Why Upgrade a Daewoo?

[AcingTeam]

Dew the Woo

lol

[PrecisionBoost]

I guess I've reached the point in my life where I would rather NOT be noticed, and I'd prefer quiet, safe, and durable to sleek, fast, and loud. Now, wher'd I put my walker? . . . .

Are you saying you wouldn't like another 100hp , extreemly responsive steering and brakes that can help you slow down faster than a high performance sports car??

To me this is what makes the car "safe"..... you can accelerate out of dangerous situations, steer around other cars or objects (like a deer or a pedestrian ) and stop quicker than the guy in front of you even if you are driving 30 miles an hour faster than he is.

If you ask me..... modifying your Daewoo makes perfect sense no matter how old or young you are.

I belive that we would have less accidents if the government would force big companies like GM to make their cars brake better, handle better and perform better in emergency situations.

So.... if you don't improve your vehicle..... doesn't that make you irresponsible ???

It's like owning a handgun and being too cheap and lazy to put a lock on it so it can't be misused.

[AcingTeam]

I guess I've reached the point in my life where I would rather NOT be noticed, and I'd prefer quiet, safe, and durable to sleek, fast, and loud. Now, wher'd I put my walker? . . . .

Are you saying you wouldn't like another 100hp , extreemly responsive steering and brakes that can help you slow down faster than a high performance sports car??

To me this is what makes the car "safe"..... you can accelerate out of dangerous situations, steer around other cars or objects (like a deer or a pedestrian ) and stop quicker than the guy in front of you even if you are driving 30 miles an hour faster than he is.

If you ask me..... modifying your Daewoo makes perfect sense no matter how old or young you are.

I belive that we would have less accidents if the government would force big companies like GM to make their cars brake better, handle better and perform better in emergency situations.

So.... if you don't improve your vehicle..... doesn't that make you irresponsible ???

It's like owning a handgun and being too cheap and lazy to put a lock on it so it can't be misused.

That's an interesting way of looking at it Chris... hmmmm... I agree!!

[bluesheepbrian]

Agree with all you guys. Maybe its the artist profession of mine but think of what artwork would not be reality if we did not explore our expressions and emotions in what we love or find curious. The more you express what you feel the better your "artwork" will come out.

And thats my two cents.

[rev320]

So.... if you don't improve your vehicle..... doesn't that make you irresponsible ???

It's like owning a handgun and being too cheap and lazy to put a lock on it so it can't be misused.

Admit it. People who make their cars really fast want to go really fast. Is that really safer? No. Fun? Yes, for a while. Better brakes safer? Yes, especially ABS. What else makes a car safe? Better body integrity, airbags, side airbags, door beams, better visibility, less driver fatigue, reasonable speeds, knowing the limits of the vehicle, and driver skill . . .

Does a loud exhaust make a car safer? No. How about lower springs, a loud stereo, sub-woofer, fancy wheels, body kit, Clear tail lamp covers, tint, stickers, paint, etc. Nope.

I could put really wide tires on my car on oversized rims. That would make it handle better on a track, but make it more prone to blowouts on really rough roads, possibly make it more prone to hydroplaning, and make it absolutely pathetic in the snow. It would also decrease my fuel economy.

I could put low stiff suspension with limited travel on my car and it would handle better under certain conditions. It might not do so well with a carload of people, or a full load from the lumberyard. (I drive a wagon.) It would also make the ride more choppy and more fatiguing on long highway trips. It WOULD decrease the overall utility of the vehicle.

I do have progressive rate springs on one of my cars, and it improves the handling AND increases the load capacity. I can't keep paint on the edges of the trunk lid though, because now the body flexes too much. No free lunch there either.

In short, please don't try to tell me that all of your modifications are to make the car safer. You do them for the challenge, and so you can have more fun driving fast, and express (bring attention to) yourselves. I'm not saying that is necessarily a bad thing, but let's be honest . . . safety is not the the primary reason for the effort.

A side note: A local guy has a four cylinder Acura with poorly done graphics on it, and some sort of big bore exhaust with a super-fat tip. It looks really different. and when he drives it, it does get lots of attention. I have never heard anything like it. It is hilarious. It sounds like a cross between a lawn mower and a trombone. I wonder if that's what he wanted?

The original question was not, "Why modify a car?" The reasons for that are easy to understand. It was specifically, why a Daewoo?

[AcingTeam]

So.... if you don't improve your vehicle..... doesn't that make you irresponsible ???

It's like owning a handgun and being too cheap and lazy to put a lock on it so it can't be misused.

Does a loud exhaust make a car safer? No. How about lower springs, a loud stereo, sub-woofer, fancy wheels, body kit, Clear tail lamp covers, tint, stickers, paint, etc. Nope.

