Might consider buying a Syclone...help needed...?

[matthyoo]

Hey guys. I am looking at a Syclone with 66,xxx miles on it, and need a little help. I need it to be a daily driver (to and from school, taking the girlfriend out, etc) and I don't want things to be going wrong with it very often, hopefully not at all. Anywho, is there anything that usually goes wrong with the trucks? Even if I race it sometimes (ie: Brake boosting and launching hard, etc), will it still be dependable?

Thanks,
Matt

 

[SY480]

My truck has never not ran but I have had some problems over the three years I have owned it. Heater Core went bad and ruined the carpet ,oil pressure guage broke,window regulator broke, abs( before I purchased the truck), front propshaft broke, wiper relay, cladding went to shit because previous owner did not take good care of it. My truck has 35k miles and is not a daily driver. I wouldn't trade it for anything. Almost anything.

 

[JustBeachin]

Semi-hard launch...third one of the night.

This was done with a 35k mile Syclone. I've owned it for a couple months and launched it probably about a dozen times. Don't know what the previous owner did, except I do know he hauled hay in it, and drove it through the mud.

:lol:

In my opinion, they can be reliable daily drivers, my Typhoon has 93k miles on it, and is very dependable, but if it breaks because I do hard launches, I can't say it's unexpected. If you do normal maintenance, and upkeep, it should be pretty dependable.

 

[matthyoo]

Well, I need something dependable, and I really want a Syclone. I don't want to shell out the extra $$$ for a Lightning, but I know a Lightning won't brake if I take it to the track a few times...Would there be anything I could do to make the prop-shaft with hold a few hard launches and still be daily driver? Don't turn me to the dark-side guys!!

 

[JSM]

The SyTy is bulletproof, you can beat on it, run it hard, use any old spark plug, reg gas, etc. and it keeps on running... Hell just use water in tank, it burns just as good.

NOT..

Just like any vehicle, if you abuse/USE it, things will happen. I have had great luck with mine, but I also don't race from every light, and pay CLOSE attention to it.

If you don't like to tinker on cars, get something else. If your looking for something to be reliable, get a bus ticket, or something.

Not saying a syty can't be reliable, as mine has been VERY... But I have had issues myself, just like anybody. But I have 3 backup cars also...

Jeff

 

[KGB Pilot125]

my truck has 110k miles on it heres my list of things that have broke

Heater core 4 hours to fix
master cylinder took about an hour
Front diff My fault I ran it out of oil took 2 weeks doing it my self
Tranny blew up from street racing too many boost launches again my fault well not really but if I didnt race it it wouldnt have broke. took 4 weeks doing it myself
Front propshaft snapped in half had 110k miles on it!!!! lots o launches

other than that truck is great its been my daily driver for 3 years. its never left me stranded. except when the tranny blew.

if your pushing your truck at the track then you will break stuff bottom line
if you just drive it around and dont beat on it you should be fine.

 

[JustBeachin]

Well, I need something dependable, and I really want a Syclone. I don't want to shell out the extra $$$ for a Lightning, but I know a Lightning won't brake if I take it to the track a few times...Would there be anything I could do to make the prop-shaft with hold a few hard launches and still be daily driver? Don't turn me to the dark-side guys!!

I've actually been harder on my Typhoon than on my Syclone, but it just so happens that the Syclone propshaft broke, maybe cause it was built in late 90. Maybe by 93 when my Typhoon was built they were making them stronger, who knows. Maybe the rust penetrated and caused a weak spot. The Typhoon has held up pretty well so far, but nothing's guaranteed.

Nobody can guarantee you that if you take it to the track it won't break. Regardless of what kind of car you get. I have been driving my Typhoon for almost 4 years, and put 25k miles on it, and have taken it to the track quite a few times. Do I abuse it on the street? No. Will I be surprised if it breaks at the track? No. Will I be surprised if it breaks on the street? No.

Would I trust driving it all the way to the other side of the country? Yes.

I do the normal maintenance, and fix things when they're broken, I do get on it from stoplights, not everytime.

 

[phoonTy]

When I was looking for a new car, well, one more practical for Colorado and college than a Corvette, I did a lot of research. I looked at all kinds of stuff. Then, I found that by selling my Corvette, I could afford a Typhoon, something I've wanted since the Syclone debuted in '91. But before I committed to a Ty, I did my research. I suggest you read the FAQ at the left, and look at all the links to SyTy info, and read lots of the posts of tech/repair stuff on this board. I knew when I bought my Ty, that to keep it as a daily driver, it was going to require a lot of maintenence, a lot more than a Honda. But I also decided, from all of my research, that if I don't abuse it, do the routine maintenence, and don't abuse it, and don't abuse it, that it would hold up pretty well. I also know, however, that when things break, and they will break, being a limited production HiPo vehicle, that parts, etc. will be more expensive.

What am I saying? Just this - go for a Sy if that's what you want, but do the research and know what you are getting, and getting in to.

just my $.02934832 :lol:

 

[InvisiBill]

Read the buyer's guide at http://www.syty.org/old/ as it has lots of info just for this occasion... Read the FAQ and ReadMe at the left. Hang out on this board, and pay attention to the problems that get brought up over and over.

These are not "dump in gas and oil" vehicles. They do require more maintenance than the average car. They are picky about parts, ignition especially. If you can't spend a little extra time and/or money (less of one means more of the other) on it, you don't want one.

I've put 38,000 miles on the Sy since I got it last March, bringing it up to 115,000. I've done the cap and rotor and the plugs a few times. I just did the plug wires. I replaced the dead stock IC pump with a Jabsco, though it may have just been the fuse. I replaced the heater core. I replaced the ball joints, and I may need to do tie rod ends as well. I got new tires. I need to repair/replace my propshaft (at least 25k on a torn boot, how's that for dancing with the devil?) and do something about my bent wheels. And a whole bunch of Mobil1, PF52's, and 93 octane. I take care of my truck, but I don't baby it. I drive it hard, but I don't beat on it (mostly highway driving). Overall, I'd say a stock truck with a few of the reliability mods and regular upkeep can be quite reliable.