TimmyC230boy

It looked just like a new one, right down to the wing, brakes, body molding, front mounted IC, etc. It was on the way back from Texas( I decided not to fly to Texas but drove the Benz instead). We were on I-75, just south of Sherman TX. I noticed it coming up behind me, and he rode on my bumper for a few miles. Then he went to pass me, and he stopped beside me and motioned that he wanted to run. I agreed, and he pulled on my easily. About 5-6 cars by the time I hit the limiter at 135.

I wasn't sure if it was real or not though. I thought they werent availible yet, but maybe I was wrong, it did have a dealer tag though.

2SYKbenz's

I saw one on the road two or three weeks ago, there out and FAST

RedSLKChic

Yes they are available, I see quite a few of them around here and that's one of the only cars I would drive with a big wing lol

tifosiv122

I drove the Evo8...I wasn't all that impressed....seemed very weak untill 3k.

Erik

TimmyC230boy

Motor Trend and Car & Driver said the same thing. The turbo doesnt make enough boost until around 3500, but after that its a beast. MT was able to get a 5v sec 0-60, but they said they were abusing the clutch so bad, that a normal person would ruin the clutch after a couple months of hard starts. Plus I also suspect that the normal buyer wont be a great shifter either.

RedSLKChic

I guess it could feel weak but 13.4 is a 13.4 now matter how you slice it :p Most stock turbo cars will probably feel weak until the turbo spools and the bigger the turbo, the worse the lag. If you floored my Eclipse, for about 1/2 second you would say"WTF, this is supposed to be quick?!", but then the wheels would start spinning to propel you in a mid 12 1/4 mile lol

tifosiv122

Well, maybe I should explain a few more things...

When I went to look/buy the car the dealer told me it is not a daily driver. It cannot be driven everyday for these reasons:

1. Tires are too soft...need to change every 6k
2. Car will require lots of maintainence

Then he told me I can't shut the car right away to let the turbo cool...umm turbo timer anyone?

So its a track car thats not all that great or its a street car that won't last....whats the point again?

IMO if your a 'track car', you need to do a whole lot better then one big turbo that takes too long to spool....

Erik

TimmyC230boy

1.Well the car is basically a street leagl track car, so yes the tires are very soft. You can always replace them with a tire that will wear a little longer.
2. Not sure how to take that one. I mean the only maintainence would be oil change, filter etc, if its a warrenty problem its covered.

yes just stick a turbo timer on there, but thats only if it was driven very hard 15 seconds before you park it. Like if you were at a track, and made 5 hard laps and came in a shut it off.

I think the only time you would experiance lag is in 1st gear. I wouldnt think that if you shifted at 5000 or so, that you would drop much, if any, below 3000 in the next gear. The 6 speed has pretty close gear ratios.

The single vs dual turbo setup has been debated for years. Some like one big turbo, others like 2 smaller ones in sequence.

tifosiv122

1. If you change the tires you can kiss the 13 seconds goodbye.
2. He basically said after 30,000 miles its time for a new car...in not so plain english

Road racing makes you shift whenever, not just above 3,500. The severe lag would kill this car in a track race with lots of tight turns that require the driver to slow down considerably.

Some cars can pass without TT's...this just isn't one of them...the power difference is so significant that this car needs a turbo for low end as well as high end.

Erik

Iceman's C230

I really like to run one of those at the track. I wonder how much abuse they can take.

junyo

Slowing down doesn't matter as long as you keep the engine spooled up. You drift and point the car in turns to keep your speed up and manipulate the gears just to keep the engine reving within it's power band. That's why race cars and better sports cars tend to have close ratio transmissions, so that you almost always have a gear that'll let you stay in the power band for whatever speed you're going.

TimmyC230boy

Erik,

Great post. I think the Toyota Supra is a TT setup right?, but i could swear I heard of a single turbo Supra. Is the WRX STi a dual or single turbo.

