Convince me!

J

jeimuzu

Hi guys,

Due to some ridiculously dire luck in the past few months I'm longer in possession of my fc3s or my roadster. I'm looking to get a nice hatch for the next while. From the off I knew it had to be Japanese so I thought of the most obvious choices such as the civic, starlet and even an almera. I decided to have a search about micras expecting to find very little but to my surprise I found some pretty cool k11's. As I'm a big fan of older cars I had a look at some k10's too, most of them on these forums.(Y)

I know they are generally going to be quite slow compared to a lot of other cars but that doesn't concern me. I just wanna drive something that has a bit of character and uniqueness to it. At the minute I have a lend of a diesel polo which rattles like crazy(like an old bus/tractor) so anything would be an improvement heh.

Hoping you guys can convince me of why a k10 or even k11 for that matter is a good choice. I would've liked a civic but I see a modified civic everyday of my life, and they are a little expensive for a decent one at the minute so hoping for something different.

James.
 
After my recent accident in my almera I back in a micra and let's just say I'm glad of it, they have far more personality whether it's a k10 or k11 (and I've owned several of both). So they don't have the most power but with a few simple mods they are very good cars, quite a few people track them whether it's drag, circuit or autograss

I would carry on but I've forgotten where I was going with this :laugh:
 
haha You're not a fan of the almera then? My mate had one for a little while but it didn't seem to wanna rev for some reason so that for one put me off them. That and I'm not keen on the look of them in general.
 
I would in all honesty reccomend a k11 1.3 GX or SLX to you sir. They have plenty of character and plenty of modern features such as power steering, central locking, electric windows, air-con and so on. They're also more modern than the k10's and if i dare say it, possibly a little more reliable.
There are plenty of them about and there parts are very easy to get a hold of (unfortunately k10 parts are becomming difficult to find since many of them are no longer produced). K10's are more suited to "old car" enthusiats with a history of working on old school cars, and who don't mind spending lavishly on thier motor to keep it 100% :p
 
Yeah I had a 1.4 3dr and it was gutless the only good thing about it was the size of the boot (for a pram), I'll always maintain that 3drs look like vans and 5drs look like estates
 
Yea karlj i think you're right on the money with the estate comment. The 5 doors look massive lol. Are the k10's generally unreliable? As I'll be using it as my daily driver I'd need to have it running in some form almost always. My bro has a 1litre 5door k11. How would the performance of that compare to either the 1.3 k11 or the 1.0 k10? I'll have to take a test drive in his to see what it's like.
 
Give me a k10 any day of the week just make sure it ain't rusty or you haven't been running it without coolant for a couple of weeks, that's what's killed both mine :down:

There is a performance difference between the k11 1.0's and 1.3's but I had a k10 between mine so it was a little lost on me

K10's are very revvy
K11's have more low to mid range grunt
 
Sucks to have two cars die on you. :( Did you have 1.0 or 1.2 k10's? As porkpie says though the modern luxuries would be nice, mainly the power steering. I'll take a drive in my bro's 1.0 k11 tomorrow and have a think about what you've said with regards to the "revvyness". I'm interested to see what the little beast can do haha.
 
Yeah the first k10 dying was my fault I should have noticed the water pump going, the second is a case of get what you pay for and it was riddled with terminal tin worm

What draws me to the k11 is how well it handles even with the stock boat like suspension, you can really chuck them into corners, k10's not as much, I'll never forget going round a roundabout in my first one and my mate almost running his hand on the tarmac cause of the body roll
 
That sounds like some pretty shockin roll going on there! I'd definitely be considering some sort of lowering for the k10 to prevent that kinda malarky.
 
It was mostly due to the 20 year old shocks and springs, once replaced it was a lot better rolled no worse than my partners yaris
 
I had a 1.0l K11 Micra - it is probably the most fun I've ever had on 4 wheels. I found the stock suspension left a lot to be desired, as you would all but fall out of the door on a tight left hander. But as soon as I lowered her 80mm/90mm and fitted wide alloys and tyres, everything changed. They handle like go karts when you lower them, even on stock steelies :laugh:. And with the right engine modifications, they aren't slow - you can really surprise people when you pull away from the lights, even in a 1.0l. Just make sure that if you do get either a K10 or K11, check for rust and corrosion. The K11s are prone to severe rust on the sills and arches, and the suspension mounts seem to corrode quite badly as well, depending on where the car has been (avoid one which has been up north or near the coast) and how well it's been looked after, but not necessarily how many miles it's done.

