Drove an SVT Focus again yesterday...

[blee]

...all the way home. :)

The Mazda3 is an excellent car, and anyone looking for a relatively inexpensive family car would be very pleased with it. Enthusiasts will also appreciate its zippiness, handling, and overall "zoom zoom." I thought it was the only way for us to go, until I drove an SVT Focus about a week ago.

On paper, the two cars are very similar and they would appear to serve the same market. In practice, though, the Mazda definitely caters more towards the mass market while the SVT product (understandably) aims its sights more squarely at the enthusiast. It is more taut, more direct, louder, and more engaging to drive than the Mazda. It is only marginally more powerful on paper, but it doesn't feel that way on the road. The engine has a decent amount of low-end torque and the pull to redline is intoxicating. The six-speed Getrag transmission helps to keep the engine in its sweet spot, and both it and the clutch are a real pleasure to use. The suspension on this car surpasses the Mazda by a fair margin, and that's saying a LOT about the little guy. I haven't yet found a ramp or corner that upsets the chassis.

http://forums.bimmerevolution.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=216
http://forums.bimmerevolution.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=217

There it is, in Sonic Blue. The dealer had to look for a while to find one remotely near me; there was one in way northern Maryland with the Euro package, but it was sold just as we were finalizing the paperwork on it. This one was in Philly and has only the moonroof and the cold weather package (heated seats, block heater, traction control). I would've been happier without either package, but the color was important enough that I took it with them anyway. I guess SVT only produced a handful of the blue ones. :dunno:

The cargo area is reasonably large, and it's about comparable to the Mazda. Our dog fits back there, but I wouldn't want to keep her there for too long.

[FC]

Nice! :cool:

[clyde]

...all the way home. :)

Oh my. I was kidding. :P

Congrats!

edit---

blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...blee bought a Ford...

:D

[Nick M3]

Cool. :)

Glad you found your match.

[JST]

...all the way home. :)

The Mazda3 is an excellent car, and anyone looking for a relatively inexpensive family car would be very pleased with it. Enthusiasts will also appreciate its zippiness, handling, and overall "zoom zoom." I thought it was the only way for us to go, until I drove an SVT Focus about a week ago.

On paper, the two cars are very similar and they would appear to serve the same market. In practice, though, the Mazda definitely caters more towards the mass market while the SVT product (understandably) aims its sights more squarely at the enthusiast. It is more taut, more direct, louder, and more engaging to drive than the Mazda. It is only marginally more powerful on paper, but it doesn't feel that way on the road. The engine has a decent amount of low-end torque and the pull to redline is intoxicating. The six-speed Getrag transmission helps to keep the engine in its sweet spot, and both it and the clutch are a real pleasure to use. The suspension on this car surpasses the Mazda by a fair margin, and that's saying a LOT about the little guy. I haven't yet found a ramp or corner that upsets the chassis.

http://forums.bimmerevolution.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=216
http://forums.bimmerevolution.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=217

There it is, in Sonic Blue. The dealer had to look for a while to find one remotely near me; there was one in way northern Maryland with the Euro package, but it was sold just as we were finalizing the paperwork on it. This one was in Philly and has only the moonroof and the cold weather package (heated seats, block heater, traction control). I would've been happier without either package, but the color was important enough that I took it with them anyway. I guess SVT only produced a handful of the blue ones. :dunno:

The cargo area is reasonably large, and it's about comparable to the Mazda. Our dog fits back there, but I wouldn't want to keep her there for too long.


Very nice. Looking forward to scoping it out; maybe I can bring the WRX around and we can play swappy car at some point.

What's with all the blue cars recently?

[ZHPhil]

:cool: Glad you found something to fit your needs.

:lol: @ Clyde

[blee]

Yes, blee bought a Ford. A "Blubaru blue" Ford.

As of last night, I have to call myself a converted marque agnostic. Of all things, I never expected to buy a Ford this time around...but I did just that. And I definitely think it's the right car for us.

JST -- we're still stupid busy right now, but I'd definitely like to check out your car now that it's broken in. You should definitely check out the paint in person -- it's awesome, especially at dusk.

[ayn]

Congrats! :thumbup:

[lemming]

C O O L !!!!!!!

nice work, b-

you did your homework and got the car that you needed and wanted.

[lemming]

i think the big question for those of us following your saga is: which car is faster at the auto-X, the e30m3 or the SVT focus?

(evil grin).

should be telling. either it will be a validation of the purity and greatness of the m3 or a validation of how well the SVT handles.

[blee]

i think the big question for those of us following your saga is: which car is faster at the auto-X, the e30m3 or the SVT focus?

(evil grin).

should be telling. either it will be a validation of the purity and greatness of the m3 or a validation of how well the SVT handles.LOL. :D

I'll be the first to tell you that I'm absolutely the wrong person to ask about that. I'm a terrible autocrosser. Actually, I'm not terrible, but I have spent so little time out there that I just couldn't give you a good back-to-back comparo.

[JST]

i think the big question for those of us following your saga is: which car is faster at the auto-X, the e30m3 or the SVT focus?

(evil grin).

should be telling. either it will be a validation of the purity and greatness of the m3 or a validation of how well the SVT handles.LOL. :D

I'll be the first to tell you that I'm absolutely the wrong person to ask about that. I'm a terrible autocrosser. Actually, I'm not terrible, but I have spent so little time out there that I just couldn't give you a good back-to-back comparo.

Are you going to the May 1 CCA event?

[lemming]

all of these people getting new cars.

i ain't taking TD's crap anymore about being the only serial car owner here.

:-P

[Nick M3]

I had my wagon for three years as of last Monday.

:p

[clyde]

I had my wagon for three years as of last Monday.

:pPrety significant considering your age. :P

[blee]

Let's see...what have I purchased over the years? (My first car, a 1987 Olds gift from my parents that went back to them once I went to college, doesn't count.)

12/99 - 07/02: '00 Grand Prix GTP
07/02 - 04/03: '99 BMW M3
04/03 - 04/04: '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee
04/04 - 04/04: '88 BMW M3 (departure date not exactly known)
04/04 - ??/??: '04 Ford SVT Focus

Jesus. It's time to stop that for a while.

[lemming]

I had my wagon for three years as of last Monday.

:pPrety significant considering your age. :P


damn college kids.

they're just setting themselves up for a lot pressure and expectation for cars post-college.

;)

[Theo]

Great car blee. Love the color!!

I'll say it again. Blue has become the new silver, which had taken over for green.

REV it in good health!! =)

[JST]

Let's see...what have I purchased over the years? (My first car, a 1987 Olds gift from my parents that went back to them once I went to college, doesn't count.)

12/99 - 07/02: '00 Grand Prix GTP
07/02 - 04/03: '99 BMW M3
04/03 - 04/04: '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee
04/04 - 04/04: '88 BMW M3 (departure date not exactly known)
04/04 - ??/??: '04 Ford SVT Focus

Jesus. It's time to stop that for a while.

Uh...

12/88-1/91: 1986 VW GTI--white
1/91-10/91: 1991 Escort GT--blue
10/91-10/92: 1992 Ford Probe GT--red
10/92-2/94: 1993 Mustang GT convertible--green
2/94-4/95: 1994 Mustang GT coupe--black
4/95-2/96: 1995 Mustang GT coupe--red
2/96-12/96: 1996 Ford Contour SE--black
12/96-5/97: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--red
5/97-2/98: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--black
2/98-10/99: 1998 Ford Contour SVT--red
10/99-9/01: 2000 BMW 323Ci--black
9/01-5/03: 1998 BMW M3C--silver
5/02-1/04: 2002 VW GTI--red
5/03-???: 2002 BMW M3--black
1/04-???: 2004 Subaru WRX--blue

[dredmo]

Very cool, congrats.

[Theo]

Let's see...what have I purchased over the years? (My first car, a 1987 Olds gift from my parents that went back to them once I went to college, doesn't count.)

12/99 - 07/02: '00 Grand Prix GTP
07/02 - 04/03: '99 BMW M3
04/03 - 04/04: '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee
04/04 - 04/04: '88 BMW M3 (departure date not exactly known)
04/04 - ??/??: '04 Ford SVT Focus

Jesus. It's time to stop that for a while.

