Discussion
Saw one of these today, in white, a very clean example it was of a mk1, and it really took me back. Sounded nice as well ! 
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
pbirkett said:
Saw one of these today, in white, a very clean example it was of a mk1, and it really took me back. Sounded nice as well !
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
7.7 to 60 and 129mph top speed. Handling as you'd expect from an 80s rwd car - think E30 325i Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
Fairly reliable as they're pretty simple mechanical wise. They were just RWD as you say
Shropshiremike said:
pbirkett said:
Saw one of these today, in white, a very clean example it was of a mk1, and it really took me back. Sounded nice as well !
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
7.7 to 60 and 129mph top speed. Handling as you'd expect from an 80s rwd car - think E30 325i Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
Fairly reliable as they're pretty simple mechanical wise. They were just RWD as you say
Its easy to see how BMW have lost their a little, as all modern cars have really, by being too refined - the E30 looks very raw compared to the later models.What struck me today with this Sierra was how small it looked. Amazing to think how much cars have grown. It looked compact and low, which are how cars should be IMO.
I really do prefer cars from the 80s and 90s to the stuff thats being produced nowadays.
My Dad had a 3 year old Cardinal Red one back in 1986 when I was a lad. I loved it at the time and so did he, although it did end up on it's roof in flames, but that was his fault!
Sounded fab at the time and did everthything you would expect of it. The magazines back then said it was too softly sprung to be a real drivers car but it did the practical, budget GT thing very well.
They had a unique body shell due to their extra rear quarter light. The bi-plane spoiler was cool too!
Ten years later, I bought a black one for myself in a fit of nostalgia, as a temporary daily driver. It was then that I realised I had perhaps been looking back through rose tinted spectactles, as the growling, powerful V6 I remembered, had become a rather rough and asthmatic one! Go forward to a time where the newest one is now 24 years old and I think you would have to be spending somewhere north of 2k to find anything nice enough to be a pleasre to behold. Would I buy another one? No.
Would I come and look at yours if I saw it parked up somewhere and chat enthusiastically to you about it? Absolutely!
I think in times to come, a mint one will probably be worth good money. Not many were made in comparison to the later and less distinctive 4x4 and there can be very few left in nice condition.
As far as fuel goes, treat anything upwards of about 23MPG as a bonus.
ETA: Not my car in the pic, but I think threads like this are better with pics!
Sounded fab at the time and did everthything you would expect of it. The magazines back then said it was too softly sprung to be a real drivers car but it did the practical, budget GT thing very well.
They had a unique body shell due to their extra rear quarter light. The bi-plane spoiler was cool too!
Ten years later, I bought a black one for myself in a fit of nostalgia, as a temporary daily driver. It was then that I realised I had perhaps been looking back through rose tinted spectactles, as the growling, powerful V6 I remembered, had become a rather rough and asthmatic one! Go forward to a time where the newest one is now 24 years old and I think you would have to be spending somewhere north of 2k to find anything nice enough to be a pleasre to behold. Would I buy another one? No.
Would I come and look at yours if I saw it parked up somewhere and chat enthusiastically to you about it? Absolutely!
I think in times to come, a mint one will probably be worth good money. Not many were made in comparison to the later and less distinctive 4x4 and there can be very few left in nice condition.
As far as fuel goes, treat anything upwards of about 23MPG as a bonus.
ETA: Not my car in the pic, but I think threads like this are better with pics!
Edited by slippery on Saturday 20th February 16:46
I ran one in the 90's, was a stunning concours example until some dick smashed into the back of me while I was waiting at a red light. I was only 18 at the time and I loved it, but there again any car you have at that age is brilliant.
Repaired it after the accident and sold it on - quite a funny story attached to that, bloke turned up on foot, paid cash and drove it away, nothing unusual in that as the notes weren't fake and and it was only £1200. Two days later I was staying at a mates house overnight, got a call from my folks to go home asap.
Was greeted by 2 coppers who had woken up my folks at 7am with the question "where was your son last night?" They told them I was out and still wasn't at home.
Car had been used in a ram raid and was written off at the scene, of course the DVLA hadn't processed the paperwork so it was still in my name. Spent a few hours at the station sorting that one out.
I've looked at them again too on occasion but reckon that if you don't buy a good one they probably aren't worth the money.
pbirkett said:
Saw one of these today, in white, a very clean example it was of a mk1, and it really took me back. Sounded nice as well !
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
I always liked them. One mate had an XR4x4i with the 2.9 V6 in. It sounded great. Handled ok'ish, horrid 80's interior.Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
Never as quick as I though they should be. Despite his having a rebuilt engine, stainless sports exhaust and a K&N induction kit, my stock MG Maestro 2.0 EFI would pull on it from 10-95mph and still hold him off until I topped out at around 112-115mph.
300bhp/ton said:
pbirkett said:
Saw one of these today, in white, a very clean example it was of a mk1, and it really took me back. Sounded nice as well !
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
I always liked them. One mate had an XR4x4i with the 2.9 V6 in. It sounded great. Handled ok'ish, horrid 80's interior.Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
Never as quick as I though they should be. Despite his having a rebuilt engine, stainless sports exhaust and a K&N induction kit, my stock MG Maestro 2.0 EFI would pull on it from 10-95mph and still hold him off until I topped out at around 112-115mph.
slippery said:
Not many were made in comparison to the later and less distinctive 4x4 and there can be very few left in nice condition.
Approx 25,662 XR4is were made, slightly more than the number of 2.8 XR4x4s but after that the 2.9 XR4x4 took over and combined with the V6 4x4 estates which meant the rwders were outnumbered about 2:1 I had a very early xr4i without electric windows or power steering. The shell split along the top of the transmission tunnel 
I bought it thinking it was a grown up version of my beloved Capri 2.8 .. sadly it was nowhere near as much fun despite the adjustable suspension and wonderful sounding Magnex exhaust. I wouldn't have another xr4i but would certainly have another Capri 2.8i
I bought it thinking it was a grown up version of my beloved Capri 2.8 .. sadly it was nowhere near as much fun despite the adjustable suspension and wonderful sounding Magnex exhaust. I wouldn't have another xr4i but would certainly have another Capri 2.8ismarties cookies said:
I had a very early xr4i without electric windows or power steering. The shell split along the top of the transmission tunnel I bought it thinking it was a grown up version of my beloved Capri 2.8 .. sadly it was nowhere near as much fun despite the adjustable suspension and wonderful sounding Magnex exhaust. I wouldn't have another xr4i but would certainly have another Capri 2.8i
The manual steering is woeful as it's even 'slower' than a non-M E30 rack at 4.2 turns lock to lock. The PAS rack is usefully quicker at about 2.8 turns ( quick racks were also available if don't do much parking in tight areas! ). I bought it thinking it was a grown up version of my beloved Capri 2.8 .. sadly it was nowhere near as much fun despite the adjustable suspension and wonderful sounding Magnex exhaust. I wouldn't have another xr4i but would certainly have another Capri 2.8iAlso the Janspeed manifolds were proven to give a little help but you were then limited to the Janspeed exhaust system ( or chopping about some other aftermarket system )
If you're not shy with the spanners a rear end off an XR4x4 gives you a LSD and rear discs ( the 4i only had rear drums )
Edited by Shropshiremike on Saturday 20th February 19:17
crofty1984 said:
There was a SOTW on here not long ago about the XR4x4. Have a look for it, it may be useful.
Last weeks one 
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?f=23&...
A friends Dad bought a new black one back when they first came out.
I remember being amazed as everyone thought they looked fantastic and modern.
There was a problem though that scared people off buying them not long after they came out. Sierras had to be redesigned as they were being written off after even only a small accident as the shock would travel through the car and ripple the chassis.
Not good at all. Does anyone else remember that?
I remember being amazed as everyone thought they looked fantastic and modern.
There was a problem though that scared people off buying them not long after they came out. Sierras had to be redesigned as they were being written off after even only a small accident as the shock would travel through the car and ripple the chassis.
Not good at all. Does anyone else remember that?
nottyash said:
A friends Dad bought a new black one back when they first came out.
I remember being amazed as everyone thought they looked fantastic and modern.
There was a problem though that scared people off buying them not long after they came out. Sierras had to be redesigned as they were being written off after even only a small accident as the shock would travel through the car and ripple the chassis.
Not good at all. Does anyone else remember that?
Yes i remember the floor pan issue after impact,as i was just starting out in the trade when these were out,drove a couple when i was 17 moving them from dealer to dealer,always thought the better option we never got was the south african version with a v8 in it ( xr8 ??) that would have been a beast but as normal the uk didnt seem to get the hotter versions that were available elswhere,4wd astra being another SA option.I remember being amazed as everyone thought they looked fantastic and modern.
There was a problem though that scared people off buying them not long after they came out. Sierras had to be redesigned as they were being written off after even only a small accident as the shock would travel through the car and ripple the chassis.
Not good at all. Does anyone else remember that?
ETA some xr8 info
http://www.africanmusclecars.com/SierraXR8.html
Edited by rigga on Sunday 21st February 08:16
Shropshiremike said:
300bhp/ton said:
pbirkett said:
Saw one of these today, in white, a very clean example it was of a mk1, and it really took me back. Sounded nice as well !
Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
I always liked them. One mate had an XR4x4i with the 2.9 V6 in. It sounded great. Handled ok'ish, horrid 80's interior.Were these any good? I could almost see myself driving one TBH, as I really liked the look of it. So much character thats missing from cars of its type these days.
Am I right in thinking these were RWD as well?
What they like on juice? Reliable? Handle well? Quick?
Never as quick as I though they should be. Despite his having a rebuilt engine, stainless sports exhaust and a K&N induction kit, my stock MG Maestro 2.0 EFI would pull on it from 10-95mph and still hold him off until I topped out at around 112-115mph.
I've owned 2 in the past in the early 90s, great cars at the time. I read somewhere that the later (1986) Sierra Cosworth 3 door was very nearly going to use the exact body shell, instead they based it on the single piece rear window of the low spec 1.6L 2 door coupe. Many later XR4is were made into 3 Door Cosworth replicas by cutting out the 2 piece windows and converting it to a 1 piece like the Cosworth.The XR4i made the better copy due to most having a factory sunroof like most 3 dr Cosworths, most of the 1.6L replicas didn't have the sunroof from factory.Also the XR4i was a little more convincing performance wise, and lots of crash damaged 3 dr Cosworths were reshelled into either the XR4i or 1.6L shell.
Edited by *Al* on Sunday 21st February 11:10
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff