DanRoM
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There was a somewhat sketchy road...
Ownership Verified: Miami Weiß - My 1989 Chevrolet Corvette C4
- Thread starter Mitchi
- Start date
narf
Sgt. Maj. Buzzkill
...but then only complete idiots would drive all the way through there...
DAMN RIGHT
Thank you for sharing this. Very interesting insight. I love these old motorweek insights, they did truly test their cars inside and out.
Some of my thoughts:
It's interesting that they say the body does have not the rigidity they expect and does make some noise - you can actually feel it a lot with the top down. Aftermarket solutions are available and I'd love to do that one day.
They also complain about the gearbox and differentail noises - the car comes with the so-called and german-made "black tag" ZF6, which is actually super loud. Later years got an american-made "blue tag" ZF6. It's also interesting to see that the shift mechanism looks as clunky and tough to handle as mine now does at 132.000 miles - so it was like this from factory. I still can't wait how a gearbox flush will make the shifts feel.
In terms of gearing, they state that the car should only use gears one to four for sporty driving, and while I have not taken the car to its true top speed yet, I had the car over 200 kph once and I definitely needed the fifth gear, if not the sixth later on. So maybe the have a taller gear ratio than I have (sounds the same in the acceleration test though), or just couldn't really test the true top speed of the car. Sixth gear is a partial overdrive, fifth definitely isn't.
One thing this test car comes with are the sport seats - oh how I'd love to have them, as they make you sit a little more snug and lower aswell. But considering I am not the biggest (and tallest, 175 cm) guy and I already struggle to sit in the standard seats that I have, I wonder how tight these sport seats really are. Anyway, they are a thing I'd like to upgrade one day, preferably in the (very rare) cloth version.
I like how they praise the adjustable suspension, called the FX3 option code. There's quite a big difference in terms of body roll between touring and sport, and it's actually super comfortable in the softest setting, which is what I always use. That does make the car sway around a lot (like the boat it is), but also, as I stated, very, very comfortable indeed. And you'll hear the least amount of creaking from the interior, so that's a bonus.
It's interesting to see how the car does wiggle up and down on the straight of the circuit they are on - I wonder in which setting the suspension was. Then again, it does that even in the hardest setting. Also, look at how that car handles, it does behave really well! I wonder if mine is as loud as theirs is from the outside. To me it feels like the car is much louder on the inside than the outside, and theirs does sound super growly on the outside aswell. I have to do some drive-by shots one day!
I like how they praise the brakes - the only mention the Z51 handling package, but I suspect their car got the upgraded brake package, that I do own, aswell. And apparently they had no troubles in running the car on a track for four days straight? Interesting - most people would argue that the C4 came with brakes which are not strong enough. Then again, that's most likely true for cars on the smaller brakes and with 16 inch instead of 17 inch wheels. Personally, I think the brakes are quite good - not too good, but also not really bad. I never really did consistent super hard brake tests with the car, so I can't really tell any more about this other than some emergency brake tests that I've done.
Anyway, this is all from the top of my head now, I might add some more insights towards that testing video and from my own experience about spordy driving later on.
I wanted to do a longer update for my car, a little bit has happened since Ringmeet... that will come soon, I promise.
Had a guy contacting me because I am looking for such a set via Ebay Kleinanzeigen. Feel like an idiot for not taking these in your link ... a guy contacted me, wanting around 4300 before taxes for a set of them, but essentially build out of fake ones. Yeah, no. And that comes from someone who apparently does this for over 20 years and does 3000 sets a year, yet apparently he's never come across a set of 178's and almost denies their existance.
Well, one day I will have more luck.
Had a guy contacting me because I am looking for such a set via Ebay Kleinanzeigen. Feel like an idiot for not taking these in your link ... a guy contacted me, wanting around 4300 before taxes for a set of them, but essentially build out of fake ones. Yeah, no. And that comes from someone who apparently does this for over 20 years and does 3000 sets a year, yet apparently he's never come across a set of 178's and almost denies their existance.
Well, one day I will have more luck.
Don't worry about it. You'll find them but might have to consider getting them from across the pond just like other Corvette parts. I doubt that many sets were sold in europe in the first place.
A quick search shows at the moment a full set in Toronto and a pair in Virginia.
ebay.com: PAIR ONLY BBS RS178 17x9.5 Classic Mesh Wheels Corvette Oem 990 USD
kijiji.ca: BBS RS 178 2500 CAD
I'd also check the inventories of C4 specialists that part out cars.
A quick search shows at the moment a full set in Toronto and a pair in Virginia.
ebay.com: PAIR ONLY BBS RS178 17x9.5 Classic Mesh Wheels Corvette Oem 990 USD
kijiji.ca: BBS RS 178 2500 CAD
I'd also check the inventories of C4 specialists that part out cars.
Thanks for the heads-up. I am actually not worried about buying them overseas.
FinalGear does make such things super simple.
2500 CAD is actually quite a good price. Shipping will be rape, but who cares.
FinalGear does make such things super simple.
2500 CAD is actually quite a good price. Shipping will be rape, but who cares.
I bet @RdKetchup can find room in his luggage...
WDWBen
Subaru Killer
USPS Flat Rate boxes!
- Joined
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International that's probably more like Flat Rape prices..
Depends on if it's shipped as a "Gift" and what value you put on the item. It doesn't matter because weather it's UPS, or USPS, the level of "we care about your item" is somewhere in the Mariana Trench with my fucks. When I send things over for other FG people it's generally really cheap unless you use a box with a certain company name that has "Spare parts" written in German, English, and Russian on it. German post goes "oh fuck you, that's not a gift no matter how you slice it" and charge import taxes.
- Joined
- Feb 17, 2007
- Messages
- 6,210
- Car(s)
- E39 M5, '94 Cadillac Fleetwood, '21 Focus Wagon
Yeah but we're talking about wheels here, right? Shipping wheels isn't even cheap within the country usually
And I hate this so much - I know people having ordered stuff worth four digits from overseas, the delivery guys just bring it right to their door, no matter if it says "HALT! ZOLL!" on the package; essentially delivering the items illegaly without having import duties paid. But it seems in my city they are suuuper anal about those kinda things, and they don't even open the packages themselves, no, you have to go there and do it while one of those guys watches you, and then decides on what it's worth and how much he charges you.
Remember that pedal extension you once send me, Chris? A piece of aluminum worth cents, yet I still had to pay import duties for them. I know that wheels are gonna rape me, but considering what kind of shady people have already contacted me via ebay Kleinanzeigen, I'd rather get raped by import fees.
That made me so frustrated because I reboxed it in hopes that it won't get damaged in crossing the ocean. I will remember for next time.
Just had a look, both of them are still available and have recently been re-listed. Huh. If I didn't have other (non-car-related) plans right now, I'd send the canadian guy a message.
