How has the starlet scene changed since you joined??

[russ78]

To be honest having come from the "yaris" scene, this is so good!

Maybe just because I'm fresh in the starlet world but all of you are so so so much more helpful than anyone ever was on YCUK (apart from a few great guys obviously). Parts are more available, and there's almost no starlets I've seen on here and gone "ugh that's horrible" whereas I only ever really liked one or two really impressive yaris's. The community for them is tiny and the fact so many people aren't all that nice is so off putting.

I always got so much patronising for being a girl whereas here I don't get that at all! Even though I'm not very mechanically minded (yet) I get the vibe people don't mind answering my stupid questions, whereas on YCUK there was blatant annoyance when I asked for help from certain members.

I've only owned my starlet for a week and already I feel like you lot have been more helpful than anyone was on YCUK to me! Also there's very few unconstructive wankers commenting really hateful things for no reason, whereas on YCUK that's every other bloody comment :L

So,I guess it has its problems but its not as bad as other scenes

what would Aidan say ..... tut tut

but in all honesty I know exactly what u mean the vibe on ycuk is all wrong ukso FTW

[daniel_g]

Everyone i've ever met from here is been sound as, like 20 odd people buying & selling parts.

[aaddzz123]

I've been around for about 4 years and the scene has always been good for me. The starlet is a ace car but if it wasn't for the scene being so good I would probably have a different car. I recently bought a civic which was a car I've always wanted and in terms of an overall view its probably a better car. However I was bored after 6 months and here I am again with a mk1 gt. Nothing to do with the car if I'm honest. The civic scene is shit and the starlet scene is awesome haha. Back in the day when I had fiestas and a few 306s again the scenes were rubbish compared to here.

I love the family feel we have here. I've made so many friends through the scene that I'd say 90% of my friends are from here.

I feel that there is a smaller part of the community that has been here for a while which always stick together. I'd says that's the family of ukso. Always happy to welcome new members although most end up just being family friends because they don't get the bug and move on.

In some ways it's changed... But I feel the vibe is still good. I love to help others where I can and I know that I can ask for help and someone can always help me out too... The scene is what you make of it

[_shaun_]

Its been a massive change when I first started. I knew nothing about turbo cars and my idea of modifying was a jap can and an induction kit. When I signed up I still rember the big debate raging was if the td04 was to big for our little motors. The problem I think now is the td04 route is so common you can pick up a dog of a glanza for 2k with a td04 making 200bhp. So every man and his dog is buying them. There's very few people doing anything exciting these days with there cars and when they are its generaly a total tuners garage built car which for me holds very little appeal. There's no PP lads chucking random turbos on engines and seeing how far they can push it and not having a care if it blows. Or geo replacing his windows with plastic and duct tape to save a few extra kilos for scooby killing at crail. Most people either take the safe tryed and tested route or just pay someone else todo it. People like the PP lads, turbo grant, geo, krissyb, Ryan v and pretty much everyone that just goes out and does something with there car and doesn't think shit just cleaned the car or changed the spark plugs better take 20 pictures to let everyone on ukso/Facebook no. Theres just two many scene kids buying them to sit online and talk about what they done to there car rather than actualy going it and enjoying there car

[bdohohh]

what would Aidan say ..... tut tut

but in all honesty I know exactly what u mean the vibe on ycuk is all wrong ukso FTW

Aidan's probably one of the worst for it :L I've talked to a quite a few members who feel constantly belittled by him and he's talk to me pretty rudely before on the forum

I really like a few people on it, but the proportion of arseholes to nice people is waaay off.

UKSO is definitely the best forum I'm on by a mile.

[Amjad]

I agree with a lot that's been said already. Got into these cars around '05/06. The community doesn't seem as close knit as it once was. Despite many more people becoming owners and joining up, they are quick to ditch the cars soon after. Having said that, I've met a lot of friends through the forums and will always be grateful for that. Hopefully it continues!

The availability of parts both used and new has expanded and as a few people have mentioned, in a few years it will really only be the true enthusiasts that will stick around (myself included I hope).

