Thinking about trading in the CR-Z for a Fiat 500 Abarth, thoughts?

Well I've found an axle-back for the Abarth, its made by Modern Performance. It eliminates the horrible bends the factory made, is made of T304, makes an actual 5 hp on the dyno, takes the sound to 11 and has nice, double walled SS tips. Not sure exactly when its going to happen but its going to happen!

I've cooled a bit on the blackout lights because I was on the 500 Madness site and watched a video on their main page of a show and a guy, with stripes like mine, had the blackout conversion done, uhhh, not exactly feeling it but I am feeling that exhaust though!

Between the exhaust, the lightened pulley and correct FMIC its going to cost me $1500 and with the Dragon trip coming up none of that's happening before hand, I guess that's what winter is for, save for the spring! I see the exhaust happening first, then the pulley and finally the FMIC. Sure the FMIC is the most expensive @ $8-900.00, but I have a plan for that and that plan is for my buddy back home to get bored with Abarth, even though he says that's not going to happen, and I buy his used ATM FMIC for much cheaper than the $900 MSRP. I've waited this long, so I can do the little things that add up inbetween and besides,I've already got the tune and SRI on it now, its not like the car is lacking in the power department, I just want more POWAAAHHH!

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Glad you found an exhaust! I think that is one of the best mods one can do :dblthumb2:

Question: a pulley???? But it's a turbo, right? What is the pulley doing?
 
Its a lightened crank pulley, same diameter and everything. If you believe what they say, this pulley, which is 1.5 lbs compared to 3.5 lbs with the stock one, is good for 6 whp. The pulley is a beautifully made piece too and costs $200, for 6 whp, I'll take it :dblthumb2:

The tune and intake are supposed to be good for about 20 hp, some say closer to 30 but I'm rounding down for this one, so that would take the advertised power to 180 hp, combine the pulley and axle-back, well, that would be 190 hp, torque would be well over 200 ft/lbs at that point :dblthumb2:

The final piece is the FMIC, a mod that would enhance everything across the board, so hard to say what the numbers would be with that one, I will dyno the car at some point, just don't know when as I've already done the tune and intake, so no stock numbers to be had with my own car, so it might make sense to wait till I'm all done with everything. I can't see ever doing a turbo upgrade, so the FMIC would be the last piece of the puzzle for the car.

On a side note I have the time and will to do as many cars as it takes to get the exhaust and pulley done before the Dragon run, just don't get myself out there enough. I don't like to be pushy and I thought my connection with the vinyl shop would've netted me some work by now but it hasn't, had some people "want" their cars done but haven't come through. I would love to bust my ass every weekend from now till I go to the Dragon so I could get the axle-back and pulley done. This car and its mods have been very addictive, as expected, its getting close to needing my fix, LOL!
 
Its a lightened crank pulley, same diameter and everything. If you believe what they say, this pulley, which is 1.5 lbs compared to 3.5 lbs with the stock one, is good for 6 whp. The pulley is a beautifully made piece too and costs $200, for 6 whp, I'll take it :dblthumb2:

The tune and intake are supposed to be good for about 20 hp, some say closer to 30 but I'm rounding down for this one, so that would take the advertised power to 180 hp, combine the pulley and axle-back, well, that would be 190 hp, torque would be well over 200 ft/lbs at that point :dblthumb2:

The final piece is the FMIC, a mod that would enhance everything across the board, so hard to say what the numbers would be with that one, I will dyno the car at some point, just don't know when as I've already done the tune and intake, so no stock numbers to be had with my own car, so it might make sense to wait till I'm all done with everything. I can't see ever doing a turbo upgrade, so the FMIC would be the last piece of the puzzle for the car.

On a side note I have the time and will to do as many cars as it takes to get the exhaust and pulley done before the Dragon run, just don't get myself out there enough. I don't like to be pushy and I thought my connection with the vinyl shop would've netted me some work by now but it hasn't, had some people "want" their cars done but haven't come through. I would love to bust my ass every weekend from now till I go to the Dragon so I could get the axle-back and pulley done. This car and its mods have been very addictive, as expected, its getting close to needing my fix, LOL!

Ah! Gotcha.... just SC mentality. You hear pulley, you think reduction pulley for the SC. My bad :D

I hear you... Ive had 3 details lined up and they all canceled. It's annoying. Oh well.
 
