mick0082

dont' go for nangkangs, cheap too cheap. wears really quick but no benifits. i've had pirelli p5000's and p-zero's. the zero's are a class of thier own but $$$. at the moment for good value and not too cheap but a reliable tyre i've had 2 sets of goodyear f1's now. really really good tyres. not as good as pirelli's but lasts longer and its got benefits. pirelli p5000's are really good soft tyres but wears fast. stick with the good brands. it is the tyres that is keeping you on the road.. why discount your life? ← This is true but alot of people dont seem to see eye to eye on this topic, some people want their gear at the lowest possible price even if it means they are sacrifcing safety and/or quality. I'll be getting quality skins on my rims. If I can't afford the kind of rubber I should be buying then i'll just wait a little longer!

Surprisingly enough its from a Regional dealer in NSW. Can't wait til Friday! :D

Which dealer did your friend buy from Pippy? Sounds like they got an exceptional deal. I thought I got a good discount. Mines $28,000 driveaway, brand new just off the ship on Monday. For that price i'm getting tints, sportivo pedals, genuine mats, dash mat, hatch loading mat.

Guys, As most of you have probably read, I am picking up my white 05 Sportivo on Friday. As a result I have been getting prices on different 18" wheel and tyre packages. Does anyone run or know much about Nankang tyres, there are a fair few retailers pushing them. Some places insist that they are a high quality Yokohama tyre with a different name so they can be sold cheaper, whereas other places offer them as a cheaper alternative to the big reknowned names. I would have thought a quality tyre would be a Pirelli, Bridgestone, Dunlop or an actual "real" Yokohama. Does anyone know the real story?

Not technically a Corolla owner yet. As of this friday I will be. Taking delivery of my new 05 Sportivo! Oh the week is going so slow!

Please no petrol. Yes its gets them clean with minimal effort but over time you could have some issues. Warm soapy water and some elbow grease is my preffered way (using a different sponge to the one you clean your paintwork with). Meguiars also have a product called "Hot Rims". You spray it on leave for a minute and then hose off. You really cant beat the elbow grease though!

Hi guys, I'm Mick, also a newbie...although I have been posting without any real introduction for nearly a week. I've been a silent viewer of the forums for the past couple of months whilst deciding if a Corolla Sportivo is for me. Was originally looking around for a good second hand 2004 model but there were few around in the condition I was after. Once I learned of the sportivo being available in the facelft model I took the plunge and have ordered a brand new white sportivo (which I should be picking up this friday!) Almost brought the black one they had in stock but the a combination of test drivers and swirly paint put me off it. At least the white one will be a April or May build and May compliance! Anyways hello to all and looking forward to some fun exchange of knowledge and of course some cruises! Ciao!

As someone else mentioned, i'm getting a little too old for all that stuff. Had a pretty big system in the last car,(128db in a very small cabin) it created so many rattles in the hatch, wont be doing that this time round. When the cash is saved up i'll replace the headunit , front splits rear and rear speakers. Prob get a little 10" moulded into the boot in the cavity behind one of the tail lights, carpeted to match so it looks factory and integrated. Link that to a 4/3 channel amp to run the splits and the sub and we're done.

Yeah, these pedals are designed specifically for the sportivo and are covered in your warranty. That way they can't come back on you if you have any accellerator, brake or clutch problems. On my last car I had aftermarket pedals, I had some clutch problems and they tried to blame it on the fact that the pedals weren't allowing the clutch full travel, which was a load of bulls@#t. Its one issue less to argue with the service team really.

I agree with the above quote. If your serious about your incabin audio experience you should get a set of good quality 2-way speakers for the rear doors. These are just for rear fill. Instead of putting the extra money towards 6x9's it would have been better to spend the cash on a better set of splits for the front. This will ensure your staging is correct. Then again if its SPL your after....please yourself.

For sure, Syd can drive down, Melb can drive up (and the other states are invited but driving from SA WA or QLD would be a rather big drive :D) ← Just dont make the meet too soon guys, wanna have my rims and lowering done before then.

Yep, If you see a white facelift Sportivo getting round there in the next few weeks thats most prob gunna be me. I havent seen any white Sportivo's in Canberra yet (only lived here since Jan). Not sure about Wakefield, i'd come out for a look but not sure about punishing the car out on the track.

Perhaps I should take advantage of this post to introduce myself also. I only joined this week but have been following these forums silently since I started looking at Sportivo's. I've looked at a range of options and have finally decided to go with the Sportivo. Got a newie ordered which I should be picking up next friday, nearly brought the black one they had in stock but decided against it. ended up going with white. Anways thats my story, looking forward to some good times with the car and looking forward to meeting up with a few of you at some meets/cruises. By the way, i'm in Canberra. A big hello to everyone!

My Sportivo muffler will perhaps be for sale once I run the car in. Looking at a range of exhaust options at the moment.

Got your back Pippy, The genuine Sportivo Pedals are approx $150 from your dealer. I've had them ordered for my car, they will be on the car when I pick it up next week. I've ended up splashing out on a few other accessories too. Custom cut floor mats, hatch loading mat and tinted windows. Jade, i'd be hitting up the dealer you brought the car from. Its worth a try

I think the ride is better den b4... handling is also a little better but going over bumps makes the car bounce more. If u give it a wheel alignment the tyres should be worn evenly. I havent had any problems so far. ← Thanks for the feedback, i'm definately going to be going with 18's My car is still on the boat but in final stages of the trip. The dealer expects to have it tuesday and hopefully i'll be taking delivery the following friday. Gunna leave it stock until the first "complimentary" 1000km service, then drop the suspension and do the wheels. Another 1000km or so after that straight on with the CES system.

King Springs Australia Thats the local site for Kings. The site lists their distributors/fitters for each state.

My apologies, I wasnt aware that this is such a big issue in VIC. Being from NSW i'm used to harsh policing but not that harsh. I'll be fitting 215/35/18 to my car, i've never heard of load ratings being a problem here, but then again i'm from regional NSW not Sydney.

If your looking to go 18's, 18x7.5 is the way to go. A 225/40/18 will have a greater rolling circumference therefore putting your speedo, odometer out and also possibly effecting your performance/acceleration. The closest match to the stock 195/55/16 is 215/35/18 Yes, its going to be firmer than a 225/40/18 but i'f your after a little more comfort it might be worth looking at a 215/45/17. This way you gain the ride you want and retain the true performance of the car and the correct info on the dash. If anyone here is running 215/35/18 post up and give us your thoughts on the ride and performance. Does the suspension crash and bounce about through bumps or is it still quite compliant? Also, any unusual wear? insides wearing unevenly etc?

No arguements that Black looks the goods. The car I saw in the showroom had been washed twice it if was lucky and the bonnet was pretty swirled, that made my mind up for me. The plan is to drop the white one on some nice 18's, run her in, then bolt on the CES system and TRD CAI, then go play in the traffic a little...

Hi Guys, Im a newie to the scene. I've been following this forum quite closely over the last couple of months as a silent visitor whilst trying to work out if a Corolla Sportivo is for me. I've been looking at second hand pre-facelift versions but recently got slapped in the face with an insanely good offer from a toyota dealer on a brand spanker. To cut a long story short, I find this topic about paint, scratches and associated maintenance very interesting. You see the dealer had an ink black one which I nearly drove home last week. But one look at the slight swirls that were already in the paint turned me off straight away. I know the black probably makes the sportivo look hottest but i think I'm far too fussy to own a black car, i'd be washing and polishing it everyday. So.....I've ordered white, should be here sometime next week. Its one of the more boring colours I know, but i'll just have to dress it up a little.