Compact car cruise soon?

Hi all,

I'm picking up my RColt on Saturday.

Anyone keen for some kind of cool assorted compact car cruise sometime soon? Somewhere like Canberra/Sydney/Newcastle area, I'm pretty flexible..

Exclusive invites only of course :)
Micras, Swifts, RColts, GTiRs and EVOs, but hmm have to have a long hard think about allowing any heavy cars such as XR5s and Golf GTis or Mazda MPS etc. Heh.

Actually, picking the car up from VIC. Mitsu dealer in Canberra was a jerk and didn't want to waste his time with me, so I took my business to Melb and got a massively better deal and some decent customer service.

Anyway, I joined up to www.rcolt.com. Man its good to just be a simple forum member on a site rather than running the whole show :) Ahh so easy just to post messages and some other guy is running everything for you :)

I found out that the RColt's diff is not just a basic traction control that cuts power, it actually detects which wheel is spinning and sends EXTRA power to the other wheel. Doesn't just cut power from all wheels like a basic ford fairmont kinda system.. So is designed to actually increase cornering speed, not pull you up and get in the way.. Have to really read up on how the guts of it work inside mechanically..

Hey mate, i actually know the guy that started and designed the forum. The designer also does JDMStyle tuning and designed the logo for Clubitr. Not a bad looking site.

Anyways the owner there is much like you, he had a s14 before actually and now he is a lover of all things compact, just loves the rcolt alittle more LOL.

Quite a few videos of the rcolt running around on tsukuba but unfortuantely in the videos it doesnt actually do that well maybe due to modifications allowed.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXANlT8tbNw

3 part video the other 2 can be accessible within that link

So cisco you're saying the Rcolt has some sort of torque converter as the differential? Or is it similar to the Evo/WRX/GT-R centre differential setups?

Find out more... Very interesting. It'd be a mongrel of a thing to have outside of warrenty considering the way modern cars are going these days.

but modern cars are often more reliable then the older counterparts at the exception of alfa romeos :p

replace 'often' with 'meant to be' and you've got it spot on :P

Not sure yet Yom, but I'll work all that stuff out.

5 years ownership (the term of the the warranty) will probably be long enough for me, then I'll move onto whatever else is out by that time. Technology is like computer programs. You always need the latest patches and fixes. It keeps getting better and they keep fixing more stuff, I don't wanna be left with the old crap for too long.

All my servicing will be getting 100% done at the dealer, so it won't be any hassle to me whatsoever - "fix it boys!".

Haha yeh. Sad that we're going to have to update our cars regularly like we do with our computers. Both of them are such poor things to spend money on hah.

Love that line there cisco. Fix it boys! I can't wait for your first dealership mechanic rant thread... Its a shame but you can't trust most mechanics as far as you could throw their tyre shine! I took the patrol down for a service and pick it up and get stung with costs that I didn't even authorise. What adds salt to the wound is they didnt even use genuine nissan spare parts (which are superior to 99.9% of aftermarket stuff) so the poor thing drives like a pile-o-shit with an uber restrictive airfilter which cost $70. At least they used Pennzoil oil, I can only hope they used the right grade for the engine (which again you can't trust a non dealership mechanic to select). I reported a belt squeak when cold and they claimed to have tightened the belt - BULLSHIT they did. the ZD30's belt tensioner is an automatic spring loaded system. I wanted a new belt if required but nooo they just had to chuck a bit of belt conditioner on it which has now made it squeak even more. Bloody idiots.

/rant

Are there any fully qualified car mechanics at car dealerships anymore? I think not. All have moved on to work for themselves or in W.A. are working in the mines for mega bucks.
SWifty went back for its free 1000 kl service to the dealer and thats the last they will see it.
Luckily found a fully qualified mechanic who is a Repco approved repairer which means my warranty will be fine. He works Saturday mornings which means I can go down and hang around/help when he does the servicing on the car.If you ask/scout around there are some mechanics out there who still take pride in their work/care about their customers and do not rip you off.Look after them and they will do likewise. My guy likes a drop of red wine so Xmas time gave him a couple of bottles.Little things like that go a long way.Owner operators are the ones who most times will give you the best service.

Yeah I definitely agree Yom. But I think its more of a general thing. There is a massive skill shortage in Australia right now, its safe to say that on average, most Australians are stupid :) Its enlightening when you meet someone intelligent that impresses you or works hard or works to provide top customer service etc.

Actually, something blew me away last night. I rang AAMI for insurance. I couldn't believe how awesome they were. Now I completely bagged the crap out of AAMI several years ago for how crappy they were and how useless their service was. I rang up about 4 times last night and each time, was greeted with exceptional over and beyond my expectations customer service. Far out they were awesome. What's even better they will drastically reduce your premium right down to like $383 per annum if you are prepared to pay a $2000 excess. For someone like me who has paid insurance all my life, wasted millions and never needed it, this is the perfect option. I will save a fortune just after 1-3 years and then if I ever need it, I am happy to give them $2000, because I would have saved more than that anyway. Its an awesome option that works for people who try to be extra careful and never park their car in high crime-rate areas and look after it always garaged etc. There can always be a bloody unexpected accident, but if you try your best to be really particular, I reckon this is an awesome money saving option for you. AAMI also don't use one of those stupid automated computer phone menus - its answered by a human straight away and she directs your call immediately to another human. WAY TO GO AAMI. HEAPS cheaper than NRMA for a Ralliart Colt also. I'm loving being 27 with a clean record (yeah all my old license suspensions happened >5 years ago hehe) because insurance for me now is awesome value considering its turbo'd and has all this factory sport stuff.

