This girl is just about the first car I've owned in my life that wasn't older than me, or nearly so, and that's over about 30 years of owning and modifying vehicles. She's a pretty little thing, and super fun to drive especially after some of the mods I've done; she's quick if not exactly fast - as I tend to say, "quick enough to be fun, not fast enough to be super likely to put me in jail".
These cars catch a lot of flack both for their quirky asymmetrical design, which is one of the things I actually love, and their reliability issues over the years - but to be fair, a lot of the owners don't help their case. Personally I take maintenance as a religion, and study known issues so that I can address them preemptively, and that's saved me from having any significant problems with the car whatsoever over the past 4 years of owning her. Bought from Carvana at the start of the pandemic, fortunately before prices shot up, and immediately corrected a bunch of things that Carvana had claimed to have done but didn't, like basic fluid changes and all that, then started the modifications and just haven't ever stopped!
My main focus in mods has been a mix of practical handling mods, driver comfort/experience, and aesthetics - I try to keep that balance going. Not going for major power since there's simply no need and these little 1.6t blocks can't take much added power without affecting reliability. But she's my daily, my project, and my weekend warrior rolled into one, and I love this car more with every passing day and with every little adjustment I make!
Current Setup
Wheels: König Hypergram 18x8.5 et45 in Carbon Metallic w/machined lip + Raceseng TNR-1 forged titanium lug nuts (glass bead-blasted finish) + ThunderBolt Japan forged titanium valve stem caps
Tires: BFGoodrich g-Force Comp2 A/S Plus 235/40ZR18 XL
Suspension: EBC slotted & dimpled sport rotors + EBC Yellowstuff pads all 4 corners
Suspension: Sachs Sport-Tuned Black Package front struts + SPC camber bolts + H&R 28902-2 mild lowering springs + Cusco adjustable end links
Suspension: Pierce Motorsports front tubular crash bar + rear tubular crash bar + front 2-point subframe brace + mid 4-point x-brace + rear torsion bar
Suspension: Luxon upper hatch 4-point x-brace
Performance: AEM SRI + VelossaTech LitKit intake snorkel
Performance: Megan Racing short-throw shifter + solid shifter base bushings + solid shifter cable end bushings
Exterior: Custom-built KDM-spec headlight assemblies w/ Morimoto XB35 HID projector retrofit, 5500K HID low beam lamps, LasFit LED high beams & signals, black painted internals
Exterior: Carbon fiber front lip/splitter, headlight eyelids, fog lamp bezels, rear reflector bezels, side skirt inserts, mirror caps, and Sequence spoiler
Exterior: 20% Black Pearl ceramic tint
Interior: SoCal GarageWorks custom carbon fiber and perforated leather steering wheel with blue stitching and blue center stripe + full carbon interior door handle OEM replacements
Interior: SoCal GarageWorks custom carbon fiber fuse box lid, engine cover, and washer fluid cap
Interior: Dress Up Bolts Stage 2 polished titanium engine bay hardware, JDC titanium AC high & low valve caps, Boomba Racing polished brake/clutch and coolant reservoir caps, SuperStik polished oil dipstick
Interior: Mishimoto polished PCV-side OCC and hoses, oil filler cap, and carbon fiber 1.3bar radiator cap
Interior: Custom black Bride shift boot + custom leather-wrapped weighted blue-stitched 98 MR2 OEM replica shift knob by MR2Heaven
Interior: Custom DiamondCarMats full-coverage floor mats + Shark Racing brushed aluminum heelplate & dead pedal plate
Interior: Infinity door speaker upgrade w/Reference front and centers, Kappa rears, and Pioneer sub in OEM locations