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Driving A Lowered Car 101

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Old 03-10-2008, 07:04 AM
  #21  
Motormouth
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lol, this is great.

I guess I will be parking the street an aweful lot, huh?
Old 03-10-2008, 07:05 AM
  #22  
UMW350Z
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Originally Posted by .steeeeZ33.
ahhh NJ roads FTL... but baltimore roads FTMFL.
The correct way to protect against speed bumps in NJ is to STAY HOME.
**** these roads and the DOT.
Old 03-10-2008, 07:05 AM
  #23  
fabcas311
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tanabe gf210 people??????
Old 03-10-2008, 07:19 AM
  #24  
ev0k1ll3r
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im usually pretty good about not bottoming out on my gf210s. but there was a time scraping was pretty much inevitable. it was a steep incline to a flat out of a parking garage and i ended up dragging almost half of my car on concrete. luckily it didnt hit too hard and so not too much damage... just some scratches on the exhaust.
Old 03-10-2008, 07:29 AM
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07JimmyZ
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It takes patience, take ur time and check ur mirrors.
Old 03-10-2008, 08:13 AM
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pchong154
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Reverse up the driveway.
Old 03-10-2008, 08:29 AM
  #27  
WhiteNoiz
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Originally Posted by jerry_2612

..... I remember in my old car on the highway- there being a rock on the road and I only saw it at the last minute, even when i did i still thought it was too small but no.... BAM and busted fuel tank...
Hah, my Z isnt lowered, and I experianced the same thing Friday. So yea, rocks, avoid, even if they look "too small".
Old 03-10-2008, 08:36 AM
  #28  
Concave
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Originally Posted by pchong154
Reverse up the driveway.
haha not if you got a body kit... it scraps more on the rough road instead of the smooth driveway concrete.
Old 03-10-2008, 08:38 AM
  #29  
SupermanZ
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When I had my 18's I would scrub my lip alot. Now I have 20's and I hardly ever scrub at stock height. But now I'm doing more Mtn runs so I would like to get the Hotchkis setup. If I do it will be my first lowered car. I drive a Jeep on 37's half the time so I don't worry about scrubing to often.
Old 03-10-2008, 08:51 AM
  #30  
onedirtyz
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tanabe gf210 here. got stuck exiting the popo dept a couple weeks ago. the driveway sloped up then down to the street, but the part that sloped up had a huge sewer grate set deep into it.. took it at an angle, heard something scrape, backed up.. took it at more of an angle, heard a HUGE screeching scrape, put it in reverse and scraped the **** out of the undercarriage and a couple exhaust parts [the part that looks like woven metal.. a ball shape.. i've no idea what it's called but there's two of them.. got ugly ] good thing it was at night in my sleepy town so there weren't any cops in the visitor's parking lot

anyway yeah. angle in/out of driveways. speedbumps aren't soooo bad, i dont need to angle, just go slow. potholes = swerrrrrrrve. or if you know your route well, avoid that lane of the road or freeway.
Old 03-10-2008, 10:38 AM
  #31  
DVFlyer
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Tein Basics (have no idea much lower than stock, but it's down to the tops of the tires).

Angled works, but I've learned to recognize what I can make and what I can't make. Only time it's been a problem was when I had someone heavy in the passenger seat- scraped big time over a speed bump. Luckily, the bottom of the Z is fairly well protected and flat..... although I'll never get those bent exhaust pipe bolts out without cutting.
Old 03-10-2008, 11:17 AM
  #32  
Fletch69z
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Yeah, I went Tanabe GF210s and they seem to be about perfect as far as being pretty practical while dropping the car. They aren't too bad but I do have to go sideways over speedbumps and driveways. Also, since I put on the GT Spec ladder brace I've caught it several times on stuff.
Old 03-10-2008, 12:09 PM
  #33  
trodis
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Funny how a lot of people dont even know how much their car is lowered If you are going with the hotchkis you'll be fine. Just take it easy over speedbumps and like everyone else says avoid potholes!!!
MA roads FTMFGDL!
Old 03-10-2008, 12:16 PM
  #34  
UMW350Z
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I think the NE roads must be the worst because of the freeze-thaw all the time. We also don't have as many illegal immigrants who work for 4 bucks an hour like in VA where i am from. You can pay 3 or 4 workers what they do one up here. It just made me reevalute just what illegal immigrants mean to this country...
Old 03-10-2008, 12:24 PM
  #35  
I1DER
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You guys that are real low must not have much road kill in your area. You can plan your driveway and known roads, but you can't plan the beaver or oppossum that likewise got caught on a blind curve. They give 'mushy' feeling suspension a new twist.
Old 03-10-2008, 12:38 PM
  #36  
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Im from NE and lowered on GF210's and I very rarely scrape my stock bumper. Ive never found a steep entrance or speedbump I cant go up.
I really really wish I just got coilovers to begin with. My Z is no longer my daily and now I really wanna slam it (probably drop it another 1"-1.5" ontop of my GF210 drop (2"-2.5" total)
Then I wanna get kitted......
lol I WANT to scrape this b!tch.
Old 03-10-2008, 01:12 PM
  #37  
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My advice is...just keep it in the garage and look at it once in awhile (it's safer).

JIC Magic and 4" off the ground.
Old 03-10-2008, 01:13 PM
  #38  
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The only thing I have to add is watch for the guy behind you when going into a driveway. They don't expect you to crawl into the driveways as we have to do sometimes. They get stuck in traffic behind me a lot because dang if I'm going to cause $1000 worth of damage because to them. I've been cussed at, flipped off, almost hit and had a few horns blown at me from time to time. I always signal as long as reasonably possible before the turn in.

You just have to ignore it. It's their responsibility to make sure they have a place to go without getting hit BEFORE they turn. It's also their responsibility to have the correct following distance so that they don't rear end you. Going slow into a driveway is like giving a right a way to a pedestrian imo. The car behind you should always expect you to stop for no reason. They don't know if there is a little old lady, wheel chair, dog or what have you in your way.

BTW - My car is not lowered. However, in my town they designed the store entrances with a Truck / SUV in mind. A pot hole in my town will take out your front end so I have to steer around them. The guys behind me are WTF???? We have sink holes for pot holes around here and the city won't pay you if you take out a rim on one.

Last edited by Z_Driver; 03-10-2008 at 01:24 PM.
Old 03-10-2008, 01:26 PM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by pchong154
Reverse up the driveway.
At a angle helps too ...
Old 03-10-2008, 01:30 PM
  #40  
Z_Driver
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Originally Posted by I1DER
You guys that are real low must not have much road kill in your area. You can plan your driveway and known roads, but you can't plan the beaver or oppossum that likewise got caught on a blind curve. They give 'mushy' feeling suspension a new twist.
I can clear a squirrel as long as it doesn't stand up. Took the head clean off of one a few weeks back.



Can't clear cats, dogs, or anything over the size of a 4x4. Then, if it is warped I'll tag it. I don't see how you guys get away with a lowered car on the street.

Last edited by Z_Driver; 03-10-2008 at 01:33 PM.


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