FTO AUSTRALIA

Hey guys,

so as you all know (because I have bitched incessantly about it) that my 1994 BMW is a POS, so 3 weeks later still no car, so I've had to hire one to get to Melbourne tomorrow.

The car I've hired is a straight off the assembly line 2010 Holden Cruze with 24kms on it, manufactured in the excellent land of Korea (Yes Australian car, manufactured in Korea...not so patriotic now is it) So I picked it up from the dealer and drove it home, and you know what....I totally hate it! It rides and handles like a truck, it sits way to high up, I hate the automatic headlights and the interior is just way to damn busy, and I'm not a fan of having crap on the steering wheel, like climate control and stereo controls.
It's a 2lt with 104kw, (Kudos to Mitsubishi on the FTO, a 2010 still hasn't got as much power. Very generalised statement based on one car, and I understand the reason behind it ect) better then my BMW or my maybe future Lancer, but I've driven the Cruze for a grand total of 8kms and I'm wanting to steal Brenton's (Brent88) FTO again.

So my question to you guys is have you driven a new car lately and immediately wanted to go back to your pre 2000's model cars, FTO or whatever else you drive, or maybe you didn't. I'm just curious because I drove that and I immediately wanted to be in an older car.

Ciao
Chantalle

My misses has a brand new 200kw Aurion as her work car, will wallop any FTO down the quarter (does a 14 from the factory ) but handles like a dog on lino. I hate it.

Audi A3, hated it, felt like I was peddeling a hamster.
Nissan Tiida, shudder.
Hyundai Getz......................... yeah.................
Never drove, but CJ Lancer.... felt like I would brake something when I touched the door, metal is sooooo thin, long list on that one.
997 Boxster, was nice, but felt like i was sitting on the car, not in it.

That's my 'latest' list, like last 6 months..

Yep, would rather older cars anyday.
Pre 99 I'm happier with.

Must agree with you Astron Boy, I tend to defend the Lancers a little but the CJ was bad! I closed the door and everything felt weak and flimsy, Like you I didn't drive it, I was so unimpressed that I handed the dealer back the keys and said that I was no longer interested in test driving it.
Kia Sorato: I test drove one about a year ago and it sounded like the gearbox was about to drop on the ground, everything was really cheap plastic, and thin & crappy. Was probably the worst car I have ever test driven

2008 Holden Astra- Was pleased with it at the time, because I was still on my L's and had an obsession with sitting up really high in the seat like I was driving a truck, Didn't like the left hand indicator at the time, but I got used to in the beamer. Hated the amount of plastic hard looking crappy plastic and they're so long. Didn't think the shape was to bad at the time, but now it drives me nuts. I would probably actually still drive one reluctantly.

2007 Holden Commodore- I have always sworn that I would NEVER drive a Commodore, but I drove my uncles and I totally hated it! It was just.....tacky.

2007 Hyundai Getz, I don't need to describe it, seems like you already know.

Bennoz wrote:My misses has a brand new 200kw Aurion as her work car... handles like a dog on lino. .

sounds like it'd make a good entry for "Funniest Home Videos"..

i havent driven a better car than the fto in the last couple of months

cars ive driven in the last few months
2009 holden V8 calais - didnt reallly get to give it a flog so i cant comment on its power, but handled like a brick
2010 hyundai i30 - how the f*ck did this get midsize car of the year!!!!!!!! seriously pathetic, worst car ive ever driven
1990ish mazda 121 - better than the i30
2000ish hyundai sonata - decent, not to powerful but a fairly smooth ride
2000ish mitsubishi verada - comfy, decently powerful, nice handling. if i was going to get a sedan i would get this
1998 bmw 323i - seats are really hard, quite fun to drive, sports mode uses about 1000l/100km though, not as good as the verada


if your going to get a car that you have to travel far in get a verada, they are cheapish, amazingly comfy, reliable, spacious, powerful

not as fun as the fto
but i would prefer a verada on a long trip up and down the freeway

The seats in my beamer are quite hard as well, not exactly my idea of a luxury seat to run up and down the freeway in, I always end up with a sore bum out of it. Love the seats in the FTO, super comfy, love the bolstered seats, however I was in the backseat the weekend and I kept smacking my bed on the roof lining (I'm about 5'7 so I'm not really short)

Have heard the Verada's are very comfy

verada seats are like a really comfy lounge

seriously amazing

FTO. Fullstop.

