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The Tesla already drives pretty good from the factory, though it does get unsettled on bumpy/rough roads, and I bet it's absolutely fantastic with the upgrades M has done.
Instant torque to all 4 wheels and all the weight in the floor is a hell of a combination.
If you are referring only to the insta-torque, then maybe.
Otherwise, no.
You'd be surprised how well it handles with some decent tires and good suspension (plus some camber). The guys behind me were telling me that the car was flat through the corners.
Plus, I'm pretty sure I need to replace the steering rack in the Z. I can turn the wheel from 11 to 1 and nothing happens
The suspension feels good otherwise, but the front end definitely has something fucky going on.
Last edited by civicdrivr; 12-08-2023 at 09:25 AM.
The Tesla already drives pretty good from the factory, though it does get unsettled on bumpy/rough roads, and I bet it's absolutely fantastic with the upgrades M has done.
Instant torque to all 4 wheels and all the weight in the floor is a hell of a combination.
Originally Posted by civicdrivr
You'd be surprised how well it handles with some decent tires and good suspension (plus some camber). The guys behind me were telling me that the car was flat through the corners.
Plus, I'm pretty sure I need to replace the steering rack in the Z. I can turn the wheel from 11 to 1 and nothing happens
The suspension feels good otherwise, but the front end definitely has something fucky going on.
Yeah, but there's something to be said for the more analog car on a twisty road.
Yeah, but there's something to be said for the more analog car on a twisty road.
More than analog cars, what's even more thrilling is absolutely wringing the living shit out of a 200hp roadster vs using 40% of the capabilities of a 450hp EV.
More than analog cars, what's even more thrilling is absolutely wringing the living shit out of a 200hp roadster vs using 40% of the capabilities of a 450hp EV.
More than analog cars, what's even more thrilling is absolutely wringing the living shit out of a 60hp roadster vs using 40% of the capabilities of a 450hp EV.
We had some good weather a few weekends ago, so I pulled the top off just to check the condition of the soft top and take it for a roofless drive (first time lol).
The top appears to be original, and it's in pretty good condition. However, the window is not:
The window zips in, though I've read it's kind of a bitch to replace. But a new window is $140, so I'll give it a shot. If it doesn't turn out well, I'll just replace the top itself - but this is low on the priority list.
We got some more decent weather about two weeks ago and I needed to wash off the grime from the cross-country trip, so I enlisted some help from my daughter. This was the main reason I bought the car - to share memories like this with her. She got bored after a few minutes though
On to the more exciting stuff - I've been eyeing a SuperSprint exhaust for a while now, but couldn't justify ~$800 for an axle back. Even the Black Friday sale at ~$600 was a bit much IMO for a muffler (I'm cheap). But then I found out that ECS has a Scratch & Dent section! They had two SuperSprint axle backs on there - one for $550 with pictures saying it was test fit but otherwise good, and another for $350 without pictures, saying it was test fit and has scratches, dings, and dents. So naturally that's the one I bought
It showed up a few days later, and after unpacking it I saw the extent of the damage:
That's it. One tip is ever so slightly out of round. I got a ball peen hammer and tapped it back into shape and threw it on the car. There were a few scratches on the body of the muffler but that's all hidden, so who cares.
Somehow I don't have a photo of the car from behind The exhaust note didn't change a whole lot. Most of the volume comes from headers or a mid-pipe (the resonator on these puts in work). Headers are on the list, but not near the top. Mainly because they're a bitch to install.
I also tossed on some clear front bumper lights, installed the glove box sag fix, the seatbelt guide fix, and a stubby antenna.
