Yet another "TC 420A or GSX?"

[mitsueclipse2g]

Ok heres the deal I have a five speed 96 eclipse base model that I've had for a little over a year and it has 142,000 miles. I really like the car, I like the looks of it, and it has been fun to drive. Since I had it I had to replace a few things, the powersteering rack blew and ate the pump and I had to get those replace. My ultimate goal would be to have a 350whp daily driver that looks good and this is where I need help with my decision. Should I build the 420a and turbo it or should I look for a awd? I keep thinking I should keep my car, because I've put some a bunch of money in it to get it running right. If I were to get a awd I don't think it can be a 2g, because the insurance would be high, because Im 18. I really like the 1gb eclipses and talons and I've seen an add on craigslist for a 1992 talon for $2200, but the only thing is its an automatic. The guy who is selling the talon has been trying to sell it for a couple months now. From the pictures the car looks like its in pretty good shape. What do you guys think would be the best decision?

 

[rstare]

It would be easier, take less mods, and take less money/time to get the 1G AWD to 350hp then it would be for the 420a.
So it depends on what your willing to do/spend.

 

[Street 2G]

but if your looking for a greater challenge biuld and boost the 420a! its not gona be cheap but i decided to go the 420a rought soley because its was more of a challenge! plus you get to suprize the hell out of the gst that pulls up next to you at the red light!

 

[Defiant]

O god, not again.

Look. We really do want to help. We're keen to give advice, and to encourage people here to get DSM stuff done.

What do you like more, working on the car or driving it? If you want to fiddle-de-screw around for months and years, do it the -what's the word?- stupid way and do a turbo from scratch, hung on the side of a motor not meant to be turbocharged. Not that it doesn't work, and not to denigrate those hundreds who have successfully blown the 420A, but why the hell bother?

If you want a very, very good sports coupe that gets good mileage, is dependable, good-looking, and not slow, stay with the 420A. If you want quite a bit more acceleration, get a GSX.

I never comprehend why this is a question in anyone's mind.

Moved to Hangout, where a bit more bullshit is allowed. But not a lot.

 

[shredwin]

I use to ask myself what to do with my Eclipse RS, either turbo it or buy a GSX. Well I ended up selling the RS and buying a GSX and I love it. Its just a lot easier to buy a car that came turbocharged from the factory than to turbo a 420a... Its your decision

 

[JayRolla]

Get a GSX and call it a day. The car will already have a lot more power than your neon powered GS. Also cheaper to get 350whp and be safer. I would look at the insurance on a 2g GSX. Its not much more than a 1g.

 

[420agstuner]

By the time you spend all the money on the 420a to make that much power it would pretty much even out by saving money on less mods and having to pay more insurance.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

There you have. The mass majority is saying sell the 1 wheel spinning, N/T eclipse for a 4 wheel biting, turbo beast.

In the end. You would have spend WAY less money, less work, less headaches when your turbo beats on your motor, then you outright buying a GSX,

 

[NeMiZiS]

Keep the 420a, well that is if your all ready attached to the car you have now.
If you where just looking at buying a DSM and you didn't all ready have one I'd say go with the 4g63.

 

[GofaST4life]

keep the 420a as your daily driver
and find a 1g AWD to build

just my .02 cents

 

[JDR7919]

There is really not much to think about it my mind. Do you want to spend all that money to get a 350hp on a fwd car and still not get traction. If you are attached to your car I think you will get over it real quick.

 

[mnr88talon]

keep the 420a as your daily driver
and find a 1g AWD to build

just my .02 cents

^^^
umm.. yea what he said.. this is the best thing you can do if you are looking to
- buy an old car and you have no idea what may be wrong with it or
- the AWD is in good condition and you are planning on upgrading it

my friend had both a 420a and was working on a GST and it worked out GREAT for him, and then he wrecked his 420a

 

[EventsCo21XL]

keep the 420a as your daily driver
and find a 1g AWD to build

just my .02 cents

I also have to agree with this one. I'm actually planning to do the same thing, but just have to save some extra $$ to add a 1G AWD to the fleet.

 

[Boostin95RST]

you have all these n/t guyes saying keep the 420a but dont listen to them. i just sold my RS W/turbo to buy awd. if you have little money to play with like i did then you will never get the car turboed. it will cost you about 2500 to turbo with new parts and everything you will need to be just as fast as a stock gsx, then you will have to build the top and bottom end to get to the 300-350 area, wow look there goes another 3000, you get what i am saying. plus those motors are not going to take the beating too long so you will blow it and wow there is another 2000 to rebuild. buy the gsx, get bigger turbo and some suporting bolt ons, turn the boost up a little bit and zooooooooooooooooom

 

[mitsueclipse2g]

Hey guys thanks for the advice, I don't think I can have both the 4g and 420a. I do all my own work on my car, unless it's too big of a job or I dont have the tools.Heres another thing I drive the car in the winter and last year I drove it in like 2 feet of snow. I was also thinking about how the awd would be better in the winter also. The awd would also be something closer to the evo's, which is my other favorite car next to dsm's. Heres another question what would be the ballpark estimate for an auto to manual swap?

 

[JayRolla]

Dont get the auto, keep looking. You already have a car so you dont need to rush. Even if it takes 6 months find the perfect car.

 

[mitsueclipse2g]

Yea, I think I'm gunna keep looking. What are the main things I should be looking for when buying a 1ga or 1gb?

 

[Joe Cool]

Is your driving record clean? I'm only 17 and my insurance isn't all that high as far as I'm aware. At least I don't really notice it when I have to cough up the dough. I'd say AWD turbocharged is really the only way to go. I have seen some really built up 420As though and I have been impressed. I guess it comes down to preference. AWD and a turbo or FWD and N/T. You can turbo the 420A though and I have seen some good applications of it.

Good luck in your search for the right car.

 

[mitsueclipse2g]

Yea, my driving record is clean and I really like the awd turbo platfrom. Plus it will be the closest thing to my second favorite car which is an evo.

 

[tegster1]

Yea, my driving record is clean and I really like the awd turbo platfrom. Plus it will be the closest thing to my second favorite car which is an evo.

I think you've made up your mind already, you just dont know it Just wait as others have said and find a nice awd.

 

[mitsueclipse2g]

Yea, waiting to find that perfect 1gb. I found a five speed, but a little sketchy if its a good buy

 

[wvturbo2]

Turbo Awd and A BIG HEADACHE! What more could you ask for