Pulsar GTIR owners in here please

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

Sin_Chase

Soldato
Joined
13 Jan 2004
Posts
21,156
Hi chaps, I know at least 1 member owns and runs one of these, or at least used too but is there anyone else who has owned one or knows anything about them?

Basically I am running some numbers now and I can effectivly sell the focus, buy, import (from the UK to jersey) a decent GTIR. I have been looking around for UK versioned Sunny Gtirs but they are few and far between and not usually in black. Only found a red one so far but it had stellar mileage although was completely standard.

Do you know of reputable dealers who might stock them? Auto trader has a fair few but many are butchered and/or have lots of mods done to them. Preferably I want as near as damnit to standard as possible. I hear the clutches are prone to go and with some heavy abuse are probably due too completely die after it has been sold.

I have found a few which look good, and I mean look in the loosest possible terms by reading the info and trying to assume from what I can see. Although some had suspiciously low milage (~35k) for an early 90s car.

Before anyone asks about insurace then dont :P

Yes I am 20, yes I only have 2yrs NCB but yes, I can insure it and have quotes sitting with me now for mildly-modified Gtirs.

Any information anyone has about it is greatly appreciated.
 
Stonedofmoo has a very nice example.

I used to have one for a couple of years and still miss it.

I would suggest you go over to the GTIROC website and have a look at what is for sale there. Its got pretty quiet since I owned mine but I think thats mostly due to them getting rarer.

As for buying, IMHO theres two ways of looking at it. You could buy high and get one thats had lots of money thrown at it and had uprated engine parts and gearbox parts. This doesn't guarantee reliability but might, if the car has been looked after, be of some comfort. Or go for more or less standard - i.e. wheels, exhaust, brakes.

Some seem to have some money spent, gone wrong, bodged together and sold ASAP. Obviously, these are the ones to avoid.

Personally, I would rather own one as a weekender rather than a daily but as with all cars looked after and they should be fine. I would stay with the owners club becuase you have half a chance of getting a decent one.

Even one with a mild state of tune - no bleed valve nonsense - proper setting up of the engine and it will be a little animal. Brakes are pretty rubbish so one with uprated brakes is a bonus. The gearbox is apparently a bit rubbish but I think theres plans afoot to improve them via a 3rd party. If in doubt buy a gearbox from a wrecked R and keep it in the shed till its called for. I know a guy who went through 3 rebuilds on a 370hp R and all on the OE gearbox.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks for the info, Im not really interested in uprating the power form standard form. Its plenty as it is from the factory.

I have been on GTIROC forums but didnt actually see a for sale section, or the section which used to be is now empty.

I have heard about the brakes but I dont plan on doing multiple conescutive hard braking manevours on road use to get the dire fading you hear about. Although this would be the first thing to uprate beofre anything else.
 
Sin_Chase said:
I have heard about the brakes but I dont plan on doing multiple conescutive hard braking manevours on road use to get the dire fading you hear about. Although this would be the first thing to uprate beofre anything else.
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If they are anything like the standard 2-pot brakes on early scoobs (and from what I've heared, they are) then it'll take just one heavy stamp on the brakes from a fairly high speed to make them fade. I had many a scary moment in the scoob when it was on the standard brakes, and that was through normal 'brisk' driving, not standing on the brakes every three seconds.
 
The brakes don't need any heavy braking, they're an extremely poor part of an otherwise decent little motor and fade in normal use. I got mine uprated (can't remember the name of them offhand), cost about £1500 for calipers, discs (300ish mm if I remember rightly) and pads. I'd look to upgrade them even on standard power, but being in Jersey you may be OK.

Gearboxes are generally ok if you're careful although they don't take much to break them if you're hamfisted with your changes. My car was running around 310bhp (turbo, injectors, Apexi piggyback ECU thingy, forged pistons and metal gasket amongst other things) with no problems. (Apart from the one behind the wheel!) I only managed to muller the gearbox after a 'spirited' take off and a semi missed third gear!! :D

Fuel consumption wasn't too bad, returned about 25mpg on average, although obviously a lot less when making progress. :)

I personally would be wary of buying a standard one now, there were very few good standard examples when I bought mine, and that was about six years ago now! I'd guess that any standard motors available now would be dodgy, maybe 'wrongly' tuned and all the bits taken off. Speak to the people on the GTIROC and buy a known example if possible.

Not sure if he still runs the club but Caleb is in Guernsey, only a stones throw from you. If he's still involved he will definitely know any decent cars that are for sale.
 
datsunman said:
Not sure if he still runs the club but Caleb is in Guernsey, only a stones throw from you. If he's still involved he will definitely know any decent cars that are for sale.
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Thanks for the input and yes, I am already in touch with Caleb and am hoping to have a speak with him soon on the subject.
 
My mate just bought one yesterday, it's just had a full engine rebuild, a new clutch and full respray. I think he paid £4k from a garage in Bristol.

I'll collar him tomorrow and go out for a spin to see what it's like.
 
I looked through the recipts for the build and it didn't mention anything about the gearbox. The engine was only rebuilt with standard parts, I'd have thought that if you're going to the expense of a rebuild (£900 in labour) then I would've put uprated pistons etc in there.
 
Thanks for the info, Im not really interested in uprating the power form standard form. Its plenty as it is from the factory.
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I heard that one before ;)

As said mate look on the GTIROC for R's and get one from a member with a history, not someone who joined up just to sell it. These cars are reliable as any other when well maintained or modified to a high standard, but it's critical you choose the right one as repairs on items like the clutches are expensive.

The weak link in the transmission isnt the clutches, there are better models on the market these days that handle silly power in organic form, it's the gearbox. It really only handles 280lbs torque reliably, after that it's down to how you treat it. I rarely do a 5-6k launch, it's just not needed with these cars to get a fast start and that keeps mine safe.

A quaife gearset will solve the majority of peoples power issues but it's expensive.

If you have any questions feel free to ask them mate.

If you want my advice I would go for a sensibly modified R with UPRATED BRAKES, decat exhaust system and air filter and you should be looking at around 240-250bhp which is plenty in such a lightweight car. More to the point you will be able to stop just as quick.
 
Ideally it would be a good one with already uprated brakes, exhaust system etc but its the insurance which takes a beating for it. The quote I have is for mild mods but it isnt cheap by any stretch of the imagination.

I am still working everything out because it isnt going to be easy, being in Jersey and all. I have to sell the focus, get a cheap runabout and insure it, find a good R', secure it, ship it back, register it and have all the checks done, pay £350 for an inspection if it doesnt have a SVA cert already etc. Could be a couple of months getting it on the road even after getting it.

Its a long process and I am still in two minds whether the mix of potential mechanical problems with the insurance is what I want on my plate. I am still negotiating better prices for the insurance and trying to extract blood from the stone with insurers as to where the risk is coming from.

I have already been on GTIROC but cant see any sections where people are selling them, is it a member only section or am I just blind? :P
 
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