Joy to Drive.

Ibrox90 · 20-08-2009, 11:51 PM

So with all the issues ive had with my BA Xr8 i was forced to Re rego my 1995 Magna.

Had to go down to the shops for the parentals so i jumped in the Magna.

And i must say i throughly enjoyed it. My question is why???

Its not a particularly great example of a magna and going from an XR8 back to a Magna should be a huge step backwards. But it didn't feel it.

Once I got used to the manual again I had a huge smile on my face.

Has anyone else felt this and not had a clue??

big-e · 20-08-2009, 11:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrox90

Once I got used to the manual again I had a huge smile on my face.

I think manual is a joy to drive cause it feels like you are in control.

At 1 stage I had the TS50 and also an ef xr6 (both manual) but when I jumped in the XR I felt different, the car was not as nice as the TS and I think thats the point, it felt rough, not as refined and just crazy.

Its a great feeling and I bet after you drive the magna for a while and go back to the XR8 you will love it more and more...... its like a holiday.

Riksta · 21-08-2009, 12:11 AM

My Falcon has been off the road for a couple of weeks getting some repair work done, and I re-registered my old 88 Colt to drive while it was off the road.

Picked up the Falcon yesterday. Had to run up to the local shops today, took the Colt. While its really a bit of a junk pile, gutless auto, with a really crappy sound system (2 4" speakers hooked up to a CD player), it can actually be a bit of fun to drive!

And now that I'm used to driving it again, I'm probably gonna use it as a local hack, to get me from A to B to keep the K's from going up so quick on the AU.

But yeah, it can sometimes be fun to go back and drive your old car. And as big-e says, it makes you appreciate your "good" car even more when you do take that for a spin. I agree, it IS like a holiday in a way!

Iggypoppin' · 21-08-2009, 12:18 AM

As they say, a change( no matter how quick) is as good as a holiday. It takes you from your comfort zone and breaks things up. Often makes you feel good.

jaydee · 21-08-2009, 01:11 AM

My daily drive is a 351 auto XC. Just brought my daughter a 1.8 twin cam 5 speed Corolla and I've been driving that every day this week as she hasn't got her license yet, and boy is it fun, especially in the wet with a bit of torque steer.

But I'm draggin the Falc out tomorrow to keep the battery charged and just so she doesn't get jealous.

ltd · 21-08-2009, 09:06 AM

Lets be honest here mate, the 1995 magna was not that bad a car, and in a manual it was much better.
I'd say that your angst with a problematic XR8 has enhanced the already decent feeling the magna gave you.
Hope your XR8 troubles are sorted out soon though.

JC · 21-08-2009, 09:11 AM

I waana know what you're smoking and where I can get some?

duaned · 21-08-2009, 09:31 AM

My father has a TJ VRX Magna and I must say for a FWD these are a very under-rated car. Each time I take it for a spin I am surprised at the way it performs and handles. It feels a lot lighter than the falcon ( and im sure it is) and more nimble. I don't know why people really bag these things, apart from the FWD aspect.

EFPWR · 21-08-2009, 09:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duaned

My father has a TJ VRX Magna and I must say for a FWD these are a very under-rated car. Each time I take it for a spin I am surprised at the way it performs and handles. It feels a lot lighter than the falcon ( and im sure it is) and more nimble. I don't know why people really bag these things, apart from the FWD aspect.

Has it got the awesome 1km turning circle too? :P

I used to drive dads 97 magna (jap v6 motor) and it went well.. very well.. to the point you could get it to kick back to first and the tyres would squeal (was an auto). Only thing I really didn't like about it was the enormous turning circle.. I've seen small trucks with better turning circles!

Swordsman88 · 21-08-2009, 09:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duaned

My father has a TJ VRX Magna and I must say for a FWD these are a very under-rated car. Each time I take it for a spin I am surprised at the way it performs and handles. It feels a lot lighter than the falcon ( and im sure it is) and more nimble. I don't know why people really bag these things, apart from the FWD aspect.

Yeah the magna has a bad rep in some circles....its not a fair one niether because i think they are great cars.

The RWD ford/holden supporters dont' really go for it because because its a FWD car (and the early models weren't that big), and toyota fans are 'above' the mitsu badge apparently LOL! THe biggest insult in australian auto manufacturing was the death of the magna/380 partialy due to the 'success' of the aurion/camry. Those private buyers that went to the aurion because they didnt' like mitsus were only helping to kill off the magna. And why...anyone with a brain knows the magnas have handled better than the equivalent toyota in basically forever.

