FD2 My mini review of the FD2 - update 10th June 2012
- Thread starter dotty
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Nice write up dotty, kinda makes me miss mine. The car is awesome on track, I took mine to RAF Marham twice, first time around the car was only 5 months old. It inspires so much confidence at speed and you know exactly what it is doing 100% off the time. It was actually quite comical at just how fast you could enter a corner, power round (even tightening your line mid corner) and launch it out. I remember going around the outside of a fully stripped caged Clio v6 that was on slicks at one point and braking heavy in to numerous corners so I didn't run in to the arse of EVOs and Scoobys. It's an amazing machine for the money. The GTR regularly get's talked about for being incredible value at 50k, well an FD2 at 17k (or even at 22k new) is a no brainer if you ask me (and far more exclusive). Also holds it'd value very well 
everyone should experience one at least once.
everyone should experience one at least once.
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Where can I take one for a test drive in the north west/merseyside area?
Litchfield bud, it's about 90 minutes drive from you.
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Hmmmm what would I say regarding a test drive? "Just want to see how it drives" then "I'll be in touch" then vamoose :lol:
Are litchfields funny bout this? I presume because Dotty knew someone there and therefore they didn't mind? Might go a long way to convince the missus this is the next car I'll be getting too, although she didn't put up much of a fight regarding the EP3
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Hmmmm what would I say regarding a test drive? "Just want to see how it drives" then "I'll be in touch" then vamoose :lol:
Are litchfields funny bout this? I presume because Dotty knew someone there and therefore they didn't mind? Might go a long way to convince the missus this is the next car I'll be getting too, although she didn't put up much of a fight regarding the EP3
Just tell the missus it's got 4 doors so it'll be easier to get your kids in and out of the back!
I don't know what Litchfields are like to be honest, but they are the real deal in terms of perforamce and imports. Only thing to do would be to give them a ring.
Dotty drove the car in this review as Doodle (Drew) was taking his car to Litchfield's because he is trying to sell it through them. Dotty drove it up to the Midlands.
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Think Litchfields might be a bit further than 90 mins, it's in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire (not far from Cheltenham). Ian Litchfield though is very sound. He's a very knowledgeable guy and pretty down to earth. He'll happily talk cars with you all day long. There was certainly no pressure when I bought my car from him, we spent ages talking about anything and everything. Even met his mrs, spoke to her on the phone, met the baby etc. and she picked me up when so I could collect the FD2. Proper sound bloke. Think he gets a lot of people turning up expecting test drives due to having GTRs, type 20's etc so he has a fair idea who is serious and who isn't.
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For some reason I actually thought it was in Litchfield, Mids. :smt043:smt043:smt043
Cheers for clearing that up! About a 2 1/2 hour drive.
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Might as well throw in my 10 pence in as well.
We (i.e. me and the Mrs) have a FD2 and an S2000. We also had a very tricked up EP3 that was quicker in a straight line than either of the other two. However, that's where the advantages end.
The FD2 is simply brilliant. It doesn't have the instant change of direction of the S2K, it's a longer wheel base for a start, but for a FWD it near on perfect. Unless you mash the go pedal in the wet, it's really difficult to tell that it's a FWD so good is the turn in and grip.
Ours has the AST upgrade (infact I believe ours is the first one Iain had, i.e. it's the one featured in EVO, various jap mags and driven by VBH when she tested it against the FN2 at castle combe for 5th gear)... the suspension is spot for UK roads, we do go to the bother of adjusting it if we're going for a Euro run or Sunday morning blast so you can make it suit the conditions.
The engine is much freer revving than the S2K and the Vtec change over is really pronounced.
It's cheap to run, longer than a Current BMW 3 series although the lack of folding rear seats can be a bind.
The best thing though, is it's uniqueness. I've not seen another one on the road. Probably just as well as I'd probably crash in a frenzy of excitement and frantic waving. We've had nothing but positive, enthusiastic petrol heads asking us about it. It just feels special.
If you are in the market and thinking about getting one, do it; the best thing is, after nearly a years ownership, we've lost next to nothing on it.
We (i.e. me and the Mrs) have a FD2 and an S2000. We also had a very tricked up EP3 that was quicker in a straight line than either of the other two. However, that's where the advantages end.
The FD2 is simply brilliant. It doesn't have the instant change of direction of the S2K, it's a longer wheel base for a start, but for a FWD it near on perfect. Unless you mash the go pedal in the wet, it's really difficult to tell that it's a FWD so good is the turn in and grip.