Uh...


12/96-5/97: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--red
5/97-2/98: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--black


Was that the V8 auto version or the 24value 5spd. The latter was kind of cool.

[zcasavant]

Let's see...what have I purchased over the years? (My first car, a 1987 Olds gift from my parents that went back to them once I went to college, doesn't count.)

12/99 - 07/02: '00 Grand Prix GTP
07/02 - 04/03: '99 BMW M3
04/03 - 04/04: '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee
04/04 - 04/04: '88 BMW M3 (departure date not exactly known)
04/04 - ??/??: '04 Ford SVT Focus

Jesus. It's time to stop that for a while.

Uh...


12/96-5/97: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--red
5/97-2/98: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--black


Was that the V8 auto version or the 24value 5spd. The latter was kind of cool.

The last year for the v6 SHOs was 1995.

[blee]

Hehe. With the exception of the Jeep, it's funny how we've always picked the "special" trim levels. My wife asked me last night, "so why didn't you even suggest the base ZX5?" I couldn't give her a very rational excuse. :(

Why was your first SHO so short-lived? Did it meet an untimely end? While the SHOs were interesting, they were no match for the '97+ GTP IMO (with the exception of the auto trans in the Pontiac). Then again, to a Ford guy... ;)

[clyde]

Uh...

12/88-1/91: 1986 VW GTI--white
1/91-10/91: 1991 Escort GT--blue
10/91-10/92: 1992 Ford Probe GT--red
10/92-2/94: 1993 Mustang GT convertible--green
2/94-4/95: 1994 Mustang GT coupe--black
4/95-2/96: 1995 Mustang GT coupe--red
2/96-12/96: 1996 Ford Contour SE--black
12/96-5/97: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--red
5/97-2/98: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--black
2/98-10/99: 1998 Ford Contour SVT--red
10/99-9/01: 2000 BMW 323Ci--black
9/01-5/03: 1998 BMW M3C--silver
5/02-1/04: 2002 VW GTI--red
5/03-???: 2002 BMW M3--black
1/04-???: 2004 Subaru WRX--blue

Never teh same car twice, huh? :?

[lemming]

Uh...

12/88-1/91: 1986 VW GTI--white
1/91-10/91: 1991 Escort GT--blue
10/91-10/92: 1992 Ford Probe GT--red
10/92-2/94: 1993 Mustang GT convertible--green
2/94-4/95: 1994 Mustang GT coupe--black
4/95-2/96: 1995 Mustang GT coupe--red
2/96-12/96: 1996 Ford Contour SE--black
12/96-5/97: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--red
5/97-2/98: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--black
2/98-10/99: 1998 Ford Contour SVT--red
10/99-9/01: 2000 BMW 323Ci--black
9/01-5/03: 1998 BMW M3C--silver
5/02-1/04: 2002 VW GTI--red
5/03-???: 2002 BMW M3--black
1/04-???: 2004 Subaru WRX--blue

Never teh same car twice, huh? :?

all these lists do is justify my car appetite. thank god for the rest of you guys. i don't feel like such a freak.

hey snyde, i'd buy a ford, too, if i could actually get my hands on a GT.

[Rob]

Congrats! Looks sharp, should be dependable, and if they still have the brake problem that the early models did (apparently they went every 10k!), at least you know how to change them at home. :lol:

Looks like fun.

[clyde]

all these lists do is justify my car appetite. thank god for the rest of you guys. i don't feel like such a freak.

here's mine +/- (some have been intentionally omitted and I may have forgotten a few others, dates are approximate...it's all so hard to keep track of):