I've been to mechanics that have absolutely no idea, and like you say, heaps of the staff at dealerships are exactly the same - which yeah is very disappointing.

Its just easier to drop it off at the same place, and at least know that they will have all the genuine mitsubishi parts and lubes. I don't want many question marks over this car, wanna keep it all legit and proper servicing records for when its time to sell. But at the same time, if the dealer does anything to diappoint, then I'll certainly go searching for a really decent mechanic who won't void the warranty - that is always a good idea.

Had to cancel my flight, heading down probably monday arvo to pick it up now.

Anyway, this whole thread.. Does anyone wanna organise some kind of multi small car cruise type thing one time? There are a couple of other RColt dudes that were keen I think..

Cisco I'll be going through the ACT in around 3 weeks time and I'd love to see the colt in the flesh. Yeh yeh I know I dislike mitsubishi and I don't particularly like the colts but shit its a small car with a big bite and that over-writes any other prejudices for me :P


I like that AAMI $2000 excess, lower premium. Its not that bad because in the average carpark bingle these days the repair bill is at least $1700 so the old repair something outside of insurance because it might be cheaper is pretty much extinct.

What do you know. Big companies CAN change.

A couple of quotes from Autospeeds freshly published review of the R-Colt. http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_108017/article.html

Subtitle: "The best small sporting car you can buy"

"Brilliant small car package"
"Excellent engine although takes a while to boost"
"Fantastic suspension and brakes"
"Practical body"

"From its upgraded brakes (not just discs but master cylinder as well) to its radically revised suspension (dampers, rebound springs, new main spring rate, improved lower arm rigidity, different bushes, bigger sway bar with Teflon-lined bushes – and that’s just the front!), to its turbo 1.5 litre MIVEC motor, this car shows thorough factory development that’s resulted in the best sporting small car we’ve ever driven."

"You want to carry four adults in comfort? You can. You want to slide the rear seat forward and then tumble it to give you an incredible 594 litres of cargo capacity? You can. You want to peel down your favourite stretch of twisting tight black-top, standard ex-Evo Recaros holding you tight as you use the small size of the car, the meaty mid-range torque and the quick and accurate steering to despatch the kilometres in a time that would leave your average Commodore or Falcon owner simply incredulous? Well, you can do that too.

And all at an ADR 81/01 fuel consumption of 6.7 litres/100km or even, as we achieved on test, 8 litres/100km."

"The Ralliart Colt is a car that we’ve been long waiting for. We loved the Daihatsu Charade turbo and bemoaned the missing GTTi. The fast Familia and the incredible Kei class Japanese were more cars we never saw in decent numbers. But now we have just such a pocket rocket – and if it costs a bit more than we’d really like; well, it also has more capability than we ever expected."

"And if the driveline is a bit of an eye-opener in terms of development, the chassis is an absolute class act. Together with the 9-inch booster, the big front ventilated discs and solid rear discs give braking performance which at first feels unremarkable. It’s only when you start punishing the stoppers with repeated real-world stops down a demanding road that you marvel at the consistent, strong stopping power. Mitsubishi claim the brakes have the same fade resistance as the Evo Lancer and we can believe it."

"On a twisting road the Colt feels absolutely planted. The precision and weight of the steering, the millimetre-accurate placement that is easily achieved, and the grip provide by the 205/45 ZR Pirelli Dragons being worn on 16 x 6.5 inch wheels all mean that it’s easy to be embarrassed by your driving. Embarrassed? Yep, because at the end of the what you thought was a demanding section being taken fast, you wonder why the hell you hadn’t been entering every corner 10 or 15 or even 20 km/h faster... such was the ease with which the Ralliart Colt had been doing it."

"Partly responsible for that handling is the much stiffer than standard body. Incredibly, the Colt body has been given a real engineering work-over – and not just with bolt-ons. There are 50 per cent more spot welds than normal; reinforcement has been added to the D pillar; some body panels are thicker than standard; and additional reinforcements are strategically placed. This adds 60kg to body mass (total is 1130kg) but body rigidity is up by 30 per cent. In fact, Mitsubishi state (and they should know!) that in terms of torsional rigidity, the Ralliart Colt is the stiffest Mitsubishi made – better, even, than the Evo Lancer."

Julian Edgar is one of the most unbiased, up front motoring journalists, and he's actually a smart engineering mind type of guy.
This is good news for the RColt scene.

The things they don't like:
- the price
- lack of trip computer (I also said that)
- only two airbags (I also said that)
- their test car's interior has a strong plastic smell (eek)
- NVH and loud starter motor.

Good all round unbiased review highlighting the good and the bad. If they sell a few, there will most likely be an upgrade sometime to include side airbags and perhaps a trip computer you'd have to think..