Ours has the AST upgrade (infact I believe ours is the first one Iain had, i.e. it's the one featured in EVO, various jap mags and driven by VBH when she tested it against the FN2 at castle combe for 5th gear)... the suspension is spot for UK roads, we do go to the bother of adjusting it if we're going for a Euro run or Sunday morning blast so you can make it suit the conditions.
The engine is much freer revving than the S2K and the Vtec change over is really pronounced.
It's cheap to run, longer than a Current BMW 3 series although the lack of folding rear seats can be a bind.
The best thing though, is it's uniqueness. I've not seen another one on the road. Probably just as well as I'd probably crash in a frenzy of excitement and frantic waving. We've had nothing but positive, enthusiastic petrol heads asking us about it. It just feels special.
If you are in the market and thinking about getting one, do it; the best thing is, after nearly a years ownership, we've lost next to nothing on it.
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Right then,
I went to Harv's earlier to collect a couple of OEM bits for my Teg.
Fortunately I had been in touch with someone who lives local to Harv that owns an Fd2 as I have been pondering them yet again, so I popped by en route. His brother was also there, he has bought a blue FD2 and had it wrapped in black.
The guy with the white one also owns the Evo 8 you can see in white - it is an MRFQ320 running 400/400 - he actually sold it today, he prefers the FD2. Say no more.
I didn't expect a drive in either tbh, and was thankful when I was given the keys.
First one, the black one.
Now this one is in OEM guise, except for the wheels and it has flashpro which had been mapped to a Gruppe M which was now on the white one.
Initial thoughts were, the suspension was very hard on normal roads, I have heard this is the case though and many change the suspension. That being said, the car pulled very well, the interior was a nice place to be in as I remembered, it sounded nice in stock form.
I drove it around for a bit and on to a dually, I planted it, and although fast it was noticeably slower than my Teg, not massively but I would say that a remap would be recommended along with an air induction. I think it was a torque thing. It did handle nicely though, but the ride as mentioned was very firm indeed. The interior was all black which was nice.
I hopped out pleasantly surprised, knowing that I would definitely change the suspension, and would consider mapping
On to the white one then.
This one is sat on standard springs, with the popular Koni 'yellow' rear dampers rather than the OEM ones, it also has the Gruppe M, and Toda catback.
I noticed immediately that this was less crashy and bumpy, which confirmed to me that I would definitely change the suspension. As for the sound, it was beautiful, I am a big fan of how my DC5 sounds with the FEELs, and twin loop, this noise was a little different but tastefully nice. In an ideal world if I were to get an FD2 I would love to hear how the Feels sounds with a toda/mugen, that would come at a cost of £2500 though, possibly more.
Anyway, on to the same route as the black one for my little drive, this one seemed more eager, comparing it to my DC5 it seemed pretty similar, what was noticeable was the FD's final drive, it seemed to accelerate quicker but needed a little more torque (IMO) again this would be resolved via flashpro which is the FD2's version of Kpro. I got some pretty high speeds in it once we hopped on to the private airfield, and I have to say it seemed a little more planted than I would imagine my DC5 to be on the same stretch.
There we have it, I know the DC5 is a very good car, but I think the FD2 offers that little bit more, I say this stock for stock it is proven better, but even with mild mods it is very close to my DC5 in the performance stakes this is more than likely down to the 5.1 FD, drive by wire and RRC intake as stock, and I would also say it handles better than my DC5 on eibachs.
In summary, yes I would have an FD2, I think I would need to get one that would be at Stage one, maybe less the manifold for noise, but certainly with a cat back and air induction, as for suspension, there is not a lot of options out there. There are AST, and Ohlins, I have spoke to Nitron who are in the process of building an FD2 set.
As for the colour choice, It would be a toss up between a white one and a blue one, ironically enough I saw a silver one on the M4 on the way home, and although nice, I don't think silver is for me (IF I WAS TO GET ONE!) I was a big fan of the all black interior of the black one, and I think I would prefer that to the red/black that was in the FD2.
I would have to get a lowered seat rail in an FD2, to get the same feel for things as I do in the DC5, there is a lot more visibility in the FD2 compared to a DC5, and it certainly feels more modern there is no doubt about it.
The FD2 should have a nice momo steering wheel though
And maybe Recaros
As for looks, I have to say side by side the DC5 wins hands down, that being said the FD2 is not an ugly car by any stretch of the imagination.
Some pics
I went to Harv's earlier to collect a couple of OEM bits for my Teg.
Fortunately I had been in touch with someone who lives local to Harv that owns an Fd2 as I have been pondering them yet again, so I popped by en route. His brother was also there, he has bought a blue FD2 and had it wrapped in black.
