Are XR's worth the premium?

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 08:42 PM

Hey guys..Ive found myself a nice stock (other than exhaust) EF Futura. Its a 5 speed and only has 150000 k's. I can pick it up tomorrow night if I want and get it checked out.

I basically have 9k. So its either get a futura and work it, or get a XR that has almost everything I want. Problem is people are asking crazy prices for EL Xr's, so it looks like I will have to settle with EF if I went that way.

Do you think XR's are worth the extra $$$? basically they get a "better" interior, the head (which isn't super good anyway) and a LSD.

If I got the futura and I would have 4k to play with. I would have to do the following to be happy with it:

1. Lowering - Super lows are good enough, $400 - it is stock and I cant believe how bad it is, it feels like a boat. Although its the first time i have driven a stock falcon suspension.

2. Rims - I have no idea what type, lets say $1500

3. Body kit - got qouted $450 (just the skirts all round) how much would the paint be? Another $500?

4. Interior and Steering Wheel - my god, the stock interior is hideous, I think I can get a ghia interior for $700, but would need to convert the rear windows to electric so thats another $300. And then there is the wheel......

5. Audio - already have HU, Sub, front speakers and amp (can someone confirm that 4' will fit in the front?) just need rears and someone to install it for me. $??? not sure, wouldn't think it would be any more than $200

Then I would be happy, but thats around $4000 already with no engine mods or LSD.

Or I buy a EF XR6 for ~$8-9k and do it up slowly.....what do you guys think?

I promise this will be the last thread regarding my next car...lol...but its your fault, this club is to hard to leave!

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 08:51 PM

This thread is also the fault of the "show us ya EF/EL" thread...there are alot of EF's that look hot with the tckford body kit

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 08:53 PM

It's a hard one to comment on.

Personally, I pick neither as I hate the fact that the XR's have very basic interiors.

I love climate control, I love all electrics, and my added leather.

But an XR is nice externally.

The rest depends on your income and ability to budget for modifications and so forth. If you have 9k as a loan, or 9k and get an apprenticeship wage or something you shouldn't be looking for a project car or anything like that. You should look for something already done. I paid around that for my EL as it is, and trust me, it's a far better car than a stock EF gli or something like that.

If you can afford to mod a car, go right ahead. But only if you really can, none of this "My budget will be tight as a nun, but Ill try my hardest." Cos honestly, you'll end up getting bored quickly.

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 08:58 PM

good point, I have the cash right now...I just need to decide what I want to do with it.

I would get a Ghia in a heart beat, but its not a manual.....and making it one is to much fuss.

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 09:01 PM

Who gives a toss.

not that im a manual driver, but having leather, and all the bits my car has, would be an instant seller to have the auto if I was a deadset eseries enthusiast. Which I am. and which is why I have my car

LUXO_8 · 19-03-2006, 09:02 PM

firstly, i dont think its worth paying the extra premium for an XR these days...
just to start with, insurance is more expensive and tickford parts for ED and EF are dear as ( ie headlights, the "XR grille" etc) if you stack it. - they are also slowly running out of stock......
i know of XR's being written off these days just because both headlights and the XR grille is stuffed

besides, if you start with a gli or futura, it wont matter if you modify it, ( different interiors, body kit etc,) where with the XR's you pretty much want to keep it original for any kind of resale down the track

the I6 has been prooven to be able to get way decent power oit of cheaply, just headders and a cam see great gains...far more power than the stock XR6...

if you got an XR6, you pretty much wouldnt change the interior, again - resale comes into it......
but if its a gli or futura, it doesnt matter - you'll probably up its value with a better interior...(ie the ghia interior...)

why would you want to downgrade to the 4" front speakers, the stock 6" paper speakers probably sound better.....
save your money till you can afford a decent set of 6" splits for the front..... and some 6" 2 way's for rear fill

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackout

Who gives a toss.

not that im a manual driver, but having leather, and all the bits my car has, would be an instant seller to have the auto if I was a deadset eseries enthusiast. Which I am. and which is why I have my car

Personal preference mate, have you driven a manual falc vs an auto?

Wayne - msn...lol

EF_Frmnt · 19-03-2006, 09:20 PM

I vote get this manual gli and do all the easy things to it... its reasonably low ks its already manual and you can do whatever you want to it slowly without pulling the car off the road for an extended period.

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 09:25 PM

Course I have, I didn't find it to be that much better.

It DOES have a bit more performance, but I don't need it on the street, and I don't race much ;)

Damo · 19-03-2006, 09:27 PM

Polyal I am the same in regards to the transmission thing, love a manual. I have driven my brothers EL 5.0 Ghia a few times and deffinately wouldn't have any problems driving it on a daily basis, the torque and power is awesome compared to a 6, you would hardly miss changing cogs, and if you did it would give you something to aim for in the future. not to mention all the luxuries.

But if you go for the EF 5 speed, cam it with full exhaust then work out how to spend the rest.

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 09:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackout

Course I have, I didn't find it to be that much better.

It DOES have a bit more performance, but I don't need it on the street, and I don't race much ;)

very true...but nor do I..its more to do with driving involvement. Anyway, that arguement has been done to death...lol

MickyB · 19-03-2006, 09:33 PM

I think take it on a car by car basis, there are still some pretty good EF XR6's out there for reasonable money, they do cost more to insure, but some company's can be more lenient with lowering etc because the XR's came with lower suspension standard. If an awesome 5 spd EF/EL non-XR comes along at a cheap price though I would go for it, whack in the 3.45, JMM or Wade cam, extractors and it would probably be quicker than a stock XR6 anyway. There is a certain status to the XR's I guess, but if that does not concern you then play it by ear and buy the best car that fits within your budget, be it a 8k XR, or a 6k futura that you can mod up.

snypereb · 19-03-2006, 09:38 PM

How much are they asking for the EL XR

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 09:48 PM

one guy wants 9800 on carsales for a EL XR6, 177000k's, 5 speed but NO reg or RWC. His insane. I offered him $8500 cash over the phone but he wont budge.

volcom20 · 19-03-2006, 09:50 PM

I'd personally be after an EL Fairmont or maybe an EL Ghia. The EL Ghia would have all your trickford bits minus exaust, and a smaller price tag.

XRs are just to say you have an XR

imho.

Personally, I dont think XRs are the be all and end all, I'd rather a Ghia than an XR

Personal opinion!

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 09:55 PM

No one is going to listen to you if you ring and make an offer over the phone mate.

People will drop prices for GENUINE appearances.

THUS, go and look at the car, take it for a spin, then approach the price situation.

If it's "WAY" out of your price range, don't go in and try to get the price dropped ridiculously in the first 5 minutes, you'll only get laughed at.

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 09:58 PM

lol...I told him that i was genuine and would buy it tomorrow. But not for $9800 with no reg or rwc.

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 09:59 PM

Yep, and I'm sure he believed your genuity given you hadn't even had a look at the thing yet.

Paxton · 19-03-2006, 10:00 PM

I bought an EF XR6 in 1996. It cost me nearly 30 Grand then, and I thought I was getting ripped off, especially because the EL Futura in the Auction previous went for the same price.

I say go for what your heart wants, not what your head tells it to go for. If you want an EF XR6 then go for it. The Futuras are technically an XR6 without the GoFast and Sporty bits, so to get a stock 4.0 to XR standard only means minor work, including the Cam, Exhaust and CAI.

Just ask yourself, do you want a High Mileage, High Maintenance (Due to Mileage) EF, or do you want a low Mileage car, that will do the same job, and you have money over to modify with.

Good luck.

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackout

Yep, and I'm sure he believed your genuity given you hadn't even had a look at the thing yet.

OT: You dont need to look at a car to offer a price and know its in the ball park....

Im starting to be swayed to the futura..I guess I dont have to do the body kit etc straight away...but the interior has to go

:

snypereb · 19-03-2006, 10:03 PM

Id probably head down there tomorrow if i was you and ask him $8700 and i would take it in halfa. Also what would you need to spend to get it roadworthy?

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 10:04 PM

Obviously you haven't sold a lot of cars in your time.

Anyone that talks price over the phone to me when I sell a car isn't going to buy it.

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blackout

Obviously you haven't sold a lot of cars in your time.

Anyone that talks price over the phone to me when I sell a car isn't going to buy it.

LOL..actually I did about 1-2 weeks ago...if someone offers cash, and I dont have to stuff around with a RWC then its alot less painful

:

PM me if you want to keep going.

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 10:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snypereb

Id probably head down there tomorrow if i was you and ask him $8700 and i would take it in halfa. Also what would you need to spend to get it roadworthy?

apparently just the check, as it run out of ego a few weeks ago.

But yeah...I think I am over it...its nice, but not for the price.

snypereb · 19-03-2006, 10:08 PM

I actually offered how much i wanted to spend on the car over the phone and the guy said no and offered me higher i said no then he said ok you can have it for $2600 so i picked it up 10mins later. Lets keep it on topic guys!!

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 10:14 PM

Not to put a damper on anything, but when you're talking $2500 for a car, you're not running the biggest risk of your life.

If you're talking about a car thats going to be around $8k+, I assure you that discussing the price over the phone before you've even been to see it and drive it is really not a good idea.

Stig · 19-03-2006, 10:18 PM

XR concerns...

The XR is lowered... but you need to lower it more anyhow... so the XR premium is a waste...

Most XR owners go for aftermarket rims... so again, watsed premium for the standard XR 17s...

XRs are common as hell and needs to be blinged up to look different, nice... Again... why pay the premium...

XR pros

LSD!!!

snypereb · 19-03-2006, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stig

XR concerns...

The XR is lowered... but you need to lower it more anyhow... so the XR premium is a waste...

Most XR owners go for aftermarket rims... so again, watsed premium for the standard XR 17s...

XRs are common as hell and needs to be blinged up to look different, nice... Again... why pay the premium...

XR pros

LSD!!!

110% Agree^

Blackout: Im not arguing with you mate! Just saying what i have done to help Polyal out!

**Polyal** · 19-03-2006, 10:26 PM

For one who is usually quiet...the Stig makes some good points.

I dont think I have driven an LSD equipt car, is it that much better?

Poetic Justice · 19-03-2006, 10:27 PM

Two black lines says it is.

View Poll Results: Which way should I go?
XR6 - You get the stuff already done, all you really need is the interior	82	65.60%
Stock - Its not that much effort to do it up	43	34.40%
Voters: 125. You may not vote on this poll