Wreckster23
Well-known member
What is it with mountain bikers and auto cross? lol. Good buddy of mine does both. I could never afford it. Love the Miata!
Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT jonshonda-A Man On Too Many Missions
- Thread starter jonshonda
- Start date
Workspaces between 485 and 705 squarefeet.
Hmm I'll have to ask my therapist about the correlation!! haha
What I like about mountain biking and auto-crossing draw many parallels. I love to modify things, I'm competitive, and I like the rush from pulling off difficult tasks and living to talk about it. haha
Wreckster23
Well-known member
Kinda stuff I knew already. Give me anything where I can obsess over modding and setting up perfectly, I’m in. Those types of hobbies are usually expensive, so I’ve always been the poor guy on the outskirts trying to find a way in. Recently I’ve been able to find a bit more, it’s been interesting.
As someone who has come to terms with some pretty high level ADD, I already know what I'm going to do prior to getting into a new project or hobby. Dive in head first and go balls deep until I'm somewhat happy. The nice part is that as I've grown older I've been able to leave well-enough-alone and just use/enjoy what I've worked so hard to build. But I know I will likely make excuses on cheaper part purchases and am better off just to buy the nicer items (they don't HAVE TO BE THE BEST!!). But I've also understood that if I want to keep all of these hobbies going I can't buy the best of everything. haha
While those hobbies can be expensive, they certainly don't have to be relatively speaking. Plenty of cheaper used bikes will get you out on the trails, and plenty of used cars out there that in stock form will provide years of auto-x enjoyment. haha
Work on the Prius progresses at a positive rate.
1) Replaced both front LCA.
2) Replaced both front struts with loaded KYB units
3) Replaced brake rotors, pads, and DS brake caliper.
4) New Engine and cabin air filters
5) Bought another prius for parts.
Test drove today and it runs well. Alignment is jacked up so driving is a bit sketchy. But good news is the HV battery health looks amazing!
1) Replaced both front LCA.
2) Replaced both front struts with loaded KYB units
3) Replaced brake rotors, pads, and DS brake caliper.
4) New Engine and cabin air filters
5) Bought another prius for parts.
Test drove today and it runs well. Alignment is jacked up so driving is a bit sketchy. But good news is the HV battery health looks amazing!
Ditto!
Some sort of bug is making it's way around our house but we are fighting through it. Big family Xmas weekend coming up with 45 family members in ONE house.
Tore apart the parts Prius yesterday to get it ready for the scrap yard. I don't think our neighbors are used to seeing a car sitting in the driveway with no hood, fenders, doors, headlights or bumpers!!
I've fallen back into the habit of not taking pics of progress, and we all know how GJ likes pretty pics to look at! I'll try harderer....I promise.
1) Got an alignment done on the "good" Prius which I was a bit concerned about, as if you recall the reason it was donated to us was due to the front passenger side of the Prius having a street fight with a curb...and we all know who wins those fights. After replacing the strut assemblies and lower control arms, I was hoping no further issues existed.
While the alignment shop (who I trust, and I don't trust many shops) did indicate the wheel bearing making noise, sway bar links clunking, and TPMS sensors being dead...it lined up fine.
2) Hung the donor passenger rear door to replace the rusty one on the "good" Prius. In typical fashion the paint fade wasn't consistent between the two cars, so I ended up hanging the passenger front door and fender from the donor car as well. Looks much better now.
3) Wet sanded and polished the donor headlights, and hung the donor bumper as well. A new M6x1.00 tap and die were in order to save some of the headlight mounting locations from Dr. Rustevil.
The wife asked what I had left to do, which got me thinking a bit on the progress I've made thus far and how far I want to take it. I'm likely going to list it for sale as I really would prefer my future to not include working on an 18yo Wisconsin vehicle (only the DIY guys who drive on salted roads know the pain).
Thinking a future buyer wouldn't like the clunk of the sway bar links, the flashing TPMS warning light, and would appreciate the inverter coolant pump (which WILL leave you stranded on the side of the road if it fails) to be replaced. Otherwise a good polish and wax, and it should be ready
1) Got an alignment done on the "good" Prius which I was a bit concerned about, as if you recall the reason it was donated to us was due to the front passenger side of the Prius having a street fight with a curb...and we all know who wins those fights. After replacing the strut assemblies and lower control arms, I was hoping no further issues existed.
While the alignment shop (who I trust, and I don't trust many shops) did indicate the wheel bearing making noise, sway bar links clunking, and TPMS sensors being dead...it lined up fine.
2) Hung the donor passenger rear door to replace the rusty one on the "good" Prius. In typical fashion the paint fade wasn't consistent between the two cars, so I ended up hanging the passenger front door and fender from the donor car as well. Looks much better now.
3) Wet sanded and polished the donor headlights, and hung the donor bumper as well. A new M6x1.00 tap and die were in order to save some of the headlight mounting locations from Dr. Rustevil.
The wife asked what I had left to do, which got me thinking a bit on the progress I've made thus far and how far I want to take it. I'm likely going to list it for sale as I really would prefer my future to not include working on an 18yo Wisconsin vehicle (only the DIY guys who drive on salted roads know the pain).
Thinking a future buyer wouldn't like the clunk of the sway bar links, the flashing TPMS warning light, and would appreciate the inverter coolant pump (which WILL leave you stranded on the side of the road if it fails) to be replaced. Otherwise a good polish and wax, and it should be ready
Prius work continues!!
First tank of gas yielded 39mpg, which based on the age of the Prius, the Michelin Tires (Prius' like Bridgestone Ecopia) and the cold weather seems to be in line with what I'm reading on the interwebs.
Get some Techtron fuel treatment, Pennz Platinum 5w-30, and OEM Toyota oil filter from Walmart. Although the oil change sticker indicates there is still 1k miles left before the oil is due, it didn't smell great and didn't look great when I dumped it. Peace of mind.
Also cleaned the MAF sensor and cleaned the throttle body, just trying to ensure I've got everything clean and squared away for road testing. My commute is fairly consistent every day, so it will be easy to see if there are mpg improvements.
Using my Torque app I noted that driving in cold weather yields some cooler then normal coolant temps, as the ICE doesn't work hard to move the Prius around. I had initially thought that the thermostat was stuck open as driving around town the coolant temp was way down to 130°, but more research showed this is fairly common and Prius' benefit from grill blocks in cold weather. I took the easy way out and utilized some pipe insulation I had laying around.
First tank of gas yielded 39mpg, which based on the age of the Prius, the Michelin Tires (Prius' like Bridgestone Ecopia) and the cold weather seems to be in line with what I'm reading on the interwebs.
Get some Techtron fuel treatment, Pennz Platinum 5w-30, and OEM Toyota oil filter from Walmart. Although the oil change sticker indicates there is still 1k miles left before the oil is due, it didn't smell great and didn't look great when I dumped it. Peace of mind.
Also cleaned the MAF sensor and cleaned the throttle body, just trying to ensure I've got everything clean and squared away for road testing. My commute is fairly consistent every day, so it will be easy to see if there are mpg improvements.
Using my Torque app I noted that driving in cold weather yields some cooler then normal coolant temps, as the ICE doesn't work hard to move the Prius around. I had initially thought that the thermostat was stuck open as driving around town the coolant temp was way down to 130°, but more research showed this is fairly common and Prius' benefit from grill blocks in cold weather. I took the easy way out and utilized some pipe insulation I had laying around.
Been a minute since I've posted anything, and for good reason! I haven't been doing much of anything worth talking about in the garage.
Finally got motivated to swap the original 18yo 160k mile drive battery out of the Prius, and swap it out with the 1.5yo battery I got from my parts prius.
Very easy job, maybe 2 hours start to finish. Invoice I found from the parts prius showed $500 labor for battery replacement...which is insane.
Remove a few panels to access the battery.
A handful of fasteners and a few wire harnesses disconnected and it's out.
Finally got motivated to swap the original 18yo 160k mile drive battery out of the Prius, and swap it out with the 1.5yo battery I got from my parts prius.
Very easy job, maybe 2 hours start to finish. Invoice I found from the parts prius showed $500 labor for battery replacement...which is insane.
Remove a few panels to access the battery.
A handful of fasteners and a few wire harnesses disconnected and it's out.
Thanks! On a single run to work today the newer battery netted an additional 2mpg. While it's only a single sample, it will be interesting to see if that trend continues. I did notice that the multi-function display showed the battery appeared to be contributing more during normal driving vs the older battery.
Hopefully the new owner will appreciate the increased performance.
Dry vent cleaning was a fall project my son and I took on this past fall. I drug 2 socks out of there and a bunch of lint. Was pretty surprised at how a sock could get past a mesh strainer and get in there. I used a kit with a flexible rod and brush to clean ours out.
Got the Fit on jackstands for some spring time love.
1. Oil change
2. Tire rotation and tread depth measurement.
3. Inspect front brake pads and caliper pins, inspect brake drum shoes and adjust so the wheel rotates 1.5 times when spun by hand.
4. Automatic Transmission Fluid drain/fill.
It takes a bit of time to do all that, but I've found in Wisconsin's climate is very demanding and it pays dividends to stay on top of this stuff.
1. Oil change
2. Tire rotation and tread depth measurement.
3. Inspect front brake pads and caliper pins, inspect brake drum shoes and adjust so the wheel rotates 1.5 times when spun by hand.
4. Automatic Transmission Fluid drain/fill.
It takes a bit of time to do all that, but I've found in Wisconsin's climate is very demanding and it pays dividends to stay on top of this stuff.
I miss my ol piece of fit as I called it. Bought it cheap and threw a clutch in it and it was a great little beater car. Sold/ traded it to a buddy who had to have it and eventually got it back a few months later from him. Back in precovid days when cars were plentiful and cheap and you could change them like underwear.
They are expensive underwear now....even the cheap commuter shitboxes are stupid money, "no offense taken" says the Fit.
I got really lucky with this one. Florida car for all but the last year before it made it's way up to Minnesota, so it only saw one winter. Previous owner did everything Honda wanted her to. I bought it three years ago with 90k miles and brought all maintenance up to date.
I sprayed everything I could underneath with Surface Shield, and after three winters of daily 60 mile commutes on the interstate it's looking great (I will admit we've had very mild winters so it's not a great way to measure the effectiveness of Surface Shield).
While I do love the simplicity and reliability of the Fit/Hondas, at 42 years old I really prefer the handling of the Fit but the luxury of our 2017 GX460. I've really been thinking hard about a used MK7/7.5 Golf R. Seems like that would be a great mix of sport and comfort. Haha
thomfr
Well-known member
A good meant advice; Leave your fingers from modern Volkswagen and stay with your Honda. Drove a German wonder the last years as a company car and it is absolutely low on quality and service.
Thom
Thom
ericm
Well-known member
The Mk7/7.5 Golfs are not too bad, reliability wise. Not like some other generations of VWs that we have had.
I'd go for an early 7 speed DSG R. My 2016 R is a 6 speed and it could use a taller gear on the freeway. It got a shorter 6th than other 6 speed DSG cars. We also have a Mk7.5 Alltrack and the infotainment system is a little better than the Mk7 (and not the disaster that's the Mk8).
The DSG is so good that it really takes the car from pretty good to awesome. Maybe not to a manual trans purist but I'm not one. I got an APR stage 1 tune and it made the transmission much more useable in auto mode, though I drive it in manual a lot. It also added significant power to the engine. Best $1100 I have spent on a vehicle.
I'd go for an early 7 speed DSG R. My 2016 R is a 6 speed and it could use a taller gear on the freeway. It got a shorter 6th than other 6 speed DSG cars. We also have a Mk7.5 Alltrack and the infotainment system is a little better than the Mk7 (and not the disaster that's the Mk8).
The DSG is so good that it really takes the car from pretty good to awesome. Maybe not to a manual trans purist but I'm not one. I got an APR stage 1 tune and it made the transmission much more useable in auto mode, though I drive it in manual a lot. It also added significant power to the engine. Best $1100 I have spent on a vehicle.
I know I know....but Honda and Toyota don't have anything fun in a hatch or smaller suv. The Fit works really well for me because I've got two yellow labs that can easily be transported with the seats folded down, and it also fits my XXL mountain bike. So I'm looking for another hatch or smaller SUV (Audi SQ5 or BMW X5) that has more power, tuning potential, and is attractive.
Which years would I need to look at for the 7 speed DSG? I've got a 94 Miata to row gears in so I get my manual fix with that, and DSG sounds like it would be perfect. A tuned Golf R daily really speaks to me! Haha
I also was looking at the Alltrack as well, as that seems like a stretched R w/ a bit less performance and a better chance at finding a well kept used (not abused) example. Something about German station wagons seems to interest me, but the maintenance/reliability stories always make me nervous.
TahitianGreen
Well-known member
I have a GE Fit and a Mk7 Alltrack. The Alltrack is really nice but I do live in fear of when it breaks down, while I trust the Fit to just keep going (until it ejects a spark plug again)
Again!?!! I changed the plugs, used some antiseize, and torqued to the revised value at 90k and hope it works. I did note the #2 plug was noticeably more loose then the rest when I removed them.
TahitianGreen
Well-known member
Ha, mine did it at 67k miles so I’m just expecting it to happen again at this point. Hoping it never does.
ericm
Well-known member
I'm not 100% positive but I think it's 2018-2019. The 6 speed DSG mk7s were 2016-17. I think the mk7.5 got a more sophisiticated rear diff too.
The biggest issue with the Alltrack is the sunroof on the S and SEL models. If you park it outside under trees the sunroof drains get clogged. Supposedly it's mostly the front drains which are easy enough to get to that my wife cleaned them with a long flexible bottle brush (it's her car). The rears require removal of the back part of the interior.
The Alltrack has longer travel suspension than the R and rides much better on the bumpy mountain road we live on. It still handles pretty well but it loses some of the sharpness of the R. Stock it makes adequate power but the transmission tuning hampers it. Ours will go in for a tune soon. The 87 octane stage I tune will get about the same HP as my wife's previous R32 and more torque. I think she'll like it.
Being AWD there's more maintenance on the R and Alltrack, but you get AWD traction in return. I need to change the Haldex oil in both of them.
Made a real mess Saturday in the garage making some stands for my son's steel challenge shooting practice. After cutting the 1x4's to sized I rounded the edges with a router to limit the amount of splinters we receive when handling the stands.
You can see the base of the stand on the floor to the right of the step ladder. 3D printed all the brackets (blue parts) so the stand can be broken down and transported/stored more easily.
You can see the base of the stand on the floor to the right of the step ladder. 3D printed all the brackets (blue parts) so the stand can be broken down and transported/stored more easily.
nicholam77
Well-known member
Do it!!
Not really a sports car but tbh a Blue Lapiz MK7/7.5 Golf R is a bit of a grail daily for me. Not sure it's worth it for me with the way prices have gone and I already have the GTI... but you should!
You should try driving one at least. I think it would fit your profile of "fun, sporty, luxurious" very well.
I actually think you are much more likely to find an R that hasn't been abused than a used GTI. The higher cost and exclusivity of the R probably plays into that... a lot less 17 yr olds getting a hold of one and drag racing it.
Fully agree on the reliability just based on my own anecdotal experience. Zero issues on my GTI after 10 yrs, 52k miles, IE stage 1 low torque for the past two yrs.
They may not be as bulletproof as Toyota or Honda, and yeah there's the stupid water pump to watch out for and things like that, but as far as German brands go, VW is no way near as expensive to maintain and repair as Audi S models, BMW, Porsche, Mercedes, etc. The EA888 is a tried and true engine that's in millions of vehicles.
I am a manual transmission purist, in the sense that I couldn't imagine not having one. So much so that I never even test drove the DSG. And I gotta be honest, I think about that a lot. VW dropped the ball in the other direction on the manual gearing... it basically has two tall highway gears (I almost never use 6th), and very wide spreads in 1st-3rd, which makes it feel slower, less sporty, and less fun in city driving. I don't know that I could give it up, but I do think the DSG would make it feel much faster, especially off the line.
That and the fact that I'm stuck on the low torque tune because I don't want to pay clutch $$$ is a great reason to go DSG if you plan to tune.
GR Corolla?
Do it!!
Not really a sports car but tbh a Blue Lapiz MK7/7.5 Golf R is a bit of a grail daily for me. Not sure it's worth it for me with the way prices have gone and I already have the GTI... but you should!
GR Corolla?
I am partial to white cars lately and a white R just looks the part. I'm not a "hey look at my fancy xxxxxx" type of person, and all of my car mods would typically be considered suble and tasteful (imho of course).
The GR is too boy racer for me, and the shape of the rear hatch wouldn't lend itself well to fitting what I need to inside. Plus from what I understand the interior still screams budget Toyota, so it really doesn't seem to align with what I'm dreaming of. Haha
nicholam77
Well-known member
Totally, was just pointing out it exists!
White is nice, too. I just associate the R with the signature blue..
IMO if you're looking for understated, sporty, capable, grown-up, AWD, great interior, practicality, and luxury, it's pretty hard to beat the Golf R.
trytochaseme
Well-known member
You can't go wrong with a MK7. I've had mine for 4 years, which is the longest I've ever kept a car 
. Don't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon. It made for a super fun daily, its just a fun summer car now but is a riot at track days. I was deadset on a 2 door so went with a GTI over an R but I do wish I had AWD sometimes.
As you said R is a good looking car without being flashy and is very fun but still comfortable.
. Don't see myself getting rid of it anytime soon. It made for a super fun daily, its just a fun summer car now but is a riot at track days. I was deadset on a 2 door so went with a GTI over an R but I do wish I had AWD sometimes.As you said R is a good looking car without being flashy and is very fun but still comfortable.
ericm
Well-known member
I like the four door's shorter front doors and easier access to the back via the back doors. My wife's R32's long doors were more cumbersome in close quarters. But the two door looks cooler. When she got the Alltrack she was excited to have four doors: "I can get stuff out of the back seat now!".
The R is big enough inside to hold a road bike laid down with the front wheel off, which was one of my criteria. It's not big enough for my mountain bike though.
The adjustable adaptive suspension is pretty nice. Comfort mode does not make it ride like the Alltrack but it's not bad.
My R is white and I have lately been wishing I'd gotten one of the gray or blue ones. I think I have OD'd on white vehicles. But it's a nice pearl white.
The R is big enough inside to hold a road bike laid down with the front wheel off, which was one of my criteria. It's not big enough for my mountain bike though.
The adjustable adaptive suspension is pretty nice. Comfort mode does not make it ride like the Alltrack but it's not bad.
My R is white and I have lately been wishing I'd gotten one of the gray or blue ones. I think I have OD'd on white vehicles. But it's a nice pearl white.
Yeah I wouldn't say no to the blue that's for sure, just really been digging white lately. With that being said I've only had 2 white cars in my life, so it's not like I'm obsessed! Haha
Won't fit a mountain bike ehh? I'll have to test drive a Golf and see. I know Honda did an amazing job engineering the Fit to have a really tall interior space, as there is more room from the cargo floor/folded seats to the ceiling in the Fit then there is in the GX460.
Haven't had too much time to play in the garage, as spring is dragging it's feet getting here and my son and I are getting a bit more involved in competitive shooting with our 22LR's.
As I've mentioned in the past he is on a youth team, and we are both new to the sport so there are a lot of things to figure out. One of the things I'm hoping to nail down and make easier for him is the organization and handling of the firearm and magazines. Basically being organized enough to never have to worry about anything other then shooting.
One of the coaches commented that a lot of the students struggle with handling the Ruger Mark IV mags (the Mark IV is one of the most popular pistols for 22LR steel challenge) so I designed a rack to help organize. We will see this wknd how well it works and if others seem to like it.
As I've mentioned in the past he is on a youth team, and we are both new to the sport so there are a lot of things to figure out. One of the things I'm hoping to nail down and make easier for him is the organization and handling of the firearm and magazines. Basically being organized enough to never have to worry about anything other then shooting.
One of the coaches commented that a lot of the students struggle with handling the Ruger Mark IV mags (the Mark IV is one of the most popular pistols for 22LR steel challenge) so I designed a rack to help organize. We will see this wknd how well it works and if others seem to like it.
Kids both hit a growth spirt at the end of last summer and throughout the winter, and needed new bikes. My son needed a bike the most as his old bike was now wayyyy too small and is on a youth mountain biking team which starts soon. I was at a bike shop Saturday for a social event and found the teal colored Roscoe one which I brought home and surprised my son with. Sunday while at my son's shooting practice I was cruising the book of faces and saw my buddy was thinning his herd of bikes down (trying to get to 7 bikes...a real first world problem you know) and was selling the Tan colored one. The tan one is a lot nicer spec and more his style, so I we went and picked it up.
Long story short, the wall needed major rearranging as the new bikes are a lot longer and taller. I've still got to find homes for a few things misplaced by the bigger bikes, and fill the holes in the drywall...but for now at least the bikes aren't on the floor waiting to tip over onto the Miata.
Long story short, the wall needed major rearranging as the new bikes are a lot longer and taller. I've still got to find homes for a few things misplaced by the bigger bikes, and fill the holes in the drywall...but for now at least the bikes aren't on the floor waiting to tip over onto the Miata.