Performance parts... To buy or not to buy?

[Cleveland]

I am buying an off the lot 2011 LE HB when I get back in May (construction project in Haiti) so I am looking for some input prior to making a couple decisions.

I have been driving a Del Sol Si previous to this and obviously feel like I’m sitting up in an SUV at stock ride height. What are the opinions on the TRD spring kits? These would solely be for aesthetics and not be supplemented with a change in struts. Previous readings have warned against undue fatigue of the struts and a harsh ride. The photos of lowered HB’s with rims look phenomenal, however I don’t believe it’s worth a reduced ride quality or wrecking parts should that be the reality.

The short shifter kit appears to be consistently favourably reviewed. Again comparing to my current car I find the Yaris’ throws noticeably longer and a bit sloppier. For those with the kits installed, what is your opinion of the long term performance? Would you recommend the system as a generality?

Tips regarding any facet of the car would be greatly appreciated, acknowledging that this is a 1.5L and in no way to be confused with a race car... lol

[frownonfun]

wait what? the yaris isn't a race car?! :eyebulge:

[EPyarisdriver]

yeah I feel you frownonfun. My stock yaris is killing the tegs civics, crxs, and keeping up with the suped up v6 accords and even the mazda 3 speeds. not to mention a rx7. for it having a 1.5L it pulls pretty hard and when i put some money into it its gonna be great. :burnrubber: For now everyone loves to hate on the Yaris but slowly turning them into believers. I love my Yaris!!

Oh but back to the question... MOD IT!!!!!!:thumbup:

[Betrivent]

TRD springs should be fine since they usually only run with stock struts and shocks anyway. Short shifter is fantastic. If you get both the in cabin adn the engien bay together, your throws will be VERY short, but very stiff.

[cali yaris]

I think TRD springs are overpriced. Eibach ProKits or H&R is a better deal.

Any lowering spring over 1" is going to reduce the life of a stock shock/strut somewhat, and that includes the TRD springs (which is why they offer complementary and also overpriced TRD shocks/struts).

acknowledging that this is a 1.5L and in no way to be confused with a race car... lol

I do not acknowledge this, just for the record. :biggrin:

[eTiMaGo]

Don't forget to read through my lil Yaris performance primer ;)

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9451

[Cleveland]

Thanks for the info, especially eTiMaGo great stuff in your link!

As an additional question, do the projector conversions for later models fit 2011s (without modification)?

[cali yaris]

Projector conversion is not unique to any year, it just has to match the same bulb as your headlights. In our case, H4.

[Mazdaspeed419]

yeah I feel you frownonfun. My stock yaris is killing the tegs civics, crxs, and keeping up with the suped up v6 accords and even the mazda 3 speeds. not to mention a rx7. for it having a 1.5L it pulls pretty hard and when i put some money into it its gonna be great. :burnrubber: For now everyone loves to hate on the Yaris but slowly turning them into believers. I love my Yaris!!

Oh but back to the question... MOD IT!!!!!!:thumbup:


:hitcomputer:
Did the other cars know you were racing?
You cant be serious guy. Your STOCK 106 hp motor with a 0-60 time of 10.7 seconds is pulling on nothing. reference: http://www.7daycarreviews.com/blog/1058092_2011-toyota-yaris-three-door-liftback-review-mechanical-performance
Especially not a speed 3, with 263 hp and a 0-60 of an average driver of 5.9. Dont get me started on the rx7, even if it was the lowest model rx7 ever made, it still had a 146 hp motor with a 0-60 time of 6.8. Your yaris isnt turning anyone into a believer, and only making you look like a ricer. people like you are whats wrong with the automotive community, and whats makes true imports look bad. your STOCK yaris is nothing but a grocery getting gas saver. And before you say anything about me not knowing the car, Im a toyota salesman, Ive probably driven more toyotas than you would ever want to. I dont even like hondas, but i bet they even pulled on you without knowing they were racing. your that annoying guy that comes up to people revving your engine, then redlining and struggling to keep up with us as were only cruising normally. then when we happen to slow down you drive by with the four ways, coming back to boards like these to tell everyone how you can :keep up with the speeds of a speed 3.

[EPyarisdriver]

Cool

[cali yaris]

your that annoying guy

Off topic. And you're that annoying guy that makes this his first post. Welcome to the forums.

[Mazdaspeed419]

Cool

Typical ricer response. no comeback about how I am wrong? and i think the fact that you refer to them as a Mazda 3 Speeds, says it all. Its a Mazdaspeed 3.

[xixarchangelxix]

Typical ricer response. no comeback about how I am wrong? and i think the fact that you refer to them as a Mazda 3 Speeds, says it all. Its a Mazdaspeed 3.

You mad?

[annn]

Haha... Funny posts as it's all relative ! I drive a yaris and a 450 hp off the juice and 650 on it lt1 stingray and a 70 ra3 trans am both that make 99% of the no torque imports look silly .Horsepower means little torque is where it's at and always will be.

