Xpax #Whatchuwant MTV Pimp My Ride

Fans of MTV would be familiar with this phrase Pimp My Ride.

Basically what happens is the organizers (Xpax, in this case) will take a really beat up car (like my old Honda City), splash a little cash on it and turn it into a new pimpin' wonder machine.

Now before I head into talking about how Xpax can potentially change my car's life, they're also giving away RM10,000 of prizes daily. And mind you, these are not little T-shirts with inflated price tags, but real prizes that you can use. Things like Samsung 40" Full HD LED TVs, Pioneer Blu-Ray Home Theater systems, Samsung Galaxy S3s and Tab 2 7.0"s, and Nikon Cameras.


Seriously, look at this. Imagine if I were to win a TV everyday.

Here's how you can stick your hand in the proverbial cookie jar.



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Now that I've given you a little appetizer, lets head over to the main course. You non-Nuffnangers stay out.

Now a little intro to my car. Its a 1998 Honda City, which I talk about on Twitter under the tag #Citynurhaliza, because its a City, and I think Siti Nurhaliza is an awesome singer.

Like all drivers who actually enjoy driving, it has a proper manual gearbox, with a human actuated clutch that allows you to experiment with clutchless shifts, double-clutch heel-and-toe downshifts...and the list goes on.


When it comes to cars, old is gold.

The problem about its that its slightly old, so the little issues that show up every now-and-then, with age lends a little character to it. If Xpax were to Pimp My Ride, here are some things that I will do to this car.

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Engine


Old tired engine needs an overhaul. Also note, the RIY (remove it yourself) filter snorkel. It adds a bit of noise (which for me can be a bit tiresome) but gives me a significant power boost on the low end.

A good car needs a little bit of push to outrun all the annoyingly dangerous drivers. Here's the current condition of my car. Its stock, with only the snorkel removed.

To give my car a little more street cred, I'd like a really low-pressure turbo that would give my car a little more push while keeping it reliable. This shouldn't be too difficult, as my engine can reliably handle up to 160hp without having to break it open to fix the insides. Best part of this, it'll retain, or possibly improve my car's already ultra-low fuel economy.

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Body


Note the horrible scratch, a Christmas gift from an inconsiderate motorcyclist. Heart pain :(


For a car that is 15 years old, I'd say that paint is in decent condition; but that doesn't mean that it can't be improved.


Check out this awesome City from the Philippines. And and and.... look at the awesome paintwork, the shine!


I'd also like to cover up the ugly spoiler holes on my boot. Backstory: I removed the spoiler in hopes of improving my fuel economy. Also note: watermarks on the body which cannot for the love of anything be removed.

No extreme bodykits that scream "LOOK AT ME!" as I'd like to go for that sleeper look. Also, less is more so my car will definitely look loads better!

Protip: Spoilers on our cars don't really work as we rarely drive fast enough to generate downforce. However, they cause a lot of drag, wasting precious fuel.

The good bit is that I've recently changed my headlights, which means more kaching can be put into things that matter, like...
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Suspension

Here's where some major work has to be done.

Look at the space between my wheels and the wheel arch!

As a person who cycles and often carries my bike on the back of my car, the space between the wheel and the wheel arch is too damn high!



There are 2 ways I can fix make loading my bike easier, grow more muscles or lower my car. Between the both of them, its easy to see which option is easier. Not to mention the easier option would give my car more street cred, as well as making it handle better. See? Win-win-win-win solution!

Being slightly in-the-know, I know of people who can get me a decent set of street-specced springs which will go under 3 grand. That's a good deal if you ask me, a deal that Xpax should know how to grab when they see it.


Wheels

I like my wheels, can't deny that. Have always been a fan of multi-spoke rims that don't show too much flesh. You know, got to cover up a little in our society hehe.



Not to mentioned that the wheels have stayed true (which means perfectly round with no wobbling) even after 15 years of use. Can't beat the Enkei stuff.

Unfortunately, you can't have it all. My rims are only at 14 inches in diameter, which seriously limits what kind of tyres I can put on my car.

I'd like to have some 15" rims like those in the picture I put above, except that they'll in matte black with a purple trim on the lip as a tribute to Xpax. Of course, I'd put on some really good tyres. Michelin Pilot Sport 3s would be a good choice for errr.. you know, safety and comfort.

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Brakes

Looking at the above picture will tell you that my car has drum brakes on the rear. Now what some people will say is "yeah you don't need that much braking force on the rear wheels..." which is true.

What they don't realise is that drum brakes lock up way easier compared to a proper set of disc brakes, despite their lack of power. That cost-saving nonsense will have to go.

No negotiations, for safety...and science.
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Interior
My interior's all good...so far, but again it doesn't mean it can't be improved. Here's what I'd fix.



Throw on a nice gearknob, for faster shifts and safety of course.

Put in some real speakers in place of the dead ones at the rear. Never got round to replacing them. Sigh.

The good bit is that my radio head unit's pretty good, so there's no need to put money into that!
Also, I listen to jazz, classics, oldies and some occasional sopranos, so no large subwoofers that annoy your fellow drivers. Imagine having a car that is easily identified as an Xpax-ed car, being hated on? Not going to be good for your brand, bro.


Also have some dead flappy door trim that I'd like to fix.
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Now dear Xpax, my car isn't special like this cool Fiat X1/9 (check it out btw, really nice looking car), but the good thing about pimping a 1998 Honda City is that, its slightly more common than the Fiat, so parts will be of easier access so you can get more done with my car! Also, its not as common as a Civic so #Citynurhaliza will really stand out.

Now remember that this is a Pimp My Ride Contest, not a repair my ride contest. Of course if you choose the X1/9 over my #Citynurhaliza, I'd say you've made a great choice even though I'll :(((((( a long long time.

So Xpax, do pretty please pimp my ride. My car will be the living proof that a great car doesn't have to be over the top. It will be driven by a person who loves driving, surrounded by peers who eat, live and breathe petrol daily.



Best bit of all, I'm sure my very reliable (touch wood) #Citynurhaliza will last the very least another 15 years.
I'll close up with some pictures of some very nice looking Honda Cities from our Pinoy and Thai neighbours so dear Xpax, you'll know how great this car will look.

Look at that stance(which means how well the car sits on the wheels)! Loving it all, except for the horrible picture quality.


Loving the work done here, except the colour and the black coloured bumper lip.


Look at the shine on this little thing here! And of course the Integra DC-5 inspired rims!


Very good piece of work. Great paint, and clear headlamps which can't seem to be found here in Malaysia :(