Sorted them errors

One big problem with that video...

The sound track! How can you make a vid about the engine and not include one of its best features!? Its nearly as bad as top gear for masking the noise of the cars with crap (personal opinion!) music!

Apart from that I whole heartedly agree. Too many valves though

Excellent thread and too much to comment on. So I am going to sleep

I test drove a 20vt for the first time today and have the say compared to my 20v NA, the non turbo felt more composed on the road.

That said, I do believe there were issues with the one I drove (20vt) especially with the clutch. As I've not driven another 20vt to compare, its hard to make a fair comparison but I can see the appeal of when the turbo kicks in! I appreciate you need to get used to it and learn the car, etc but I just walked away thinking that my NA sounded better at the very least

And coming back, after a fortnight and a thousand miles or so...

I just got into the NA, which hasn't been driven for a month, and took it for a gentle blast to give it some air. Just a gentle blast, because it needs some work to the driver's driveshaft and hub. But enough miles to get the mothballs out.

The NA feels so much more planted on the road, no argument. In the NA it's point and squirt, in the 20vt it's point and wait and squirm and then squirt. There's no comparison in the acceleration, but with 50% more horses available you wouldn't expect it, but the NA does what it does at any revs, while the 20VT doesn't anything under three thousand or so, and it doesn't do a lot there.

The 16 is often harsh and noisy, but you can hear the engine - which is a good thing. The 20 is much much softer and quieter and a lot of the time you can't hear the engine - which is a good thing.

The 20VT is a better cruiser, but the 16NA is a better driver's car.

My old MX5 was a much 'better driver's' car than my coop (or anyone's 16v NA) but I'd still rather drive my 20vT.

For me, drama, noise and punch are far more important than sub 3krpm throttle response.

fair point - this is and always will be down to a subjective definition of 'better'.

I became the proud owner of another 16v n/a this week, I purchased this one as a daily driver/courtesy car and since it's been here I haven't driven anything else

One of the main reasons for making this purchase was the short journey I have to take to work, living 3 miles away I have to let a 20vt sit outside after I've got to work so that it gets up to a running temperature the short squirts too and from home just don't do them any good so this week the n/a has been great as they certainly warm up quicker then a 20v.

The car is much lighter on the front end and you get far better feed back through the steering wheel which is surprising as the psp must be 2x the size of a 20vt pump, brakes, yep it's stops, acceleration, it's there if you get the revs right, handling, unsure at the moment but there's certainly less under steer, fuel economy, great improvement

Am I happy, yes very as I've found this to be a great car that is very misunderstood and knocked for its lack of BHP, the previous owner Robin has really looked after this one as it drives more like a 40k mile car even thought it's got 80k on the clock.

I'll update this with some pics after I've had Patch work his magic with his detailing

Now you know why I want another 16NA Joe.

Welcome to the dark side, Joe...

this is a great thred. i have a 16v NA i have found it to be a great car. but i am looking to buy a 20vt or even a 16vt. a friend told me just tune the 16v insted. but.. i do love boost
unlike most people i have drove the 16v but have never even been in either turbos. i do a few drag events at shows every year and thought the of the line torque and power would be great for this. i cant belive there is so much difference between the cars! i thought most peple would slay the 16v and love the 20vt, show how different everyone is. anyone want to swap cars for a week

MOT on monday woooo

you only say this paul because plus of 200bhp you need a change of Y fronts

No the real reason is I've got 10 points

If the 16v n/a is a better drivers car, surely the 20v n/a is an even better drivers car.

I had a 20V NA and I didn't think it was better than the 16V.

Yah butt, read the question again "is it a better driver's car" and of course only the better drivers would drive a 20v na

If this turns into a vs thread, I shall evoke executive privilege and nuke it!

Oh, wait...

To be brutally honest, and with apologies to 20v na drivers, the 20v na is too front heavy and is underpowered to a certain extent. Where it does score heavily is in the driveability stakes, the power delivery is linear rather than the "all or nothing" of the 20vt, and of course it has a more modern engine than the 16v na.

Anyway, they are all still coupés and they all look good.

/end of thread hijack, promise!

isn't the 16v engien actually heaver than the 20v one?

*runs away after feeding more petrol on to the fire*

When you get a chance you'll have to have a spin in a VIS as they're a completely different beast altogether



Sam......






Oh I give up

Damned if I know, Sam... but as a 16 is built of thicker steel than the 20, and weighs less, *something* must be lighter. And the only major difference is the engine.

'Tis good that owners of other models fly the 16V flag.

Nice, isn't it.

I've found something I'm not happy about with my 16v n/a, my left shin hurts when I rest it against the centre console, the 20v design is not so sharp and I can't wedge myself in the same with the 16v

Other then that she's still great, especially when it only cost me £9.00 to drive 110 miles to the NEC and back tonight

She also surprised me, I was driving on a private section of road that my friend lends to petrol-heads and cruising at 80mph the revs sit nicely at 3.5k rpm which is less then the 20v n/a's, I then planted my foot to the floor and the noise came up and she happily galloped up to 000+mph no problem, pickup was very impressive.

More to follow

Sorted

Thank you Stan


Found another positive to the 16v this weekend and that is the headlight adjustment switch has 3 positions unlike the 20v's which only has 2

im sold...

When I got my 20V NA, it had 3 positions. The fact the dash dimmer wasn't working meant I had to change it. Now have the 2 height option.

Wonder if it was the original part?!

Yeah - but if you look in the manual it says:

Position 0 - normal
Position 1 - when carrying heavy loads
Position 2 - do not use

WTF's that about then?