No offense, but I would have to disagree with having Lowering springs and Fancy wheels. They do add a lot in terms of control/cornering etc. And not just fancy wheels but wide rims that give you more control.

In short, please don't try to tell me that all of your modifications are to make the car safer. You do them for the challenge, and so you can have more fun driving fast, and express (bring attention to) yourselves. I'm not saying that is necessarily a bad thing, but let's be honest . . . safety is not the the primary reason for the effort.

agreed here...

[rev320]

No offense, but I would have to disagree with having Lowering springs and Fancy wheels. They do add a lot in terms of control/cornering etc. And not just fancy wheels but wide rims that give you more control.

Wide wheels do give more control on the highway or on a track. They ARE more prone to damage from curbs and low profile tires don't do so well long term here where the streets are full of pot holes. We're getting 5" of snow tonight in Wisconsin. The guys with the wide weenies on their cars keep them at home, because they wind up in the ditch.

Lowering springs work well when the car is lightly loaded, but the rough ride and constant bottoming out with a higher load is not pleasant. Around here, the wheel wells of lowered vehicles get so packed with snow that steering becomes difficult.

There is a trade off. If there wasn't, then the manufacturers would build their cars that way in the first place.

[kinkyllama]

I would be dead or in the hospital right now if it wernt for my performance tires and maybe even the wider wheels.


I was doing the speed limit on a blind turn on the freeway and as soon as i saw the streetcleaner (go figure) barley creeping along at abotu 2 mph i slammed on the breaks and stopped about 4 feet infront of it.. the guy behind me swirved around them and cuased the guy in the lane next to us go about half an inch from the way... anyways without that extra grip i would have nailed the street cleaner, probabyl went into the other lane and been killed by the other cars.



I see where having some extra power can save you from an accident.. its helped for me a few times but it isnt neccsary

[TheGreatAndPowerfulOz]

I agree and disagree with some of everything that has been said here.

For my Lanos, I have not, and do not plan to try to get more HP out of my car. My goal is to have the best gas milage possible from it.
For this reason, I changed my stock air box with a cone filter, and that is the extent of the engine modifications for that car.

However, I am getting lowering springs, shocks and changing the wheels simply to be able to manuver safely WHEN (not if) MORE deer jump out in front of me. So far, with 100% stock cars in the past, I have hit 4 deer with 3 different cars. Had I been able to stop faster and steer out of the way more effectivly, I know I would have been able to avoid 2 of the 4 deer.

Deer are the same reason I added fog lights at the front and am going to add another set of high wattage driving lights. More visibility on those dark country roads will allow me to see the deer earlier and allow me to stop early and blow the horn at them to move.

Clear lights on my car? I think they look nice with my silver paint.
New style Daewoo badges? I like they way they look more than the older badges.

Exhaust? Not going to do anything to it, unless I can find a muffler that is as quiet or more so than the stock, yet allow better gas milage.

I have no kids, and no more than 1 person at a time ever rides in my car, which that in itself is very rare.

My Leganza is staying 100% stock. I have not even changed the factory valve stem caps.

Cliff

[PrecisionBoost]

Wide wheels do give more control on the highway or on a track. They ARE more prone to damage from curbs and low profile tires don't do so well long term here where the streets are full of pot holes. We're getting 5" of snow tonight in Wisconsin. The guys with the wide weenies on their cars keep them at home, because they wind up in the ditch.

Lowering springs work well when the car is lightly loaded, but the rough ride and constant bottoming out with a higher load is not pleasant. Around here, the wheel wells of lowered vehicles get so packed with snow that steering becomes difficult.

There is a trade off. If there wasn't, then the manufacturers would build their cars that way in the first place.

The manufacturers build them as cheaply as possible.... no if and's or but's about it.... they go with the best fuel economy / emissions and the least amount of equipment required to make the car safe enough to pass government testing. ( by the way... I worked for a GM dealerships so I know a bit about large automotive companies )

Plain and simple wider tires cost more money... they go with as small as possible without comprimizing safety.

Wider wheels are not prone to damage from curbs if you set up the offset correctly and they are more forgiving over potholes due to the increased surface area for the load to be distributed.

As far as traction.... well if less was more every 4X4 on the road would be driving on skinny ass tires.

Skinny tires do decrease the posibility of hydroplaning but having a 205 vs 225 will make almost zero difference..... it's all in the tire technology.

Your confusing "ultra high performance" tires with regular all season radials.

The guys running summer tires are the ones in the ditch.... the guys with the nice wide snow tires are the ones with the best traction.

Smaller tire contact point = more weight per square inch = more force per square inch on the ice = slippery as hell.

If you had two Blizzak tires.... one 165 series and one 225 series on the same car under the same exact conditions the 225 series Blizzak tires would allow you to stop in less distance.

