Are XR6 Turbo's fun to drive within speed limit? Mods to make them 'feel' fast?

Joshmcmillan · 13-07-2011, 05:16 PM

Hello everyone, I'm just wondering and trying to work out whether an XR6 Turbo is the best option for someone that loves to drive, or whether they're too 'dulled' down to suit the family man.
I've been in the automatic BA and FG XR6 turbo's and they are VERY fast, but you don't feel a lot of it, and I know a manual would feel faster, but then again, are they too fast to have fun within the speed limits?

And if they are too covered up, would suspension mods, higher diff gears, exhaust and a brutal tune change things completely?
Or would something with less power and better handling be more fun to drive? Or something older, maybe a boosted E-series? I know it's different for everyone, but I'd love to hear people's thoughts

MexicanBatman · 13-07-2011, 05:35 PM

Later would be more fun to drive in my opinion if you like to stay on the right side of the law, to have fun in a modded xr6t you have to go seriously fast, I have had econoboxes that were a more fun daily drive, but there was no thrill like the turbo when things picked up the pace

PHANTMXR6 · 13-07-2011, 05:44 PM

They are great fun, at all speed limits, in my opinion.

Particularly the FG series with the smaller turbo. Quicker spool, on boost earlier= lots of fun.

StrokedXT · 13-07-2011, 05:59 PM

Nothing like leaving the lights in a ford turbo 6, a few bucks and not much will touch it on the street to the speed limit with some decent tyres.

290GTP · 13-07-2011, 06:14 PM

I sold my BA XR6T with 274 rwkw because aside from the ability to break traction at 50 kph (auto) it just wasnt much fun to drive.
The manuals are better but you cant beat a decent 8 for the fun factor.

SEZ213 · 13-07-2011, 06:23 PM

Are XR6T fun to drive within speed limit?

HELL YES!!!

I have to be very careful what I say, the boss is watching...

GT69 · 13-07-2011, 06:25 PM

I drive something similar to this

at work, and drive this

any other time. The tug is more 'fun' in the sense of shenanigans. The golf cart was the super fun weapon though. In alot of ways, the FG XR6T is too refined. Its super fast, but you don't feel like the cars about to kill you, so I guess some 'enjoyment' will be lost there.

If you like quick cars that are also refined, comfortable and capable of doing everything in, then yep, XR6T is a great car.

If you want to scare yourself to death, by something to thrash.

kinksta · 13-07-2011, 06:26 PM

If you want real fun within the limit, get a Caterham. Or other any old sports car like an MG or something...

Joshmcmillan · 13-07-2011, 06:56 PM

I guess for me something fun to drive is something where I can use the gears, and use most of the power... and I guess within reason you can accelerate hard in an XR6-T with controlled traction.

So do you guys think the smaller turbo on the FG makes it MORE fun to drive? I thought although slower, a B-series may feel faster? I would get a late 06 BF at the latest (6 speed manual with FPV internals). I thought the FG Auto T felt less powerful then the BF Turbo I went in (both 6 spd auto)..

I think even if people say that they arnen't fun to drive (which so far doesn't seem to be the case), I will still end up getting one because on top of everything they are a safe car with plenty of room, insurance premiums aren't too bad and they're reliable. Maybe an XR5 turbo would be a competitor?

FYI, I find my EL manual to 'feel' a LOT faster and a LOT more fun to drive then the BA XT I drove before it.

malazn mafia · 13-07-2011, 07:08 PM

Short diff ratio (3.46 or 3.23) behind a 6speed auto XR6T. Havn't had anyone able to keep up from the lights to speed limit.

Psi-Pop · 13-07-2011, 09:09 PM

My dad and my best mate have FG turbos, my best mates is a auto and dads is a manual. There's a hell of a difference between the two for fun factor. The manual is brutal when your giving it some and the auto just makes no fuss at all, it's all about clinical for me.

If I was buyingbone it would be the manual for sure, the ratios are really short so you get in a good bit of cog swapping before your being silly.

On the other note, my turbo e series feels stupidly fast when giving it some throttle. E series weren't designed for 500hp and they let you know with every squeeze. If you like spending alot of time fixing things and scaring yourself, this is a good option.

Joshmcmillan · 13-07-2011, 09:32 PM

Huge fan of the Gli Turbo Psi-Pop... I even have a picture of it on my phone :P :P I love showing people and then telling them the 1/4 times, must be a fun thing to own!

RAPID_BA · 13-07-2011, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sezzy

Are XR6T fun to drive within speed limit?

HELL YES!!!

I have to be very careful what I say, the boss is watching...

Do you mean a boss5.4?

Psi-Pop · 13-07-2011, 10:50 PM

Its a massively fun car to own and drive, every time I take it out it puts a huge smile across my face. I actually haven't had to fix anything but a power steering leak since Heathcote either and I'm driving it 3 times a week and giving it a bit of hell.

If your after a fun newer falcon, I think the BF was more exciting than the FG because of the lag it had. My folks had a manual BF and when it would lag then pop onto boost it was awesome. The FG power is just too linear for my liking, its a much better car no doubt but less fun, and my old man agrees.

My vote is turbo your E series if its not a daily driver, you just have to be prepared for fixing things and having no re sale value at all.

RAPID_BA · 13-07-2011, 10:51 PM

I used to own a xr6t and agree just rolling around and within speed limits not much fun.

Kathy off boost and by the time they wind up your over the speed limit. You can't spool up the turbo at every set of lights.

Is suggest a Good intercooler coupled with big induction pipes and a bov. Also at least 12-15PSI. Not only will it perform but the spool up and winding up of the turbo sounds viscious. You just know its a monster and the spool up is a forwarning that its about to errupt.

Mine sounded like an absolute jet. Very addictive and all happened before boost hits and within legal road speed.

kaniSS · 13-07-2011, 10:53 PM

THe question is how quick do you want to get to the speed limit?

Put it this way I am still smilling since the day I picked mine up...

RAPID_BA · 13-07-2011, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by malazn mafia

Short diff ratio (3.46 or 3.23) behind a 6speed auto XR6T. Havn't had anyone able to keep up from the lights to speed limit.

I dont think playing with diff gears is a good idea on xr6t. Reduce the load and by the time it spools and boost comes on its doing 5000rpm. Overall will make less power as less load on turbo and delayed spool up (rev range)

Much better to have boost hit hard at 2800rpm. Diff gears for na cars only I say

FreddyDUZ747 · 14-07-2011, 12:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

I dont think playing with diff gears is a good idea on xr6t. Reduce the load and by the time it spools and boost comes on its doing 5000rpm. Overall will make less power as less load on turbo and delayed spool up (rev range)

Much better to have boost hit hard at 2800rpm. Diff gears for na cars only I say

If you see how his car accellerates stock you will change your mind lol.3.7's in mine and is way better than std gearing especially with the tall 1st gear.

Booma · 14-07-2011, 12:16 AM

Mines manual, and very fun to drive...........but all is said and done by the end of 2nd gear around town (and its such a shame to waste the other 4)

Joshmcmillan · 14-07-2011, 01:09 AM

I think the resale value and reliablility are reasons I wouldn't turbo my EL.

I think so long as I could change change a couple of gears while accelerating hard I would be able to enjoy it.. with the 4 speed auto BA's you can hit 100 in 1st gear :P

Does anyone know roughly what speed a 6sd manual turbo will be doing at about 4000 rpm in 3rd?

If/When I get one, I'd do air intake, BOV, good sounding exhaust, lower springs and good shocks, wheels and leave it at that for a while. Then eventually do intercooler, wastegate, fuel pump, surgetank and tune to whatever I could get away with for street use while maintaining legal fun factor.

All these thoughts of a new car come as soon as I start to earn a bit of money, I should be saving for a house deposit THEN getting a car :P

malazn mafia · 14-07-2011, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreddyDUZ747

If you see how his car accellerates stock you will change your mind lol.3.7's in mine and is way better than std gearing especially with the tall 1st gear.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V_LiNvrTfjo

blackf6 · 14-07-2011, 03:06 AM

e series are fast but what's the point. try and get one to hook up. fail. atleast u get some sort of traction in a b series. but i know what you mean, have a bit of a stab at the throttle an immediatly your on the wrong side of the law. maybe a motorbike would be the go for you.

Zero_PSI · 14-07-2011, 09:38 AM

Take the windscreen out. Thatd make it feel fast.

Booma · 14-07-2011, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshmcmillan

Does anyone know roughly what speed a 6sd manual turbo will be doing at about 4000 rpm in 3rd?

At a guess, somewhere in the region of 100-120km/h

Psi-Pop · 14-07-2011, 11:10 AM

E series not hooking up? Yeah that is a problem, I don't get mine to proper hook up till 100 on fat BFG's and a 3.27 diff. It needs to be in 3rd before it wants to actually drive forward.

aussie muscle · 14-07-2011, 11:16 AM

There's a lot of grin worthy moments with a V8, even just taking it easy and then kicking it back a gear to get some sound is fun.

