mikee72

Considering the fact that the SC400's top speed is 150 with an extra 25 HP, I think it would be logical to conclude that they're both drag-limited at their respective top speed.

Great thread! Does anyone know if it's possible to fit a 12" in the stock location on an early SC, assuming the mounting depth is okay?

Sport, I was thinking that you were the one who did the box with the 12", when it was actually southernsc300. It sounds like you've done exactly what I want to do, and if the difference is dramatic enough to hear, I guess there's no point in doing back-to-back tests. Thanks for the all of the info.

I found this on a different site. I'm not quite sure if they're IS or GS wheels, but to be honest, they don't really do it for me. They look a bit too "Sport Compact" for an SC, IMHO.

Theodore, couldn't I essentially do the same thing by enclosing the area underneath the rear deck and making a sealed compartment for a bass-reflex 10"? I mean, you only need ~1cu ft for a typical 10", correct?

Apparently my post wasn't clear in that I was referring to people who have replaced their stock sub speaker with an aftermarket one in the stock location, not whether or not a larger driver in a trunk-consuming box will produce more bass. That's obviously a no-brainer, but some of us aren't willing to live with a box in their already too small trunk.

It has been said that one test is worth 1000 expert opinions, and people who have spent big money to improve their sound system tend to "hear" a big improvement whether it's real or not. What is really needed here is an accurate picture of the response curve of the stock sub and one of an aftermarket sub at different frequencies. I'd be willing to send a test CD of sine waves to anyone with an SC who has replaced their sub and is willing to test response with a dB meter.

I'd give anything to see a pic of your 6 1/2" door install. Just by looking at the arm rest on the door panel, it looks nearly impossible to fit a larger speaker than stock, unless it was recessed deeper into the door. I'm beginning to hate the sound of my front stage, so fitting some nice warm 6 1/2's would be a welcome change. What model Nak did you use for the front?

Have you actually seen a full set if IS 17x7.5's for sale? The printout I got from the dealer shows that only the fronts are 7" and the 7.5's are optional for the rear, so the likelyhood of finding a used set of four 17x7.5" is pretty slim.

I'm a fan of factory wheels for several reasons, one of which is that they're cheap. I've read that one or both of these cars use 7 1/2" wide 17's, which should help get rid on the slow transient maneuvers I'm feeling with the stock wheels/tires. Anyone have pics?

1. Displacement 2. Forced Induction Personally, I think the 400 has lots of low end torque, but lacks in the upper end. This is odd, considering that the engine makes peak torque at 4400 RPM. One issue with the 400, is the tall auto gearing that is spaced too wide for optimum acceleration. A shorter diff ratio would help the seat of the pants feel at the expense of freeway mileage, though.

Pics?

Any chance you could take a pic out the windshield and show us what we get for $300? All I want is better lighting, purple, blue, or otherwise.

On returning to WA from TX, I tracked my mileage pretty closely. Of the sectors I kept the slips for, I got the following gas mileage results: 26.2 MPG 25.8 MPG 25.7 MPG 23.4 MPG 26.6 MPG Most driving was done with the cruise set to 75 MPH, (The speed limit on most of the trip) except for when I had to brake for idiots driving slow in the left lane, and the 55 MPH stretch through Denver. I drove ~23 hours/day, and encountered little to no traffic, stopping only when I needed gas/food/bathroom. The low MPG was through a mountain pass in WY, so the results are as one would expect. I would also expect to be able to break the 29 MPG mark if I were to have set the cruise at say, 60 MPH. I also had some "moments of indiscretion" where I let her rip up to about 110 or so while listening to Santana's "Europa.". All in all, pretty good for a car that is only rated for 22 Hwy, but I could have done better with more self-control. At least we know what the car is capable of.

Factory upgrade to 6" speakers? This is the first I've heard of such a thing, especially since the door mounts would have to be totally different. I'd love to upgrade to 6 1/2's in the front, but it looks like a bunch of work to me. If this is indeed untrue, maybe the mods should consder editing that post to stop misinformation.

Considering the fact that no US models had active suspension, it would be impossible for most of us.

