FTO AUSTRALIA

It's hard to bitch about the FTO but here goes.

Tinny sounding doors, especially when the window is down.
Climate control fan is too powerful on lowest setting.
Wreckers feel they have a right to charge us triple for parts just because it's an import.
Power doesn't match its looks.

I bought the FTO because i loved its looks both inside and outside.
Paid around $26,000 for a 1998 model.. If i wanted a fast car i would have bought a WRX or some other turboed import.

I think looks are very important in a car.
Since the FTO is quicker than most average cars..definately better than MOST NA cars...that is a bonus for me...

I'm happy with it...but yeh the blind spot is bad..

Every time i turn right and stop in the middle at the median strip its hard to see cars coming from my left... but patience is all thats needed...

Blind spots? Where? Never heard of them
But seriously, when I first started driving my FTO I thought the blind spots were a problem. Now that I have the perfect mirror setting, I see EVERYTHING.

My biggest FTO peeves:
1. too rattly (will fix soon)
2. very little low-down torque

Otherwise IMO it's the best looking NA car for under $30k.

you say you are fixing rattle? which part of the rattle your fixing? cause if its same rattles as me i might need to fix it also



also the low torque how can we improve on this

hnm738 wrote:also the low torque how can we improve on this

For starters, the most effective way (ie: with biggest gains) is that you can add more capacity (either with expensive custom stroker kits or adapt a bigger bottom end from the 2.5l 6A13) or turbocharge the existing 2.0 V6.

What really, REALLY annoys me is taking the keys out of the ignition, then realizing that you have left the windows and roof open
GRRRR

you say you are fixing rattle? which part of the rattle your fixing? cause if its same rattles as me i might need to fix it also

I'm just going to soundproof the rear quarterpanels and the parcel shelf. There was a good post about this not so long ago.

Unfortunately I can't get rid of body rattles eg I hear squeeking noises when I get out of the car. Does anybody else hear these? I'm pretty sure my FTO was in an accident back in Japan, hence the rattles.

one thing worth mentioning about the rattling from the rear qtr panels - i realised that the rattling partly came from the rear passenger seatbelts knocking against the plastic qtr panels so i just attached both of the rear seatbelts together and the problem is sorta half sorted... might look at fixing some foam inside the panels at some stage (heard it's better than soundproofing mats coz it's lighter but still able to withstand vibration and has similar sound absorbancy qualities)

gutless

i love everything about my car except for 1 thing...
i dont like the fact that i woke up this morning and found bird sht on my bonnet


Tim

I think the FTO does lack driveability..
just bottom end, there is not much there!!
It takes a while to get hit the revs up high.. it's still a nice car though...

no car is perfect

its a pitty the FTO is a bit to on the mitsubishi side.

they could have done a little better on the interior - its a bit dull.

seen a lot of picys of you guys dressing them up a bit and it looks a lot better.

pitty is was never an offical import into australia.

the only other gripe is the engine bay is a bit of a bastard to work around

i think the interior is perfect as is... gives you something to build on, something to mould and create ... ok this is getting silly...

seriously i think the interior is a great, and something to customise. got to remember the design is almost 10years old now and is still up to date with most aussie cars

i reckon the FTO has one of the sportiest and classiest interior this side of a Ferrari... (too bad they don't come with suede leather option from factory, hehehe...!!) not even the GTR, GTO or 200SX comes close!

I couldn't agree more on the lack of low end performance
As far as I know... without adding a low turbo there's not much that can be done about that either....

As for the interior, yeh leather would be awsome
I'm thinking it needs a little updating.. maybe some brushed metal look on the center panel or something.... not sure how you'd go about that though.

otherwise, overall performance, I think the car is almost perfect, just needs to be a little "tighter" but that's nothing that money can't fix heheh

Yeah, or some stranger out of no where coming up right next to you (scaring the crap out of me in the mean time) saying "nice car mate". Always happens when I least expect it.

LOL, in my town people tend to confuse my car with a Supra (dunno if that's a good thing or not) plus the best part is i get the winks from school chicks every now and then as they cross the road in front of me...

but then this thread is not really about why i love my FTO so i'll just shut up now, heheheh...

Hmmm.... i have a list of things I don't like about the FTO (well my FTO).

1. Rattles like a baby toy when going over bumpy roads.
2. FTO Light up Kick plates on passenger side get literally "kicked" too much, probably because the car is so low.
3. 1st Gear Ratio sh!ts me.
4. Car rattles even more when I turn the music up due to my sub
5. Tinny doors.
6. Jammed sunroof cover (the inside cabin part won't close).
7. Back seat is too small, but I use it like a boot

Comments about other pplz quams:
- my cabin light and interior are fine, I don't mind it.
- my driver side carpet has a hook to keep it in place
- my low end torque seems fine... I get a lot of pull out of my engine early and more later too


Basically, there are like so many advantages about the FTO that outweighs the disadvantages 20 to 1.


Love the car! Love the sound of MIVEC! I want to record the sound of my engine/exhaust/car soon too, and then compare that with others That would be cool... anyone else done that yet?


Later,
B.