My beautiful blue daily driver in New England

[Books]

9. 7k miles and mod updates! (And the world didn't end!) (12/28/12)

Well, i've been driving around with a bunch of mods for the last few thousand miles and forgot to post. So here's some mini reviews:

(In the order I installed them)

Airraid Intake:
I bought this totally expecting little to no gain. I got this for more sound (before I get my exhaust) and they had a good deal going ($200 after rebate). With that in mind, I thought this was a great mod. It gives off a high 'whir' sound especially in the higher RPMs. Install was pretty painless as expected... loosen everything, old intake out, new intake in, tighten. Kick in the pants powah? Not really, nor any real performance gains as far as my pants can tell. Maybe some improvements, but i'm sure it's just all in my head. Sound wise, I love it!

So I guess I have to address bogging, which a lot of people here have been complaining about. If I do the 'bogging test', yes my RPM stutters but other than that I haven't experienced any actual bogging in my daily spirited driving. YMMV

Also, I used loctite (I used purple) for the four top screws because I read that they came loose.

I'm sure you've seen this same exact pic somewhere




Hood Dampers and Grimmspeed Brake Brace:
Can't say much about the hood dampers... easy install and it holds my hood up. I guess it will be more convenient in the future. The brake brace was also a good mod. I have never really paid attention until I got this. There's pretty much no flexing after I installed this. Install was straightforward (just don't drop anything into the engine!). The difference is instant. You physically feel like you're pressing up against a wall when you fully depress the brake. The brace doesn't make the brake more touchy, but rather just less distance traveled and removes almost all the flex.

What an exciting pic! (i should remove the stickers)


It was tough to get a good angle




Nameless Axleback Exhaust (2.5" exit, 5" mufflers, offset):
Again, I got this for looks and sound. As you can tell I think this car is lacking in the sound department. As another bolt on mod, this was also a straightforward install: 4 hangers and 2 bolts. The hangers were a bit tricky but simple nonetheless. As a last resort, I was going to use WD40 but I didn't have to go that far.

As far as sound goes, the moment you start the car up my pants got a bit tight. I was greeted by the deep grumble, very satisfying. I decided to get the offset version so that it's not too loud. So honestly, it is a bit loud too loud for me during the engine 'warm up' stage. Once it's over and sitting happily around 1k RPM it's nice and quiet (for a car).

Now for the good stuff... I am very happy with this exhaust. It produces the best sound between 3-4k RPM and really drops out somewhere around 5k (which then my intake sound kicks in). It's a bit louder between 1-2k RPM too but it's ok. It's also practically silent during idle (700 RPM), so at a stop light i'm not causing any attention (until I accelerate). The tips are also huge! My rear end finally looks complete. Overall, I am a satisfied customer. The exhaust was also so much smaller than stock.

One issue some other members had was that one side sticks out more than the other. My right tip sticks out about a centimeter more than the left tip but it's not noticeable until you get really close. So not a big concern for me. I'll forget all about it when I start my car up and drive.

All that noise that gets muffled in the humongous stock exhaust


My friends WRX in the back


They stick out quite a bit! Also the tips are chrome but the frosty weather has them looking really hazy.




Hotchkis front and rear sways:
Last but not least, I ordered the Hotchkis front and rear sways from the groupbuy. So during the install, I (stupidly) misplaced one of the bolts for the rear but I found a replacement at Autozone.

The instructions were straightforward but the install took longer than expected. I haven't done any modding or mechanical work at all so I did expect this. I took it slow and read through all the instructions carefully so it took several hours (with plenty of breaks). If I were to do it again... I'd say it'd probably take me an hour. It's actually pretty easy if you know what you're doing. Rear sways took no time at all the but for the front sways there are two ground panels and you have to take off two support arm things.

My turns were noticeably stiffer. The car felt more resistant to 'swaying'. I chose the softest settings for now. Turn ins feel much better and more stable. I guess I actually don't need new sways right now but I figured I will eventually and couldn't pass up a good deal. But they're installed and I can adjust them easily now. Now to do some autocross next year!



Front sways


Shorty Antenna
One thing I forgot to add was that I got a shorty antenna. Got it off of ebay for $10. I'll post a pic later. If you're interested in one, go to Ebay and search for something like "1.5" black short stubby volkswagen". Fits like a charm and was cheap too.



