Proton ute

[jimson]

Okay I know some of you blokes would say don't touch them    But I'm thinking its the way to go maybe  does anyone out there know about these utes.jimson

[caps 999]

ive seen em i like em would i buy one dunno

[cyclegod]

Front end is basically a Satria hatchback with a ute rear end, they are like jap cars in the early eighties starting to get a good reputation and definitely not as shit as they used to be but still room for improvement. They remind me of when the first Subaru Brumbies came out.

[jimson]

The engine for the proton ute is from the early mitsubishi colts 1500 and proton bought Lotus out so they had lotus help design the ute. the ute will take 550kg so it should carry three bikes easy  jimson

[Tim754]

Quite e few round here ,sold out of Bendigo. Farmers I know that have bought one, are happy with the little buggers and  well shit they don't usually treat utes with kid gloves.

[pokey]

the proton company  have the design licence for mitsubishi  and the satria and so on models reflect the previos years mitsubishi JDM models.
 was abit of political hoo haaa surrounding the company as the companies chairman is  the son of  a now ex president who was embroiled in many a shady dealings  and tis rumoured that the proton company was given a lot of illegal adavantages  with taxation and such.

One of these advantages was  as would be expected  monetary gains which assisted them in getting lotus to redesign the lotus chassis .
 not   too bad a vehicle for a smallish company as its basically a better made last years mitsubishi.
 

[Tim754]

I think they own MV Agusta or something like that too now??

[Nathan S]

Are they long enough to fit more than one bike? An XF Falcon needs the tail-gate down to fit more than one bike in, so I wonder if a Proton is long enough even with the tail-gate down?

Yeah, they're basically the old Mistu Mirage (the shape before the one were got here), with a ute rear on 'em. A 1.8 EFI conversion from a Lancer sedan would be a good move...

If the Hyundais are anything to go by, mechanically they're every bit as good as a jap car, but (after several years) they'll be let down by things like crap interior fabric and fragile door hnadles and stuff.

[cyclegod]

[jimson]

Ford utes have been letting me down with there door handles for years now Nathan  jimson

[crash n bern]

Ford utes have been letting me down with there door handles for years now Nathan  jimson

You got the wrong year Ford ute. Go back to the ones with steel doorhandles and vent windows.

[Nathan S]

Ford utes have been letting me down with there door handles for years now Nathan  jimson

As a fellow XF ute owner, I know the pain! At least replacements are only $15 at Supercheap.

[TM BILL]

Dont do it dont do it fer Gods sake dont do it man

[oldfart]

1 bike with tail gate down , nah not for me sorry . Take a look at the front guard arch hieght to tyre ratio as apposed  to rear 

[jimson]

Bill sounds like you don't want me to do it   you sound like my wife  lol  I think you drive a towy for a living so whats the word on them why are they so bad in your eyes. jimson