Mk1 Swift GTi, any good?

[TonyJZX]

The chances of finding an unraped Swift GTi are pretty slim. Back in the day, they were the bee's knees and coped a lot of abuse as a result.

like trying to find an unmolested CRX. Ain't gonna happen.

[Captiva Fan]

There were faster cars for less money when the CRX was released though; plus they were screwed together nicely, and also looked pretty good. The GTi just looked average, and it was tinny & plasticky; all it could do was go pretty quickly for the price. In other words, there were reasons to own a CRX apart from it's ability to cop a caning ... the local hairdresser wot I used to go to 'back home' had a very nice immaculate original 2nd-gen (ie. 1st generation in Oz) black CRX, and if she still owns it it'd still be spotless (her mum had an immaculate HD & EH, I guess she grew up with immaculate cars around).

[TonyJZX]

I drove a fairly tidy swift gti years ago - maybe even a decade ago.

Even new they had that 'wind thru the biplane rigging' feeling.

Is it just me or is EVERY Honda CRX now a Autosalon contender???

[Captiva Fan]

I drove a fairly tidy swift gti years ago - maybe even a decade ago.
Even new they had that 'wind thru the biplane rigging' feeling.

I know what you mean; you got the feeling that if you could hide the bulge under your coat, you could smuggle your Swift GTi onto a plane through the metal-detectors without registering.
Dunno if the bulge was the Swift, or the excitement associated.

I just remembered about the CRX's that look like Suzuki Mighty Boys ... you're right, they were always unattractive but had good power. I guess that's why they're always so heavily bodged. I had been thinking about the actually good-looking earlier model; my mind seems to block out Suzuki Mighty Boys with Honda badges on 'em.

[AndyMac]

Whats the performance/handling like. CRX Vs GTi ?

[23Kev]

Kev - let me retort your outrageous claim:

Twin Cams - bolt in 20v/GZE options
- 4 doors
- Came with wheels other than Auscar three spokes!
- actually had *some* torque
I'm not talking Seca's here... just the proper "SWB" hatches.

I have to admit that the Gtis had better seats.....

I guess I am a little biased because I had a pretty good GTi and drove the wheels off it for about 200000km's. Turbocharged (nearly double the power), good brakes, good suspension etc etc, I'm sure you've heard me talk about it before...

The corolla I'm driving at the moment I've just rebuilt the motor to standard specs and it has whiteline suspension and some good tyres and it's defnitiely a good car to drive

BUT, The Swift feels a lot smaller to drive (even tho its only a touch smaller in length and width I'd say) and therefore to me its just a great drive. Turn in felt a hell of a lot stronger in the swift than it does in the twin cam...

Forg:I give you this link for pics of a mark 1 and 2 GTi (well what I and I thought most people call them) http://autospeed.drive.com.au/cms/A_2413/article.html. The pic of the white swift is my old car, funny how autospeed are still recycling pics of my car when they did the story on it about 5 years ago!! I know the older car is lighter and has always been said as a better drive but I found the older ones really flimsy and weak, there was just no stiffness at all in anything compared to the newer ones, I'd hate to think what they are like now!!

And for good measure a Mark 3 GTi

[Jim]

I've got to not agree with you there secoh...

perhaps I am thinking of the next model up, but it was suzuki and honda that were the first to introduce blocks with coated bores. The steel in the alloy was very thin and soft, and they relied on a coating to keep the hardness up. reboring them would see them last a very short period of time.

[Hypo]

I guess I am a little biased because I had a pretty good GTi and drove the wheels off it for about 200000km's. Turbocharged (nearly double the power), good brakes, good suspension etc etc, I'm sure you've heard me talk about it before...

Kev but the old 4agze powered MR2 used to be right along side with the turbo and the old ae82 twincam sedan was beside you non-turbo.

Ahh memories......

I would get a nice clean AE-82 hatch and if the motor goes boom which is highly unlikely for a 4age chuck in a 4agze or newer model 4age 16v

[23Kev]

Kev but the old 4agze powered MR2 used to be right along side with the turbo and the old ae82 twincam sedan was beside you non-turbo.

Hahaha....yeh the good times when we were young and silly...

I still sticking up for the Gti, sometimes I wish I hadn't sold it and bought the 200, but ahh well...these things happen! :D

[Captiva Fan]

BUT, The Swift feels a lot smaller to drive (even tho its only a touch smaller in length and width I'd say) and therefore to me its just a great drive. Turn in felt a hell of a lot stronger in the swift than it does in the twin cam...

I agree, to generalise, smaller cars just feel more 'direct'; and the GTi definitely felt like that. They were definitely smaller inside & out, although not actually much lighter; but they felt lighter to drive (ie. they just seemed to do what you asked 'em to more quickly than the Corolla). They are a newer car though, the rounded ?MF? Barina arrived at the end of 1988, which was about when AE82's died-out here (and AE92's had been on sale for at least 2 years in Japan).

Whats the performance/handling like. CRX Vs GTi ?

The CRX was a more expensive & sophisticad car all-round, at least by the time Australia got them. Definitely faster in a straight line, and frankly I'd be surprised if not faster overall. The VTEC ones with 117kW are quicker again in a straight line, but I'm definitely not sure about handling with those; they picked up weight as much as they picked up ugliness.