View Full Version : FTO's
I need a bit of help convincing my mate to get an SX instead of an FTO.
He's looking to get the 2.0l V6 with the tiptronic gear box.
I thought the best way to disuade him would be to take him for a drive in the '***** and then a test drive in the FTO. (Having been in a '96 GPX I didn't think it compared)
I've heard there's a big grey importer of GTO's, FTO's, Evo's etc in Surrey somewhere but I can't remember what they're called does anyone out there know? (I think it's on the A24?)
Alg;)
I woud'nt worry bout it, after a drive in a 2 ***** after an FTO his mind should be made up, the FTO is crap compared the only FWD car I'd consider at the same level as a 2 ***** is a Fiat Coop
I know it,
You know it,
Everyone on the BB knows it.
But he thinks the '***** looks 'plain' (I've got an S14a:eek: ) so I thought I'd let the cars performance and handling speak for itself:D
Alg;)
My mate's got an FTO GPX (the one with MIVEC quoted at 200bhp) and he reckons it's around the same performance as my standard 14a. I haven't been in the FTO for a while but from memory its probably not far off. It's going to be much easier to mod the 200 though (if thats your thing) and make it a good deal quicker. The FTO's front wheel drive of course.
Personally I hate the tiptronic box. It seems to take a while for the car to catch up with the revs and start accelerating and the kickdown is slow.
Not a HUGE fan of tiptronic myself - would much rather just do it all myself... Never trust a car further than you can throw it.... They don't seem to like corners in my exp...
Importer - on the cross roads in Horley by a big old pub... Get on the Balcombe ROad from Vrawley and it'll be on your right after the school...
I've heared that the triptonic box has huge transmissional losses. They are not upto much, went upto santa pod last year while the FTO owners club were there and my mate in his 206 xsi (1.6 8v) could beat them on a 1/4 mile - they were struggling to pull high 16's.
Mods aren't really his thing (he's currently driving a Renault Clio! so taste is in question too:D ) but my impressions of the Tiptronic box weren't great either.
I'll let you know what he decides on!!
Alg;)
Psycosis
29-12-2002, 11:44
I was looking at these before buying my SX.
apart from spending 10 grand will get you not much more than a 96 imported (of the decent model FTO).
i have been steered off the, they told me the engines aren't very good and the build quality isn't all that good.
Plus why would anyone want to get a car that isn't turbo'd, unless they aren't all that fanatical about the sound of a dump valve.
0-60 on the GPX (if thats the more BHP model)? correct me if im wrong is 6.9, thats not bad, but beef up the boost on aSX and it will easilly whip that pants off a stock one.
My opinion.
Jap village is one company, but there is another which mainly imports FTO's, insurance too is a bugger. Loads more than my SX
Just ran a search for them and came up with Japanese slang for homosexuals:eek:
Do they have a website? (The import people, NOT the homosexuals:p )
Alg;)
They're expensive to tune, the MIVEC even more so. Plus they don't meet the manufacturer's claim of 200BHP. Even the most heavily tuned ones I seem to recall only made 196 on an RR. On the other hand, as we all know, you can get quite a bit out of a 2***** for relatively little outlay.
Psycosis
29-12-2002, 12:04
dunno what search you ran :P
www.japvillage.co.uk
I put 'jap village' through Google (usually very good IMO:o )
Alg;)
shadowninja
29-12-2002, 14:38
hmm buying a turbo car for the dump valve... what a wussy reason! i suppose if you like busses and rubbish trucks its great :p
anyway the 200sx is better cos it handles well, its rear wheel drive (when he buys the fto he will get into the jap car scene and its all about drifting isnt it... ok yes yes yes blah blah you can do it with front wheel drive but talk to the hand cos the face aint listening!), it can be tuned up once you get used to the power, it can be made to look like a skyline (check phatty's car!)
as for the fto it's front wheel drive, slow, and just looks odd :D
Mr_Sukebe
29-12-2002, 15:01
From what I understand, there's not much in it between a std 200 and an FTO, so assuming he doesn't mod it, not worth worrying about the straight line differences.
Excluding the rear wheel vs front drive argument, I'd say a few of other points are worth considering:
1. FTOs are generally considerably more expensive
2. I have a friend who bought a GPX Tiptronic. His gearbox failed, just 3 months after buying it. Including fitting, the cheapest quote he had for a replacement was nearly £2 grand. Not funny.