I have every idea that in 8K miles when the driver replaces there tires and they see that they are over $200 a piece, and are rated at a treadwear of 150. I think they will be putting the typical street racer tires on and be getting much much less traction.

trench

Ayrton Senna was the master of this. He had this peculiar way he'd constantly blip the throttle in corners, he even did this after the turbo era ended.

Cheers, BT

Jorel C320

The Mark III supras came single. Those are the 86-92 years.


Worst salesman i ever heard of....LOL. He shouldnt tell the truth like that!!!

tifosiv122

junyo - correct, but you shouldn't have to.

TimmyC230boy - some supra owners work their engines and swap a TT for a Turbo for various reasons, heat being one of the best reasons. A tt creates so much more heat then a single turbo. A good example is the last gen RX-7. Most tuners took out the TT right away, those that didn't usually have problems caused by heat. In both cases the cars worked fine as singles, the Evo isn't one of them.

Jorel C320 - Well he never had my business after I drove the car and told him my thoughts...so he 'leveled' with me.

IMO, a good street legal track car is a Viper. Besides the price tag, it does what it is supposed to do...you can technically drive it everyday (sans rain or snow) and it performs like a race car in stock form.

Erik

TimmyC230boy

Erik: Thanks for the insight. I think the reason the Supra and RX-7 have done well is because they start with something like a 3.0L 6cyl instead of a 2.0L 4banger.

I think the Viper is a good street legal track car, but for the money I think a Z06 is better. I just wonder how long you can have such high boost in a motor before it lets go/

Xpeed

tifosiv122 you dont like the evo what about the WRX STI

junyo

I don't know, I kind of like the on the edge of control feeling, the "you realize that we're about to die" messages that your brain fires off every nanosecond or so as you're tossing a light, fast car around the track, and the technical skill of knowing how much torque you have and where it is, shifting at just the right point and rocketing out of a curve... It's like sex with a freaky girl; the harder you ride it, the better she responds. Different strokes.

Personally, gimme a 911. Even the base Carrera. A little slower, but would leave a Viper for dead in the twisty bits. And goes okay in the rain and snow.

tifosiv122

TimmyC230boy - Well, the Rx-7 isn't V anything, its a rotary, and i think its 1.x liters, but anyway...

Xpeed - Never drove it. Drove a WRX when they first came out...sorry, I hated that also.

As for my opinion on the Z06 or the 996...

I hate Vettes, but I will give them their due...12 second car for that price...not bad at all...

996...I love the car, but it doesn't feel like a race car.

IF I was looking for a street legal race car the only true ones I can think of are:

Viper (Original RT/10's more then the newer models)
Shelby Cobra
Ford GT40
Ferrari F-40
Ferrari Enzo

I'm sure I am missing some, but basically these were designed for the track and made street legal...the Z06 and the 996 are cars that perform extreemely well, but are in no means street legal race cars.

Don't forget most on the above list had no A/C, stereos, door handles {Viper}, etc...

I am not saying I would take a viper over a z06 or a 996, but i think out of the three its the only true street legal track car {or at least its original intent}.

Erik

pocholin

Nice, but shouldn't you post this at "Kill stories" forum?

Like I said, nice kill.

BlackC230Coupe

Damn, u went from a 12 seconed eclipse to a SLK230? must feel slow.:p :p :p

BlackC230Coupe

Unless u are comparing the 2003 viper to the Z06 i dont know why u think a viper is a better track car than a Z06. The Z06 does everything well, speed, handle, brake, the viper doesn't do much more than look more exotic than the Z06. And the Z06 is cheaper plus u have a/c and a stereo.

tifosiv122

In every test the Viper and the Z06 come out about even with the deciding factor of price. Anyone who has driven both cars will tell you that the Z06 is a fast Vette and a Viper is a track car. Driving a Viper is like a workout, its not comfortable...the heat the gives off is incredible...the sound the vibrations...the torque. Just becuase they go about the same speed doesn't mean they are even two comparable cars.

Erik

vraa

Doesn't a S600 run a 12ish 1/4 run? So does that mean it's compable to .. ohh say a Mitsu Eclipse?

Just reinforcing that.

tifosiv122

Thanks.

Erik