[Drivesthebeast]

Well, the safety went mostly ok, but it needed new brakes all the way around (there was lots of life left in the ones on it, but the shop said the rules on how they are corroded are more strict), the front driver side wheel bearing, and a couple of other goodies. After that, it passed it's e-test (new computer one too) with flying colours, and I have managed to get the 17's on, and keep air in 3 out of 4 of them all the time, and have to keep adding to the front right one (has a nail right into it between some of the tread blocks, but seems to hold pressure ok for upto a week). The car handles and steers even better with the larger wheels...well, at higher speeds...the added unsprung weight is noticeable when maneuvering at lower speeds. I can corner on highway on-ramps and off-ramps at an almost ludicrous speed with this car, even with only the bone-stock suspension, and the tires don't make a sound.

I am curious to see how this car will be in the winter with the 15's and Toyo Observe G-02's on it. The Falken FK452's that are on the 17's are pretty useless in 1st and 2nd gear in the rain (these cars are known to be a bit of a torque monster compared to smaller-engined fwd cars).

I have done at least 2x oil changes on this car now, both with 5w 30 Mobil 1 full synthetic and now with a K&N oil filter, and been running minimum 91 octane fuel in it, and the engine seems really good, especially since it has almost 175,000 on it now. The engine does consume oil, which I have researched is actually one of the most common attributes to the QR25de. I asked some other spec-v owners here in Kingston, and they said they have to monitor and add oil to there cars too...just the nature of the beast. Which is weird...it's not coming out of the tail pipe (can't see or smell evidence of it, and there aren't drips under the car either).

I have to figure out what is wrong with the driver side fog light (both have new Eurolite bulbs in therm, but the left one still doesn't work), and I broke the factory stereo (the harness clip that goes to the factory free-air woofer got damaged by stuff I put in the back, and I discovered that the HU gets power from the circuit board that is mounted to a plate on the bottom of the speaker), which sucks, because there are some high-quality pioneer 6.5's in the rear deck, and a slew of wiring for aftermarket amps/caps and subs under the back seat and trunk liner (no, it's not connected to the battery, which is new...as is the alternator).

Just a few teething problems, but I don't mind too much, as this car only cost me 2 grand to buy, about 1200 to safety, and it is in better shape, and more fun to drive than just about anything else I could find in that price range that my wife would approve of.

Anyways, l8tz