Automobiles

[j44ke]

Ford also unveiled plans to pare an additional $11.5 billion in costs between 2019 and 2022. These reductions would come on top of the $14 billion in cuts that the automaker previously announced in the fall.

The latest planned reductions will come from areas including engineering, materials costs, marketing and sales.

Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks told reporters it is too early to say whether the additional cuts and "efficiency opportunities" would result in layoffs or staffing reductions.

To early to say because the election is in November. But where else are they going to get $25.5 billion?

[rydesteel]

The local paper has a weekly car ad section where they run syndicated reviews and a Q&A column. I swear I am not making this up but the first question from a reader was which cars have the longest seat belts because the one in their car is too tight and they need a new car as a result.

I just hope it is like Ray Wylie Hubbard says: "The problem with irony is that some people don't get it."

At the Chevy store we had 2 or 3 sizes of belt extenders that were free if you knew to ask for them. Now if you want a long seat belt buy a Semi Truck it amazing how long they are.

[Jason Musgrave]

Not gonna lie I've secretly wanted a Fiesta for a few years now because for all practical purposes it's a modern MK2 Golf (suspension geo, etc) and they have become the modern go-to for rally builds. Guess I'd better decide if I really want one soon!

[rmplum]

Not gonna lie I've secretly wanted a Fiesta for a few years now because for all practical purposes it's a modern MK2 Golf (suspension geo, etc) and they have become the modern go-to for rally builds. Guess I'd better decide if I really want one soon!

The Fiesta ST is a fantastic car and I've lost track of how many times I've recommended one to a friend looking for a fun/cheap car to bomb around town on.

[Jason Musgrave]

Thx, I need to go drive one.

Color me also curious about the forthcoming 6-speed Corolla Hatch.

[dogrange]

honestly it's the most fun and stupid car i've ever driven or owned. you can get a GT500 pretty cheap for what it is- and they are stupid cheap to modify and get real results out of. I paid just under 15k for mine with less than 60,000 miles on it and it had not been modified other than a bunch of really stupid taped on scoops and silver grills and stuff to make it look like "Elenor" from the Gone in Sixty Seconds movie. The guy also painted the stock wheels black and cut out the axle-backs and put a bunch of dumb shelby silver dress up stuff in the engine compartment. He also put the world's worst radio/GPS/DVD thing in it and a bunch of really big speakers and giant amp and subwoofer in the trunk. It's amazing how bad and counter intuitive thew head unit is and how much the speakers just vibrate at any volume and sound terrible. I like the fact that the satellite radio hasn't been turned off though so I can listen to rap music and baseball games- but i'm going to pull all of the hifi stuff out when i get time.

What's weird to me about the GT500 is how drastically a little bit of work on the suspension transforms the thing. The stock suspension on these things is so bad its almost comical. i guess it was designed to be comfortable but it is so squishy and undersprung that it feels like it was designed to give a 1970's Oldsmobile ride for a much lighter car. All you really need to do is new struts and springs and some plates to correct the geometry. i went with the XTA coil overs because they're exactly the same as KWs but made out of galvanized steel instead of stainless for about a third the price. They're the exact same internals.

I did upper and lower control arms too- I got Whitelines which are fine. I also did a fays2 Watts link which is incredible. That thing completely addresses the the issues with the suspension design and transformed the car as much as anything else I did. Lots of folks think a Watts link is overkill and that you can address the same issues with a panhard bar- but those folks have just never driven a car with one of these things or are in the business of selling panhard bars. I didn't believe in them either- because I'd read MaximumMotorsports diatribe about them- but then I talked to Sam Strano again. I was all set to save up and spend 8k-10k on a Griggs suspension set up- but Sam basically put me straight....more later!

Hit me up with your budget tuning suggestions for a '13 Honda Fit. Already got new wheels/tires.

[davids]

Hit me up with your budget tuning suggestions for a '13 Honda Fit. Already got new wheels/tires.

Different Mustang.
Different Fit.
But I feel you:

Attachment 107668

[jerk]

Jesus.

Strip the things interior. Install a Sprintex supercharger, spoon long tube headers and axle backs and a Megan cold air intake that mounts in front of the front wheels.

Take out the front sway bar. Find the biggest fucking bar you can in the junkyard and weld in as a rear sway bar- put in some koni yellows and Hoosier R7s on Panasports.

You'll have a 200hp car that you can literally carry up into your apartment with a pair of drunk frat boys.

[jerk]

I'm a strong believer that if you are stupid enough and love wasting money- you can make even the worst car fucking awesome.

The Fit I just described would cost about $10k to do including the car and would blow away Lionel's Porsche in an autocross.

[j44ke]

I'm a strong believer that if you are stupid enough and love wasting money- you can make even the worst car fucking awesome.

The Fit I just described would cost about $10k to do including the car and would blow away Lionel's Porsche in an autocross.

Yeehah!

[davids]

Jesus.

You'll have a 200hp car that you can literally carry up into your apartment with a pair of drunk frat boys.

Or you can just fold down the rear seats and the dudes can sleep off their drunk at the curb.

I mean, c'mon! Fit!!

[dogrange]

Jesus.

Strip the things interior. Install a Sprintex supercharger, spoon long tube headers and axle backs and a Megan cold air intake that mounts in front of the front wheels.

Take out the front sway bar. Find the biggest fucking bar you can in the junkyard and weld in as a rear sway bar- put in some koni yellows and Hoosier R7s on Panasports.

You'll have a 200hp car that you can literally carry up into your apartment with a pair of drunk frat boys.

Oh man, that supercharger thing is like $2500 and then I'd still have to pay to get it installed. I was thinking more like, how much power/torque can I get for $1k or less?

[mmoore]

Oh man, that supercharger thing is like $2500 and then I'd still have to pay to get it installed. I was thinking more like, how much power/torque can I get for $1k or less?

probably 3 or 4.

Honda usually tunes pretty aggressively for an oem and heavily relies on knock feedback for fuel/ignition trims, especially so in the turbo models they offer.

[nahtnoj]

Oh man, that supercharger thing is like $2500 and then I'd still have to pay to get it installed. I was thinking more like, how much power/torque can I get for $1k or less?

Add lightness. Take out the rear seat. I think it weighs about 100lbs.

I want to get a manual 07-08 Fit and go nuts stripping weight out of it.

[Saab2000]

Add lightness. Take out the rear seat. I think it weighs about 100lbs.

I want to get a manual 07-08 Fit and go nuts stripping weight out of it.

A buddy of mine had a Honda CRX a few years back that had a driver's seat in the interior and essentially nothing else. Gone was all the trim and carpet and passenger seat and everything that added weight that wasn't needed to drive the car. He said it was noisy but sneaky fast and fun to drive.

I think he had plans for autocross but I'm not sure it ever came to pass.

[davids]

This is hilarious.

Fits are for carrying stuff while scooting around town.

Attachment 107675

Attachment 107676

Attachment 107677

Even Honda thought so:

Attachment 107678

[maunahaole]

If you want to burn 10k on a Honda, up-engine a Delsol. Mid engine sleeper.

[MisterDangerPants]

If you want to burn 10k on a Honda, up-engine a Delsol. Mid engine sleeper.

Del Sol is front engine. Fiero would be an example of mid engine. Or a 914.

[Jason Musgrave]

Yeehah!

Now we're talking!! As I said earlier, the plethora of rally bits/knowledge is one of the reasons I'm thinking about a Fiesta.

[j44ke]

I've rented Fiestas in the US. Meh. Lawnmower with a key start. Then I rented one in Switzerland. I think it had everything except a roll cage in it. Sporty!

So I'd say buy one of those European ones.