Side airbags and a trip computer are probably offered overseas somewhere :P

NVH and loud starter motor... LOL thats struggling for negatives. Its not a luxury car, a bit of road noise is fine and a loud starter motor just reminds everyone whats about to happen! Sounds like ralliart really have given the rather average colt a new lease at life.

Gee Cisco after reading that report might have to trade in Swifty. No, I will wait until the cold air intake, extractors are installed and by the looks of it a performance chip not far away.Only putting on approved Suzuki after market performance parts on Swifty.
Pics as soon as, please Cisco.
You need to start up a sub site for small performance compacts Cisco.
Now 2 owners of Micras and Swift Sports, one Colt Ralliart.
Must admit Swifty that quiet I will be happy when the extractors go on plus a sports exhaust but maybe I am used to all those great noises that come form Hack.
Happy to see you are staying with a small fast car Cisco, getting worried you had been seduced by those wallowing lumps of iron with 1960s technology.

Once a small car nut always a small car nut.

Hi Cisco,

Wow congratulations on getting hold of a Ralliart Colt. Yes they are an awesome car... Very fast + exceptional handling + great fuel economy + five year warranty = so it's ALL good !.

Please post some pictures of your new car when you get the chance...

So true Yom, so true.New Mini due out late this year based on the original panel van. One door drivers side, 2 doors passangers side with fold down rear seats, barn type rear opening doors just like the original. Longer wheel base etc. If they stuff the Cooper S motor into it, now that would have to be the fastest panel van on the road. If anyone comes across a pic please post.Very unusual design.

*Pokes head around corner*

Can bikes come? :D

Sean - Remember me?

How could we ever forget? Welcome back.

Bikes? Welcome back? Mate we may as well be waving goodbye.

Pfft...

I'm here in spirit.. Still read quite alot and at least still have a Micra, I just use 2 wheels for fun now instead

Sean

hello all. depends on where and when it is. I'm in.

i spose ill fill the gtir category.

Yeah good one.

Hey picked it up last night. Flew into Melb at 6pm, dealer picked me up from airport after they'd closed up for the day, in my car. Drove to his house (right near airport) to drop him home, then he ran me through the car, then I drove home from there. AWESOME CUSTOMER SERVICE. Reminds me of my time in Japan when places would pick you up from train stations. Got home at 2:30am this morning. Man that's a BIG drive. The section between Albury and Wagga is like a minefield battlezone. Dodging B-double semi's the whole way, and they own the road. Eek - glad to be back on Canberra's luxury roads for sure.

Anyway, the car is crazy. I gotta clean some splatted bugs off tonight, but in short its just mad. It has clicked with my head, its like everything I always tried to aim for Blue Monster to be, but refined and actually done properly, heaps smarter and better. Everything is just so well thought out.

This is the smoothest engine in any car I have ever driven. It never jerks, clicks, grinds or makes any noises. The throttle transition is perfectly smooth and it just builds boost smoothly and you blink and there is this rush of mid range torque pulling you away, and all so quietly with just a little kind of grunt noise. Beautiful engine. Gearbox just the same. Awesomely smooth and easy to shift gears. Steering is perfect, the electric assist is just magic and very precise, but it does smart things like make it heaps easy when parking etc, but then feels sporty when driving.

Very aerodynamic, fuel consumption is mad. Holds onto corners like you have 8 tires in contact with the ground or something. I didn't push it, but I gave it a bit a few times and you just hear the tyres bite and the thing works it all out.

Yeah bloody mega happy. The boot thing is heaps larger than the fairmont's when you flip and roll the back seat under. Then you have this huge hatchback opening with this massive chamber to put things in. Very smart design.

Yeah bloody wrapped with it. The awesome sporty interior and 240kmh gauges are tops. Flipping the mirrors in and out when you park is just an awesome jabba feature that goes wow whizz bang. haha.

I wouldn't get a large car again, because the interior is HUGE. It feels in the front as roomy as the fairmont. Actually I can't believe it. You sit so far away from the dash, the windscreen is very slanted and goes very far away from you, and the engine is designed in a crash to push under neath you, not straight into you. The design in that respect is great and you won't believe how much huge room you have for a small-medium sized car.

Hello long weekend of driving and no blue monster nightmares to worry about - just drive it.

Yeah I'll definitely try to snap some creative pics soon.

But here's something funny just for kicks anyway..

http://xr6.micra.com.au/

My dad bought this thing a coupla weeks ago. He's having fun. He needs to tow his caravan and travels around Australia a lot on big holiday trips, so he needs something RWD with big torque and easy to get parts for.

Sounds fun mate! Took one for a test drive two weeks ago after thinking about getting one for AGES, but alas its not practical work at the moment so I talked myself out of it.

We should defo get together; you, Brendo and myself for a coffee, beer or other beverage soon though..

Sean

Cool mighty!

You little test-driver!

Yeah, definitely need to have a coffee/beer soon, that'd be sweet.

Oi send us a private message mate..

Brendo, fire up.

Wasn't talking about how often you were online man. :(

Be careful please.


Good to hear the car is going well for you cisco.