7/86-4/88 70 Olds Cutlass Convertible White
11/86-2/88 86 Ford Mustang GT Black
3/87-6/88 75 Datsun 280Z Blue
7/87-2/95 69 Chevy Corvette Roadster Dark Red
2/88-7/89 84 BMW 318i Gray (Untimely demise)
4/88-7/88 88 Ford Mustang GT Black (Untimely demise)
7/88-7/90 86 Ford Mustang GT Gray
11/88-7/89 89 Ford Mustang GT (Untimely demise)
7/89-7/90 87 Chevy Corvette Dark Red
7/90-8/91 90 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Black (Stolen)
8/91-3/92 88 Acura Legend L Dark Red
3/92-12/94 92 Honda Civic Si Black
8/93-10/95 76 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Yellow
2/95-2/01 91 Infiniti Q45 Dark Green (Still in family)
12/99-11/03 00 Nissan Altima SE Black
2/01-7/03 94 Buick LeSabre Light Blue
11/01-present 02 325xiT Dark Blue
11/03-present 04 RX-8 Gray

[FC]

all these lists do is justify my car appetite. thank god for the rest of you guys. i don't feel like such a freak.

here's mine +/- (some have been intentionally omitted and I may have forgotten a few others, dates are approximate...it's all so hard to keep track of):

7/86-4/88 70 Olds Cutlass Convertible White
11/86-2/88 86 Ford Mustang GT Black
3/87-6/88 75 Datsun 280Z Blue
7/87-2/95 69 Chevy Corvette Roadster Dark Red
2/88-7/89 84 BMW 318i Gray (Untimely demise)
4/88-7/88 88 Ford Mustang GT Black (Untimely demise)
7/88-7/90 86 Ford Mustang GT Gray
11/88-7/89 89 Ford Mustang GT (Untimely demise)
7/89-7/90 87 Chevy Corvette Dark Red
7/90-8/91 90 Ford Mustang LX 5.0 Black (Stolen)
8/91-3/92 88 Acura Legend L Dark Red
3/92-12/94 92 Honda Civic Si Black
8/93-10/95 76 Oldsmobile Delta 88 Yellow
2/95-2/01 91 Infiniti Q45 Dark Green (Still in family)
12/99-11/03 00 Nissan Altima SE Black
2/01-7/03 94 Buick LeSabre Light Blue
11/01-present 02 325xiT Dark Blue
11/03-present 04 RX-8 Gray

Man, you guys go through cars quick. :shock:

[lemming]

it's actually awe-inspiring to see how people go through cars.

there should be a fiscal support group.

like some dudes are addicted to sex or something. we're addicted to cars.

"hello, my name is lemming and i am a car-a-holic".

[FC]

it's actually awe-inspiring to see how people go through cars.

there should be a fiscal support group.

like some dudes are addicted to sex or something. we're addicted to cars.

"hello, my name is lemming and i am a car-a-holic".

:lol:

I'm too cheap (or maybe too broke :?: ) to be a car-a-holic.

[JST]

Uh...

12/88-1/91: 1986 VW GTI--white
1/91-10/91: 1991 Escort GT--blue
10/91-10/92: 1992 Ford Probe GT--red
10/92-2/94: 1993 Mustang GT convertible--green
2/94-4/95: 1994 Mustang GT coupe--black
4/95-2/96: 1995 Mustang GT coupe--red
2/96-12/96: 1996 Ford Contour SE--black
12/96-5/97: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--red
5/97-2/98: 1997 Ford Taurus SHO--black
2/98-10/99: 1998 Ford Contour SVT--red
10/99-9/01: 2000 BMW 323Ci--black
9/01-5/03: 1998 BMW M3C--silver
5/02-1/04: 2002 VW GTI--red
5/03-???: 2002 BMW M3--black
1/04-???: 2004 Subaru WRX--blue

Never teh same car twice, huh? :?

OK, rarely the same car twice.

The SHOs were both V8s. That was a car that really suffered from poor execution--the original V6 SHOs were monsters in their day, but when Ford introduced the automatic V6 the production split quickly favored the automatic by a substantial margin. This led Ford to think that a stick was superfluous--problem was, without a stick, the cars sort of lost their focus. Add to that the fact that the little Duratec-inspired V8 in the later SHOs didn't have a whole lot of poke (235 hp) nor a lot of displacement (3.4L), and with a torque converter the car was really not that fast.

At least, on paper. On the road, in the real world, the SHO had very good performance. It was a fantastic trip car, and at highway speeds it would really come alive.

