Post a pic of your real car

[GDII]

Sure, have this:

View attachment 655237

Much better! 👍 Recreational Active Vehicle 4WD for life!

My first car was an NZ new 1990 EE90 Corolla sedan. It was bought for me by my Mum so technically hers but I still loved it. There was nothing special about it but it will still always be my first car so that's something. I did an engine replacement, suspension replacement and ran Caldina GTT springs in the front for a while. Mad positive camber due to the weight difference of the car but made it handle way better.

Here it is next to all the other way cooler Toyotas. I still felt welcome at the meet. This was 10 years ago.




Then I got my SW20. Took me 9 years to get it to where it is so not a quick build. Love what you have, if it breaks then you fix it while learning about it. The MR2 always had something break so when it did I learnt about how to fix it therefore knowing more about my car and cars in general.



This is the first photo I took after I bought it home.


Quite a big change from back then.

 

[ToyGTone]

Black is a terrible color to own. That's why I wanted a silver, grey, or even a brown LS over black.

Then I take a look at it when it's clean. I get over it.

It depends on which car are you talking about but I like the LS in black.

Much better! 👍 Recreational Active Vehicle 4WD for life!

Except I doubt it's a 4WD and more of Front Wheel Drive.
I feel more comfortable driving it than my other family cars. Our 2008 Camry GLX (Aussie made) is too long and our 1999 Land Cruiser is too large. I started to like my car more and more.

My first car was an NZ new 1990 EE90 Corolla sedan. It was bought for me by my Mum so technically hers but I still loved it. There was nothing special about it but it will still always be my first car so that's something. I did an engine replacement, suspension replacement and ran Caldina GTT springs in the front for a while. Mad positive camber due to the weight difference of the car but made it handle way better.

Here it is next to all the other way cooler Toyotas. I still felt welcome at the meet. This was 10 years ago.




Then I got my SW20. Took me 9 years to get it to where it is so not a quick build. Love what you have, if it breaks then you fix it while learning about it. The MR2 always had something break so when it did I learnt about how to fix it therefore knowing more about my car and cars in general.



This is the first photo I took after I bought it home.


Quite a big change from back then.

Do you still have that Corolla?
I would love to own a MR2 one day, sadly i guess this is the closest I could get to a cheap Middle Engined, Rear Wheel drive car:

And yes, my uncle actually wants to take it and rebuild it to a working condition. While it's awful by many standards, I quite like this car due to being a part of my childhood. I always find the idea of a Middle Engined car but with an affordable price to be interesting and therefore why I love the MR2 and liked the Fiero...I guess.

 

[Joey D]

First time I've taken a turbo car up into the mountains. It's really nice still having some power above 10,000 feet!

Rocky Mountain National Park?

 

[huskeR32]

Rocky Mountain National Park?

Indeed.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

@ToyGTone : That Fiero will be many, many times more work than anyone stateside would ever call "worthwhile". Do it. They're actually not bad cars, they just have an awful reputation. There's a difference. Not like the "easy answer" is "find another one in better shape" where you're at, either.

 

[ToyGTone]

@ToyGTone : That Fiero will be many, many times more work than anyone stateside would ever call "worthwhile".

Well it's not my car so I can't do anything about it. It's been there for over 10 years collecting dust.

Do it. They're actually not bad cars, they just have an awful reputation. There's a difference. Not like the "easy answer" is "find another one in better shape" where you're at, either.

I believe this is the only Fiero in the entire region. Much more rare than any average Muscle, Pony, Japanese Import or Exotic cars you would find here.

Not sure if I should tell him to do it or not.

 

[GDII]

Do you still have that Corolla?
I would love to own a MR2 one day, sadly i guess this is the closest I could get to a cheap Middle Engined, Rear Wheel drive car:

Nope. That's been moved on to a few family members then sold, no idea where it is now.

MR2s are cheap compared to a Ferrari. They are fun but I do want other cars but working with what I've got. It's still a slow 165hp 3SGE but still plenty of fun in the corners.

 

[ToyGTone]

@GDII How cheap is your MR2 btw? Just for comparison sake.

 

[Aki Ko]

@GDII You're missing the "[" in "/QUOTE]"

Either you want slow or you want death (TURBO).

 

[GDII]

@GDII
You're missing the "[" in "/QUOTE]"

Either you want slow or you want death (TURBO).

Thank you Sir.

They are only death machines if you have no idea how to drive a car smoothly. Mine is the early model but with the newer rear end so not as insane as it could be. Ive not had any issues with it.

@GDII How cheap is your MR2 btw? Just for comparison sake.

Depends on where you live, the condition, the model and mileage. You can get them for $1000NZD for a really messed up NA or can go as high as $20k to import a really nice 1999 GEN5 GT/GT-S from Japan. But most of my model are starting to increase in price to around 4K NZD if not more. Mine I'd hope would sell for far more but I'm not selling, ever. The USA market is different again as they had quite different cars to what we get here.

 

[Rotary Junkie]

Well it's not my car so I can't do anything about it. It's been there for over 10 years collecting dust.

I'm not saying to not do it and I'm not exactly knocking the car. Just stating that your average American won't see the point.

I believe this is the only Fiero in the entire region. Much more rare than any average Muscle, Pony, Japanese Import or Exotic cars you would find here.

And that is why I say do it. Encourage it, help with it when you can, and use it as a learning experience.

 

[Doog]

Black is a terrible color to own. That's why I wanted a silver, grey, or even a brown LS over black.

Then I take a look at it when it's clean. I get over it.

The amount that I prefer a black LS to pretty much any other color except silver jade is staggering. One of my favorite things about the car is that it's black. One of my least favorite things about the car is also that it's black. lol

 

[ToyGTone]

@GDII
You're missing the "[" in "/QUOTE]"

Either you want slow or you want death (TURBO).

It's not like I wanna drive fast anyways on the public roads.

Depends on where you live, the condition, the model and mileage. You can get them for $1000NZD for a really messed up NA or can go as high as $20k to import a really nice 1999 GEN5 GT/GT-S from Japan. But most of my model are starting to increase in price to around 4K NZD if not more. Mine I'd hope would sell for far more but I'm not selling, ever. The USA market is different again as they had quite different cars to what we get here.

If Google is right then a $4000 NZD would equel what an average old car from that Era (or newer) would sell here.

I'm not saying to not do it and I'm not exactly knocking the car. Just stating that your average American won't see the point.

And that is why I say do it. Encourage it, help with it when you can, and use it as a learning experience.

I will think about it later I guess.

 

[JrDarknes]

Another driveway picture =(. Timing belt comes in Thursday so hopefully it's on the road again.

 

[Aki Ko]

Thank you Sir.

They are only death machines if you have no idea how to drive a car smoothly. Mine is the early model but with the newer rear end so not as insane as it could be. Ive not had any issues with it.

That part is the main reason why they are getting fewer and fewer of. Most people don't know how to do that and find out the hard way when they drive a mid-engine car.

The amount that I prefer a black LS to pretty much any other color except silver jade is staggering. One of my favorite things about the car is that it's black. One of my least favorite things about the car is also that it's black. lol

I don't know. Maybe I've gone right past teenage years, middle years and right into elderly cause I had been having a liking to brown cars.

But it just fits in black. There's a refreshed model of the LS460 near where I stay and I see the side profile of it in black when I get onto the main road. It just looks... right.

 

[ToyGTone]

Another driveway picture =(. Timing belt comes in Thursday so hopefully it's on the road again.
View attachment 655307

Nice 240SX you got there.
-----
As for @Rotary Junkie, yep we might actually do that. Anyway's thanks.

 

[lbpomg95]

I tried something different today as a modification to my van.

Fake exhaust tips! Now, in certain applications (performance cars especially) they are tacky indeed. Take for example the Bentley Continental GTC, the Audi RS6, the Ferrari California, Lexus IS F etc. One of the worst culprits (aside from every Mercedes-Benz built after 2010 or so) is the Peugeot 308 GT;

Now, while I condemn something as atrocious as that, I can see the point of a chrome exhaust finisher on a basic car... as long as the finisher is actually attached to the friggin' exhaust. So, here's my van before...

Aaand after...

Subtle-ish.

 

[Grandea GTR]

Tis a wet day.

 

[ToyGTone]

Tis a wet day.

Mazda 6 FTW!

Also why there's my brother's Camry sitting in the background?

 

[Obelisk]

Mazda 6 FTW!

Have a Mazda3 too!

 

[ToyGTone]

View attachment 655480
Have a Mazda3 too!

Nice

Now i'm waiting for someone to turn up with a Mazda 2.

I talk way too much, am I?

 

[Katiegan]

I tried something different today as a modification to my van.

Fake exhaust tips! Now, in certain applications (performance cars especially) they are tacky indeed. Take for example the Bentley Continental GTC, the Audi RS6, the Ferrari California, Lexus IS F etc. One of the worst culprits (aside from every Mercedes-Benz built after 2010 or so) is the Peugeot 308 GT;
View attachment 655457

Now, while I condemn something as atrocious as that, I can see the point of a chrome exhaust finisher on a basic car... as long as the finisher is actually attached to the friggin' exhaust. So, here's my van before...

View attachment 655452
Aaand after...
View attachment 655460

Subtle-ish.

I've been thinking about doing the same thing with the Panda. A stainless steel backbox will cost me about £250, so I think I'd rather buy a cheap tip just to neaten the back end up a little instead of spending all that money on a backbox. A cherry bomb would be about £50 but I'm not sure if that's even tackier than a tip.

 

[Aki Ko]

Saga likes nature.

 

[lbpomg95]

I've been thinking about doing the same thing with the Panda. A stainless steel backbox will cost me about £250, so I think I'd rather buy a cheap tip just to neaten the back end up a little instead of spending all that money on a backbox. A cherry bomb would be about £50 but I'm not sure if that's even tackier than a tip.

I agree on the whole cherry bomb thing. On the average 4-cylinder car (my Corsa is 3 cylinder) it sounds a bit tinny to be honest. My exhaust finisher was £6.99 on amazon. Can't go wrong really, can you? Took 20 seconds to fit. Just make sure the exhaust is 50mm in diameter or less otherwise it won't fit.

Exhaust Finisher

It is (surprisingly) genuine stainless steel, so my Autosol can polish it up!

Eventually I'm probably just going to cut my exhaust on the van (1.3 Fiat diesel...joy.) open and gut some of the filter material out so it's a bit louder. It's all I want really. A bit more noise and a chrome tip. If it were the Corsa or the 240 I'd get a proper system.

There is a company in Suffolk called Demand Engineering who fabricated the system on my Corsa. Everything aside from the manifold and the catalytic converter on the downpipe (still standard) was custom built and fitted to my car in one day, all made from stainless steel to my specification for noise levels for £379 inc. VAT. Getting a genuine system from Vauxhall would probably have cost more.

http://demandengineering.co.uk/

 

[Katiegan]

I agree on the whole cherry bomb thing. On the average 4-cylinder car (my Corsa is 3 cylinder) it sounds a bit tinny to be honest. My exhaust finisher was £6.99 on amazon. Can't go wrong really, can you? Took 20 seconds to fit. Just make sure the exhaust is 50mm in diameter or less otherwise it won't fit.

Exhaust Finisher

It is (surprisingly) genuine stainless steel, so my Autosol can polish it up!

Eventually I'm probably just going to cut my exhaust on the van (1.3 Fiat diesel...joy.) open and gut some of the filter material out so it's a bit louder. It's all I want really. A bit more noise and a chrome tip. If it were the Corsa or the 240 I'd get a proper system.

There is a company in Suffolk called Demand Engineering who fabricated the system on my Corsa. Everything aside from the manifold and the catalytic converter on the downpipe (still standard) was custom built and fitted to my car in one day, all made from stainless steel to my specification for noise levels for £379 inc. VAT. Getting a genuine system from Vauxhall would probably have cost more.

http://demandengineering.co.uk/

I've been considering getting a full system made too, but I'd need to get a quote and figure out if it'd be worth it or not. I'd like the Panda to have a little noise but it's hard to make a 1.2 sound beefy.

 

[lbpomg95]

I've been considering getting a full system made too, but I'd need to get a quote and figure out if it'd be worth it or not. I'd like the Panda to have a little noise but it's hard to make a 1.2 sound beefy.

Well I have a pretty beefy sounding 1.0 3 cylinder! Anything's possible. If anything it would probably sound best if some of the filter material were taken out of the standard silencer. Standard mild steel exhaust systems always seem to sound pretty cool when they're faulty. Friend of mine had a 1.4 Renault Scenic - all standard, except the centre silencer was replaced with a scaffolding pipe. It sounded like a rally car, but cooler.

 

[Katiegan]

Well I have a pretty beefy sounding 1.0 3 cylinder! Anything's possible. If anything it would probably sound best if some of the filter material were taken out of the standard silencer. Standard mild steel exhaust systems always seem to sound pretty cool when they're faulty. Friend of mine had a 1.4 Renault Scenic - all standard, except the centre silencer was replaced with a scaffolding pipe. It sounded like a rally car, but cooler.

A guy in my college class got a full cat-back system made for his 1.2 Fabia and it doesn't sound that beefy at all, which is what put me off. I suppose I could just take all of the baffles out of my current backbox, as the Panda doesn't have a middle box. It's just one tiny straight pipe from the cat to the backbox!

 

[lbpomg95]

A guy in my college class got a full cat-back system made for his 1.2 Fabia and it doesn't sound that beefy at all, which is what put me off. I suppose I could just take all of the baffles out of my current backbox, as the Panda doesn't have a middle box. It's just one tiny straight pipe from the cat to the backbox!

Worth mentioning those VW 3 cylinders (assuming it's old enough to be a 3 cylinder) are particularly crap for sound. They're rattleboxes even worse than the Vauxhall engine in mine. The 1.4 TDi is like a tractor

My van has the same setup. One silencer, one cat. More importantly though...

NO DPF!

Either way, something about mild steel seems to give a less tinny noise. I think it's something to do with the material being less smooth, the sound doesn't reverberate as much so there's less echo, so the noise is a bit more muffled, smoother, sounds less like some slackjawed yob in a Saxo with a fart can.

If you've got time, maybe remove a bit at a time until you hit the right happy medium.

Half the time it's the cat that makes the biggest difference. I once had to drive a 2006 Hyundai Tucson where the exhaust clamp for the downpipe had fallen off meaning no cat and no silencers. It was a 2 litre 4 cylinder diesel and it sounded like a monster truck.

 

[ToyGTone]

Since yesterday's photo was at night time and it was really dark, here's one at daylight. Somewhere in some old neighbourhood...

And yes, that's my dad (about to) driving it.

 

[Katiegan]

Worth mentioning those VW 3 cylinders (assuming it's old enough to be a 3 cylinder) are particularly crap for sound. They're rattleboxes even worse than the Vauxhall engine in mine. The 1.4 TDi is like a tractor

My van has the same setup. One silencer, one cat. More importantly though...

NO DPF!

Either way, something about mild steel seems to give a less tinny noise. I think it's something to do with the material being less smooth, the sound doesn't reverberate as much so there's less echo, so the noise is a bit more muffled, smoother, sounds less like some slackjawed yob in a Saxo with a fart can.

If you've got time, maybe remove a bit at a time until you hit the right happy medium.

It's actually a 66 plate Fabia, so the new 1.2 turbo. A tiny engine made for economy, not sound, so that's probably why it's lacking slightly. It still pops though, just the rest of it isn't very loud.