Help! About to buy a Pulsar!!

[Andyt]

Please help!
:roll:
I have wanted a Pulsar GTi-R for a number of years, and currently have the opportunity to import a very low mileage example from Japan. However I thought it may be a good idea to take a test drive in one before I took the leap and ordered it.
:?
I noticed a local garage had a “standard” 1994 example on the forecourt, the car had done 100,000km (65ish miles) and no modifications ie exhaust, filter, boost controller etc. The car wasn’t the RB(?) lighter version and was still on standard rims/tyres.

I took the car for a 20min test drive over various conditions (long straights, standing starts and some twisty stuff) ….. HOWEVER it wasn’t’ as I’d expected! Even after warming up the car was very sluggish and when the boost did eventually arrive it really wasn’t the “light speed” launch I was expecting. The gears were very imprecise to say the least – yet all seemed well from the dials in the cabin.
:shock:
I currently drive a MR2 Turbo (to be kept for track use) and I would have thought the performance should be at least comparable to this – with the advantage of 4x4 traction. Honestly, it was more like 2.0 Vectra/Mondeo territory than a true “Hot Hatch”. I think my expectations were realistic (especially after seeing the cars in Feb J-Tuners thrash perform!), does the Pulsar require stage 1 modifications and above for the car to truly shine? It’s fine if it does but that wasn’t really how I’d imagined it to be.

Please can anyone in the know shed any light on this? Was the example I tried a shed? Tired? It has really put me off the idea of Pulsar ownership (to the extent of looking at an S14a Sylvia) which is a shame as I was looking forward to some trips to the pod again this year with a new weapon of mass destruction! :twisted:

Regards

 

[gtir bean]

there not exactly rocket ships in standard trim but it sounds like that one may have some issues.it should be hitting full boost by 3k rpm.a 1bar r is like a completely different car.

 

[Fire & skill]

a standard gtir has been detuned so much that the turbo hardly spools up at all - in fact its really disappointing driving a standard R after youve driven a 'lightly' tuned one. if the import is as good as you say then i'd be tempted to go for it mate, you'd have all these benefits:

1, good base for a project
2, something rare
3, scooby owners hate us 8)
4, a really good owners club
5, excellent help and advice from fellow members
6, a std car is like having a blank canvas - stamp your own mark on it
7, if its unabused you will truly have a very nice motor
8, 330 bhp is easily available with a couple of mods
9, and an umbrella to keep you dry

 

[kirko]

there must have been someting wrong with it because there should have
been some impressive acceleration :?

dont be put off just make sure the one you buy is a good example

 

[Gray]

Yeah going from uprated boost down to standard boost is like stepping into a 1.2. If it had absolutely no mods it will feel just marginally quicker than a quick 2 litre.

 

[MarkTurbo]

I think my expectations were realistic (especially after seeing the cars in Feb J-Tuners thrash perform!), does the Pulsar require stage 1 modifications and above for the car to truly shine? It’s fine if it does but that wasn’t really how I’d imagined it to be.

Mine was one of the cars in the J tuner feature and you will notice a huge amount of differance from an air filter/exhaust and a bit more boost over a standard car

When i got mine it was still bog standard and once rolling it wasnt much quicker than my Astra Gte 16v :?

 

[Fast Guy]

This is what a standard Gtir should do. ie wayyy faster than a normal 2.0L

When i got mine it was still bog standard and once rolling it wasnt much quicker than my Astra Gte 16v :?

You should be so lucky, mine was slower than my montego :lol:

(but my montego had a pb of 13.9 )

 

[Andyt]

Thanks for the response!

Cheers for all the feedback lads i feel a little better! Still not sure to take to the track sideways in a sylvia or at warp speed in a Pulsar!

PS: Nice car Mark - really enjoyed the article, keep up the good work fella

 

[MarkTurbo]

When i got mine it was still bog standard and once rolling it wasnt much quicker than my Astra Gte 16v :?

You should be so lucky, mine was slower than my montego :lol:

(but my montego had a pb of 13.9 )

Yeah but its hardly surprising, thats a bloody quick montego Carl :shock: 8)

PS: Nice car Mark - really enjoyed the article, keep up the good work fella

Cheers 8) Just done a load more work on it so should be even quicker now :lol:

 

[marcymarc]

Andyt, where abouts do you live in south yorkshire mate???

 

[NISR227]

Most get use to 1bar, (1.2bar etc), but lets look back for a second, most of us when we first drove a standard R thought it was certainly quicker than a hot hatch and if the above figures are correct then 14.5secs to 100 certainly is quicker than a normal 2 litre, and nearly any hot hatch I can remember.

Andy, its performance should be roughly the same as the MR2 Turbo 3 you have (if thats standard) give or take a second to 100 due to transmission lose and slight poorer aerodynamics. So if it felt slow then something is wrong. If your talking about launching, IIRC MR2's turbos due to their mid engine layout get off the line very well anyway. R's are old cars now, and even if its standard, it needs checking over and setup properly. It might be leaking boost or something.

Best advice is take a ride in a members car, who can run you near standard peformance and show you how it should feel.

There are too many people around who are obsessed with power figures and forget that a standard R is actually still great fun. If there is one thing you have to change its the standard brakes.....the whole car can be improved, and has many areas that need adressing compared to modern cars now, but the brakes are a must (upgrade to some 4 pots if they can fit under the wheels).

 

[paz]

Most get use to 1bar, (1.2bar etc), but lets look back for a second, most of us when we first drove a standard R thought it was certainly quicker than a hot hatch and if the above figures are correct then 14.5secs to 100 certainly is quicker than a normal 2 litre, and nearly any hot hatch I can remember.

Andy, its performance should be roughly the same as the MR2 Turbo 3 you have (if thats standard) give or take a second to 100 due to transmission lose and slight poorer aerodynamics. So if it felt slow then something is wrong. If your talking about launching, IIRC MR2's turbos due to their mid engine layout get off the line very well anyway. R's are old cars now, and even if its standard, it needs checking over and setup properly. It might be leaking boost or something.

Best advice is take a ride in a members car, who can run you near standard peformance and show you how it should feel.

There are too many people around who are obsessed with power figures and forget that a standard R is actually still great fun. If there is one thing you have to change its the standard brakes.....the whole car can be improved, and has many areas that need adressing compared to modern cars now, but the brakes are a must (upgrade to some 4 pots if they can fit under the wheels).

Spot on for me - my car is more or less standard engine wise, around 240bhp and standard boost, but it still gives you a kick up the arse when you floor it

Paz