 12:16 PM

go buy an EF XR6, you know you want to,
we all know you LOVE E-series......

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 12:17 PM

EF XR8 was on the list, but I wouldn't DARE ask for advice on an E-series!

rag top · 20-10-2005, 12:29 PM

NX Coupe - sporty...
XR8 Sedan will fit the criteria quite nicely, but what about an XR8 ute - fun and can do all that your stout does...
MX5 - great for taking for a flogging on a twisty road

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '67

NX Coupe - sporty...
XR8 Sedan will fit the criteria quite nicely, but what about an XR8 ute - fun and can do all that your stout does...
MX5 - great for taking for a flogging on a twisty road

Thanks for the reply, mate!

NX coupe's look pretty good... haven't heard much about them though.

XR8 sedan would be nice, but I've really never had anything but big ugly Aussie cars (Kingswood's, Falcons, Fairlanes etc), and I was kinda thinking of trying something different. But apart from that purely emotional thing, an XR would be a good choice.

But can I hose the interior of an XH XR8 out like I can with the stout? :P

MX5's are awesome cars by all accounts, but they just look a little hairdresser-ish for me.

SSBUB · 20-10-2005, 12:53 PM

sounds like you want sportie...so if the badge doesnt bother you you could try a:

Hyundai tiburon

: ...lol they actually arent too bad for a hyundai
newer mazda series cars such as a mazda 6
2nd hand wrx
subaru liberty

and after all that you could come to your senses and by an SS and laugh at the ford bretheren

:

nang3 · 20-10-2005, 12:49 PM

what about a manual Nissan 200sx ??

2 litre turbo coupe, 147kw, RWD,
0-100 in late 5's, quarter low 14's i think..

cheap to run and mod and look nice with nice wheels... easy as F to drift and not rice central like other 4cyl turbos

only skyline i'd go for would be an R32 GTR but will prolly be late $20K's, early $30K's ..

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 12:56 PM

Mate, I'd mud-wrestle Laminge for a VU-onwards SS ute... But until they come down to my price range, I guess I'll just have to keep wrestling Laminge for no useful purpose...

WRX etc are waaay out of my league, sadly.

SSBUB · 20-10-2005, 01:01 PM

you could get a vx ss for around 20, and it wouldnt have to be a ute, you could get a sedan...even if it was a series one built in 2000/01 you can still pick one up for 20 g's if you look hard enough

granted the Wrex would have to be a 99 model or something for around 20k....in which case go with the ss

:

i know of some VU's that are for sale with aroun 50k on the clock, with some simple mods that have been baby'd for their life for around 24k so i rekon you could get one dead set on 20

Laminge · 20-10-2005, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GreenMachine

Mate, I'd mud-wrestle Laminge for a VU-onwards SS ute... But until they come down to my price range, I guess I'll just have to keep wrestling Laminge for no useful purpose...

WRX etc are waaay out of my league, sadly.

Your On

Now where are my Leather G's!

FordFan86 · 20-10-2005, 12:59 PM

Said VU SS must be re-badged!

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FordFan86

Said VU SS must be re-badged!

Surely I've told everyone who's stood still long enough of my dream to buy a black SS ute and rebadge it as a Chevrolet El-Camino?

/me adjusts my HSV cap and says "Fords are sh#t aye"

FordFan86 · 20-10-2005, 01:04 PM

My uncle went a step further Nick... He's got an old El-Camino being imported right now

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 01:09 PM

i would break my sub 5-litre, EFI rule for an '81 El Camino SS...

SSBUB · 20-10-2005, 01:11 PM

try these links, you could some of these for 20...just pays to have a look around..the black vu ss ute is especially nice and goes like the clappers!!
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=45720
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=45692
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=44800
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=45268
http://www.ls1.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=44794

and about your 5l rule....whats an extra .7? :eclipsee_

rag top · 20-10-2005, 01:23 PM

Get a copy of unique cars, and either win the mustang and drive it, or see what takes your fancy in your price range...

SunDrifter · 20-10-2005, 01:28 PM

bah, forget the holdens (pityfull) offernings and get yerself a nice R33 GTST, they apparently pretty cruisy and plenty of go when you want. A supra would be pretty sweet too. Isn't there a member on FFAU trying to sell his supra?

