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The Car Talk Thread

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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    antrieb wrote:
    BTW way Richard, I emailed ESS about the typo on the 530i SC kit and they said it was infact a typo. Makes me feel better now, I was worried it was for the 3.0L I6.

    You know that whole DTM power crew? They have a lot of experience with ESS Tuning, IIRC all positive.
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    antriebantrieb Registered Users Posts: 285 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    You know that whole DTM power crew? They have a lot of experience with ESS Tuning, IIRC all positive.
    Not in with the DTM crowd…
    <o:p> </o:p>
    So when did MBZ start using ellipsoid lights?

    BMW started in 1988 :D
    Photography runs in my blood :andy

    http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    antrieb wrote:
    Not in with the DTM crowd…
    <o:p> </o:p>So when did MBZ start using ellipsoid lights?
    BMW started in 1988 :D
    Bah, all those (and xenons) do is blind me...I wish they'd get rid of them both. E-Code Cibie's FTW <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/clap.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" > (Did MB ever use ellipsoid? AFIK they didn't, just went from E-codes to Xenons). Ellipsoids are projectors right?

    And yeah, I don't like that DTM crowd either, I just remember back in the day when ESS was starting to ramp up they were very popular there.

    Oh, and when did BMW get a CD player? MB started in late 1985...though they are impossible to find and were not available at all in the US.
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    antriebantrieb Registered Users Posts: 285 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    Bah, all those (and xenons) do is blind me...I wish they'd get rid of them both. E-Code Cibie's FTW clap.gif (Did MB ever use ellipsoid? AFIK they didn't, just went from E-codes to Xenons). Ellipsoids are projectors right?

    And yeah, I don't like that DTM crowd either, I just remember back in the day when ESS was starting to ramp up they were very popular there.
    Ellipsoids are projectors, yes. And they don’t blind either. They have a specific cutoff and really light up the road. Combine that with a set of 4.3k HID’s and you can see anything. Now THAT’S safe!
    Photography runs in my blood :andy

    http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    antrieb wrote:
    Ellipsoids are projectors, yes. And they don’t blind either. They have a specific cutoff and really light up the road. Combine that with a set of 4.3k HID’s and you can see anything. Now THAT’S safe!
    Yeah, they're like ___/__/ kinda right (obviously the angle isn't accurate)? That's exactly how my Cibie's (and the e-codes) are too. Projectors do blind me, but I'm easily blinded...so yeah, unfair.
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    Well...are you more of a looks guy or a functional guy? If you've got money and you want function, make sure whatever you get is light and forged.
    Lip isn't really something you just kinda look for, typically it's the result of a specific wheel offset, and only certain offsets work with a certain car (and don't count on tirerack's wheel configurated to have the proper specs, they use spacers of all sizes to make wheels work, but even with good quality hubcentric spacers you don't want to use a very big spacer).
    What size wheels do you have on there right now? And what do you find lacking about you current wheel/tire/suspension setup?

    First off, I wanna see these things in person. Don't want to get something
    I'm going to hate from someplace like tirerack.com.

    So I'm really just looking for something to set the car off. Maybe I'll do
    some engine mods later but prolly not.

    Zac, I liked the BBS CK 509. That's looking attractive. I've got 18's on
    there now. Maybe a tad wider? Like 8.5's?
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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    jsedlakjsedlak Registered Users Posts: 487 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    antrieb wrote:
    Ellipsoids are projectors, yes. And they don’t blind either. They have a specific cutoff and really light up the road. Combine that with a set of 4.3k HID’s and you can see anything. Now THAT’S safe!

    Projectors blind very easily...

    why? Usually most projectors are horribly mis-aimed. SUVs also sit much higher and projectors are rarely adjusted and so they point straight out, and guess what they hit... us people in the small sporty cars. Projectors also blind VERY easily as cars go over bumps because the light is so direct and obviously bounces on an angle with the car.
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    jsedlak wrote:
    Projectors blind very easily...

    why? Usually most projectors are horribly mis-aimed. SUVs also sit much higher and projectors are rarely adjusted and so they point straight out, and guess what they hit... us people in the small sporty cars. Projectors also blind VERY easily as cars go over bumps because the light is so direct and obviously bounces on an angle with the car.

    Then you prolly wouldn't like the PIAA's on my GS? lol3.gif
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    ian408 wrote:
    First off, I wanna see these things in person. Don't want to get something
    I'm going to hate from someplace like tirerack.com.

    So I'm really just looking for something to set the car off. Maybe I'll do
    some engine mods later but prolly not.

    Zac, I liked the BBS CK 509. That's looking attractive. I've got 18's on
    there now. Maybe a tad wider? Like 8.5's?

