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- -- 23 CX-5 --
Exactly, rice does not equal everything in the world that you personally wouldn't do to your own car that someone else did to theirs.Moonman8 said:
To Strip or Not to Strip??
- Thread starter Moonman8
- Start date
Cable, that looks absolutely bad-ass. I'm curious as to who makes your sideskirts. I've seen them before but I don't know anything about them. I am going to pick up a Corbeau seat in the next few weeks, can't decide which model yet but I am getting one. I also have a set of 4-point harnesses, hence the decision of removing the rear seat. Call me ricey if you want but when it gets down to it, I'd rather look a little ricey with a race bucket then go any further getting thrown about the car like a sack of potatoes through the twisties (crappy stock seats, grrrrrr.).
I'm putting my MP3 wheels back on once they are repaired, refinished, and I can get new tires for them (I think the perfect size for them is a 215/40/17).
If I were to strip the rear interior, it would be for the sake of minimalism, not weight-savings, more horsepower, or to look as someone affectionately deemed "ricey." The sub would be the only thing of significant weight that would be removed (I already know the seats weigh next to nothing). I don't use the back seat, it serves no purpose, and if anything, it gets in the way. Road/exhaust noise will probably increase without the seats but hopefully not by too much if I leave the plastics and the carpeting.
Also, I want to buy willkill's GT-Spec rear strut bar and I'm having a little trouble deciding whether it would later negatively effect the value of the car if I cut into the rear plastics to mount it. Should I just cut the plastics and screw the next owner, or should I just remove the plastics altogether??
I'm putting my MP3 wheels back on once they are repaired, refinished, and I can get new tires for them (I think the perfect size for them is a 215/40/17).
If I were to strip the rear interior, it would be for the sake of minimalism, not weight-savings, more horsepower, or to look as someone affectionately deemed "ricey." The sub would be the only thing of significant weight that would be removed (I already know the seats weigh next to nothing). I don't use the back seat, it serves no purpose, and if anything, it gets in the way. Road/exhaust noise will probably increase without the seats but hopefully not by too much if I leave the plastics and the carpeting.
Also, I want to buy willkill's GT-Spec rear strut bar and I'm having a little trouble deciding whether it would later negatively effect the value of the car if I cut into the rear plastics to mount it. Should I just cut the plastics and screw the next owner, or should I just remove the plastics altogether??
thanks for the compliments I'll have a real "unveiling" with more pics a a write up soon
i cut mine- i figure i will jut find some from a wreck or use some plastic circles from the factory body pieces:
see my old write up / how to - link
the skirts are buddyclub2- they fit well i like them a lot
PERFECT size for this rim - just put mine on this week
i cut mine- i figure i will jut find some from a wreck or use some plastic circles from the factory body pieces:
see my old write up / how to - link
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cable43 said:
Thanks for that. I knew I'd seen a write-up before, I just haven't looked for it yet...now I don't have to!
Filling the holes with the circular plugs is a great idea. I would never have thought to use the same plugs that are used to plug the access to the taillight bolts. Thanks!
onewhippedpuppy
Member
Rear quarter panels are pricey, $170 or so each side from what I've seen. Mine are beat up from the dumbass PO not bolting down his sub box.
Obviously the "rice" comment pissed a few people off. My take on it is function over form. Something that actually has a real purpose is fine, ie the Corbeau seat. MP5 seats aren't that heavily bolstered, race seats will certainly hold you better in place. What I will define as rice is stuff like gutting your interior for the sheer sake of looking racy, because lets face it, there's no other benefit. It's like putting a big rear spoiler on a car that has no need for additional rear downforce. Plus, anything you remove you have to eventually put back for resale, and anything you cut up you have to purchase new, or take a hit on price. Just seems funny to try and make a P5 into something it's not, Evo for track and P5 for daily duty sounds like a good plan.
