View Full Version : Xe or LET??
MattBrown
12-10-09, 10:09 AM
Right, basically im 17, and like most 17 year olds, 10" is better than 6" etc!
So, over the next 2 years, I want to build myself a nice little nova gte!
I have a car coming on the 24th, a little 1,0, currently in gte replica form, with a 100% mint interior, and afew other little bonus parts!
I am wondering weather people think I should xe it, or let it?
Myself and Rikardo went out in his on saturday (Big thanks) and I was very impressed with his setup, so im wanting let, but considering I blew up a 1,0 pushrod, he says my driving style wouldnt suit a let (Heavy right foot) so, he said get a standard xe for now?
Whats everyone think??
vaughanmc
12-10-09, 10:12 AM
If you're going to all the bother I'd go for a LET
LEWI007
12-10-09, 10:13 AM
Im 18 and want a let in mine, but with me being young im going to wait a couple of years first until i become a better driver.
Southie
12-10-09, 10:17 AM
One word "insurance".
Just bear this in mind for when you come to get either ready for the road. ;)
MattBrown
12-10-09, 10:18 AM
Insurance is not a problem, TRADERS FTMFW!
£1200 a year, when im 19, drive anything fully comp!
Why not just fit a XE to start with, once your bored of it in 6months go for a let. If you **** up the XE then it wont be soo bad, £250 engine vs 1k engine!
hybridturbo
12-10-09, 10:36 AM
Let or Tb'd Xe the title should be :d
LET id say. How lonh will the project take you? Or will you be waiting untill your 19?
Xe maybe to start with then build the LET while you use that.
LEWI007
12-10-09, 10:46 AM
Thats what i was going to do, XE it while i build the let.
Insurance is not a problem, TRADERS FTMFW!
£1200 a year, when im 19, drive anything fully comp!
I'll think you find thats not true mate,
1, AFAIK you cannot get traders policy under the age of 23,i know many who tried and have been told that,and at 23 only 2 companies would quote me,one was a little bit more than your price but obviously thats at 23 with much more driving experience than 19 as no claims are not taken into consideration.The othe was 4 grand.
2,Most trade policies are 3rd party fire and theft only.
3,Prices for insurance change all the time.
4,You cannot drive "anything" some have limitations,i wasnt allowed to drive skylines or evos or anything "supercar" Ferrari,lambourghini etc etc
General Baxter
12-10-09, 10:49 AM
4,You cannot drive "anything" some have limitations,i wasnt allowed to drive skylines or evos or anything "supercar" Ferrari,lambourghini etc etc
iv looked into this, £2k a year for me upto group 18 cars, if i go any higher it doubles to £4k a year, i cant even use the patrol on that insurance then lol
Why what groups that barstard in like?! lol lol
MattBrown
12-10-09, 11:00 AM
Hmmm, that borks that idea then!
So, looks like nobody can give me any hard reasoning?
Also, if I can insure an xe at 19, then build up a let on the bench for when im 20/21ish
MattBrown
12-10-09, 11:00 AM
Why what groups that barstard in like?! lol lol
Its over 750Bhp if that helps.......
id say XE mate no point in putting an xe in if your gonna build a let and throw that in, id go for one or the other, as your a young driver (like me) id say a 2.0 16v nova would be more than enough, driving test means sh*t the real test is driving and getting mre experiance without plowing it into the nearest wall/tree/person, and if you say you have a heavy right foot, i wouldnt go for anything bigger than a 1.0pushrod otherwise it will be abit dangerous as you hav'nt got years of driving experiance under your belt lol thats why im ging for a 1.4 16v be around 120bhp-130bhp which will be more than enough in a super light nova
MattBrown
12-10-09, 11:16 AM
id say XE mate no point in putting an xe in if your gonna build a let and throw that in, id go for one or the other, as your a young driver (like me) id say a 2.0 16v nova would be more than enough, driving test means sh*t the real test is driving and getting mre experiance without plowing it into the nearest wall/tree/person, and if you say you have a heavy right foot, i wouldnt go for anything bigger than a 1.0pushrod otherwise it will be abit dangerous as you hav'nt got years of driving experiance under your belt lol thats why im ging for a 1.4 16v be around 120bhp-130bhp which will be more than enough in a super light nova
Very true, however, there is a time and place for speed!
