Mazdax3

If you're so enthused about snow, i'll call you to plow my driveway with your 8 Kytten.

Those rims sort of look like my Enkei rims I just put on for the winter. Looks better on a red 8.

chiefmg

iTrader: (1)

Found out last night our furnace has died. Not completely unexpected as it is the original unit (around 17 years old). Still sucks though. We decided to bite the bullet and get the high-end unit, they might be installing it today. Thankfully with the insulation this house has, it only got down to 59 degrees inside last night.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

Most TireDiscounters will align to your specs if you provide them. TD Performance and Performance Alignment are the only two in the area that will come up with specs for you based on needs.

Normally it wouldn't be a big deal, but since you have rubbing woes, this is great advice. Also, Always get the car aligned with you in the drivers seat. You'll get the best performance with your static settings set with you in the car.

What a time for it to go out. I guess it's better than when it's 10 outside. 59 isn't too bad considering how cold and windy it was yesterday.



Picked up the bumper from BB8 yesterday. Thanks again dude. It's pretty rough, but i'll work on it over the winter and see where it stands. Whether it goes on the car by spring is yet to be seen. It will most likely come down to having extra cash to blow painting it, and how it turns out. I need to see it on the car before i decide if I like it, but it does look better in person (even off the car) than it does in pictures.

Mazdax3

Somehow that car at Danville Motors look like a lot of it was put back to stock. Not a lot of miles on it though.

Re: Enkei's on the 8 - I'm getting used to it. The tires are 245/40's so it's a bit wider tire but they're Bridgestone 960 All Seasons. Boy they flat spot easily. How about I trade you straight up for your rims BrillantBlack if you like them so much.

I think I'll get new rims/tires next Spring if all goes well and keep the stockers for Winter. When I get the rims/tires, go all out and get the D-Specs. Just looking at the fender gap on the stock ride height looks pretty bad, and not in a good way. Probably rim/tire/D-Specs for about 2 grand or so.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

Make sure you check the FS section here, evolutionm.net (evo forums) and nasioc.com (subarus) for used wheels and tires. The evo guys especially are wheel ****** and good wheels can be had at good prices. They're typical sizes are tend to be more agressive than our stuck, but not so bad that you'd need a lot of work. Most common sizes are around 18x9 +35 over there. or buy rzoope's set. Hell of a deal. Wish i didn't need that money for my trip in december, or i would have bought them already.

Mazdax3

I'll probably get new wheels/tires. Tire Rack could do all the tire mounting and balancing and put in new TPS so I can keep the OE rims with the TPS intact. At that point I'll probably sell the Enkeis/Bridgestones I have on their now.

Of course this all depends on what Mama says is important. I may have to counter with a Nordstrom's gift card for her.

Mazdax3

Got some good points. Downside buying used tires is although they could be perfectly OK, I get a little nervous with unknown people and buying from them. Tire failure isn't something I want to go through again. If the price was right, then it's the risk/reward decision to make. I've been looking at a lot of tires/wheels people are selling off on the forum and some look pretty good. Kytten bought some nice wheels/tires for winter.

I'd probably not go the eBay route. I got burned a couple times on crap I bought there.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

Buying used tires can be dicey so I understand. Used wheels on the other hand are pretty safe. Just ask for a lot of pictures so you can see if there are any major bends, rash, or cracks. Wheels can loose more than 50% of their value once they're mounted. Buying used lets you get 2k worth of wheels for 1k or less sometimes. The problem with tire rack is they pretty much only recommend within +/- 5 of the stock offset and +/- .5 inches in width. If you want something that sits a little more flush you'll have to call and ask them what they have in x size and y offset. Some of our forums vendors get killer deals on wheels for us, so check with them as well. Any tire shop can mount new sensors with the tires, so don't let that be the deciding factor. Actually they might even be cheaper than tirerack.

Just some food for thought.

chiefmg

iTrader: (1)

We have heat! So far new furnace is great, can't even hear it running. We got a humidifier too so that should help us set the temp lower than before.

fuztupnz

iTrader: (4)

Woohoo

The humidifier is nice not only for lower temps, but cuts down on static and dry skin.

byako

iTrader: (1)

My apologies for not posting any pics up of the Hoosier R6's up yet.
I am busy with school and am rarely home with free time >.>
Hopefully I will have time to post pics this week thanks to Thanksgiving.
They are barely a year old (someone had asked, I am just too lazy to go back to quote them)
I want them gone here soon since they take up a large amount of space lol
I also have a replica MS fBumper if anyone is interested, I'll take pics of that too. Fitment didn't seem too bad but I just gave up and decided to save up for an authentic or something of more higher quality.

And just a gauging interest:


This is something a friend of mine have been working on since the summer, and may be something we'd like to offer to people that are local since we're more or so doing this fun/allows us to trouble shoot if it fails.
I know Lebren offers something similar but we wanted a bit more LED's in a row and decided to make our own.
At the moment though, our prototype is one that needs the Rotary accent to install since a plastic cover is glued/siliconed onto the back side of the accent.
If there is a recommendation for us, please give us some feed back. (i.e. red cover, make it available for non rotary accent users, make it work with other than a rear fog light etc.)

Thank you!

byako

iTrader: (1)

Unfortunately, prices are yet to be determined.
As mentioned above, this is a really rough prototype and we are not dead set on producing it. Hopefully a price range competitive to others that are offered.
We aren't trying to rip anybody off so we want to make sure that the prototypes we produce hold up to different conditions like car washes, cold weather, salt from roads (for those of you who DD their 8's) as well as look professional as we can get it to look. This unit is being hand soldered, plastic plates being cut, sanded, filed by hand. Which is another reason why we are hesitating to release to the public at this moment.
People tend to hesitate over home made things compared to things that are manufactured in a plant, even if it is a knock off.
We may have a testing period where we take 2-3 people for a cheaper price to come to my location to see quality, install method, and be a tester and give us feedback.
Once we have a better idea of whether or not to produce it I will announce it.
I'm looking for opinions/ideas at the moment because if we choose to produce these, we want it to be something people would like to have on their 8's.

