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Old 11-16-2012, 03:14 PM   #1
FullMoonRainAttack!
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Default Lessons from Daily Driving

What are some lessons you've learned from years of daily driving your car, that you think should be put out there so that other enthusiast can benefit?

Did some parts seem like a good idea, even for the long run, but ended up being a pain or not worth it after a few years?

Was there a different path you would have taken in making modification, perhaps done "this" in stead of "that" first?

Has daily driving a modified (or even stock sports car) shaped your perspective of car ownership and what a good street car should be?


Those are just a few idea I want to know from you guys that have driven a modified Subaru... or any other performance street car as a daily driver over a number of years.

What's it like now that the honeymoon is over, and these parts and cars have gone through the wringer?


I want to start by saying I'm not best fit to contribute a whole lot to this thread. The longest I've owned a car that I've driven just about every day is 2 years. That was a Nissan 240SX.

The biggest thing I learned were, a) feel is more important than any superlative could ever measure and b) when it comes to suspension, stiffer isn't really better.


This thread is different from these:

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...=street+driven

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show...ighlight=daily
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Old 11-16-2012, 07:49 PM   #2
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If you have a budget and can afford to buy 3 mods, buy one and save the rest of the cash for maintenance and incidentals.
Like you said, stiffer isn't always better, for a dd I have to keep comfort as a priority.
It's been good reading on how to maintain the car, saves money. But it really helps to have a friend that knows more about cars than you at least the first few times you're trying something new.
Make friends with your local dealership, if not the service attendant then the parts counter. This has come in handy for me because the nearest specialty Subaru shop is 7x further than my nearest dealer.
Keep records of your car.
Ignore the creaks, a big one for Subarus!
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Old 11-16-2012, 07:52 PM   #3
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the very vast majority of people are STUPID and are mindless, bleeting, sheeple who blunder blindly about aimlessly

and get in my ****ing way when i wanna go somewhere
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Old 11-16-2012, 09:49 PM   #4
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Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty View Post
the very vast majority of people are STUPID and are mindless, bleeting, sheeple who blunder blindly about aimlessly

and get in my ****ing way when i wanna go somewhere
Good God you are a boring man.
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Old 11-16-2012, 10:54 PM   #5
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Originally Posted by Dale2011WRX View Post
Good God you are a boring man.
mEEEEEEEEEEEE

most certainly am NOT...well...when im at work sometimes, i guess...but

an i aint sheeple, either
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Old 11-16-2012, 11:11 PM   #6
HinshawWRX
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Old 11-17-2012, 07:47 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FullMoonRainAttack! View Post
Was there a different path you would have taken in making modification
I wish I never discovered NASIOC and "modding", left my first WRX stock ('05 wagon), enjoyed it for what it was, drove it for 200K miles, and then got something new. Instead I wasted money on modifications and went through 4 different cars. Could have used that money way more constructively.
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Old 11-17-2012, 07:51 AM   #8
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Coilovers are a stupid purchase unless you actually need to change the height of your car for races. A good set of adjustable struts/springs is far better.
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:25 AM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nhmtns View Post
I wish I never discovered NASIOC and "modding", left my first WRX stock ('05 wagon), enjoyed it for what it was, drove it for 200K miles, and then got something new. Instead I wasted money on modifications and went through 4 different cars. Could have used that money way more constructively.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DKDunn04 View Post
Coilovers are a stupid purchase unless you actually need to change the height of your car for races. A good set of adjustable struts/springs is far better.
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:36 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Uncle Scotty

Haha I love your exorbitant use of emoticons. You know how you can develop a mental image of people from their voices alone? I think mine of you involves you making crazy faces all the time .
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:52 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by mrkyle3 View Post
Haha I love your exorbitant use of emoticons. You know how you can develop a mental image of people from their voices alone? I think mine of you involves you making crazy faces all the time .


who....ME
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Old 11-17-2012, 08:36 AM   #12
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I've learned you have to be a defensive driver and always have to be aware of who's passing you, merging, turning, etc. Just yesterday I passed a slower car in the right hand lane and the utility van behind said slow car decides he's going to merge with me in the left hand lane. Needless to say I layed on the horn for 5 seconds, braked hard and the ******* still got in front of me.
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:59 AM   #13
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I learned lots of things but the one that sticks out the most is that most people are fukin morons...literally brain dead idiots who have no concept of anything outside of their own mindless shell of an existence. With that said, I learned to be completely aware of my surroundings. Never know when one of the sheeples will try to occupy the same space at the same time as you

I believe it is far too easy to obtain a license in this country. Some of the idiots I run into on a daily basis truly make me question the direction in which the human race is headed....the doomed direction. It's not just people I run into on the road either.

/rant
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Old 11-19-2012, 04:20 AM   #14
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Originally Posted by Jester808 View Post
I learned lots of things but the one that sticks out the most is that most people are fukin morons...literally brain dead idiots who have no concept of anything outside of their own mindless shell of an existence. With that said, I learned to be completely aware of my surroundings. Never know when one of the sheeples will try to occupy the same space at the same time as you

I believe it is far too easy to obtain a license in this country. Some of the idiots I run into on a daily basis truly make me question the direction in which the human race is headed....the doomed direction. It's not just people I run into on the road either.

/rant
As I was reading this, I was thinking "I didn't post in this thread, did I?"
We sir have a very similar mindset, most people need to wrap their car around a pole, darwinism needs to take effect NOW
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Old 11-19-2012, 02:07 PM   #15
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Originally Posted by 05bluesti View Post
As I was reading this, I was thinking "I didn't post in this thread, did I?"
We sir have a very similar mindset, most people need to wrap their car around a pole, darwinism needs to take effect NOW
Yes and yes.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:29 AM   #16
Elky
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jester808
I learned lots of things but the one that sticks out the most is that most people are fukin morons...literally brain dead idiots who have no concept of anything outside of their own mindless shell of an existence.

