So picked up my new 92 Manual Turbo on Sunday from Christchurch, drove it up to Kaikoura Sunday arvo and stayed with friends before getting the ferry at 2pm Monday and then drove straight home to Tauranga getting in at 1230 Monday morning (just under 900km driving all up). Overall pretty easy trip - the rain coming out of Wellington in rush hour was a bit of a downer and together with the snow/ice on the Desert Rd (and the handling quirk) meant I took it pretty easy all the way home - except for a little spurt up the Kaimais just before i got home - which seemed to get the exhaust quite warm!!
Car is very straight and tidy for a 24 year old car - interior especially - little hole in the usual spot on the bolster of the drivers seat (but was given a spotless replacement seat to change in - just its black compared to the others as blue).
Mechanically mostly standard except for an alarm, turbo timer and a momo F1 concept wheel (not really my style of wheel to look at, but nice to drive with). Has K&N pod filter - induction noise was good for entertainment purposes and the exhaust looks to be a bit bigger than standard. Usual wind noise from the mirrors and also one from the top of the drivers window which got a bit tiresome over the drive…
Alpine stereo, Alpine amp in the boot and a sub behind each seat and components/tweeters in pods in the doors - and a high pitched whistle (did I mention that 900kms drive?) Not a bad system, but needs more midrange for my taste. Will consider what I want to do here - need to get something with bluetooth to play music from my phone but after that its about making it sound quality not quantity, will probably ditch the subs...
Found the fog lights only worked intermittently through the night - would see them cut out and in and random times, as well as the dash light indicator. In the end turned them off as it was starting to distract me! Also the illumination on the AC unit would occasionally cut out, but a wiggle of the temp selector got that back straight away.
Boost gauge looks like it "sticks" as you accelerate - as in suddenly jumps up to about 1/3 on the gauge, then moves up and down normally. Doesn't feel like there is any mechanical issue, just the gauge? Will need to dig around that one some more
Has a small oil seep around the valve cover which I'll have to tidyup for a start and check all the bolts etc
Handling wise pulls to right under acceleration, and as you lift off the gas/change gear swerves back to the left. I suspect this is due to the mis-matched tyres on the rear - Dunlop Dirrezza (almost at the wear indicators) on the left, Roadstone (yuck) on the right. Could be lots of other things, but until I can get a matched set on the back not a lot of point chasing that one!
17inch alloys have some pretty decent kurb rash/gouges which I'll need to do something with. Tyres size 235/40-17 is not a common size I've found already - Toyos sound like the answer to that problem? Front is 215/40-17 (Falkens) but they've got a lot of meat on them still.
So I've got a few little things to work on, plan for now is just the basics:
Oil drip/seep
Get the tyres/handling sorted
Sort out the fog light issues (and do the mod)
Sort out illumination on AC unit
Mirror wind noise & take a look at the other window seals
Stereo whistle
Later will be wheel tidyup (and paint?), new headunit and sort out sounds, LED's in instrument gauge and probably a million other things I think of.
