[serialk11r]

Hello everyone!

After 4.5 years on this forum, and 3 years in an MR2 Spyder, I somehow found myself in one of these cars. My MR2 blew its crappy 1ZZ engine and I decided I wanted something newer that wouldn't need replacement parts left and right, which could hold groceries without taking 10 minutes to neatly tuck them into tiny little cubbies.

This car fit the bill, mainly because I don't trust Beamers after reading about the problems, a Cayman has no rear seats, and a 911's rear seats are useless (an older one of course haha, just graduated I don't have 90k :P).

Quick facts: 2013, Argento*, was originally a Colorado car, 28k on the clock. PO added track pipe (I'm adding a muffler to it, it makes me too scared to hit the gas for fear of cops), absurdly dark tint that I can't see out of at night, and red felt over the dash. Paid a Benz dealer 18.5k, I think they screwed up their ads so they were getting worried they couldn't sell it.

First thoughts: I really don't like driving this nearly as much as my MR-S. It's tail-happy, the engine makes unhealthy noises (for the record, my car sounds exactly like the brand new one I drove at the dealer), and the transmission feels clunky (although maybe a fluid change would make things better, it basically just needs less friction sliding into gear). To its credit, the engine's power delivery is pretty smooth and despite having bigger cams and a higher rev limit, it's only equally as pitiful as the 1ZZ under 2000rpm.

Wind noise got a little annoying on the drive home, but at least my ears aren't ringing, which is what always happened in the MR2.

And of course, when I look over my shoulder I'm reminded that real people can fit in the back, and gone are the days of spending 10 minutes cramming groceries into tiny cubbies and frunks not meant for luggage.

One thing I'm going to be experimenting with is blending E85 into the tank to get high octane gas on the cheap. Since I was near an E85 pump (which are rare around here) I went ahead and mixed 5.5 gallons 89 into the tank which had around 3 gallons of presumably 91 left, drove to the E85 pump only pressing very gently on the gas, and added 1.6 gal E85, giving a ~22% ethanol blend. In theory this blend should behave like ~95 octane, and it ran great. I'm going to mix a little 87 in tomorrow and monitor the knock sensor with Torque.

So enough complaining, let's talk mods!

To be done immediately are a muffler and lighter window tint. I have an appointment next week to get 3M Crystalline on the windshield, going to decide what goes on the side windows when I get there. Probably the lightest tinted ceramic I can find. I think I'm going to have an exhaust shop weld a Magnaflow into the track pipe, this car needs a little more volume for my MR2-damaged ears.

Noise tube will need to go, and a catch can will be going on.

I'm 99% sure I want this thing plastidipped in matte clear for the satin metallic look. That's what boring colors like gray and silver are for right?

I'll be getting an OFT and spending some time attempting to tune it myself. Not going to stray much from stock since I'm not stupid.

All the incandescent bulbs are going to be discarded except the high beams, they simply look awful. Ordering LEDs right now. Rear lights will be replaced by Valenti ones.

Later down the road are suspension, front brakes, lithium ion battery, gonna take it to the track at least once.

Stay tuned!