I’ve ruined another perfectly practical car–and I’m grateful for it

I've had to remind myself that my Alltrack is a DD/Kid Hauler and that it doesn't need those nice, shiny BFI stage 1 mounts or 200tw tires several times now. Still, it's tempting.

In reply to Turbine :

I took the R totally back to stock to trade it in.  Drove it around about a week like that and marveled at the nice ride, quiet exhaust, good fuel economy etc.  Made me think that even though I'd just done basic bolt ons for that car, I'd taken it too far too. 

It's always death by 1000 cuts for me. I'm usually looking to solve a problem, or replace a worn out or broken part, then it snowballs into ruining the car. I have a rule that I only use OE stuff on my wifes car, unless otherwise requested, to avoid doing it to both our vehicles.

OTOH when I show up to a customer or prospect in a heavily modified hot hatch its either a talking point or they don't seem care. The ones where its a talking point are my favorite customers. The ones that don't care are usually neutral. The ones that do care or silently think I'm immature I probably don't want as customers.

I keep telling myself to keep the brz stock....but i am starting to realize that i am lying to myself...the day will come when it gets konis and bars. I have already ruined two legacy wagons, though one of them is still fairly streetable. The other less so. Before them, the 2009 WRX was absolutely ruined, but so fast and so muuch fun, and then the miata and 91 legacy wagon before that. I don't think i can stop doing this. :)

In reply to livinon2wheels :

I am intentionally keeping the Mustang on softer springs. Even on a race set up I stick to the softer springs bigger bars philosophy........ I'm a known curb hopper.

Been driving the same ruined corolla for almost 4 years. Motor mounts stiffer than a tetanus patient, amazon muffler I had a friend weld on, canards with uneven paint, curbed konigs with no tpms, the list goes on. The only thing this car has going for me is a flashy appearance and class placements. Wouldnt trade it for the world ;)

ProDarwin said:

By far the worst mod to a car that's also a street car is rock solid engine mounts.  Its really a bummer that cars (FWD in particular) can't seem to make a mount that is robust, stiff enough to launch/shift well, and not generate a ton of NVH.

They do exist, but they are hydraulic and rather expensive.  On the last FWD car that I had, I spent the extra money to replace the failed mounts with the correct hydraulic ones.  Solid mounts suck and so do cheap rubber ones.

Part of the key is that they must have a lot of spatial separation, to be able to handle torque loads well and still be compliant.  This is not always possible, if only for assembly line reasons, and when it is it can be a pain in the tail for service, like the Volvo torque mount that covers the back of the engine.  That's not horrible on an inline five, but when Ford took the chassis and stuck a V6 in it for the Five Hundred, the bracket turned into a giant monsterpus that was in the way of everything because it had to attach to the cylinder head(s) then wrap around over the intake manifold to get to the strut bar.

I loved Leon Drake's solution on his 16V Golf/Caddy rallycross thing... he made what can best be described as a slapper bar for the engine.  Under torque, a pair of snubbers forced against a plate on the firewall.  It's probably the only front drive VW that didn't have wheelhop issues 

I ruined my 2000 EK Civic beater that was supposed to be stock but I've gotten to the point where I am fine with how it is save an engine swap and it just needs regular oil changes now. I can fix the Integra after the year long fixing of maintenance items including replacing the dead automatic for a manual. A few of the "mods" I did since 2016 were to fix some annoyances. leaking drum brakes and not wanting to deal with that? Go with Integra rear discs.  Have a spare ITR sway bar not being used? Why not? Friend of a friend selling a Koni yellow GC kit for a good price? Ok I'll do it. Need tires, don't want to pay for overpriced 14s? Throw my LS meshes that weren't being used on my Integra and buy cheaper and more easily available 205/50/15 tires. 

The last of the maintenance/mods are bushings and those are going to be OEM honda or Mugen depending on price and availability. Trailing arm and front lower control arms are all that are left. 

I enjoy a good ruined car. At least this time I had the sense to sell my expensive car and do it to a cheap disposable car instead. I don't mind the ruined car. I more dislike how much money you can lose on one if you don't keep an eye on budget.