ok well here's the deal. I just recently got a new job and for the past couple of years i have been interested in the 98-99 3GT VR4. I've took the time to read up on them and find a few flaws like the drive train going out or problems on the transmission itself going out. but i have talked to ppl who have them and never have a problem. If this is seriously the car i would like to have, would it be a good start on a first sports car? If i am able to get this car i want to take the time to do mods on it all around and the engine. by the way, i'm new to this, so please don't be to critisize on me to much! :)

dunno much about 3000gt but they are heavy i know that. Twin Turbo is an option. you gonna rebuilt the tranny if you gonna mod it over 450HP. i think that's all it can handle. beef up the suspension and you should be ok i guess

thanks. ya i'm going with the twin turbo definitely. the weight does kinda get you, but from others the take off and get up and go isn't that bad actually. thanks for the review. it was really fast! and this website is great!

yeah it is but we could use some more 3000gt owners who know their stuff. I want a Eclipse so most of my research has devoted to eclipse and nothing else so i dunno much about tuning other cars

It's an AWD vehicle that has a decent amount of hp. Like any other car in this category, like the STi, Evo, Talon TSI etc, they all have clutch and transmission problems simply from all the abuse. I used to see clutches go out all of the time at the track from hard launches, but what do you expect?

Take care of the car, don't launch hard and you should be ok. I always recommend that people save up money for a good performance clutch just in case though.

I said i didn't know much about tuning them. i know what kind of car it is

oh alright. i wasn't thinking about that. well how about another question. I hear about problems with the ABS? and that it can make braking a little hard. could i get sites on modifying the interior of the car also, this would be real nice. appreciate all the help guys!

modifying the interior is kinda universal. the same stuff applies to most cars. To what extend do you wanna modify the interior? are you just thinking sound system and racing seats? or complete makeover?

http://mysite.verizon.net/~vze258v5/seat1.jpg

this looks cool

The earlier 3000GTs had transmission problems, but that was resolved in 1995 with a much beefier transmission from the factory. 1995-1999 VR-4s had very few problems. I had a '99 VR-4 and drove it hard, every day for 85,000 miles at 400+ horsepower without any clutch or tranny problems. They are great cars - good luck!

wow that's a great interior make over. ya i want to change out everything from dashboard to gauges, seats to door panels.

you got a color in mind?

hmm, well first i thought about white and black leather for the seats. and black for the dashboard and all. of course painting the car itself black. but then again, i like the sportier look also. i liked the picture from the first page. black and red. those go really nice together for an always sporty look.

paint jobs cost a lot of money. $3K so it's in your best interest to get one that is already black. you don't wanna pay $15K for a car and then repaint it.

that's true. I live in northwest arkansas. i've been looking and looking. the closest ones i can find seem around 120-150 miles away from me. so getting the car and it being in a specific color is definitely tuff. now if i find a red color then i can go with it considering most of them are.

yeah i see a lot red ones. you could get 1 of ebay then drive with a friend to go get it and then have him drive your car and you drive the 3000gt or get on a greyhound by yourself and then drive it back. I'm willing to go as far as new jersey to get a car and i live in boston.

lol, i'm willing to do anything! i don't quite understand the ebay stuff tho. they ask for electronic money transfering and stuff like that. so i usually try to look it up then email the person.

i haven't bought a car of ebay but i think they ask for a deposit via paypal which is safe and secure and then the rest cash when you go pick up the car. and deposit is ussually $500-$1000. you can always just work out a deal with them. like you'll pay everything when you go pick up the car.

ah ok. it's just the part about being safe...on the internet thing that gets me. but hopefully, and soon, i can get myself this car and see how it goes.

how soon?

hopefully in the next month. (no or so's about it) i'm strictly keeping on the look out every day. this is going to be my first sports car owned. although i've drove other friends and families cars. i got to lay it down in my uncles camaro (the last one they made) he let me drive the day he renewed his vowels with m aunt. i won't lie, although i wasn't much into them, they drive really nice and can take corners very easily.

how much did you save up already?

a camaro corner easily? ...you'd be at home in a vr4 then

right now i got about 1500 saved up. plus i'll sell my truck when the time comes so i'll have around 2500. i said about a month time frame bc i got a new job that pays very good. in a months time i can have another grand already saved. i never thought it would but it's all starting to fall into place really well. /// and with the cornering, yes i have heard great comments on the vr4's handling. and it's one car that is great at coming out of corners also! by the way, i plan on getting help from my parents so i can get a loan! so hopefully that will work out. i'm not quite able to do anything bc i'm 18 and have no credit yet :(

not bad. you gonna get a loan for how much?

that part i'm not sure on. hopefully 20K if so then i won't worry about saving money up except for paying it all back. it'll be tuff tho. i will definitely have to find a relative willing to help me. this is where it gets all tricky. but i'm perfectly capable of paying off anything. i love working!

