I bought this car new in '98. It's been my daily driver car for 11 years and has over 182K mi.
Pictured here with 22" Hipnotic Ice.
The tires are 245/30/22 Pirelli Pzero Nero's.
.
.
I made the grille from a sheet of stock Jaguar mesh I ordered.
.
The rear lip spoiler is simple and sexy.
.
I recently color matched the hood molding.
.
.
When I first came to CarDomain, I was in search of information. Not many profiles had info such as tire size or where to find parts for this car.
As I go, I'll try to post as much info as I can.
.
.
.
.
Lowering I would really like to bag the car and now the prices are down to $2500-$3500 to do so. However, I bought the car new in '98. Now with over 176,000 mi on her, I'm not sure just how much longer she'll be around. I had to see her on 22's before she goes though. I opted to go with
Sprint Lowering springs ($165)
The kit dropped the car approx 2" I had a front camber kit ($20) installed to keep the alignment true, which gives it a clean look and saves on tire wear. The labor for the install was around $350 with an alignment. Its a pain in the ass install. The rear strut bolts are under the rear 6x9 speakers. You must pull your rear seat, deck, and speakers out if you want to lower this puppy.
If you go lower than a 1" drop, you def want to have the engine/tranny spaced or you will feel vibration under acceleration. It will bind the shafts at the tranny and cause premature wear on the outer tranny bearings.
The only spring I would recommend is the H&R Sport springs Part No: 29467 (1.1" / 1.2" drop)
It is the only complete kit w/spacers.
I put rubber spring helpers in the back springs so they don't compress as much under a heavy load. Before I did that, it would rub with three people in the back seat.
About the ride. It rides pretty damn smooth. It's not like dropping a compact where it's stiff & bouncy. I'm guessing because the car is heavier.
.
.
.
.
.
22x8.5 Wheels I chose
Hipnotic Ice wheels because they're unique looking and had the deepest lip for a FWD car.
Unfortunately there are not a huge selection of 22x8.5 or 22x8 wheels to choose from. Even though ppl have done 22x9.5 on this car, my personal opinion is the 9.5" rims are just too wide, especially if you're going to lower it.
5x114.3 bolt pattern
This is the correct bolt pattern for this car, also known as 5x4.5
FWD-High offset (ET)
Keep the offset close to around 35ET.
Much higher, and you're going to rub the spring seat on your struts. (Can use spacers to correct minor spacing issues but best to avoid)
Much lower, and your wheels will stick out more losing that clean factory look and increasing the chances of rubbing your outer fender.
.
.
.
.
Tires 245/30/22Pirelli Pzero Nero's This is the only tire size I would recommend. It's a must if you're planning on lowering your ride. For aggressive lowering (1.5"-2") you may even want to consider 235/30/22. With the right offset, you may not have to roll your rear finders if you go this low. They are harder to find which make them pricier. I spent $100 and had the rear fenders rolled 1/4" and went with the 245/30/22's. Keeping in mind, my car was dropped 2".
I do not rub.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Interior pics
.
.
.
UPDATE 09/11/08
Gauge swap from a '04 Limited.
Details on page 2
.
.
.
.
UPDATE 02/07/07
Before & after shots of new lights and clear corners.
Any one who's changed a burnt-out bulb knows the first time is a biotch.
Having owned this car for ten years now, I've had the front bumper cover off a few times. Once you know where to find the two 10mm nuts that are hiding, there are only two more screws and several plastic plugs holding things together.
I had the new lights and clear corners installed within one hour.
In the past, I've had my driving lights restored to a nearly new finish for around a C note. At $700 per side, replacing w/OEM globes was not an option. Now, you can find aftermarket globes for a fraction of the price. I bought mine new from a company on ebay for $220. They included all four bulbs and the rubber surrounds. I won the new clear corners for $9. I picked up the amber bulbs from a local auto parts for another $4 bucks.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Old pics
This pic is from several years ago when they said 20's would never fit.
20" Arelli Dilemma's
.
.
.
My old 20"
Lexani Krystals.
