New Guy.

Hey everyone.

My name is Justin and I'm from Troy, MI (about 1/2 hour north of Detroit). I've been reading GRM for a few years now and have stumbled across ths discussion board a lot lately due to all of the "Learn Me" threads.

Unfortunately, I've been a DSM guy since I got license. My first car was a 1993 Eagle Talon TSi AWD that I still own. In a nutshell, I've swapped it from AT to MT, swapped in a 6-bolt motor, been through 3 different motors, modded and de-modded it numerous times and it's sat broken for longer than a year on more occasions than I care to count. Currently, it was on the road for the tail end of the summer after sitting since the fall of '08, and even made it to it's first DSM Shootout without a hickup. As it sits, it has a lightly built 6 bolt motor that is .020 over with 2G 8.5:1 pistons on 1G rods and no balance shafts. The only mods are a 2G exhaust manifold, eBay o2 housing with dump, eBay 3" downpipe, catless testpipe and 3" catback. The alternator went a couple months ago, so I packed it up for winter. It's waiting for the alt., a new clutch, some head work, and some suspension work when it gets nicer out.

My other ride is a 2006 Saturn Ion Redline. I bought this car back in Jan. 2009 to serve as my daily driver. Something it has done very well. Even though I said I wouldn't, I ended up getting the mod bug with it. It has a ZZP S3 heat exchanger, ZZP 3" CAI, 60# injectors, 2.9" S/C pulley, ZZP 3" catless longtube header, Thermal catback, and custom HP-Tuners tune. It also at one point had a Saturn Motorsports front strut bar and Progress rear sway bar. I had the car dynoed on a Dynojet with just an air filter and it did 208HP and 195TQ. With a ZZP catless DP, ZZP 3" CAI and Thermal CB it ran a 14.8@98 with an awful 2.4 60' on a nasty humid day. With all of the current mods, the car did 248HP and 233TQ on the same dyno. The track however, wasn't so kind. It ran a 15.0@100 with a still crappy 2.4 60' on a run where I forgot to turn off the A/C after I was using it to keep the intake temps down due to a non-working intercooler pump. Temps on the run were between 140-190 degrees....

At the moment the car is being returned to stock so I can sell it. I have a company truck now, and no longer wish to make payments on a car I won't be driving much. However, after the Saturn is sold off I'm going to have some money to play around with and would like to get a daily driver that I can have some fun with.

The mod bug? Let me go get my mask. My wife will kill me otherwise.

Damn too late, I'll catch death now. Out of four, I have one stock. Welcome.

Welcome to the madness. If you stay around long enough cars will start following you home like stray dogs. Good luck keeping that in check.

Welcome.

Prepare for assimilation.

You have a long way to go to match some of this group of automotive add enablers but you seem to be off to a good start, welcome to the nuthouse

This forum should be considered the last stop on your way to enlightenment...

Prepare to loose all interest in a specific vehicle/brand/make/marque...

Prepare to gain ridiculous amounts of interesent in anything moves under it's own power (you will come to realize that wheeled vehicles are no longer a large enough subset to encompass your interests, for many reasons)

Once you have come to peace with these tenants, you may proceed...

Once you proceed, you will never be able to go back...

Your DSM history of disasters sounds about normal. Great to drive, horribly unreliable. Too bad.

You'll need to know the answer to most questions posed here will either be "Miata" or "E30 BMW". Do not question these answers. They are right.

This is a good place, very little BS. Oh, and you'll soon learn what Berkley and canoe mean, but we'll wait and watch you squirm a bit first.

Hey, I was a GRMer before I got here. You'll learn about everything here, finance, medicine, patios. And about who Bob Costas'.

And I've daily drove turbo DSMs (and the NOT DSM GVR-4) for twenty years.

Welcome!

You are now in the realm of the goofiest and most friendly automotive crazies on the web. (NO....I can't prove this.)

Rog

Raze wrote: This forum should be considered the last stop on your way to enlightenment... Prepare to loose all interest in a specific vehicle/brand/make/marque... Prepare to gain ridiculous amounts of interesent in anything moves under it's own power (you will come to realize that wheeled vehicles are no longer a large enough subset to encompass your interests, for many reasons) Once you have come to peace with these tenants, you may proceed... Once you proceed, you will never be able to go back...

This statement is amazingly accurate....

You know, when I first started reading here all I cared about was Hondas. Now I own two Chevys, and lust after the oddest cars I can find.

Thanks for the welcome guys.

I think if it weren't for a full time job, full time student status, and no where to put them I would have a lot more cars.

As far as oddball cars, I've got a couple of buddies who have played with some strange animals. I have a friend who had a deeply modded '89 Probe GT and dailies a modded '93 Geo Prizm. I also had a buddy who tried to revive a '91 Prizm GSi but it was too rusty and was scrapped.

