Most underrated car - Page 4

castellan · 14-02-2011, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by big_landau

stock E55 auto with scrawny two barell carb,no extractors and 2" pea shooter exhaust and a 2.92 diff.modern motor got a 15.2 out of one in 72 but i think 15.5 was around the normal time.

No no! it has a 4 bbl This is a 340ci not the 318ci
As the 318 and 360 only got the 2 bbl carby
The early 340 got bigger valves to.
Easy to put twin exhaust on it.
Muscle Cars mag has test with a VH E55 and it has a 3.27 diff so they must be an option.
The auto GT did not have extractors.

big_landau · 14-02-2011, 01:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by castellan

No no! it has a 4 bbl This is a 340ci not the 318ci
As the 318 and 360 only got the 2 bbl carby
The early 340 got bigger valves to.
Easy to put twin exhaust on it.
Muscle Cars mag has test with a VH E55 and it has a 3.27 diff so they must be an option.
The auto GT did not have extractors.

sorry thats right they had the 4 barrel.
would have been interesting if they had have made the E55 with a six pack set up and a 4 speed.

The Yeti · 14-02-2011, 02:27 PM

Years ago I grabed a 244 Volvo for almost nothing for no other reason than it had 9months rego and even if I cashed in the rego I would make a profit, I pulled the cam cleaned where it had picked up in the head flusehd the oil and took care of a few other minor lack of service issues and kept it as a curtosy car for our customers, I then lent it to my mum for a few weeks while we did the engine in her car up and she loved it we ended selling her car and she kept the Volvo for years

It was ugly as sin but it was economical, reliable and as long as you didnt want slick 60ft times it went hard

As said in the orginal post 4spot calipers on the front, strong diffs, there a good hotrod donor

big_landau · 14-02-2011, 02:39 PM

my uncle put a 289 windsor in one in armidale nsw over 20 years ago.

TheInterceptor · 14-02-2011, 03:36 PM

How bout the MOKE!

Yellow_Festiva · 14-02-2011, 04:12 PM

My answer will probably be obvious.....

Yes, I'm serious lol.

big_landau · 14-02-2011, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

My answer will probably be obvious.....

Yes, I'm serious lol.

actually i know plenty of people who have owned that model festiva and my grandmother has one at the moment.my brother thrashed one he had which was pink of all colours and another mate of mine who is pretty rough on cars had one for a few years,tuff little car

TheInterceptor · 14-02-2011, 05:06 PM

Yeah actually they are pretty bulletproof. They dont sound like it if a wheel bearing lunched itself badly as per mates festi...

onfire · 14-02-2011, 05:23 PM

From day one was criticized for it's looks, it's shape, it's over all presentation.

It punched out 157kW @ 4900 rpm & 357Nm @ 3000 rpm. And had a much more redefined engine over it's previous model. It was roomy and spacey and reliable, so much so, every second taxi is one.

Never, over-rated, very much under-rated.

Gentlemen, I give you.. The Ford AU Falcon.

MexicanBatman · 14-02-2011, 05:27 PM

My vote is for the magna 3.5

The magna 3rd generation had many Aussie firsts, first 5 auto first Aussie awd, same with airbags and interior features, also I can tell you as asked before hand mentioning that they are no quicker than a manual ford, WRONG... I have been to 3 magna drag days at heathcote and was in that scene, a friend had a TH with just 147kw it did 14.8's at heathcote stock with a good launch, the TJ were quicker with ralliarts able to do mid-low 14's with a good driver factory stock.. But that said an aurion can do the same and auto, aside from common misconception they with minor mods handle very well in fwd form, I had a supercharged awd and they was far better than my FG, shame it was slow!

Anyhow

Honorable mention, they Hyundai excel... Yeah shiit crap buzz boxes but for little cost they just go and go and go, my aunties had 350,000km when it got stolen, and minimal upkeep, lucky to have an oil change each year..

I hate them but they are pretty reliable cheap and hardy.

bingoTE50 · 14-02-2011, 07:14 PM

Datsun 180B ...set of gas shocks and good rubber..they were great fun .Max out at @175 k's in 4 spd form ... A pity they liked rust ..

TC200six · 14-02-2011, 08:03 PM

I forgot to mention the Datsun 120Y. They always seem to be used as an example of a bad car but I don't see why they're any better or worse than any other Datson of the same era (or any other small car from its time).

Yellow_Festiva · 14-02-2011, 08:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bingoTE50

Datsun 180B ...set of gas shocks and good rubber..they were great fun .Max out at @175 k's in 4 spd form ... A pity they liked rust ..

My first car was a 180B. Was a hand-me-down from my mum.

It felt more secure cornering than in a straight line on the freeway and their transmissions were pretty good caus God knows I tried killing it on many occasions. Had a pretty good IRS setup as well.

175 kays... you are a brave man. Mine didn't have decent rubber or shocks.

big_landau · 14-02-2011, 09:08 PM

talking about dattos what about the datsun 1600's they were a fun thing.

Jimmyd · 14-02-2011, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bingoTE50

Datsun 180B ...set of gas shocks and good rubber..they were great fun .Max out at @175 k's in 4 spd form ... A pity they liked rust ..

I'll vouch for that, though not fun when the right hand front retread lets go......

Ibrox90 · 14-02-2011, 11:40 PM

Mitsubishi Magna in any shape of form

FERG_51 · 15-02-2011, 12:01 AM

Datsun 240k and the early IRS Skylines, ya couldnt kill em.

GoldCoastGTP · 15-02-2011, 09:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FERG_51

Datsun 240k and the early IRS Skylines, ya couldnt kill em.

Under rated alright - the Datto 240K had one many moons ago I thing it was a mid 70's model Blue in a 2 door with the black vinyl interior - not good when you lived in Emerald in summer as a youngin
Big 6 cyl ton of grunt - the hiroshima screamer
Also just a bit of banter what is the difference between a Datsun 180B and a Datsun 200B

20 more mistakes

SLO247 · 15-02-2011, 11:30 AM

I'll throw in another vote for the 3rd Gen Magna.

Much maligned by bogans for years, the build quality was better than Falcon and Commodore, performance was at least as strong, it was more refined and they look amazing with a nice set of wheels and a ride height drop. The V6 had a beautiful sound when on song too.

AU Falcon is another one. We have an XR6 VCT and a Fairmont. IMO both look great, they drive 1000 times better than an E-Series in every way (and I'm a huge E-Series tragic). I actually prefer the AU to the BAs I have driven. In the AU I don't feel like I'm driving a computer. Everything is more communicative and responsive.

Grippy · 15-02-2011, 11:32 AM

The AU Falcon and R31 Skyline I consider underrated

ryanstev · 15-02-2011, 11:37 AM

The 1990 era Honda Preludes with 4 wheel steering. They could handle incredibly well and were the best handling car one year.

**cs123** · 15-02-2011, 11:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grippy

The AU Falcon and R31 Skyline I consider underrated

I agree with the AU. Any AU with IRS and preferably the 5 litre would make great car to own.

I'll be going "back to the future" soon and buying one. I bought an AU Fairmont new in '99 and 3 new cars later I seem to be drawn back to buying one....Under rated and right priced IMO.

Franco Cozzo · 15-02-2011, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

My answer will probably be obvious.....

Yes, I'm serious lol.

We still have ours in the Family, except its white. But I'm not too keen on Mum driving it anymore after my accident yesterday, especially when we have a perfectly good WS Fiesta in the driveway.

**Polyal** · 15-02-2011, 12:28 PM

Yeah AU takes this one out, I brought my AU willingly over a BA/BF.