Snip

It's not just people I run into on the road either.

/rant
Calls people morons, runs into them.

Seriously though, the best thing I think is to take it slow and make sure to do the legwork when it comes to research with modding. Don't buy something because person X says its his favorite mod and 'it's how the car should have come from the factory'. Just make sure you know what you're doing and keep your stock parts in case you change your mind.
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Old 11-19-2012, 02:06 PM   #17
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Originally Posted by Elky View Post
Calls people morons, runs into them.

Seriously though, the best thing I think is to take it slow and make sure to do the legwork when it comes to research with modding. Don't buy something because person X says its his favorite mod and 'it's how the car should have come from the factory'. Just make sure you know what you're doing and keep your stock parts in case you change your mind.
Not literally

People I encounter on a daily basis, oh slow one
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Old 11-19-2012, 07:15 AM   #18
Jack
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In my street car, I've always run in stock classes for autocross and showroom stock for track. That limits the legal mods. And thus.....I limit myself to the very few upgrades that I can stay legal with. Really good shocks, good tire choice......I'm done here. When it's time to sell the car, I can tell the next owner that I've made no mods ever.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:32 AM   #19
Dusten
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Originally Posted by FullMoonRainAttack! View Post



Has daily driving a modified (or even stock sports car) shaped your perspective of car ownership and what a good street car should be?

Yes, several years ago I decided I was going to have a toy and a dd. No more modding my DD. I haven't put a mod on my dd'd that isnt stereo or tint in years and couldn't be happier. It allows me to enjoy driving my toy when I do, and work on it without rush because I dont need to drive it.

That and big cams, a big stall and stiff suspension really dont make good dd.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:42 AM   #20
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What I've learned is if you ever lower your car, do it right and buy coilovers. Lowering springs just make your stock struts die quicker, and give a rough ride.

That and never buy/perform a mod to your daily driver that you can't later easily bring back to stock in the future...and save all your stock parts.
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:37 PM   #21
Dusten
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Originally Posted by WRXLTD View Post
What I've learned is if you ever lower your car, do it right and buy coilovers. Lowering springs just make your stock struts die quicker, and give a rough ride.

That and never buy/perform a mod to your daily driver that you can't later easily bring back to stock in the future...and save all your stock parts.
Buy struts and shocks that are the correct length, problem solved. They don't make coilovers for every rig ever made... yet you can lower just about every rig. I assure we aren't all driving around blowing out shocks, nor is it some sort of magic. ITs the same concept when you lift a truck, you need to install shocks with increase travel.
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Old 11-19-2012, 12:59 PM   #22
WRXLTD
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Originally Posted by Dusten View Post

Buy struts and shocks that are the correct length, problem solved. They don't make coilovers for every rig ever made... yet you can lower just about every rig. I assure we aren't all driving around blowing out shocks, nor is it some sort of magic. ITs the same concept when you lift a truck, you need to install shocks with increase travel.
No **** Sherlock, and every performance car I ever bought could be had with coilovers...wouldn't have it any other way.

You further prove my point about having to buy new struts to go with my new lowering springs...I'd rather just buy the coilovers and be able to adjust the height.
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Old 11-19-2012, 01:33 PM   #23
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Originally Posted by WRXLTD View Post
No **** Sherlock, and every performance car I ever bought could be had with coilovers...wouldn't have it any other way.

You further prove my point about having to buy new struts to go with my new lowering springs...I'd rather just buy the coilovers and be able to adjust the height.
You simply stated that lower springs kill your struts, i corrected your false statement. No need to get your panties in a wad junior.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:50 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dusten View Post
Yes, several years ago I decided I was going to have a toy and a dd. No more modding my DD. I haven't put a mod on my dd'd that isnt stereo or tint in years and couldn't be happier. It allows me to enjoy driving my toy when I do, and work on it without rush because I dont need to drive it.

That and big cams, a big stall and stiff suspension really dont make good dd.
That's a good lesson for anyone considering modding....don't wreck your DD. Great example... just this weekend, I stripped an a-arm bolt and had to take 2 hours running around from dealership to dealership in my wife's car (while she's cursing my name because she had someplace she needed to be) to find a replacement. If I wasn't screwing with my car, that bolt doesn't get stripped and my wife stays happy.
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Old 11-19-2012, 10:56 AM   #25
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Things I learned from daily driving...

1.) Don't be in a hurry and drive like an ass, it doesn't really benefit you or anyone else. You eat up gas and money and if you do the math, arriving at your destination 2 minutes sooner probably isn't worth it.

2.) Expect everyone else to drive like an *******. Expect that people will cut you off without a turn signal. Expect that people will slam on their brakes as soon as they see brake lights because they are too busy texting to know what is going on. Expect that people will slow down, gawk at an accident, and likely cause another one. When it happens you aren't surprised or unprepared and can react calmly and appropriately.

3.) Don't get upset and angry while driving. They can't usually hear you yelling. Even if they can they won't care and won't change. It's easier on your own health to refer to #2 and just accept the fact that the world is full of idiots with a license to drive.


As for parts...
Kartboy Short Shifter and bushings make the drive more fun
TiC differential bushings get rid of rear axle wind-up
Rear swaybar evens out the handling balance a bit and makes the car feel better
Sparco Evo L seat is more comfortable and supportive than the stock seat
A competitive autocross suspension is not a comfortable daily driving suspension in Michigan
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