39 replies to this topic

[muzzy66]

[muzzy66]

Ok everyone, Ive been doing sone thinking and have decided that for the sake if closure, I will have a complete I will have a complete system of some form in my MX5 before the car is replaced, amd hopefully before the next MEA event.

It may not be what i originally planned, but it be in, working, presentable and competition quality.

[Gozza]

broadz, on 02 June 2011 - 09:05 AM, said:

I think be practical and go down the Subaru path, make the car yours, individualise it to take away from the generic econocar feel.

Look along the lines of Liberty Gen 3 Heritage or B4

This is to Pete: Don't immediately think that because the Subaru is the safe and logical path (safety too if you crash: 4 star ANCAP rating). For me, my Liberty is a fun enjoyable little car. It's big enough to seat 4 adults comfortably or 5 in a bit of a squish but it certainly doesn't feel big on the road

The AWD is great, gets me out of a few pickles out at my house (dirt driveway and 'carpark' on a slope - mum's Golf stands no chance and my girlfriend manages some pretty impressive burnouts in her Corolla!) but in the Liberty, no sweat!

The Liberty also has an incredibly good feature many of you don't know about! It's an automatic brake holding system which, for example you are at traffic lights, you put your foot on the brake when pointing up a slope, and you take your foot off the brake and it holds it there for you. When you start taking your foot off the clutch and accelerate it automatically disengages when your clutch pedal goes a certain distance - It's a really great feature after you get used to it, and I really miss it when I drive other manual cars.

As for the Heritage - Only Auto's
As for the B4 - Some serious maintenance needed, like serious looking after. They are known to be a bit fragile and 'needy' Also, they chew through the petrol more than my AUII Falcon did (got 12L/100km in Falcon, the B4 is more like 13L/100km)

My Liberty is a GX Special Edition so it has the black leather interior, which makes a world of difference over the cloth, believe me. The cloth interior does not compare!

Just make sure you have a drive of my Lib before you rush out and buy a car, see if the leather interior would be a must for you, as I don't think I would get a Liberty without it anymore (i.e. almost every RX has cloth sadly).

I don't feel like the Subaru is clinical at all, I feel happy to drive mine every time I jump in

But yeah, stop over-analysing everything and just drive the cars on your shortlist! The reason I went for the Liberty is because I needed a car at the time, and it was a good example of one in my price range at the time - turns out that I luckily got a car that I really enjoy driving and owning! Plenty of cosmetic parts available to change it around too if you want (I'm about to get a B4 brushed aluminium trim for around the stereo and the A/C controls - Looks much better than the woodgrain. Either that or getting it carbon wrapped).

[ubernoob]

My old man spent year procrastinating over which car to buy and ended up with an 06 Outback H6- no front legroom, your feet don't really fit under the front seats so no rear legroom the standard stereo is rubbish(really really bad!) and the seats are flat and pretty uncomfortable. To add to all of that with a H6 engine one of the Cat's sits just above the nearside front CV joint so the heat from the exhaust cooks it and it perishes then sprays grease all over your exhaust.

My old man is fairly happy with his purchase but does tend to whinge about the smallest problem, should have bought XYZ car, still the Volvo that cost 1/3 the price is better in every department except for turning circle, traction and ride height oops and reliability- that's a biggie.

Wait this is an install thread, I'll have to have a look at that, I didn't realise I was babbling in a thread that should be full of pics.

[muzzy66]

Thanks for all the replies guys, its appreciated and all is being taken into consideration.

I think I'm at the point where I can cross the Bora off the list. It really doest seem to be standout at anything, doesnt really draw any desire from me, and according to my research its the one most likely to give problems. Good car, but im just not feeling it.

Next off the list is probably the 147. Mmechanically its pretty much identical to the 156, but id rather the 156 for the bigger boot, better (imo) styling, and nicer interior.

That leaves the Liberty, 156 and FTO.

Considering some of the comments here it sounds like the FTO will probably be next off the list, but I'll save that decision for the test drive.

Ubernoob: ive been in the Liberty's and have had no issues with the seats or interior space. I found the driving position pretty close to spot-on.

But, Ive yet to see a manual RX in the flesh so I havent had a chance to see what the shift feel is like.

I found the shift on the 147 feels loose and floppy, while the shift on my bro's Prelude feels vague and rubbery. Wasnt a huge fan of either.

Last 156 manual I saw had a brilliant shift, and the feel in the Impreza's is OK too so hopefully the Liberty will be fine.

Seems like such a trivial thing I know, but spend a LOT of time in stop-start Sydney traffic so its a key factor.

From here I really think only a test drive will make up my mind. I want it to be the 156, but who knows...I might drive it and hate it.

Oh and I definately, absolutely, positively would not - under any circumstances - consider a Volvo! lol

Anyways, back to the stereo

Edited by muzzy66, 02 June 2011 - 01:43 PM.

[Mr. Drifter]

I'd say, take it for a spin, get a feel for the cars power band (if possible) and it shift feel, and it's stereo and what not.. Easiest way to check the power band, put your foot down and see where on the tacho it actually launches ;D

[Riley.]

muzzy66, on 01 June 2011 - 10:09 PM, said:

As for a VR4, hell no!

I avoid turbocharged imports like the plague for a few reasons. They attract thieves and police like bees to honey, they cost a fortune to insure, they drink stupid amounts of fuel, the torque delivery is as linear as the grand canyon, they have usually been thrashed within an inch of their life by previous owners, and the second you get in one you instantly become 'another try hard hooligan'.

Your loss

[muzzy66]

Back onto the topic of the car, I do have one other option that has come to mind.

I recently have had a few things with the car that need work done:
* Windscreen wipers screech and dont work properly
* Front right headlight gone
* Damaged front-right guard
* Poor paint on rear left guard
* Trouble starting at times (always starts on second key turn - possibly starter motor)
* Power windows are are slowwww as hell (I read this just requires the switch contacts cleaned)
* Hole in the muffler
* Zipper for rear window gets stuck and needs replacing

The first to items on the list were resolved yesterday with some new wipers and some new platinum headlight bulbs, and now the car is already much more pleasant to drive again.

Out of the remaining issues the only really critical ones are the starting problem, the power windows and the hole in the muffler. If I can fix those three things (which shouldn't cost too much) then rest won't be that big a deal.

Rather then putting in an additional $3,000 cash into $9,000 car (which will then be worth 7k in 2 years) I could just spend $1.500 or so and fix those three main problems. Then use the remaining cash towards a paint job, some new wheels or (preferably) clearing my debts.

The MX5 is a classic and already 22 years old so it's not realistically going to depreciate much further. The repairs will defiantely add some degree to the value of the car, so I'll get some percentage of it back when I eventually do sell it. It also only has 160,000km on the clock, which is likely not much more then the cars I'd be replacing it with.

Just one more option to contemplate.

[muzzy66]

Well see

Now that ive fixed a couple of little things and I have the audio coming together, itd kinda be a shame to ditch it and start all over again.

A boot and backseat would be nice, but hey ive gotten by this long.

Just found a replacement guard for a pretty good price so thats another fault off the list.

Well see, I might change my mind yet, but these fairly cheap repairs will benefit me regardless of whether I sell or keep iť, so I can keep my options open.

Either way Ive decided against the FTO. Its either a 156 or a Liberty...or fix and keep the MX5.

Edited by muzzy66, 06 June 2011 - 11:45 PM.

[muzzy66]

..

Edited by muzzy66, 20 June 2011 - 10:13 PM.