General XR2 Questions

Hey I am new here, noticed that grassroots seems to be full of extremely helpful people that are more than likely going to be able to answer my questions! Also you guys seem to have a nice budget minded section which falls right under this category!

1. Is the Fiesta Xr2 going to be available in the southeast US without paying a ridiculous sum of money?

2. In terms of difficulty, how do the xr2's fair? I am able to figure out most anything mechanical, yet I have low patience for not being able to access parts. So is there stupid crap that will cause lots of extra time under the wrench to get the simplest task accomplished. (See 2001 Chrysler Sebring SPARK PLUG change times for mechanics hourly rate...)

3. Is there any major issues that would stop me from, over the course of a decent length of time having the car be in good working and running condition without being a checkbook mechanic.

4. Is it just better to get a miata and deal with the way it looks. (Car would be a DD as well as an autocross vehicle when I get into it)

5. Does anyone here own one, or know of someone who may have some first hand experience working on this vehicle and/or autocrossing one?

Thank you all so much!

If this is posted in the wrong section I apologize, couldn't find anything about questions etc. here.

Are you talking of this Fiesta XR2?

If yes, it may be difficult to find in the Southwest but if you can find one...I would be so jealous!

That's exactly it! Lol I found one down here, but it's not an xr2 unfortunately. I was also wondering what kind of conversions are available without super huge fabrication for this car. Since I can get the body and everything, BUT the motor haha. That's a great picture of the car lol, loving the rims. Thanks again for the response.

XR2 was not officially imported to the US. The highest trim here was S or Sport, I think.

Here are the people who know: http://www.batinc.net/main.htm

Old Fiestas rust like nobody's business, though you have far better chances in the southwest than we do up here in the rust belt.

Gotcha haha! I am checking out that site now John, thanks for the link. Also that is the issue that I seem to be having, all of the cars I want were never imported into the US lol. Going to give them a call tomorrow to ask about what model I should start with and how to go from there. I love the way that these cars look, and I have been seriously wanting to drop some time and money on a new car that I can autocross as well... (And isn't a FWD Sebring that I can't work on... )

Thanks again guys for the feedback and input, means a lot to me!

There was one real XR2 imported into the US but it was a turbo version of the Australian built convertible Capri.

So I am going to drive down to Sarasota tomorrow to talk with the guys at B.A.T inc. See what models of the older fiestas can be done up into something pretty and fun! Without paying out the ass for import fees etc to get an XR2 here. Im almost wondering if an engine swap would be possible for something larger.

Also on topic, but slightly off topic. Does anyone know about doing a FWD to RWD conversion for these cars? I'm curious to see how much extra work/effort/money would go into doing that. I know they did a grassroots challenge car here, but I do not have that kind of time or tool set to do a full fabricated conversion like that.

Thanks again all, the red Capri is still a neat small car, just not a huge fan of convertibles. :)

I've owned 4 Fiesta Mk1's. They are fun little cars. Sold here 1977-1980. They came in four trim levels: Base, Decor, Sport and Ghia. The basic car is always the same: 1.6 pushrod Kent four cylinder, four speed manual transmission. Power brakes were optional, as was a sunroof, rear wiper and a/c. They all had manual steering and 12" wheels (good luck finding tires). Sports are generally the best choice as they have a dash with a tach in it and I believe a rudimentary rear sway bar as well as marginally better seats. The Ghia was the 'luxury' model and just has more interior bling (weight).

Pluses: very light weight, spunky engine (our only engine was as big as the XR2 in Europe), responsive steering and good handling.

Negatives: 12" wheels and the teeny weeny brakes behind them, no 5th gear, no engine torque brace means frequently broken motor mounts and fatigued radiators, world's dumbest battery design (marine terminals???), seat foam that self destructs after 10 years. Current problem--parts availability is a real concern. There is a US Fiesta owner's Yahoo group that you'd definitely want to become a part of if you get the thing.

Rust: they ALL rust on the right side below the headlight, because the battery acid will leak down into there and eat away at the nose panel. At this age, floors are a concern along with rockers, arches over the rear wheels, window perimeters and so on. Need body parts? Good luck with that. Ford has forgotten they ever made that car.

No need to build silly power in the engine because the 1.6 is plenty spunky enough to light off the tires and chirp second. And that is actually the car's biggest problem...getting traction. Desperately needs a limited slip for any power enhancements, and when I had mine there were no solutions that didn't cost as much as the car was worth.

If you have to ask about RWD conversions, then just stop there. I'd tell you to buy a RWD car instead of trying to make a gold bar out of a turd. Plenty of cheap old BMWs out there to play with instead.

My last Fiesta--bought for $65 sitting in the weeds of a used car dealer. Painted for $200, 13x6 wheels, Supertrapp exhaust, sway bar, header...I can't remember what else I may have done to it now. Best car I ever owned. Succumbed to rust many years ago.

ddavidv wrote: If you have to ask about RWD conversions, then just stop there. I'd tell you to buy a RWD car instead of trying to make a gold bar out of a turd. Plenty of cheap old BMWs out there to play with instead.

This. If you really want a RWD hatchback, just find a Toyota Starlet and be done with it. Don't cut up a Fiesta, they're too uncommon these days as is...

That's exactly what I was talking about by not destroying the car to make one lol. I love the long response from Ddavid regarding all the pros and cons of the car itself. So would putting on a slightly larger, easier to find tire remedy the tire situation? I am so excited to drive one!

Easiest tire change would be to go up to 13" rims but 13" tires are hard find now.
Next then would be 14" rims but those too will be hard to find in sizes small enough.

Haha yeah, I can imagine some rubbing on the wheel well being a problem with wider tires. So you guys started talking about Toyota Starlets and Older BMWS being used for the same purpose yet they are RWD.

What other information (Even a link to a site that breaks down a build or something) for the bmws do you guys have? I've never worked on a BMW/Audi/German import. I've only ever worked on older fords, which is why I thought of the fiesta, and of course my current piece of crap chrysler haha. I know that the late 80's e30s were a solid car that I have seen a few posts for, but nothing that breaks anything down, just merely says what they wanted to do with it.

Anything extra would be awesome, you guys have been a huge help!

oats123 wrote: Haha yeah, I can imagine some rubbing on the wheel well being a problem with wider tires. So you guys started talking about Toyota Starlets and Older BMWS being used for the same purpose yet they are RWD. What other information (Even a link to a site that breaks down a build or something) for the bmws do you guys have? I've never worked on a BMW/Audi/German import. I've only ever worked on older fords, which is why I thought of the fiesta, and of course my current piece of crap chrysler haha. I know that the late 80's e30s were a solid car that I have seen a few posts for, but nothing that breaks anything down, just merely says what they wanted to do with it. Anything extra would be awesome, you guys have been a huge help!

Try using the search function on this forum. There is a LOT of info out there. If you just enter "learn me" followed by the car you are curious about there will surely be a thread.

Like so: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/search/?q=Learn+me+bmw

Or, to be more specific: http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/search/?q=Learn+me+e30

(The "learn me" thing started as a joke but has made it very easy to search for car info on this board)

To add my own two cents, I have loved BMWs for years now. I find them to be very easy to work on, there is a great online community for them, and parts are not terribly expensive as long as you are not getting them from the dealer. Plus, they are simply excellent to drive.

I have owned an E36, E28, E34, E39 and E46 - in that order - and I am still waiting for the right E30 318is to come along so that I can finally have an E30. (I sort of owned an E30 318i for a brief period but I don't really count it)

The reason most people say they are expensive to own is because of the absurd hourly rate most BMW mechanics charge...if you do your own work they are really no different than any other RWD car.

Now Audis, on the other hand...

In any case, it sounds like you are not quite sure what you want, so let me give you this tip: instead of deciding on a car and then figuring out what you do and don't like about it, decide what it is that you want in a car and go from there. For example; do you want a coupe or sedan? RWD preferable? Do back seats matter? Are you planning to autocross it, track it, both, or neither? Is gas mileage a concern? How about aftermarket? Etc, etc.

Yeah, about the Fiesta...they were built in Germany, with an engine made in England.

The Fiesta can make a fun toy, nice commuter, okay autocrosser (VWs and Hondas will hand you your ass in the class it's in) and a fairly terrible track car. Constantly waiting for parts will also take it's toll.

OTOH, a BMW E30 or E36 represents a more expensive initial purchase, but it's a better platform to start from. No problem getting any parts, and an extremely large aftermarket to make it better, not to mention endless sources of internet information. The garage that once held a Fiesta now holds an E30 BMW, if that tells you anything (it also previously held an Audi...which while a good car could not hold a candle to the BMW in most categories).

I agree, you should make a list of what you want in a car and then see what out there fits, instead of trying to make something into what you want (last time I did that, it was a $3000 mistake).

Haha what I really want, and this is a long list but I am super patient!

