Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 01:14 pm, by: Bruce Gordon(Bruiser)
I’m going to get a website client of mine who is the NZ agent for autotech alarms (Sth Africa) to install their top-of-the-line alarm with remote central locking fitted to the stock units in my Soarer – his own driver is a Lexus ES300 and knows all about em’.
This alarm comes with an autocate system. This has a built in cellphone (GSM) with hidden mike and speakers. If some thieving bastard takes my Soarer the alarm silently texts my cellphone and even tells me which door they gained entry to the car. I can then dial the car from my cellphone and listen to any chatter in mute mode, so they don't realise you’re listening. Of course I could also go "open mic" and engage them in chat.
The autocate system also texts my cellphone and reports the alarm has triggered and where. By texting back to the car I am then able to trigger off the fuel lock, or the ignition, or even set off the panic alarm – gotta love the toys eh!
On top of that it’ll have a new to nz technology installed that triggers a canister of smoke in the boot - http://autowatch.co.nz/fogoff.html . When triggered by a door sensor the car fills with smoke which takes several minutes to dissipate. Cos it’s a contra deal (shhhh) I’m getting him to supply me with a few extra canisters because I just know I’ll have to “demonstrate” it to a few people! Lol
Anyway, I have decided to repaint the car the stock gold colour – my lady and I both love that colour, and as it is a stock colour, it won’t devalue the car either. I have decided to also tint the windows. I think NZ law says a maximum of 40% only, and only on the side windows, but will check the LTNZ website to confirm.
Having a ball with this car, but its going back to the dealer this week. Matthew Sharpe, Mike Beck and Michael Machin from this site have dropped at different times over this weekend and all concur with my diagnosis of the brake, ETC/ transmission and height/suspension problems.
As this was part of the original deal the dealer is going to fix these.
Drove both Matt’s 3Litre and Mike's V8 GT today and straight away realised how bad my brakes are. The dealer says he’s had his brake guy put new pads on all round, plus machine the rear discs, but the pedal is still "spongey", requires some force, and is there is definitely a problem at the master cylinder/booster end of the system. Just feels like there is no power assistance, almost like using a mechanical braking system from the old days. Both Mattand Mike agree with me, and their cars are as I'd expect the brakes to feel on a Soarer, so back it goes to be sorted.
I also visited the local SuperCheap Autos yesterday and bought the Meguiar's PlastX cleaner and the NXT Gen polish.
The before and after shots of the headlight cleanup using the PlastX are on this thread.
Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 01:35 pm, by: Michael Long(Longy)
Nice man, that's a crazy set up for an alarm. Will the smoke do any damage to the interior or leave a nasty smell? Do you even slow down for speed humps at the moment? I'm only joking. that is a nice car and welcome to the club
Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 04:04 pm, by: Michael Machin(Minz)
Wow Bruce it came up well! That polish of the paint and lights has made it look like a totally different beast! Glad you went with the gold. It will look a treat once it's done. Just a question about the alarm system: how does the alarm keep the cellphone charged? Would it be a trickle feed thing so the battery doesn't get too taxed while you're overseas in Oz visiting all the guys over there for a month? Matthew's brakes are the same size as yours, but he's pulling around 100kgs less. You'll need to take that into account when comparing them.
Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 08:14 pm, by: Bruce Gordon(Bruiser)
Michael Machin wrote on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 04:04 pm:
how does the alarm keep the cellphone charged?
The cellphone is hard-wired into the car, it also has a panic-button which I had installed on the drivers' side of the tunnel on my Diamante, so if my lady was approached or she needed me urgently all she had to do was push that button and my cellphone was called.
Michael Machin wrote on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 04:04 pm:
Matthew's brakes are the same size as yours, but he's pulling around 100kgs less. You'll need to take that into account when comparing them.
We took that into account with Matt's car, but as Mike's is the UZZ40 that was more comparable with mine.
Both these cars display the expected light-touch of a power-assisted braking system, mine definitely feels like the booster part isn't even connected.
I'm sure the dealers' brake guy couldn't have even test driven the car after he fitted the new pads and skimmed the rear disks last week, because if he did he wouldn't have got further than his driveway before realising something else is seriously wrong with these brakes. . . .
Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 08:21 pm, by: Bruce Gordon(Bruiser)
Michael Long wrote on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 01:35 pm:
Will the smoke do any damage to the interior or leave a nasty smell?
Hi Michael,
From the autowatch website "Fog Off" page: "The fog is produced from Glycol, is non hazardous, leaves no resin and will not damage any product." . .
Michael Long wrote on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 01:35 pm:
Do you even slow down for speed humps at the moment?
Heheheh, actually with the soarer sitting at hummer heights its way too stiff, hopefully this will all be sorted with the brake and ECT problems this week. . .
Monday, February 19, 2007 - 07:15 am, by: Matthew Sharpe(Madmatt)
The ABS is definitely working, its the brake servo that's not functioning properly. Actually the car pulls up fine and even, you just have to mash your foot on the pedal very, very hard. Also it gives very poor feedback. I could feel the ABS pulse, but only just. Seems to all point to the servo to me.
Surprisingly despite the ride height the car handled quite well, not that I really threw it into corners or anything, but it felt nice and tight, probably helped by the good tyres.
The engine seems pretty sweet and pulled well, despite the transmission error, which I'm sure won't be a major.
Mike, you should have popped in while you were out west yesterday!
Cihan Aday Goo Roo "How about a plugin Emanage that makes it boogie?" JZZ30
Monday, February 19, 2007 - 10:26 am, by: Cihan Aday(Cihan)
Bruce Gordon wrote on Sunday, February 18, 2007 - 08:24 pm:
Hi Ryan, With 5% can you even tell its there?
Its a measure of the percentage of light that penetrates, not "how dark it is".
IMO %15 is about as low as you want to go before it kills night time vision completely! First time i drove my car at night i hated it and i think its got %25.
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