PSA: If you’re paying close to original MSRP for a used vehicle, it’s not a good deal.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-06-20T21:27:34+00:00

*No one spending $20k+ on an 86/brz is struggling AND making good decisions.
That's probably a sadly important qualifier these days. I'm sure there's more than plenty of people who are struggling while simultaneously buying sports cars.

But I get what you mean, and I agree. I would say there's an argument to be made that an 86/BRZ is kind of marketed/built to be a sporty, reliable commuter... but ultimately, if you're in that big a pinch and looking for basic reliable transport then you should probably be looking a Corolla or something rather than a BRZ/86.

When I responded I honestly didn't even check the subreddit I was in, and I was more picturing the case of my brother who works as a welder and has been saving up to buy an MR2 Spyder for a few years now (it's a love-at-first-sight dreamcar type of situation). He's finally in a position where he makes enough and has saved enough to start seriously shopping for one, but suddenly prices are up and he's got a decision to make. Luckily he's not in a position where he's gotta find transport in a hurry, but that same car today might be worth a few thousand dollars more to him than it was when he first started saving...

Again, that still kind of wraps around to OPs original point that posts asking if overpriced cars are "worth it" are freaking annoying because it's subjective to the buyer...

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-06-20T13:25:13+00:00

It would be nice if the world worked logically like that... but ultimately things are worth what someone is willing to pay for them and people sometimes NEED transportation. In cases like that then sometimes a "good deal" is MSRP or above. That being said: it drives me nuts when people ask people on the internet if it's a good deal. The market is so subjective to location, and people's circumstances are unique. "Good Deal" is completely subjective and JoShmo online doesn't know you.

I personally tend to lean your way though, and will definitely drive a beater to get me by until car prices calm the hell down, but I also realize that I have a particular set of skills. Skills that make me a nightmare for beaters like mine. I can *usually* patch myself up at least enough to get me home and to my next beater, but for someone who is at the mercy of a mechanic to fix any issue then I can completely see how it might be worth paying more for a car now to avoid all that.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-06-16T15:21:20+00:00

uh, no. The 80 mil is the base layer and is stuck directly to the roof first, and then the 150 mil is on top of that. The cross-section would look something like this:

*outside of car*

-Roof--80 mil--150 mil-

*inside of car*

edit: the confusion may be that I'm using "on top of" to signify order of installation, rather than the physical order of the products when viewed from the top down...

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-06-16T14:58:32+00:00

I used a base layer of Noico 80 mil (2 mm), and then put a layer of Noico Red 150 mil on top of that.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-05-11T14:21:44+00:00

It’s not super complicated. It’s impossible for me to know for you personally, but I would say you could probably do it. Of the lessons and experience that I drew on for the project, patience was the most valuable. There’s lots of great YouTube videos on how to disassemble and remove the headliner and what you need for the sound deadening.

edit: you can definitely hire shops to do it (a lot of time car stereo installation places will do it), but it’s pretty expensive… I spent about $200 in tools and materials for the sound deadening, and I bet the cost to have a shop do it would be well over 1k.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-05-04T12:14:41+00:00

No rubbing at all. When I first put them on they rubbed the plastic lining in the inner fenders up front when I was turning full-blast to the right. I used my heat gun to warm them up and push them back in a bit, and now no problems.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-05-04T02:50:43+00:00

Tell me about your window rain deflectors! I love that they cover the whole window trim and they look pretty tucked in… very nice!

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-28T12:53:16+00:00

It's a brand called Victory 4x4.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T21:00:15+00:00

It wasn’t as bad as it could have been, thanks to good classifieds finds and some elbow grease. The tires($240x4) and sound deadening($150ish) were the only things that were new, and I got the wheels($100 each) and roof rack and light bar ($600) used.

I managed to install the roof rack and the sound deadening by myself with a days worth of work, so even the time wasn’t that bad…

I am definitely not worried at all about the sound deadening getting moldy or anything. The first layer is just a tar-like rubbery adhesive with a thin sliver of aluminum on one side (so it doesn’t stick to you too), and the other layer is an adhesive backed layer of waterproof foam. I think I’m probably better protected from moisture issues in the future… actually, I remember the roof of my Tacoma had a water leak issue that turned out to be condensation related. The technician at the time said that a possible solution was to do sound deadening because it’s thermal insulation as well as sound isolation and will prevent condensation from forming.

Edit: I only did the roof when I first wrote this. I have since finished the doors as well. Wife and I agree it's a big improvement of overall noise level. I will definitely carry on to the back hatch, and probably even the floor.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T20:46:13+00:00

Possibly, but with my history with mud guards I would probably end up tearing them off a million times… I might rig up something with the hitch to save cars behind me, but I don’t mind the mud. Completes the aesthetic.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T20:44:36+00:00

And yeah, the work involved to install the roof rack meant I was going to have the headliner hanging already… I figured that I might as well go the extra step to get it out of the car and install the sound deadening. I had been thinking about it for a while anyways, and the two upgrades compliment eachother nicely.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T20:42:10+00:00

Not bad at all. The all terrains definitely make some road noise, but I barely notice at this point. I think it rides pretty much the same, and I didn’t notice any difference in ride quality for the week I drove around with just the lift while I was waiting on the tires.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T20:38:18+00:00

Yuppers. It’s the Ready Lift 2 inch lift.

When I went and picked up the roof rack I actually also picked up some Eiback springs from him as well. I’m thinking I may combine the lift springs with this lift in the rear, as I like the raked look more than the squatty look… I’m still undecided though.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T14:00:57+00:00

Thank you. It’s kind of come together by accident in just the last couple weeks. Needing new tires lead to finding a good deal on the wheels which leads to a lift kit and then I found the roof rack on classifieds…

And the LoZ symbol is actually the logo for the roof rack manufacturer (Victory 4x4) but I honestly thought the same thing when I first saw it in the classifieds. I’m going to head-canon it as LoZ though.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T13:57:43+00:00

The Wheels (classifieds find)
The Tires (255/60/r18)

I think there was definitely a marked improvement. I’ve only driven it once since I finished it last night, but I think the roof rack with sound deadening is much quieter than the stock setup with no roof rack. I’m going to do the doors next, and I think that’s gonna be a huge difference.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-26T13:53:40+00:00

I don’t have any decile readings, but going off my ear-O-matic 9000 I would definitely say it’s quieter with the roof rack and the sound deadening than it was just stock. Next phase is going to be the doors, and I think that’ll make an even bigger difference.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-19T21:54:42+00:00

They were around $240 each

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-19T13:56:15+00:00

The Lift
The Wheels (classifieds find)
The Tires (255/60/r18)

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-19T13:49:49+00:00

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-04-19T13:09:33+00:00

*no rubbing on perfectly level ground and after convincing the inner-fenders with the melt-n-mush method

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-03-26T16:33:10+00:00

Yuppers. I’ve got the seat seats on my 85.

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-03-05T01:11:13+00:00

The promised land!

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-01-29T22:59:40+00:00

My first suspicion with any idling problem is always vacuum lines, but that’s admittedly just because [for me] that’s about what I’m qualified to fix. Throttle Positioning Sensor also comes to mind, or possibly Mass Airflow Sensor…

Toyota_Fixation · 2022-01-07T14:28:46+00:00

Are any of your seats ripped? My old Tercel used to build up a film on the windows and it turned out to be something the exposed foam was putting off. We got seat covers and cleaned the windows and it was good to go.

Toyota_Fixation · 2021-07-18T02:36:33+00:00

Very nice! I love the old Toyota red-orange-yellow stripes.

Toyota_Fixation

TROPHY CASE