Sunny / Pulsar GTI-R
Sunny / Pulsar GTI-R
Author
Discussion

Silent1

Original Poster:

19,762 posts

258 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
Spurred on by a recent PPC article, i'm quite tempted to get one for a winter run around.

Do they have anything to look out for around the 90k mile mark.

I'll be doing around 1500 miles a month so it needs to be reliable.

and does anyone else have any suggestions for similar cars around the same price that will give me just as much fun so i don't need to drive the vx220 through winter.

Blue Meanie

73,668 posts

278 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
It needs to be reliable. From my jap days I think the gearboxes were the weak point, but I'm sure someone will come and give you the real info.

MrFlibbles

7,774 posts

306 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
Silent1 said:
Spurred on by a recent PPC article, i'm quite tempted to get one for a winter run around.

Do they have anything to look out for around the 90k mile mark.

I'll be doing around 1500 miles a month so it needs to be reliable.

and does anyone else have any suggestions for similar cars around the same price that will give me just as much fun so i don't need to drive the vx220 through winter.
£2900 to insure the VX! redface

How old are you?

Silent1

Original Poster:

19,762 posts

258 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
20, with no NCB, no crashes either.

MrFlibbles

7,774 posts

306 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
Yikes frown

Don't know anything about Pulsars sorry! biggrin

Silent1

Original Poster:

19,762 posts

258 months

Saturday 22nd December 2007
quotequote all
All is well, once i've got some NCB it should be better hopefully.

pulsar_scott

40 posts

227 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
Stay clear of cars with paddle clutches as they are the ones that eat gearboxes. Ive been putting out well over 300 bhp in mine for over 6.5 years now and am still running the same gearbox. I run an HKS semi organic clutch to great effect.

Make sure the owner doesnt wear a baseball hat if you go to see one, a sure sign its been doughnutted to within an inch of its life.

Could always buy mine if you like smile been very well cared for with oil and filters every 3K no matter what.

If you want any more info, just ask.

Scott.

Blue Meanie

73,668 posts

278 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
Semi organic? You mean it got to walk around in the warehouse, and ate fresh grass, etc, before you fitted it in the car?

pulsar_scott

40 posts

227 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
Blue Meanie said:
Semi organic? You mean it got to walk around in the warehouse, and ate fresh grass, etc, before you fitted it in the car?
LOL, not quite, thats how the guy sold it as lol.

Basically its a tougher pressure plate and release bearing with the std nissan friction plate.

Has held up for the entire 6.5 years ive owned the car smile

Wadeski

8,827 posts

236 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
I heard they are a bit nose-heavy in corners?

Blue Meanie

73,668 posts

278 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
Wadeski said:
I heard they are a bit nose-heavy in corners?
What? Romans?

pulsar_scott

40 posts

227 months

Sunday 23rd December 2007
quotequote all
They can be as std yeah, but a whiteline ARB and some camber bolts to increase neg camber a touch usually eliminates it.

Just out of interest, the whiteline ARB is actually slightly thinner than the std nissan one :O its deemed as too hard and thick ( OOOERRR lol )

Toady1

1,622 posts

247 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
Ive had 2, sold my last one about 2 years ago now, and look after a friends still for him. Currently taking his engine out...again. Not a very reliable car if you buy one thats not been looked after, so be carefull. There are a lot of dogs out there now.

They arent cheap to insure especially with your status im afraid. They are nose heavy, and iirc are a 70:30 split front to rear drive so not very tail happy, and my experience with them on track is a lot of annoying understeer.

As said dont get one with a paddle clutch as they do wreck the boxes, other then that the boxs really arent as bad as some will say, but if theyve been ragged and launched a lot then somethings got to give! Try and get one with something like a helix organic clutch in.

expect around 20mpg everyday if you're lucky. Or if you rag it alot then down to single figures. They sound lovely, go like poo off a shovel if running well, and are great fun little road cars. Its just a shame there are so many dogs out there now, owned by chavs wearing baseball caps under their hoodies to spoil their image.

GTIR

24,741 posts

289 months

Monday 24th December 2007
quotequote all
Sold my R and owned it for five eventful years! (three gearboxes, engine out four times etc) Had a Quaiffe gearbox in the end, but the syncros still went.

To be honest I would avoid them, unless you buy one you know the history of and the owner. Things to look aout for are;
1) Gearboxes
2) Over boosted engines, chuffing out the oil filler when running etc
3) Worn suspension
4) Bodywork, for pre accidents etc
5) wheel bearings!
6) Paddle clutches

I personally would get a Scooby, the R is basically 80's technology wheras the Scooby has been improved over the years.

saddler

62 posts

223 months

Wednesday 26th December 2007
quotequote all
Buy a car from the Club where the real gti-r Enthusiasts are based.. it will save you money in the long run.. the cars only as good as the owners before it..
There more of a weekend toy.. due to the stupid MPG.. But the Fun is phenomenal
dont forget the late model are 1993 so there getting old and Very rare Unlike the new xr3i scobby .. but forget about the age it will spank most cars on the road..


Edited by saddler on Wednesday 26th December 22:42


Edited by saddler on Wednesday 26th December 22:44

Toady1

1,622 posts

247 months

Friday 28th December 2007
quotequote all
GTIR said:
Sold my R and owned it for five eventful years! (three gearboxes, engine out four times etc) Had a Quaiffe gearbox in the end, but the syncros still went.

To be honest I would avoid them, unless you buy one you know the history of and the owner. Things to look aout for are;
1) Gearboxes
2) Over boosted engines, chuffing out the oil filler when running etc
3) Worn suspension
4) Bodywork, for pre accidents etc
5) wheel bearings!
6) Paddle clutches

I personally would get a Scooby, the R is basically 80's technology wheras the Scooby has been improved over the years.
I quite aggree with this, if its for fun on the track i wouldnt get another gtir. They arent fun in my opinion, too nose heavy. A scoob is a better car im afraid, still carries a certain chavness to it as they are also getting old and affordable to buy now. But look past that, and it can be turned into a great trackday car.

RNN14

655 posts

234 months

Friday 28th December 2007
quotequote all
Silent1 said:
I'll be doing around 1500 miles a month so it needs to be reliable.
Expect 20 mpg max - that's 375 quid a month on fuel.

Silent1 said:
20, with no NCB, no crashes either.
Group 20 insurance? On an import? Have you had any quotes yet?!

Edited by RNN14 on Friday 28th December 20:40

Silent1

Original Poster:

19,762 posts

258 months

Friday 28th December 2007
quotequote all
RNN14 said:
Silent1 said:
I'll be doing around 1500 miles a month so it needs to be reliable.
Expect 20 mpg max - that's 375 quid a month on fuel.
That's a damn sight better than my current 15-18mpg
RNN14 said:
Silent1 said:
20, with no NCB, no crashes either.
Group 20 insurance? On an import? Have you had any quotes yet?!
Yes and they're not too bad, quite a lot less than my VX220.

Wadeski

8,827 posts

236 months

Friday 28th December 2007
quotequote all
if your spending more than £1,500 a year on insurance...your pretty much burning money? there is the "payback" of building a no claims, but work out the annual decrease and it starts to make less and less sense.

SPEED MERCHANT

17 posts

219 months

Sunday 30th December 2007
quotequote all
As far as Pulsar GTI-R's are concerned there is nothing reliable about them full stop.

They're lovely cars but I've heard the comparrison that it's a bit like running the old MG's. When they run, they run well. But you spend a lot of the time under the hood or with the wrenched in your hand to keep it that way.

You also need deep pockets too.
Just my two pennies worth.