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Manual Or Tiptronic?!?!


mark_cardiff
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Im in hong kong at the moment, looking for a new car to import in, and have seen 2 RS200's.

The first one is a pretty much standard car with trd bodykit, and no other modifications but is manual transmission.

The other one is tiptronic, but has had some modifications, i.e strut braces, antil roll bars, exhaust and adjustable suspension.

Both of them have the same interior specs with a trick lil DVD pop up screen which is cool but i just dont know which is better?!?!

Are there any problems with the tiptronic? Im used to using tiptronic in my A4, which is alright i spose, but im just wondering how fast the shifts are etc in the Altezza etc....

If i intend to modify the car more, will the auto gearbox be able to cope etc...

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Having had a tip FTO - I found that it was a big mistake, as i coudn't make use of its variable valve timing as effectively. Totally different car but I wished I waited for a manual FTO. Some ppl like the tips as it is soooooo much easier in stop start (something I miss in the fto!) horses for courses as they say!

Are the tip controls on the steering wheel or by the gear knob? (Not that this matters but I would prefer on the wheel and I guess you were aware of that?)

ps couldn't bring back some gear from HK could ya?! :P

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Yeh you the change the gear on the wheel.

I just dont know whether its worth going tiptronic for the sake of savin money on upgrades because the tiptronic car has had some good modifications done...ones that id want done anyways.

Or if its not worth going tip and staying with manual but having to fork out more to modify it.

Im in HK all the time, so i pick up some good stuff! haha!

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Hi Mark, glad you`ve seen a couple.... My personal choice would be a manual every time... could never really understand getting a sports car in auto?

I like to be in total control of the car... ie change gear WHEN I WANT TO!...

Regarding the gear change on the tiptronic altezza, it is instant, unlike on some other cars... as soon as you press the button on the steering wheel it changes.

The choice is yours.... as they say on blind date!! lol

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Yeh, id prefer manual, just cos theres less to go wrong! It was just the fact that this Tip model came with so many good mods, whilst the manual one came pretty standard!

Nevermind! Ill keep lookin aroung.

Why you tryin to sell that black altezza then scott? haha! its tip tronic isnt it? You *****! Just joking! Let me know if you are getting any new stock. Im back in UK mid-end of august.

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Yeh you the change the gear on the wheel.

I just dont know whether its worth going tiptronic for the sake of savin money on upgrades because the tiptronic car has had some good modifications done...ones that id want done anyways.

Or if its not worth going tip and staying with manual but having to fork out more to modify it.

Im in HK all the time, so i pick up some good stuff! haha!

you lucky so and so!

Anyway, I take it you will be importing the car into UK? Probably sell it here in the future? Well I'd put my money on selling the manual one quicker than the tip in the future.

I would test drive both and make up your mind from that. You could get the manual one and as you're in HK get some bits put onto the car before exporting and you would have saved some money (and spent some too!) Perhaps you could sort me out with some stuff also? ;)

Initial D stage 4 DVD would be nice and some TRD bits!!

go with the flow and don't let the 'saving a bit of money' thing cloud your decision too much

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Guest mark_tsang

as long as there is no common faults in an auto. atleast altezza's are very low mileage in hong kong, most people only use their cars social occasions rather than commute to work anyway.

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WRONG!

A significant part of the used Altezza in Hong Kong are totalled cars from Japan, especially if these were only imported to Hong Kong after several years of use.

If you ask the sales person, he won't be able to show you a previous owner or maintenance history for the period that the car was in Japan.

In addition, Japan has a lot of flooding, so there may be water damage ... then the car will be totalled in Japan, and often exported as crap. After landing in Hong Kong these cars are sold as any other used car ... so be careful

image what electronic problems that may cause.

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So you are saying every Altezza i look at will be a total piece of crap? So EVERY Altezza on the streets of hong kong are actually "totalled" cars??

HK imports so many used cars from Japan, skylines, imprezas, altezzas....everything! I seriously cant see how you think that they are all crap.

I do not think all the imported cars from japan are in the state you say they are, or else no one would be importing them.

Its the same with imported cars in UK, you just have to make sure you pick a good one! Its not as though every imported car in britain is in immaculate condition!

Either way, if you know what to look for when buyin the car, you shouldnt have too many problems. Im not going to buy a car without any car history am i? thats just stupid!

Olli, u like Initial D?? ugh! i hate it! You can pick up the dvds over here for dirt cheap!

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Guest mark_tsang
WRONG!

A significant part of the used Altezza in Hong Kong are totalled cars from Japan, especially if these were only imported to Hong Kong after several years of use.

If you ask the sales person, he won't be able to show you a previous owner or maintenance history for the period that the car was in Japan.