As against the GTP, I'd be curious to see if blee's preference for the GTP has survived his trip to high-revving engine land. The GTPs were always able to crush the V8 SHOs off the line, but the SHO engine had a lot more life in the upper part of the rev range. I personally thought the SHO was more fun to drive (it certainly handled better), even if it was uglier and slower.

[blee]

:lol:

I'm too cheap (or maybe too broke :?: ) to be a car-a-holic.

It doesn't require much money to be a car-a-holic.




...hmm, either that, or being one has left me with very little money? :lol:

[blee]

As against the GTP, I'd be curious to see if blee's preference for the GTP has survived his trip to high-revving engine land. The GTPs were always able to crush the V8 SHOs off the line, but the SHO engine had a lot more life in the upper part of the rev range. I personally thought the SHO was more fun to drive (it certainly handled better), even if it was uglier and slower.

That's a very good question. One of my complaints about the GTP was its relative lack of punch after about 85 mph. The supercharger could easily roast the tires from a stop, though, and there was more than enough torque anywhere else. With some easy breathing mods, plus an overdrive supercharger pulley, acceleration even from 85 mph was quick enough to be satisfying.

As for handling, I didn't have much of a problem after installing a rear swaybar and a set of Konis. Oddly enough, the Konis were actually designed for the SHO. The strut inserts were instead mated to stock Grand Prix housings. Even in stock trim, though, I felt the car held its own in corners.

I'd love to put those two side-by-side again to compare them. I think I'd still find the GTP more satisfying to drive; what good is a V8 if you don't have torque? Plus, the interior was great (despite the whole Duplo block thing). Very comfortable, spacious, reasonably well assembled. I hated the lack of folding seats, though. The stupid ski pass-through was only barely adequate, even though it did help me carry a 20-foot length of wire shelving once.

...And anyway, the SHO is just a Ford. ;) I think I'll have to keep using the term "Ford wrench," despite my recent purchase.

[lemming]

As against the GTP, I'd be curious to see if blee's preference for the GTP has survived his trip to high-revving engine land. The GTPs were always able to crush the V8 SHOs off the line, but the SHO engine had a lot more life in the upper part of the rev range. I personally thought the SHO was more fun to drive (it certainly handled better), even if it was uglier and slower.

That's a very good question. One of my complaints about the GTP was its relative lack of punch after about 85 mph. The supercharger could easily roast the tires from a stop, though, and there was more than enough torque anywhere else. With some easy breathing mods, plus an overdrive supercharger pulley, acceleration even from 85 mph was quick enough to be satisfying.

As for handling, I didn't have much of a problem after installing a rear swaybar and a set of Konis. Oddly enough, the Konis were actually designed for the SHO. The strut inserts were instead mated to stock Grand Prix housings. Even in stock trim, though, I felt the car held its own in corners.

I'd love to put those two side-by-side again to compare them. I think I'd still find the GTP more satisfying to drive; what good is a V8 if you don't have torque? Plus, the interior was great (despite the whole Duplo block thing). Very comfortable, spacious, reasonably well assembled. I hated the lack of folding seats, though. The stupid ski pass-through was only barely adequate, even though it did help me carry a 20-foot length of wire shelving once.

...And anyway, the SHO is just a Ford. ;) I think I'll have to keep using the term "Ford wrench," despite my recent purchase.

do you think that was gearing or just the old, old corporate 3800 ohv "cam in block" engine (in terms of why it would be wheezy past 85mph)?

hey man, it's cool that you got that SVT. what's the warranty like on that car?

[blee]

do you think that was gearing or just the old, old corporate 3800 ohv "cam in block" engine (in terms of why it would be wheezy past 85mph)?

hey man, it's cool that you got that SVT. what's the warranty like on that car?

Didn't know enough about cars back then to look into that. My guess is that it was sort of a combination of both. 85 mph is not exactly the legal highway cruising speed, and the 3800 engine was not a heavy breather up high. I know a few people who had their intake manifolds ported and jet-hot coated, and their cars pulled much harder up top than mine. That engine was really awesome -- it wasn't hard to put out an easy 270 hp and 300 ft-lbs, and these days some ambitious tuners have coaxed significantly more out of the engine. It's now fairly common to see those GTPs pull 13-second runs at the drag strip, and I believe at least one tuner has either hit way low 12s or cracked the 11s! That car is not very streetable though.