The yaris has no torque IMO but it is a fun car to drive and does run very well for it's economy egg status.

I would like to know where the speed 3 horsepower is ? I have not impressed with them at the track at all...

[frownonfun]

:hitcomputer:
Did the other cars know you were racing?
You cant be serious guy. Your STOCK 106 hp motor with a 0-60 time of 10.7 seconds is pulling on nothing. reference: http://www.7daycarreviews.com/blog/1058092_2011-toyota-yaris-three-door-liftback-review-mechanical-performance
Especially not a speed 3, with 263 hp and a 0-60 of an average driver of 5.9. Dont get me started on the rx7, even if it was the lowest model rx7 ever made, it still had a 146 hp motor with a 0-60 time of 6.8. Your yaris isnt turning anyone into a believer, and only making you look like a ricer. people like you are whats wrong with the automotive community, and whats makes true imports look bad. your STOCK yaris is nothing but a grocery getting gas saver. And before you say anything about me not knowing the car, Im a toyota salesman, Ive probably driven more toyotas than you would ever want to. I dont even like hondas, but i bet they even pulled on you without knowing they were racing. your that annoying guy that comes up to people revving your engine, then redlining and struggling to keep up with us as were only cruising normally. then when we happen to slow down you drive by with the four ways, coming back to boards like these to tell everyone how you can :keep up with the speeds of a speed 3.

for the record i don't really disagree with you. but the way you came across was still kind of annoying. but, yes, i doubt a stock yaris is beating anything in a straight line. on an auto x track it could be a different story but honestly i don't know because i've never done it. i suppose a big part of autocross is how skilled the driver is. so i suppose if that's what he was referring to than it's possible he's running comparable times.

also, for the record, with enough time and money i suppose any car could be a "race car". but then how much of the original car still exists is another question entirely. there's plenty of camrys in nascar that i'm sure pull pretty frickin hard but then again they aren't really even a camry now are they.

so what do you guys think... after how much modification does a car stop being whatever model it is? just curious.

[annn]

Very true!

My brother has a 1000 hp 1970 nova but as far as what's left factory ahhh the outer body shell .

[cali yaris]

I think I still have a Yaris. Even though people ask me what it is. :rolleyes:

[Mazdaspeed419]

I agree with modding, but that was also why i capitalized where he said stock in his post. if it was modded, i wouldnt have said a word

[frownonfun]

I agree that a stock Yaris isn't a conventional race car but I think that for 1.5L it does put down plenty of hp. Consider you had some cars in the 1980's with ~4.0L V8's putting out somewhere between 115-130hp. So engines have come a long way. Guess it's all a matter of perspective. And also for the record, a stock Yaris will beat a stock Mazda2. And they both have 1.5s and weigh almost exactly the same. And it probably still gets better mileage whilst out getting groceries.

[Mazdaspeed419]

I agree that a stock Yaris isn't a conventional race car but I think that for 1.5L it does put down plenty of hp. Consider you had some cars in the 1980's with ~4.0L V8's putting out somewhere between 115-130hp. So engines have come a long way. Guess it's all a matter of perspective. And also for the record, a stock Yaris will beat a stock Mazda2. And they both have 1.5s and weigh almost exactly the same. And it probably still gets better mileage whilst out getting groceries.

I wasnt saying anything about toyota vs mazda, or the yaris vs the mazda 2. Specifically, i was calling bs on the speeds of a stock yaris vs a speed 3, and a stock yaris vs an rx7. i work for toyota, i know the yaris's specs vs its competitors. but a yaris and a speed 3 arent in the same class, or buyer market. same with an rx7. I was simply calling bs on someone trying to embellish what their car could do, because frankly, that bothers me. Own up to what your car can and cant do.

[frownonfun]

Hey man, it's all good. Like I said from the get go I don't disagree with your overall point. But to say that the Yaris is "pulling on nothing" is, in many ways, a matter of how you look at it.

And the comparison to the mazda was only to illustrate that it pulls harder than other 1.5Ls. In no way did I think you were turning this into a Mazda versus Toyota thing. I happen to like both anyway. And Nissan for that matter.

Also I still feel the need to defend EPyarisdriver because I'm not sure if he meant times on an autocross track or just lame ass street racing from stop lights. Because if it's at the track I feel if he is a skilled driver and others aren't so much then it's feasible he could be "keeping up" with those cars. Keeping up is also kind of relative too so who knows. Still I don't think you should knock someone for taking pride in their car.

But again... I'm not really arguing with you. And frankly, if you have a mazdaspeed3, I'm more jealous than anything else.

[PETERPOOP]

mazdaspeed, i too disagree with the OP's statements about who he has beaten; however, it is very obvious with your lengthy response, you were WAY too offended by it. lol. But I think my yaris would beat the cars he listed above. Definitely not the speed 3 though. ;)

[Midnight Drifter]

mazda 3 speeds. not to mention a rx7.