3. All the FTOs will be imports, which means you have all the worries about insurance, the cars history etc.
I thought Mitsubishi were doing offical imports on these now?
I read on one of the web sites that they come with full MMC history and warranty etc.
Alg;)
Holmes14a
29-12-2002, 16:17
They do official new cars that cost.......wait for it......£20,000!!!!:eek: That's a shed load of cash for what is really quite an old car. They do look good though.
Tiptronic, GAH! I nailed a 911 Carrera down a short runway up to 111MPH using the wheel mounted changers and it was as interesting as a morning of daytime TV! Takes all of the interaction between man and machine out of the drive. PANTS, PANTS I tell you:D
Gotta be the 200.
shadowninja
29-12-2002, 16:20
algie, this sounds vaguely familiar. i think from about 2001 they did start importing fto's. also i heard somewhere that unlike most other car companies, mitsubishi would look after grey imports simply because they felt the public wouldnt see the difference between an official import and a grey import so if a Mitsubishi car broke down it would be seen as a bad mitsubishi car fullstop, not just a dodgy grey import, which would therefore look bad on the brand. best check with a dealership about that tho, or email them.
im both a passenger and a driver of the 2.0 v6 tiptronic fto frequently, and compared to a lot of things, let alone an s14a, its really rather bad, and rattly.
I think a comment was made up there that the engine accelerates and its as though the car is on a bungee behind it, this is very true. All noise and no go. Thats not saying i expect it to push me back into the seat, its just that the best thing about it is the way it looks. Its otherwise a bit pants to say the least. Anyone who drives one and likes it deserves to spend years regretting the purchase :)
I E-mailed this thread to the man in question and he's been put off the idea of an FTO (although he might still take one out for a test drive if he can find one)
The problem is he's now talking about VW Golfs:eek: :eek: :eek: There's no helping some people:confused:
As far as the SX goes he agrees it's a corking drive but he doesn't like the rear styling on the S14a (I have to agree on that bit, it took me a while to get used to it.... Of course now I love it and fully appreciate the curves)
I think it's 'coz it's for a Japanese market and not suited to conventional European styling (until you come round to their way of thinking - Vive La Revolution!!!)
I reckon he'd be better of with a tubby'd Mk2 MR2. He seems to be changing his mind quicker than Tony Blair at the mo'
Alg;)
shadowninja
29-12-2002, 21:41
eh??? Blair has a mind of his own? I thought he was Bush's puppet! :D
it's a shame, some people want a car for show... others for go. If you want something to look nice, buy a painting...
I remember speaking to a sales "person" about choosing between an FTO and a 200sx....he told me the fto was the proper hardcore fast sports car out of the two. Think I walked away at that point.
I also hate it when salesmen don't take you seriously. When buying the 200 a main dealer did not take me seriously so its was funny when I got them to service my new purchase a short time later.
The BMW salesmen ignored me until I walked into the MINI section. The AUDI people didn't even get out of their chairs. But the LOTUS guys were really helpful.
mambastu
30-12-2002, 03:13
FTO or 200SX ? :confused:
Not really surprised he's now thinking about a Golf, hasn't got a clue has he ? :rolleyes:
shadowninja
30-12-2002, 03:23
Originally posted by DanS14
I remember speaking to a sales "person" about choosing between an FTO and a 200sx....he told me the fto was the proper hardcore fast sports car out of the two. Think I walked away at that point.
I also hate it when salesmen don't take you seriously. When buying the 200 a main dealer did not take me seriously so its was funny when I got them to service my new purchase a short time later.
The BMW salesmen ignored me until I walked into the MINI section. The AUDI people didn't even get out of their chairs. But the LOTUS guys were really helpful.
i turned up at the lotus and tvr dealerships in frayed jeans/t-shirt driving dirty mondeo, and got to test drive cars :) i guess some marques' sales people need to be taught a lesson.
Gotta agree on the attitude you get from sales people in some places.
Went to an Audi dealer looking for an S3 (I had more money than sense back then - Oh how the tables have turned:( ) And the sales man looked at me like some kind of Corsa driving oik:mad: I walked away really p*ssed off.
The difference between them and the Jap dealers was amazing (The prices were a bit different too but only by £3-4000)
I got treated like a decent person (cups of tea, 3 test drives) in a Honda dealer and the scooby garage was great (again test drives and spoken to like a potential customer instead of an annoyance)
The 200 spoke for itself in the end though. The dealership were (and are) great and the car took the edge.
The rest is history really
Alg;)
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