Biznox

...bigger dictionary.... that's good!

OK. I'm extending the olive branch. Sorry for being a d*ck and sorry to everyone for hijacking the thread.

stick_1NZ

The 'A & the 'B is not manufactured for racing...mind you. I don't see the japanese racing 'em.

killerxromances

Biznox, if you have anything else you would like to say to me you can PM, otherwise drop it.

I didn't hear of a specific company as far as names go, but i believe next year someone is releasing a t/c and s/c kit for the aerio (awd), so that should be something you might want to check into if you haven't already. It needs more whp, 155hp with the drivetrain it has is probably putting out around 125whp give or take a few. Not horrible, but definitely could be much better.

Cya

Dwestxb

I agree, I have no problem getting into traffic from a stop. I think a lot of you just don't know how to drive ....or you have crappy automatics

killerxromances

I have a auto, first auto build and its actually fun. When i bought the xb the wait to get another xb in with a stick was two months in my area, so i decided to get the auto. Stock, obviously highway isn't fun at all. But now i have no problems getting on the highway from a stock or passing people on the highways. I don't know why people claim to have so many issues with it.

Cya

hotbox05

hey hey honestly there was some goon info in all of the bantering.

killerxromances

Indeed.

hotbox05

good*

TheScionicMan

I have the good auto, not the crappy one, hehehe.

killerxromances

Ditto.

SirScion

I have the Super, Tanzalactic, Fastimatic, Automatic :D

Biznox

I've heard good things about the Aerio in reviews, but some a critical of the suspension being a bit on the soft side and say handling suffers a bit. I'm sure the ride is plusher than an xB though!

So how do you find the handling? OK?

That would be a concern for me personally, especially since there isn't a huge aftermarket for this car to correct that... other than that though the Aerio has a lot of qualities that give it some real appeal as a viable alternative to the xB. The idea of 155 hp and a real independent rear suspension instead of torsion beam sounds really good to me. I really wish Toyota would let the torsion beam go, even a 15 year old Geo Metro has an independent rear suspension.

hotbox05

hey hey corvettes have old school rear suspensions. lol. torsion beams are pretty schnitzy but vw just let go of it for their golfs. it seems to work semi well in tiny hatchbacks.

chucksu

The handling aint to shabby. If I could get a 215 size tire instead of the 195 I have now, I could see the handling being much better. Side wall flex seems to be the only real thing I deal with. I could get springs, front tower bar & a bigger rear sway bar if I wanted to. As for the independent rear end, it is nice. I say that because when I have a exhaust welded up, there will only be 1 bend & thats only going to be about a 40* The ride seems a little more smooth, though just as stiff when you hit a bump.

Biznox

It works, but hey so does a solid axle with leaf springs.

There are NO advantages to a semi-independent suspension except saving money for Toyota and a slightly flatter, lower floor. Other than that they are all compromise. Inferior ride quality, tilting of the car everytime you go over an irregular surface that forces you to make constant minute steering corrections. They really suck, but not so much that the average Joe is going to notice in average driving. It's more of an annoyance than a major downfall.

That's true that VW just let go of the torsion beam in the Golf plaform, but that has everything to do with them saving money and nothing to do with any advantage to the consumer. They finally broke down and gave in to having a real IRS because they want to move the Jetta upmarket and they realized it was beginning to look like a joke compared to every other "sport" sedan with that antiquated suspension.

Truth is the torsion beam probably makes a lot of sense for the bB/xB because it's not meant to have real performance or handling, it's an economy car meant to maximize interior room at a low price and for that purpose, torsion beams are just great.

Doesn't mean I'm not going to wish for a real suspension that can articulate the wheels properly over undulations in the road without tossing me side to side clumsily though.

This car is fun, but it would be so much more refined feeling and competent if it just had multi-link or Mac struts in the rear.

hotbox05

i don't get tossed side to side. nor would i care if i did. my car is slammed. it hapens.

Biznox

Maybe I'm not doing a good job of explaining what I am talking about, but you have the same suspension geometry the rest of us do so, trust me you have the same limitations.

Basically, when your left rear wheel goes over a swell or dip in the road, it affects the suspension on the right side of the car, thereby affecting the articulation of the right rear wheel. Like I said, the average Joe might not even pick up on it, but what it amounts to is a more unsettled ride and less composed handling.

"Slamming" your car or putting 24" chrome spinnaz or air suspension does not solve the problem of having a torsion beam. Nothing does except buying a better car unfortunately, but like I said, this is more or less an acceptable compromise considering the price of the car and it's intended purpose, I guess.

hotbox05

nah I know what yer talking about. but I don't care about luxury suspension. lol

uh i'm not on air with 24's. i'm on stock steel wheels with over a 3 inc drop. and i know what you mean. but the torsion beam does twist and work semi independantly. not very much but yes it does. if it was soli people would not need or benefit from a rear axle stiffener or a rear sway bar.

Biznox

I'm not talking about luxury suspension.

Dude. The Geo Metro sold 10 years ago has an independent rear suspension.

It's not luxury, it's just not technology that was invented when our grandparents were in diapers (literally)

It's not about having a plush luxury ride either, it's about better handling all-around. It matters for both ride comfort and performance. You lose both by having a torsion beam.

hotbox05

yeah and the xb handles a billion times better than a metro....

have you driven any other sub 15k cars lately? they suck. the xB handles quite well. inferior design or not.