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Comments
A couple of my pics in my photos folder at Edmunds (and especially in the Dunlop Tires folder) show the antenna very well. Professional installation, huh? I'm proud of it. Plus I have the VHF radio mounted IN the dash, up in that CD and other stuff bin under the ashtray. Took the whole center console (from under the dash to the armrest between the front seats) out one day to do it -- THAT was a whole-Saturday job, let me assure you!
Meade
Same old same old...when are we going to help ZZ79 find the exit ramp? As Bush said, "Enough is Enough!"
As much as all of you like high speeds, lots of torque, etc. there are those who never venture above 4000rpm or so. Only 6% of my driving is highway in a year! That means 94% is on boulevards with posted speed limits of 45mph and city streets posted at 35mph. The Pro is ideal for this kind of driving and offers enough reserve to scoot out of the way of SUV drivers hogging the lanes, and Civic drivers making left turns from the far right lanes.
In the year (7 more days) I have owned the Pro I can't complain about anything -- it's a FINE small car that meets my needs.
fowler3
They're still not requiring front license plates in NC? Tell me -- does your front bumper have two little holes in it? Or do they drill those holes only in the bumpers of cars heading to states where front plates are required?
Just wondering.
Meade
Sorry, couldn't resist :P
--Dale
Sort of smacks to me like the dentist saying, ouch, sorry sir, you've got your first cavity there...I'll fit you for some dentures now.
It took weeks to get a cruise control unit, I have no idea how long it will take to get a complete wiring harnes for an '02.
Meade
Meade
It is a balancing act. Some cars, as I'm sure you've seen, even use dual stage induction and exhaust systems to balance these effects. Engineers often try to balance induction and exhaust to get the desired torque curve - hopefully as flat as possible given the engine characteristics. Did Mazda do this? I don't know. From looking at the intake, it sure seems restrictive to me due to packaging concerns, not any torque curve issues, but I don't really know. I'm just a car geek, not an engineer.
As far as what a short ram-air intake will do? I bet the effect to low-rpm torque is minimal, but don't really know for sure. As I said, the stock intake sure looks restrictive to me, with all of its turns and long length. I'm guessing it is on the "too restrictive" side, far from being not restrictive enough, so I'm guessing minimal change from freeing it up "a bit" (ie. not alot) - but that's just a guess from a car geek - not an engineer. Conventional wisdom also says that most stock systems are too restrictive on both sides, so freeing them up "some" is good at low and high rpm.
Does that help?
Kind of made the hood look like a tiny landing strip for tiny aliens.
And of course, no offense to anyone who is a tiny alien, or whose friends are tiny aliens, or.....
--Dale
Also, you stated that AWD does not help in dry weather traction. That is incorrect. The AWD system in the 5spd. WRX compensates for wheel spin by tansferring powering to the various tires under various driving conditions. It is not a simple 4WD system.
To explain it best, I'll quote Edmunds directly..."There are actually two different all-wheel-drive systems used in the WRX, depending on the transmission. Cars equipped with the optional four-speed automatic get Subaru's Variable Torque Distribution (VTD) all-wheel-drive system, its most advanced system ever offered. It employs an electronically controlled hydraulic transfer clutch and a planetary gear center differential to distribute power in a 45/55 split between the front and rear axles.
The VTD system uses multiple sensors to measure front-and-rear driveshaft speeds, throttle position and gear selection. Then it actively transfers power accordingly between the front and rear wheels for optimum traction and handling. Enter a turn under braking, and the system will bias the power toward the front for greater steering control. Lay on the throttle out of a turn, and the VTD will send the torque out back for maximum thrust; all of this done in a matter of milliseconds completely imperceptible to the driver.
Our WRX test car was equipped with the five-speed manual that gets a slightly less sophisticated, but no less capable continuous all-wheel-drive system. This setup uses a bevel gear center differential and a limited-slip viscous coupling that splits torque 50/50 to the front and rear axles. The system is pretty straightforward, if the front wheels begin to slip, additional power is routed to the rear and vice versa.
After putting this system through its paces on a rainy Southern California afternoon, we can tell you that Subaru's claims of imperceptibility with this system are valid. Despite tight hairpin turns, gobs of throttle and freshly drenched roads, we never managed to break the WRX free from its roadway death grip. It's a unique driving experience that few vehicles can offer, and frankly, after nearly two hours of flogging the car through a heavy downpour, we were hooked."
Anyway, my earlier point, to which you commented, was that I am impressed with the Protege because of it's phenomenal handling characteristics. It simply does not handle as well as the WRX, but it does get damn close. That fact alone is superlative in a car that is FWD and priced the way it is....