The night supervisor just got an 07' Accord that he wants me to detail, its black and was said to be well taken care of, we'll see about that. He just wants it protected for the winter, so I told him for the wash, Speedy Prep towel and hand applied wax would be $125.00, ofcoarse treat the tires (it has hubcaps) I'm going to try and convince him about paint correction but if not its still 1/4 of the way to the axle-back or 1/3 of the way to the pulley/labor.

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I didn't see one of those yet, but people have posted that it doesn't affect hearing the radio, for what that's worth, LOL! It sounds like the exhaust has been turned up to 11 :dblthumb2:

"Your stock exhaust sounds good, why change it"......"but these go to 11!" LOL!!
 
I didn't see one of those yet, but people have posted that it doesn't affect hearing the radio, for what that's worth, LOL! It sounds like the exhaust has been turned up to 11 :dblthumb2:

"Your stock exhaust sounds good, why change it"......"but these go to 11!" LOL!!

It does sound really good though!

And hell yeah change it out!!!!! :dblthumb2:
 
It does sound really good though!

And hell yeah change it out!!!!! :dblthumb2:

There are larger downpipes w/ and w/o cats too but even w/ the cat, people get codes. I've heard cars on YouTube w/ these and OMG is it obnoxious! I'll never go this route as I want nothing to do with CELS. It would have to be 100% a "sure thing" for me to step up and do it. The price is about $400 and its such a little piece too, like everything else on the car, LOL!.

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There are larger downpipes w/ and w/o cats too but even w/ the cat, people get codes. I've heard cars on YouTube w/ these and OMG is it obnoxious! I'll never go this route as I want nothing to do with CELS. It would have to be 100% a "sure thing" for me to step up and do it. The price is about $400 and its such a little piece too, like everything else on the car, LOL!.

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Keep the cats.... less likely to get weird "lights".
Mine got replaced when the header did. It came with a hi flow cat. Never got a code.
 
I'll never get rid of my cats, Mort and Phoniex are the best, LOL!

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I'll never get rid of my cats, Mort and Phoniex are the best, LOL!

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Lol my Sophie, Nalla and a Raider will always be with me as well :dblthumb2:

FYI- I have more respect for men who like cats... I know I just made enemies with that statement, but it's how I feel.
 
Lol my Sophie, Nalla and a Raider will always be with me as well :dblthumb2:

FYI- I have more respect for men who like cats... I know I just made enemies with that statement, but it's how I feel.

I don't dislike dogs, just don't like annoying ones, that's all and I like to stay neet, harder to do with dogs, just the facts. That said, if I were ever lucky enough to have a house again I'd get a black Pug and name him Miles.

I'll never understand the distain for cats, like the bumper stickers that say "Lose your cat, look under my tires". One day, years ago, I saw a red Sunfire with that sticker and it was around the block from my house and I went home, cleaned out the litter box and drove by and threw the bag on their car! Guess what, too F'en bad!!!

I think its ironic that a MINI person and FIAT person get along, I know there's a rivalry between the 2 makes. I'm pretty sure you agree that the MINI has lost its way, becoming fat and bloated, guess that's what happens when you enter the US market, LOL!

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I don't dislike dogs, just don't like annoying ones, that's all and I like to stay neet, harder to do with dogs, just the facts. That said, if I were ever lucky enough to have a house again I'd get a black Pug and name him Miles.

I'll never understand the distain for cats, like the bumper stickers that say "Lose your cat, look under my tires". One day, years ago, I saw a red Sunfire with that sticker and it was around the block from my house and I went home, cleaned out the litter box and drove by and threw the bag on their car! Guess what, too F'en bad!!!

I think its ironic that a MINI person and FIAT person get along, I know there's a rivalry between the 2 makes. I'm pretty sure you agree that the MINI has lost its way, becoming fat and bloated, guess that's what happens when you enter the US market, LOL!

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I have 2 greyhounds and 3 cats... they both create dirt in different ways. I've always been a cat person.

Those bumper stickers or comments from people piss me off like you wouldn't believe...

