Automobiles

[72gmc]

leave the motor alone. Strip weight, put some super light wheels on it and tighten up the suspension.

Dad did this to Mom's 280Z back in '77. "It just needs a dealer service"--comes back with race car suspension and Center Line wheels. I would like to have that car today.

[Saab2000]

It's a small niche everywhere

Yes, but even smaller in the US than in Europe.

[rmplum]

Not the AMG E-Class Wagon? #disappointed

Have fun! I love reading that report.

Note - that photo collage is from the 2017 event. I don't know the full lineup of cars this year, just a few. Even so, wouldn't/couldn't spill the beans before they publish anyway- this is their event and it would not be cool to leak this info before they publish via web or print. It's also closed to the public for similar reasons.

[Jason Musgrave]

Just got confirmed that I'm joining our tech/observation support for this event (Lightning Lap) again down at VIR. Hopefully it doesn't rain the whole time this year:

Attachment 107691
(last year's cars ^ That Green AMG GT R was insane)

Some pretty cool machinery slated to run.

I'm gonna try and get up there this year, I'll be sure to look you up if I do.

[jerk]

So it takes a supercharger to get 20% more? That must be what you meant when you said it was already highly-tuned! Man, I would love a 6-speed. How much am I looking at to do the Civic Si engine swap? Sorry for all the questions, I am clueless on this stuff.

20% is an INSANE amount of improvement for anything.

listen- if you want to make your fit more fun to drive (which is really the only point of adding power unless you are racing) here's what you should do- but before I write this I want you to know I thought you were fucking with me because no one really wants to throw money at a Fit to make it faster. it just isn't that kind of car.

but anyway: the thing to do is to replace the final drive gear in your fit with a lower one. it will make the car feel much peppier and faster. the other thing to do is get the stickiest tires you can fit on the thing- and get new struts and stiffer sprins (you don't need adjustables or coil overs something like koni str are fine- take out the front sway bar and install the biggest rear sway bar you can.

given the suspension geometry- I would not lower the car--it will just make it worse. but if you stiffen it up with the struts and springs and do the sway bar thing- the car will basically be transformed into a FWD car that will almost oversteer. with no front sway bar- the front end is all loosey goosey and the back end will be so stiff that under hard cornering- the front driving wheels will be able to bite and pull while the outside rear wheel will actually lift off the ground. you're still at a miserable power level- but the lower gears will keep the thing in its torque band for longer and make it feel faster.

oh- and you should install a tiny steering wheel you can drive with handcuffs and put a piece of duct tape over the airbag light.

[Mabouya]

Leave the Fit as it is and get one of the following:

If you're short on cash an Acura RSX that hasn't been totally thrashed.

If you do have some cash a Subaru Impreza WRX

If you have bit more cash a Subara Impreza STI

If you want to drive a cool car but don't really need horsepower get a Subaru RSX

And if you want to be uber-cool, then get an Alfa Giulia Super

[dashDustin]

i think i want to trade in my 4Runner for a wagon. specifically an Allroad or Outback 3.6R.

Minus 3yrs in which I had a 2.5 Outback, I've only driven Toyota trucks and this 4Runner since 1999. The 2.5 Outback suffered when punched and loaded down. My weekends see me carrying a lot more stuff these days (think 10 x 10 tent, bikes, gear, wheels, tools). 4Runner has the oomph, but MPGs are abysmal. I'm lucky to see 16mpg mixed use.

I drove to and from Gila in a 2006 A4 wagon. That felt like it had more power than my 2.5 Outback. So that's how I ended up here...Allroad or Outback 3.6.

Thoughts from the hive?

Either option will be CPO (though, Subie might be new given various incentives). Audi depreciation makes buying new kind of dumb.

[murphy]

i think i want to trade in my 4Runner for a wagon. specifically an Allroad or Outback 3.6R.

Minus 3yrs in which I had a 2.5 Outback, I've only driven Toyota trucks and this 4Runner since 1999. The 2.5 Outback suffered when punched and loaded down. My weekends see me carrying a lot more stuff these days (think 10 x 10 tent, bikes, gear, wheels, tools). 4Runner has the oomph, but MPGs are abysmal. I'm lucky to see 16mpg mixed use.

