sportivoman Posted January 31, 2008 Report Share Posted January 31, 2008 That's awesome. Have you done anything to your Sportivo, or got any photos.I'm new to all of this and am still learning where to find things and stuff. Thanks for your help. So far its just lowered and has a TRD front grill. Hopefully my next mod will be a cold air intake system. Ill put some pics up asap. Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azza Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 (edited) Hey Guys... I could sit here for the next 48 hours talking about how good these cars are and how much funy people are going to have driving them, or even being a passenger in them, but I will let you work that out for yourself. As far as rules for the ZZE Sportivo's, I have but 2. 1 - Have fun. THis may not be the most lethal car on the road, but you will have bucket loads of fun in it....so enjoy it... 2 - DO NOT FIT A CANNON EXHAUST!!!! (I'll explain why later....) So as far as mods, there are quite a few you can do, some bolt on at home type stuff, some a little more complexed, howevere most for this model are relatively affordable.... I'll start from the ground up... WHEELS - There are a myriad of wheels available for it. The standard wheels aren't too bad, however the majoy problem with them is the sizing of the rubber. Holding 195/65/16 stock, there are only like 2 or 3 manufacturer's that make this size, and starting at $240 each, it's not in your best interest to burn through them at too quick a pace. Most of the guys I know have up'd to 17's or 18's. I prefer 17x7's as the rubber is still more affordable and the size fits well. There are a lot of guys that have gon 18's and had scrubbing issues on the inners. SOme have been OK, but I can't recall anyone scrubbing 17's on them...and especially in QLD with the "not going any larger than 2" from base model" law thing, your safe on 17's. As far as rubber, well everyone has their opinions, so I can only speak from experience. I am using Fulda Exelero 205/45/17's and they are fantastic. The tyre itself has a rim protector built onto it to assist with not getting ugtter rash on the rims if you park too close to the kerb, and have been great wearing, comfortable, fairly quiet and nice grippy tyres. As far as I am aware, they are one of the few tyres areound with AAA rating. SUSPENSION - Depending on your budget here, you can go kinda crazy. Myself, I spent $200 on a set of King Springs (Lows) which lowered me 30mm and still leaving me just over the old fashioned 100mm legal clearance height. I also spent $150 on a Whiteline Strut Brace on the front. It isn't a slot car, but the improvements to the ride and handling are significantly increased, and the comfortability factor is also good. If your budget allows more, then for a few hundred more, you can also add a rear strut brace. Whiteline have been popular with the portivo guys, and pretty good, although some opt for a few $$$ extra and go either for the TRD at around $450 or so each. When it comes to springs and struts, as I said, I have Low Kings on stock struts, no problems whatsoever. SHould you opt for the SuperLows, then you will need struts too, as the stock struts will last you about 1000km's on SuperLows. I have been using the Lows with stock struts for about 50,000kms and have not had any problems at all. Good Old Fashioned Koni Adjustables have been proven very reliable on a Corolla. If your budget allows, then for between $1000 - $2500 depending on brand, supplier and type, coilovers are going to be advantagous and will never be a bad mod to make. The Cusco D2's are very popular with Sportivo owners that I know. Agaon though, price is usually the limiter here for most people. INTAKE - I could give you probably 3 options that I would suggest. ONE: Leave it stock. Yes, performance is improved with a mod here, but intake is not an essential mod on a Sportivo. TWO: K&N do a panel filter for the ZZE which has been good. Although no proven gains, certainly the difference can be felt slightly if you are familiar with the car. THREE: My favourite, Cold Air Intake. Most guys I know went for a TRD. Yo ucan usually reaslistically grab one new for around $450 - $500 depending on exchange rates. Second hand, you could get one for between $300 - $400. Other intakes guys use are CES or the AEM. The CES one is made here in Brisbane and modelled off the TRD one has has proven gains. I don't know too many with AEM to speak of it, however the couple of guys I have spoken to with them have no complaints. HEADERS - TRD ones are the preferred amongst a stack of the guys I know, however pricey. Last I heard, up around $1100. CES do a replacement set of HPC coted port matched ones for around $700 or so I think. Not a mod that is essential to the car, but certainly will give some small gains in the right areas. The difference we found between 2 Sportivo's with identical mods, excpet one had headers, was all down low (0-2500rpm)... EXHAUST - A very big issue of contention amongst any car modder. My number one rule with the Sportivo exhaust, as I mentione earlier, is