EDManual · 21-08-2009, 11:31 AM

it was the media who killed the magna/380.

I must say i really liked the awd versions! I dont have one, but would still rather one of those than anything else really....apart from a turbo falcon.

colossus · 21-08-2009, 11:55 AM

Is FF your personal blog now?

winkle · 21-08-2009, 12:18 PM

Seeing as everyone loves Magnas, I have a 2003 one for sale. PM me for details.

Carby · 21-08-2009, 12:55 PM

We had them as company cars for a fair while and I found them to be pretty ordinary. Apart from the turning circle they sufferred from torque steer and in the wet when moving from the lights, they would spin the front let tyre all too easily especially if turning left.

Only aspect I thought was better than the Falcons and Commodores was the silky smooth nature of their V6 engines.

Ibrox90 · 21-08-2009, 01:26 PM

I do love Magnas are seriously good cars. my magna has never stopped running sometimes it gets a new rattle and it'll be a $50 fix 200k and counting. Soon the car will probably go to my brother and hopefully he doesnt kill it. Althought i think killing it would be hard.

caputo23 · 21-08-2009, 01:28 PM

magnas are half decent and quite fun in the wet, but apart from the obvious FWD which kills the car dramatically, it aint to bad

Ibrox90 · 21-08-2009, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duaned

My father has a TJ VRX Magna and I must say for a FWD these are a very under-rated car. Each time I take it for a spin I am surprised at the way it performs and handles. It feels a lot lighter than the falcon ( and im sure it is) and more nimble. I don't know why people really bag these things, apart from the FWD aspect.

Love the TJ VRX especially the all wheel drive version. VRX at this time was marketed as a sport version.

Also important to know that the TJ Magna was the fastest N/a 6 cyl when it was realised meaning it beat both the commodore and the falcon and thats the FWD version aswell as the AWD. Its a car i nearly bought insted of the Xr8

XR_Strider_GuY · 21-08-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ibrox90

Love the TJ VRX especially the all wheel drive version. VRX at this time was marketed as a sport version.

Also important to know that the TJ Magna was the fastest N/a 6 cyl when it was realised meaning it beat both the commodore and the falcon and thats the FWD version aswell as the AWD. Its a car i nearly bought insted of the Xr8

Well, you can only feel what you feel and your heart cannot lie. Personally my Xr8 always gives me a biig smile and something i do miss when I am oversea's. Having said that I did enjoy my Chevy SS Impala fwd V8. Everyone thinks I am silly but I felt that car was nice and did warm to it.

In regards to your XR8 you need to give it time, when you start working around all the issues I am sure there is a beautiful car waiting to come out. Took me 3 years+ and my XR8 is 300x better than when i got it.

RalliArt Magna's are going for decent prices these days and the 180kw engine is a belter. I had a tussle with a Magna Sports in my AU2 XR6 HP and it kept up and beat me (up hill and all).

tapeworm · 21-08-2009, 05:11 PM

mid 90's lancer with 5 speed..theres fun to be had in the wet. I sort of undertsand what the jap brigade see in their rice cookers. Nimble car plus manual = fun, no matter how ghaey u look in the process.

**DJM83** · 21-08-2009, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tapeworm

mid 90's lancer with 5 speed..theres fun to be had in the wet. I sort of undertsand what the jap brigade see in their rice cookers. Nimble car plus manual = fun, no matter how ghaey u look in the process.

duaned · 21-08-2009, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tapeworm

mid 90's lancer with 5 speed..theres fun to be had in the wet. I sort of undertsand what the jap brigade see in their rice cookers. Nimble car plus manual = fun, no matter how ghaey u look in the process.

Now that IS taking it to far!

mrghia · 21-08-2009, 07:33 PM

I souldn't say it but i like driving out AWD sportsauto magna over my manual AU XR6

Mr Hardware · 21-08-2009, 07:37 PM

It was good cos you expected it to be rubbish and it turned out to be satisfactory.
I have felt this before with my wife's old suzuki swift.

GTP 290 · 21-08-2009, 09:42 PM

This may sounds stupid but my '06 GTP is my daily driver and my project car is my '00 magna sports manual.

The thing I love about the magna's are the surprise package, not many people (except the people that have driven/owned them) really know what they're capable of.