Older cars definitely feel more fun to drive and whatnot.

Newer cars keep pushing the boundaries of handling, performance, safety, comfort etc in any order and you end up with cars that may seem overdone or are so capable that it's simply not safe/sane to enjoy on the roads.

FTO was decent fun with coilovers and some noise.

I love the noise of the FTO, I can't stand the silent ones, I think the noise keeps you away on really long journeys, plus I love the roar of the FTO

get a cressida, comfy as f**k inside, just get some harder suspension should be sweet.

I got taken for a spin in an EVO X MR on Saturday. it failed to impress me, even going 240km/ph. I've been in faster accelerating NA's. It was quieter than my FTO and it had an after market exhaust, I much prefer the sound of the V6. I didn't drive it but it felt heavy and it has the aerodynamics of a house brick.

i picked pre 2000 coz the fto is pre 2000

silverGPX wrote:get a cressida, comfy as f**k inside, just get some harder suspension should be sweet.

I had a 1992 Gold Grande with a roof! the backseat was the comfiest seat of ANY car I've EVER sat in and the frontseat was amazing too, cuise control at 100K's on the freeway, sun roof open windows down, just amazing. Oh and the ride on the Cresida is so smooth, my parents own a 2006 Peugot 307CC and if I was going for a trip, I'd pick the Cressida any day, for both seat comfort and ride comfort.

Crap on fuel about 8K's to the liter city and MOST I EVER got was 9.8/1L on the freeway. Handles like a boat but some 16's and good tires made an AMAZING difference and with a bit of work controlling the huge understeer I was out handeling my friends lowered lancer on 17x7's (probably says more about his skill then it does my car). Another good mod it to put a 2nd standard swaybar on the rear helps to control the understeer, makes a big difference too.

Also owned a Daihatsu Applause, if you want a cheap run around these are AMAZING things, albeit their a tiny 1.6 lift back sedan thingy (Keeping in mind they're A CHEAP CAR) but as far as cars in this bracket go, fantastic on fuel best I got was 19Ks/1L on a trip to Cairns. If you get it without power steering aircon,ect,ect,ect (I.E nothing to drain torque from the motor) They're quite nippy and a little fun too.

89' Nissan Pintara... It was a car... just a car, neither good on fuel, big on power or great in corners, just a car.

06' Peugot 307CC - Pretty cool loking convertible, very nice looking interior 1st thing I noticed was how far from the windscreeon I was sitting, makes it difficult to get a good judge of the space in front of you, the back window is completely useless as well as all the mirrors, you may as well reverse with a blindfold on. Very flat through corners for such a heavy car, was rather suprised, average fuel consumption about 10K/L. This car very much took away the feeling that your driving a car, didn't feel in contact with the road, I think this is a dangerous thing (to lose sight of the fact your driving 1.6 tonne of 60KPH death but appears to work for the all the office ladies who want their classy toy.

98' Nissan Pulsar, just another car suprisingly not great on fuel for the 1.6L... about 10.5K/L, would not recommend one of these, tiny discs at the front even smaller discs at the back, no ABS but it does come standard with a drivers side airbag. Quite slow off the mark not too bad in corners, better then the Cressida, better then the Daihatsu, equal to the Peugot, better then the Pintara.

I'd pick older cars, if for nothing more then the looks and the fact older cars have a proven history of reliability/unreliablity to make a good choice on.

Sorry for the long response!!

Depends on the car really.

I've driven a few, and I quite like my mom's 2008 Civic - not the most powerful, but comfy with great handling.

Guys forget it. FTO is obviously the best car

My 6month list is failry embarrasssing on what ive driven:

2003 Toyboata Estima - Dirty Hybrid
2003 Renault Laguna Diesel - makes me feel a little sick writing this
2007 Skoda Octavia - Basically a passat with a shiter badge
2010 VW Golf - couldn't even get my legs under the steering wheel, the rake reach function has been taken out
2008 RX-8 - Possibly the best one on the list by far and even that wasn't that much fun - wankel-er engines sound funny.

Misses just got her first company car.... I'm so proud.

It's a yaris lol

I8A4RE wrote:Misses just got her first company car.... I'm so proud.

It's a yaris lol

HAHAHAHA