not to put a Cannon on it. I have never seen a cannon on a Sportivo that did anything other than make the car sound like a wet fart. They have proven time and time again to actually restrict the car's power output. My advice, don't bother. Other bolt on style exhaust have also proven to fail in the performance section of a Sportivo, such as the X-Force, 5-Zigen and other bolt on options. I take it by the number plate, your in Brisbane. This helps if you want an exhaust, as the one I would highly recommend is built in Brisbane, and has actually had Sportivo owners across the country either drive here to buy them, or bought them and had them shipped home to be fitted locally. CES Racing Systems have built a Cat Back Stainless 2.5" system for the Sportivo that has proven gains. (I will get into the power side of things later). At around $960 fitted for the version with Mild Steel flanges or an extra $80 or something for full Stainless Steel flanges, again, I can not speak highly enough of it. Just don't fit a cannon... ENGINE - How big's your budget? I know guys that have left them stock, and I know people that have Turbo's them. Do not do anything to the engine unless you realistically have time and ooodles of money. I'm not talking a couple of grand. I am suggesting that unless you are in a financial position to be able to order the parts, fit them and pay the bills and probably not need to ask the price, don't start a turbo project on this. I will get onto power down the track, but please just be a typical newbie with a Sportivo and rant about how your gonna turbo it cause your mate with his Skyline can help.... not gonna happen...and no, the bolt on TRD SUpercharger ain't gonna happen either... My advice, is leave the engine alone unless you can afford it. ECU - Again, not an essential mod, however I know a couple of guys that have gone with the Apexi PowerFC at about $3000 fitted and tuned. The only issue with these is that these are designed for the 2ZZ engine, yes, however they were designed for the Celica 2ZZ which actually has 2 ECU's so the wiring is all wrong for the Corolla, unless you know the right guy that actually knows what he is doing. Again, don't do the "I know a guy with a Skyline" line cause I have seen guys screw their cars up with these things until they got them running properly...very costly... One guy had to do around 50 dyno runs to get his tuned properly.....and you have an idea at Dyno prices, yeah???? The Apexi RSM is also a good little add on if you like. Not sure of the price, but $600 - $700 rings a bell, although I could be wrong. It will give you speed, RPM, 0-400m, 0-100km/h etc... GEARBOX - Leave it alone.... BRAKES - Stock they are fine. SOme guys have used the DBA stuff.... I know one bloke looking into R34 GT-R discs, but he's running 19psi TUrbo and has 230kw ATW. HEADLIGHTS - I have a personal objection to people using thos 'Whitelook' and 'Blue' lights. They are horrible, yuck and make the car look cheap. Depending on your budget, about $700 will get you into some decent HID's. If moeny is tighter, then about $90 a set, will get you Philips Crystal Vision bulbs. Other than that, I wouldn't bother. About $50 will get you some aftermarker eyelids. ABout $130 will get you TMC ones. I'd recommend the TMC one's as you will get a better color match. STEREO - How big's your budget? Double DIN headunit is easy to replace. I think they are 5" and 1" in the front doors and 6" in the rear doors. Mine are still stock. OTHER MODS - You already have the Sportivo Grill and Rear Skirt. The only other thing's I'd look into would be purely cosmetic, and that is for $6.00, you can use silicone sleeves to change the LED's in your console to make them red to match the dash cluster. POWER - This is where all the fun is. Stock, these babies do the old quoted 141kW engine rating. At the wheels is where you need it though, and the challenge, as with any car mod project, is to lose as little of that power as possible. Stock, you should do between 103 - 110kW ATW. Mine is a freak, and I have 2 readouts, 12 months apart at 112.5 and 111kW ATW respectivley. The TRD Cold Air Intake has proven gains on these cars at around 4kW ATW. The CES Exhaust I was talking about proved between 6-9kW ATW. Most guys I know have these mods are between 115 - 119kW ATW. I have the TRD CAI and the CES, and my last Dyno was 121.1kW ATW. Like I said, it's a freak. I also mentioned my friend with the Turbo on his, yes, the budget is probably that of the GDP of a small country, however for a little 4-pot with 230kW ATW, was well worth it... This is what I have done to my car... CES 2.25" Stainless Cat Back Exhaust TRD Cold Air Intake TRD Pod Filter White Line Front Strut Brace King 'Lows' Springs 17" Zeptor 5-spoke Chrome Rims Ming Titanium Window Tint TMC Eyelids TMC Floor Mats TMC Dash Mat TMC Carbon Fibre Look Rear Number Plate Trim Black 'Sportivo' Sideskirt Badging Black 'Sportivo' Rear Toyota Logo Badge Red LED's replaced in stock Head Unit Mate, I hope this helps. If you need any more advice, or want to be pointed in the right direction, let me