Swapped on my winter wheels and tires this weekend, but don't have any good daylight photos to show them yet.

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5661/3...d1741e6f_z.jpg

Went from the 20" wheels down to 18x8" wheels and tires that were both the cheapest ones i could find on Tire Rack. Kuhmo all seasons in 245 width and some P5 wheels. Will work fine for the winter in DC.

The $101 BMR Suspension strut tower bar got here today and it took me 9 minutes to install.

https://c4.staticflickr.com/6/5535/3...fff07eb6_z.jpg

Far from pretty, but functional. (looks like an ebay piece but it's Made in USA, etc).

https://c8.staticflickr.com/6/5508/3...bc9570c3_z.jpg

The rest of my mod schedule is really more up to GM Performance releasing parts more than anything else. (Ok, the 6 piston front brake kit but they won't fit with the winter wheels).

not to hijack... but those wheels look familiar, lol

http://i.imgur.com/au9NwmG.jpg

At least the welds on the brace look good, but man, that's utilitarian. At least it's black and likely has some measurable performance benefit (notice I didn't say you'd feel it, lol)

:lol:Great minds think alike! haha, nice RS!

Yeah, it's hilarious reading the disappointed guys on the forum when it came out. They just wanted something for the car show. I figure if this works at all, then I'll get the nicer looking GM factory bar to have the best of both worlds (even though it truly doesn't matter since my hood is never open unless i'm working on it.):lol:

car show parts != performance lolol

you are goin to drive this in the winter?

why would you do that?

It's a mass produced Chevy, why not?

Not like DC gets a ton of deep snow every year that would prohibit it. If we do, I'm able to telecommute.

Losing my mind because the front end is cleaned up a little bit now. Noticeable on angles entryways the most.

Going to do some back to back so that I don't doubt my sanity.

The front end used to rise up when the car would go around turns in parking garages due to angle changes. Now it stays flat after the initial rise then digs in.

I am going to remove the bar and go back and forth. This shouldn't make any difference.

:banned:


:-p I'm surprised if that's true

Same here. I don't trust myself so I'll be doing a back to back test a few times since the install and removal is so easy to do.

1LE swaybar kit has been listed. $185. :lol: this is awesome.

sooo cheap, geez. Stupid 'murica mobiles :(

Right? That's the entire kit!

I'm holding out to get the full 1LE suspension kit which includes the bars. It just needs to get the GM release due to the software flash of the shocks and matched springs with higher rates. The price on that is only $1100 :lol:

1LE FTW - Mine arrived today - barely drove it because it's 32 and icy here but next week it's supposed to warm up

:cool: Can't wait to hear your impressions of it. Congrats!

Posted pics...

My impressions are... it's 25 degrees out and Seattle is wet 95% of the winter, so I drove it home from the dealer, and to the gym (1/3 mile) yesterday and back. And took the bus to work downtown today. lol

no deep snow in dc ?

winter salt is goin to ruin that mass produced chevy like all others before it

Not your problem to deal with.

damn, i'll be flying to seattle in january for work. didn't realize it got that cold there

http://www.thatgmpartsguy.com/suspen...86?parent=1034

Hah, looks like my $185 swaybar kit was taken down, content added to it and the price raised. Still reasonable though, considering the front swaybar alone on the 911 was about this price.

If I did this, I would miss out on the FE4 spring rates and shock tune, so not going to do it.

Black bow tie badges arrived yesterday. Will post pictures after install to show the before and after. The regular Chevy yellow doesn't match the rest of the car so I'm betting that these will provide less of a visual distraction.

I'm driving an Aveo this week (in Mexico) and I'm laughing that our cars have the same badges. This thing is slow as all hell... but it's small so we can duck in and out of traffic like total jackasses.

Stupid cheap Chevy parts strikes again:

Black bowties

Before:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5615/3...698c928b_z.jpg

After:
https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/99/311...118b9b19_z.jpg

Before:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/1/155/30...1c837dec_z.jpg

After:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/37/311...99abc444_z.jpg

The GM dark tail lights are on my radar now too.

Isn't that model built in Mexico too?

The germans would call that a Scheisse box:)

Pics are just black squares for me, dunno why.

