A10 aka Aaron // Townsville - QLD

[Guest]

Hi all. My name is Aaron and I like VR4's.

This must be what AA feels like eh...

So, I've decided I'd like to buy a Galant VR4. Bit of a wolf in sheeps clothing kind of thing. I've just got to sell a car and a bike first. I was thinking EVO originally but I figure a VR4 is half the price and 90% the performance.

My plan at this stage is to enlist the services of someone like our friendly Iron Chef and get the car I want as I'm in no great rush. I figure I'll have something in the ballpark of $15k to play with. Please feel free to critique my desired car. I'll split it into must haves and wants and probably end up rambling.

After some more reading I want a post May 2000 Type-V Manual Galant.
The less K's the better.

Would like:
Prefer silver in colour followed, in order of preference, by white/black/thebluethat'samlostblack/thegreenthatsalmostblack/red.
Recaro's with Momo wheel.
17's but nothing to tarty.
As close to stock as possible.
Recaro's and Momo beat post May '00 refresh I think.
Sunroof would be nice...

My plan to get a boost gauge and up the boost to 10-12 pound either by $30 Turbosmart special or maybe go the techy route with EVOscan or whatever it's called and do some ECU hax. Whack a bit of a stereo in and that's probably it. I'd rather not have big FMIC's and noisy exhausts as that'll just attract the wrong sorts of attention. Also I'd like to keep it nice and stockish to keep some reliability as this will be my daily driver. I'm open to any other cheap mods too. I was thinking of mounting the boost gauge in where the clock used to be as any deck I put in would probably have a clock on it anyways, that and I have one on my arm. Erm, also there are some brake pads which seem to be the go and also when the air filter needs replacing I'd probably put something a bit better in.

...and that's about it I think. Feel free to add anything I've forgotten about. I've been lurking around here since the new forum came online so I'm a lot more clued up than before. I'm planning on doing most of my own servicing as it's really can't be that hard. Things like AYC worry me a bit but I'm told there are guys in Townsville who look after all kinds of speccy EVO's so I should be right. And the car I want doesn't even have AYC anyways so it's no problem.

I'll sit down now.

Edit: A little bit of an edit to clarify the car. Also I figure that this model of VR-4 won't be flashable as yet but that's not really a big deal as I can't see myself getting that excited with mods anyways. It would be cool however.

Edit 2: Bit of a clean up and rethink. On the flashing thing I'm now thinking Recaro's are above the refresh in the wanted list so I might end up with a flashable ECU anyways...

 

[pu-11-me]

Welcome to the club man!

Looks like you have been reading, i'm quite impressed! Good luck with your adventure and trust the Chef, he'll get you what you want

 

[snickells]

Aaron, welcome to the site mate. Its great to see someone actually read through everything before posting up dribble about shit they don't understand

It looks like you know almost exactly what your after, but unfortunately, with the combo your after, your only going to be looking at a series one (pre-facelift HACK HACK) as a five speed and AYC is not an option in the series two.

But really... its not the end of the world. You could just buy an Auto, and do a transplant!

Either way, good luck with the hunt, Kris will look after ya'.

 

[Smashdy]

I have a 5-speed facelift model with ayc.. or maybe thats not what you ment.

Hope you can find something that suites anyway goodluck

 

[Guest]

Thanks all.

I thought I had read the FL's can't have a manual and AYC but then I'm sure I saw a car with those specs. I'm not that tied to a FL I just prefer the age/K's of the newer car's and they tend not to have the gawd aweful 'woodgrain' dash. THAT would be getting changed quick smart too.

I guess I'll start annoying Kris with some questions once I have one of these current vehicles sold. Anyone want to buy an '01 VX Berlina Supercharged V6 or an '02 ZX6R?

Edit: Can the Legnum FL have 5spd and AYC? 'Cause I guess that's always an option. I'd prefer the less weight of the Galant but I guess it's only ~50kg or something. On this topic are there any lightening options for Leggies/Galants that are reasonably priced?

 

[pu-11-me]

FL Manual Galant = No AYC

FL Manual Legnum = AYC

Theres chapter books on it throughout the forum but the definate answers are quite hard to find.

Get the Legnum too, better weight distribution. Plus you get the combo you want

Anyways, only the men drive Legnums haha

 

[bradc]

What Dawso said up there ^^^

You can also only get recaro's and the momo wheel in facelifts (ignoring Super's which are PFL autos)

All cars have Climate Control and no manual VR-4's have TCL, no VR-4's have cruise at all.

So it basically comes down to you deciding on whether you really want AYC and get a real VR-4 with a boot, or choose to go without AYC and get a silly sedan

/runs!

 

[jet150]

First of all welcome to the club, dude get an auto Legnum with AYC. The auto box is tiptronic so you can drive it like a manual.
Once I started taking corners hard and seen the control and my AYC light up on my dash I go the auto anyday, and yeah manuals are good to.

 

[Nitephyre]

I have a manual Legnum with AYC

Welcome and good luck with the search... I'm another who recommends the Leggy over the Gally, as wagons are much cooler

 

[snickells]

Sorry, yes, I was talking about the Galants only, not the Legnums... He did say he was looking for a Galant after all!

 

[naughtika]

welcome Aaron..

if you're after a Galant.. here's couple of things to consider..

Series 1 - they also come in manual but the ecu can't be re-flashed (or not yet anyway) so you'll have to get yourself an aftermarket computer (or piggyback) unless you can get hold of Series 2 ECU (just make sure it's got the MH7202 chip - not sure about the MH7203) and it comes with AYC... I haven't seen any S1 with rear LSD..

with Series 2 - if you want AYC and manual, you'll have to get the Types S model and convert it to manual.. which will cost you approx. $3-4k also dependant on where you get your hardware from and who does the hard work..

IMO - Galant is very good for your everyday driving.. as long as you dont floor it all the time otherwise your fuel economy will drop..

 

[Guest]

Well is a S1 Galant ECU can't be flashed that basically rules that out and if the S2 does not have AYC even as an option that also rules that out. So I guess I'm looking for a facelift Legnum? Also is there an option of perhaps buying some stuff from Japan and geting it shipped over in the car? Like a set of wheels or recaro's for example.

 

[pu-11-me]

Thats it! Manual facelift Legnum, the decision has been made

You COULD get stuff shipped over in your car but don't expect it to make it past the shipping yard

 

[Guest]

I was worried about that. How about if it's in a box?

 

[pu-11-me]

It'll be easier for them to carry away?

Speak to the Chef and see what he thinks, he'll be more helpful than anyone else

 

[Guest]

Good point.

Now I wonder if the swap could be done over there...

 

[Smashdy]

all makes sense now

 

[Guest]

It's a bit of a pain I can't get a FL Galant with AYC though. I'm not going to get an auto and convert it. I was hoping for the whole EVO in sheeps clothing thing.

So does anyone have a ballpark figure for a Manual FL Leggy with low K's? Momo/Recaro's would be nice. Black leather Recaros would be better.

 

[pu-11-me]

Can't get them with black leather Recaro's from factory

You could be lucky and get one for about $12k but most seem to be about $14k.... That combo though you would budget at least $15 to get it in your possesion

 

[qball]

The last 2 on J-spec were around $15000 both series3 interior 2001-2002