File this under "no shit, Sherlock"...
The headlights work WAY better at night with clear lenses. One of the reasons I wanted an 03 vs an 00-02 model was for the projector low beams. They're still halogens, but with clear lenses they work pretty well. I might look into HID/LED bulbs at some point just to modernize the car, but it's a very low priority now.
Corollise GT RS 1.8
- troyguitar
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- troyguitar
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Eh, it's already nice now. LEDZ all over would be nicer but I've got other stuff I want to do first. I just ordered a kenwood bluetooth media player so that I can listen to shit without having to mess with a bunch of CD's, should have it here in time for the long ass drive to airboat country.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_113KMBT31 ... T318U.html
I don't know if I'll ever bother upgrading the speakers, but this will be a good start regardless.
- troyguitar
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MR2 is more or less in hibernation for now, won ES and got top PAX in the last several events of the year. The $79 Kenwood unit works well and sounds "good enough" with the stock speakers and significant EQ adjustments. The valve cover gasket solved the oil consumption/leaking issue, got 2000 miles and a bunch of autox since last oil change without the oil level going down. Not much left to do to the car besides paint the wheels to match each other and wait for March.
I've now turned my attention to the Vibe since deciding to skip the whole Saturn ultra idea. I put the winter wheels+tires on the other day which solved 98% of the vibration issues - my old ballz-seasons have plenty of tread remaining but they have no grip at all (to the point of being dangerous in the wet) and vibrate a bunch despite being rebalanced twice, I'll need tires (perhaps with wheels) in the spring. I'm hearing some clunking from the right front over bumps too, so I found some KYB fully loaded strut+mounts+springs assemblies for $128 each shipped for the fronts and ordered them last night along with new hatch struts and a gas cap to finally eliminate the evap CEL.
The next question will be whether to also get some lowering springs and camber bolts while I'm in there to bring the thing down from SUV to car height. Tein knockoffs are $89 shipped and supposedly the same size and spring rates, even the real Teins are only $144 shipped, supposedly the KYB struts can handle the shorter springs but who knows. See stock vs with sprangz:
I've now turned my attention to the Vibe since deciding to skip the whole Saturn ultra idea. I put the winter wheels+tires on the other day which solved 98% of the vibration issues - my old ballz-seasons have plenty of tread remaining but they have no grip at all (to the point of being dangerous in the wet) and vibrate a bunch despite being rebalanced twice, I'll need tires (perhaps with wheels) in the spring. I'm hearing some clunking from the right front over bumps too, so I found some KYB fully loaded strut+mounts+springs assemblies for $128 each shipped for the fronts and ordered them last night along with new hatch struts and a gas cap to finally eliminate the evap CEL.
The next question will be whether to also get some lowering springs and camber bolts while I'm in there to bring the thing down from SUV to car height. Tein knockoffs are $89 shipped and supposedly the same size and spring rates, even the real Teins are only $144 shipped, supposedly the KYB struts can handle the shorter springs but who knows. See stock vs with sprangz:
- CorvetteWaxer
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troyguitar wrote: ↑Sat Nov 11, 2017 3:37 pm MR2 is more or less in hibernation for now, won ES and got top PAX in the last several events of the year. The $79 Kenwood unit works well and sounds "good enough" with the stock speakers and significant EQ adjustments. The valve cover gasket solved the oil consumption/leaking issue, got 2000 miles and a bunch of autox since last oil change without the oil level going down. Not much left to do to the car besides paint the wheels to match each other and wait for March.
I've now turned my attention to the Vibe since deciding to skip the whole Saturn ultra idea. I put the winter wheels+tires on the other day which solved 98% of the vibration issues - my old ballz-seasons have plenty of tread remaining but they have no grip at all (to the point of being dangerous in the wet) and vibrate a bunch despite being rebalanced twice, I'll need tires (perhaps with wheels) in the spring. I'm hearing some clunking from the right front over bumps too, so I found some KYB fully loaded strut+mounts+springs assemblies for $128 each shipped for the fronts and ordered them last night along with new hatch struts and a gas cap to finally eliminate the evap CEL.
The next question will be whether to also get some lowering springs and camber bolts while I'm in there to bring the thing down from SUV to car height. Tein knockoffs are $89 shipped and supposedly the same size and spring rates, even the real Teins are only $144 shipped, supposedly the KYB struts can handle the shorter springs but who knows. See stock vs with sprangz:
Your photobucket account wants you to pay them a lot of money to share pics. Get another host.
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https://chrome.google.com/webstore/deta ... apbifiaedg
For those who haven't fixed the photobucket garbage:
- CorvetteWaxer
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Ah...
Another plugin to load... hopefully they don't keep killing it and updating it all the time.