I've been looking for excuses to take it for drives before winter really sets in, and creating a list of things to replace. At the top of the list is a front end refresh:
- Lower Control Arms (purchased)
- Lower Control Arm Bushings (purchased)
- Inner & Outer tie rods (purchased)
And I need to see if the steering shaft coupling (little rubber puck) is in good shape. That should address the steering issues I'm dealing with, otherwise it's the rack
Then it's on to addressing the rear end (subframe bushings) and struts & springs. What's bugging me about this platform is the lack of rear alignment options. It's. based on the E30, and it shows. There are press in bushings for the rear trailing arm to get a little bit of camber/toe adjustment but from what I read, they suck. The other option is welding tabs onto the subframe so I can use eccentrics. This will likely be the route I go when I have the subframe out to do the bushings, I just need to find someone that can weld them on
Z3:
I've purchased A LOT of parts over the past ~2 months:
TC Kline Coilovers (Koni based struts)
Vorshlag Camber Plates
Weld in camber and toe adjustment plates for the rear subframe
New front LCAs and bushings (aka lollipops)
Inner and Outer Tie Rods
Rear Subframe bushings
Trailing Arm Bushings
E-Brake shoes and springs
Wheel bearings front and rear (2025 maintenance item)
Clutch and Single Mass Flywheel (since I'm dropping the trans anyway)
Short shifter
DSSR aka Dual Shear Selector Rod (the factory unit is single shear and flexes)
034 Motorsports Street Density motor & transmission mounts
Detent kit for the transmission
This is a known issue on the ZF 5 speed; the detents wear, which makes it difficult to find certain gears. 3rd and 4th is nearly impossible to find at the moment, so I haven't been driving it much (it's also been cold & rainy).
Headers
Mechanical fan delete parts (it's pointless and they tend to blow up, taking out the cooling system
Tons of cooling parts
Fuel filter
Subframe reinforcement (2025/26 maintenance item)
All in all, I've got more money tied up in parts than what the car cost, but the majority of these parts won't need to be replaced for quite some time. Some of them were backordered since mid-January, so I haven't started working on it yet - which is ok. It's been cold in the garage
I've got the work broken up into phases:
Drivetrain, Transmission, Shifter and Exhaust work
Cooling System Refresh
Suspension & Brakes
Thankfully the backordered parts should ship today or tomorrow, and I should have them in the next week or two.
Model 3:
Some nerd stats -
19,831 miles travelled
6,970.8kWh used
$1,023.44 spent on charging ($242.86 at Superchargers), though this is overstated as I have solar and home charging is usually free
Repairs: $0
Warranty work: The trunk spoiler was replaced in September 2023 in my driveway by Tesla's mobile service. The clear coat started to fail and Tesla acknowledged that there was a bad batch. $0 out of pocket.
I still love the car, and I'm really happy I bought it. Would I buy another EV? Absofuckinlutely, in a heartbeat. EV is the best daily driver, and I will die on that hill. But would I buy the same car today? Maybe. With more and more EVs hitting the market that use NACS (Tesla's charging standard), it's hard to choose Tesla over the others. Case in point, the Model 3/CRV replacement:
Likely a CR-V replacement, as we'll probably be approaching or maybe even over 100k miles by that point and I am lacking confidence that the CVT will last. But who knows - a lot can change in 2 years.
And yes, it's a ton of work that I'm not exactly looking forward to, but the car needs it before I put any real miles on it.
$1,023.44 spent on charging ($242.86 at Superchargers), though this is overstated as I have solar and home charging is usually free
Repairs: $0
Warranty work: The trunk spoiler was replaced in September 2023 in my driveway by Tesla's mobile service. The clear coat started to fail and Tesla acknowledged that there was a bad batch. $0 out of pocket.
So...doing the math, ~2.8mi/kWh. That's really good!
You really cannot beat the running costs of an EV. You drove 20k miles and spent $0 in repair/maintenance and an absolute pittance in "fuel" costs.
So...doing the math, ~2.8mi/kWh. That's really good!
You really cannot beat the running costs of an EV. You drove 20k miles and spent $0 in repair/maintenance and an absolute pittance in "fuel" costs.
Yeah I was actually really surprised by the 2.8mi/kwh average. I expected more 2-2.25 with the way I drive
It's crazy how inexpensive these things are to operate. $1k in fuel would take us ~10k miles in the CRV, not including the oil change or other maintenance/wear and tear. And we average 32-34mpg in it. Comparing to the Golf it replaced, I could've gone 6500 miles on the same amount
Originally Posted by rockstar143
Yeah. I don't like that math one bit because it makes too much sense.
hmmm...Rivian, S2000 and Z06?
12-04-2023, 09:20 AM
Looks neat. Good to see you back in a car again.
good luck!!
Thanks for the update. 
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