I go down the lanes at 4am, no people to hit, only animals :thumb:
I almost overcooked it the otherday!
Propper hooning it, but, Im getting bored of going everywere at 70mph, need a little more fun, and tbh, if I die i dont care, if I hurt someone else, that will be the worst thing ever!
General Baxter
12-10-09, 11:21 AM
oh dear, calm down lol
yeah i see what you mean mate, do love speed and the old 1.0 (45bhp rageing horses) dont quite cut it does it? lol. the old lanes do need to be abused, its just depends on the time lol.
Southie
12-10-09, 11:30 AM
I go down the lanes at 4am, no people to hit, only animals :thumb:
Postmen, Milkmen and lost piissheads :thumb:
my trade policy was £600 could drive ANYTHING upto 7.5ton except american and canadian imports (why would anyone want too?) oh yeah and no superbikes! but R1's were ok!
Mattig Nic
12-10-09, 12:29 PM
how bout a throttle bodied 20seh to start with?? That'll more than match an xe and have a nova/wallet - friendly head too!! ;) just found a worked head with tb's fitted....pm'd.......(plus, after owning lets, i'd rather have N/A or supercharged....turbo's are far too common!!) C'MON MATT, YOU KNOW I MAKE SENSE, DUNTCHA??!! ;)
Rickardo
12-10-09, 12:51 PM
Like i said on sat Matt. Xe it. Cheaper to run. Not as temperamental. Upto you though.
xe all the way. Doing a let conversion properly will set you back alot more than an xe.
A properly built xe nova is a very fun drive, decent manifold and system, set of mild cams plenty quick enough at 19! If it breaks your looking at 100quid tops to fix it as well lol
L33 LEG
12-10-09, 01:45 PM
I'll think you find thats not true mate,
1, AFAIK you cannot get traders policy under the age of 23,i know many who tried and have been told that,and at 23 only 2 companies would quote me,one was a little bit more than your price but obviously thats at 23 with much more driving experience than 19 as no claims are not taken into consideration.The othe was 4 grand.
2,Most trade policies are 3rd party fire and theft only.
3,Prices for insurance change all the time.
4,You cannot drive "anything" some have limitations,i wasnt allowed to drive skylines or evos or anything "supercar" Ferrari,lambourghini etc etc
most of that is correct apart from when i was 23 i was on fully comp trade and even though i cant drive supercars, a nova let would be perfectly fine.
back on topic, if this is a 2 year project then it would make sense o xe it because then you could at least insure it. and as mentioned, if you get bored of it then you can upgrade to the let. as aw said though, and the same reason why i havnt put a let in yet, is that you can thrash an xe and if it blows the most itl cost is £250 for a new engine. If you thrash a LET and it blows it could cost you upto a grand. so imo, it maybe more fun driving an XE.
imo anyway :thumb:
Postmen, Milkmen and lost piissheads :thumb:
Milk tanker drivers... :roll:
Southie
12-10-09, 02:04 PM
Milk tanker drivers... :roll:
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_9hKhUsgfQqc/SIkwKSFbzUI/AAAAAAAAAKI/dvElknMYBqQ/s400/bra_burning_303x387.jpg
sparkie1401
12-10-09, 02:10 PM
no this is a milk tank driver
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj128/sparkie1401/Photo0019.jpg
close up
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj128/sparkie1401/Photo0018.jpg
found this truck in north Germany near the danish border, trust the danes, scandinavians arent shy
too say i couldnt stop laughing was an understatement
oh and i voted XE
xe it and get used to it, if you're gonna destroy it, then you're probably gonna kill a let too. Won't be cheap if you do.
Xe's easier and much cheaper to find and only 50 bhp less in standard form.
