NissanGuy Doesn't Build a Nissan!

[Premium 615]

Good read so far. In for updates.

[BigRuss]

Long live the Doritos!! I had a set of 3 spoke Crager Ultra's on my xB for the better part of a year.

[NissanGuy]

^Original flavor!

Cleaned her up today and took off that Perrin sticker. I only put that shit on the bumper so I could find my car in a parking lot of identical eight sixes. Not as hard now

'Murica:



I promised to explain that picture of that BRZ. Once upon a time, my parents bought me an Altima. It was lovely, and it did the Nissan thing: understeering and never ever breaking. So I added strut bars and bushings and what have you, and it was alarmingly quick (downhill only). But, because of reasons, I wanted something nicer. I worked very very hard and saved lots of money and made a big deal about buying my first new car in cash. It had to be a dark blue, Limited, manual, BRZ. And it was. I'd heard to my great annoyance that they would stop making BRZ in dark blue, so a very helpful salesman found the last 2013 he could, and I financed that shit until the end of time. First model year, rare color, in the exact trim I wanted.

Perfect.



I decided to keep the car 100% stock, and indefinitely fresh. Just a few revisions to the trim level. Removed the wing:



I watched X-Men, apparently, and then heatgun'ed the fender garnish off.



Some OEM -JDM- DRL (OMG) delete panels, and clear corner markers, and the car looked clean as all hell.



And what's the point of a starter button if it isn't big, luscious, and red? Toyota-flavoured for maximum dissonance:



Speaking of Toyota flavor:



I put the car on the alignment rack at work, and my heart promptly broke. What kind of car comes with positive front camber? A horrible one. I later learned the alignment rack was busted, but I digress. Time for proper modification. I ordered a header from FT86SF, some control arms and camber bolts, while I was it it some bushings and trans fluid. The works, if you will. I ate some Cheerios and hit the track at Laguna Seca:



Literally.



Turns out, if you calibrate a car with a broken alignment rack, remove the spoiler, and drive like a damn fool, you pretty quickly find the nearest hard object. Truth in advertising; I lived.



Esurance being a truly wonderful (or naive) company, gave me full MSRP on my like-new, 7-month old car with 8500 miles - less $150 because I deleted the wing. NEW GAME NEW GAME NEW GAME NEW GAME

[NissanGuy]

Hmmmmm. My exhaust smelled sweet on startup, and ran on 3 cylinders for a second. I wonder where all my coolant went?

Resetting to stock for a warranty visit next Tuesday.

[NissanGuy]

I put on a strut bar, rear bumper brace and TRD door stabilizers. Good, if tiny, improvement. It's a little quieter, a little more comfortable, a little more responsive, and much firmer when countersteering.

Also, guys, my doors stay SO closed now. Guy in a Challenger said he'd blow my doors off. He lost that bet!

[NissanGuy]

Photos!

Strut bar:



Rear bumper bar installed (currently serving as a curtain rod):



I want to repaint my wheels, and I've finally found someone willing to do it. I've narrowed it down to two shades of STI pink, or Desert Khaki as seen on the Crosstrek XV. Suggestions?



It became quite necessary to get my wheels painted while I was cleaning them. About half a square inch of paint came off in my hand. An hour and a half later:



I bought a Tanabe Medallion G froma a guy on here. He said it was too loud for him. After some testing, I have decided he's crazy; it's mad quiet. Smells like exhaust though



Loud:



Quiet:

[NissanGuy]

I can't seem to make up my mind on exhausts. I'm on my fourth now: Perrin 2.5" Unresonated. It's nice!

Installed TRD Under Brace Kit. Surprisingly, it made a big difference. I could tell something was better after three feet of driving. Steering is way heavier and more responsive, rear breakaway is more progressive and controllable. It takes bumps more quietly now, and the traction control function is smoother. Good modification.

It has also made the ride quality quite harsh. I can lower the tire pressure from the current 41 psi to improve the ride quality at the expense of responsiveness, so it's kind of a wash. Ultimately, the TRD brace kit will give me (a) more solidity of the ride quality, and (b) better wet-weather grip due to lower tire pressure. I can live with that.

Scaffolding!



Gotta love the OEMs, they sweat these details. Longer bolts and replacement one-time-use nuts supplied with the kit.



Good thing I can read JDM.



Gratuitous Glamour Shot:



That's all of 'er, Oliver. Not pictured: the (included) rear bumper brace. Why? I already have a Carbing rear bumper brace, which I bought because the TRD doesn't fit USDM bumper beam.



I sent my wheels out to get painted Desert Khaki, from the Crosstrek XV. The result is... not what I asked for. Pretty, and therefore close enough.