Im always thinking about buying something else (its a habit) but the AU for a daily is perfect.

stev3n · 15-02-2011, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoldCoastGTP

Under rated alright - the Datto 240K had one many moons ago I thing it was a mid 70's model Blue in a 2 door with the black vinyl interior - not good when you lived in Emerald in summer as a youngin
Big 6 cyl ton of grunt - the hiroshima screamer
Also just a bit of banter what is the difference between a Datsun 180B and a Datsun 200B
20 more mistakes

My first car was a 200B, those L series dato motors were indestructible.
Diffs and boxes were a weak link though. My 200B with extractors and modified carb used to give a 6cyl falcon or torana a spanking off the mark (up to 100 kp/h).

My brother had a 78 skyline 2.4 6cyl, that was a great car, years ahead of it's time, IRS, trip computer, 4 wheel disc brakes, AC, 5 speed box. That car was incredibly quick point to point on poor quality roads, had an amazing ability to hang onto crappy roads He later put 260Z motor, box and diff into it, was quite a goer in its day.

**DJM83** · 15-02-2011, 07:22 PM

People will think im a little bias but im going to say the XR5T Focus. I had a V8 RWD car before this and im astonished, yeah sure the Falcon will be quicker in a straight line. But it wont corner and brake near as good as my focus.
Many a big aussie car have been gobsmacked when they see the rear of my focus and its only mildly modified.
Even in standard form in the corners these things really can hold their own.

smoo · 15-02-2011, 07:29 PM

AU, in particular the VCT powered IRS models, the engine pumps out figures that shamed the 5 litres from Ford and Holden at the time, still has more peak torque than a new Alloytec, good for 1 million kays if treated right, capable of 7.5l/100km highway, tow 2 tonne piece of ****, no major common faults, build quality better than E and B series, styling that has aged better than anything else from the 90s, XR6 and Fairmont Ghias will easily be future/modern classics in years to come.

Jimmyd · 15-02-2011, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smoo

AU, in particular the VCT powered IRS models, the engine pumps out figures that shamed the 5 litres from Ford and Holden at the time, still has more peak torque than a new Alloytec, good for 1 million kays if treated right, capable of 7.5l/100km highway, tow 2 tonne piece of ****, no major common faults, build quality better than E and B series, styling that has aged better than anything else from the 90s, XR6 and Fairmont Ghias will easily be future/modern classics in years to come.

Agreed, the AU was a car built by engineers, not the marketing dept; IMHO VCT IRS equipped Fairmont Ghia with Tickford options was the pick of them (well, short of the T series anyway...)

RAPID_BA · 15-02-2011, 10:46 PM

Id have to say an au falcon

Like meeting a girl who is really good in bed just gotta put a bag over her head or shut your eyes.

Au is a quality car just looks horrid. Ill buy one as
They are so cheap and good bit of machinery, ill just tint the windows to 5% or drive it at night

The au is the smart chick that is a short stumpy looking thing, the ba-bf has the big boobs and long legs, who cares about its personality.

uranium_death · 15-02-2011, 11:00 PM

I find the general public believe everything they hear on the TV.

I think both Mazda3s and the Focus are infinitely nicer cars than the Corolla, but the Corolla seems to outsell.

The TE Magna-380 were great cars that got panned in the media. Once again, inifinitely nicer than the equivalent Corolla of the day. The TE and TF had the best standard transmission between the big four as well...

I think the Falcon today is underrated by too many, but misconceptions are formed when peckerheads like Dowling unashamedly can it while praising his Commodore.

I can not speak highly enough of the XF Falcon either. They were a great all-round vehicle. Great for carrying loads (either for holiday or work), and plenty of room.

The AUs were NOT hideous. With a spoiler on the back, I reckon they look fantastic, and I like the front lights, despite others not.

The AU has aged significantly better than the VT. A well-kept VT looks good, but you see a lot out there that look well-used.
I tend to see AUs generally still in good condition, and they still look fresh due to the New Edge Styling. Even Mercedes seem to have taken cues - most likely unintentionally, but goes to show that what was a 'hideous' car at $30,000 is a beautiful one at $160,000 and a Mercedes badge tacked on.