    CK's as in those 19x8.5" things? Those are cold pressure cast, so they're gettig heavy at 28.1 lbs (well...that's light for a 19, but not as light as it could be). Put that on top of the fact that they are 19's...you're acceleration, braking, and handling will be hindered. What do you think of the BBS RGR's? 19 will still have some adverse handling effects, but at least they're light at 21.3lbs.
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    jsedlakjsedlak Registered Users Posts: 487 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    ian408 wrote:
    Then you prolly wouldn't like the PIAA's on my GS? lol3.gif

    Nor will you like my HID projectors aimed specifically with the intent to blind all you *******s. lol

    I get flashed frequently (one of my bulbs is a bit loose and points left into oncoming traffic, oops!) and I just high beam back and leave it on... thankfully I haven't caused an accident yet... Just want other people to feel my pain I guess! rolleyes1.gif
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    ian408 wrote:
    Then you prolly wouldn't like the PIAA's on my GS? lol3.gif
    Ok ok ok, take what I'm about to say lightly, I mean no offense really, but I know no better way to say it. Why would you put on PIAA's? You like lights that use a filter on the bulb to get less lumens? Or you like blinding on-coming traffic? Or do you like having a whiter light, which tricks the mind into thinking there is more light than there is, leading your pupils to needlessly contract, reducing the distance of your vision at night? Do you drive with your fog lights on when there is no fog also?

    Jsedlak...fix your damn lights.
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    jsedlakjsedlak Registered Users Posts: 487 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    Jsedlak...fix your damn lights.

    Working on it... I need to make a special rubber gromit to fit underneath the metal clip because Umnitza (headlight company) cant make clips to save their life... :(

    And I drive with my fogs on, because my angel eyes are hooked up to the fog light button.
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    Ok ok ok, take what I'm about to say lightly, I mean no offense really, but I know no better way to say it. Why would you put on PIAA's? You like lights that use a filter on the bulb to get less lumens? Or you like blinding on-coming traffic? Or do you like having a whiter light, which tricks the mind into thinking there is more light than there is, leading your pupils to needlessly contract, reducing the distance of your vision at night? Do you drive with your fog lights on when there is no fog also?

    Jsedlak...fix your damn lights.

    None of the above. I just want to see the edges of the road. Motorcycle
    headlights aren't all that effective to begin with.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    ian408 wrote:
    None of the above. I just want to see the edges of the road. Motorcycle
    headlights aren't all that effective to begin with.

    What kind of bulb does it take? There is likely a much better solution, since PIAA bulbs, while they do make more peak lumens via quite a bit of trickery, actually have much lower light output than a regular bulb when you consider the entire beam pattern. If I know what kind of bulb it takes, I'll be able to figure if there is a better solution.
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    CK's as in those 19x8.5" things? Those are cold pressure cast, so they're gettig heavy at 28.1 lbs (well...that's light for a 19, but not as light as it could be). Put that on top of the fact that they are 19's...you're acceleration, braking, and handling will be hindered. What do you think of the BBS RGR's? 19 will still have some adverse handling effects, but at least they're light at 21.3lbs.

    I was thinking about staying with the same size. Wider maybe but it's not
    a requirement. Do you mean the RS-GT?

    I got time...
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    ian408 wrote:
    I was thinking about staying with the same size. Wider maybe but it's not
    a requirement. Do you mean the RS-GT?

    I got time...
    While I didn't mean the RS-GT, if you want an 18x8.5 I will change my recommendation and I do now mean the RS-GT (where are you looking at these that they didn't list the rgr? bbs-usa.com is where I see it). You know though, according to BBS to go to an 8.5" wide wheel on an A4 means you have to roll the fender (well, if you could find one with a huge offset you wouldn't have to, but that might have inner clearance issues)...not a big deal, but something to consider. What size tire are you trying to wear? Often you can go a size wider without having to go to a wider wheel.
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    While I didn't mean the RS-GT, if you want an 18x8.5 I will change my recommendation and I do now mean the RS-GT (where are you looking at these that they didn't list the rgr? bbs-usa.com is where I see it). You know though, according to BBS to go to an 8.5" wide wheel on an A4 means you have to roll the fender...not a big deal, but something to consider. What size tire are you trying to wear? Often you can go a size wider without having to go to a wider wheel.

    I was looking on bbs.com. Lemme' try the -usa one. I don't feel like doing
    rolling the fender. So that's out...
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    -usa, mo betta.
    Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
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    gusgus Registered Users Posts: 16,209 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    I have my new car back !! It took just 9 days to cover 450 klms (260 miles) Believe me you dont want to be working for vw roadside assist on monday !
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    dragon300zxdragon300zx Registered Users Posts: 2,575 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    gus wrote:
    I have my new car back !! It took just 9 days to cover 450 klms (260 miles) Believe me you dont want to be working for vw roadside assist on monday !