SSBUB · 20-10-2005, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SunDrifter

bah, forget the holdens (pityfull) offernings and get yerself a nice R33 GTST, they apparently pretty cruisy and plenty of go when you want. A supra would be pretty sweet too. Isn't there a member on FFAU trying to sell his supra?

Dont listen to those one eyed people out there :monkes:

If your into skylines/supras/soares or whatever just make sure they arent too ricey ;)

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 01:36 PM

You have more than one leather G?

This is starting to sound like a worse idea than I perhaps first thought....

Biggoggs · 20-10-2005, 01:39 PM

An R32/R33/R34 GTS-T (rwd Skyline)
An S14/S15 Silvia
Subaru WRX
A Hyundai Tiburon or Celica... ROFL
Toyota Supra
Toyota Soarer, the Jap luxo
Nissan 180
300ZX/Fairlady, although I've heard parts are very costly

I like Nissan (but never `followed them'), but I've still not figured out where the 180, Fairlady, GTS Skyline, and Silvia actually stand in relation to each other. The Silvia seems to have near the same specs as the GTS.

loxxr6 · 20-10-2005, 01:58 PM

Quote:

NX Coupe - sporty...

e. Gutless and not worth a look.

Cheap import turbo skylines can be had for ~20k mark. The MX5 idea sounds good too.

vino3o2 · 20-10-2005, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by loxxr6

e. Gutless and not worth a look.

Cheap import turbo skylines can be had for ~20k mark. The MX5 idea sounds good too.

Hmmm.... I beg to differ, My GF did a flat 16 @ 89mph in her stock NX, smoked a V6 Commo in the process??

Nick.....A Skyline would be awsome, leave it stock and it should be very reliable...other than that you can buy a brand new car for under 20k these days with 5 year warranty!! I think you can get a bottom range Focus at this price, and they go pretty well too....good luck mate

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vino3o2

Nick.....A Skyline would be awsome, leave it stock and it should be very reliable...other than that you can buy a brand new car for under 20k these days with 5 year warranty!! I think you can get a bottom range Focus at this price, and they go pretty well too....good luck mate

The more I look at them, the more I'm liking the Skyline... just stood in the rain for 15 minutes checking out one in the carpark here...

Will be sad not to have the Green Machine to blat around in, but a nice, clean, stock streeter will keep me happy, even if it doesn't have the balls-out grunt.

Moya · 20-10-2005, 02:23 PM

Honda Integra?

It'll be much better on the fuel than any commondore, or falcon, and definately better the the boosted Skylines (i love skylines too).

I wouldnt mind a Skyline, but 350KM/60L isn't my thang.

The Integra will handle nice too, get a DOHC VTEC (VTI-R, Type R) and you'll be having lots of fun.

20-10-2005, 02:23 PM

SSS Pulsar with DET and perhaps AWD conversion?

turboute · 20-10-2005, 02:37 PM

I have seen BA utes go for 16k at the auctions over here (the particular one I can remember was on gas too). Performance out of a stock BA would be close to a stock skyline.

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 02:40 PM

Performance really doesn't concern me though... and as odd as it may sound, a brand new BA XLS would have the same status to me as the '81 Stout I have now - just a beater to toss crap in and go to and from work.

Does that make sense?

rag top · 20-10-2005, 02:41 PM

What about spending the equivelant on the Green Machine???
RRS rack and struts; EFI 302 windsor, 5 speed.... I'd like to see that!

GreenMachine · 20-10-2005, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by '67

What about spending the equivelant on the Green Machine???
RRS rack and struts; EFI 302 windsor, 5 speed.... I'd like to see that!

I did think of that, or even just spending the 15k on a performance LPG setup, new interior, air con etc... But I just don't have the confidence in the old girl. Whilst it's a fantastic car, I'm just over pumping money in to it. I have a history of not sticking with cars too... :P

Also, at least if I bought a skyline and lost the job or decided I wanted a Daewoo Matiz or a F-600 dually, I could sell the Skyline again and break even, or at least not lose too much.

Repeated attempts to sell the Green Machine have resulted in... me still owning it

BlueRaven · 20-10-2005, 02:49 PM

I'd seriously look at a toyota soarer as well.