In addition, Japan has a lot of flooding, so there may be water damage ... then the car will be totalled in Japan, and often exported as crap. After landing in Hong Kong these cars are sold as any other used car ... so be careful

image what electronic problems that may cause.

what is 'WRONG!' ????

fact that lot of JDM cars are sold in hong kong as new unlike uk not as many are sold new. some of my family are in the trade in hong kong & know some companies importing japanese/euro spec cars & only imports & sell new cars so are these companies 'dodgy' that passes 'crap cars' as brand new?? & there been lot of Altezza's in hong kong for quite few yrs now, some of them came into hong kong brand new within a few days of launch back in 98/99 so did these owners crash them in japan within few days & export them abroad?

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What's with the attitude mark_cardiff? jdmparts_guru is just offering you some advise so you do not get caught out

A significant part of the used Altezza in Hong Kong are totalled cars from Japan

I've read this statement a few times now and I cannot see how you come up with this statement

So EVERY Altezza on the streets of hong kong are actually "totalled" cars??

:angry:

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I know he is trying to help, but with him saying "WRONG" and assuming that the majority of cars in HK are totalled and crap is just B.S! If it happens in HK, it will happen in every other country in the world that imports used cars. I just feel as though he thinks it only happens in Hong Kong.

There are many reputable dealers in hong kong, and some not so good, which again is the same in every country, so it is a matter of being careful and making sure you know what you are buying!

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Of course, there are good Altezzas around, but you need to be careful.

One difference between re-exporting is and local buying and using is that you can easily go back to the seller. Not that that will help often ...

Unless you really know your way around (and know the car trader yourself), i personally would be very hesistant.

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Most used cars in Hong Kong do not have a car history, especially no history of the Japanese period.

Imported used cars in Japan are often sold like XX/YY cars and will only state no of previous Hong Kong owners. In Hong Kong the 2-'hand' car means 2 previous owners (excl. the new owner).

So a 1'hand' 98/01 Altezza means that the car has 1 HK owners and was built in 1998. It landed in 2001 and in most cases there is no history available of the 1998 - 2001 period.

Most of the used cars that have a 'hole' in its history are damaged cars that were sold in Japan cheaply and then repaired in Hong Kong.

As a rule of thumb

XX/XX cars are preferrable.

e.g. 98/98 Altezza means that these car were imported from Japan as new.

Avoid the XX/2004 cars,

e.g 99/04 cars, especially if these do not have any prev. owners. These cars are in 90% totalled cars. So, not always problematic ... try out your luck.

Edited by jdmparts_guru
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Finally, why should you import a car from Hong Kong, if most people in Hong Kong are getting their cars from Japan auctions?

Price?

IMO ... wrong.

There is a huge car TAX on cars in Hong Kong. If you buy an already landed car in Hong Kong, this TAX will be applied on the car price.

Unless you can get that part back (which is unlikely), Hong Kong cars are significantly more expensive than Japan cars.

So if these cars are cheaper than the cars sold in Japan ... why?

So, IMO buy your car directly from Japan (either personally or via a specialist company).

The above is my personal opinion, and probably interesting to know for some of our members.

I think that both Marks already know about the above...

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Why would i buy one in Hong Kong?

Maybe because i have a house here, and i live here for 6 months of the year? Im looking to get rid of my old car and trade it in for a new one (altezza)

You say its cheaper? But at the moment, with the pound sterling so strong, the prices of buying a car in britain is higher. An altezza that scott had was going for over 11K i think, but when ive been looking at cars in HK, i can buy the car, drive it around HK when im here, and then ship it back to UK when i leave for similar money!

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Why would i buy one in Hong Kong?

Maybe because i have a house here, and i live here for 6 months of the year? Im looking to get rid of my old car and trade it in for a new one (altezza)

You say its cheaper? But at the moment, with the pound sterling so strong, the prices of buying a car in britain is higher. An altezza that scott had was going for over 11K i think, but when ive been looking at cars in HK, i can buy the car, drive it around HK when im here, and then ship it back to UK when i leave for similar money!

Mark, i only buy cars with FULL history and maybe 1 owner from new.

They have all checks done in Japan prior to exportation.

Insured when shipped

and offer complete customer back up once the cars are over here, from standard parts to extreme aftermarket parts.

Alex was only trying to aware of the pitfalls you might face, and was not trying to scare monger. I HATE the scare mongers that put a bad name on imports, but Alex DEFINATLEY isn`t one of them mate..

I am in business importing Altezza Mark, and get my cars direct from the source, which as we all know is Japan... So why not import one from Japan, rather than from HK, which has already been imported from Japan??

Anyway, good luck in your search mate,

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