I know it's heckuva long way to go, but I'd say that it's worth it to buy a car from AZ, CA, TX, etc, just because they don't use road salt there. My '92 looks like it's a 1-year old car by the lack of stone chips and carpet stains that are normally found on cars in snowy/wet climates. Not only that, but because of the sheer number of these cars in those areas, the owners have a reason to price their cars competitively. I just drove mine 2700 miles from San Antonio to Seattle because of condition/price. It was well worth the $300 "same day" plane ticket.

http://www.ftc.gov/opa/1999/09/prolong.htm 'Nuff said.

Well, the car I have been hoping to find is finally mine. I had been holding out for a low mile, but reasonably-priced '92 SC4 in black with all possible options. Since I had been checking the Auto Trader twice a day for the last month or so, I was lucky enough to be the first person who called on a two-owner car from Texas that was dealer-maintained from day one. The car never spent a night without being in a garage, and the owner had every receipt for any work or oil change ever done to the car. Everything works, the car is clean as new, and the only flaw is the obligatory rip in the leather on the surrounding area of the driver's door defrost vent. The Nak even reads my burned CD's! Anyway, the car is bone stock with all tools, manuals, and paperwork from the factory. I can't stop looking at it. It drives like a dream. While isn't very fast, it is the smoothest, quietest, and most comfortable car I've ever ridden in, let alone owned. To say that I'm stoked would be an understatement!

Well, I've search this to death, but can't seem to find any specific mention of the audio changes that went into the '95 SC400's. I'm only interested in the Nak/12-disk/upgraded version, not the base stereo. Also, the FAQ mentions that the '95 has "Improved Noise Control." Has anyone been in both a '95 and a pre-'95 and can verify that there is a difference? Oh, and is black leather the only interior color? Edit: Sorry about the missed caps in the title. I guess there's no way to fix that once posted.

JB, I don't yet own an SC either, but reading http://www.intellexual.net/faq.html#01 is a must IMHO. I'm pretty sure it covers all of your questions. What I have done, is searched the archives for discussions relating to the problems listed in the FAQ. If I owned one, I could give more specific advise, but I'm still looking as well.

So, has anyone priced the crack-prone (#6) door peice below the window? Quite a few of the SC's I've looked at have this common problem, I need to know how much to deduct for it.

Thanks for the offer, Don. I just might take you up on that offer. It looks like you noticed the same thing I have- local sellers are asking too much for sub-par cars. It's too bad we don't live in the Southwest or Florida. Those cars look pristine! If you care to share your buying experience as far getting the car checked out or any other aspect, I'm all ears. UFC3- I actually meant that I hadn't seen the insides of an SC in real life. I walked by one at the grocery store last week, but didn't want to get too close, since I didn't know the owner. I was hoping for a "tour" of sorts, where a knowledgeable owner could say, "Yeah, I wish I had looked more closely at (this area) before I bought my car, because I might have noticed this problem." Or something to that effect. I look at 400's for sale daily online, but it would be ill-advised to buy a car that you've never ever ridden in. I'm sure tempted to, though! I just want to make sure that I'm armed with as much knowledge as I can before buying a car. I've searched the forums and have read hundreds of posts on just about every aspect of the car, but that still doesn't replace a good "Walk through" by a knowledgeable owner. Yeah, I'm a bit timid asking questions on a forum that is so polite and new to me. I have learned a ton since finding this site, and I don't want to jeopardize that by asking something that I should have already found the answer to in the Archives or in the Forum Rules. I'm just a new guy who appreciates people that take the time to share their knowledge with me. There is a tendency on the internet for people to expect to be "spoon fed" information that is readily available with a simple search, then get indignant when reminded that a particular question has been asked hundreds of times before. I just want to cover my bases in case I've missed something.

I was hoping to pay someone to show me the in's and out's of the 400, so that I know what to look closely at when purchasing a car. I've never seen the inside of one and would like to discuss the car in more technical detail than what I've read on the forum without the pressure of a salesman or a seller. Let me know what your time is worth. I hope this isn't against the rules to ask such a question.

Thank you!