[toyotag2014]

hey everyone not been with the group for long but i feel very welcomed here by loads of people i have been helped out with problems or issues that i have had by loads of people and i feel that everyone trys to give a helping hand ive met a few decent people from the site aswell and im not no boy racer that will abuse it i bought the car as ive allways loved the look that they have produced over the years i admit im not the most up to date person about the ins and outs of these cars but its a learning step for me i dont drive my starlet like an idiot like the boy racers out their i take pride in my car look after it and keep it as good looking and healthy as i can and im not the richest person out their so it will take me time to get my car to how i want it but there is still a fair few decent people on here im buying bits of and im very excited to become part of the starlet family got tickets for jae and japfest not just for the meet its self but to meet all the people that have been on here for years i know some people have been ripped of but like a few people have said dont just hand over cash for something you dont have infront of you you give cash when the items infront of you or frew secure payment system I.E paypal and i am glad to be an owner of a toyota starlet as its what ive allways wanted not just for the speed or all that just for the pure fact they are beautiful cars and im very lucky and very appreiciative of being welcomed into this site by so many people and very helpful people at that

[Rosso321]

I personally agree with all the above.

I'd admit I'm a starletholic

I've been in the starlet since 8 years now had 2 ep 80 and one gt quad light for 4 years with plans off going ct9 hybrid but with been a student nodding was difficult.

I fell in love with the gt turbo as it came from the factory looking like this. Everything about it was in love about it. Only wanted more power as I did few drag events. I love the culture and history off the eps and I think it's great to know about them.

I don't like the way it's gone now lads just throw on loads off parts and don't know what their at what it does and the risk e.g more stopping power then more horde power were young lads want to go fast and not stop. I hate it what can I do to make more power what mods. My personal few on theses car is keep it oem as that's what they came out from the factory like. Enjoy what the car is ment to be. Go messing with it you get problems and ruin a perfect car. It boils my blood when someone gets a ep and it's box standard and go ruin it with silly mods if you want a modded one go buy one as rare enough as oem.

I understand people on the mod since I do but there two ways for me mod it like socks it's cool car yes but not ever day daily or your normal td04 with power as a daily or go buy a bigger bhp car. Again I understand it's a debate on personal views.

I'm out off the scene as I crashed mine in traffic worst day off my life with a baby on the way and a house I just couldn't keep or fix as too costly so I'd buy one in the near future as I'm on the forums everyday and I think ukso is a great site and busiest by far.

The recession happened and now people are looking for quick cheap cars don't care and sell parts without delivery. It's very frustrating. Where is all the honest people gone too? All grown up and moved on to family cars? There's a few heads out there still enjoy their car for what it's is and I respect that and love going along and people ask about your car and have a good chat like jay for instance went yup to buy parts talking for 4 hours people hardly go out off their way no more just the few.

I'll be back in a gt in a few years and can't wait the smile to be put back on my face and be proud as punch. People do it up realise they ruin it and sell up and go off for another car but always come back once you have the itch you always have the itch your hooked with these small amazing eps.

Sorry for rambling on and what not this is my opinion and meet great people on the site and meet few fools but that's life but I'm very happy on here and hope all works out for everyone. P's if keeps going like this way things are there be very few mint eps left so respect them and enjoy don't rally them put you and others in danger drive and enjoy.

Regards

starletholic

Edited June 20, 2014 by Rosso321

[Ryan-11]

Its changed a lot since I first found the forums, I remember when no one had td04 kits, hybrid ct9's were all the rage! Back when i bought mine most people never know what the heck it was that I just bought witch was what attracted me to them in the first place, The forums (tgtt and uksc) weren't too busy, as the years past starlets got more popular and the forums got busier, more traders started appearing and parts were a lot easier to get a hold of, now its starting to die down a bit and a lot of starlets getting broken, also its a lot harder to get a good one now a days even harder to get a standard one, soon there will only be the good ones left.

I've had mine 8 years now and don't think I'll ever sell it, personally I don't mind it getting quieter, I prefer it that way, less stupid questions getting asked everyday, less chnce of getting ripped off and prices going back up.

