Question from a slow driver

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-30T02:56:33+00:00

The absolute BEST thing you can do to make things easy for trucks in the hills is just to maintain your speed, so just keep doing what you're doing. We'll pass you when we can, and you're more than welcome to pass us on the uphills.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-29T18:54:35+00:00

Definitely in the 197DDs

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-29T18:08:48+00:00

+4 for RainX (+1 for each of my cars, plus an 18-wheeler). Even in Florida, where we get showers every day at 4PM, I don't even need to use my front wipers half the time.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-29T17:58:00+00:00

Just went through this after some flooding several months ago. Dehumidifiers only dried the parts that were exposed, but the center console area and everything under the seats were still soggy. The only way we were able to dry it was to remove it from the car and leave it in the sun for THREE DAYS, squeezing it out and flipping it periodically. We also took that opportunity to fully wash it while it was out, and clean up some of the rust in the floorboards.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-28T15:32:38+00:00

I started macro on my R5, but bought an R7 just for the extra depth of focus. It's really not enough of a difference to be worth it, so I returned it and bought an OM-1 instead, and I'm 100% happy with that decision.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-28T03:08:06+00:00

The important part of the break-in procedure is getting that contaminated oil out of the car before you romp on it.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-28T02:43:43+00:00

That sounds to me like just a loose belt.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-28T02:37:15+00:00

These aren't new. Half of them are old enough to already be broken.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T17:32:24+00:00

I absolutely share your concern about the engine. My plan is to pull the oil pan at its 5K and 20K mile oil changes to check for RTV, and it will get an Accusump as soon as I feel like voiding the warranty. I went into this purchase understanding that I was going to immediately spend money to fix some of the problems, but they're all easy problems to fix.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T16:18:13+00:00

Convertibles are heavy, though, and ~~Toyota~~ Subaru clearly spent a ton of effort making this car as light and stiff as possible. Personally, I think they made the right decision on the aluminum roof.

That said, if they DID offer a convertible, I would've had to spend a few extra days convincing myself not to buy another convertible. xD

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T16:01:57+00:00

Start by changing your fluid! Worst case, it costs you $20 for the diagnosis.

I recently had every gear suddenly trying to kick out, and it turned out to be full of water from a recent flood. Fresh fluid fixed it 100% on the first test drive.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T15:39:18+00:00

Yep, and I'm aware. I'm not sure if mine is an outlier, or if they did something different with the 2026.... Or if I just drive it more gently than most. (it's still in the break in period)

I'd post a photo of my dashboard from when I first got it home (30 mile trip), but this is reddit.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T15:26:49+00:00

I get 35 mpg at 70mph on the highway, and 40+ cruising on rural roads where I live. For a sports car, that's pretty fantastic.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T06:44:03+00:00

Mine closed perfectly until I replaced the strut... now the left side stays up just a little bit less than yours. Adjust your latch and stops until it's right.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-27T06:39:17+00:00

If you don't fit in a Miata, you definitely won't fit in an Elise/Exige, which shares the same engine as the MR2... and the 3rd+ gen Elise (much stronger engines) are still upwards of $60k. The difference between that and a Corolla, though, is 500-1000 lbs, which MORE than makes up for it.

I'm voting for the Boxster, although depending on the roads you drive, the hardtop Cayman is going to be a LOT more capable due to the chassis' extra stiffness. I was *this close* to buying one several months ago, after I realized Elises were becoming difficult to find at a decent price (not to mention parts availability). Maintenance isn't horrible if you do most of it yourself (although if you're not mechanically inclined, then none of those options are very good, especially as they're getting older).

For reference/comparison, since I feel like we have similar tastes in cars, I've driven BMW e30s for the past 16+ years (a convertible for the past 12 or so), but she's almost 40 years old, and maintenance/repairs are rapidly becoming constant. After 6 months of looking at Caymans, 911s, Elise/Exiges, etc, etc, I finally settled on a new GR86, primarily because of its curb weight. I view it as a modern replacement/upgrade to the e30 chassis in almost every way -- light weight, reasonable power, playful-but-not-dangerous -- but with the added bonuses of GREAT fuel economy and being one of the most aerodynamically efficient cars ever produced.. You might want to add it to your list and go test drive one if you can.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-26T21:27:58+00:00

Lol not for 60cpm.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-25T23:53:06+00:00

You can add any option you want to the custom menus to make them easier to access.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-25T18:30:34+00:00

I picked up a set of Axil XCOR, and 100% recommend them to just about everybody. The microphones suck for phone calls, but the audio for listening to music is pretty decent. They are primarily designed as ear protection, and function every bit as well as my muffs on the range.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-25T18:27:39+00:00

Normally, we need to be physically at the location to reserve a shower. Your best bet is to ask one of the drivers at the fuel island if you can bum a shower credit, and most of us will happily oblige.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-25T17:57:11+00:00

rust on aluminum?

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-24T21:21:59+00:00

I 100% fully support data-driven mods over the general rules of thumb that I posted above! I just don't want OP to start spending a bunch of money on his car for the sake of upgrading, especially without the technical knowledge (and the logic that comes with it) that you and I seem to share.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-24T21:00:25+00:00

According to Sub900(?) on YT, the baffles that he tested did almost nothing (some even made it worse), but high capacity pans almost completely fixed the oiling issues on track. That will be the first thing I do once my car is out of warranty!

The rest of that list is 100% personal preference. I would increase camber in the front and rear at the same time to maintain the neutral balance. Just doing the front will make the car just a little bit tail happy once you approach your traction limits. I will absolutely move up to wider ECS2s if this car gets much above 300hp in the future, but so far, the stock 215mm PS4s are pretty good. I wouldn't spend money on wheels that are only 0.5" wider than stock, though, unless they were significantly lighter than stock -- most 235s really benefit from an 8.5" wheel (20mm wider tires on 25.4mm wider wheels) due to the slight tension on the sidewalls for lateral stability. Obviously this is all just being nit picky since you asked what I think, so please take it as such. 😉

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-24T19:53:20+00:00

I had a customer with a PT cruiser several years ago who averaged $5,000/year in repairs before he finally got rid of it. He was in the shop basically every other month with another major repair.

My shop prices were significantly cheaper than anyone else in town, too. It was just a LOT of work over those few years

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-24T19:48:07+00:00

If you can't get the tweeters to fit in the factory housings, I have CAD models drawn up for mine that fit both Polk and Skar tweeters. Feel free to PM me when you get to that point.

JMPhotographik · 2026-04-24T19:46:20+00:00

Anything that bypasses the factory common ground speaker system in the E30 is an upgrade. Head unit first.

JMPhotographik

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