I don't really feel that my car qualifies as a 'Project'. It's got a few good modifications but not too many. I think that really I've spent most of my money on simply maintaining the car to the highest standard I can. So if you are hoping for mega engine builds and ridiculous bling, you may well be disappointed!
Here's my car and I in the Italian Dolomites last summer:
The GT86 and I by Lauren Blighton, on Flickr
In terms of modifications, it has a custom Tein Streetflex setup with 5kg fronts and 6kg rear springs and revalved 20% stiffer rear dampers along with EDFC Active Pro which I have programmed to my own setup for road and the track.
It also has a Milltek exhaust with a secondary decat and overpipe and an Injen Induction kit. Though I've had a remap on my insurance for a year now, I still haven't got round to having a remap done on my car yet.
I also probably have the best sound system in the club, (I think anyway). I had a custom pro install, featuring an Alpine INE 925R head unit with DAB, a Hertz 950W three channel amplifier, 12" JL Sub with custom enclosure in the boot floor and Focal 3 two way component speakers with the tweeter in front of the door handle, rather than atop the dash. I have an Audison Bit 10 Digital Sound processor which has been optimised with regard to speaker timing and the like for the driver. It's pretty special.
Interior wise I have a 350mm Street Rage (I think!) steering wheel, carbon gear knob and TRD engine start stop which I got for half the price in Super Autobacs in Yokohama MM, Japan.
I have TRD Aero Fins on the outside and genuine Rays Engineeering/Volk Racing 17x8 TE37s, shod with Yoko Advan V105s on the front and Contisport Contact 5's on the rear. I also had a whiteline gearbox mount to firm up gearchanges.
Now I know I haven't quite got the highest mileage GT86, but I can't be far off. Today saw it go through the 80,000 mile service, a month before it's third birthday!
Now I've already experienced the expensive 60K service, but for the 80K the fuel filter needs to be changed and this is an expensive item at £158 or so then there is the matter of brake fluid, diff oil and then all the usual service stuff, plus an MOT!
Here's a vid, I got from the checks over my car. Love it that RRG Macc do this;
https://video.citnow.com/vtKspxQ_G9c
Well MW62 XWX passed it's MOT with just the primary cat with no issues, which may answer some questions for some!
I've also had the Cusco headlamp leveller adjuster fitted and on the drive back I could instantly tell that the lights were a fair bit higher than they were before on a dipped beam. This should make all the difference on a dark unlit country road come tomorrow morning.
Amazingly the Stoptech Pads I had fitted must be 20K miles ago are still only 10% worn! I must admit though I'm particularly easy on brakes, I simply don't use them much.
Also I'm still on the original clutch which seems absolutely fine and I've not had any replacement ball joints or any bushes failing either. The only things that have been replaced in the life of the car was Coilpack A (IIRC) as it threw a CEL, though only after a particularly harsh change up at the redline. It didn't cause any problems and was changed as a matter of course at the 60K service interval. I've also had a nearside driveshaft changed under warranty which may in part be due to the car being lower than stock.
Oh and I should stated I've had the heated seat button fail to illuminate resulting in a replacement button, but the heated seat still worked fine!
So far this car has been extremely reliable and seems to be very well built with no real issues at all. I've done two seasons of the sprint series, been round the Alps twice and out to the old 'East' of Germany VMaxing the car on the autobahn and it's been just brilliant.
I'm coming up to my 3 year PCP ending at the end of January and I am very likely going to keep the car. It may end up a bit like Trigger's broom, but I intend to upgrade parts as they wear out.
I will try and keep a bit of a blog going with stuff with the car as it will get upgraded once more pennies come in!
Greetings TDU, gotta work on that post count! Thank you everyone else for your welcome.
Plans for the car:
NA tweakage for the time being
Get some spare wheels for summer and play time
Keep it out of the hedges
Track it at least once
Get an all-over respray once the goddamn construction boom has stopped. I've already lost one windscreen!
It's my commuter and occasional family taxi, so I need to keep it fairly hospitable and well-behaved. I hope you 86-ers will be able to help me in keeping it in tip-top shape.
nerdstrike got a reaction from Keethos in Who needs snow to slide?