vx220 turbo?

[BIGS]

Yes think im turning gay i think i want to get one lol

What are these like anyone know much about them? would it be worth selling the gte to get one :confused:. are they the same engine as you get in the astra gsi and are they reliable to drive.

[Rich]

They are a nightmare for getting in and out of especially with your username being 'BIGS' lol

They are very basic pretty much a track car, not very comfy but great fun being rear wheel drive :)

I wouldnt want one everyday but would be nice for the odd bit of weekend fun

[Lee]

Positives...
Handle brilliantly.
Better than a Lotus because it doesnt have a Rover engine

Negatives
You'll look like a hairdresser.
If you're over 6 foot, forget it!
Bits of the insides CONSTANTLY fall off. Im not joking, it makes a french car's interior look robust!
Slowly you will begin to find men attractive sexually.

[Jack]

I thought some of the Lotus... wait, whats plural for Lotus? Lotii? lol

I thought some of them used 2ZZ-GE toyota vvtli engines?

[Sturge]

The newer expensive ones yeah

[matt_vaughan]

I thought some of the Lotus... wait, whats plural for Lotus? Lotii? lol

I thought some of them used 2ZZ-GE toyota vvtli engines?


Rings a bell, something to do with the Exige? Either that or one of the hotter Elises iirc

[Ash]

they do - assuming all that jap crap code means it's a 1.8 16v as fitted to the gen 6 Celica.

Exige S (with the 'charger) makes my trousers twitch slightly :)

[Pistol Pete]

lol Clarkson liked the VX220 so it ust be a good car?! I'd love a turbo VX, and Exige S would be a monster IMO. The newer Elise's use Toyota engines, VVT 1800 IIRC.

[Sloth]

the new elise lumps are the 1zz-fe 140 bhp and the 2zz-ge 190bhp.
the 140 has a habit of burning oil....... and throwing rods.......
the k-series is a good engine, just poorly made. (by rover)
build em proper and there ok.
i like vx's but id want the vxr version.

[Jack]

the 140 has a habit of burning oil....... and throwing rods.......
Never heard of that when they've been in Celicas. The 190 does have issues with the lift bolts snapping on early VVTLi engines though.

[Stuart]

Positives...
Handle brilliantly.
Better than a Lotus because it doesnt have a Rover engine

Negatives
You'll look like a hairdresser.
If you're over 6 foot, forget it!
Bits of the insides CONSTANTLY fall off. Im not joking, it makes a french car's interior look robust!
Slowly you will begin to find men attractive sexually.


MOSTLY true..... but I'm 6' 1/2" tall and have NO problems getting in and out!!!! (cant wear a skid lid with the roof on though, but even short asses have problems with that too)

You are best off trying BOTH, the N/A and Tubby drive quite differently (not just the power differences!). I drove both and preferred the N/A as it drove how I like to (plus was a lot cheaper to buy/run lol)

On the whole, the mechanical side of things is very very very reliable, a few mild niggle common problems (like the alternator belt idler pulley failing). Other than that, they will take the abuse and love you for it. Its the cosemtic bits that will get annoying if you care how it looks.... like the dash plates jumping off at you, rattles galore (Makes a nova look well designed/built lol)

I've done over 40K in mine (N/A) since Aug 2007 and I've loved every second of it. I cant think of a better car for the money in nearly all aspects of motoring! Even the boot is fairly big, just you have to treat it as a big bag and pack carefully :D

Tons of info on vx220.org and type116.com if you wade through the Throney Motorsport BS :D


Edit

oh and the thing you need the most for owning a VX220 is a sodding good sense of humor

[Sloth]

Never heard of that when they've been in Celicas. The 190 does have issues with the lift bolts snapping on early VVTLi engines though.
yep, the bores wear oval, burn oil and eat themselves. i have a piston and half a con rod as a paperweight. we did 1 a week on warranty, so much so that they carry a 5 year 100,000 mile warranty on the engine. the 190's did suffer with lift bolts, but it was a very small batch, iirc 4500, as the bolt were outsourced. toyota started making the bolts= no probs. they also drop valve heads on the early ones if constantly over/highly revved. bit of a paradox considering the engines nature...... check for FULL service history, 10 oil changes, and rattles on cold start. also late VVT-i changeover as the valve blocks the dirtier the oil is. clutches ae fragile as are box bearings, the ones in the end casing and the ones behind 5th/6th gear. aux belt tensioners seize and squeak, and belts wear out. hope this helps:thumb:

[BIGS]

Hmm well im only 5ft 10 so that isnt a problem really. good to here is has a good size boot aswell as it would be a car to keep going to the base and back and need the room. sounds like its a few things to worry about like the dash bits but im sure i can be away round that ?

But main thing do you think its worth getting rid of the gte for one?

And thanks to everyone that has replyed its been very usefull :thumb:

[Stuart]

The way round the dash plates I took was to use no more nails to keep them on lmao.... they wont ever be coming off :D

The boot "hole" isnt huge, but you can get a lot in it if its soft stuff.

I'd drop almost any car in a snap to have a vx220 (N/A or tubby).... even if you only manage a year with it, you will certainly have a fresh outlook on cars after :D

[BIGS]

Hmm thanks bud, think i will defo look into one as soon as im in the raf then.

thanks for the info

[Stuart]

shame you are in the **** end of the country, could have had a play about in mine (OK its not pretty but it will give you the idea)

[BIGS]

Cheers for the offer but as you say im all the way down by the s##t hole. well next time you do a track day maybe i can come and have alook at it then and see what its like when you go round the track

[Sloth]

one last thing, body parts esp clam shells are very expensive....
bout 4k last i looked.....

[BIGS]

they been going on ebay for around £200 - £300

[Stuart]

one last thing, body parts esp clam shells are very expensive....
bout 4k last i looked.....

£1500 for a new one + paint..... nice try



was supposed to say a**e end of the country lol

[Jack]

yep, the bores wear oval, burn oil and eat themselves
Ahh oval pistons, heard of that. I don't pay too much attention to those buzzy engines, turbo ftw :D