How much HP are you aiming for?

i'm sure it does pull well out of corners, but my comment on handling was all sarcasm. how much does it weigh, 4 thousand pounds? if not it's damn close. something that heavy, or even something above 3 thousand pounds is very limited in it's handling

i'm sure it doesn't handle too horribly, but i've never heard anything but negatives about it's handling due to the weight. it's not much of a sports car, it's more of a touring car. nothing you'd seriously race, just enjoy your ride around country roads or something of that sort

why not just get an older rx7 or 280z and swap a 350 in it? i'm sure you'll be faster and handle loads better

i don't think he wanna race. he just wants a sports car.

yeah and it does weight close to 3800 LBs.

ha ha! yea thanks D_money your getting to know me well! it's just a sports car i've always had an eye on. i don't want to go all out or anything. by the way blah, an rx7 would be fantastic, if i could afford it. i work with someone who has one. he's looking to sale it for 25k. understatement considering he's got around 20k just in the motor. it's a sweet ride, but way to dangerous for me. considering it has around 500hp and that is way to much for a first sports car! thankyou for the considerations tho. ////actually D_money i'm aiming toward around maybe 400hp. something that's got a little balls! what would i have to do with this car to get 80 more hp out of it? stock 99 vr4's come with 320 hp already???

i'm sure it does pull well out of corners, but my comment on handling was all sarcasm. how much does it weigh, 4 thousand pounds? if not it's damn close. something that heavy, or even something above 3 thousand pounds is very limited in it's handling

i'm sure it doesn't handle too horribly, but i've never heard anything but negatives about it's handling due to the weight. it's not much of a sports car, it's more of a touring car. nothing you'd seriously race, just enjoy your ride around country roads or something of that sort

why not just get an older rx7 or 280z and swap a 350 in it? i'm sure you'll be faster and handle loads better

The handling is very good with its all-wheel-drive and all-wheel steering. I believe that it pulled .95gs on the skidpad turning independent testing. A couple hundred pounds less would have been great, but like you said, it was a GT car, not a true sports car.

This pretty much sums it up: "well engineered AWD system that performed flawlessly; addictive rush of turbo power; predictable handling and progressive break-away at the limit. "

http://www.autolove.com/Editorial/japanese_supercars.htm

what would i have to do with this car to get 80 more hp out of it? stock 99 vr4's come with 320 hp already???

Intake, downpipe, and boost controller will get you to 400hp for about $1,000. An exhaust will get you 25-30 more for another $750.

i was speaking of an older rx7, not the last body style but the one prior to that. lots of people yank out the rotaries and replace them with a chevy 350. pretty sure it doesn't upset the handling too much, since rotaries are damn heavy for their displacement. there's a pretty cool video somewhere on the internet of a 280z with a supercharged 350, pretty quick

Intake, downpipe, and boost controller will get you to 400hp for about $1,000. An exhaust will get you 25-30 more for another $750.
yeah like stated above an extra 100-150HP is fairly easy to come by. I'm not sure but 450HP is the most the car can handle on stock internals. Anything over that is gonna cost a lot of money.

ah i see, this all definitely helps me guys. I appreciate everything.

VR4, very nice choice. Heavy (3.7k + change), but quick. For 400hp, you might wanna look into a little bit more than an intake, boost controller, and downpipe. If youre going with a downpipe, 3SX makes a great header that matches beautifully with thier downpipe. Also lookinto getting a beefier axle? i allways get my damn parts mixed up, all i know is that when people started making 400+ on the stock axle, it broke. 3SX makes a 32 spline version of the stock that isnt gunna break on you. If you have any other questions on it here are two great sites.

www.3si.org (nationaly 3s/i club)

www.3sx.com (shop speciallizing in 3s/i 's)