Welcome to the Cars Forum!

Hi all,

Welcome to the new Tom's Cars Forum. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Thanks for your continued support!
Justin

I have trophys for my time spent racing street machines on a quarter mile track in the 70's. I have tuned a car over and landed it on it's roof and kept it running without catching fire. Evil Knievel once landed his plane on the drag strip I frequented. As I watched on, later that evening He laid down his cane and He successfully jumped ten buses on His custom Harley. I spit in the wind that night, but not without knowing some day a daredevil car saalesman like Tiger Woods would come along to take his place (editor's note: writer's embellishments may have been added). Reality? I am reality.

I drive everyday...

Fiat Stilo! WOO! 1.2litres of wannabe and still I get done over for my past mistakes....

If it's got tits or tires it's going to require alot of maintence.

Some more so than others. For the SHO, it's quite common to have to replace the clutch every 30-40K due to poor throwout bearing design. Also, those Yamaha V6's required new timing belts every 60K, and an entire top end service including checking the valve train clearance (solid lifter DOHC design utilizing shims) at 60K as well. With valve cover gaskets costing $100+ and spark plug wires at $70+, that 60K service starts to cost around $400-$500 if you do it yourself. That's if you can find the replacement parts. Ford discontinued these parts several years ago, and NOS stock is really drying up for some of the more uncommon parts that may need to be replaced. In fact, the SHO community has a kit of used shims they let members borrow when doing a 60K service, because new shims cannot be purchased anymore.
Then there's the whole issue of low oil pressure at idle when the engine gets around 120,000+ miles due to excessive rod bearing clearance. Once that low oil pressure light starts to flicker, you better replace those rod bearings, because there's a high chance that one will spin if left unattended and then the entire bottom end is toast. The good new is, you have to remove the transmission to get the oil pan off, so you can change the clutch while you change rod bearings!
I'm no stranger to working on vehicles, and I like to keep my vehicles well maintained, but the SHO is high maintenance all around. I knew that when I bought it. Saw plenty go in and out of the Ford dealership when I used to work at one as a detailer in undergrad. Always said I loved to drive those SHOs, just never wanting to own one. I only bought that white one because it was super cheap, looked excellent, and the majority of the nasty work had already been completed, with receipts for everything going all the way back to 1996. Still, it only took 9 months for me to feel like I needed to dump it before I put more money in it then I'd ever get back out of it. It was a neat car, got lots of compliments, and was decently quick for a daily commuter, but I don't regret ever getting rid of it.

Anyone else have any cars/trucks that were maintenance nightmares?

Thoes turd things on my front lawn, are they like shoe polish?

I drive a Ford Fiesta Zetec S 1.6 which is kicking out around 175bhp at the wheels (N/A engine) with a roll cage, six speed box, LSD, Koni suspension and Brembo brakes. I'll get some pics up later.

Daily driver is a Fiat Panda 100.

If we're thinking of the same Ford Fusion then having even 221bhp is a stupid idea. The ford Fusion looks like it'd topple over if you so much as looked at it!



I was sure they never made a 221bhp version of it. Thought it comes with a 1.4 with about 80bhp or perhaps a 1.6 with 100 at the most?

I have a mazda RX8, the 230BHP version, I have had this car a year now and new before I bought it that they like petrol, Im only getting about 18mpg around town and 25 on a motorway which is normall for this kind of car but someone told me that there air starved, so I have had a look for myself and this seems to be true because where the air box is on the right hand side of the front of the engine theres only a small pipe which feeds the air box, this pipe then runs along to the left side of the car then comes down and only as a 1inch opening for air to get in.

Is this really enough for air to get in, I know this is what the mazda manufacture as put in the car but it looks stupid, anyone here think I would be better removing this small pipe and putting a more direct air intake on, to feed the air box, would this give me better MPG ?.

98 Pontiac Grand Prix GTP - 170k and loving it.
245HP 3.8L V6 supercharged with an Eaton M90.
Runs 15MPG on premium...but she ain't never stuttered.

05 CTS 3.6 litre six speed manual
Bought it with 70k km on it
I made a new intake, replaced the cat with a high flow one along with the rest of the exhaust and that horrible GM muffler they put on it. Runs pretty good now and I can get 30mpg on the highway at around 70mph. I like the car but there are some cheap pieces inside and the leather is very thin. The shifting is decend, no BMW but still enjoyable. The new exhaust gives the engine a great sound at 6000rpm and while idle is still quiet.

Funnest cars I've had were a '68 vw campervan and a '70 impala. Wrecked the impala and had the engine stolen out of the van when it was parked for the winter at the farm. The old vw vans just had something about them, slow as hell but I've never been happier behind the wheel of anything else. Just a note though, driving down the highway with a canoe on top of it on a windy day can be a little scetchy.

Right now we're working on a '68 Int. Scout. Came with the 190? slant four replaced it with a 345 v8 out of an old grain truck. It's a full frame off job. It's got a 6" lift with 38" tires on it. The truck runs right now but theres still most of the electrical, all of the interior, and all of the body work.

Formula 1 V-10 @18000 RPM

http://metacool.typepad.com:80/met [...] gearh.html

Here is my pride and joy
[img]<iframe frameborder="0" style="width:150px;" src="http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/hosted/108397542"></iframe>[/img]
1997 Audi S8
Also proud owner of 1995 A6 2.8 Quattro Avant. Will post picture if I can Find one or if not too lazy to take one

Got oil leaks from under the chain tensioners?

Anything to help it breathe better will give improved performance.

if you are racing, then you will find more air = more power = faster times.

on the road, more air = more power at specific rpm = less rpm for specific speed = improved mpg.

don't forget a decent air filter to strain out the bad things, while still allowing good air flow.

Those Daytona coupes are awesome cars; I remember Car & Driver tested one a few years ago, and it did 0-60 in under 4 seconds, as well as 1G+ on the skidpad. I remember it weighed something like 2500 pounds, so it'd move pretty well with a 220HP four. Also, that's a beautiful SHO; I had no idea you could get them that nice for so cheap.

Escorts are great cars, as well; my dad used to have a 5-speed 1994 Escort wagon. Bitchin' little car; plenty of space inside, a manual transmission, and 35+ MPG to boot. It was supposed to be my first car, but it was done in by a babysitter who was completely inept at driving a stick. She toasted the clutch and damaged the transmission, so we ended up donating the car. That was 6 years ago, and I'm still upset about it.

An uncle of mine used to have a 1984 Mustang Highway Patrol car; apparently the car would stall if you tried to pull away under 3000 RPM, so tire-smoking starts were almost a given. Now he has a 1995 Mustang GT 5.0 (last year of the 5.0 in the 'Stang) which he bought new; it has just over 60,000 miles after 14 years. He also has a 1999 Crown Vic Interceptor, which he absolutely loves.