10. Hurricane nemo, small debadge, dash wrap, weathertech mats! (And a new tail light)(2/24/13)

[Books]

10. Hurricane nemo, small debadge, dash wrap, weathertech mats! (And a new tail light)(2/24/13)

Tint!
I finally got my tint. I ended up with 40% Ceramic tint (Because the next level up was 30%... we are only allowed 35% in MA). It wasn't that much more expensive so I decided to try it. Does it live up to the hype? We'll see in the summer. I think I noticed it staying a bit warmer in my car when I come back from grocery shopping, for example, but there is no way to quantify it.

Just a few pics from hurricane nemo:

Buried!


All cleaned up


Out grocery shopping


I also removed the FR-S logo from the back, I think it looks pretty clean:
(And I was testing out the Stillen roof spoiler fit before I paint it)


First time vinyl wrapping:
I've seen a few threads about people vinyl wrapping so I decided to start small. I've never wrapped anything and I already have a heat gun lying around.

Here's the dash, which came out pretty great! There is a small mismatch but that doesn't bother me. I did have some trouble with the corners where the stereo goes in. It doesn't quite stick and comes out every now and then. Anyways, looks great for a first timer!


As for me second attempt... it didn't turn out so good. But this is a journal and I will document my failures as well. I'm going to remove it eventually. What happened was that it looked great when I wrapped it but when I was putting it back in, the sides got pushed up by the plastic. I tried to do it right on the other door but it didn't work. I really needed an index card or something.

Bad vinyl wrap!


Weathertech floormats:

I ordered both the floormats and trunk mat too. They look awesome! They mold around the edges and are pretty thick and rugged. They'll probably last longer than the car.

Driver side:


Passenger side:


I forgot to take a pic of the trunk mat...

Extras:

I have a stillen hood and trunk spoiler sitting in my room. I'm waiting for all the snow and salt to clear out before i'm going to install it. The fitament is pretty good and I like that it's discrete. I am still unsure whether I should paint it ultramarine or black.

[Books]

11. Nameless overipipe/frontpipe, Hella supertones, and more!

Haven't been updating my journal in a while. A lot has happened since my last update.

Summer Rims!
Enkei GP5 17x8 in SBC
I've always been a fan of chrome rims on blue cars. Maybe it's stupid, but love them or hate them, I love them. They're also a bit heavier, but i'm not sure if it matters that much...



Hella Supertones!
Bumper was a bit of a pain to take off, though it wasn't hard. I also ordered a harness to make wiring a bit easier (was quite expensive!). They sound much better and now people can hear my little tiny car.



Top of the trop meet!
Meet was great, met a lot of people, saw a lot of cars. Pretty awesome.

(Pic thanks to Shadow215)


New Dashcam and 3D printed cover
I got a new BlackVue DR500G-HD. It was expensive but worth the cost if someone hit me. I also got the parking addon for it (Magic Pro) and hooked into the fuse box. The cover didn't fit anymore so I printed my own. (I also made a 3D Printing journal for anything I come up with)



Nameless Frontpipe/Overpipe combo and Grimmspeed license plate relocation kit
Just installed this today. I already have their axleback and this was the next step. Right off the bat, the car felt much peppier and my butt dyno said it was faster than before. I ordered the Nameless frontpipe with overpipe and the helmholtz resonator because I plan to get their headers when they release it. They had said it was going to be loud so they recommended the helmholtz. Sound wise, compared to just the axleback it didn't change too much (as expected). It actually sounded 'fuller', like more sound from the throat (which makes sense). Also, the deeper tones that I had before are now even more pronounced. Pretty awesome.

The relocation kit was a breeze to install. The instructions were pretty straightforward. I think it gives me +5 horsepower But anyways, it looks great.

A tip if you're going to install the frontpipe/overpipe yourself: You have to lift the engine a little bit, there's no way around it. It sounds daunting but it was pretty easy to do. Take a bolt off the engine mount and lift with the oil pan (make sure to get a block of wood or something). I lifted it maybe 2 inches (The wiring from the fuse box to the alternator(?) got caught so I didn't lift it anymore). That was just enough for me to get the pipe in.

[Books]

12. First Autocross

I decided to try out the SCCA Starting Line class and had a blast! I have video, but I just need to find the time to edit and upload it. If you haven't tracked your car yet, I highly recommend it. Not sure where to start... there's just too much. But anyways, being able to drive the car in it's natural habitat was such an awesome experience.

[Books]

13. Fall Mods

Whoops, haven't updated in a while! Got a few mods over summer/Fall to share.

