wuvvum Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 I crossed an entry off my list of "cars I must own before I die" today, when I picked up this badass mo' fo' from sunny Guildford. It's a UK market car, with the SVX number plate that these all seem to have. It had belonged to the seller's dad for years, then he had inherited it, but he'd just moved to a (tiny) terraced house with no off-street parking, so he couldn't keep it. It drove home fine - bit of an exhaust blow but the 3.3-litre flat-6 pulled well and sounded rather spiffing when floored. The electrics all seem to work as well, and there's quite a lot of them on one of these. Cruise control is useful for average speed cameras in roadworks - it's one of those cars where the speed tends to creep up without you noticing - and the framed windows are GR9 4 driving windows down at 90+ without getting buffeted. I had actually been after another Z32 300ZX for quite a while now, but I think this can take the Nissan's place in the fleet - it's not quite as fast or as overtly sporty, but it's a lot more practical (you can actually fit people in the back if you need to), looks more interesting and actually has a reasonable turning circle, unlike the Z32. The interior is not quite as futuristic as the exterior - it's pretty typical '90s Japanese really, albeit with more suede - but it's still a nice place to be, and bloody comfortable. So there you have it. Having sold the Alfa on Monday to free up some space, I have replaced it less than a week later with another large silver car with a private plate. I really am beyond help...
trigger Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 OMG you've bought a SVX!, I really LOVE these, I remember buying a issue of Autocar back in 1992ish because it had the road test feature in it and I've dreamed about them since, I can't explain why, It could be that window arrangement or just the style in general but god these are a good looking car. I'm off now to abuse myself for a bit.
barrett Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Christ man, don't you ever sleep?! You must just travel from one shite purchase point to the next... These look ace, PHACT and this one looks good in the two-tone paint, not something I remember seeing before. I'd be interested to know how you get on with this as a daily driver as they are definitely on my list too (although chances of me owning one are considerably far off). Trig, I had (still have, probably) that Autocar too and I was MEGA impressed with how modern these looked!
Pete-M Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 One of the lunatic mechanics that's doing the Escort has an SVX. Over the few years I've known it, it appears to have been bloody reliable.
boobydoo Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 I remember thinking how jaw-droppingly stylish those things were when they first came out! You certainly have an eclectic taste in cars!
cms206 Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Mmmmmm... suade. Loving that handbrake too... really handsome cars, and one also on my list which I know I'll never, ever get.
CreepingJesus Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 I can appreciate how you would be tempted by that: they look like quite sci-fi, and that engine note is very appealing. I spotted one on Autotrader a while back when I was car hunting the last time, at a very reasonable price. Very tempting it was too, but the thought of anything breaking on it made it seem like not so much pushing the gamble button, as mashing it with a club hammer.There aren't many out there (obviously ), but they look like they've been owned by careful people, not the kind of Impreza ruining twats, who've stained Subaru for the rest of us. Which probly means it'll be rock-solid. Top purchase, sir.
Albert Ross Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Utter filth. I hope you're satisfied now... for a day or two.
Timewaster Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 my list of "cars I must own before I die" That must be some list!
Spottedlaurel Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Excellent! We'll have to hold Angel meets on at least a weekly basis at this rate...
Guest Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 I'm beginning to hate you Wuvs, you know that? I was expecting to scroll down and see some kind of BL Roberts Ambassador, and instead you've purchased one of my all time favourite Japanese cars (just behind an Isuzu 117 couple in orange, actually). These are way out of my price range and will probably stay so for the next few years. Weirdly enough, there's a bloke near Port Sunlight who owns three. MM5 took a picture of his Alycone fleet when it numbered two.
504GL Posted September 3, 2011 Posted September 3, 2011 Cool! Speedo and revcounter look exactly the same as in our Legacy turbo. Get yourself acquainted with what bits it shares with the Impreza and you'll get nice cheap prices on the common bits.
Conrad D. Conelrad Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 That's fab! "..well sir, that's the purchase of your sleek, futuristic Subaru almost finalised. Unless you want fake wood on the dash.""FFS. It's supposed to be a sleek, futuristic car. Of course I want fake wood on the dash"
scooters Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Fugg me wuvs youve been active this summer. That is lovely I have a semi for tasteless jap coops at the moment and i am realising my mid life crisis is to grow a mullet , get a perm, a black leather jacket, cowboy boots, a jap coop and download Kit for the Tom Tom Fake wood is a must have......got it in the legacy and its dead classy. So much more so than the real stuff!
ProgRocker Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Wow! Nice one. Subaru giving Citroen a run for their money in the quirkiness stakes in the early 90s.
Bren Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Many moons ago went to an RS club track day at Donington. I remember somebody having one of these on the track, and to be fair it did'nt get embarrassed by the cossie and RS turbos' that were trying to get past it.
garethj Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Great work! At the time you could have bought that bonkers Subaru or a Mazda RX7 with it's turbocharged rotary engine. Surely a time when Japanese coupés were at the top of their game. It almost made up for the Nissan Sunny Was the engine used in the Legacy too? I seem to remember there was a 6 cylinder option, although I don't remember ever seeing one, they must make the 2.5 litres look frugal?
504GL Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Great work! At the time you could have bought that bonkers Subaru or a Mazda RX7 with it's turbocharged rotary engine. Surely a time when Japanese coupés were at the top of their game. It almost made up for the Nissan Sunny Was the engine used in the Legacy too? I seem to remember there was a 6 cylinder option, although I don't remember ever seeing one, they must make the 2.5 litres look frugal? The 3 litre went into the 3rd gen legacy. The but 1st gen which was around at the start of the SVX's production run had the 2.2 normally aspirated engine and the 2.0 turbo as the biggest engines, the 2nd gen has the 2.0 twin turbo and 2.5 4 cylinder. I once got 40mpg out of our Legacy turbo on a 80 mile roundtrip, but I was driving like a saint
Lord Sterling Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Kin'ell Wuvs, that pretty epic. I know absolutely nothing about the SVXs apart fromthey look a little eccentric but great at the same time, I really like the looks of them, if just to be different from everyone else. Here is one I spotted a year or so back, weeds have since taken over the bonnet:
504GL Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 I have to say seeing that picture it reminds me of a VP Commodore back in Australia
Luxobarges_Are_Us Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 I love it. It's extremely capable but so anonymous and understated. I presume it's 4x4, no?
dieselnutjob Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 anonymous and understated you have to be kidding
Luxobarges_Are_Us Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 anonymous and understated you have to be kidding I am not! Someone 'into cars' may appreciate it for what it is, but most of the general public/annoying neighbours/opportunist thieves won't give it a second glance.
RoadworkUK Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Desperately awesome. I've loved these since the Top Gear Mag review in early '94, SVX vs RX8 vs Renault Alpine. Number of times I've read that... Loved it in Gran Turismo, only car on the game with a four speed 'box.
scooters Posted September 4, 2011 Posted September 4, 2011 Wuvs.....I ll be very keen to hear how you get on with this. I'm due a midlife crisis and am rapidly becoming a scoob fan. One of these áppeals far more than an impressher Have heard auto boxes can get lunched due to brutal torque. Its not just a car its a FANNY MAGNET!
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