LOL- to me it's not a big deal. Us little car owners gotta stick together :dblthumb2:
I am a car enthusiast. I can appreciate all different types.
And yeah, "fat and bloated" is an understatement. BMW has bastardized the brand. That Peugot engine is a complete turd :bolt:
 
I have 2 greyhounds and 3 cats... they both create dirt in different ways. I've always been a cat person.

Those bumper stickers or comments from people piss me off like you wouldn't believe...

LOL- to me it's not a big deal. Us little car owners gotta stick together :dblthumb2:
I am a car enthusiast. I can appreciate all different types.
And yeah, "fat and bloated" is an understatement. BMW has bastardized the brand. That Peugot engine is a complete turd :bolt:

I thought the newest MINI didn't use that engine, I thought it was all Beemer? The fact that they removed the speedo from the center is terrible, now it looks like every other car on the road as far as the interior goes Then there's the those tailights, I wonder if they think they're big enough:nomore:


The whole car is just too big, I wonder if Fiat will take a similar approach with the next gen 500, whenever that comes to be. The current car has been in production since 2008, in Europe, so its gotta be due for an update of some kind. I'll say this, I'd rather have a Countryman than a 500L!

I might actually go to a MINI dealership and test drive a base new MINI w/ a 6 spd, wanna see what this 3 cylinder is all about, I hear they sound great, atleast that's whats been said about the 1.0L Ecoboost in the Fiesta/Focus anyways.
 
I thought the newest MINI didn't use that engine, I thought it was all Beemer? The fact that they removed the speedo from the center is terrible, now it looks like every other car on the road as far as the interior goes Then there's the those tailights, I wonder if they think they're big enough:nomore:

You are correct... this is the first engine in the modern MINI that is actually made by BMW.
And yes, I agree- the speedo in the center was one of the different and fun things about the interiors.
The taillights, the headlights, that giant bumper... ugh, now I'm sick.

The whole car is just too big, I wonder if Fiat will take a similar approach with the next gen 500, whenever that comes to be. The current car has been in production since 2008, in Europe, so its gotta be due for an update of some kind. I'll say this, I'd rather have a Countryman than a 500L!

I hope not. I wouldn't buy the Countryman. It has the same drivetrain as the hatch... which is significantly lighter. There were a lot of transmission failures UNDER 2K on them. No joke.

I might actually go to a MINI dealership and test drive a base new MINI w/ a 6 spd, wanna see what this 3 cylinder is all about, I hear they sound great, atleast that's whats been said about the 1.0L Ecoboost in the Fiesta/Focus anyways.

I don't see it sounding good... just me.
I would buy a Fiesta/Focus in a heartbeat over the new F56.

The only thing that kills me is you can't get the Focus in a 2 door in the US :mad:
 
Yeah, the 3 door hatch Fiesta ST looks hot, well, so does the 5 door, just not as much compared to the 3 door.

Its a funny thing about the MINi, it has a loyal following and a ton of driving dynamics but you can tell that the majority of the people driving them didn't get it for that reason and that's sad!

Hey Monica, did you see the new MINI concept sports car yet?

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Yeah, the 3 door hatch Fiesta ST looks hot, well, so does the 5 door, just not as much compared to the 3 door.

Its a funny thing about the MINi, it has a loyal following and a ton of driving dynamics but you can tell that the majority of the people driving them didn't get it for that reason and that's sad!

Hey Monica, did you see the new MINI concept sports car yet?

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There's a 2 door Focus in Europe that's HOTNESS.
But! Europe :mad:

The new MINI owners have no clue what they missed out on in the 1st gen.
People can argue which are better but if the current MINI was the first one to come out, it wouldn't have had the impact the R53 did and MINI wouldn't have been so successful.
Why? Because it's mostly like every other compact car on the road now: big, fat and handles like a couch going down the road.

You talking about the convertible thing with the one fin?
 
Yes, that's the one! Check out the Union Jack tails!

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There's a 2 door Focus in Europe that's HOTNESS.
But! Europe :mad:


The new MINI owners have no clue what they missed out on in the 1st gen.
People can argue which are better but if the current MINI was the first one to come out, it wouldn't have had the impact the R53 did and MINI wouldn't have been so successful.
Why? Because it's mostly like every other compact car on the road now: big, fat and handles like a couch going down the road.

You talking about the convertible thing with the one fin?
The Euros get all the good cars :).
 
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