Thanks.
Another plugin to load... hopefully they don't keep killing it and updating it all the time.
Thanks.
- troyguitar
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I'm sure photobucket is actively working on ways to defeat those plugins. I'm on my second one now, the first one was broken awhile ago. I've never actually used photobucket myself and obviously never will in the future.
- troyguitar
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Well I went ahead and ordered the springs after seeing that at least one forumbro had ordered and installed them. Specs are identical to Tein S-tech, should be a decent improvement for $89. -2.3/-2.1 inches at 150/190 lb/in. Stock springs are 130/150 lb/in so they're only ~15 and 25% stiffer with a little more rear bias which should promote a little less understeer.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302104936766
Spring rates aren't much higher than stock, hopefully the KYB struts will be decent with them.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/302104936766
Spring rates aren't much higher than stock, hopefully the KYB struts will be decent with them.
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Friday night is suspension night.
I also decided to order a rear sway bar while they still exist, the price went down so I'm guessing that they might be discontinued. $134 shipped, couldn't afford not to buy it.
I've only got the rear struts back in so far, probably won't finish it up until tomorrow. Action shot with one of the Chinese sprangz:
I also decided to order a rear sway bar while they still exist, the price went down so I'm guessing that they might be discontinued. $134 shipped, couldn't afford not to buy it.
I've only got the rear struts back in so far, probably won't finish it up until tomorrow. Action shot with one of the Chinese sprangz:
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In4VibeStigtroyguitar wrote: ↑Sat Nov 18, 2017 2:15 am Friday night is suspension night.
I also decided to order a rear sway bar while they still exist, the price went down so I'm guessing that they might be discontinued. $134 shipped, couldn't afford not to buy it.
I've only got the rear struts back in so far, probably won't finish it up until tomorrow. Action shot with one of the Chinese sprangz:
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It’s on the stock suspension right now right ? I think it’ll be night and day, new shocks+ springs and a seat bar vs decade worn out suspension. Yea yea Springs don’t wear out whatevertroyguitar wrote: ↑Sat Nov 18, 2017 2:15 am Friday night is suspension night.
I also decided to order a rear sway bar while they still exist, the price went down so I'm guessing that they might be discontinued. $134 shipped, couldn't afford not to buy it.
I've only got the rear struts back in so far, probably won't finish it up until tomorrow. Action shot with one of the Chinese sprangz:
- troyguitar
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Initial test drive with just the struts and springs is very positive. I won't have the sway bar until after Thanksgiving and I'm on marshmallow winter tires while it's 61F and really windy, plus the alignment is unknown... but even with all of that the car is obviously way better than it's ever been. I don't know if the stock shocks (which are KYB USA just like the new ones I bought) were actually the same as the aftermarket KYB stuff, but either way they're from 2005 with 150k miles so the damping is significantly improved.
Chinese springs are 4/7 so far. How long do springs take to "settle"? These are supposed to lower more in the front than the rear but after 15 or so miles the ass end is slightly sagging... Still beats the hell out of the stock SUV ride height
Chinese springs are 4/7 so far. How long do springs take to "settle"? These are supposed to lower more in the front than the rear but after 15 or so miles the ass end is slightly sagging... Still beats the hell out of the stock SUV ride height
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My MK6 DGs settled for a good 6 mthstroyguitar wrote:Initial test drive with just the struts and springs is very positive. I won't have the sway bar until after Thanksgiving and I'm on marshmallow winter tires while it's 61F and really windy, plus the alignment is unknown... but even with all of that the car is obviously way better than it's ever been. I don't know if the stock shocks (which are KYB USA just like the new ones I bought) were actually the same as the aftermarket KYB stuff, but either way they're from 2005 with 150k miles so the damping is significantly improved.
Chinese springs are 4/7 so far. How long do springs take to "settle"? These are supposed to lower more in the front than the rear but after 15 or so miles the ass end is slightly sagging... Still beats the hell out of the stock SUV ride height
- troyguitar
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Got the rear sway bar on, handling is definitely improved even with the stupid marshmallow tires. Car is finally going in for alignment tomorrow.
I also learned that my starter was dying, after assuming it was the lightweight battery I'd put in the trunk 3 years ago and seeing that it's still slow to crank in cold weather with a new fully charged battery. $85 somewhat wasted, but now I have a new battery in addition to the starter.
This thing is going to be reasonably fun once it gets real tires and the Celica steering rack swap in the spring. It's already much better than it was. The ride is still harsh but it's at least got decent damping and a lot less body roll instead of bouncing and rolling all over the place.
