Mitsi FTO's

[GTS turbo]

pissed off and bored and basically fed up with my trouble ridden BMW that i'm considering ditching it and getting an FTO.
now i'm more a RWD kinda guy but i don't mind FWD as long as it handles well enough.

so what are FTO's like to live with? i hear the GPX is the one to go for and manual if you can get hold of a manual!
how long did mitsi make them? and i believe they are jap import only? unless anyone knows otherwise?

whats servicing like on them and any weak spots?


cheers for any info/pointers people!

[bint]

Group 20 (they're all imports) - spares are expensive - they're alot of fun, look great and get the Mivec manual.

That's all I know I'm afraid!

What criteria do you have? I ended up with the latest generation Celica when I went out shopping for an FTO - has a bigger boot and less expensive to insure/get parts for.

Also the Hyundai Coupe is an underated car too.

[delfto]

Hi
Well mine is a biased view but the FTO is a lot of car the money, as for insurance that’s not such a big problem as it once was, although it is possibly a bit high. Will help if you’re over 25

Get registered with www.ftooc.org and then try A-Plan you will get a good price

Also for info / help / activities the FTO owners club is very good. There is an FTO rolling road day at Surrey Rolling road www.surreyrollingroad.co.uk/ in a couple of weeks (Nov5th) might be a good idea to have a drive down/up and meet some owners.

To live with well I’ve had mine for 3 years and have no complaints had a few silly things alternator, cam belt pulley but not much else, servicing, that’s done at Euro spec in Guildford, he knows everything about FTO/GTO and is best priced servicing I’ve found.
Get all my parts from the owners club and again don’t cost much.

Renowned for tappets to be noisy but to be honest like any car if looked after and regularly serviced it will cause you no pain.

Handles very well for a FRONTWD plenty of track days on the forum, great tuneable V6 engine, still looks good for a 10 yr old car and sounds amazing especially the mivec engine


hope the above helps

delfto

Edited by delfto on Thursday 26th October 09:36

Edited by delfto on Thursday 26th October 10:04

Edited by delfto on Thursday 26th October 10:10

[lucror]

I bought a GPX Tiptronic earlier this month.

Having so much fun driving it. For a ten year old car that didn't break the bank to buy - I get so much attention from people when driving it.

Starting to regret the decision of an auto box now though, but maybe I'll get it converted in a few months.

Mark

[cptsideways]

If the engines make ANY unusual noises WALK AWAY

In my extensive experience of imports these come under the "Timebomb" category, same category as RX7's & 2.4D Toyota's sooner or later it will lunch itself, either top end valvetrain failures of fantastic proportions or bottom end bearing failures due to oil strarvation. Nigh on impossible to pick up a good secondhand Mivec engine these days.

Otherwise quite a nice car for a FWD

[LittleMissPetrol]

Buy one! You'll love it, gotta get a manual though

Insurance was less than I thought, try www.moneysupermarket.com/motor/?Source=FISINSURANCE

I believe there are some non-import ones, aparently the imports are faster but may be limited to 120...

[Gitman]

owned my fto for 3 years, loved every minute of it. Thinkin of sellin up soon tho, movin onto a 350z.

[pintage]

Mine is currently for sale. I have loved every minuet of owning and driving this car, in three years I have only had only problem and that was when the clutch mater cylinder started to leak.
Parets are no more expensive than any other import and if you use the owner club (like I do) you will save a fortune.

Just reduced the price on my car so if you want to have a look or test drive (not sure where you are but I live just outside Oxford) let me know. (I'm looking for around £5K)




E-mail me at [e-mail]

[kippax]

As I have said before the FTO remains the best car for the price that I have ever owned. Great to drive & utterly reliable. Just make sure you get the GPX which has the MIVEC engine & if you are lucky enough to find one try to get a manual (although the tiptronic is good the manuals are a bit quicker) You will not get a better looking / handling car for the price.

H