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tburick

Spark Member
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Posts posted by tburick

  1. I've owned my 2017 Spark LS (base model) 5-speed manual for a year now. In 13,000 miles it's been faultless. SUPER fun to drive (Reminds me of my '86 CRX and '88 Civic hatch). 

     

    I paid $10,100 OTD and feel I stole the car for this price. The car runs and drives like a much more expensive car. I took it on a road trip from Phoenix AZ to Palm Springs CA and it tracked smoothly at 80MPH most of the way. I disagree with GM's "city car" marketing. It's a fine little interstate cruiser. 

     

    Compared to an early second generation Honda Prelude - the second gen Spark is 1/10 sec quicker to 60, scores 5 points higher on the skidpad, and stops 30 feet shorter from 60. Back in the day the Spark would have been considered a "Hot Hatch". How far we have come! 

     

    I LOVE MY SPARK and would definitely buy another one. What a wonderful little car.

     

     

  2. Model,

     

    PLEASE post photos / descriptions of your progress. I'm super interested to see this unfold. 

     

    For a second I was tempted to make you an offer for the extra set of lights...but like yourself, I do not like the chrome trim. I have a base model LS and I actually prefer the complete absence of chrome. 

     

    Sounds weird, but I like the bare bones look of the base car. It's not pretending to be anything else than what it is. Just a simple little "heater and keys" economy car. 

     

    Also, if you like the blacked out look - I ordered the black Korean Domestic Market Chevrolet badges for the front grill and rear hatch (eBay). I think they look a thousand times better than the gold badging. 

     

  3. Model,

     

    My Spark is a "heater and keys" (bare bones LS w manual transmission) ...so no buttons on the dash for fog lights...

     

    I emailed the eBay seller about the fog lights and they DO NOT include any wiring or switches. It's just the black plastic bezels and fog lights themselves. 

     

    Any idea how difficult is it to install the lights? I don't want to rip the front bumper completely off the car to install them. That would be a deal breaker for me. 

  4. I'm also looking at the all black fog light assemblies on eBay for the 2016 - 2018 Spark. 

     

    Can anyone tell me how hard it will be to install them? If I have to remove the front inner fenders or tear off the entire front bumper cover, I'm probably going to pass on the project. I noticed a black piece of plastic trim on the bottom of the front bumper assembly. I was hoping to simply remove that and go up in from the bottom...pop the fog lamp covers out and pop the new assembles in...probably not that easy though. Anyone know for sure? 

  5. Sort of on the subject - I am looking at those exact same fog lights on eBay for my 2017 Spark LS. 

     

    Can anyone tell me how hard it will be to install them? If I have to remove the front inner fenders or tear off the entire front bumper cover, I'm probably going to pass on the project. I noticed a black piece of plastic trim on the bottom of the front bumper assembly. I was hoping to simply remove that and go up in from the bottom...pop the fog lamp covers out and pop the new assembles in...probably not that easy though. Anyone know for sure? 

     

    As an aside, I think the lights listed from a few different sellers on eBay for the 2016-2018 Spark may actually be OEM. I was scouring several official Chevrolet factory websites worldwide and I'm pretty sure the blacked out fog light assemblies came up as a genuine factory accessory. 

  6. I know I should have posted this follow up earlier...but I prematurely hit the panic button w the oil consumption. Yes, the oil was low at the very first oil change...but it has not used a drop since. I am on my third oil change and no additional consumption and no further issue. 

     

    I am extremely relieved. I absolutely LOVE this car. At 13,000 miles it's been faultless. 

  7. I appreciate the reply sparkfanatic. 

     

    It's worrisome because I have never had a new car consume this much oil so early on. 

     

    I am very respectful of your advice...but the research I did says that a new vehicle should not consume this much oil. Certain BMW, Audi, and Subaru models were the absolute worst...consuming up to a full quart every 600 - 700 miles...but of the top 30 oil consumers, the first gen Spark was #30 on the list. (probably because of the PCV issue you mention).

    Research further indicates that manufacturers will state that oil consumption is "normal" when it is actually not. Subaru for instance claims that burning a full quart every 1000 - 1200 miles is "acceptable". That sounds fundamentally ludicrous to me and the article agrees. 

