should i

[kennys]

i am so close to pulling trigger on 03 gto but a bit nervous as i am primarily using it around london, and find the view at windshield a bit restricted and the back much less. can this car be used as a road car ? thanks!

[DanH]

I think its ok around london. You get used to the wing in the rear view and will find you filter it out fairly quickly. Its no worse than my Elise really.

Speed bumps are more annoying, but Vegantune will up your suspension a few mm if you want which saves a lot of painful noises. I'm sure it isn't ideal in terms of the handling on track, but its only a few mm and it makes a big difference getting around. I've not driven it without the mod in any real anger, but it was fine on the top gear track the other week.

Would you be using it to commute everyday or more as a toy?

p.s. where would you park it at Hoxton Sq? I used to go to the martial arts club there but got pissed off using the tube to get there. Is there anywhere sensible to park a car like a Noble in the area?

>> Edited by DanH on Friday 19th November 13:58

[AMG Merc]

kennys said:

i am so close to pulling trigger on 03 gto but a bit nervous as i am primarily using it around london, and find the view at windshield a bit restricted and the back much less. can this car be used as a road car ? thanks!

That's great news!

The view rear is superb (considering) - I went sans-wing for the first 6-months and am now wing-on and can report little difference to the rear view - you needn't concern yourself!

Re the low ride height: I suggest the easier, and lower-cost, route is to have the front splitter shaved a couple of milis - many of us here have this and the car clears most speed-humps fine. Alternatively you could remove it all together (the M400 doesn't have one!).

[Marlon]

Turning circle will be your biggest problem; it's not exactly 'nippy', plus the alloys are easily kerbed so be careful. I wouldn't want one as a London cab, put it that way.

[chillidog]

Marlon said:

Turning circle will be your biggest problem ...

Again this is better on the M400.

[kennys]

a toy after i do school run i figure a couple times a week from west to east end, and they weekend runs every so often. thanks for taking time to respond!

[kennys]

ps: i happen to have a space on hoxton sq (funny you should bring that up!) and i have a garage space in the back. if you ever need to use it let me know! [e-mail]

[DanH]

Thanks for the offer - I'd probably annoy you too much if I started going back to the martial arts club asking to borrow your space so I won't even go down that avenue . Parking in Hoxton does seem a right nightmare though, and I wouldn't fancy trying to make that tight corner around the lesbian sex shop in an M12. (I confess I haven't been there that recently, but I remember it being pretty tight with vans having to mount the curb etc)

As a toy I don't think you'll have any probs with the car at all. Its great fun as an occasional car as it has a real sense of occasion. Don't get it if you are shy though. I thought we'd been flashed by a speed camera the other day, but it was a chap in a van taking pictures!

[kennys]

is yours an r? the one i am keen to buy is not, and i was wondering if that made a diff. the man at mph car show said the gear box was much stonger (good for my mediocre driving) and limited slip made a difference. any opinion? thanks!

[DanH]

Mines here :

www.pistonheads.co.uk/members/showCar.asp?carId=16917

Its a GTO3 which has the 3ltr engine & 6 spd box + LSD.

If you can afford it I'd definitely go for a 6spd+lsd. As you say they are more robust, but some early 3Rs didn't get them (e.g. that suspiciously cheap one on the classifieds at the moment!). Not all GTO3s have the 6 speed either.

>> Edited by DanH on Friday 19th November 17:46

>> Edited by DanH on Friday 19th November 17:57

>> Edited by DanH on Friday 19th November 17:57

[AMG Merc]

kennys said:

is yours an r? the one i am keen to buy is not, and i was wondering if that made a diff. the man at mph car show said the gear box was much stonger (good for my mediocre driving) and limited slip made a difference. any opinion? thanks!

If you can live with a GTO3, taking into account the aforementioned gearbox and LSD, the only other main difference is the front lights - the drive (and grin) will be the same! :-)

[DanH]

GTO3 is slightly lighter too which will help performance (no sound deadening and less cabin frivolity!)

[Badapple]

Theres a bargain of a GT03R in the classifieds
www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=32595&s=108

>> Edited by Badapple on Friday 19th November 18:50

[V6GTO]

Badapple said:

Theres a bargain of a GT03R in the classifieds www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=32595&s=108 >> Edited by Badapple on Friday 19th November 18:50

That's a laugh..."the more reliable 5-speed gearbox"...that's a blatant lie!

[amg merc]

Here's the real bargain - Marlon's Red 3R...

www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=31533&s=108

[DanH]

Badapple said:

Theres a bargain of a GT03R in the classifieds www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=32595&s=108 >> Edited by Badapple on Friday 19th November 18:50

Yeah it has the less good gearbox and diff, but even then this seems pretty cheap. Wonder if there is a story behind it, or whether he's just trying to shift it quickly at exactly the wrong time of year. I'm a tad suspicious about that car!

[Marlon]

amg merc said:

Here's the real bargain - Marlon's Red 3R... www.pistonheads.co.uk/sales/detail.asp?i=31533&s=108

Thanks Rob! It is a great car and IMO at sensible money (plus red is simply THE best colour for an M12!) Main reason for selling is that I can't squeeze in comfortably with a helmet on (even in the M400; maybe I'm not a Sapiens?) which scuppers my plans for track-day hooning. Planning to sell the TVR as well and get a GT3. Oops, now I've gone and said it..