    Huh I'm confused. I thought you had already gotten your new car from the place that screwed up your last new car?
    Everyone Has A Photographic Memory. Some Just Do Not Have Film.
    www.zxstudios.com
    http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
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    DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    Ian: if you've already got the upgraded 18's on your A4, be very, very careful going wider. If you do, please spend the money and have it done right. I know this from experience: the engineers of cars such as this get a bit of leeway when it comes to the upgrades. The company will tolerate just about any extreme. In other words, they'll go as big as they can without sacrificing geometry or any ride/handling metrics. I've forgotten more about suspension design than these guys knew in their left hand. If they thought 18's were right, than they were. If you go bigger, it's only going to look different, it will most likely perform worse.

    I'd stay with an 18 of identical dimensions (or as close as possible). If you just want it to stand out, change the look, pick a different design. If you want your car to handle like a go-kart (everyday) then go bigger. But again, make sure you have it done by someone who can do the appropriate mods to toe-in, ride-height, etc. Not an inexpensive job.



    Richard: you are the stodgiest most cynical college student I know. You make me look young, thanks. lol3.gif
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


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    ian408ian408 Administrators Posts: 21,913 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    I'd stay with an 18 of identical dimensions ...

    After Richard's comment about rolling metal, that's pretty much what
    I've decided.
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    Richard: you are the stodgiest most cynical college student I know. You make me look young, thanks. lol3.gif

    You young turks think you're so funny. Back in my day we respected our elders you whippersnapper.
    Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell some kids to get off my lawn.:rutt
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    DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    ian408 wrote:
    After Richard's comment about rolling metal, that's pretty much what
    I've decided.
    thumb.gif The A4 is a very popular car. I'm sure there is a wide variety of wheel styles available in that size.
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


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    DoctorItDoctorIt Administrators Posts: 11,951 moderator
    edited October 6, 2006
    You young turks think you're so funny. Back in my day we respected our elders you whippersnapper.
    Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go tell some kids to get off my lawn.:rutt
    :lol4
    Erik
    moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]


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    XHawkeyeXHawkeye Registered Users Posts: 56 Big grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    http://www.wftv.com/2006/0303/7648294_320X240.jpg

    MALIBU, Calif. -- A Los Angeles County sheriff inspects the wreckage of a rare Ferrari Enzo that crashed on the Pacific Coast Highway Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2006, in Malibu, Calif. The red Ferrari, estimated to be worth more than $1 million, was going at least 100 mph when the driver lost control and struck a power pole, investigators said. Sheriff's investigators identified the owner as Stefan Ericksson, 44, of Bel Air, who escaped the wreck with only a cut lip.

    eek7.gif

    "Hello . . . Geico . . . yeah, I had a little accident"

    Article about Eriksson and his Enzo, fun will it lasted.
    http://wired.com/wired/archive/14.10/gizmondo_pr.html
    I Shoot Canons
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    cletuscletus Registered Users Posts: 1,930 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    thumb.gif The A4 is a very popular car. I'm sure there is a wide variety of wheel styles available in that size.

    nod.gif

    Interesting all this talk of 18" wheels for an A4 though. Back when I had my A4 (5-6 years ago) general thought was that 17s worked better on the car.
    I guess the newer A4s work better with 18s ne_nau.gif
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    cletus wrote:
    nod.gif

    Interesting all this talk of 18" wheels for an A4 though. Back when I had my A4 (5-6 years ago) general thought was that 17s worked better on the car.
    I guess the newer A4s work better with 18s ne_nau.gif

    Actually, as a general rule just about all cars are better off with 17's than 18's (there are some exceptions of course). 18's are usually only slightly worse though.
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    dragon300zxdragon300zx Registered Users Posts: 2,575 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    DoctorIt wrote:
    Richard: you are the stodgiest most cynical college student I know. You make me look young, thanks. lol3.gif


    I completely agree. He always makes me feel like a young college kid and when I see his words I always think he is one of those 55 year 30 company vetrans who knows everything and can't possibly be tought anything new by some young punk. :dragon
    Everyone Has A Photographic Memory. Some Just Do Not Have Film.
    www.zxstudios.com
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    marlinspikemarlinspike Registered Users Posts: 2,095 Major grins
    edited October 6, 2006
    I completely agree. He always makes me feel like a young college kid and when I see his words I always think he is one of those 55 year 30 company vetrans who knows everything and can't possibly be tought anything new by some young punk. :dragon

    What's that dragon? You're a :buttkiss:dragon (put it together...) How's that for sounding more my age?
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