The last 3-speed Mazda was the '94 323 with base automatic transmission (4-speed OD was optional), and those were slow as shit. So were the SA22C's and FB3S'. What's there to brag about? :laughabove:

[Mazdaspeed419]

Hey man, it's all good. Like I said from the get go I don't disagree with your overall point. But to say that the Yaris is "pulling on nothing" is, in many ways, a matter of how you look at it.

And the comparison to the mazda was only to illustrate that it pulls harder than other 1.5Ls. In no way did I think you were turning this into a Mazda versus Toyota thing. I happen to like both anyway. And Nissan for that matter.

Also I still feel the need to defend EPyarisdriver because I'm not sure if he meant times on an autocross track or just lame ass street racing from stop lights. Because if it's at the track I feel if he is a skilled driver and others aren't so much then it's feasible he could be "keeping up" with those cars. Keeping up is also kind of relative too so who knows. Still I don't think you should knock someone for taking pride in their car.

But again... I'm not really arguing with you. And frankly, if you have a mazdaspeed3, I'm more jealous than anything else.


I can agree with this, maybe I did come off arrogant, but that is because I deal with ricers all day in my speed 3, and especially when I drive my speed protege. So i am in the habit of using facts to straighten things out instead of just saying no. That wasnt intentional, like i said just out of habit because of the people i have to deal with everyday. For a 1.5, the yaris isnt bad, but there is a difference between taking pride and embellishing. not looking to flame or argue, was just stating facts, as i work for toyota, and i am an avid mazda enthusiast.

[Midnight Drifter]

While we're on the topic of springs, which springs are stiffest that still maintain the factory ride height or at the maximum a drop of 3/4 inch?

[frownonfun]

...there is a difference between taking pride and embellishing.

very true.

[cali yaris]

which springs are stiffest that still maintain the factory ride height or at the maximum a drop of 3/4 inch?

Prokits, probably. Tanabe NF210 springs are only 5% stiffer than stock; just enough to account for the 1" drop.

[frownonfun]

this question is also going to be a little off topic but if the rotary engine, like in the RX-8, puts out more power than a piston engine of similar displacement then why don't more manufacturer's use it instead?

also why does the RX-8 take premium unleaded? i thought one of the advantages of the rotary engine was that it typically runs just as well off a lower octane fuel than the typical engine.

[Mazdaspeed419]

this question is also going to be a little off topic but if the rotary engine, like in the RX-8, puts out more power than a piston engine of similar displacement then why don't more manufacturer's use it instead?

also why does the RX-8 take premium unleaded? i thought one of the advantages of the rotary engine was that it typically runs just as well off a lower octane fuel than the typical engine.


Just my opinion but i believe rotaries arent as popular because its hard to design them to pass emissions. They are more expensive to produce, and they also do not get as good gas mileage as a piston engine of the same displacement. Maintenance is also very important compared to a piston engine. most people dont realize the rotary uses oil, so it must be filled at intervals when its low between oil changes. oil consumption is what doomed the rx7 in the states, people didnt understand that, which was especially bad with the fd twinturbo setup. And rx8s require premium because their a higher compression engine 10:1 i believe. premium helps prevent early detonation.

[eTiMaGo]

wow I just left an Aston Martin DB9 behind me like it was sitting still! Oh wait, I think it was parked... :D

But seriously, I agree there's always a large dose of wishful thinking when reading posts like these... but this is what drag strips are for, right??

[MUSKOKA800]

Not sure what get's ruined when sport dampers are included??? I'd be more concerned what would be destroyed by reducing suspension travel without increasing damping rates to stop bottoming out.
I wouldn't waste the money on springs and installation labour without also dramatically increasing the handling performance with upgraded dampers. Nothing looks more rediculous than those slammed ricers who are bouncing down the street because they were too poor/cheap to invest in increased damping. I get naucous watching them. The passengers must be on the verge of pucking.

[Midnight Drifter]

Prokits, probably. Tanabe NF210 springs are only 5% stiffer than stock; just enough to account for the 1" drop.
Sweet, I'll be looking out for those. :D

With higher damping rate shocks, I'll bet they'll Handle great while still not being vulnerable to speed bumps, potholes and NJ roads in general. :D

[why?]

this question is also going to be a little off topic but if the rotary engine, like in the RX-8, puts out more power than a piston engine of similar displacement then why don't more manufacturer's use it instead?

also why does the RX-8 take premium unleaded? i thought one of the advantages of the rotary engine was that it typically runs just as well off a lower octane fuel than the typical engine.

their is a entire gigantic argument about the real displacement of rotary engines. The biggest problems with rotaries though in my eyes is the 1000+ extra degrees Fahrenheit they pump out. That means everything needs to be able to handle those extra temperatures.

Also it is the same reason only Subaru and Porsche use boxer engines. What we have now works why try something new?

[.Kevin.]

I believe you Ep. Who gives a shit .

[Crackerballer]

Don't forget to read through my lil Yaris performance primer ;)

http://www.yarisworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=9451

Good read for newbs, maybe add some brand recommendations.