Don't let money change ya

_HighVoltage_ said:
For everyday driving, the plug might hold up fine, but since you want your car to reach "Star Spec" and actually race with it, I suggest you take it somewhere to get it properly patched...or don't drive aggressively until you get new tires.

(Oh an off topic if you are getting new tires, I know you like your Falkens but I just switched from the Conti DWS to the Barum Bravuris 2. People say that the Conti DWS is the best all-rounded. I can't tell a damn difference now with the Barum. I drove it in the mountains, I drove in heavy rain - it is just as good as the much more expensive DWS)
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a) Even if the plug does not "hold up fine", all that's going to happen is the tire will start losing air, which isn't a big deal.
b) Star Specs are a tire made by Dunlop, rather than a level of performance, which is what it seems you thought.
c) Did you really just recommend that I replace an all-out summer performance tire that I race on with a cheap all-season??
d) I'm really not sure why people worry about wet performance. Azenis are known to be worse in the rain than other performance tires, never mind all-seasons, and mine gripped pretty well most of the time I've had them. Now that they are seriously worn they are still perfectly safe, provided you are not being a moron; they are just easier to have fun on, that's all.
 
Ok, sorry about that. I didn't know that the Star Spec is a tire. However, I still maintain that is unsafe to drive on a plugged tire that is in addition balding.
 
A good plug is done from the back side and holds a far better seal.

When I worked at Firestone our documentation for repair was to use a patch with a backing material. It's supposedly better and keeping the structural integrity of the tire where the cheap quick plugs just fill the hole, allowing the tire to fail.

I haven't had an issue with my plugs, but I don't put them in the tires I use on for track duty or hard driving.
 
Done and done. Fuel filter was kind of a pain and in the process we lost quite a bit of gas even though we depressurized the system. Air filter was a joke, obviously. Plugs and wires were pretty easy and the car is not slightly more responsive, although it does have a slight hesitation right off idle.

Engine mounts took the longest but the result is quite dramatic: shifts are noticeable smoother and easier now. WOT to redline in 1st, going into 2nd, has always been particularly difficult. I had to be very smooth, not too fast, and careful with it to be smooth. Now it just snicks right in and I'm off :D Driving just became that much more fun! I highly recommend new mounts to anyone with an aging sports car.

Also rotated my tires and witnessed yet again just how bad of a shape they are in. Still way grippier than almost any other car on the road but far, far from performance-when-new.

Overall a great day of wrenching! Huge thanks to my buddy Anthony who honestly ended up doing the most work.
 
My roof is tearing :( I'm also still on my Azenis so the car is hilariously easy to slide around, especially when it's below 40 degrees outside. Snow tires are going on later this week but I'm hoping to give the good ol' Falkens a proper funeral beforehand :evil:

Anyways, have a random photo of my car, taken by LCG:
58998_10101015164529032_327539573_n.jpg
 
I put a cheap flea-bay top on my car... it tore after about a year and a half in a weird spot. Luckily it's not much of an issue... the back window being hard to see out of is a bigger problem

I also put the top up and down quite a bit... every time I park it.
 
Winter tires are back on the car :( The car is loud now and wanders all over the road at high speeds. Turning and even accelerating now feel like I'm driving on stuffed animals. That said though, I gave the old tires a proper smoky farewell :D My god bad tires can be fun! Maybe I should just get crappy all-seasons in the spring :hmm:





Random shot hanging out with BlaRo and LCG:
 
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LeVeL said:
Turning and even accelerating now feel like I'm driving on stuffed animals.
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Don't tell Coco how you know how that feels.

LeVeL said:
That said though, I gave the old tires a proper smoky farewell :D My god bad tires can be fun! Maybe I should just get crappy all-seasons in the spring :hmm:
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Man that would be tempting. Just get a set of stock wheels and tires from a Corolla or other econobox.
 
Yeah, bad tires are epic fun sometimes. I swapped my AD08 Advans for winter tires from stone age when I drove the car to winter hibernation, but I had to visit couple of nice corners and roundabouts. The Miata was powersliding everywhere on tarmac, you could even get the rear end loose before the apex only by using power, without any of the normal weight transfer sorcery.

But I'm sure the performance summer tires will feel incredible in the spring. Best of the both sides? :)
 
Gave my 6'6" (197cm) classmate a ride a couple of weeks ago. He a) never once complained about being cramped or uncomfortable, and b) mentioned that he appreciates the fact that I drive quickly.

Gave him a ride again last night and before I even left the parking garage he said "ahh I've missed your driving! The only thing that can make this better is if you drift." Well, I just had to oblige :D
 
sounds like a bromanship, or gay....
 
Good news: summer tires are back on! It's silly how much more grip the car has now compared to the snow tires. Back is the feeling that I'm driving a go-kart that will take any corner at any speed. The car also brakes noticeably harder now but it also wanders more at highway speeds.

Bad news: my soft top is on its last legs. My previous fixes have come undone in this afternoon's thunderstorm, a fact that I realized only when I checked my blind spot and noticed water dripping down from the roll bar. New top is likely to run me $500 but I have to make sure it will clear the roll bar first. Sigh.

Anyways, autocross season is pretty much here!
 
Commence operation Ghetto Roof Fix. Can you guess what it is?

Since you probably can't, I'll just go ahead and tell you: I'm fixing my roof. Using Gorilla tape and flexible vinyl glue. So far I slapped a piece of tape on the inside and put down some glue from the outside. When the glue dries (tomorrow morning), I'll put tape over it (on the outside) too. My only real concern is that the rips are right where the roof folds when I put it down.

Other maintenance items that have been purchased and will be done over the next few weeks: brake pads, headlight bulbs and connectors, lens polishing kit, DOT 4 brake/clutch fluid, engine oil, and high-temp coolant.
 
LeVeL said:
Commence operation Ghetto Roof Fix. Can you guess what it is?

Since you probably can't, I'll just go ahead and tell you: I'm fixing my roof. Using Gorilla tape and flexible vinyl glue. So far I slapped a piece of tape on the inside and put down some glue from the outside. When the glue dries (tomorrow morning), I'll put tape over it (on the outside) too. My only real concern is that the rips are right where the roof folds when I put it down.

Other maintenance items that have been purchased and will be done over the next few weeks: brake pads, headlight bulbs and connectors, lens polishing kit, DOT 4 brake/clutch fluid, engine oil, and high-temp coolant.
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My cheap ebay top did that as well. I think it could be getting pinched. You know a new top is only about 130$ onebay if you get a vinyl roof. BTW, on the lens polishing, just using some rubbing compound if you already have some. always works for me.
 
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