Originally Posted By: Smokescreen
LOL you guys are funny. He already has the Corolla, $1k wouldn't get him into any of those cars even upon trade in without a numerous host of potentially unknown problems. Besides its not really his question. BTW TRD rear sway and springs run less than $350 so I don't know where you are pulling $1k from. As far as cars that handle decently...none of the cars you list would I say handle "decently" they are all econo-boxes and all have their weak and strong points. We are posting here to address the OP's issue. Fortunately I have real world experience backed by the opnions of hundreds of others with the same car. Do you have the same car as the OP? No. Have you experienced the situation he is currently in? Once again, no. Until then, your opinion is pretty much based on here-say and has the effect of an armchair internet quarter back.
If I had a performance car I would definitely welcome suspensions upgrade with people the own the car or one like it. Adjustable suspension, high end suspension pieces are just not worth it. As these Econo-boxes are fairly low end, so simple solutions can make a world of difference, especially when they are designed by the manufacturer. Heck some of these cars don't even have a rear sway bar so anything can be helpful.
Spicy.
Here is the question that began this thread, as well as the source of the kind of pricing we're talking about:
Quote:
My question is, I can get a TRD rear sway bar, front strut brace parts + install for $600. Is there any chance this would solve my issues, along with perhaps new tires? I also wanted to do the lowering springs to see if that helped the wind issue on the highway, but parts + labor on that is nearly $800.
Any input is always appreciated!
Guess I can't speak for you, but it seems to me that an answer of "save your money for bigger and better things" fits within the guidelines.
As for experience, here's my rejoinder. I've owned an economy car, driven a bunch more including recent Corollas, and seen a huge variety of economy cars (including mine) modified for better handling on many levels, from springs or dampers all the way up to full coilovers and chassis bracing. I've also made the switch from an economy car to a car that was actually designed to handle well, and have numerous friends who have done the same.
Be careful when you decide to get personal in debates like this. Judging from your signature, by far the best handling car you currently own is your '09 Corolla, and it goes way downhill from there. So, if you're going to accuse others of not knowing about the car in question here, I'd think that exposes you to being accused of not knowing what good handling really is and how modifications affect it.
Virtually every single car that begins life as an econobox retains its character no matter what mods you apply. Many of them gain really odd quirks when modded, like tramlining, see-sawing over bumps, odd toe and camber curves, etc. The only exceptions are cars that are THOROUGHLY done over by the original manufacturer, like the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution -- and even most of those still never feel as good as cars that were designed to do the job in the first place, even if they play in the same league in terms of specs.
To be clear: I am NOT saying a rear sway bar will make the car worse. I'm just saying I don't think it'll be worth the money in the end.
We are also not saying that the OP should trade his Corolla in immediately. We are saying he should save his money for later, so that he can be that much closer to getting a car he likes better in the future.
As for whether those other cars will be an improvement over a Corolla in terms of handling, I wasn't aware that that's even a matter of debate. The Corolla is one of the poorest handling cars in the segment, whereas those others consistently garner praise for their handling. They may all be front-heavy FWD econoboxes, but they're worlds apart in terms of how they are to drive.
Now, to be fair, the reason I can say all of this is that I actually went through the experience of spending thousands of dollars modifying my FWD economy car for better handling, only to watch it be blown into the weeds by a heavier, higher, softer-sprung, bone-stock BMW with worn dampers and worse tires. If I had saved all the money I had spent on mods, I could have bought my M3 two years earlier than I did. Several of the friends I've mentioned had to go through similar experiences before they even understood what I was talking about, and every story was the same: they all thought their mods were great, until they had the opportunity to spend some real seat time in a car that was built to do the job in the first place -- at which point they sold their modded cars and never looked back. Maybe everyone has to go through a similar experience before they can understand, and until then, words like mine are vapor. If that's the case, more power to you.