1. Something fairly unique as both a track car and a DD. I enjoy driving something out of the ordinary.

2. Coupe, RWD, Manual (Obviously haha), back seats are for groceries, Autocross and DD only. No desire to race on a track with it. Gas mileage is a concern to a degree, but like a SBC wouldn't be completely out under the condition that the car was nimble lol. I would like a large aftermarket selection only because it makes everything easier to manage.

3. The e30 was a second selection to me, however I am utterly unfamiliar with BMWS so I don't even know what year to look for, or model. What parts to upgrade first, or what problems they faced haha.

These are in no particular order, and I have been researching the toyota starlet a bit. Seems like a fun little car that fits a bit of the criteria ;). Plus they seem to be only about 4k for an almost mint condition version.

If it adds anything to the post, my absolute favorite body style car is the austin mini coopers, and the MG midget.

You guys rock and thanks so much for helping again!

I see a potential problem in your list: "fairly unique" and has a "large aftermarket".

You'd have to find a limited quantity of imported cars that have a large following in a different country. Have you though about a Merkur XR4Ti? Opels? Fiats? British cars that are rwd and not convertibles?

RossD wrote: I see a potential problem in your list: "fairly unique" and has a "large aftermarket". You'd have to find a limited quantity of imported cars that have a large following in a different country. Have you though about a Merkur XR4Ti? Opels? Fiats? British cars that are rwd and not convertibles?

XR4ti is a good suggestion, though parts availability is starting to dwindle (albeit not to Fiesta-like levels).

Otherwise I agree; the more unique something is, generally the worse the aftermarket is. Also, it sucks to miss two weeks of driving/autocrossing your car due to X part that is basically unavailable in the U.S. so it is not always a bad thing to have a "common" car (ESPECIALLY if you are daily driving it).

oats123 wrote: Haha what I really want, and this is a long list but I am super patient! 1. Something fairly unique as both a track car and a DD. I enjoy driving something out of the ordinary. 2. Coupe, RWD, Manual (Obviously haha), back seats are for groceries, Autocross and DD only. No desire to race on a track with it. Gas mileage is a concern to a degree, but like a SBC wouldn't be completely out under the condition that the car was nimble lol. I would like a large aftermarket selection only because it makes everything easier to manage.

Alfa GTV fits all of the bills. All the go fast parts from Spiders work, but with a little knowledge, circle track parts are a small fraction of those cost wise.

I've autocrossed and tracked one since 1996, and they are amazing cars. Mine can be made quicker with a panhard conversion, but that's not really in the cards.

The only real issue is cost- good ones are not cheap anymore. Just great cars.

A different idea would be an Alfetta or GTV6.

So there are some Italian suggestions.

Good luck.

The XR2 was much better than the earlier XR1, but I think the later XR3 was an improvement in every way.

Haha yeah, that's the issue I am brick walling myself with I think. I am more pulled to the ease of maintenance and parts side, yet there has to be a car that fits both of the deals! I have looked into fiats but have come up with quite literally nothing of value when compared to the late 80's BMWS lol. I have never heard of a merkur so I am out to check that out, as well as some Opel models. I have heard that Opels are difficult and tedious to work on though.

Just so we all know, I am mainly concerned with parts availability and ease of maintenance. Not soooo much on the unique side, as I can do that with various aftermarket parts and such, but I would like something that is a fun driving experience that you wouldn't see at every single event lol.

Thank you Alfa for the input, I somehow totally looked over your post! I am looking into all the above options now, some of these get pricey for starting point! lol

1st gen RX7. Decent aftermarket. The rotary can be modified to make decent power or there are kits to swap to SBC or SBF. Awesome driving position. Steering lacks a little bit of feel.

Triumph TR7 or TR8. Not the best aftermarket but you can find parts. Awesome driving position. TR8 can make decent power due to the Rover V8. A TR7 can be swapped to make a TR8.

Fiat X1/9. A little better aftermarket then TR7/8. Can be competitive in the right autocross class. Targa top (which I don't know if appeals or not). Not much room for groceries. Mid-engine Italian goodness

Alfa GTV6. Sweet motor. Good handling. Not the best shifter. Good ones are going up in price so get one now if you want one.

Alfa Milano. Same sweet motor. Decent handling. Cheaper then GTV6.

Alfa Alfetta? Car the GTV6 is based on but with four cylinder instead of V6. Cheap.

The Merkur XR4Ti is a Ford Sierra in the rest of the world and they sold them here in the states at Mercury Dealerships. Turbo Lima (Turbo T-Bird/SVO Mustang) with a Type 9 5 speed (T-5 swaps are possible), MacPherson strut up front and independent rear suspension (Ford 7.5"). They are a little portly for their size. Take a look at Raze's http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/reader-rides/437/