-ALFI-

Does anyone have a red Corolla? How do the scratches show on a red car compared to a silver?

How did you come to the conclusion that the paint is poor quality?

1. All black cars will show scratches due to the nature of the colour, not the paint quality

2. what is your washing routine, do you wash your car regularly by hand what do you use etc,

3. Comparing this car to your previous car. was it black too

you give very skant details for your conclusion

I am not defending toyota's quality it just your statement is very inflammatory especially if you are not taking the proper care of your paintwork then expect scratches and damaged paintwork

In fact if its a daily driver well expect damage full stop

Sorry if I gave the wrong impression, I wasn't saying that the paint quality is bad, I was asking if anyone else thought the same. This is my first black car and prior to buying I never considered the notion that black will show all marks, I just thought it looked great in black. My Falcon is blue.

I hindsight I would still get the black, it does look very good in the evening after a wash and wax.

I do wash with two buckets and use cotton cloths when I do it, but have used the free “wash for life” facility at the dealership (They wash your car for free, unlimited, Brighton Toyota vic).

it only takes 1 bad wash to put scratches/swirls on a black car.

I'm very careful when I wash, the scratches are appearing one at a time, between washes, a lot on the sides, I'm guessing caused by people walking past it in a parking lot, etc or stones. Still it shouldn't scratch this easy.

Hey guys,

I have a 2008 Corolla Levin ZR in Ink (black) purchased in February 08. Now, 2 and a bit years later the thing is covered in odd scratches, everywhere. Some very faint and hard to see, others quite noticeable. None are straight, all curved in various lengths. I have a feeling this paint is not of high quality. My previous car was a 2001 Falcon which I brought new (still have it), and it has far fewer scratches then my 2008 corolla has after only 2 years. It looks old even after a wash.

Have any other ZRE drivers (or any Toyota drivers) had this problem? If I ask at the dealership will they care? Unlikely.

Craving a nice low key chrome tip at the end of a cat-back exhaust system, I'll get around to it some day. Would lowering it an inch or two have a dramatic affect on handling? I love the lowered look but don't want to spoil the nice ride it has.

Very cool dude, shweeeeet

Wow dude that’s a sweet looking head unit, I’m impressed. Not really my cup of tea but. I just like buttons, easier to find without looking. I’d never use the DVD player so it would be more stylish then practical for me. I found a good video review about it for anyone else interested in it.

http://reviews.cnet.com/in-dash-car-stereo...7-32557350.html

I’ve actually decided against a new head unit, instead getting an EQ processor to go between the HU and the speakers. It will sound as good as any top end head unit, and I can keep the bluetooth and steering wheel controls, it’s the same colour/style as the rest of the centre console, it’s a 6 stacker and it won’t get nicked. Also getting MTX splits, boston amp and sony sub.

Audiocontrol Three.1

http://mobileaudiocontrol.com/product.asp?...2=&l1=17612

There is no need to change the head unit for good sound quality. I have an '08 Leven ZR and other then the crummie sound quality it’s a very good head unit, 6 stacker with Bluetooth and steering wheel controls, it’s the same colour as the rest of the centre console and it won’t get nicked. To make it sound better you need a EQ processor, the best in the business are audiocontrol (http://mobileaudiocontrol.com). I’d recommend the “Three.1” unit (4 channel) or the “EQS” (6 channel), see links below. These gizmos (with a set of good new speakers of course) will sound fantastic, without having to change the HU.

Three.1

http://mobileaudiocontrol.com/product.asp?...2=&l1=17612

EQS

http://mobileaudiocontrol.com/product.asp?...2=&l1=17612

g'day Alfi,

do you have any links to those s-wheel audio controls you talked about? I'm interested in getting one.

cheers

http://www.ryda.com.au/JVC-RM-RK39-Steerin...ol-p/rmrk39.htm

http://www.ryda.com.au/Blaupunkt-RC10-Stee...mote-p/rc10.htm

The Pioneer unit is cool too, find it on www.pioneer.com.au, but you will have to get one that works with your headunit, they are mostly IR. Most brands make a steering wheel remote. Do some googleing :)

Hi,

On the ZRE152R Corolla Ascent, the steering wheel audio controls are not standard, but you can order it as an option.

Does anyone know if the option is just fitting the new steering wheel and simply plugging in the audio controls.

I've tried three different Toyota outlets and got three different answers,

...thought it was now time to turn to the experts ;-)

Is the steering wheel available from Toyota or do I have to try for a wreck?

thanks in advance for any pointers,

Barry

Gday Barry,

Would be a lot more trouble and cost then it’s really worth, a new s-wheel with leather and the audio buttons will be costly, best to forget about it until /if you upgrade the head unit, then you can get s-wheel audio controls that attach to the rim of the steering wheel. Doubt you will find one at a wreckers yet, even if you did it will still be expensive.

Should have got the SX or ZR hey :) You'll get over it, its handy but not essential.

why not go listen to them on the test board and see what you like better? you'd only want to worry about the brand if your spending about $6,000 + but $2,000 should get you a decent system. Have you tried JB yet? <-- because the more you buy, the more you save! Where abouts in Melbourne are you located? Maybe we could meet up and i give you a hand?

