GTP User Vehicle Reviews

[nd 4 holden spd]

Hello again guys. As some of you may know I work at a Ford dealership, and this leads to me driving a few different cars, Fords and other brands alike. Not to mention all the other cars you get to drive every once in a while. So this here is a thread for GTP users to post reviews of cars they have driven or even owned. The reviews don't have to be sports driving orientated, they can be about what the car was like to drive around town, what nice features really stood out, anything. Anything you take away from driving the car.
This could not only be interesting conversation starters, but maybe useful for people looking to buy a car to see what others have thought. For every review please title the post in bold Review of (Exact model of car, as many details known). So for example, a title might be Review of 2008 Ford Mondeo Diesel Automatic. I will link each review to this first post for easy reference.

I want to stress however, these reviews are/can be completely opinionated. Under no circumstances will other users insult the opinions of others with intent to cause trouble. I encourage discussion and friendly debate.👍

So, let's hear them then.

"Review" by "User"
BMW 335i Coupe vs Infiniti G37 S by Reventón
Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano by M5Power
Ford Fiesta 1.3 '98 Used Car by homeforsummer
Ford Focus LT Hatch ('07) TDCi 6spd manual by nd 4 holden spd
Mini Clubman S '08 by Joey D
Mitsubishi Lancer Evo VI '99 by slidesquad#1
Renault Clio Dynamique '03 by Famine

 

[Philly]

Good idea. I'll probably have a contribution to add to this in the next day or so.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I hope many people do (as nearly all of us own a car, so hopefully everyone will at least write a review on their own car). I'll be starting to write some when I get time.
Preview: LT Focus Petrol Sedan, 4spd auto= Fail. LT Focus hatch diesel manual= Win.

Edit:

Review of LT Focus ('07) Hatch TDCi 6spd manual​

This was our workshop vehicle for quite some time so I got a fair bit of seat time in it.
The Drive: I must say that it was remarkably easy to use, the gearbox is fairly nicely spaced and reasonably smooth, plus you're never confused about what gear the lever is sitting in. The clutch had a predictable and lenient grip point, so take offs were never an issue. Beware, you can't crawl around in 2nd gear, or even 1st gear, put the clutch in. Otherwise the car gives little spurts of the throttle to prevent labouring, which is dangerous in stop start traffic as if you're too close to the car in front it might send you into them (thankfully it didn't do that to me). The electronic throttle is also poorly calibrated if you have sports driving in mind. It is unresponsive, so quick stabs of the throttle (eg. heel-toe braking) and the revs might not change at all. The gears are really short, I was changing into 3rd at just over 60km/hr. I don't like gears that short, definitely not for me. The handling was typical hatch back, just point and shoot, lots of grip. I couldn't test much more un public roads, so I wasn't able to push the limits. The car didn't absorb bumps as well as many other vehicles. Lastly, the brakes are pretty good too.

The Features: Not much to speak of. It has a little tab on the steering column which can be used to adjust stereo volume. It's damn annoying as you bump your knee on it trying to use the clutch unless you position the wheel really high. I guess for those interested, the wheel was leather wrapped...... The seats were fairly supportive, but not the best I've been in.

Other: Not much back seat space unless there is someone really really short in the front seat. I was able to transport most small to medium sized automotive parts in it, but anything getting on the bigger side of a bonnet protector and we needed to get a Ute.

 

[1X83Z]

Review of Ferrari 599 GTB Fiorano

Gents let me just start by saying I had some pre-conceived notions before I got in this car. I thought it would be the single most unbelievable thing that had ever happened to me, and perhaps the quickest I had ever gone. It was to be the most powerful car I had ever driven. I was certain I'd die.

Most of those things ended up being true.

It WAS and still is the single most unbelievable thing that has ever happened to me. Last week I met a blonde senior in my biological anthropology class. After class I took her for coffee and after coffee I took her back to my place. We went at it for over an hour, culminating with her literally screaming in pleasure and, following that, her saying that she "hadn't had that much fun in a while." My floormates were giving me high fives for days.

I'd give that entire encounter up for five minutes in a 599 GTB. Hell, I'd give blondes in general up for five minutes in a 599 GTB. I might be persuaded to give up women entirely for a ten-minute joyride.

You floor it and the world begins to come crashing down on you. First gear does two things: one, it moves so unbelievably quickly through the revs that a novice (Keef perhaps) wimps out and shifts early. This is combined with the fact that the car sounds like it's qualifying for ****ing LeMans, so it's hard not to shift early, because where my car is at full tilt, this thing is at idle. Secondly, first gear propels you to some ridiculous speed like 50mph. Second gear and you're above the speed limit. What speed limit, you ask? All of them. Everywhere.

I don't think it's even possible for me to ever forget the rush of the red lights on the steering wheel coming on to tell me to upshift when I was doing like 85mph... in second. That was the second time I had driven a 599; the first time I had been so blown away by the acceleration and I never even got to the red lights on the wheel. That means I had kept it pretty far from peak power but I was still enamored. If these last few paragraphs don't do something to explain the unbelievable acceleration with this car, try this one: when you floor it in a 599 GTB, the horizon comes at you so quickly that your eyes focus completely on what's ahead, and completely tune out anything in your periphery. It was an experience I had never had before and have had only rarely since, in similarly fast cars. Roller coasters have NOTHING on a 599 GTB.

Two more points I want to make on the 599 GTB: one, it shifts really fast. No really. You pull the paddle and by the time you've had time to think, you're at like 4k rpm in the next gear. Doing 350 miles per hour. And it's probably like third. Okay maybe some of that is hyperbole but you get the idea.

Two, it handles kind of well. I don't even know how to hyperbolically describe handling, so I'll just say this: you turn the car hard, the body doesn't roll. Has anyone who doesn't drive either a go-kart or an Elise for a living ever experienced that? Oh and by the way, I've driven an Elise for a living. The 599 GTB has less cornering roll. Unfortunately it also has less steering feel, but since the Elise's steering wheel is one step away from you physically getting out and turning the wheels yourself, I guess that's okay. The 599 GTB is just amazingly, unabashedly perfect in cornering.

Did I mention I never even tried it in Race mode? God only knows what that would've done.

Sorry I had to start it off with a Ferrari review. Do you blame me? I could review the 2001 Audi A4 2.8, but I would just repeat "it's really well-built, rather slow, quite reliable, and colored absolutely atrociously" over and over again until you got the idea that it was rather well put together, kind of slow, rather reliable, and indeed in the single worst color ever placed on an automobile.

Now someone review something else!! Or else I will continue revewing crap I've driven. And keep in mind, my life isn't all fun and games at the Ferrari dealer. I worked two summers ago at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. I've driven some CRAP.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Wow, a 599. I can't even begin to imagine the acceleration you felt despite your superlative descriptions.
Us mortals get caught up in thinking that cars like the 599 won't handle so well, simply because there are a number of other super cars that handle better. I doubt they'll ever even let me drive an FPV at Ford.

 

[Famine]

I shall merely link this, because it's an old thread - Famine's Review - Renault Clio '01-'05.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I shall merely link this, because it's an old thread - Famine's Review - Renault Clio '01-'05.

Sounds bad enough to chose the Daewoo based Holden Viva over it. Speaking of Renaults, don't buy one if you're Australian, parts are a 🤬 to get a hold of.

 

[Joey D]

2008 MINI Clubman S

A buddy of mine I have known for years is in the market for a new car so I suggested trying out a MINI for size just to see what he thought of it. He is 6'2" so he didn't know how he would fit in the vehicle, but said he would give it a go never the less. I told him I would tag along because I've been meaning to try my hand at a Clubman for quite some time now.

The test car was a fully loaded with a 6 speed auto. The first thing I noticed when it was my turn to drive it was that the sports seats were pretty uncomfortable and I am really glad I did not get them on my car. The split rear doors also causes a slight visibility problem but I think it's something you would get used to pretty quick. I could see if a motorcycle was behind you there might be an issue with seeing them. But there was so much glass on the inside there wasn't any other blind spots other then that, I could easily and safely change lanes without the risk of clipping someone with the car.

The turbo charged engine was nice, especially coming from my little 118hp N/A version of it. I could tell the transmission though wasn't really cut out for the increased horsepower though and wasn't as smooth as I would have liked. The acceleration was nice though and on the freeway I was able to go from 40-70 pretty quick. The extra weight of the Clubman is slightly noticeable though, it could have done with 200hp apposed to the 178hp.

There wasn't much in the way of torque steer and the handling great, especially during an emergency avoidance of a pot hole in the road. The brakes were great as well, I assume they are the same ones that come on a Cooper S.

I found the back seat to be far roomier then the Cooper's and I could sit back there no problem for an extended period of time, even my buddy who is taller then I said he wasn't bothered by it. Accessing the back was a bit annoying though and the third door could have been a couple inches bigger.

The test vehicle also had a panoramic sunshine roof which was pretty neat and really gave the car a nice open feel. However you couldn't block the glass off completely so on really sunny days I could see that getting annoying and making the car quite hot.

The price was also something the floored me, it was just north of $32,000! That's quite high if you ask me, I mean I could go next door to the BMW dealer and get a 3 series for that, or at least a 1 series (which is ugly as sin after seeing it in person).

Overall I didn't mind the car, I just don't think I would really want to own one. Yes it's bigger but it looks goofy, gets worse mileage, and isn't quite as fun as the Cooper is. I still think it would be perfect for my mom who likes have something a little bit bigger then a micro car.

I suppose I would give the car a 75% approval rating, it's decent but nothing really to write home about.

Taken from here: https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=105221

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Interesting, the Mini Clubman. I never really understood this car, as you said it's not much better than a Cooper, but for more money, and only slightly more practical.

I'm not a fan of sunroofs, they almost look ricey, and can be annoying on sunny days as you said. Plus they break.

Interesting to know, skip the Clubman, get a Cooper by the sounds of it.👍

 

[Jay]

Speaking of Renaults, don't buy one if you're Australian, parts are a 🤬 to get a hold of.

I haven't tryied personally with Renault but there are a few Renault-Nissan combined dealers around now I assume you could get what you wan't there without too much hassle. (Nissan is easy, even if the parts are not in the country)

 

[Joey D]

You get more room without sacrificing to much fun so I understand the car, it's just I don't think I would buy one. I have no need for any more room and I can fit anything I need to in (or on top of) my car now. My mom likes the Clubman though and I'm trying to convince her to get one since her Pacifica is on it's way out (hopefully).

The sunroofs in the MINI's are notoriously bad, they don't leak, but they rattle really bad after about a year's worth of driving. I had thoughts about getting one but after reading the issues people had on North American Motoring I figured the $500 would be better allocated elsewhere, like my rally lamps.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

I haven't tryied personally with Renault but there are a few Renault-Nissan combined dealers around now I assume you could get what you wan't there without too much hassle. (Nissan is easy, even if the parts are not in the country)

We had a Megane Convertible (or what ever they are) in our workshop, selling it as a used car. The parts had to come from France, then there were stuff ups or something, and we didn't get the parts for ages and they were not cheap.

 

[homeforsummer]

USED CAR REVIEW: 98 Ford Fiesta 1.3

More pics: 1 - 2​

Wonder why I've chosen this one to review... And I'm reviewing it as a used car because it was five years old when I bought it, and a nice round ten years old now, about the age that things are starting to go wrong and the things that do go wrong are expensive.

General practicalities
Let's start with the basics. The car is a three-door hatch of the older-school - it isn't enormous, basically. It's a fairly standard shape and the pillars are thin all-round, which is an obvious design flaw with more modern city cars, and makes the Fiesta airy inside and easy to see out of. I'm 5'10" roughly and I do get an A-pillar blind spot at around 30 degrees, but compared to newer cars (and indeed, newer Fiestas) you still have a much better view.

The interior itself is ageing in terms of design, but it's a nicer effort than most smaller cars of the mid to late 90s and even after ten years is impressively devoid of rattles. The car itself is blue and this was at a time when Ford liked making their interiors a similar hue, as anyone who's driven the first-gen Mondeo or a mk4/5 Escort will tell you, and the light blue seats have been looking grubby for some time now. This hasn't been helped by the sunroof, whose seals have begun to perish and let water through, though this is more a criticism of sunroofs in general than the car itself. Other than that, the interior is practical as long as you don't want to fit four or five full-size adults (though it coped admirably with my waif-like female flatmates from my previous degree). This is made up for in the impressive boot, however, which can hold substantially more than a new Corsa (and I have tested this theory very recently) and has a low loading lip.

Engine and controls
The 1.3 litre engine fires up willingly but does benefit from a service - the difference before and after is always noticeable, both in starting up and smoother running. It sounds rough by modern standards but is very quiet at low revs. All the controls are light, save for the steering which in my example isn't power assisted. More on this later.

The clutch is typically Ford-light but with a good feel and the biting point is a cinch to find. The throttle isn't particularly responsive but has a good accurate feel to it so picking your desired revs (say for crawling in traffic) is never a chore. Once up to speed, the gearchange too is light, though not particularly sporty with a long-ish throw. However, it's more than acceptable for a city car. On cold days first and reverse sometimes take a few attempts to engage but in general it's smooth and light enough to change literally with one finger. As for slowing down, the brakes seem very progressive with a firm pedal, and with the car being so light they don't take much pressure to slow the car down. The car does not have ABS so greasy or icy roads need extra care.

The engine does get noisy as revs increase and begins to sound harsh, but the sound isn't unpleasant and one could even go as far as saying it has a sporty note not uncommon to old fast Fords such as the XR2 and XR3. The unit is torquey (much more so at lower revs compared to the 1.25 Zetec also available in the model, which I've also driven) which makes motorway or city driving a pleasant, low-revving affair. It'll happily sit in 4th and even 5th at 30mph without labouring too much, and on the motorway it cruises at 80mph without much noise, whilst achieving well over 40mpg. My last five tanks have all been above 46mpg, going as high as 52mpg.

Driving
The Mk4 Fiesta was made at a time when Ford had really decided to make their cars handle, the plaform was shared with the Ka and the Puma, and it shows. Once you put pressure on the chassis it proves itself to be well balanced and adjustable, but without the snappy characteristics of small French hatches. The narrow tyres don't give much grip, but they advertise their limits in eight-foot high letters in all conditions (helped by the lack of power-assisted steering) so the low limits are easy to drive towards, the steering weighting up nicely.

The poor 0-60 time (around 14s to 60, I recall) is belied by the way the car feels. The light weight helps here, and the car can be pedalled down a country road with plenty of speed, yet never going too near licence-losing velocities. The engine buzzes away happily and the good visibility comes into it's own. Steering feel is very good and "connected" in a way that power-assisted steering can't really match.

The steering itself can be heavy in slower driving - parking is a chore sometimes, especially with a passenger on the wrong side of "average" weight, but it's not ridiculous unless it's a sunny day and too hot, the car is full of people and you're stuck in a tight car park trying to maneuver between two badly-parked cars...but we won't go there.

Costs
I'll keep this simple - it doesn't cost much to run. Fuel consumption, as I mentioned above, is very good indeed when effort is made to drive well, and I've not had a tank below 40mpg (UK) in the last three years at the least. Insurance is perfectly acceptable, tax is in the lower of the two pre-2001 bands, and being a small Ford, servicing parts grow on trees.

However, at ten years old things do start going wrong. My service last year was around £600 for parts and labour as various bits were on their last legs and if I decided to effect any non-essential repairs in it's current condition (rust bubbles appearing in various places, leaky sunroof, odd switches working when they want to etc) then it'd cost me even more money.

Cars like this need to be bought more on condition than age at this point in their lives - if it's been well-treated (like mine) then it'd make a good used car buy. However, I've seen plenty of neglected or boy-racer'd Fiestas that I'd advise any prospective buyer keep well away from.

Verdict
Should you buy a second-hand Fiesta Mk4 or 5 if you're in the market for a small car, or a first car? Of course you should. Along with a VW Polo or many small Japanese cars (though it's cheaper to insure than any of these), they're a wise cheap investment, and should be in better condition for equivalent age than anything French or anything like a Corsa. It's cheap in most respects, and old enough that you can do simple servicing (plugs, filters, lightbulbs etc) yourself.

 

[slidesquad#1]

I guess I'll do one for mine.

1999 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI

Right. Background. My old car, a twin turbo Legacy GT-B wagon, blew both it's turbos. I had them replaced with slightly bigger ones from a newer Legacy, and it was pretty quick for a heavy wagon, despite the lag from hell. But, my mechanic pointed out that my engine wasn't in the best of nick, and knowing how prone the EJ20R's are to blowing the big end bearings, I decided it was new car time. Got a great deal on the Evo, and decided to pull the trigger.

Practicality:
For what it is, it's pretty good. Room enough for 3 moderately non fat people in the back, it's got a boot that's decent enough and what else do you need?

Seats up front are absolutely awesome Recaro's, but they can get a bit uncomfortable over long distances if you don't get the seat position right. They're no couches. The rear bench is rather plank like, but hey, I'm not sitting there, so why do I care?

Amenities:
The aforementioned seats, a MOMO wheel and...um...standard Lancer everything esle. Except things like the intercooler water spray switch . It's not a luxury car, and it doesn't pretend to be.

Driving:
It's not that hard to drive. The clutch is pretty stiff, and takes a little getting used to, but it's a lot easier to drive for me now compared to a lot of other manuals with softer clutch pedals.

Likewise, the short-throw gearbox takes some adjustment as well (first time I drove it, I was using the Legacy as my guide, and I went 2-5 more than once), and it's a bit notchy at lower speeds, but once you're on it, it keeps getting better and better.

The steering is on the heavier side, but I love it's exactness.

Visibility is fine, but when reversing out of driveways, or looking behind you in the mirrors, the spoiler can get in the way at times. Again, bothered me initially, but I hardly notice any more.

Performance:
Hell yes! Starts boosting around 2 grand, 14 psi by 3.5K, doesn't really stop pulling till redline (7k). It passes the "pin you to your seat" test. And it's stock as a rock.
It's geared pretty short, (2nd goes through to around 95 kmh, 110 kays in 5th is around 3100 rpm) but it is pretty drivable at lower revs, i.e. it'll pull from around 1500 rpm in 5th, which is pretty sweet as far as economy is concerned.

Which leads to my next point. If you haven't got your foot in it, it's actually remarkably good on fuel. Driving economically will get me 10km/l, but mixed driving still gets me around 9, or about 11l/100km, which is a LOT better than what I was managing in the wagon. It's not the epitome of economy, but hey, you gotta pay to play.

The straight line speed is impressive, but the handling is on a different plane. Never driven anything like it. Stable, responsive, you'll (average driver, me included) will run out of testicular fortitude well before reaching the cars limit. And if you're pushing it to the limit, on a public road, you're probably somewhat suicidal.

Drawbacks:
The ride. Sometimes. It's got the standard suspension, but it's pretty stiff. Great for backroads, not always ideal for general driving around. But it's more than acceptable, and decent ground clearance means you're not scraping off front bumper from the kerb.

It's an Evo. Everyone wants to race it. All the time. And you're sorely tempted to take them on now and then. Haven't succumbed to it, but it'll happen eventually.

People comment on the silly body kit, but usually change their mind after I explain that it's standard etc.


Overall:

I've had it about 6 months now, and it's awesome. I love it. Hasn't asked for anything except fuel, though I'll probably give it a oil change and service soon.
There are faster cars out there, there are more economical cars out there, but I think this hits a balance that's pretty hard to beat*.

*The STi's would be up there in this category as well.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Interesting reviews.

homeforsummer, I couldn't agree with more with the small old Fords being cheap and reliable. Working at a Ford dealer, we barely ever see these small cars with anything major go wrong come in for fixing.

Edit: Preview of review on modified '94 VR Ute: The new springs/shocks have improved handling 10 fold, corner speeds that once would have seen me understeering off the road are now handled without so much as a flicker of hesitation. I fall out of my crappy seat before I reach handling limits.

 

[waggles]

Why do I find irony in that you love holdens, but work for Ford?

 

[McLaren]

I could have gone more in-depth, but my internet played games back then.

Infiniti G37 S vs. BMW 335i

 

[waggles]

Interesting reviews.

homeforsummer, I couldn't agree with more with the small old Fords being cheap and reliable. Working at a Ford dealer, we barely ever see these small cars with anything major go wrong come in for fixing.

Edit: Preview of review on modified '94 VR Ute: The new springs/shocks have improved handling 10 fold, corner speeds that once would have seen me understeering off the road are now handled without so much as a flicker of hesitation. I fall out of my crappy seat before I reach handling limits.

Can I make a suggestion? Go to Super Cheap Auto, and find a racing seat that matches the trim. Or look on ebay.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Why do I find irony in that you love holdens, but work for Ford?

Because it's ironic? That's the way the world works, it just so happened the perfect job for me arose in a Ford dealership, as parts interpreter. I still get cheap Holden parts from anywhere.

Can I make a suggestion? Go to Super Cheap Auto, and find a racing seat that matches the trim. Or look on ebay.

When I can afford it I will. And Supercheap Auto sucks, it will be Autobarn or Repco. Probably Repco as we get things extra cheap there. (Does Supercheap even sell bucket seats let alone good ones?)

Edit: Reventón, very interesting, it's the opposite of what I would have expected given the brand image and purpose of the 2.👍

 

[waggles]

Yep-saw it in Leongatha, in Victoria. I think it was 280 a pair.

I dunno about QLD, though.

Or you could get a harness.This looks ok, dunno about your budget.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Yep-saw it in Leongatha, in Victoria. I think it was 280 a pair.

I dunno about QLD, though.

Or you could get a harness.This looks ok, dunno about your budget.

Our local Supercheap offers jack all that a car enthusiast would care about (if anything) if they were looking to upgrade their car. They're pretty good with tools and automotive fluids etc.

I never really liked the look of that seat, I'll know the right seat to get when I can afford to go looking. Plus the seat you posted says it's non-adjustable, which isn't road legal.

 

[waggles]

Ouch... forgot about that.

See if you can get a Recaro out of an STi or Evo cheap from a dealer.

From what I can remember, BMW offer these kinds of seats, but at a German price-upwards of 3 grand!

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Ouch... forgot about that.

See if you can get a Recaro out of an STi or Evo cheap from a dealer.

From what I can remember, BMW offer these kinds of seats, but at a German price-upwards of 3 grand!

Dealer prices are rediculous on buckets, plus I wouldn't be able to stand saying I have Evo seats in my Ute. They will be Autotecnica or something, they'll do the job, don't you worry. Now, back to reviews!

 

[slidesquad#1]

Not sure Evo seats would be caught dead in your ute.

 

[nd 4 holden spd]

Not sure Evo seats would be caught dead in your ute.

Exactly, it's Ying and Yang.

 

[jereweeti]

Click here for my review on the new Seat Exeo