Quote:

Originally Posted by GT69

.

i love the colour!!!!!

RAPID_BA · 14-07-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreddyDUZ747

If you see how his car accellerates stock you will change your mind lol.3.7's in mine and is way better than std gearing especially with the tall 1st gear.

This has been argued a few times and xr6Ts have either gone slower or no gain with diff gears over a quarter. Its more an issue with modded xr6ts. It don't matter the gear ratios the torque pulls the car and the turbo can only get to max boost under load.

Rev a turbo whilst stationary and there will not be much boost generated at all as there is no load. But drive the car on the street with load and it loads up big time. Its the same thing with diff gears, the lower the ratio more mechanical advantage and less load equals less spool up and lag in max boost. Why do turbos traditionally drive better in higher gears, more load.

I reckon you may as well unplug the turbo in first gear with a too short ratio wouldn't make much difference to the off the line performance, its all mechanical advantage of the gears not the turbo.

Then up top you lose the load of turbo with the short diff gears.

FreddyDUZ747 · 14-07-2011, 11:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HULK_BA

This has been argued a few times and xr6Ts have either gone slower or no gain with diff gears over a quarter. Its more an issue with modded xr6ts. It don't matter the gear ratios the torque pulls the car and the turbo can only get to max boost under load.

Rev a turbo whilst stationary and there will not be much boost generated at all as there is no load. But drive the car on the street with load and it loads up big time. Its the same thing with diff gears, the lower the ratio more mechanical advantage and less load equals less spool up and lag in max boost. Why do turbos traditionally drive better in higher gears, more load.

I reckon you may as well unplug the turbo in first gear with a too short ratio wouldn't make much difference to the off the line performance, its all mechanical advantage of the gears not the turbo.

Then up top you lose the load of turbo with the short diff gears.

Ok,so you didnt see his footage yeah...

Have you actually done this mod before on a turbo B series.I have 3.7's(same as BA 1 Typhoon)and load has not been affected at all,I ran 11.66@120mph with 320rwkw so it must not be that bad a mod.

Again,in a BA four speed it needed because of the tall 1st gear.Much better to drive day to day also.Im comparing this to my old 3.46 gears that saw,270rwkw,295rwkw and finally 320rwkw,they were not in with my current power.

IronFalcon · 15-07-2011, 12:06 AM

I had a discussion with someone the other day - my contention was that new cars have lost the sense of occasion and soul that older cars seem to have.

Take, for example, a new performance car (Ie - an XR6T). It's comfortable, quiet, and license-destroyingly quick. Everything it does, it does very well - arguably too well.

When you start to push on in a new XR6T, you don't really realise. You go round corners quickly, and it'll stay flat and fast and tied down until the back end breaks away and it tries to kill you. There's very little telling you you're getting up to that point. You go fast in a straight line and it's quick and quiet, but you don't hear a whole lot of it, or really notice it apart from the big shove in the back.

Compare a new XR6 to say, an old XD 351 or an EB XR8. When you start to push on in one of these old beasts - you KNOW what's happening because you can hear and feel it, and generally have to fight the car to get it happening. Pile an older machine into a corner and your world starts coming at you at strange sideways angles because the crap old live rear axle knew there was a bump somewhere in the next suburb and decided to get a bit loose. Pile on the anger in a straight line, and the bonnet heads skywards, and you get some real noise, vibration and soul happening.

Tl;Dr - If you want to go fast, get a new car. if you want to feel fast, get an older car that handles badly, isn't hugely comfortable, and handles like a tinny in a typhoon.

While you might not go as quickly - the older car will have more going on to make you think you're really getting up it, and will be more of a challenging (and therefore more rewarding) when driven (not so) fast.

malazn mafia · 15-07-2011, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FreddyDUZ747

Ok,so you didnt see his footage yeah...

Have you actually done this mod before on a turbo B series.I have 3.7's(same as BA 1 Typhoon)and load has not been affected at all,I ran 11.66@120mph with 320rwkw so it must not be that bad a mod.

Again,in a BA four speed it needed because of the tall 1st gear.Much better to drive day to day also.Im comparing this to my old 3.46 gears that saw,270rwkw,295rwkw and finally 320rwkw,they were not in with my current power.

Would having shorter diff gears mean less strain on the drivetrain components? Wouldn't it be like always pedalling in a lower gear on a pushbike which keeps the chain in good shape, whereas having a higher gear can stuff the chain eventually.