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Another newbie

PostPosted: Fri Jul 13, 2007 11:16 pm
by gabico
Hi everyone
Its about time to say hello cause Ive been reading the forum for the last month.
Just bought myself a nice and shiny FTO on Sunday :) . Its a 95 Manual GPX.
I got it from UK and didnt have time to register it yet. Hopefully Ill do that on Monday.
Now I don't know too much about cars as Im more into computers but I really like the looks of the FTO, thats why I bought it. I don't care much about the power even tough its nice to know that its there is you want it.
Now about the car: Like I said its a 95 manual gpx in silver. For what I could figure out it has an Apexi air filter, 5zigen exhaust, its been lowered, it has 18" toora alloys with 235/40 falken wheels and Eibach springs.
And pics: sorry about the quality it was raining and a bit dark but she still looks gorgeous :) .

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Engine bay: I know... A lot of work to do there.I start cleaning a bit but I need some time to sort that out.

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Back:

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Inside: Thats one ugly steering wheel I hope I'll change that soon. Also I lot of cleaning to do there too
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Wheels:
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The car drives very well but its a bit bumpy which is to expected with the 18" wheels. I would prefer some 17" ones so Ill sort that out when I can afford it. Also the exhaust is too noisy for me so Ill need to sort that out as well.
The only problem I have is that the battery light comes on now and then. I red plenty of threads about alternator and battery but still haven't figure it out what it is...

Anyway just want to say thanks to all of you for so much information on this forum and maybe Ill meet some of you soon.
Btw Im in Galway if anyone with experience from the forum wants to give his impression about my car I will be very grateful. Ill trow in few pins towards that ;)

Thanks

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 12:17 am
by Kace
My 2c....

Agreed - get rid of that exhaust - it does really look pants.
Also - get that battery warning looked into. You could have an alternator problem which will be best to get sorted before it gets progressively worse. Do a search on here, there are some checks you can do for a dodgy alternator.

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 12:17 am
by Sebastian
wellcome along !
nice piece of metal there !
:) enjoy the site

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 10:23 am
by CJ
Welcome Gabico. Looks like yolu've got adjustable coilovers in there, they're gonna be hard, especially on 18's. You could probably sell the coilovers and stick in a new set of struts with money left over if you so wished. I notice that theres an Arc intake in place, nice mod for smoothing out the air flow.

Unless the exhaust is too loud, I wouldn't worry too much about it, I've seen worse! I'be be more inclined to remove the rear foglamp and fill in the hole in the bumper - this is one MOT mod that the car could do without.

Did you buy private? Previously owned by an FTOOC member perchance?

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:27 am
by gabico
Thanks guys.
I don't think that the exhaust looks bad but it is too loud for me.
If you think that the coilovers makes the car so bumpy than Im definitively going to take them down.
Yes I bought the car privately from Scotland. I don't think that the current ownder was member of the ftooc (was a young fellow who had a bike as well so he didnt used the car for the last 3 months, I don't think he took care of the car how he should and he only had it from january). Maybe the previous owner who imported the car from Japan. From the invoices that I have from him he didn't spare any expenses on the car.

PS: Sebi I noticed we're both from the same country so Salut and if you're ever around Galway give me a call.

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:34 am
by CJ
FYI, you can get a new set of shocks from Camskill reasonably cheaply:

http://www.camskill.co.uk/products.php? ... b0s585p416

You'll probably need new top mounts as well.

CJ

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 12:21 pm
by Muad_dib77
Congrats on the purchase and welcome to the club.

You can pickup a standard exhaust relatively cheap on eBay if you're after one of those.
Alternatively the mongoose systems aren't super loud.

Car looks nice!

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 4:04 pm
by mcgon1979
Nice one Gabico!!! Nice looking motor and nice and clean engine bay too.
I have that exhaust too. 5zigen pro racer... Mine is not really loud at all. Do you mean loud inside or outside the car? This is mine from inside and outside.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_GOOtrexIM
and
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqKG51ZTLp8

mind you I have since fitted a decat pipe which made it sound slightly deeper in tone but not louder. 6zigen are a v good exhaust so if you want to change it you should be able to sell it on here no problems I should think. As Maud says the Mongoose exhaust is noted to be quite quiet so might suit you. won't rust away like a standard one either :)

Congrats again.

:twisted:

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 10:03 pm
by gabico
Thanks guys I really appreciate your advice..
My problem is that I don't know how a standard fto drives/sounds.. I can only compare it with my old car (opel astra)... I know that they are different cars all together ....
The sound from the exhaust is kinda like yours mcgon.. The thing is that this sound makes me look like a racer in my opinion.
The look of the car drives enough attention to it so I don't want the noise to do that too ;)
I'll see what I do about the suspension/exhaust when I get more finances..Probably Ill change both if needed.
Till then I have to sort out the important bits: battery light, vrt, tax, nct etc

Today when cleaning the car I took out the back seats and found a nice ipod shuffle and a few pounds :) Lucky me...

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:08 pm
by mcgon1979
gabico wrote:Today when cleaning the car I took out the back seats and found a nice ipod shuffle and a few pounds :) Lucky me...


If that isn't encouragement for me to clean my car, I dunno what is... :lol:

PostPosted: Sat Jul 14, 2007 11:35 pm
by ftolam13
Nice looking motor

PostPosted: Sun Jul 15, 2007 4:32 pm
by Dadikool
nice, welcome to the boards