Anyone own a FTO

[thesilverfox]

about to buy a FTO GPX mivec, manual gearbox, in red 50,000 miles
anyone own one ?? any things to look out for,
been told they are quite rare ??

[andy mac]

Just out of curiostiy, why are you buying one? Bit underpowered, even though it is a V6. Not fast. fwd. Looks nice though. Unless you really like the look of it, there are better cars out there. 200sx, 300zx, MR2Turbo, etc. The usual bunch. The FTO is a lot of show, and not a lot of go. Just my opinion, sorry!

[andy mac]

But thats merely a look thing. It still needs the turbo lump from the evo in it, and awd/rwd! Its a bit like the new celica. Toothless tiger.

[thesilverfox]

In red it looks the nuts
you say its slow, got to 120mph on road test and it was still pulling in 5th, not sure what its top speed is, its got the uk speedo, not jap one converted from KPH, its also got the rear fog lamp sunk into the rear bumper, not bolted on some where
needs some nice wheels to set it off

[andy mac]

I agree they look good. But its performance does not match its looks. Sorry. Personal opinion, I know, but there ya go. Tney do have a large following though, and there are peeps who have lobbed in the evo engine.

[tuttle]

Jayzus! I wouldn't let a potential buyer drive like that,anywhere near 120mph.Not until he'd/she'd payed up that is
Oh! btw,FTO's look very nice,like 'em lots,plenty of 'presence'.








Just a shame the drive axle's on the wrong end!

[dieseldog]

I don't think the fto is a slow car compared to turbo jap rwd cars then of course its slower, compare it to the current crop of NA hot hatches/coupes and a 0-60 time of sub 7 and 140mph top end looks pretty good

[andy mac]

But it will never be compared to a current crop na hot hatch. It will always be compared to other Jap sprts cars... Would you put an FTO next to a golf, or focus, and call them similar? Nope, never, but you would lob one next to an rx7, or MR2 Turbo, because they are the company they keep, (same market, same country, same group of peeps likely to buy it, etc).

[Batty FTO]

Yep me
See the www.ftooc.org
0-60 6.5(ish)
2.0gpx mivec manual has about 200bhp @ the fly, which equates to about 175bhp @ the wheels however mines closer to 190bhp @ the fly...
great cars, look great and about as quick as your Civic Type R etc...
Tip gearboxes suck a huge amount of power from the engine (about 25-30%)
looks great (IMHO) and only 10000 made in total.
dead reliable although the standard brakes are useless.
get signed up to the FTO owners club

[MrD76]

I have a blue FTO GPX Mivec, automatic with tiptronic gear - I LOVE the car to bits, it looks sexy especially with better alloys, talking of which I have 2 original FTO wheels for sale if interested, very fast got up to 120mph and still had more to go the only problem is that parts are expensive, don't have any accidents!!! Also I still struggle finding insurance, they don't like imports and I'm forced to have a few advanced alarms on the car! Buy it - its great.

[MrD76]

MrD76 said:

I have a blue FTO GPX Mivec, automatic with tiptronic gear - I LOVE the car to bits, it looks sexy especially with better alloys, talking of which I have 2 original FTO wheels for sale if interested, very fast got up to 120mph and still had more to go the only problem is that parts are expensive, don't have any accidents!!! Also I still struggle finding insurance, they don't like imports and I'm forced to have a few advanced alarms on the car! Buy it - its great.

Please note this is my other half that posted, I prefer my 7.

[Batty FTO]

Cool. As posted above if your finding parts expensive log onto the FTOOC, for instance i have just bought a rear bumper for £50.
fully sprayed

[Biker.ie]

The mivec is good fun (needs the bin sized HKS super dragger though) even more rev.happy than an Integra Type-R, they're a very tidy handler but one serious shortcoming is the brakes, absolute rubbish !

I think there was an LM edition with 4wd/evo5 turbocharged powerplant but it was never homologated, I suppose if you want something faster you buy a supra TT or whatever..

[Batty FTO]

Biker.ie said:

The mivec is good fun (needs the bin sized HKS super dragger though)

The HKS actually blows its baffles if the car is de-catted and isn't really that loud.
An Apexi N1 is the way to go (see profile)

[Biker.ie]

Thats what it was then, something used rattle abit back there and I thought it may have been the carcass of a well-fed rat what crawled in or something

[jitsukadave]

One thing to watch is that very few are UK cars (about 50), even then they're just cars Mitsi's RallyArt imported themselves, so all are considered non-UK cars for insurance.

Join the FTOOC and talk to Graham Sykes about insurance though, they're a good bunch, and don't overcharge you for mods & the fact they're imports.

They're quick once you get going, but not so fst to start with. Handling for a FWD car is sencond only to the 'teg Type-R DC2.

The mivec engine needs looking after, so make sure they previous/current owner(s) have some recipts and things to say work was done, and the servieing wasn't scrimped on.

All in all very nice cars to grand-tour in, and if you want, you can get reasonable mpg too (my best was 37mpg, worst was 5mpg on the track ) and they are fun on the twisties. Played against a couple of Elise S2s recently and I was quicker through the straights (over 50mph), but couldn't carry the speed through the corners as much once they were 60+ corners, though before that they still whooped my ass - just not as much.

Now I'm selling mine, I'm looking for soemthing else, but can't see anything for the money that I want

[delfto]

A bit late responding to this thread but I have an FTO although it’s not the GPX. It’s the GR which is slightly slower but they are all fun to drive and sound fantastic with after market exhaust fitted ( not maxpower Muppet loud though) looks great and even now people still ask what is that! It’s a shape that doesn’t seem to age. Oh and I have had no probs getting the car serviced even though she’s an import.

Del