     

    I've looked at multiple sources to get my head around the issue...but the best article was from Consumer Reports. I know they get slammed by people for a variety of reasons but I think this article is a particularly good piece of reporting.

     

    https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/06/excessive-oil-consumption/index.htm

     

    On its face, adding a half quart between changes is not really an issue. The underlying reason of *why* is what bothers me. How will this affect the engine long term? Is it a piston ring issue? Will oil collect where it shouldn't and cause damage to the engine? What is causing the problem and what are the long term effects on the engine? Those are the big questions for me.

     

    I tend to keep cars until they fall apart (250K - 300K miles) so I am looking at this as a long term issue. 

     

    BTW - I absolutely LOVE the car. It's a street legal go-kart. 

  8. Just had my first oil change at 5,000 miles. Engine oil life indicator showed 25% oil life remaining but I am old-school...and did not want it to go to 6K or 7K miles before the oil change.

     

    Anyway, when the technician checked the oil level before draining it, it was down more than a half quart (.6 to .7 QT)

     

    I checked the car a few days after I bought it and it read "full" so I know it wasn't low to begin with. 

     

    Everything I've read says this is not normal. I've read a lot about first generation 1.2L Sparks with excessive oil consumption issues...but the 2016 Spark was a brand new "clean sheet" 1.4L engine (LV7). 

     

    I'm feeling really nervous about this. I am going to go one more oil change and monitor this closely. If it is down another half quart I am going to take it to the dealer. 

     

    Does anyone know about any TSB's regarding excessive oil consumption on second generation Sparks?

     

    Thanks,

     

    Tom

    Spark_Oil.jpg

  9. Thanks for the reply, but I don't want to tear into the car like that for many reasons. 

     

    Bluetooth portable like the JBL Extreme solves the problem for me...enormous high-end sound from that speaker...especially in such a tiny car. 

     

    Found a Harman Kardon Bluetooth audio receiver that should work. iPhone 7 wirelessly sends the music to the HK BT device. The HK BT has a 3.5mm out the back. Connect a 3.5mm jack splitter and run one line to the JBL Extreme and the other line to the AUX in. 

     

    Water jet an aluminum JBL Extreme speaker mount that cleverly mounts into the single rear cup holder in the back seat and all the wires neatly tuck away unseen. Second water jet mount for the iPhone forward of the cup holders. All mounts powder coated satin black. 

     

    Super tight and clean install...no visible wires and entire thing can be removed without leaving a mark.

     

    That's the current plan anyway :)

  10. I am thinking about buying a JBL Xtreme or other bluetooth speaker to supplement the sound in my 4 speaker Spark LS. 

     

    The thought is to design a really nice JBL speaker bracket that attaches to the back of the drivers side head rest. That way the speaker would be directly behind the drivers head. 

     

    Problem is - Can I have the sound from my iPhone 7 plus going to the Mylink audio system AND the bluetooth speaker at the same time via bluetooth?

     

    I am pretty sure the answer is NO ...so looking for creative workarounds. I can make it work by splitting the signal w an 3.5 dual headphone cable...but that requires having wires hanging all over the place. Looking for a more elegant wireless solution.

     

    Any ideas? 

  11. I finally had time to figure it out. No grill removal required. Lift the hood and remove the plastic trim panel above the grill (2 bolts and 2 plastic plugs) and that will give you access to the grill. Pop the plastic tabs the entire way across the top of the grill and that gives you access to the emblem. See finished pic below. 

     

    IMO the black emblem looks a lot better than the gold. At least on the base model Spark in white, the gold emblem looked garish. The black one looks more "finished" and integrated...more purposeful. 

     

    Spark_Emblem.png

  12. I just purchased black bow tie emblems for the front and rear of my 2017 Spark. Front emblem replacement requires removal of the upper grill. Has anyone done this? 

     

    I looked at the factory diagram and it shows the small upper grill being held in by 1 bolt. Where is that bolt located and how do I access it? After the bolt is removed I'm assuming there's clips built into the grill assembly that have to be popped (as seen in diagram). Do I have to disassemble anything else to gain access to that 1 bolt?

     

    Any help would be appreciated!

     

    Tom

     

     

    spark grill.png

    spark emblem.jpg

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