Questions for Car Experts

[Peter Minde]

#1 -- it will void your warranty should any issue be traced back to your modifying factory suspension
#2 -- without a lift kit you'll experience rubbing on the inner fender/splash guards
#3 -- most likely your speedo will be off
#4 -- buy a vehicle that meets ALL of your needs without modifying it. Factory shit is simply better.
#5 -- look hard at Subaru. They're all over the ADK for a reason

I agree regarding Subie, but I put beaucoup $$ into my 3 Subies. Five catalytic converters, one rebuilt transmission, one head gasket. @Harvey I got up your road in a front wheel drive vehicle with shitty ground clearance and 4 snow tires.

 

[DomB]

I'll start.

What do you think about using larger tires or wheels to increase ground clearance on a sedan that is only 5.3 inches off the ground? Cheap hack, dangerous stupidity or something in between?

Get a 2 inch lift kit with spacers. Reduces mileage but more clearance. Above that you get issues with adjusting suspension. Camp?

 

[DomB]

I agree regarding Subie, but I put beaucoup $$ into my 3 Subies. Five catalytic converters, one rebuilt transmission, one head gasket. @Harvey I got up your road in a front wheel drive vehicle with shitty ground clearance and 4 snow tires.

Snow tires big deal. There are amazing YouTube videos on this.

 

[DomB]

I modified my crv (haha) with 2 inch lift which was awesome but only did it after paid off and past warranty. That was key for getting around on that soft sand and stuck jeeps. Got me from 6.7 to 8.7 (2011 crv May she rest in peace).

 

[DomB]

Ps - I am definitely NOT a car expert. My inference from reading posts is that Camp is.

 

[Peter Minde]

I modified my crv (haha) with 2 inch lift which was awesome but only did it after paid off and past warranty. That was key for getting around on that soft sand and stuck jeeps. Got me from 6.7 to 8.7 (2011 crv May she rest in peace).

I've seen videos of lifted diesel VW Jettas. My Jetta Sportwagen (front wheel drive) came with 17 inch wheels, I bought steel wheels and 16 inch Nokian snow tires and it runs like a champ. Speedometer off by less than 1 mph, better traction,

 

[sig]

If Toyota would get off their ass and make the TOYOTA version of the Ford Mav, it would be a done deal

A 4 cylinder ford Mav is not a truck. Your headed for an ass whooping if you get caught driving that thing.

 

[Campgottagopee]

I agree regarding Subie, but I put beaucoup $$ into my 3 Subies. Five catalytic converters, one rebuilt transmission, one head gasket. @Harvey I got up your road in a front wheel drive vehicle with shitty ground clearance and 4 snow tires.

5 converter? Holy....what year car was that?

 

[Peter Minde]

5 converter? Holy....what year car was that?

Camp, 2 cats in the '95 Subie; 2 in the 2003, and one in the 2005. My mechanic thinks it has something to do with horizontally opposed motor design.

Great cars in the snow, but I could count on the CEL lighting up around 150,000 miles.

 

[Campgottagopee]

Camp, 2 cats in the '95 Subie; 2 in the 2003, and one in the 2005. My mechanic thinks it has something to do with horizontally opposed motor design.

Great cars in the snow, but I could count on the CEL lighting up around 150,000 miles.

Ahhh, in those years Subie definitely was not without their challenges regarding the issues you had. They have improved by leaps and bounds regarding those.

Regarding converters. Generally speaking, what will make them plug is lack of maintenance. ie plugs, wires, ignoring that CEL that may indicate you need an O2 sensor, etc, etc. A converter has an ideal temp it needs to run at to be efficient. Any number of things, bad wires, bad plugs, bad injector, and so on, will make a converter have to burn hotter to get rid of the excess, "whatever". it's trying to burn. Enough of those instances will make the converter so hot that it will start to break down the "guts" of the converter and plug it.
Bottom line --- if that CEL comes on get it checked out. A few bucks could save you big bucks to replace a converter.