[richdog]

Having read all your comments above one thing springs to mind wetger your a member for 6 months or 10 years at some point everyone had something in common starlets.

had many more expensive luxurious faster cars over the years and owned a gt when they were first imported.

Kids grown up now and similar to jp all my kids have owned starlets as there first car as to be honest tge 4efe n/a lump is virtually bomb proof if looked after.

4 out of 5 kids moved on to other cars for different reason but all remember with great fondness and still speak how these little cars never let them down not like other makes.

For a young person if you csn spend your money improving your car rather than just to keep it on the road, cant be a bad thing.

Now found myself not only helping youngest lad with his car but owning one myself.

As I look back to rs owners club meets with mk 1 mk 2 escorts tgat cost couple of grand for a decent one.looking now a 2nd mortgage is required.

starlets will go the same way seems the natural progeession of things to come.

as a club in order to survive it needs its members as such should encourage all who at some point in their lives enjoyed their little starlet and this club.

[AdDaMan]

Pretty much agree with what's been said here. For me the scene has drastically changed over the years for the worse.

There used to be a sense of community in the older days (2006-2008 ish), I think mainly because these cars were mostly owned by enthusiasts. I used to love driving my old ep82 about, and guys with bigger and more expensive cars used to ask WTF my car was.....it was almost that niche element.

Now I feel I'm almost viewed as another boy racer with a quick whip lol.

I left the scene in 2008, and recently came back, hoping things would be the same if not better, but I was kinda disappointed.

These days, they seem to be getting in the wrong hands most of the times....chavs who end up wrapping them around trees, or blowing them up.

I think this in turn has let to a lot of dodgy sellers capitalising on the market....by either selling things which are overpriced, or in some cases advertising parts and not even sending them out to people. Mega shame really, as they rarely ever happened back in the day.

But I guess times are changing. Be interesting to see how the scene evolves in the next 5 years.

That said, there are still some genuine dudes on here, and TGT forum.....that are true enthusiast which are honest and always willing to help you out.

This. Oh and hello mate, long time! ;)

[seab]

I remember getting my first V back in 2004 who I sold to the above member funny enough.

Gorgeous car white JAM kitted V. At that time big power was considered a td04 and there wasn't access to half of the tuning and styling bits that we have at our finger tips now.

Also the cost of cars have dropped. I paid £6k for my first V and it was engine stock just styling bits.

Used to like it back in 2004 when we were rare cars.

[AdDaMan]

Said Ganza:

[dazstarlet]

The way that forums and car 'scenes' change over time is because like others have said the cars get older and more popular, and so the prices devalue over time. In turn that brings them into price range and ownership of some pretty undesirable scallys / chavs who just abuse them, and so it starts a nasty spiral from there really.

It seems to be a Jap car phenomenon as they are so much cheaper to run, longlasting and can take much more of a beating than Euro marques. Jap cars can be seriously messed about with and thrashed and still be runners. But it changes the whole scene when that starts to happen, and i've seen it personally before with the Civic Type R owners forum when I used to drive CTR's.

I'm trying really hard to covince a friend at work not to get a GTR for exactly the same reasons. He thinks it's a premium car right now, but he'll regret it when he sees chavs driving max power modded versions of them a few years down the road as surely they will do

I've not been around here long, but this UKSO forum is a LOT happier and friendlier even now than CTR owners forum ever was as far as I can remember, and the affection most owners have for their lil' Starlets is great.

Edited July 1, 2014 by dazstarlet

[TurboTobz]

I come from a time when 300bhp was the big boys figure...

Race spec rockers were uber rare.

Parts weren't often cheap or uk or chinky spec, they were all straight up jdm.

Td04 was rare, if you done a td04 conversion it was genuinely a wow factor.

K24s were deadly rare and very sought after....

The first V I bought had a price tag of around 6k without a forged lump originally when it was purchased from the lad who imported it... and forum members said it was a great price.

In comparison the scene now is shit. Lol