Mikasa Firestorm Story

[mikool]

**Latest Sound Clip Update 22/10/2015** https://www.facebook.com/miko.puesta...3722080632360/


Introduction
Backstory
Mod list
Future mod list
Pictures

Introduction:

The one thing I have regretted is to not to take enough pictures and document the events of my life. So with this I would like to one day look back and reminisce on this journey I went through with my "first car" Mikasa, the 2014 FR-S Firestorm.

Backstory:

Before I got the FR-S, I was currently driving a 1999 Mazda 626 which I was fortunate enough to have handed down to me from my dad back in 2008 when I got my license. The reason I consider the FR-S my first car is that it is the first car I have bought under my name. It was November 2014 when I went shopping around for a car to use as my work car. I was a field tech for the company Moneris (which I still work with under a different job title) which required a 101km commute to the office from home and then 5-10 service calls within the GTA (Greater Toronto Area) and back home again. My very first intention when looking for a car was that it HAD to be good on gas, which swayed me into looking for a hybrid. Found interest in a used Lexus hybrid that the Toyota/Scion dealership had on the lot so I drove over and took a look. The first thing I noticed pulling into the lot was a red sports car that stood out amongst all the cars. I asked them what it was and they said it was the 2014 showroom FR-S they had just taken out to make room for the 2015 showroom model. At first I figured, there's no way I could even afford that so not even going to bother. Looked into the hybrid and liked it a lot, even after test driving it. I went home to sort out things with my parents because they have connections with that specific dealership because they recently upgraded their cars, my mom with the Toyota Sienna and my dad with the Lexus ES350. Went in the next weekend to pull the trigger, and I caught glimpse of the FR-S once again pulling into the lot. Our friend that worked there saw me eyeing it while we talked about the hybrid, and he said "you want to take it out for a spin?" Needless to say, I rolled out that day with an FR-S and not a Lexus hybrid which I don't even remember the name. After a couple months and 15k km later, I got promoted to a "desk" job out in Calgary, Alberta. The reason for me even being put up for this position is that I had previously mentioned to my boss that I have some family there and it was be cool to experience the different scenery and be out there by myself for a while. Then this opportunity came along and I graciously accepted it, drove out with my cousin that was living with me as he was finishing his last semester of college. His parents used to live a couple houses down from me but moved to Calgary for jobs, and he stayed behind to finish school. So my cousin finished school, we partied hard that whole weekend, drove out our own cars Monday at noon dehydrated and exhausted as fuck. We didn't take the US route because his passport had just expired, so we took the little bit longer route and went across Canada. Northern Ontario was all winding side cliffs which was super fun until the sun went down. Crossing into Manitoba, it was all flat roads from there to Calgary. 36 Hours of road driving really made me love my car even more. After extensive drives in stock, I felt it was the right time now with a new job, new city, new life; a "new" car was up next. I wanted to personalize and mod the car to grow even more attachment to it. And so with a couple pay cheques later, a new chapter began.

Current Mod List (all DIY)

CAI: aFe Power Takeda Momentum Pro Dry S Stage 2
Header: Gruppe-S UEL
Cat-back: GReddy Evo GT
Tune: OFT Stage 2
Snorkel delete
Sound tube delete
Painted red engine bay covers
Painted red calipers
Muteki lug nuts
BeatSonic sharkfin atenna
"NOS tank" Subwoofer
4 Star Dragonball shift knob
"6IX" vanity plate
OEM style rear diffuser
OEM style spoiler



Future Mod List (somewhat priority listed)

Side mirrors (right side has damage from a rock)
Headlights/taillights
Lightweight pulley set
Strut Tower Bar
Front/back Sway bar
Wheels/tires
Springs/coilovers
Turbo/Supercharger
Body mods (not necessarily kits)


Pictures

[mikool]

[mikool]

Latest addition to my mod list : OEM style rear diffuser installed.
Pic is the last one in comment #2.

[mikool]

Just got my OEM style spoiler and Gruppe-S header today.
Will install and take pics tomorrow, and will give a brief review on the sound and feel of my setup.

[rake]

Nice Car! is that nos in the trunk??

[yelsew]

Its a subwoofer cleverly disguised as a nos tank

[mikool]

Originally Posted by rake

Nice Car! is that nos in the trunk??

Originally Posted by yelsew

Its a subwoofer cleverly disguised as a nos tank

Yes it's a subwoofer that looks like a NOS tank lol. I'd like to think it makes my car a little faster

[mikool]

Installed the OEM style spoiler and Gruppe-S UEL header and also flashed OFT stage 2.

Pics will be edited in post #2, Sound clips of GReddy EVO cat-back with Gruppe-S header will be made eventually and edited into one of the first 3 comments.

Brief review will be coming soon.

[mikool]

A little update/review on the Gruppe-S header.
At first start-up after installing, it was VERY loud. After the initial 45-50 second warming it became very subtle. Paired with my EVO GT catback it was a very aggressive cold start that if you were standing behind it or slightly off center to the side it would probably make you want to cover the ear facing it. Now after flashing it to stage 2 and letting the ECU do some learning for a week, it has quieted down a lot. Initial 15 seconds of cold start is still very loud to where I feel I am disturbing my neighbours at 6:30 in the morning, but hardly noticable after warm-up. I also noticed that at lower RPM with highload it certainly sounds like it's moaning to be downshifted. Passed 4k RPM this setup sounds so manly I feel like I'm actually growing a beard, then when I upshift into the lower range it receeds. As far as performance goes, the almighty butt dyno def says there are considerable gains with the stage 2 tune. I would like to say it finally made the back of my head regret not being rested on the headrest when I decide to go WOT.

I will try to get some sound clips, I have no help for this so I still need to figure out where and how to do this with a smartphone.

[Worstenemy453]

What did you have before this cat back. I want to do it with a UEL and straight pipes from there back to it and want it to be pretty loud when I'm in it.

[mikool]

Originally Posted by Worstenemy453

What did you have before this cat back. I want to do it with a UEL and straight pipes from there back to it and want it to be pretty loud when I'm in it.

This was the only aftermarket exhaust I had after stock.

[Worstenemy453]

Trying to get a read on how loud it is exactly lol

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[mikool]

New update, small sound clip added to the very top of the first post.

[jawn]

Originally Posted by mikool

A little update/review on the Gruppe-S header.
At first start-up after installing, it was VERY loud. After the initial 45-50 second warming it became very subtle. Paired with my EVO GT catback it was a very aggressive cold start that if you were standing behind it or slightly off center to the side it would probably make you want to cover the ear facing it. Now after flashing it to stage 2 and letting the ECU do some learning for a week, it has quieted down a lot. Initial 15 seconds of cold start is still very loud to where I feel I am disturbing my neighbours at 6:30 in the morning, but hardly noticable after warm-up. I also noticed that at lower RPM with highload it certainly sounds like it's moaning to be downshifted. Passed 4k RPM this setup sounds so manly I feel like I'm actually growing a beard, then when I upshift into the lower range it receeds. As far as performance goes, the almighty butt dyno def says there are considerable gains with the stage 2 tune. I would like to say it finally made the back of my head regret not being rested on the headrest when I decide to go WOT.

I will try to get some sound clips, I have no help for this so I still need to figure out where and how to do this with a smartphone.

With the OFT, you can dial out the loud cold start, if you don't mind tinkering with a couple of tables in RomRaider.