The guy with the white one also owns the Evo 8 you can see in white - it is an MRFQ320 running 400/400 - he actually sold it today, he prefers the FD2. Say no more.
I didn't expect a drive in either tbh, and was thankful when I was given the keys.
First one, the black one.
Now this one is in OEM guise, except for the wheels and it has flashpro which had been mapped to a Gruppe M which was now on the white one.
Initial thoughts were, the suspension was very hard on normal roads, I have heard this is the case though and many change the suspension. That being said, the car pulled very well, the interior was a nice place to be in as I remembered, it sounded nice in stock form.
I drove it around for a bit and on to a dually, I planted it, and although fast it was noticeably slower than my Teg, not massively but I would say that a remap would be recommended along with an air induction. I think it was a torque thing. It did handle nicely though, but the ride as mentioned was very firm indeed. The interior was all black which was nice.
I hopped out pleasantly surprised, knowing that I would definitely change the suspension, and would consider mapping
On to the white one then.
This one is sat on standard springs, with the popular Koni 'yellow' rear dampers rather than the OEM ones, it also has the Gruppe M, and Toda catback.
I noticed immediately that this was less crashy and bumpy, which confirmed to me that I would definitely change the suspension. As for the sound, it was beautiful, I am a big fan of how my DC5 sounds with the FEELs, and twin loop, this noise was a little different but tastefully nice. In an ideal world if I were to get an FD2 I would love to hear how the Feels sounds with a toda/mugen, that would come at a cost of £2500 though, possibly more.
Anyway, on to the same route as the black one for my little drive, this one seemed more eager, comparing it to my DC5 it seemed pretty similar, what was noticeable was the FD's final drive, it seemed to accelerate quicker but needed a little more torque (IMO) again this would be resolved via flashpro which is the FD2's version of Kpro. I got some pretty high speeds in it once we hopped on to the private airfield, and I have to say it seemed a little more planted than I would imagine my DC5 to be on the same stretch.
There we have it, I know the DC5 is a very good car, but I think the FD2 offers that little bit more, I say this stock for stock it is proven better, but even with mild mods it is very close to my DC5 in the performance stakes this is more than likely down to the 5.1 FD, drive by wire and RRC intake as stock, and I would also say it handles better than my DC5 on eibachs.
In summary, yes I would have an FD2, I think I would need to get one that would be at Stage one, maybe less the manifold for noise, but certainly with a cat back and air induction, as for suspension, there is not a lot of options out there. There are AST, and Ohlins, I have spoke to Nitron who are in the process of building an FD2 set.
As for the colour choice, It would be a toss up between a white one and a blue one, ironically enough I saw a silver one on the M4 on the way home, and although nice, I don't think silver is for me (IF I WAS TO GET ONE!) I was a big fan of the all black interior of the black one, and I think I would prefer that to the red/black that was in the FD2.
I would have to get a lowered seat rail in an FD2, to get the same feel for things as I do in the DC5, there is a lot more visibility in the FD2 compared to a DC5, and it certainly feels more modern there is no doubt about it.
The FD2 should have a nice momo steering wheel though
And maybe Recaros
As for looks, I have to say side by side the DC5 wins hands down, that being said the FD2 is not an ugly car by any stretch of the imagination.
Some pics
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There was a champ white one at a pistonheads meet I attended a while back, and it was lovely.
I love the interior, seems so much more up to date than my EP3 which I think is pretty basic. I've not been in a DC5 but would imagine it being a little more dated than even the EP3?
Is the geo/suspension upgrade on the expensive side? Seems a shame it needs to be done. I suppose it's more of a comfort thing though than anything?
Hope you get one fella, seeing 3 in one day has got to be a rare thing indeed though :lol:
Champ white only?
I love the interior, seems so much more up to date than my EP3 which I think is pretty basic. I've not been in a DC5 but would imagine it being a little more dated than even the EP3?
Is the geo/suspension upgrade on the expensive side? Seems a shame it needs to be done. I suppose it's more of a comfort thing though than anything?
Hope you get one fella, seeing 3 in one day has got to be a rare thing indeed though :lol:
Champ white only?
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White or blue, if any
The geo and suspension is what we all tend to do anyway, the cheaper option is the koni adjustable dampers on the rear, with the bigger costs coming in when you opt for coilys.
The second hand market for mods is few and far between for the FD2, so it is a case of wait out or buy new.
The geo and suspension is what we all tend to do anyway, the cheaper option is the koni adjustable dampers on the rear, with the bigger costs coming in when you opt for coilys.
The second hand market for mods is few and far between for the FD2, so it is a case of wait out or buy new.