I drove to and from Gila in a 2006 A4 wagon. That felt like it had more power than my 2.5 Outback. So that's how I ended up here...Allroad or Outback 3.6.

Thoughts from the hive?

Either option will be CPO (though, Subie might be new given various incentives). Audi depreciation makes buying new kind of dumb.

Maintenance would probably be cheaper on the Subaru; granted if you are getting CPO on the Audi you will get a warranty. I rode in my buddy's new 2.5 Outback this weekend and the update to the CVT gearing really helped it when accelerating compared to my mother's 2012 (we had three full-sussers, a large cooler full of ice and beer, camelbaks and three dudes over six feet tall). Are you constrained by availability of the Allroad CPO in your area or would you be shipping it in? That answer would also factor into costs and testing.

Test them both out, but I would lean Subie (take with a grain of salt as I am on my second and tend to encourage others to get them).

[dashDustin]

within 300mi of me, there are 3 CPO Allroads. Luckily 1 is only 20mins away. It's a 2014 with 37k miles. It'll come with 12k/ 5mo remaining factory warranty, then CPO will add a 1 year, unlimited mile warranty.

And my 2.5 was a 2012. It was great for what I needed at the time (which was driving at least 400mi a week), but when it came time to get to an event, oof.

[murphy]

within 300mi of me, there are 3 CPO Allroads. Luckily 1 is only 20mins away. It's a 2014 with 37k miles. It'll come with 12k/ 5mo remaining factory warranty, then CPO will add a 1 year, unlimited mile warranty.

And my 2.5 was a 2012. It was great for what I needed at the time (which was driving at least 400mi a week), but when it came time to get to an event, oof.

I hear you with the 2.5 being sluggish at times. I do think their updates to CVT have helped. Also something to keep in mind is the safety features. Based on my buddy's Outback, they have come a long way recently (he has lane departure, blind spot monitoring, rear camera, cruise control based on radar or something). I don't know much about the Audi in that respect although I suspect they might have some of that covered.

[dgaddis]

FYI, Costco has an auto referral program, apparently it's the largest in the country. Costco Auto Program The way it works:

You submit a request thru the Costco website for the year/make/model/trim vehicle you want. They forward that along to the nearest dealer participating in the Costco program, then they get back with you and offer a pre-negotiated no haggle discounted price. The discount varies depending on local, what you're looking for, etc.

I'm in the process of tracking down a new Honda Ridgeline, and have been swapping texts with a salesman at the nearest participating dealer (~2hr drive from me), and he is of course being a PITA and trying to feed me BS and perpetuating the stereotype that car salesmen are either idiots or crooks or both. I want the base model with no options - sticker is $29,990 + $995 destination fee. I know what I want and have done my research. FYI in my area at least there are only two Honda models that are part of the Costco program, so it shouldn't be that hard for the dealership to put me in contact with someone that knows WTF is going on.

First he offered me a low mileage used truck for $1,000 more than the sticker of a brand new one. I told him I'd rather buy a new truck for less money, he said 'that makes sense'. Effin' duh.

He said he didn't have the Costco pricing on the 2019s yet, but for the 2018's the deal was $950 off the invoice, he'd get back to me on the '19 pricing when he figured it out. That puts it at about ~$3k off the price.

The next day he says "hey, I got the '19 pricing and it'll be $31k and change, with taxes and fees $34k and change out the door. I said that can't be right, sticker on the RT is only $29,990. He says the sticker for the RT trim has gone up to $34k and change. So I sent him a screen grab from the Honda website showing the 2019 RT model is $29990.

He said "I see what you're sending but it doesn't match my pricing info from Honda and I understand this could be frustrating to you. Let me look into it."

That was Saturday (3 days ago), haven't heard back yet. I'm in no rush.

I've got a call and an e-mail in with Costco to
a - let them know this dealer is either incompetent or lying to me
b - see if they can tell me what the price is so I can make sure the dealer isn't trying to screw me over and
c - ask if there are any stipulations about what fees can be added

I get the understanding they watch the program pretty closely to make sure dealers adhere to the program.