Good luck (Y)
 
I have owned 6 micras, 5 K11 and 1 K12! In that time I also had a Starlet GT turbo and an Audi S3! I loved both cars but they just had something lacking, which I don't find driving a K11. I went from 300bhp S3 to a '97 Micra SR which is down on power I think due to servicing and I am happier! I really can't put my finger on what it is but it just makes me happy to drive a K11.

All I'd say is the K11 will win you over no matter what kind it is! ;)

Pepper

(I have no experience of driving a K10 except when I rolled it during a 'joy ride' sort of thing, completely legal of course, but I know people on here will swear by the K10 as much as I do the K11)
 
K10's seem to be increasing in price again from the few i've seen for sale. K11's well theres plenty of them about but still prices vary. Probably the economy side of things tbh.

Rust is the killer on the micras...on both its mostly around sills and crossmembers. But again will depend on how it been looked after, as leaving muck behind the front wings (mud flap area) and under the rear arches will rot those areas out aswell (i guess like most cars).

Depending on where you're gonna be driving the 1.3 K11 is probably the best choice to get, just because its got a bit more power. 1.0's you've really gotta give them a little grief to get them moving (though im going from a tuned 1.3 to stock 1.0 so thats not gonna be helping my judgement :D).

You've got the option of the later K11 1.4 aswell.

As said K11 spares you can pretty much get all over the place, up where iam i cant even remember the last time i saw a K10 in the scrap yards i visit.

Tbh i'd let the car itself convince you, take a few test drives and see if its something that fits.
 
1L k10's are gutless, that's why there are so many threads about people wanting to know how to tune them. The 1.2 k10's are far superior, low-down grunt, good motorway cruisers and hill climbers & more fuel efficient than the 1L.
They are not unreliable but you have to understand that they are old cars, build the old fasioned way with old technology and they don't run exactly the same every day of the year. Some times they can feel a little rough or not start 1st time every time when they're warm. That's where a lot of people panic and start fiddling, which often does more harm than good.
To be a k10 owner you need to be patient with them and check on them every couple of days to make sure that all is well. As i said, if you are used to driving old or classic cars then it won't be a problem for you, but you can't get behind the wheel of a k10 and expect it to be like a modern car because it just isn't.

With k11's, don't waste your time with the crappy little 1L versions, go for the 1.3 every time, low down grunt, excellent motorway car and a lot more practical. We have a 1.3 k11 super s and getting out of a 1L and into the super s is like stepping out of the stone age and into the modern day. The k11 is just to damn heavy for a wee 1L four banger to pull around.

To sum it up, the k10 is not a bad car, but for a no fuss daily driver you have to move with the times and have something modern, with good parts availability. Rather than trying to use what is essentially an unsupported underground classic to do the same job.

K11 1.3 all day, every day, with the sound system singing all the way (Y)
 
porkpie700 said:
1L k10's are gutless, that's why there are so many threads about people wanting to know how to tune them. The 1.2 k10's are far superior, low-down grunt, good motorway cruisers and hill climbers & more fuel efficient than the 1L.
They are not unreliable but you have to understand that they are old cars, build the old fasioned way with old technology and they don't run exactly the same every day of the year. Some times they can feel a little rough or not start 1st time every time when they're warm. That's where a lot of people panic and start fiddling, which often does more harm than good.
To be a k10 owner you need to be patient with them and check on them every couple of days to make sure that all is well. As i said, if you are used to driving old or classic cars then it won't be a problem for you, but you can't get behind the wheel of a k10 and expect it to be like a modern car because it just isn't.

With k11's, don't waste your time with the crappy little 1L versions, go for the 1.3 every time, low down grunt, excellent motorway car and a lot more practical. We have a 1.3 k11 super s and getting out of a 1L and into the super s is like stepping out of the stone age and into the modern day. The k11 is just to damn heavy for a wee 1L four banger to pull around.

To sum it up, the k10 is not a bad car, but for a no fuss daily driver you have to move with the times and have something modern, with good parts availability. Rather than trying to use what is essentially an unsupported underground classic to do the same job.

K11 1.3 all day, every day, with the sound system singing all the way (Y)
Click to expand...

Agreed but the ma10 is fun on the twisties just lose power a bit to low down
I always would prefer a k10 with any engine over a k11, just for the looks the k11 looks too dare I say feminine , corsa like! The retro Looks of the k10 I thunk is bang up to date and definately "IN" at the moment, stick a scary engine in one and you'll have a proper beast
 
My K10 is one of the most reliable cars I have owned, yes it lacks power, but so what, mine is used most days and has NEVER let me down.
For it's last MOT (May) it had two rear shockers and a bit of welding n/s/r inner sill and it's done 44.000 miles
DSCF0974.jpg


I may be selling it on soon :glare:
 
I've no problem with running an older car as my daily. The only luxury I'd miss is power steering. I imagine not having it in a k10 wouldn't be so bad though. I'd get used to it. As formaintenance I don' t mind having to play about with it a bit. As I'm trying to get a car on an extreme budget I may have to stick to the 1.0 versions. I'll see what pops up for sale though. The k10 tempts me more at the minute due to its old school looks. The earlier k11s look to have a nicer front on them than the later ones. What so the 1 litre k10s and k11s rev up to? Not having a rev tacho would annoy me a bit.

