OK, I posted something up earlier about getting my test passed in the next 3 or 4 months and having up to £900 to spend next summer, at which time I'll be 23. Got quotes on Liverpool Victoria TPFT for a mk2 XR2, and a Capri 2.0 and 2.8i.

Which would be more fun to drive and should I consider a mk2 Escy as I love those cars! If anyone thinks the 2.8 Capri would be best, would the 2.0 still be better than the XR2?

And does anybody know the bhp figures for these cars?

CheeRS guys!

 

i still like the old 2.8 capri's

 

id say the xr2 like a go cart mate.for handling

Capri for arse end action.

 

i've had an modified xr2 for two years and have driven a 3.0litre capri and brooklyns 2.8i tt converted special and without doubt the capri wins!!!! can't beat bringing the back end out too much fun

 

Gotta be the MK2 Escort. Got the looks out of all them.

 

My mate had the 2.8 which I think was bored to a 3.1, that was awesome but had loads of rot on it. A guy at school, his dad had the brooklands one for years which was mint and used daily. Probably like most older cars, depends on the way they are looked after in the previous years. Great fun though both of them.

Never an XR2 though, way to expensive to insure for the power you get.

 

Seeing as you havn't even passed your test yet, I would stay clear of a capri, they slide very easily especially now as you can't get decent tyres for them.

If you must get one then its probably best to start with a 2.0 one.

 

mk2 cossie for deffo

 

got to be the mk2 escort with 2.0i engine. superbly balanced car.

 

I am a big Fan of 2.8i Capris ( i,ve owned 7 of them in the past but i,m over it now) If you,ve just passed your test i,d say steer clear of them unless you can get hold of a "job lot" of rear quarter panels. In the wet they really are that bad
If you want fun then i,d say go for the XR2. My misses had one and it was great fun

 

for first car, and seeing as we're on the worng side of winter, get the XR2

 

2.0 Capri is cheap, pinto is well tuneable and cheap if it goes wrong, the pinto engined Capris have an almost perfect 50:50 weight balance (unlike the very fron heavy 2.8s) and will be cheaper to insure than an XR2. I'd get the Capri, you won't regret it, take it easy in the wet, and definitely fit 2.8 single leaf springs, and X frame handling kit and decent tyres on 2.8 special 7 spokes - great fun!
Exhaust, filter and a rejet should see 115 BHP + from a standard 2.0 too

 

i would say the 2.8i capri but if its ur first car i would go for the 2.0. but they are both very twitchy in wet .................fun

 

Hmm.... interesting stuff! Cheers so far guys. Obviously when I get driving it I won't be going nuts to start and it will be spring next year so approaching summer so winter weather won't be an issue.

It actually won't be my first car as I have had a mk2 Golf GTi last year which was great fun for doing a bit of learning in but obviously it wasn't RWD. I really love the look of the Capri and it'll be nice to go drive past the college on my road where all the kids hang out in their max power Honda Civics!

I might go for a 2.0 but the 2.8i being about 160bhp really appeals to me, as I doubt the 2.0 will be that quick. Can anyone vouch for its speed?

Also, just HOW tuneable is the 2.0 pinto and how far can you go with it without going silly money? Who's the best person to take it to for tuning?

I saw a Capri X-Pack kit going on ebay last night. I think I'll deffo be sourcing one of those if I do get one! Looks wicked to me.

Cheers for your continued help guys!

 

 

bluesmoke, i'd deffo start with the lower powered 2.0 if i were you... the V6 will catch you out as a new driver... knock about in the 2.0 for a while till you get used to it, THEN move upto the higher powered ones... my XR4i (2.8 v6) caught me out a few times at first (all coulda been fatal) and i'd been driving a few years and in that time owned much more powerful cars. even now after i been driving RWD or almost a year i'm not ina position where i feel "comfortable" going sideways

the 2.0 is VERY tuneable (more so than the V6)

 

The best way to tune a pinto is to do it yourself It's all easy DIY stuff, you'll need to enlist the help of a machine shop for block reboring, valve seat recutting (you either reshape the original valves or fit bigger ones) and head skimming but otherwise it's a doddle, all the parts are dirt cheap and it'll make 160 BHP quite easily and cheaply (even on EFi ) 200+ BHP is perfectly possible

Some Granada front calipers and XR4x4 discs with some brackets, a set of polybushes and a pair of fluffy dice and you are laughing

The best way to tune the 2.8 BTW is to turbo it or change the engine altogether - one of these crappy old granada lumps me and jimbo have fits quite nicely

 

Cheers guys! Looks like I'll be going for a 2.0 when the time comes then. I ain't got the first clue about doing anything to the engine tho as I have extremely limited experience with tuning lol.

Is there anything I should read, on the web or in print that would be a big help?

cheers again guys

 

David Vizard - Tuning the Ford SOHC engine

 

got to be a mk 2 scort heres one i prepaired eariler (2.1 pinto 181.3 bhp)

 

If you want fun id go for the 2.8 Crapi, as a new driver i think your better off knowing what powers like from the start and just being careful, rather than having a low powered car, learn to take libertys, buy the more powerful one, think you can treat it the same, and crash.

My only issue is id not be seen dead in a capri as you look like a right spazzo 80s throwback. So not as a daily drive, only as a fun 2nd car (fun somewhere where nobody sees ).

As a daily drive id have the XR2 any day.

 

Fookin tart Steve!