c20xe as a daily good or bad idea???

[shaun4321]

dont know if this thread has been done before!?! Looking at started to fit my xe in the next few months just wondering is haveing it as a daily a good idea or not, just after opinions??? fuel, realibilty ect ect:thumb:

[comptoncj]

Good on fuel if you dont thrash it about, reliable if you look after it, my mate had an xe nova as a daily and it lasted him about 3 months because he just abused it. But that was him and he didnt build it himself so didnt understand how to look after one. lol

[shaun4321]

hopefully i get mine right, just dont want it breaking down every 5mins otherwise il get sick of it, and i dont want that to happen

[comptoncj]

The thing is do it once and do it right, 20xe's are very reliable and in a nova theyre good on fuel so just look after it and it'l look after you.

[scott.parker]

Yes this thread has been done before, and yes it's a top idea as long as you do the job good.
And im not trying to sound a ****, but.. An engine is as reliable as you make it, etc..

As for fueling there meant to pull heavy Cav/Astra's/ Calibras, so a nova is not going to make it drink any more, it's your right foot that will do that.

Scott

[Will F]

Had one for 4 years in a Nova then 2 in a corsa no worries at all.

[andy_017]

My nova was a daily for a year with a 20xe and it was great,do it!

[Jack]

Never had any real problems with mine.

[blue_peg_16v]

my xe was fine even with carbs used it every day for about 5 years till i got silly and went let lol

[Southie]

Never had any real problems with mine.
So then you went V6 and it all went wrong lol

[Jack]

So then you went V6 and it all went wrong lol
Nope, rockers warped and I just took ages to fix it because a) I'm lazy and b) the celica is nicer lol

[blue_peg_16v]

have you sorted it jack cos i have a set of metal ones you can have if ya need em

[Nobby]

Never had any real problems with mine.

mines fine on the carbs but i do abuse it on open roads i get around 90miles to £20

[Jon_nova1]

it would work as a daily, but after driving mine when i did the conversion i couldn't imagine using it as a daily, because the car i'd used as a daily for the last year was a mazda familia, and it was faster, better handling, and you could drive it more "actively" without it feeling like it was going to kill you

[RJM25R]

If you want to drive a dangerously underprotected car with an engine fitted that is far more powerful than the car was ever designed for in relatively little comfort then YES it's a great daily driver.

[Nobby]

If you want to drive a dangerously underprotected car with an engine fitted that is far more powerful than the car was ever designed for in relatively little comfort then YES it's a great daily driver.

:thumb: lol

[Jack]

have you sorted it jack cos i have a set of metal ones you can have if ya need em
Yep, all sorted ta :)

[blue_peg_16v]

no probs off to the weigh in for them then lol

[Jack]

Stick them on ebay, plenty of demand for them

[blue_peg_16v]

jesus just had a look cheapest are £45 on ther think that will be there destination then lol

[Benn]

If you want to drive a dangerously underprotected car with an engine fitted that is far more powerful than the car was ever designed for in relatively little comfort then YES it's a great daily driver.


Says he who's owned 3 xe Novas.

[RJM25R]

Never as a daily driver though to be fair! I do 12-18000 miles a year and I can't think of ANYTHING worse as a daily driver than ANY 80's hatch lol! Great for a giggle or if you only do low mileage perhaps?

I don't know many 'established' members on here who use an xe as a daily tbh? Maybe that answers the question? I couldn't use my scooby as a daily tbh and it's like the Hilton on wheels compared to a Nova!

[Benn]

But that's more getting older and wanting the comfy and soft ride and that kinda stuff..

Most members don't use them everyday cause they worry about damaging them...

[blue_peg_16v]

nah i dont use mine cos the let is a pain in the ass, xe was awsome started and just ran apart from the 3 times i blew them up but that was always linked to drag racing or trackdays so to be expected in general use was fine, vectra is alot more comfy though and may aging back likes it alot more lol

also i dont like all the local scrotes nowing about it so hide it away now lol

[Lee H]

I've had XE Novas and now a Corsa as daily drivers for the last 5 or so years. I can live without the comfort as all my cars are too low to be comfy anyway!

Just can't bring myself to drive a standard car as I think they are so boring.

[Benn]

Just can't bring myself to drive a standard car as I think they are so boring.

I'm the same, i'd wanna do a run around up..lol

[Lee H]

I'm the same, i'd wanna do a run around up..lol

I always do, never owned a standard car yet and only managed to keep the original engine in one so far :cry:

[Adam]

In a fully interior'd, not mega slammed nova, a xe would be a perfect daily IMO.

[Nova_Tek]

Just reiterating what everyone has said really. Economy and reliability is all down to you. Service it on a regular basis, don't thrash it day in day out and drive sensibly and you'll get good mpg. Just look at Lynz's 8v (20SEH) it did 50mpg with sensible driving, so an XE can easily do 35+.

In terms of comfort it all depends on your suspension set up and how comfy the seats are, only you know how comfortably she'd drive as everyones suspension is a bit different. Mines lowered on quality springs around 30-35 and its very comfortable. If dropped 80mm with a stripped interior on fixed buckets then you'd best have a fat ar*e full of soft fat to cushion you from bumps lol

[Benn]

lol nice, i cant help doing them up. Have do it with every run about bar one that wasn't mine.

[RJM25R]

I've had XE Novas and now a Corsa as daily drivers for the last 5 or so years. I can live without the comfort as all my cars are too low to be comfy anyway!

Just can't bring myself to drive a standard car as I think they are so boring.



How many miles a year did you do when running an xe as a daily as a matter of interest?

[Lee H]

Only about 6k miles as always worked in Ashton or Rochdale.

[mayhem]

In a fully interior'd, not mega slammed nova, a xe would be a perfect daily IMO.

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c341/mayhem22/bewerkt23.jpg

this was my daily XE for about a year. slammed, stripped out lol.
but i dont do that many miles a year.
only hated it a bit when i needed to do 200 miles in 1 day.

[Jack]

Either thats a very big car, or your friends are very very small lol

[shaun4321]

so, relly its as reliable as you make it. just cant wait to get it done!!!!!!

[scott.parker]

so, relly its as reliable as you make it. just cant wait to get it done!!!!!!

Well thats kind of obvious really, if you put an engine in with no history of it, and it's suspected high mileage, dont expect it last years of lots of abuse.

[jimmyredtop]

i have a redtop nova and it is my only car and use it all the time i service it every 3 months and change anything that looks like it could do with changing and it never misses a beat as well as putting a smile on my face every day....

[REDTOm]

I used to use a xe corsa and nova as my everyday car. both stripped out, caged, low ish, etc.

Not a problem. will be doing it again soon with another xe nova.