GammaRadiation

Oh and a few notes: Stock lug nuts fit, don't let the tire shop tell you special lug nuts are needed. 73.1 to 56.6mm centering rings needed. The little bit of extra offset is not a problem but hard turns near lock will give some resistance in the steering wheel. Next mods will be rubberized undercoating in the wheel wells and sound deadening on the hatch and in the spare tire area. Maybe the doors too but I am starting there.

There is already a picture of a titanium '16+ with black heliums but here's my wife's car. 15x6.5 +40 BFgoodrich sport comp 2 195/50 15 Handles like a kart. It won't brake traction at all off the line with dry pavement and on wet the light might flash once. Turn in is amazing, grip is really good in comparison. Nothing like a set of 200TWs though. Tire hum is gone but these tires are still not perfectly quiet. I need to find some puddles to test hydroplane resistance.

Just want to give a Bravo for the work and documentation you're putting in. Thank you and keep it up. It's certainly appreciated.

Our 2016 CVT gets around 30 average according to the computer, mostly city driving. I floor it everywhere, my wife drives it normally. I CAN get 40-45 highway...but who wants to hang out among semi trucks in a 2300lb car? Practically racing between Tampa and Jacksonville I got upper 20s. Normal highway driving with the flow of traffic is mid 30s. Check your tire pressures. There is a notable difference between 28-30 (just above where the TPMS alarms) and 35 cold (where the door sticker recommends). Lucky for us the spark has one of the best TPMS systems I've used as you

I have disdain for modern crossovers That are basically high riding, heavy hatches. I like the size of the spark. It fits everywhere, carrys 4 adults comfortably, and has plenty of cargo room with the seats folded. It's a perfect city car. All it needs is more power.

The spark does handle for what it is, it's also quite neutral. At its first autocross my '16 went into a 4 wheel drift when I finally got it to break loose. It's a shame GM didn't do a turbo version to compete with the Fiesta ST. That would be a blast. On Saturday in the rain we went through an empty round about an extra time and I got the front to break traction. It just clawed its way around the circle like a classic mini rally car.

How hard was that badge swap? I've got a titanium 16 LS with black windows. The first thing I did was throw away the hubcaps exposing the black steelies. The gold badges stick out like a sore thumb. I think it's about time for a freshen up. Black badges and painting the rims gloss black would look awesome.

You may need to look into a standalone ECU like a megasquirt.

Nice build. What kind of power numbers are you hoping for?

I like the CVT for the efficiency and acceleration advantages. It's so possible to drive the car very smoothly. It's a different driving style as it has no go off the line. I have to anticipate gaps with roll out. This is non ideal as it often can cause hesitation in other drivers. I try to avoid it wherever possible. However, if I've been attempting to make a left hand turn for 5min and cars are stacking up behind me ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

No, dealerships recommend shorter intervals to 1.) Charge you money more often and 2.) Get you in the door to offer you "while we're in there" services. Follow the manual.

These cars are gutless, particularly at high speed. Referencing motor trend figures: just under 11sec 0-60, 18sec quarter mile at 77mph. That's over 7 seconds to gain 17mph at highway speeds. A stock 90s civic is significantly faster. Both the Fiesta and Mazda 2 are significantly faster. If you've got a couple passengers or a few hundred pounds of cargo in the spark it's even worse. I wish Chevy had figured a way to cram the 150hp turbo in the spark, that would have been a hoot, but still not as fast as a Fiesta ST. Edit: Oh and the Honda fit is also faster. Basically the spark is

This car will exceed any speed limit for an entire tank and just ask for another quick fill up. It's surprisingly stable at high speed. The low front air dam and well designed undercarriage really helps, I think. However, it takes a long time to accelerate above 60 so don't expect to be passing. Also your mileage suffers considerably. Sub 30mpg for sure. Maybe 250 mi per tank. If you're really road tripping in a hurry consider time lost for fuel stops.

My LS has rear door speakers. Why doesn't yours? If you have fade on your stereo you should be good to go. Just install the correct impedance and try to get a higher sensitivity speaker. The spark's stereo is OK for the car that it is, but I can tell without looking it's a low power system relying on sensitivity to be loud. Don't expect more than a few watts RMS.

You guys are racking the miles. I have just under 19,000 in just over two years. Its always good to see someone else putting as many miles on a car as I have planned before I sell it. I plan to never have to replace the spark plugs, that'll be a good diy job for the teenager that will probably buy it as their first car.lol