Book's vehicles thread: Now with Two Different Wheels-Post 339

[mustangGT90210]

And STRETCHHHHHHHHHHHH

that'd look awesome actually

 

[TheBook]

I'm not doing anything to it at the moment; I need to get some more money saved up first.

On that note, the car's at the mechanic shop right now. Last night, it started idling extremely roughly. Dad said he could hear something even after the engine was off idle, but I didn't. Either way, I'm having a mechanic diagnose it today.

EDIT: Turned out to be a split vacuum hose that I didn't catch last night looking at it. I owe the mechanic a 12-pack. I'd call that a pretty reasonable rate.

 

[Joey D]

Now that you've put some miles on the new tires and rims how do you like them? Oh and did you figure out that idle problem?

 

[TheBook]

Now that you've put some miles on the new tires and rims how do you like them? Oh and did you figure out that idle problem?

Idle problem was a split end of a vacuum hose that I had missed when I checked them out. (I couldn't hear it, but I wasn't putting my head in the right spot.) Mechanic just cut the end off and put it back on. Cost me a whole lot of nothing.

As for the tires, I love them. My car feels so much more...confident now with them, and it's really hard to run them out of grip with even moderately heavy driving. It corners and stops infinitely better than with the old tires... in the dry. On damp roads, there isn't much of a problem either. But when roads are really wet and it's raining hard, I feel like I'm on snow. I have to be a lot more careful while turning and accelerating, but it's still definitely livable. I've heard a couple people say my car looks like an ex-cop car now with the new wheels... the only chrome left on them is the Ford badges. The new look has gotten universal applause from everyone who I've talked to, and a couple 👍 on the streets.

To review: best $944 I've ever spent.

What's next for her, I don't know. I have a few new ideas in stock.

 

[TheBook]

Well, it's almost time for an oil change. Which beings up the conventional vs. synthetic debate. Only there's a bit of a twist thrown in: A conventional oil change is free. (Perks of the job. ) A synthetic oil change is $53.96. Is it really worth it for me to get the synthetic oil?

 

[Rotary Junkie]

No. Not when dino sludge is free.

 

[TheBook]

No. Not when dino sludge is free.

That's Quaker State sludge to you, my friend.

 

[TheBook]

Couple minor maintenance updates:

1. Got the oil changed. Hooray free stuff.
2. Changed a blown bulb. Four bucks and as many minutes.
3. As I was changing the oil, I looked at the coolant, transmission and power steering fluids, and throttle body. Transmission is now flushed, and the radiator and power steering fluids will be flushed soon. They don't need it quite as badly. I'm also doing a fuel system cleaner, which cleans out all the crap from the tank, lines, and injectors. There is also a throttle body cleaner that I'll spray into it and clean out all the carbon buildup. There's a lot if it.

For the record:

Tranny flush-$115
Radiator flush-$50
Power steering flush-$25
Fuel system cleaner-$28
Total for all four: $218
Having a car with all brand-new fluids: Priceless.

Oh, here's a couple new pictures for you.

 

[Joey D]

The next thing you need to buy is a tripod if you want to take night time pictures of your car. That last shot has a cool angle but it's all shaky with weird exposure. I take it that's downtown Sturgis though?

In the next couple of weeks we'll need to all figure out when and where we are going to have a Michigan meet up.

 

[TheBook]

The next thing you need to buy is a tripod if you want to take night time pictures of your car. That last shot has a cool angle but it's all shaky with weird exposure.

Thanks for the tip. 👍 I dunno why, but any small movement I make gives the picture really blurry. It doesn't do this with the flash on, though.

I take it that's downtown Sturgis though?

Yup. Right here: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&sou...=h_k_reVUrR-kXwDdUi8yfA&cbp=12,51.66,,0,11.01 It's the parking spot on the right.

In the next couple of weeks we'll need to all figure out when and where we are going to have a Michigan meet up.

Yay. I've been looking forward to this.

 

[TheBook]

Picked up a pair of snow tires for my steelies yesterday. Two Firestone Winterforces in my stock size (185/65/14) for $160.90. These came from the local tire dealer, so I talked to a couple people and they said these were pretty good. I'll find out when the snow falls.

Has anyone here had any experience with them?

P.S. Should I start a thread in the gatherings subforum about a meetup?

 

[Philly]

Only two? Somebody enjoys oversteer...

 

[Joey D]

P.S. Should I start a thread in the gatherings subforum about a meetup?

Probably.

 

[TheBook]

Probably.

Done.

Only two? Somebody enjoys oversteer...

I'm not running my Falkens in the back; that would be completely insane. I have some standard all-seasons that will work fine. You're right, it will be pretty prone to oversteer though.

 

[TheBook]

Updated list of things to do on this car:

• buy new lugnut and get on there
• flush transmission fluid/change filter
• new tires/wheels
• pretty sure new brake pads (and maybe rotors) will be needed soon
• upgrade the audio system (new head unit and speakers)
• new battery, as mine is showing major signs of age
• in 1,000 miles: change the oil again

Any ideas on what I should get for a battery? I'd like something fairly lightweight, but something that will still get me started in the middle of winter when it's -5 degrees outside with 35 mph winds.

On the other hand, as long as its got a lot of cold cranking amps, does it really matter what I get?

 

[nobuffalo]

I'm not running my Falkens in the back; that would be completely insane. I have some standard all-seasons that will work fine. You're right, it will be pretty prone to oversteer though.

That's not always a bad thing, just a get that weight shifting and you'll be in for countless hours of ebrakeless fun!

I've been thinking of getting a set of winter tires for the camry all-trac. I'm just a bit afraid of having too much traction cutting down on the fun factor of a low ass powered awd car in the snow. Actually last winter it did great with the tires that are on it now, only reason for getting new ones would be so I can attemp to play keep up with my cousins new st185 all-trac, until my 3sgte swap

So sorry to thread jack, but for those whom have experience with winter/snow tires should I expect a major increase in traction? That's prolly a stupid question. I currently have 195/70/14 michelin agility all season with decent tread all around.

edit: I just did some reading on snow tires and answered my own question, they really make quite the difference it seems. There are a few good videos on youtube comparing snow tires with all season and summer tires, impressive.

 

[Azuremen]

Optima tends to make amazing batteries, but they are spendy. Cold cranking amps is key too...

And yeah, snow tires make a world of difference over all seasons.

 

[TheBook]

Wow, I haven't updated this in forever.

Now have a new battery, head unit (got off my friend for free, though most buttons only work half the time ), spark plugs, and K&N air filter. I also modified my intake a bit. Pictures to come when it's light out.

I also pulled my first major mechanic fail Friday while in my auto shop class aligning it. To change the camber and caster, there are five nuts to pull out of the studs on the strut top plate. I saw one on each corner and one in the middle of the plate, so I pulled all five. There was another one hiding under a bracket for the A/C line. I should have pulled that one instead of the center bolt. Result: Top plate separated from the strut, one uncompressed spring that won't recompress while on the car, and one 16-year-old labeling himself the local dumb:censored:. I didn't have time to pull the strut off and fix it Friday or today, so hopefully tomorrow.
[/textblock]

 

[Sniffs]

if those photos are right, just FINDING the last of the Escorts is a miracle (especially around here).

 

[TheBook]

There are 6 of them, I think, roaming around town, and I know of at least two more for sale in the immediate area. They're all around here.

Pictures:

What I screwed up in the first place (car is now back in my possession, BTW.)

The gloss black is a piece of PVC pipe that replaces a bit of my intake. There was an airbox/resonator there that I couldn't just pull off, as the entire piece would need to be replaced. Therefore, I replaced it. There was another one underneath the air filter housing, but that one just came right off.

Random under-hood shot.

 

[TheBook]

Aaaaaaaaaand we're through the winter. It survived pretty well, too, with the snow tires. No pictures of me playing in any empty parking lots, though. Sorry.

I am, however, seriously thinking about a new paint job. Anyone who's good with Photoshop (which excludes me) can take this picture and make the car the color that they think I should paint it. Money really isn't an object, long as the paint won't be stupidly expensive.



I've heard a good few different ideas, from British Racing Green to metallic orange to leaving it black. What do you guys think?

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Black, bright red, or Chrome Yellow.

 

[TheBook]

Not a big fan of red (besides, every other car we have is red ), but the yellow might look nice.

 

[homeforsummer]

Ford themselves did quite a nice blue on them which you could do. Failing that, how about a few other Ford shades?

Ford Racing Blue, as seen on the Racing Puma (or Dodge Viper blue would be a good substitute):

Green, as found on the Focus RS. Although on a ZX2 it might look a bit Kermit the frog like...

Maybe a more subtle metallic green as found on things like the X-Type?

Finally, perhaps the shade of turquoise found on the MX5/Miata?

 

[Glubags]

I read through the thread. Congratulations on your first car, and good job finding a low mileage car at a good price. Didn't think I'd like the Drag wheels but they suit it pretty well.

As for paint, I'd really suggest having it resprayed the same black. I saw the patches of oxidization and scratches and whatnot... it'd be much cheaper to have these areas resprayed than to have the whole car stripped and repainted a new color... but if you're set on a new color, I'd definitely go with a darker blue, or any of the colors the car originally came in that you prefer... I wouldn't do anything too vibrant like a yellow or that Focus RS green--it'll actually hurt the resale value unless you get extremely lucky with a buyer who absolutely has to have a ZX2 in that particular color... not likely. You may not envision selling the car any time soon, but it'll happen eventually.

The blue they came in looks best to me:

 

[TheBook]

I think darker colours look best on this car, and I'm not too fond of blue. Granted, Viper blue might look pretty good. That Jaguar green would probably look okay, too.

 

[Sniffs]

you don't necessarily have to stick with the ford paint palette. let alone the US ford paint palette. i believe I've seen some very pleasant paint chips for the European market cars, like home suggested above.

lets just hope they're still not basing insurance rates on paint colors, anymore

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Yeah my colour suggestions only apply if you're keeping the rims. Murdered out or contrast ftw.

Actually white wouldn't be half bad either... :hmm:

 

[TheBook]

Don't much like white. I'm not Moglet, I dont wash my car every day.

Outside of that, it might not look too bad, though.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

White really isn't bad here. Bet it'll hide salt a lot better than black

Actually it hides most things better than dark colors. I've had a white car, I know.