I also learned that my starter was dying, after assuming it was the lightweight battery I'd put in the trunk 3 years ago and seeing that it's still slow to crank in cold weather with a new fully charged battery. $85 somewhat wasted, but now I have a new battery in addition to the starter.
This thing is going to be reasonably fun once it gets real tires and the Celica steering rack swap in the spring. It's already much better than it was. The ride is still harsh but it's at least got decent damping and a lot less body roll instead of bouncing and rolling all over the place.
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Vibe cranks awesome on cold mornings now with the new starter and handles way better with a proper alignment on top of the springs+shocks+swaybar. I also put the stock seat back in it today so that I can take it in for the Takata passenger airbag recall - holy fuck that thing sits way too high. I plan to pull the occupancy sensor from the stock seat and put it in my ebay seat so that I can have a proper seat in addition to a functioning driver's airbag. For 150k miles this thing still pulls hard to 8400 RPM.
On the MR2 side of things, I might have located a full set of ES autox legal (long out of production) SSR lightweight wheels for a reasonable price. Supposedly 8.x lbs front, 9.x rear and they'd actually match front to rear. Time will tell if the seller comes through, he seems kind of flaky but is at least a "known" autocross/track guy rather than a random craigslister.
On the MR2 side of things, I might have located a full set of ES autox legal (long out of production) SSR lightweight wheels for a reasonable price. Supposedly 8.x lbs front, 9.x rear and they'd actually match front to rear. Time will tell if the seller comes through, he seems kind of flaky but is at least a "known" autocross/track guy rather than a random craigslister.
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Troy is awful proud of it. But if he can actually get his ask, more power to him.
We talked. There is a number. Time will tell.
brain go brrrrrr
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can on worthless and little bike shit, but paying a fair price for a car from a friend (or maybe not? ) is
Desertbreh wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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well part of it is I don't have that kind of money at the moment and with imminent i can't really spare the time much less the money.
The other is a fundamental disconnect of how we value the car. Troy sees a 100% prepped ES car that is competitive, and he is not wrong. He is putting a value on it based on that and what he thinks he can get with the autox crowd. And If he can get his price, he should.
I see a well maintained 15 year old MR2 that is nice but shows its age a bit, that comes with tasteful mods and a few key spares. Even with the 'maintained recently by a guy a know and trust' premium.... It hurts me to think of spending north of 5k on a 15 year old car of this type.
On top of that, I'd buy the car to be competitive at autox again. I really just don't know what my time will look like this year so it's hard to justify ponying up the full clap autox price.
brain go brrrrrr
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Big Brain Bradley wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 9:01 amwell part of it is I don't have that kind of money at the moment and with imminent i can't really spare the time much less the money.
The other is a fundamental disconnect of how we value the car. Troy sees a 100% prepped ES car that is competitive, and he is not wrong. He is putting a value on it based on that and what he thinks he can get with the autox crowd. And If he can get his price, he should.
I see a well maintained 15 year old MR2 that is nice but shows its age a bit, that comes with tasteful mods and a few key spares. Even with the 'maintained recently by a guy a know and trust' premium.... It hurts me to think of spending north of 5k on a 15 year old car of this type.
On top of that, I'd buy the car to be competitive at autox again. I really just don't know what my time will look like this year so it's hard to justify ponying up the full clap autox price.
Desertbreh wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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hey Brubbles the gray, which way to the track? Oh that's right, too busy mud camping and working.Detroit wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 9:24 amBig Brain Bradley wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 9:01 am
well part of it is I don't have that kind of money at the moment and with imminent i can't really spare the time much less the money.
The other is a fundamental disconnect of how we value the car. Troy sees a 100% prepped ES car that is competitive, and he is not wrong. He is putting a value on it based on that and what he thinks he can get with the autox crowd. And If he can get his price, he should.
I see a well maintained 15 year old MR2 that is nice but shows its age a bit, that comes with tasteful mods and a few key spares. Even with the 'maintained recently by a guy a know and trust' premium.... It hurts me to think of spending north of 5k on a 15 year old car of this type.
On top of that, I'd buy the car to be competitive at autox again. I really just don't know what my time will look like this year so it's hard to justify ponying up the full clap autox price.
brain go brrrrrr
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Nice try. 440 whp doesn't dial itself in overnight...Big Brain Bradley wrote: ↑Fri Jan 26, 2018 9:33 amhey Brubbles the gray, which way to the track? Oh that's right, too busy mud camping and working.
Much will happen this year.
Desertbreh wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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More than you can afford, pal.
Desertbreh wrote: ↑Tue Oct 10, 2017 6:40 pm My guess would be that Chris took some time off because he has read the dialogue on this page 1,345 times and decided to spend some of his free time doing something besides beating a horse to death.
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Lets let Troy post that.
brain go brrrrrr