The other thing, the reason you drive the 1ltr like you do is because its so slow, doesnt matter how you drive it it takes a big hill to break the speedlimit. In an xe you wont drive like that(well shouldnt), a quick foot down in second and you will be at motorway speeds
MattBrown
12-10-09, 03:16 PM
The other thing, the reason you drive the 1ltr like you do is because its so slow, doesnt matter how you drive it it takes a big hill to break the speedlimit. In an xe you wont drive like that(well shouldnt), a quick foot down in second and you will be at motorway speeds
Thats the only thing worrying me, I am a fast driver down the lanes, (Reduced my mate to tears) and have had alot of others screaming!
the problems will come, going streight from a 1.0 with 45bhp to a 2l with 150bhp!
I have a 1300sr engine, and am tempted to put that in my road car first, then put a standard xe in, and maybe sell that, and buy an early mk1 sr!
Hmmmmm, 12 days to shell day!
Have you driven a xe nova???
If you can scare somebody with a 1Ltr nova, then you will probably die if you drive a xe nova in the same way......
Have you driven a xe nova???
If you can scare somebody with a 1Ltr nova, then you will probably die if you drive a xe nova in the same way......
Exactly, this is the reason i now dont have an XE nova, i couldnt drive it normally so when the engine went poorly i didnt repair it and sold it, i wasnt mature enough to have one:cry:
Exactly, 150hp in a tin can is never going to be slow, and if it goes wrong(accident wise), its goes WRONG.
Especially when a xe will accelerate in 4th/5th like a 1L does in 2nd lol
Southie
12-10-09, 03:32 PM
Exactly, 180hp in a tin can is never going to be slow, and if it goes wrong(accident wise), its goes WRONG.
Especially when a xe will accelerate in 4th/5th like a 1L does in 2nd lol
Edited lol
Oh yeah, 180hp if you get a "good 'un" ;) lol
MattBrown
12-10-09, 03:34 PM
The xes and lets I have been in are 3 times as quick taking of from 1k in 5th as mine is in 3rd!
Mines sluggish now, needing more, i have my name on a 1400mpi for my daily shed, and ill source a standard xe for the project!
Southie
12-10-09, 03:37 PM
Have you thought of a baby XE, I've heard they can be made pretty quick in nearly standard form, around 140hp. ;)
Have you thought of a baby XE, I've heard they can be made pretty quick in nearly standard form, around 140hp. ;)
140bhp from a c16xe is quite expensive.
nova_saloon
12-10-09, 03:53 PM
i say xe because you will probs kill yourself with that at 17 :P
MattBrown
12-10-09, 03:57 PM
Ill be 19, and it will probably be driven round a friends farm before hand!
Im going with an xe i think!
Will get an even better shell, or a mk1 sr snowplough to build a turbo into!
nova_saloon
12-10-09, 03:59 PM
yes sounds good i had my xe when i was 19, much fun they are. just watch out for insurance, yeh i wanna let mine now seems like so much fun!
xe it,
ps, ive got one for sale soon ;)
MattBrown
12-10-09, 04:01 PM
Will not have funds for the engine, or many bits untill end of november/just after crimbo, xmas bonus, and my bday is in january:) lol
Loads of coins for the project!
im gonna say ecotec 2.0 for 2 reasons.
1. if you get a donor astra estate they have the lowest ins grp for a donor, so cheaper ins,
and,
2. there everywhere! and very cheap so if you grenade it, theres lots around to swap it with.
I have never seen a 2.0l ecotec astra estate!
Not saying they might not exsist but i have never seen one!
a 1.4mpi will go like a rocket compared to a 1ltr, just do that for now lol
sparkie1401
12-10-09, 09:22 PM
the ecotec 2.0 was not the best engine in all fairness
i lost count how many of those i sold, think they were made of chocolate
I say xe they take a better hammering in standard form and your not contantly imagining noises from the engine
MattBrown
13-10-09, 09:53 AM
Im going for the xe!
However, Just sold my 1300sr engine :cry:
And have hopefully bought a 1400mpi of mattig nic:):)
So far ive never had a problem with my xe.
