Which gearbox would you get? - Saxperience

Hpi_matrix · 22nd April 2009, 18:33

My gearbox is broken on my VTS so I need to replace it, after seeing what was available iv basically got 3 options:

VTS box, done 60K, no crutch's or whines - £75

VTS box from a breakers/scrappies, 180+ days warrenty - £170+

XSi box, rebuilt with new syncro's, bearings etc, cleaned etc but no warrenty - £150

Which would you go for, yesterday I was swaying more towards the cheapo £75 box because if it broke id only be £75 down...today im thinking more of the XSi box as it has been mostly rebuilt so shouldnt have any problems and is going to be faster accelerating. Iv havent really liked the idea of the breakers as I imagine if it broke id have to take it all off myself, send it etc which seems like a lot of hassle.

Ryan^p · 22nd April 2009, 18:37

depends on what you want from the car.

Most will say xsi without even asking if you are worried about loosing mpg

JamesR^m · 22nd April 2009, 18:38

I would go with the XSI mate, wouldnt mind one myself actually...

Hpi_matrix · 22nd April 2009, 18:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

depends on what you want from the car.

Most will say xsi without even asking if you are worried about loosing mpg

Ideally id like a fast car, but still very usable on the road as the most it will probably do is spirited driving on B-roads. I didn't think the XSi box would make a huge difference to MPG, hence why its better then an S1 rallye box in certain aspects.

Ryan^p · 22nd April 2009, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hpi_matrix

Ideally id like a fast car, but still very usable on the road as the most it will probably do is spirited driving on B-roads. I didn't think the XSi box would make a huge difference to MPG, hence why its better then an S1 rallye box in certain aspects.

The final drive is massively different to the vts final drive so MPG will be notably effected.

My opinion is though a gearbox for £100-200 can improve performance alot more than a £100-200 airfilter.

Hpi_matrix · 22nd April 2009, 18:47

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ryan

The final drive is massively different to the vts final drive so MPG will be notably effected.

My opinion is though a gearbox for £100-200 can improve performance alot more than a £100-200 airfilter.

Read all the air filter stuff mate, sticking with the standard airbox

Do you know roughly what MPG I should expect, on a long run say?

maddison_vts · 22nd April 2009, 19:04

unless you use your car on track all the time, i wouldn't get an xsi box. the vts box is a good box across the board really, decent acceleration and a decent top end.

Ste · 22nd April 2009, 19:04

iirc at 70mph your at 4.2k~ rpm with the xsi, so if you intend to cam it then you'll be able to watch your petrol steadily dribble away like theres a hole in the tank.

Hpi_matrix · 22nd April 2009, 19:28

Tbh though I would say I mostly do town driving so will it majorly affect MPG then? I guess on motorways I could stick to 60, used to it having the MG...way to noisy at 70 and the wipers threaten to blow away!

Engine mods I have planned on the VTS are only a decent mani and exhaust system and maybe piggyback ecu and remap in the very distant future.

saxo_ron · 25th April 2009, 12:35

Ive recently had a rebuilt xsi box fitted to my cammed 's' and mpg has went up !! potentially cos of round the doors im in a higher gear at a lower spee. Either way to a tank im now getting over 300 miles to the usual 260-280 on the 's' box.

ricksimmonds · 25th April 2009, 12:53

i voted vts

xsi will be anoying at like 5k rpm doing 80 on the motorway

i cant see how the above post can be correct, more rpm, more petrol used by and large

Jaytee · 25th April 2009, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by ricksimmonds

i voted vts

xsi will be anoying at like 5k rpm doing 80 on the motorway

i cant see how the above post can be correct, more rpm, more petrol used by and large

Not neccesarily. A lot of the big german cars will do less mpg at 90 than they will at 70 in the same gear so i heard.

vtr_chris90 · 25th April 2009, 14:07

i havnt found an xsi box affect my mpg that much, i worked it out on that site and i got 37.6mpg and i used about 40litres just over i think it was, but its not far of what i got with vtr box on, and that was from driving round town and round the lanes giving it a bit of beans here and there, so a mix of driving.

but you will be higher up the revs doing less speed, i think on my vtr doing 50mph it sits at 5800rpm just under i think, and doing 60 its around 3200-3300rpm, if i remember rightly

but im sure adsayer said that on a vtr mk1 peak power is at 3k rpm so driving there will give you best mpg, so you could do 60 at just over 3k and still get good mpg, cause thats the speed i drive round lanes and motorway etc, but i think your speeds at rpm will vary to mine as yours is vts and revs slightly higher, but i dont htink it will be that much diff to vtr is it?

but getting the xsi box will make a big difference on acceleration, i think its the best upgrade ive done to my vtr, so i vote that

Hpi_matrix · 28th April 2009, 19:01

Going for the XSi box

1. Its faster (always important ha)
2. Its rebuilt, so in theory should last unlike an unknown box
3. Being an XSi box will make it easy to sell on if I want to go back to a VTS box .

Worth getting uprated gear linkages with the box? Or a set of new OEM ones?

vtr_chris90 · 28th April 2009, 23:00

good to hear your going with xsi box, you will be impressed by it and it should make a good difference

i think its def worth looking at uprated gear linkages, plus it will be best time to change them really, cause you have to remove the linkages to change boxes anyway so sort of makes sense, i wish i had changed mine to uprated ones, but really couldnt afford it at the time, i was pushing it with fitting the xsi box lol

-Dan- · 24th June 2009, 16:31

The Engine is most efficient while it's at it's peak torque figure (see Adsayers post on saving fuel for more info)

This means on most of the boxes you should be between 3000 and 3500 rpm for best mpg.

Still though, It will be annoying as anything to be at such high revs, trust me I know from experience of driving a 1.1 which has ridiculously high rpm on the motorway etc.

You can't really go wrong with the VTS box for all round performance and everyday driving.

bytor · 24th June 2009, 20:28

Depends on if the xsi has been rebuilt properly

Hpi_matrix · 2nd July 2009, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by bytor

Depends on if the xsi has been rebuilt properly

Obviously, unfortunately it wasn't. Seems hard enough to get any kind of sports cluster box near me! All iv managed to get is a VTS g/box with a dodgy 2nd syncro which will do for now.

I might just settle for anybox for a week or 2 while I try and make one good box from my 2 dodgy ones!