1985-1998 [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Even though it isn't registered, I did insure it and I just could not wait any longer. I took it out this afternoon for a few hours. In terms of shifting I have made a lot of progress, but I am still a little confused. From stop to first seems to take a lot of gas. Also, it does not seem to be really engaged until the very top of the clutch travel, taht is, right before my foot lifts off. For every other gear, if I apply the gas while the clutch is still in, it clunks twice. If I let the clutch all the way off and then step on the gas, it is smooth as butter, no clunking, no revving, just smooth and perfect. That is a pretty huge change from my honda, but I can adapt.
Reverse still has me puzzled. I know that I need to pull the collar up and push to the right, then down. What is surprising to me is that there seems to be a huge amount of space over there, after lifting up the collar, moving right, then down, that isn't in gear, and just a tiny little space over there that is. I think I must have a problem if I can lift up on the collar, move it as far right as it will go, then down as far as it will go and still completely miss the gear 3/4ths of the time. Is that the bonus neutral over there?
Also, driving with the windows down was really noisy. Lots of weird whistling noises coming from the back. I'll have to sort that out, because it was pretty annoying.
However, with the windows down and driving slowly along a residential street, I could hear a very strange, kind of low howling noise if I put the clutch in but had not shifted yet. I'm a little nervous about what that means.
And finally, the turbo boost meter never budged from straight up right in the middle. I expected it to be a little more dynamic. When driving I can feel the boost as a surge of accelerationthat kicks in after I step on the gas and hold it for a few seconds. It reminds me of driving a motorcycle where opening the throttle for just a few seconds too long results in ungodly acceleration and a top speed way beyond what you were shooting for. So, I think the turbo unit is functioning, but maybe you have to really floor it to get that boost indicator to show something? I don't know.
Aside from that, for how old this car is and how little I paid for it, I can't believe how nice it is. Very few dings of any kind, almost perfect paint, interior is clean, and uncracked, unripped. The leather feels a bit stiff and dry, but I am hoping that I can condition the hell out of it. I did notice one of the muffler brackets had slipped off its mount. I used to have that problem with my Volkswagen. I'll get tat fixed ASAP.
That's pretty much it for my update. So far, the nicest, most stylish, and sportiest car I have ever owned. Day 3.
posted by 67.177.1...
, Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:31:12
, Sat, 28 Feb 2009 15:04:24
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