The warranty on the car is your typical domestic 36 month, 36,000 mile bumper-to-bumper. In an effort either to quell consumer fears about reliability, or just to help sell the car, Ford also gives it a 5-year 100,000 mile powertrain warranty. Not bad.

[lemming]

have you already seen the go fast parts for the SVT focus?

:smile:

the one i have in mind is the jackson racing 'charger kit.

;)

[blee]

have you already seen the go fast parts for the SVT focus?

:smile:

the one i have in mind is the jackson racing 'charger kit.

;)Hehe. Of course I've been looking into them. ;)

The SC kit looks great, but I don't know that I'll spring for it. I think I'll stick to n/a mods, which will limit my power yields somewhat but I won't have to worry as much about detonation and heat soak. There is a set of cams coming out soon, which is a good thing.

What I really want to do is address the lighting. The stock headlight housings are subpar, like most domestic cars. I wish this car had the HID option; they're only a $450 option from the factory, but the parts sold separately are something like twice that price. And who wants to buy a pair of stock headlights? :(

[JST]

have you already seen the go fast parts for the SVT focus?

:smile:

the one i have in mind is the jackson racing 'charger kit.

;)Hehe. Of course I've been looking into them. ;)

The SC kit looks great, but I don't know that I'll spring for it. I think I'll stick to n/a mods, which will limit my power yields somewhat but I won't have to worry as much about detonation and heat soak. There is a set of cams coming out soon, which is a good thing.

What I really want to do is address the lighting. The stock headlight housings are subpar, like most domestic cars. I wish this car had the HID option; they're only a $450 option from the factory, but the parts sold separately are something like twice that price. And who wants to buy a pair of stock headlights? :(

Is there a European headlight option that doesn't involve Xenons (like the ZKW mod for E36s)?

[blee]

have you already seen the go fast parts for the SVT focus?

:smile:

the one i have in mind is the jackson racing 'charger kit.

;)Hehe. Of course I've been looking into them. ;)

The SC kit looks great, but I don't know that I'll spring for it. I think I'll stick to n/a mods, which will limit my power yields somewhat but I won't have to worry as much about detonation and heat soak. There is a set of cams coming out soon, which is a good thing.

What I really want to do is address the lighting. The stock headlight housings are subpar, like most domestic cars. I wish this car had the HID option; they're only a $450 option from the factory, but the parts sold separately are something like twice that price. And who wants to buy a pair of stock headlights? :(

Is there a European headlight option that doesn't involve Xenons (like the ZKW mod for E36s)?Yes, one can purchase e-code lights for the car as well. I believe some vendors will also supply a wiring harness for the bulbs. Hella and Ford Accessories will also sell you a set of pretty fugly projector housings.

Not sure what I'll do yet. The Euros would be cheaper, but the HIDs are a US factory-direct replacement and they do offer great lighting. Either way it won't be cheap. GOnna have to sit on the backburner for a while; perhaps I'll just buy some Silverstars for now. :(

[blee]

I'm working from the home office today, so my wife and I drove in together. After looking around the interior, her first comment was, "it's like a Game Boy in here." :dunno:

Suddenly my head was filled with the theme from Dr. Mario.

[zcasavant]

I'm working from the home office today, so my wife and I drove in together. After looking around the interior, her first comment was, "it's like a Game Boy in here." :dunno:

Suddenly my head was filled with the theme from Dr. Mario.

Now it's in MY head!!!!! :mad:

[blee]

I'm working from the home office today, so my wife and I drove in together. After looking around the interior, her first comment was, "it's like a Game Boy in here." :dunno:

Suddenly my head was filled with the theme from Dr. Mario.

Now it's in MY head!!!!! :mad:doo de doo de doo doo doo de doo doo doo doo...

[zcasavant]

I'm working from the home office today, so my wife and I drove in together. After looking around the interior, her first comment was, "it's like a Game Boy in here." :dunno:

Suddenly my head was filled with the theme from Dr. Mario.

Now it's in MY head!!!!! :mad:doo de doo de doo doo doo de doo doo doo doo...

:flipoff: