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BA XR8 Owners

4K views 27 replies 22 participants last post by  BOS-54L 
#1 ·
Hi all, any BA XR8 oxners, are you happy with your decision or should you have taken the XR6T. From what I have read they say the XR8 is slower and doesn't handle as well. Is this the case?
 
#3 ·
On the strip the XR6T works out to be a tenth or two quicker in low kilometre stock form. On the street there is nothing in it, but it's the XR8 that actually feels quicker IMO due to the torque and sound. It would not surprise me that an XR8 with 10,000 kilometres or more on it would end up the faster weapon than the stock XR6T with the same km's, but we are still talking minor increments here.

The other thing is the 8 comes with a strong and better gearbox if that’s important to you. Having said that, they are both great cars and it will only comes down to personal preference in the end. If you’re not a v8 nut, and you don’t particularly get off on the bulge and the V8 roar then you would be crazy to go past the Turbo.

However I do and I am unfortunately hooked…again!!

In modified form I think the turbo has more potential although it’s early days yet. A CAPA Blown XR8 is one powerful machine and my personal preference due to its sound, perception and durability. However an APS Stage 3 turbo appears to be the faster strip machine at the moment with times in the low 11’s, but you best be prepared for some driveline investment.

Cheers,
Colville
 
#4 ·
I would take an XR8 over a Turbo anyday. I've yet to lose to a turbo out on the street yet so I don't need to justify my purchase of a car that people say is slower. It sounds awesome and gets a better sound with the cold air intake and filter I have and I'm getting a second hand stainless steel cat back Herrod exhaust from a friend who's upgrading to a full twin system so it should sound even better. Don't forget how much better the XR8 looks and the attention it gets from other drivers and pedestrians. Everywhere you go people just stare at it.
 
#5 · (Edited)
in a Ute they are both the same price the XR6T is a car length quicker doesn’t worry me, I think the 260 quad cam is better value than buying a 6cyl turbo, we get a much better auto/manual gearbox and a bigger diff, got have a bulge and that wonderful feeling of V8 GRUNT, witch the turbo doesn’t have just a whistle. In a Sedan there is $5000 difference so people might look at it different again when there is more money involved. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:eek:ffice:eek:ffice" /><o:p></o:p>
 
#7 ·
I love my XR8 even if the xr6t was twice as fast I would still get an XR8.It looks and sounds better.( But its not in anyway)Plus IMO a V8 has more potential and more reliable
About the handling ,: its a car to be driven on the street so i doubt it if you would feel the difference between the XR8 and XR6 on the street
 
#8 ·
I'm with XR8BOSS. That's what I have to tell people who wonder why I got the XR8 over the XR6T. Even if the XR6T made 20kw more than the 8, I would still get the 8. It was time for an 8, it's what I wanted. The sound, the power and the new bonnet bulge sure didn't hurt either. Hell, if I wanted the Turbo 6, I would have got one and saved some money!!

Track times are of no interest to me, I'm just in it for cruising the streets. Want to get my cold air kit soon, probably from Battens, with a BMC filter.
 
#9 ·
Dad drives a XR6 Turbo ute as his work car and loves mums XR8 it sounds and looks better and goes and handles just as good on the road, has a better gearbox but a very differn't clutch set up.

The sound and torque rush of the XR8 would make me buy one every time over the turbo and disregard what the magazines say if they were that accurate then there wouldn't be 2 VY SS drivers and a VX clubsport driver dissapointed with there effort on the street.
 
#10 ·
I love my XR8 but haven't driven a turbo lately to compare. Its certainly feels and sounds better as the km's mount but sometimes I wish it was a manual although I'm glad I've given the auto a go. Next time hopefully the 6spd box is available. The sequential g'box is NO manual substitute particularly driving in and around the hills and coming into corners. I still love the bulge but launching is unspectacular without having to hold the brakes and rev to load the converter . Other gripes - Hesitates on for a second or two as if it cannot cope with the extra fuel/air before revs rise and the propensity to change to 1st on medium to 2/3 throttle openings is becoming a pain. A great country touring car though for this big wide land. Am always putting fuel into it which is a small tank issue rather than a fuel consumption issue. Love the sound system, the leather, the build quality (yes I too am surprised) the colour (Venom) and the 18's. I'm still surprised how few cars I have seen have the 18's.

People still admire it and - have I mentioned the bulge.
 
#12 ·
Well at 6 o'clock tonight I drove out of the dealer in my new XR8 and I couldn't be happier - just got home from driving round the streets. God how good are they!

They can do what they want with the turbo (and Series 11 for that matter). I am so rapt in the XR8

NB: Maybe when the race the turbos on the mountain in the month of October I might consider a turbo - until then it's the V8 and the bulge for me.
 
#13 ·
i dont get it.....all those guys who say the xr8 has more puling power.....it is much heavier which means it doesnt pull as hard as the turbo!! street machine did a comparo btween the two....they ran both side by side at the same speed in 3rd, 4th and 5th (all at low revs)....and then planted the foot...the turbo pulled away harder each time. turbo has more balls/grunt....no matter what anyone says. and yes.....i was gonna get the 8 but the turbo is too good to pass up....which does dissapoint me as i usually like 8s way better
and the 8 does feel heavier to drive just around town.
i know im not an xr8 owner....but i feel my thoughts were needed lol
 
#14 ·
Venom XR Turbo said:
i dont get it.....all those guys who say the xr8 has more puling power.....it is much heavier which means it doesnt pull as hard as the turbo!! street machine did a comparo btween the two....they ran both side by side at the same speed in 3rd, 4th and 5th (all at low revs)....and then planted the foot...the turbo pulled away harder each time. turbo has more balls/grunt....no matter what anyone says. and yes.....i was gonna get the 8 but the turbo is too good to pass up....which does dissapoint me as i usually like 8s way better
and the 8 does feel heavier to drive just around town.
i know im not an xr8 owner....but i feel my thoughts were needed lol

Go and re read your street machine again and see what the figures say about torque . 500Nm compared to 450Nm for the turbo.
The turbo has better power to weight ratio. Thats where it starts and ends.
 
#15 ·
What decided it for me?

(1) Availability and Discount: The wait for an XR6T back in June 2003 was much longer than for the XR8. XR8's were sitting on the lot. The dealer was much happier to offer a Discount on the 8 as he had a few - whereas XR6T's were going out the door as soon as they came in.

(2) PULP vs ULP. XR6T is a PULP drinker, XR8 drinks ULP. Made a difference to me as it is a business car.

(3) Gearbox. I was only getting a manual, and the box in the XR6T is a stinker. (If that SSS had more than 4 speeds I would have considered it more seriously).

(4) Family: Whilst I having a Revving Head, the difference in straight-line speed and cornering doesn't matter to me as much as carrying lot's of people and towing loads. I can still beat many Koreo boxes off the line when I have a popup caravan on the back...

(5) Longevity: This is just a call I made - I just couldn't be certain that a Turbo would hold out beyond 160kk, whereas a Nat Atmo V8 is more likley to last longer (assuming the long-stroke doesn't cause future problems).

(6) The little boy in me: I was so close to going for an XR6T, that it wasn't till I started thinking about what I REALLY wanted to drive since i was a little boy, and how passionate I am about the V8 Supercars, that the final decision was a no brainer. Oh, and that glorious sound, but then you knew that .....


Lukeyson
 
#16 ·
I went the XR8 because.... (some reasons same as luke)

a) Availability: The XR6T I was told I may had to wait up to 6 months. The XR8 up to 2 months.

b) Having test driven both, I preferred the 8 as it "FELT" gruntier and stronger. You can sense it was a muscle car just by cruising in it. I know the Turbo 6 have been documented to be quicker than the 8, but I'd like to see the results if they ran them against each other around a track rather than straightline.

c) This was ford's first go at a turbo 6. I'd prefer to wait and see what the results are before diving in.

d) The manual in the turbo 6 was a SHOCKER!! Very hard to shift gears. (IMHO)

e) If i had 40k to spend on a turbo 6 I'd rather spend it on a Skyline GTR (i'll get flamed for that, again IMHO)

f) And most importantly....the 6 will always be missing 2 cylinders. You can always turbo the 8 at a later stage. :eek:)
 
#17 ·
Well I am not a BA XR8 owner yet, but hopefully will be soon and I was never even thinking about a XR6T. I have had a 6 cylinder for 6 years now, and its just not the same as driving a V8. All my mates have AU V8 utes and after driving them I was sold on the V8 for sure. The stats for the XR6T don't concern me, IMO the XR8 with the noise and bonnet bulge is much more of a head turner. Slap a set of 19" wheels on it and it stands out from all the cars.
 
#18 ·
It was a simple decision for me:

I wanted a BA Ute - therefore:
1. Had to be a V8
2. Love the sound (especially now that the exhaust has been changed)
3. Bonnet Bulge
4. Bullet Proof Manual Tranny
5. Nostalgia - that V8 Supercar thing and having a V8 Ute.
6. It just does'nt seem right to have a Turbo Ute
7. A measley 1200 bucks difference between the Turbo Ute and the XR8 Ute - makes the XR8 Ute seem like a bargain.

Having said that, if it were to be a sedan I would go for the Turbo. Damn am I impressed by the sedan!
 
#19 ·
In bang for your bucks or performance car of the year or whatever it was in Motor the XR8 recorded a faster time on the track than the XR6 Turbo. So much for the turbos supposedly better handling. I'd take an XR8 over a turbo anyday but if your budget doesn't stretch that far than they are still great cars, just lacking exhaust note, the XR8's looks, a decent driveline and two cylinders.
 
#20 ·
I've only owned V8s for the last 20 years (God, am I THAT old?), so I was always going to go for the 8. I had been dreaming about the 4 valve V8 since it was rumoured, so nothing else was considered. Not that there was anything wrong with the Turbo, but for me nothing beats the sound of a hot 8.
 
#24 ·
Yeah FM, I got the missus an 88 Telstar to run around in, so now it only comes out when I wanna have some fun, weekends and weddings. After the last couple of days, being on holidays, I'm up to 8700k. Still lovin it.
And true CDAA, the car does feel as if it has a little more go with the K's on the clock.
 
#26 ·
Rastus said:
Yeah FM, I got the missus an 88 Telstar to run around in, so now it only comes out when I wanna have some fun, weekends and weddings. After the last couple of days, being on holidays, I'm up to 8700k. Still lovin it.
And true CDAA, the car does feel as if it has a little more go with the K's on the clock.
Hey Rastus,
You must have my cars twin or something. :bugi: 2003 XR8 in Phantom, with just over 8000km's on the clock from the Christmas hols. It's going back in the (now being built) garage, and the EL Falcon we own will be the family hack for most of the k's this year. Only complaint with the car is the dreaded brake shudder is just starting to happen. Oh and it makes driving the EL feel like a 1.3litre powered car. I checked under the bonnet and it still has the four litre. Guess you can get use to that V8 Boss pretty easily. :thup:

How long do you plan to keep your Phantom?

Daniel
 
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