Atredeus

Don't have a rotary accent

Mazdax3

Us poor S2's are left wanting again. I guess I'll have to head to West Coast Customs to get that goofy grin off mine.

Anyone going to Fuel Saturday? A couple friends are coming down for it. I'll probably get there around 10 or when the temp gets about 32.

Chief, what kind of furnace did you get? We got a new 95% eff. one last year. Wish I would have gotten the variable fan one, but the cost went way up for that feature and new thermostat.

Mazdax3

R3 wheels would look good on it. I might have to park next to Atredeus at Fuel and do a quick pitstop.

BB, that guy also posted a Youtube video with his RB exhaust and a mid pipe. Sounds pretty good.

chiefmg

iTrader: (1)

I'll probably show up to Fuel. I need to change over my valve covers on the Miata, if I don't get to it then I'll drive the wife's 8. I have to look at the Speed as well, I think I have a boost leak somewhere that just showed up tonight.

We bought the Lennox 98% all singing/dancing unit (four speed fan, 64 levels of heat) and added the humidifier. We had just gotten a new thermostat 2 1/2 years ago with our new A/C unit but the one with the furnace allows us to control the humidifier (it even has an outside thermometer). We were planning on financing but that didn't work out, thought about going down a step to reduce costs but since we are planning on being here a while I decided to go ahead and bite the bullet. We do get a rebate and some tax breaks for the high efficiency. Still a pretty big hit right before the holidays, and I'm another month and a half home.

Rotary-Kytten

Glad you got heat again Chief - I have yet to turn mine on this year and the last few nights I huddle with my hoodie up, lol. I am cheap and the $ can go for parts!

Byako- I love the LEDs and the amount of them on your setup. Being a DD in all conditions and equiped with the accent I am certainly interested in getting in on the buy when/if you guys decide to sell them. I have had one of those rotor acccent light kits on my xmas list since last year but Santa was an *** last year and this year he brought me the $ for my new Oz Racing rims with Blizzaks so I will have to buy the light myself...from the $ I save by not heating my house

Cold weather = good Fuel weather

Rotary-Kytten

Good Lord somebody buy this car so I can stop feeling sorry for it. I drive by this place daily and almost cry each time I see it. I have promised it that somebody will rescue it soon and take the terrible graphics off and give it a good home, won't somebody please love it? Seriously if I could get a car loan I would buy it just to end it's suffering I would describe this thing as a "hot mess".

http://www.cincyimports.com/vehicle-...oor+coupe.html

Bradleybourbon

lol...

byako

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the feedback/interest in the rear fog lights guys! Will definitely let you know if we decide to make these available to purchase.

From what I've seen/read on the Japanese forums, Minkara, The S2 tails DO fit our bumpers but it's not really plug and play. Iirc, the wiring is a bit different and the bumper needs to be filled/shaved where it meets the tail lights because a gap occurs.

Atredeus

I might have to crack some skulls if my wheels come up missing

That looks pretty sick, and I agree with painting the mazda badge too. Are you going to smoke your brake light like this guy did?

Looks like that rotary accent would really fit well with those S2 lights, right Byako? :D

byako

iTrader: (1)

Haha, if only we could mock one up for the S2 fellas lol
But looking at my dad's R3, I just don't see anywhere to put it
I know you have to buy a separate Rbumper piece to fit the factory one...

Atredeus

Worth a try, but I'm pretty satisfied with my tires. If I was close to changing tires, I might consider it, but as it stands the previous owner replaced the tires shortly before the sale, so I'm just gonna stick with these.

And in that picture the 3rd light is smoked out to blend in with the lip. I think it looks pretty sweet, and really helps the lip blend in. I agree on not smoking out the tails, though.

tacti

iTrader: (3)

I'm so slow on reading/posting... recently i get to the forum only every few days.. and i'm like a page behind...

anyways thanks for the advice. I'm planning on custom alignment for my 8 and just a factory spec for my wife's highlander.

I was going to do the 8's alignment in spring since i probably won't be driving my 8 much in winter, but thought if there's any discounts going on...

as for my wife's, it recently start having wobbling in steering wheel, so i'm suspecting either wheel balancing or alignment. anyways, the tire plus coupon would be great at least for the highlander.

> BBRX8
as for the painting emblem, it's pretty simple.
1. remove the emblem (use hair dryer, fishing line, and patience)
2. remove all adhesives from the emblem and the body
3. stick double sided tape and cut it to fit the shape of the emblem.
4. paint. - 2 layers of base, then 3 layers of black paint, and finally 2 layers of clear coat

if you want, I still have the paint left from my emblem, and have no use for it, I think it should be enough for yours. you are more than welcome to take it.

tacti

iTrader: (3)

they are all taped AND studded except for the rx-8 (which is only taped).

i broke one of the stud, in front, but well, it's not really a big deal.
it will be helpful when you align the emblem, but the tape is what holding the emblem on.
to be honest, I still don't really know what would be the best way to take the emblem off without breaking the stud.

oh, and I forgot to put the wet sanding in before painting. I used pretty rough sanding brock to scuff off the chrome, and then wet sanded with 1000 grid, and 2000grid to smooth off the surface.
also between each coat, I used 2000 grid to wet sand.

took me 3-4 days because of the drying time, but actual working time is not much.

I'd say it's pretty easy and simple job.