Progressive lowering springs shouldn't bottom out if they are designed correctly.... I live in Edmonton,Alberta,Canada and we have way more snow ice and miserable conditions than you do in Wisconsin.

I have had my Apex progressive springs on for quite a while now and I haven't bottomed out once... even over huge speed bumps (which surprised me)

Manufacturers find a ride height that will make people the most comfortable.... they could care less if lowering the car 1" makes the car handle significantly better.

[PrecisionBoost]

I really think you have a problem with stereotypes..... I don't consider cosmetic thing like graphics as "modifications" .

There are piles of people out there that have totally stock looking vehicles with tens of thousands of dollars in modifications.

You don't know that because they aren't into showing off so therefore all you see are these kids running around driving way too fast trying to be like the guys from "2 Fast 2 Furious"

I have owned lots of nice powerfull sports cars.... I have never been in an accident and I've avoided atleast a half dozen "complete right off" situations because my car could out brake, out handle or out accelerate the other vehicles about to cause an accident.

I don't feel safe unless I'm in a big truck ( like my 97 Suburban 2500 ) , a big ass luxury car (like my 98 Acura 3.5RL) or a sports car ( such as my Nissan 300ZX I used to have )

I don't feel safe in my Optra 5.... I want to upgrade everything so that it can handle, brake and accelerate as fast as my other sports cars.

The great thing is that it's still functional and can haul five people around comfortably (unlike my 2 seater 300ZX )

Still I say...... if you don't make your vehicle perform to the maximum of it's ability you are irresponsible.

Just because your car can do zero to 60mph in 4 seconds doesn't mean that you have to race around everywhere..... it just means that you have the option to get out of a tight spot in a fraction of a second.

Just because your car can jump lanes at 70MPH with perfect control and precision doesn't mean that you have to cut in and out of lanes like an idiot.

Just because you can stop your car 30 feet quicker than the car behind you it doesn't mean that you should slam on your brakes to scare the crap out of the poor guy behind you.

DO PEOPLE DO ALL THIS STUFF...... YES ABSOLUTELY

Idiots also do this in beat up shit box vehicles which shouldn't be allowed on the road.... so my point is that people can be assholes no matter what they drive.... so don't hate guys that fix up their cars.... we aren't the problem.

One final point...... what is safer.... an idiot driving around on the freeway weeving around in traffic at 120 Mph in a rusted out 83 Toyota Corrolla or someone in a Daewoo Lanos that has dropped ten thousand bucks to make it handle brake and accelerate like a Porsche 911 ????

Both are dangerous..... but the beat up Corrolla is more likely to kill someone because they are out of control and way past the limits of their vehicle's suspension and brakes.

You probably wouldn't be as concerned if the guy was driving like an idiot in a Porsche would you??? ( be honest )

[kinkyllama]

Just because you can stop your car 30 feet quicker than the car behind you it doesn't mean that you should slam on your brakes to scare the crap out of the poor guy behind you.

As soon as i get my new rotors i am so going to go try that one out!!!



jeez..


The worst is the busted down cars that you know dont have insurence that cut everyone off and run alot of red lights.. theres alot of those here since i live near mexico, lots of illegals

[rev320]

Wider wheels are not prone to damage from curbs if you set up the offset correctly and they are more forgiving over potholes due to the increased surface area for the load to be distributed.

If a specific tire can take say . . .7 to 9 inch wide wheels, the 9 inch wheel will provide more sidewall support and better handling. It will also be closer to the edge of the tire and more prone to scraping a curb. Wider tires are not more prone to pothole damage, but the extremely low profile tires are. Some of them look like they have almost no sidewalls. Going over potholes CAN damage sidewalls and bend rims for these setups.

The SUV's have really wide tires mainly for getting through mud. Somewhat narrower tires do give better traction in deep snow because they don't float as much, they get down closer to the pavement, as long as they have an agressive tread.

My point isn't that people shouldn't fix up their cars for performance, although I don't feel that need at the moment.

My question was why a Daewoo and not something else.

[AcingTeam]

Wider wheels are not prone to damage from curbs if you set up the offset correctly and they are more forgiving over potholes due to the increased surface area for the load to be distributed.

My question was why a Daewoo and not something else.

My case: It was super cheap!!!! For 2001 with only 38k miles I paid $2,500 before taxes and all other fees... and that is for a SPORT edition which is a luxury comparing to the standard ones.

[rev320]

My case: It was super cheap!!!! For 2001 with only 38k miles I paid $2,500 before taxes and all other fees... and that is for a SPORT edition which is a luxury comparing to the standard ones.

It was good and cheap. You have it and want to make it better. Now, THAT make sense.