know. I have spent 4 years playing with SPortivo's and could show you a list of 100 guys I know with them that have done various things to them to improve them. If you want to have alook at mine, let me know. I'm in Brissy, so I can meet up with you somewhere and go through some stuff with you... CHeers Aaron Edited February 1, 2008 by Azza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azza Posted February 1, 2008 Report Share Posted February 1, 2008 can you easily change the headlights to the later model ones? No you can't.... they have a completley different front bar and wiring loom for the headlights Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jono Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 (edited) shame, the later headlights look heaps better. 230fwkw, would that be torque-steering like crazy!!!?? Edited February 2, 2008 by Jono Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog11six Posted February 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Thanks for all that information and help Azza. I have been looking at other members rides and have been noting down what I think looks nice, especially on a white stivo. As for the moment, money is a bit of an issue, but I think I will be leaving the performance side of things alone for a little while. I've stepped up from a '92 Hyundai Scoupe, so the Sportivo is a lot more power to what I am used to, and isn't that bad when left stocko. Simple things such as the eyelids make a big difference I reckon, but once I've collected up a bit of money, I might go and get myself some new wheels. Has anyone on the forum put 18's on the rear and 17's on the front? Or do we think this is pointless? I agree with your point about putting a cannon on the car. That is the one thing I would never do. Being 18, I am happy with my Stivo. But will definately do some mods in the future Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog11six Posted February 2, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 Where can I get these TMC eyelids from? And would I easily be able to fit it myself? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azza Posted February 2, 2008 Report Share Posted February 2, 2008 You most certainly will notice the difference between the S-Coupe and the Sportivo, and I guess when your younger (18), unless you got parent's that keep spilling the contents of their bank accounts on you or your into something illegal, then yeah, money is going to be an issue to begin with. One of the best things about the Sportivo, and some other late model Corolla's for that matter, is that you can do some basic fun mods at fairly realistic prices. Like I said, you can lower it for a few hundgy and intake for similar. THat will get the car on looking and sounding a little more agressive. With that being said and done though, out of the box, you will frighten some people, including yourself, at what the thing can do. Without bragging too much about the car, when you do the maths, the power to weight ration of the Sportivo, is comparable with a stock WRX. Infact, the Sportivo only has to carry an extra 300g per kW than the WRX. (I am referring to 03 - 05 model WRX). Your looking at a NA car that has around 7.8kg/kW.... Not bad when you consider the stock BA Falcon and VY/VU Commodores are something like 10.5kg/kW.... I'm not saying to go out there and race everything you see, cause firstly this would be irresponsible, and secondly, someone will beat you. However, if you decide to take it to the track and 1/4 mile the thing, you will be surprised.....and piss the Mazdabaters off in the process.... As for the TMC eyelids, I bought mine second hand off a dude in Sydney, however I understand to get new one's you have to buy direct from TMC Japan... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog11six Posted February 3, 2008 Author Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 You most certainly will notice the difference between the S-Coupe and the Sportivo, and I guess when your younger (18), unless you got parent's that keep spilling the contents of their bank accounts on you or your into something illegal, then yeah, money is going to be an issue to begin with. One of the best things about the Sportivo, and some other late model Corolla's for that matter, is that you can do some basic fun mods at fairly realistic prices. Like I said, you can lower it for a few hundgy and intake for similar. THat will get the car on looking and sounding a little more agressive. With that being said and done though, out of the box, you will frighten some people, including yourself, at what the thing can do. Without bragging too much about the car, when you do the maths, the power to weight ration of the Sportivo, is comparable with a stock WRX. Infact, the Sportivo only has to carry an extra 300g per kW than the WRX. (I am referring to 03 - 05 model WRX). Your looking at a NA car that has around 7.8kg/kW.... Not bad when you consider the stock BA Falcon and VY/VU Commodores are something like 10.5kg/kW.... I'm not saying to go out there and race everything you see, cause firstly this would be irresponsible, and secondly, someone will beat you. However, if you decide to take it to the track and 1/4 mile the thing, you will be surprised.....and piss the Mazdabaters off in the process.... As for the TMC eyelids, I bought mine second hand off a dude in Sydney, however I understand to get new one's you have to buy direct from TMC Japan... Ha ha ha, trust me, my parents ain't funding me in anyway, nor am I doing anything illegal... I've already frightened, or rather 'shocked' myself and some others about what it can do. But because it is my pride and joy, I am not flogging it everywhere, as you would expect from any other 18 year old perhaps. I think it's real interesting about the power to weight ratio. I knew it was good for a 4 door hatchback (5 door if we like o be technical)... but I didn't know exactly how it compared up against the WRX, or the Fallies and Commies. Now that I have a nice car, I'd like to take it the 1/4 mile or a dyno day or something, even though it is stocko. (As you can tell, I would not have gone in the S-Coupe). Ooooh, eyelids direct from TMC Japan! I'll be looking into it. You wouldn't believe it, but the other night when I was driving in my S-Coupe (before I had the Stivo), I got pulled over by a couple of police and got RBT'd. Not only that, they wanted to search my engine for modifications, which I thought was a complete joke. Why would I mod a 1.5L SOHC 4Cyl. Korean Sports car? A young fella, in a Stivo with mods would be a Cop Magnet right? So I am maybe a bit cautious of whether to start doing modifications (when the money is in my pocket) to the performance side of things. Can they, or Will they throw the book at me if I have a CAI system with a big bloody Pod waving it's ass at the Cops when they ask me to pop my hood? I've heard that there is one kit and the Pod hides behind the headlight? But still... The other thing holding me back from modding the performance area is 'insurance'. 18 years old, rating 5... The question is always asked... 'Are there any modifications done to your car'? Ah well... thanks for all your help Azza. Is there any Cruises or Meets that you know of for the future? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportivoman Posted February 3, 2008 Report Share Posted February 3, 2008 OTHER MODS - You already have the Sportivo Grill and Rear Skirt. The only other thing's I'd look into would be purely cosmetic, and that is for $6.00, you can use silicone sleeves to change the LED's in your console to make them red to match the dash cluster. Where can you get the silicone sleeves to change the LED's in the console to red? Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azza Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Get them from most AutoBarn stores for around $3 per pack. You need 2 packs of the T-5mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportivoman Posted February 4, 2008 Report Share Posted February 4, 2008 Get them from most AutoBarn stores for around $3 per pack. You need 2 packs of the T-5mm [/q Cool. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xoom Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 shame, the later headlights look heaps better. 230fwkw, would that be torque-steering like crazy!!!?? actually the torque steer isnt that bad at all ..... the LSD and a nice firm grip on the steering wheel keeps her in a straight line ..... its the tyre smoke show while being propelled forward is what u gotta watch out for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azza Posted February 9, 2008 Report Share Posted February 9, 2008 (edited) actually the torque steer isnt that bad at all ..... the LSD and a nice firm grip on the steering wheel keeps her in a straight line ..... its the tyre smoke show while being propelled forward is what u gotta watch out for. And how would you know xoom....oh, thats right..... hahahahaha Ladies & Gentlemen of rollaclub, please meet xoom, the man that knows no boundaries when it comes to trying things on a Sportivo. This man is one of the few (um one or two) that had the brass ones to outlay the $$$ and turbo his 2ZZ-GE Sportivo. I will add, that I have been to Sydney to see this car as he and I good friends, and this car is quick. Edited February 9, 2008 by Azza Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
natedog11six Posted August 29, 2008 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Aah it's been a while since I've posted. Just an update. My car has had a few mods done to it: CES 2.5" Cat-back Exhaust System CES Cold Air Intake CES Performance Headers I also have the C-One Eyelids. I have King Springs at home which I will get installed in the next month or so. Cheers, Nate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smacko84 Posted August 29, 2008 Report Share Posted August 29, 2008 Hey mate, good to see someone socking away the dollars and doing sensible modifications in the right spots. Just wandering where you got your eyelids though? Thanks Samm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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