Obviously the "rice" comment pissed a few people off. My take on it is function over form. Something that actually has a real purpose is fine, ie the Corbeau seat. MP5 seats aren't that heavily bolstered, race seats will certainly hold you better in place. What I will define as rice is stuff like gutting your interior for the sheer sake of looking racy, because lets face it, there's no other benefit. It's like putting a big rear spoiler on a car that has no need for additional rear downforce. Plus, anything you remove you have to eventually put back for resale, and anything you cut up you have to purchase new, or take a hit on price. Just seems funny to try and make a P5 into something it's not, Evo for track and P5 for daily duty sounds like a good plan.
rednecks_r_us
Member
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- 2003 Laser Blue Protege5
cable43 said:Moonman8: leave the car as it is ... a Laser blue 2003 P5 with MP3 wheels, lowered, and a Race seat look f'n HOTT.....Trust me:
shhhhhh! secret spy photo(glare)
Laser blue in general looks hot.
Jack Daniels
Member
Full race competetion car - strip. Car you need to drive - don't strip. You want a fast car, buy one. There are plenty of affordable, really fast, great handlng cars with full ammenities.
rednecks_r_us said:Laser blue in general looks hot.
(mswerd)
Let me add something because everyone keeps saying "Just get a faster car and use the P5 for daily driving." As stated in the first post, I am a 23 year old full-time college student, pretty much supporting myself. Once I graduate and find a decently paying, full-time job, then I can get and Evo, or STI, or Miata to build up, or Porsche, or whatever. Until then, the P5 has to be a mixture of everything for me. I know it's not fast, I know it's not a 2-seater, I know a fully built track car cannot necessarily take you to work everyday. I'm just trying to find a good balance FOR NOW. It took me over a year just to get the intake/header/exhaust taken care of!
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gottacatchup
Member
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- 2003 MP5
Moonman8 said:
I know how to feel about being a broke college student, I'm in the same boat. But its all about being satisfied with what you have. I've decided that I'm just about done modifying my p5 and now its time to start saving for that next car when I get out of school and start working.
I say leave you'r interior intact. That way you can sell it for more when you're finally ready for that upgrade.
Finally someone on the same page. I've been living off student loans/grants and a part-time job at the Mazda dealership. Sometimes I'm amazed at what I've actually accomplished with the car but it's still not much compared to some of the rides here on the boards. I'm proud of her no matter how she compares.
Scooter_TO
Member
unless it's a full-out track car, I don't see any reason why you would want to strip it. Especially if it's your daily driver.
You need to go hard or not do it at all.
SCC magazine squeezed a 14.3 1/4 mile from a 16.3 out of a Sentra SE by doing a few simple weight reduction modifications:
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0208_technical_assistance_program/
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/freestuff/wallpaper/0207scc_wallpaper01_800x600.jpg
Enjoy!
SCC magazine squeezed a 14.3 1/4 mile from a 16.3 out of a Sentra SE by doing a few simple weight reduction modifications:
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/features/0208_technical_assistance_program/
http://www.sportcompactcarweb.com/freestuff/wallpaper/0207scc_wallpaper01_800x600.jpg
Enjoy!
onewhippedpuppy
Member
I'm in the same boat as you guys, broke full time student, of course then I have the obligations of trying to help support my wife and son. No doubt about it, it sucks. The P5 was purchased as a cheap, fun, sporty car that wouldn't drain my wallet in maintenance or repars. You have to keep it in perspective, because if you try to go nuts with mods on it, you quickly hit the point of diminishing returns. That's for all but the people that have the spare cash for FI, then you can really make it perform. You have to get over the fact that a sporty economy car is all a P5 will really ever be without a large amount of cash. If you're not cool with that, sell it and get a different car with the cash, you would have a lot of options for what you could get out of the P5. The BMW 540 I sold to buy my P5 had 300 HP and a 6 speed and was in really good shape, but keeping it up was about to break me financially.
Personally I think you should just deal with your choice, and be patient. You've made a good decision for a college car, it's cheap to drive and keep up, looks great, and is pretty fun. Buy a few mods, make it your own, and just deal with it's lack of power and other shortcomings. Because you know, given a little time, you'll have a lot more options. The sacrifice will pay off in the end.
Personally I think you should just deal with your choice, and be patient. You've made a good decision for a college car, it's cheap to drive and keep up, looks great, and is pretty fun. Buy a few mods, make it your own, and just deal with it's lack of power and other shortcomings. Because you know, given a little time, you'll have a lot more options. The sacrifice will pay off in the end.