Kartboy Lightweight Crank Pulley
The crank pulley was a phenomenal upgrade! I don't expect any hp+ and neither should anyone else. My revs go up insanely fast (in neutral) and also drop like a rock. Rev matching is so easy and has made my driving experience so much more enjoyable. There is a whine around 3-4k rpm that sounds like a faint supercharger which makes it even cooler. All in all, a great improvement and cheap mod.

The install was very simple. Just read the DIY warnings and you should be fine. I did need to buy a new socket since I didn't have the right size. One tip I found out was that you should have a friend stomp on the brake while you try to break the crank pulley bolt. Even in 6th gear it was way too spongey. The stock crank pulley is very heavy!



Kartboy Short Shifter
Much like the Crank Pulley, this was another 'experience' mod. Sure, my shifts are faster but it's only 30% shorter at the end of the day. The shifts feel insanely short... possibly too short at first. It took me about a week to get used to the shift and afterwards I shifted like normal... but shorter. Gearbox feels notchier and takes some extra effort to get into gear. Going into neutral is still sometimes a challenge for me since you can easily go into another gear. Overall, a very good mod and enhances the driving experience. I have to say this wasn't really on top of my list... but I had an itch and i'm quite satisfied.

The install was pretty straightforward. I followed the DIY here and only got held up once. The little cubby hole next to the USB port was angled weirdly and was a pain to get out. The DIY mentioned it was a pain with the rubber cover on the shifter joint but I actually had no trouble getting it off and on correctly.



Valenti Smoked Tail Lights
I've been eyeing Valentis for a long time and also the Toms, but decided to bite the bullet and get some smoked Valentis. Pictures don't do them justice... they are just unbelievable in person, especially at night. The signal LEDs are both a little weird and very cool.

Install was very easy and painless. Pull two plastic rivets out of carpet lining, unplug the lights, and then unscrew the four bolts. I didn't have the right size bolt so I tightened it with an adjustable wrench. So far, no condensation.

[cdo221]

Those valenti tails look good

[Redlinedfrs86]

nice car man...but chrome rims

[shaunsweeney]

Nice

[Books]

14. Spring Mods - Springs and shocks!

It's spring time! A whole bunch of mods now that the weather's warm.

In no particular order:

1. RCE Tarmacs, Koni Shocks, SPC Rear LCA, SPC Front Camber bolts

Finally time to do some suspension goodies! Decided to skip the coils and save money with a good spring/shock combo. After lots and lots of research and comparing what I really wanted, I ended up getting some RCE tarmacs because of the stiffer spring rates than other springs. And Konis because Bilsteins weren't out yet when I bought them (Not that they were bad, I would have preferred to get a comparison) I also got some sacrificial front struts off the forums and the nice DIY really helped.

The install wasn't too bad. It took longer since I stripped both of my endlinks (All 4!) As always, take your time (especially with the pipe cutter) and you'll get nice clean cuts. The combo feels very nice!

The combo feels very good! Body roll has been greatly reduced and ride has been a bit bumpier (of course). I already had front and rear sways, but they didn't really do too much (as far as I could tell). This combo is very DD-able and not too harsh as long as you don't set the Koni's to full stiff.

After an alignment, I got -1.6 front and -1.5 rear.

The whole party!


Inserts done!
\

Rears assembled


Installed


2. Front Endlinks

So... I stripped the OEM front endlinks (dam New England weather!). But it means new car parts! I ended up getting some from Perrin.

(Taken from a potato)


3. Sub!
I needed some extra bass and this definitely hit the spot! Saw this DIY here on the forums and decided it was the best choice for me. I got a 12inch Sub and amp combo from Amazon. I mounted the amp in ceiling of the roof and the sub is strapped in quite nicely. Very easy to take out for autocross.

Winter modding...


Can't see it unless you look underneath


4. Grimmspeed Tower Bar
This was actually a mod from August. I don't think I ever posted it here, but here it is. The install was way too easy. Just make sure you torque the bolts correctly (very carefully). I've been reading a lot about how they do nothing (for other cars, in general), but I had the itch and there was a group buy.

I was actually very surprised at how much it changed... or rather how much our front bends. Not sure how to explain it... but I could tell that the front felt much more solid. It was a very good surprise!

Purdy!

[Books]

Haven't updated in a year... so here's some picture updates:

Friend needed a jump haha


Autocross


This winter was pretty brutal


New 4th brake light!


Fresh wax, only to be covered in a few hours later