No idea where it's built, but it's a Daewoo underneath. For the cost it's really not THAT bad, but man, it's a penalty box type car if I've ever seen one, lol. I wish we had gotten a Dodge Attitude instead, but whatever.

I'll have to google that one!

Maybe Flickr doesn't work in Mexico? I'll have to check from another connection.

Hmmm. Even using a VPN in Mexico allows me to see them.

Working fine now... I'm using a VPN to the states anyway :)

:supz::supz:

BTW, black badge classes the car up a LOT. More than I expected... Good stuff

Thank you!

It's such a simple change but really cleans it up. That factory badge just matched nothing on the car. :lol:

So I made another appearance mod purchase...I need to be kept off of ebay and amazon when dealing with this car!

I ordered the aluminum sport pedals. They come on the ATS, and fit the Camaro. Replaces the factory rubber pedal covers with aluminum inserts. Clutch, Brake and a new Gas Pedal. Surprisingly, the dead pedal doesn't get changed. Hoping the aftermarket addresses that.

$112 shipped. Another one of those might as well.

To date I've spent $289 on the car for a strut tower bar, black badges and now the pedals.

The dark LED tail lights are next on my appearance list.

Hopefully GM will stop dicking around and release the 1LE parts soon :)

totally agree

way more than expected

from chevy to classy fast

Thank you!

sport pedals came in today. They're what come standard on the Cadillac ATS. Since the platform is shared, it's an easy plug and play.

https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/288/30...42919551_z.jpg

The before photo didn't turn out great due to the flash, but just imagine black rubber and plastic:

https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/140/31...bc80e238_z.jpg

After:
https://c5.staticflickr.com/1/649/31...d665a498_z.jpg

https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/245/30...05caa968_z.jpg

Flash kind of screwed up the difference photos. This was as easy as it gets to do, and it's very refreshing after working on German cars for the last few years. :)

The dead pedal now kind of stands out, so i'm going to do some more digging to see what the ATS does there too.

Short diversion, but I did a comparison today that made me laugh and I wanted to share it with you guys.

For the Camaro, if you want the suede steering wheel and shift knob from the ZL1 model, here is how much you pay:

Gen 6 Camaro ZL1 Suede Steering Wheel MT
Part Number: 84097166

$293.97

Gen 6 ZL1 6-Speed Shift Knob
Part Number: 24281301

$116.12


Ok, now if you want an alcantara steering wheel and shift knob for your 911, here is how much you'd pay at Suncoast Porsche:

Steering Wheel, Alcantara

$3,295.00
MSRP: $4009.12 You save 17.81%

Or, if you want the GT3 wheel in Alcantara:

Steering Wheel, GT3 in Alcantara

$1,299.00

Howabout the shift knob?

Shift Knob - Alcantara GT3

$215.00
MSRP: $266.53 You save 19.33%

Oh, do you want the lettering in orange paint instead?

Shift Knob - Alcantara Orange Edition

$729.95
MSRP: $977.5 You save 25.32%


I hope this gives some background into why I've been saying things are cheap, the Chevy is mass produced, etc. I've been looking at sticker shock for at least 4 years now with the M3 and 911 cars. This has been a breath of fresh air for parts to be priced like this and for the wrench time to be so easy and quick.

That was the deciding factor of me gettibg the Z06 over the Viper.

http://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/XfsAAO...BcL/s-l500.jpg

ATS pedals

I wonder if I should give the $25 experiment a try:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Stainless-St...9YO0xP&vxp=mtr

How do you like it?

The sticker shock thing is ridiculous... The Brembo calipers for my RS were $124 EACH... Same style caliper for Evo? $1400...

My complaints about the RS may be valid, but being an "American" car is ****ing awesome. Everything is stupid cheap like my GTI... but it's a new f'ing car. I see why people love American cars, haha

Haha, well...at least for me, prior to the 2015+ generation of ponycars, they really lacked a lot of refinement and interior polish. Not to mention the lack of technology and handling feel (yes i know the stick axle can hit great peak g numbers, but roads aren't race track smooth)

They really took a giant leap this time around...i'm hoping it continues. The dropoff from my GTI to the Camaro just hasn't been there yet. It's different, yes, but not in a bad or good way....other than being able to put power down.:rock:

Loved every minute of that last 5 years with it.