Yea I did have a listen to the demos, but in the shop they all sound pretty good, will sound different in my car. I'm just wondering if the sales dude was just feeding me krap about euros been so much better just to make a sale, or if he had a good point. They dont sound all that different to me so I'll probably get the mainstream brands from Strathfield. The 6" JBL speakers sounded good and are a reasonable price.

Do Sony make a good sub? The new model looks great and has the numbers, but its cheap, maybe too cheap. 12 inch 1300W for $150 at Strathies if my memory serves me right. Sounds like a bargan.

I’m currently collecting info and prices on my audio system prior to purchasing, I’m hoping to have it all in within the next few weeks, but I’m hearing different things from different car audio shops. I went to Strathfield first and put a package together for $1600 installed consisting of a Kenwood DPX-mp3110 head unit, JBL speakers and splits, Kenwood 4ch amp, Sony woofa in box and steering wheel audio control adapter. A different car audio shop told me to avoid all the mainstream car audio brands (Sony, Pioneer, JVC, Kenwood, etc) in favour for Euro brands like Focal, all in the name of better sound quality. A similar spec package (same HU) from this shop would cost around $2000 installed.

I know they will always push the brands they stock, but would Euro branded speakers really be that much better? Is it worth the extra cost?

ooo, if you got the money i would. but why upgrade the unit, doesnt your stock unit come 6stacker mp3?

Yea it does, and its ok for now, but I dont like it. Its ugly, theres alot it does not do (eg- random folder only, not whole disk and terrible EQ) and sounds rubbish (but thats probably the speakers fault). I will definitely be getting the steering wheel button kit when I upgrade, but going to wait until I'm more cashed up and get everything at once. I'm not going to build a system piece by piece again.

I have totally grown accustom to using my steering wheel audio controls and don’t want to lose them when I get a new head unit (Kenwood DPX-MP3110). I would hate to have spent so much on this car to have something not work, even if it is just a few buttons. The guys a Strathfield have said a unit that attaches to the buttons and sends IR signals to the head unit will cost around $250. That’s pretty rich just to keep my buttons.

Is there another way? Or a cheaper unit on the market?

Hey guys. I'm from the US, and I'm dying to get my hands on the Kenwood MP3110. The only place to buy it in the world, that I can find is Ryda but they don't ship to the US. Will this unit even work in my US car? Is there a reason Kenwood doesn't sell it here?

If someone could buy it for me and ship it to me, I'd make it worth your while.

Even if the hole in your car is bigger then the double DIN unit, there should be a pannel you can get to cover the gaps, where theres a will theres a way. Ask at a local car audio install shop. I would assume even if Kenwood dont sell the MP3110 unit in the US (I would think they do somewhere) that any decent car audio shop could order one in from Kenwood HQ. Ask around bro.

I'd really love to get these two beauties stacked on top of each other

Don't know where to buy them though

And if you want sq i wouldn't go for alpine as thats what ive got at the moment and i hate the preset eq they have like set the bass to "80" then "1" for wide bass and treble to "17.5"

Just pi**** me off

Well i shouldn't say they don't have good sq they do.

It's just that why cant they make head units with nothing to mess with the frequencies???

And from the reviews ive been reading these McIntosh units are about the best sq you will get.

Dude that pair together look totally T|TS! Classy retro, I love it. Doesnt look very MP3 compatable but. Love some sweet UV meters, if I could find some nice ones I might be persuaded to abandon my double DIN idea. I've never seen Mcintosh units before.

As for sound quality, I had a set of Kenwoods speakers and a JVC head unit in my old car, sounded fantastic, would have no issues about getting them again.

So I guess theres no way to stop it then, other then to drive "gently", its just not that sorta car hey. Oh well, my CBR F4i does 0-100kmh in under 3 seconds, that totally makes up for it, hahaha.

yea thats pretty much it,

Then what is it that making the car jolt around when the wheels begin to lose grip? Its like its stabbing the brakes repeatedly. My last car didnt even have ABS so I dont know much about this stuff.

I went for a spirited drive today and discovered how violent the traction control can be on my zre152 Rolla, not fun. Does anyone know if there is a way to (briefly) turn it off? There is no off button.

I have heard a story about someone whose car also did not have a TC off switch so he found the fuse and connected a kill switch to it.

Surly there would be more than one thing running of one fuse, wouldn’t there? I doubt the computer would even start the motor without it on.

Any other way it can be done?

I want!

Where can i get a CAI from around Sydney but not shift performance and how much installed???

So what is the appropriate number of question marks for such a question?

Whats wrong with Shift performance? (I'm not from Sydney, I'm just curious)

My friend got done for having blue parkers @ chapel street. Got a fine on the spot and was told to change them. He was told to go to vicroads for an inspection after it was done before a specific date or he'd lose his licence.

Just ain't worth it i say. But your car, your choice :)

Daft idea taking a modified car to Chaple st, just asking for cop trouble. Not to mention its quicker to walk around there then it is to drive, lol. Nice street, for people not motors.

Tayles, Do you REALLY own a 57 Jaguar MkI or is that a wish list?

1 of the cars in the list is owned by me.

The rest are owned by family members (i.e. DAD) haha

Is the Jag in top nic? 2.4lt or the 3.4lt?

(I'm a classic car fan, baaa)

Tayles, Do you REALLY own a 57 Jaguar MkI or is that a wish list?