Is Toronto suitable for the Lowered Life?

[Mr.Impreza]

I personally wouldn't lower it. This is coming from a experienced owner with coils on a Subaru driving in the GTA which made my experience miserable.

I think our cars are low enough anyways. I don't see the need to lower the car more unless you track it.

[ThornhillSubaruOwner]

Half the time, by the time I see a pothole approaching, it's already too late to swerve around it. Maybe this is because besides the BRZ I got a few months ago, I grew up driving a huge family SUV, rang over those potholes like a boss.

The car is low enough tbh.

The roads are a piece of shit in Toronto, it's much better in Markham.

[daiheadjai]

Our stock ground clearance is actually quite good - that being said, my main reason for lowering it, is really for the looks (I don't track it enough to get any major handling improvement).

But I am living midtown, and expecting to drive downtown regularly - so that might put the kibosh on any "lowered expectations."

@wparsons, I believe you frequent the area I live in too (you picked up my K&N filter way back when) - probably easier to leave it be?

[SLVRSRFR]

I agree that these cars are low enough in terms of the body itself. Parking at work beside a co-worker with a slammed Civic Si sedan, and the bottom of my front bumper is at the same height as his, and I'm still on stock suspension.

The problem I want to eliminate is wheel-gap. Even though the chassis is low, there is an unbearably large gap between the fender and the tire, which I hate, and which I think ruins the look of the car.

This is my main motivator. I'm used to driving low cars as my last 3 vehicles have been slammed. Our roads are bad but we don't live in Botswana.

[drewbot]

The problem with downtown is:

A) The road construction is constant, and the pot holes pop up everywhere
B) The space to get out of the way during traffic is non-existent, unless you want to side swipe that cyclist or taxi
C) Parking lots and garages have sometimes really weird elevation changes, which run the risk of you scraping unless you go diagonal.

With that said, I try to avoid driving downtown. But I end up OK the times that I do...

[Dawan]

Originally Posted by Kazuya

If you live in mid Toronto or nEar downtown, no.

I live between York university and travel to sauga/markham/richmond hill, pot hole here and there but I remember where they are and dodges them, I'm prob an two inches away from touching the pavement, there's some gas stations and ramps I can't go through, my skirt and front lip touches some speed bumps. As long as you don't have a lip or extension of skirts of some sort, you should be okay driving super slammed. I'm at about an 2.5-3 inch drop.

If you are in Scarborough/South Markham a lot, it still pretty bad. For example, Kennedy is crap south of Hwy 7/14th.

[hmong337]

My mr2 is lowered a bit over 2 inches and I get around fine in the kitchener/waterloo region. Roads are comparably rough out here to T.O.

If you're 2" or more dropped with groundfx, you will bust your shit up if you're not careful

[Cole]

Out of curiosity, why do people suggest lips to "protect" the bumper. Effectively lowering the car more so that you're more likely to scrape on shit? Makes tons of sense. Plus, depending on how it's attached, when/if it does get ripped off, wouldn't it just end up doing more damage?

[krayzie]

Originally Posted by Dawan

If you are in Scarborough/South Markham a lot, it still pretty bad. For example, Kennedy is crap south of Hwy 7/14th.

It's mainly Kennedy southbound between 14th and Denison. I can't believe the same deep potholes have been there for like almost a decade especially on the left lane.

But nowhere wears out your rear diff and shocks like North York does with those pothole infested slow hilly traffic.

I think the foglights give slightly better contrast in visibility and could buy you another fraction of a second at night to dodge them.

The stock wheel gap doesn't look too bad on the twins, it's mostly a problem with modern chubby car designs with high belt lines. Besides it makes those lowered DC5 owners jealous since you are still sitting lower than them with a fist wheel gap lol!

[Dawan]

Originally Posted by Cole

Out of curiosity, why do people suggest lips to "protect" the bumper. Effectively lowering the car more so that you're more likely to scrape on shit? Makes tons of sense. Plus, depending on how it's attached, when/if it does get ripped off, wouldn't it just end up doing more damage?

Because its usually cheaper to replace lip than to fix/replace bumper. Its kinda like sacrificial protection.

[Cole]

Originally Posted by Dawan

Because its usually cheaper to replace lip than to fix/replace bumper. Its kinda like sacrificial protection.

So increasing the likelihood of scraping provides more protection? Got it.

[daiheadjai]

My big concern with that would be, if something rips off the lip, the lip probably won't be leaving alone.... I'm assuming it's anchored to the lip with screws or something similar.
Although, correct me if I'm wrong, aren't there certain lip materials which either give and break away, or simply shatter on impact to protect the rest of the bumper?

[krayzie]

The factory lip is held on with plastic clips I guess to minimize the chance of taking the front bumper with it in the event of damage.

They also sell a rubber guard to protect the lip and held on with plastic studs, but I find it'll just scrape everywhere and the edge of the guard will start to shred off so better to run without it lol!

[Dawan]

Originally Posted by Cole

So increasing the likelihood of scraping provides more protection? Got it.

Ya it protects the bumper. Do you speak english or you just incapable of understanding written english?