Your car looks a wee beaut jontrev. Liking it.(Y) Good to hear the reliability of it. :) You never considered any modifications?
 
jeimuzu said:
The only luxury I'd miss is power steering.
I'm trying to get a car on an extreme budget I may have to stick to the 1.0 versions.
Not having a rev tacho would annoy me a bit.
Click to expand...

Well the 1.3's don't usually cost any more than a 1.0 so price shouldn't be a problem (k11's are currently cheaper than k10's at the moment, as there are more of them). They all red-line at 6000 rpm, but pretty much all the stuff in the quote above are all the reasons why a k11 would be the better choice for you, in my own oppinion anyway.
When you asked John if he had considered any modifications, why would he wanna mod a mint piece? Modding a rough banger i can understand but not a minter, and as everyone say's the k10's look cool as they are so why would anyone wanna mod them? Ultimately it's up to you to pick what you'd be happy with, but my own view on buying cars is that; if you don't like something for what it is and can't live with it the way it is, then it's not what you want, get what i mean.
 
im half asleep so forgive me if i have miss read your thread. if you want something different and something to mod go k10 and drop a sr20 in it. in this form it would woop any civic all day long there almost half the weight of a civic (depending on what civic) civics used to be cool but now there just a joy boys car imo. if you want a cool civic go old skool but they aint cheap.

if you want a reliable run around just go k11 but if you want both coolness and reliable get a k10. i never had a problem with mine i just gave it a problem :laugh: and yeah you will be surprised how pokey the little 1.2's are for a old carb'd engine.
 
porkpie700 said:
Well the 1.3's don't usually cost any more than a 1.0 so price shouldn't be a problem (k11's are currently cheaper than k10's at the moment, as there are more of them). They all red-line at 6000 rpm, but pretty much all the stuff in the quote above are all the reasons why a k11 would be the better choice for you, in my own oppinion anyway.
When you asked John if he had considered any modifications, why would he wanna mod a mint piece? Modding a rough banger i can understand but not a minter, and as everyone say's the k10's look cool as they are so why would anyone wanna mod them? Ultimately it's up to you to pick what you'd be happy with, but my own view on buying cars is that; if you don't like something for what it is and can't live with it the way it is, then it's not what you want, get what i mean.
Click to expand...

Yea know what you mean on the whole modification debate. I see no harm in "improving" things if its to your on taste. If your a fan of the standard car then I'd just leave it. Personally I can't help but get stuck in and see what I can change. It's all part of the joys of motoring to me.

An sr20 would be nice. Might be a little over my budget though haha.
 
There's gonna be more slighted biased opinions from either k10 of k11 owners

Me personally I prefer the k11, others prefer the k10

I agree they look girlie, but the can be farking cool lil cars

I've had a series of cars and still to this day nothing gives me the same pleasure of chucking one into the bends!

If your local to any members I'm sure they would be welcoming to let you in there car to nose about and get the general feel of things,

They are equally as good as each other

k10 or k11 It WILL choose you!
 
martinb said:
There's gonna be more slighted biased opinions from either k10 of k11 owners

Me personally I prefer the k11, others prefer the k10

I agree they look girlie, but the can be farking cool lil cars

I've had a series of cars and still to this day nothing gives me the same pleasure of chucking one into the bends!

If your local to any members I'm sure they would be welcoming to let you in there car to nose about and get the general feel of things,

They are equally as good as each other

k10 or k11 It WILL choose you!
Click to expand...

K11s got me into the Micra scene had 3 of them then won my k10 on eBay as the missus car an my runaround while I fix the 200sx and impreza ended up taking over my damn life, now I wouldn't go back to k11s
 
how does 60 miles on a fiver tempt you?

i just bought a tidy white H plate K10 to replace my crashed collete.. i paid £340, needs some welding and rear shoes i feel, but as a car its solid, and raises some eye brows if you catch the odd van driver napping at the lights ;)
 
I very new here, but I have just purchased a lovely K10. I am loving it big time :)

Its been lowered on coilovers & runs 13" rims

newmicra.jpg


Yes it's not quick with a 1.0 litre engine, but in the corners it flys! There is no real suspension, its more like a go kart with a roof & stereo ;)
 

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