After I get rid of my Saturn I'm going to have some cash to play around with, and I'll have to come in here and ask for suggestions.

Welcome.

This place, plus an open mind, is a good time.

shelbyz wrote: After I get rid of my Saturn I'm going to have some cash to play around with, and I'll have to come in here and ask for suggestions.

We are ready for your suggestion questions at a moments notice. Most of the answers have already been formulated.

Welcome.

Can i be first to say miata?

shelbyz wrote: Thanks for the welcome guys. I think if it weren't for a full time job, full time student status, and no where to put them I would have a lot more cars. As far as oddball cars, I've got a couple of buddies who have played with some strange animals. I have a friend who had a deeply modded '89 Probe GT and dailies a modded '93 Geo Prizm. I also had a buddy who tried to revive a '91 Prizm GSi but it was too rusty and was scrapped. After I get rid of my Saturn I'm going to have some cash to play around with, and I'll have to come in here and ask for suggestions.

I've met your friend.

Did he ever end up using that downpipe i sold him? Or did he give up on the Probe entirely?

Your a DSM fan eh? Then you are a bizarre freak.

As such you have found a home here.

Welcome to GRM

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote:

shelbyz wrote: Thanks for the welcome guys. I think if it weren't for a full time job, full time student status, and no where to put them I would have a lot more cars. As far as oddball cars, I've got a couple of buddies who have played with some strange animals. I have a friend who had a deeply modded '89 Probe GT and dailies a modded '93 Geo Prizm. I also had a buddy who tried to revive a '91 Prizm GSi but it was too rusty and was scrapped. After I get rid of my Saturn I'm going to have some cash to play around with, and I'll have to come in here and ask for suggestions.

I've met your friend. Did he ever end up using that downpipe i sold him? Or did he give up on the Probe entirely?

I thought I smelled F2T in here. Celica and I are trying to start a movement to get the mx6 GT and Probe GT added to the "Holy trinity" as it were, that is actually more like 5 cars.... Cherokee, p71, Astro, Miata, and of course, E30.

Additionally, as a former/current DSM gearhead myself (I still lurve the things but I'm fairly certain my wife will turn my manly bits into a fine pate if I drag another one home) I understand where you're at.

Welcome to the only car board I've yet found that doesn't routinely answer questions (and I've asked some stupid one's over the years) with "Search Noob" or a Google link, which is, of course, equally helpful. Over the past few years the groupthink here has transitioned me from racing spectator to a participant and from a Miata hater to an owner. Just be careful, they're very crafty like that!

^^^^^^^ QFT

I am 6'4" and have owned a Miata, watch this group. We, er, I mean they are very sneaky.

Way late, but thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I kept getting the $9.99 subscription ads on Facebook, so I came here to get my G/F a gift subscription and thought I would check on this.

I missed asking for advice on what to replace the Saturn with, but ended up buying a 2002 WRX wagon for a steal of a deal. Also since posting this, my GF bought a 2007 Civic Si that I get to play with every once in a while.

shelbyz wrote: Way late, but thanks for the warm welcome everyone! I kept getting the $9.99 subscription ads on Facebook, so I came here to get my G/F a gift subscription and thought I would check on this. I missed asking for advice on what to replace the Saturn with, but ended up buying a 2002 WRX wagon for a steal of a deal. Also since posting this, my GF bought a 2007 Civic Si that I get to play with every once in a while.

Wait, you got your girlfriend a GRM subscription for Christmas???

If she likes it you got a keeper there.

shelbyz wrote: I kept getting the $9.99 subscription ads on Facebook,

Subscriptions for what?

I haven't been on a lot of other Forums, but feel safe here; no flaming for dumb questions etc. Your previous sins are forgiven provided you learned something.

I have a list.

Welcome!

Dan

Welcome to the funny farm of cheap/weird automotive enabling. Don't say you were not warned!

I just bought an Ion 3 for my daughter, I guess now I get to see how fast she can get to school!

914Driver wrote:

shelbyz wrote: I kept getting the $9.99 subscription ads on Facebook,

Subscriptions for what? I haven't been on a lot of other Forums, but feel safe here; no flaming for dumb questions etc. Your previous sins are forgiven provided you learned something. I have a list. Welcome! Dan

For the GRM magazine. Just a way I can give them some business. It's become my favorite magazine since Sport Compact Car went under and I'd hate to ever see the same thing happen to GRM.

I actually stumble on this forum everyonce in a while when I'm trying to gather info on a potential car purchase. The "Learn me" (I think it is...) threads that pop up on here are extremely helpful.

I work in Troy...