Sadev AWD system!

[RallyXLTZ]

No man, I completely understand what you're saying. Those are very good points that you make. As it sits, the Sonic doesn't have much more going for it. With that being said...anything is possible with the right level of creativity, knowledge, and of course...money.

It is completely feasible that the Sonic could handle more power. The bay could hold the 2.0 turbo from GM and with proper tunes and build it could go over 300hp. Now like I stated previously in this thread, I bought the Sonic with the intention of it being my DD until I get the rest of the money up to make it strictly my track car, like my STi used to be. I know the stuff I'm trying to do wouldn't work for everyone, and that's fine. I'm just trying to push myself and do what makes me happy.

-Kyle

 

[stoopid]

From a pure performance level, wouldn't it make more sense to start with something beefier and build THAT up? Like a WRX I mentioned. A stock turbo wrx is 'better' than a modded Sonic, and can be found for less than Sonic + mods costs.

I'm also not trying to be dickish, I understand hobbies and modding (mine from a computing standpoint), but in all cases there's a point of diminishing returns and it would be negligent if the community didn't point that out.

 

[firstorbit84]

Once the Buick encore is released, you could wait for a front end wrecked AWD version, and swap the entire AWD drive train. This will be much cheaper

 

[RallyXLTZ]

Ironically I messaged GM about the availability of that system and if I could purchase it through the parts department lol

-Kyle

 

[RallyXLTZ]

Meant to put that I messaged them last night in that....

-Kyle

 

[RallyXLTZ]

From a pure performance level, wouldn't it make more sense to start with something beefier and build THAT up? Like a WRX I mentioned. A stock turbo wrx is 'better' than a modded Sonic, and can be found for less than Sonic + mods costs.

I'm also not trying to be dickish, I understand hobbies and modding (mine from a computing standpoint), but in all cases there's a point of diminishing returns and it would be negligent if the community didn't point that out.

Very true. And I appreciate the input completely. It really does help in finding cost effective ideas and parts. I just truly enjoy the Sonic. And the fact that it's built here was also a part of my decision. Coming from a multi-generation military family, I would prefer to represent my heritage and country.

-Kyle

 

[14T6MT]

Ironically I messaged GM about the availability of that system and if I could purchase it through the parts department lol

-Kyle

Did they answer your question?
I'm not interested in (can't afford to mess with) an AWD setup for my Sonic but if you managed to pull it off you would win Sonic of My Life!!
I can see it now...riding a little high, sporting Compotive TH2 1670 wheels in white, tearing Sparco mudflaps to pieces with little gravel bullets, sounding like an angry drunken lawn mower.
One upside: it's very light so you'd have an advantage if spectators had to push you out of a drainage ditch and back onto the road.

 

[stoopid]

And the fact that it's built here was also a part of my decision. Coming from a multi-generation military family, I would prefer to represent my heritage and country.

Science/engineering and financial prudence really aren't good bed fellows with sentimentality. I admire you for holding on tightly to an outdated world view, but it doesn't change the fact we're in a global economy now and there's no going back. Adapt or become extinct. GM seems to share this, as they source almost all of their parts from cheaper overseas sources. They have to in order to keep costs down and remain competative (even against other 'american' makers, who are doing the same). "Made in america" is just a good slogan for their commercials. There's no such thing anymore, and hasn't been for a very long time. Hyundai and Kia have factories in the States, are they American too?

 

[RallyXLTZ]

I haven't heard back yet, but Vanessa seems to sign on later in the afternoon. So I'm hoping to hear back some sort of answer today

I have already taken my Sonic out twice to some local dirt/gravel roads just to see where it stands factory and to get some times to compare to once upgrades start getting installed (hoping on starting in February). It does pretty well as is, but the awd is going to let me really push it around turns.

-Kyle

 

[RallyXLTZ]

Science/engineering and financial prudence really aren't good bed fellows with sentimentality. I admire you for holding on tightly to an outdated world view, but it doesn't change the fact we're in a global economy now and there's no going back. Adapt or become extinct. GM seems to share this, as they source almost all of their parts from cheaper overseas sources. They have to in order to keep costs down and remain competative (even against other 'american' makers, who are doing the same). "Made in america" is just a good slogan for their commercials. There's no such thing anymore, and hasn't been for a very long time. Hyundai and Kia have factories in the States, are they American too?

While that is true, I do still believe in personal freedoms and personal tastes and opinions. I've had many family members die while in service to this country, and since some poor decisions as a teenager resulted in me being able to enlist...I'm just doing what I can to carry on and be a proud patriot. If that means buying an american born company's car that is assembled here but with parts sourced from other countries, so be it. I wouldn't say that being proud of your heritage is an outdated way of thinking. I believe that if more people would develop some since of patriotism that maybe we could start to turn this country around. But seeing as this is WAYYYYYYY off topic...back to awd!

If GM can give me a good price on that system, it would a cheap(ish) way to bring the Sonic up to par with the other subcompact vehicles in the rally world. Citroen, Peugot, etc...


-Kyle

 

[JimmyBuckets]

If they made a 2.0t awd Sonic from the factory I would buy one. But I'm a huge fan of small powerful cars.

 

[RallyXLTZ]

GM seems pretty adament on the small car big performance idea. With the plethora of different concepts they've debuted, it wouldn't surprise me if they released an SS or more sport oriented trim/package in a later generation. Hopefully with their 2.0T and awd. It wouldn't make sense not to with the number of people I've seen asking for that exact option from the factory.

-Kyle

 

[stoopid]

I believe that if more people would develop some since of patriotism that maybe we could start to turn this country around.