P.S.- as a side note, my wife and I own both the 2000 ES Protege and the WRX. I drive both quite frequently. I should hope that I am somewhat qualified to offer my opinion and assessment, on each car's handling merits and characteristics. At least....I hope so.
P.S.- I commented on the powerband difference between the 1.8L and 2.0L long before you and ZZ started on it. Place the power in the high rpm range and you have a more Hondo like engine. What I don't say, which both of you do, is that the 2.0L is a bad engine. It's not. That kind of statement is silly. It just has a different useable powerband. It happens not to be my preference, but so what....Now enough.
I didn't say that, a magazine did, so they must be incorrect.. It was either the new MT or the new R&T. I'll find out. I believe the P5 out-slalomed the WRX also.
I haven't read the artcile, but based on some of these comments from Motor Trend, I have a really difficult time with it's credibility.
I'll leave it at that. I don't really wish to discuss the WRX and my intent is not to do so here, so i apologize to everyone for the long post.
Thanks,
...but in the types of cars that I buy, I prefer FWD because it represents the best compromise for me.
Hits:
1) Launches. Find 4500rpm and drop clutch and floor it. Do that in a Mustang and you can watch your tires melt. Do that in a FWD car like a Saab Viggen and you will learn all about torque steer and why I hate it. One of the most amazing things about the WRX is that it can chirp the tires even with its AWD traction!!!!
2) Bad weather benefits. Starting in slippery conditions and going up hills.
3) Some AWD cars have "natural" balance.
Misses:
1) Cost. Cost more to start and to maintain and repair.
2) Weight. They add about 200-300lbs. All mechanical systems add more than the part times systems.
3) Fuel economy hit. Approximately 1-2mpg.
4) Not as much fun as RWD.
I dont think that AWD cars do any better on dry than RWD or FWD cars in the hand of a amature like me. So would the WRX be more fun as a RWD car? Probably would in dry conditions. It would be 300lbs lighter which would certainly make it faster and there would be less inertia to fight in the turns. Then again launches would be more difficult and it would take away from the rally racer charm of the car.
By the way, the general buying public probably wouldn't find tail-out behavior a benifit of RWD! But I know what your saying.
It's really hard to find a good budget priced RWD car. The mustang and Miata is as close as you can get and they aren't that practical for most people. (sigh)
Maybe Speedypt (who used to live in Phoenix, and also has a 2000 ES, although I don't think it's a 5-speed) might have another idea about service in the area.
Pete!
Where are you??
--Dale
A lot of time the dealership will try to put in a lot of other garbage in 'their' maintenance package to really rob money from you. ONLY DO THE MANUFACTURER'S RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE. no need for anything else.
Ask from your local dealer a checklist of their 30k maintenance schedule, and cross out the ones that are NOT in the manufacturer's list.
Hopefully that'll shave off some $$ off that maintenance cost....
For the most part, we're all still friendly. Okay, a couple of people get a little testy at times, but we're always at liberty to ignore them.
--Dale
I do not have it in "repeat" mode. I have tried it on several different brands of CDs. And I would almost swear that the first few CDs I played stopped after playing through once. And any CD player I ever had before this always stopped after playing through once.
Help please!
I think Meade paid the $262 after telling them to leave off certain parts of the service. Their original price was higher.
Looks like I have 3.5 more years to go before hitting 30K miles. Gives me time to save up that $400. Zoom Zoom slowly.
fowler3
fowler3
P.S. I saw a used Lexus IS-300 for sale the other day. Yellow with black leather trim 2001, asking $27,800. Not my kind of car. That goofy-looking speedo is the pits. The Pro is nicer looking.
fowler3
--Dale
LSD stands for Limited Slip Differential, which is used to improve traction when a wheel slips. Howstuffworks.com has a full article on how differential works, including LSD. They can explain better than I ever can, here's the URL:
http://www.howstuffworks.com/differential.htm
any more questions?
Cat-back sounds like it might be kind of pricey for little or just theoretical gain. Does it sound better? Lord knows the 2.0L doesn't rank high in that area. Took some getting used to early on after 6 years with Furd's sweet sounding 2.5L Duratec.
LSD sounds like what was once referred to as Posi-traction (back in the Mesozoic era. )) Is there a difference?
and yes it does sound A LOT better than the stock exhaust. There this one guy I met at the autocross that had a Bosal cat-back installed on his 99 DX, and let me tell you, it sounds GOOD for a 4 cylinder, a nice and low growling sound. Obviously nothing compared to a V8, but very good for a 4 cyl.