Apart from bastid oil leaks, but thats a feature of a xe lol
i'm going to sleep with kate beckensale next week.
keep dreaming about the let matt.
said it once and said it a million times.
if any, xe it as you can just drive it and enjoy it. its a natural progression to move up and onwards with time.
as a baby you learn to walk before you try braking the 100m world record
hahahaha 18/19 with a let. You'll be laughed at.
Get a 1.2/1.3 and live with it for a few years till you can afford your own insurance on a let.
as a baby you learn to walk before you try braking the 100m world record
You've obviously never had a parent tell you how fast they can crawl towards an open stairgate lol
Lmfbo @ 2yr planning...
The way fuel is mate and the way the price is heading you would be silly to get a let...
XE is the norm tbh and a very good engine... In its time...
Looking at the way cars are at the moment mainly dirty dezils... You would be better to look at a 1.9cdti engine mods/ecu upgrade etc.
Dare to be different, match the pace and get a better MPG than any nova owner could dream of. I remeber struggling against a remapped astra dirty D and i giggled my bollocks off.
You will also find a 2.0 on a country lane will be well lets say, there is only so much speed you can carry into a corner. I'm really thinking about going for somthing which is light nible and under the 1600cc just for the "your not really going that fast, but mentally your caining the bollocks out your car" and still at a safeish speed where your lience will not be taken away from you.
I had more fun in my 1300sr caged up beasty than i ever did in my 2.0l saloon. Apart from motorways but straight lines are boring.
On that and thinking about it, I had even more fun in the clio williams/clio 172 and xsara vts lol... French FTW :P
Thats my thoughts.
hc coupe
14-10-09, 10:41 AM
+rep for you !!!
Rexton speaks the truth, i wouldnt be without me derv nowadays, quick enough too.
This thread reminds me of that question they ask you at school
"where do you see yourself in 5 years time?"
"caning t'fukcin sack off us Nova miss, int it!,me mates'll be all crying down them b roads"
lol/:tard:
MattBrown
14-10-09, 12:47 PM
i'm going to sleep with kate beckensale next week.
keep dreaming about the let matt.
said it once and said it a million times.
if any, xe it as you can just drive it and enjoy it. its a natural progression to move up and onwards with time.
as a baby you learn to walk before you try braking the 100m world record
Why keep dreaming?
Whats the point if you cant live your life fast?
I don't drink, smoke or do drugs, so I dont see the problem with me wanting a let?
Over 2 years, £300 a month spare coins will give me £7200 to build it with:thumb:
I think that should cover it, if not, it will have to take longer!
£7200 would buy you a nice Sapphire cosworth which CAN put the power down......
seriously matt, you'll end up spending your money on stuff as you do. cant say for def you'll save £300 a month. it never happens.
i'd say xe solely on grounds it is a cheaper option and a realistic car to build and quicker. that way you can enjoy it.
otherwise baby xe and enjoy the twisties.
to be fair when i turned 18 I XE'd mine and waited til I was 19, then a few months after turning 19 i got bored and I put a LET in.
Richie_B
14-10-09, 08:33 PM
XE/LET @ 17 is just dreams imo. 2 years down the line or not.
to be fair when i turned 18 I XE'd mine and waited til I was 19, then a few months after turning 19 i got bored and I put a LET in.
Similar story here, XE at 19, was in for 4 months and was well disappointed after all the hype so took it out and fitted the LET.
a 1.4mpi will go like a rocket compared to a 1ltr, just do that for now lol
quick enough! i managed to lose my license but NOT hurt anyone!
Seriously, to buy a bigger engine just to drive around some lanes quick seems like a recipe for disaster. Give a mini valver or a gte/gsi lump a go.
To totally contradict myself, be different chuck a mini supercharger on and you'll get near on xe power with a bit of work anyway.
saloon3
15-10-09, 09:52 AM
I had a standard 1.0 nova at 17 .. i then built an xe saloon, polybushed all round,bilstiens , big brakes,cage..all the usual nonsense... i drove this for 3 weeks.. 18mpg,not fun on the twisties,torque steer,awful wheelspin in the wet.. not good for a daily driver.. i broke it up and sold for parts.
Back to the 1.0 , put a 1300 sr engine in ,cam, weber,exhaust etc. 35mpg handles so much better and much more driveable , i've now just fitted a 1600 engine and thats as far as i'll go .. xe's are not for me.
doey106
22-10-09, 10:14 AM
xe all the way
xe it simple as. you cant drive a 250+bhp LET nova like you drive a 1.2, there is noway on this earth with your drivin experiance your going to be able to judge how quick corners or **** ends of cars are going to be coming up to you in the LET, you WILL smash the ****er up.
just buy an XE rebuild it and have a laugh with it, 150+bhp in a nova is still quick and you will be able to use it more realistically as a daily unlike the LET. i dont mean chucking a 90k miler in like everyone seems to do. a well sorted xe nova would be a dissapointment, its poor building that lets a car down and over looking things
not fun on the twisties,torque steer,awful wheelspin in the wet.
equal length shafts, decent tryes and not planting your foot down in the wet....oh and a diff. you would of been finelol
as for the saving thing, as been said, it wont happen simple as, i thought that before i bought my house at 19, but you end up buying alsorts just to live.
Just build a decent XE, decent suspension and dont go for gmax ****, decent tyres and a quaife dif and you will have alot more fun in it and it will probably last more than a week.
listen to people who have expericance and dont be nieve. i hate now how my mates who are all older think 'there the boys' driving and all that ****. theres always something new that may happen you dont know how to react too.
and as for the live fast comment, if you want to get banned for driving like a ****, well done to you. just dont smash into me cause you were going to fast;)
oh on a business note....i could supply either an XE or an LET fresh haha
Nova_Tek
22-10-09, 04:41 PM
Here's another way to put it Matt and to get you thinking. What's been said with the XE being a more realistic option, cheaper to build, cheaper if it goes wrong, easier to do and cheaper insurance at a young age is all correct and I agree.
I've been driving my 1.2 for a very long time and have always wanted to go down Big Block Lane and only now (that I'm turning 26) have I really felt the need to do the conversion I have wanted and to do a LET build (for many different reasons).
But think of it this way, if you were a parent and your lad who is now 17 wants to build a 2 litre Nova with 150+BHP what would you say to him? Consider all the possibilites and think like an adult would. Not saying that anyone here is immature or you shouldn't do things like this but just think. If my kid wanted a very powerful car as a first car I'd say 'no' straight away even if my kid was the best behaved, respectful, non rebelious; the perfect child in other words. Just think that sometimes there is such things as too young, no disrespect to anyone.
I would personally get a 1.6 in there, still fairly quick, will handle much better without the need for expensive engineering, insurance much cheaper and you can enjoy driving it more than a 1.0. Once you have gained many years NCB's, your driving skills would have increased, you'll have a better job and you'll be able to afford to build a very good Nova. I personally wouldn't want to build something and have to wait 2 years to drive it and pay a crazy amount of insurance. It cost me over £1500 for my standard 1.2 (apart from exhaust and wheels) and that was many years ago when I got my insurance. Insurance seems to be going up for new drivers year after year.
At the end of the day it's your decision dude and no one can really tell you what to do :thumb:
Sorry for the long post, thank you please :)
to be fair when i turned 18 I XE'd mine and waited til I was 19, then a few months after turning 19 i got bored and I put a LET in.
I got bored pretty quick of my XE as well (albeit I was 25 at the time), although I went for a V6 instead lol
you will do with "my other car" being a gt4 lol
scott.parker
22-10-09, 05:31 PM
Well if thats the case he can strip it out and TB it, as i can say the Standard XE nova is fantastic if your use to driving normal to slow cars etc, but after about 8 months of constant driving it you will get use to it, so the need to modify it will apparent, mine is more then enough for me, i drive a slow daily TDI, and every time i get into the XE i **** my self! lol (not literally!)
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