Drove a Griffin VX220
07-27-2004, 02:04 PM
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Drove a Griffin VX220
My housemate got himself too drunk last night to drive home so I had to drive his go-kart home.
In a word, it could be so much better. The driving position is very low so you get everybody elses lights shining in your eyes which is a tad annoying. And it is a complete shit to get in and out of.
The engine is good and sounds very nice planted behind your head with the short exhaust popping and burbling away, but it cuts out at 7000 rpm. Yes cuts out. It's certainly one way of avoiding damage to the engine i suppose but it doesn't make for good driving when you are used to 9k
The gearbox is like stirring porridge, it's horrible. The ratios feel all wrong. It only has 5 gears and yet you can still only just hit 60 in second. Probably partly to do with the lower redline i guess but it feels like you have to change gear miles too early. And with the wafty gearbox means you loose some speed in gear changes. But you do get off the line QUICK and it feels VERY planted around corners due to the low low centre of gravity. I think if you could get a cheap one second hand for a first 'sports' car you would get a lot of fun out of it but it is very basic inside. Seats are a leathery plastic stuff and hold you well when cornering. There are no carpets or soundproofing of any kind. It must be very tedious to drive on the motorway as the top speed is around 120 so in normal conditions the engine is going to be whining away all the time. There is much less room inside than the S. And with the engine in the back there is little in the way of storage space. Probaly about 6 carrier bags worth.
Overall I would never buy one, it is quick until you have to change gear and it does go around corners, but it just isn't good enough. And the lack of any space at all inside is a real negative point. But as a cheap weekend racer i'm sure it would be fun.
Ryn
In a word, it could be so much better. The driving position is very low so you get everybody elses lights shining in your eyes which is a tad annoying. And it is a complete shit to get in and out of.
The engine is good and sounds very nice planted behind your head with the short exhaust popping and burbling away, but it cuts out at 7000 rpm. Yes cuts out. It's certainly one way of avoiding damage to the engine i suppose but it doesn't make for good driving when you are used to 9k
The gearbox is like stirring porridge, it's horrible. The ratios feel all wrong. It only has 5 gears and yet you can still only just hit 60 in second. Probably partly to do with the lower redline i guess but it feels like you have to change gear miles too early. And with the wafty gearbox means you loose some speed in gear changes. But you do get off the line QUICK and it feels VERY planted around corners due to the low low centre of gravity. I think if you could get a cheap one second hand for a first 'sports' car you would get a lot of fun out of it but it is very basic inside. Seats are a leathery plastic stuff and hold you well when cornering. There are no carpets or soundproofing of any kind. It must be very tedious to drive on the motorway as the top speed is around 120 so in normal conditions the engine is going to be whining away all the time. There is much less room inside than the S. And with the engine in the back there is little in the way of storage space. Probaly about 6 carrier bags worth.
Overall I would never buy one, it is quick until you have to change gear and it does go around corners, but it just isn't good enough. And the lack of any space at all inside is a real negative point. But as a cheap weekend racer i'm sure it would be fun.
Ryn
07-27-2004, 10:47 PM
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Was this the non-turbo? I think they don't even bother making that any more, and from your write-up, the Turbo sounds a MUCH better beast all round, I found the gearchange fine. Agree with your comments about getting in though, and lack of sound proofing etc.
07-28-2004, 12:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Ryn,Jul 27 2004, 10:04 PM
And with the engine in the back there is little in the way of storage space. Probaly about 6 carrier bags worth.
Ryn
Ryn
07-28-2004, 10:30 AM
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Originally Posted by Welshman,Jul 28 2004, 08:42 AM
Enough room for a curry then and a few cans of your favourite tipple
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