The Car Thread

[charlesr]

Nothing wrong with weaving through traffic as long as you don't give car drivers a trauma or make them have to change speed/course. Looning around while cars around is daftness though.

[Yakumo]

True, weaving past cars is fine. I don't have a problem with that. What I have a problem with are the wankers that come out of nowhere right in front of you causing you to suddenly break or swerve. Another pet hate are moped drivers who drive to the front of the traffic light queue and stop right in front of you. Don't they know a car can pull away a lot faster than they can? So annoying! they should stay to the side.

Anyway, enough moning from me. Today I got a set of Subaru STi mud flaps for my Impreza. These things cost a small fortune but I got a lucky deal on them because there are a few hair line scratches on them. The scratches are so thin you'd have to get right up close to see them. Far closer than anyone ever will.



Yakumo

[charlesr]

Ah nice one. These look great. Word of warning though.... Reversing up kerbs. Don't do it. You'll rip them off Happens every weekend at the ace cafe.

I've got the Prodrive stone deflectors on mine instead - they keep the crud off but are much more discreet. They only fit the front though and cost a million zillion pounds. When they fall apart, I'll be making my own - I scanned them for a template before putting them on.

[Yakumo]

That ace cafe looks like a real cool place to hang out. I see they have a German and Japanese version too. Thanks for the warning on the reversing up a kerb. Don't normally do that but now that I know I won't be trying it either

Do you have any pictures of your prodrive deflectors? I was going to get deflectors originally but as you say they are quite discreet and I wanted something that shouted out Rally. Not sure if these mud flaps are a bit overkill though. Still, they look cool on cars I've seen with them. Hope to fit them this Saturday but first I need to get my drill back to make a few holes in the tyre housing.

Yakumo

[charlesr]

Nah, those STi ones are the best and cheapest way for instant rally look!

Pics of mine here. Site seems to be going a little slow at the mo, so give it a chance. In one of the pics you can see all the crud that used to get thrown up the side of the car that now no longer happens - pic was taken just after installing the flaps. I could really do with knocking something similar up for the back.

I have the same deflectors on the Legacy, although they were even more expensive and say Prodrive on them

When I say expensive, they are still cheaper than yours, but for a couple of tiny pieces of plastic, it's far too much.

[Yakumo]

Nice pics of your Impreza there! Don't think I've seen them before. What year is it? Also love the darker blue paint job on it. The model I have never came in that colour, they only came in Subaru "Rally" Blue, Silver Grey, White, Black and Red. Or at least in Japan they were the only colours. Seeing Blue STi or WRX STi Imprezas in Japan is very easy. I go past 4 or 5 everyday on the way to work. 2 are wagon style like ours while the others are saloon type. One of them is a 2007 model like mine but with whooping big wheel arches, Big yellow Subaru logos down the sides on an angle, little aero parts on the roof and the slickest gold alloys ever! I'd love to own that one but I'd need to rob a bank first.

I noticed that you said you have a Legacy as well. A very nice car for anyone after a long estate. I've driven one of those on two occasions and in a few ways I prefer it to my Impreza however it was a little too long for moving about as much as I would have liked.

[charlesr]

The Legacy is a lovely drive - by far the best cruiser I've tried. The boot is massive, but it is quite heavy, so I put sticky tyres on it straight away.

My Impreza is MY00. In 99, they offered this "facelift" look, at the same time as the P1 (the UK equivalent of Japan's 2door Type-R). I quite fancy a P1 splitter for mine, but it's not money well spent - the aero would not make as much difference as spending some money on better shocks etc.

The following year they changed to the weird "bugeye" version.

The colour is Deep Blue Mica 95H and it took me a while to find one.

You should get a cheesegrater for yours LOL

[Yakumo]

Man, that "cheesegrater" is well ugly.

Looking at that colour chart, the names are different to the ones used in the Japanese customer booklet. I think I still have it around somewhere. I also noticed that the not so nice looking purpley brown colour is missing from the pre-2000 models.

The other week my car was back in Subaru getting the engine fluid changed (can't do it myself) for a day so they gave me a Turbo charged Exiga with flappy paddle gear box to drive. For such a massive people carrier it went like stink on the acceleration front. Top speed was only 180kmph (about 112mph) but getting there was very fast. Unfortunately even though it was a nice drive the interior was so cheap. Hard plastic dash, poor quality switches and naff seat in the back. Here's the official page to it. - http://www.subaru-sti.co.jp/product/exiga/index.html

[charlesr]

It certainly looks fast and loose. I'd test the airbags if need be.

I like the look of the Forester STi

[Yakumo]

I'd test the airbags if need be.

I bet you would

I like the look of the Forester STi

Yeah, it's a cool and fun drive but maybe a little too boxy for my liking.

[Yakumo]

Well, I got my drill back from my mate and the soft sod has knacked the drill bits! So I've only been able to install the back mud flaps since they use existing holes. The front ones need to have holes drilled in to the underside of the wing as well as the tyre housing I'm skint as well so the front ones will have to wait.

Anyway, here's a few shots after trying them out down at the waste land near the Japan sea. Notice the crazy colour matching of the back lights? I prefer the normal setting to this odd looking one. The Forester does this too but doesn't look so bad because it uses LEDs.

Back - They look a little off ballance but that's due to t he way the car is parked on the rough ground.


Close Up - Taken just after putting them on.


Side shot


Front shot - they sort of stick out which looks cool but it woudl look a lot nicer if I had the front ones fitted as well

[Largo]

Now im 25 and such, i really couldnt give to shakes of a stick about speed, id rather just relax

Heres the car i want one day to potter around the south west cost,

MG - A

Bit pricey tho right now for me

[Yakumo]

Wow, a very nice ride for those country lanes Wouldn't mind a ride in that at all.

By the way, you're 25 and don't care about speed? I'm 33 and care very much Still, nothing can beet the feeling of the wind through your hair as you drive about in a comfy convertable.

[Largo]

Aye id love one, one day. Plus you want a ride, and that pretty much counts for 1 date already! Money well spent


Id love to drive that car across a middle of America road, dead straight, nobody around, middle of the desert while playing Kenny Loggins - Footloose really loud, one hand on the wheel and the other holding a gin and tonic

[charlesr]

Those MGs are lovely, especially from the side, the way they sink back.

Didn't realise yours was wagon dude, otherwise I wouldn't have made the cheesegrate joke.

You can get front lip splitters for yours:

(Terrible nose replacement on that one )

But I prefer the simple STi splitter on the Hawkeye - not sure why yours doesn't have it - perhaps because it's a wagon?:


Those roof vents are inexpensive, but are totally pointless bling, unless you start carving through the roof!

You really should be thinking about an ecutek remap. I can only benefit from 25-30 without changing the turbo and intercooler, but you can safely get an extra 50 without any mods. Around here it's about £600 for the first remap and then £300 thereafter (if you decide mod anything else). Should take you to around 340/340

Unfortunately my shopping list is a lot longer:
Walboro Fuel Pump £150
Autobahn88 intercooler £200
AndyForest TD04 turbo - I could fit the AFTD05, but it comes in later with more lag and a bigger thump and so things will all wear out and put more stress on the engine - it has done 110k miles already, so I'd have to get a rebuild first and it would make more sense to drop a 2.5 or 2.2 (strongest block) in instead. £400
Change the ECU to one that can support MAFless running £900
Remap. £400
LOL. It would definitely be cheaper to buy one that had already had everything done!
Brakes are excellent, but springs and adjustable dampers would also be needed. The dampers haven't been changed ever, so could be a lot better.