Ultimately I think I should be able to get it out the door for right around or just slightly below the $29,990 sticker price, which is likely better than I could negotiate on my own seeing what other folks are paying for these elsewhere and knowing that there aren't that many base models actually available - most sitting on dealer lots are higher trim levels with about ~$37k sticker.

More as this story develops.

[rmplum]

I hear you with the 2.5 being sluggish at times. I do think their updates to CVT have helped. Also something to keep in mind is the safety features. Based on my buddy's Outback, they have come a long way recently (he has lane departure, blind spot monitoring, rear camera, cruise control based on radar or something). I don't know much about the Audi in that respect although I suspect they might have some of that covered.

The adaptive cruise control, AEB and lane departure on Subarus (EYESIGHT) actually uses a pair of cameras mounted up near the mirror in lieu of radar, etc. Modern Audis have those features too, although 2014 vintage will likely not. Adaptive cruise control of any sort is a game changer if you do a lot of long trips and highway driving.

[sk_tle]

CVT and load do not mix well imho.

[dashDustin]

The adaptive cruise control, AEB and lane departure on Subarus (EYESIGHT) actually uses a pair of cameras mounted up near the mirror in lieu of radar, etc. Modern Audis have those features too, although 2014 vintage will likely not. Adaptive cruise control of any sort is a game changer if you do a lot of long trips and highway driving.

i'm actually trying to stay away from Eyesight. it's a pricey option, and i'm not busting out highway miles much anymore. and correct, the 2014 does not. one big hangup about the Allroad is it's iPod integration...i need to get some answers about that.

[davids]

iPod? I thought my streaming-resistant friend in DC was the last guy on the planet to have an iPod.

Or are you saying the problem is that the '14 Allroad does integrate with the iPod?

[jerk]

when a "big hangup" with a car is it's iPod integration- maybe you should just buy a Hyundai Veloster. That thing has the BEST iphone integration of any car I've ever driven. The Koreans get car radio/phone stuff.

[Mabouya]

when a "big hangup" with a car is it's iPod integration- maybe you should just buy a Hyundai Veloster. That thing has the BEST iphone integration of any car I've ever driven. The Koreans get car radio/phone stuff.

I don't think they'll sell you Veloster if you're more than 29 years old and don't wear skinny jeans.

[jerk]

I don't think they'll sell you Veloster if you're more than 29 years old and don't wear skinny jeans.

ha! i had seen them and read some reviews which all were pretty, "meh" about the Veloster... then I rented one in San Francisco because it was the cheapest shittiest thing they had and I figured I'd try it instead of the Fiesta or the Abarth or whatever the Yaris or whatever else was in row D at the airport-- and i was pleasantly surprised. i really liked the way the navigation and phone integration worked right off the bat- the car has really good visibility, it handles fine. it wasn't any more lifeless than other cars with no power or torque and it was comfortable. the stupid three door design was actually pretty practical as well.

if i was in the market for a hot hatch- i'd look at the Turbo R. It is kinda sorta a gti for golf money with better electronics.

but i'm not- instead i'm gutting the interior of my Mustang and putting in a four point cage, some cheap fixed back seats, and deciding what i should do about ripping out this horrible early 2000s DVD player radio satellite nav thing, and all the stupid vibrating wires that are associated with it. i'm going to try to put the giant subwoofer a and the dumb trunk mounted amplifier in Kate's BMW 328i because she announced to me the other day- that her dream, since she was a kid, was to have a really good and loud car stereo system. i had no clue she wanted that- and she had no clue it was possible to put something like that in her car.

[dashDustin]

iPod, iPhone. I use my phone for everything in the vehicle. I think the Audi used a proprietary cable to pair up with MMI. I don’t care for BT pairing in the car for music. I’m pretty simple. I want an AWD wagon that can handle team support and not be bogged down under load.

I don’t think an EZ Up will fit in a Veloster. Not that I’d ever consider one.

[dashDustin]

iPod, iPhone. I use my phone for everything in the vehicle. I think the Audi used a proprietary cable to pair up with MMI. I don’t care for BT pairing in the car for music. I’m pretty simple. I want an AWD wagon that can handle team support and not be bogged down under load.

I don’t think an EZ Up will fit in a Veloster. Not that I’d ever consider one.

And clean iPod, iPhone integration, of course.