The issue isn't Patriotism (or Nationalism, which is what it really is). It's the arbitrary standard by which people define this ideal, and often browbeat others who don't fall within their rigid personal definition of it. Someone driving a Subaru, BMW, or Honda is being treasonous depending on who you talk to. That's the issue with idealistic/opinion based thinking - who defines the lines, and more importantly what are the penalties?

Your statement above also assumes that the Country's current woes stem from a lack of patriotism, which there isn't a single bit of evidence that can correlate a degree of patriotism or lack thereof to whatever it is you feel defines America as needing to be "turned around". In other words - your very foundation of thinking is flawed because you've assigned a cause to a problem that don't have any sensible relation to each other.

Often the same people who want to bring America about-face (and, IMO, into the dark ages) by forcibly enforcing their definition of 'America' are often the same ones that don't want to be told what to do and hold the constitution high above their heads. The world is bigger and vastly more complex than it was 200+ years ago. How things worked then don't work that way now. Time to move on or be left behind.

There's nothing wrong with having this sidebar. IMO your mod plans were dead from inception, so it's all idle chit chat to me. As was your reasoning behind why you "buy amrican", which is also true for 99% of the people with that opinion.

 

[stoopid]

I would buy a reasonably priced AWD Sonic if it were available. But the reasonable price will be the sticking point.

 

[RallyXLTZ]

The issue isn't Patriotism (or Nationalism, which is what it really is). It's the arbitrary standard by which people define this ideal, and often browbeat others who don't fall within their rigid personal definition of it. Someone driving a Subaru, BMW, or Honda is being treasonous depending on who you talk to. That's the issue with idealistic/opinion based thinking - who defines the lines, and more importantly what are the penalties?

Your statement above also assumes that the Country's current woes stem from a lack of patriotism, which there isn't a single bit of evidence that can correlate a degree of patriotism or lack thereof to whatever it is you feel defines America as needing to be "turned around". In other words - your very foundation of thinking is flawed because you've assigned a cause to a problem that don't have any sensible relation to each other.

Often the same people who want to bring America about-face (and, IMO, into the dark ages) by forcibly enforcing their definition of 'America' are often the same ones that don't want to be told what to do and hold the constitution high above their heads. The world is bigger and vastly more complex than it was 200+ years ago. How things worked then don't work that way now. Time to move on or be left behind.

There's nothing wrong with having this sidebar. IMO your mod plans were dead from inception, so it's all idle chit chat to me. As was your reasoning behind why you "buy amrican", which is also true for 99% of the people with that opinion.

I'm not one the people that you described. To be honest, I know America is pretty much screwed. But I do think in order to be a patriot, you have to be able to acknowledge where the faults are and have a desire to fix or improve upon them. I don't want to turn the country and it's ideals around. I would love to see this nation be more progressive and accepting. Sadly, with the way past generations and present generations go about raising children, an incredible percentage grow up living and believing in the exact way that described and assume that I am. My point on patriotism being needed more stemmed from an idea that maybe if more people cared enough to get involved, the nation could start to recover eventually. For the most part, everyone's way of thinking has been "well I can't change it, so I might as well accept it". Maybe if they would stand up for their rights and voice their opposition to some things with a coherant thought process and straight forward statement, they could at least be heard.

I could careless what country you are from, what God you believe in, or what ideals you uphold, as long as they match up with the basic lines of right and wrong. Don't kill, don't hate, don't rape, don't steal. Easy as that. Well...not exactly easy since those actions will never be fully erased, anyways...

I don't necessarily see how the mod plans I have can exactly be dead though. Plenty of fwd vehicles have been made awd for motorsport or simply just for the hell of it. Scion TC, Fiesta, a few Citroens, and even a couple Coopers (before All4). If I have the resources and knowledge necessary to make it happen, why argue the point?

-Kyle

 

[stoopid]

I know America is pretty much screwed... My point on patriotism being needed more stemmed from an idea that maybe if more people cared enough to get involved, the nation could start to recover eventually...

Unfortunately everyone's idea of what defines "America is screwed" is different. Then many try to lump unrelated issues together. "America is screwed because gays are getting married and the deficit is out of control." Neither has anything to do with the other, but in the mind of a thoroughly brainwashed fox news watching simpleton these things are breeding in the same dark recess of their tortured, fearful soul.

So caring isn't worth squat if all those who care do is try to impose implanted and misguided idiology. We need people to care AND think.

Like you I would prefer to see involvement, but those with jobs and families can only dedicate so much time and money into causes. Unfortunately these are the people with the most at stake!

The Tea Party was 90% old, fearful, fox news watching retired "patriots". Do you really think they have a plan for America, let alone a better one? But they're hyper involved (with some right leaning funding/assistance) and supposedly represented a huge consensus of frustrated Americans. That has, of course, been revealed as being inaccurate and their movement fading as the reality of their misguided philosophies play out on the national stage.

If I have the resources and knowledge necessary to make it happen, why argue the point?

Do you have $30,000-$50,000 to sink into a $17,000 car to make it perform like a $30,000 foreign car? The math doesn't add up, and I'm sure even the most sensible modders would question whether such plans actually payoff. As I said, it's ALL idle chit chat. Our sidebar is probably a more pertinent and arguably valuable topic, as it might actually end up with a constructive outcome.

 

[RallyXLTZ]

Unfortunately everyone's idea of what defines "America is screwed" is different. Then many try to lump unrelated issues together. "America is screwed because gays are getting married and the deficit is out of control." Neither has anything to do with the other, but in the mind of a thoroughly brainwashed fox news watching simpleton these things are breeding in the same dark recess of their tortured, fearful soul.

So caring isn't worth squat if all those who care do is try to impose implanted and misguided idiology. We need people to care AND think.

Like you I would prefer to see involvement, but those with jobs and families can only dedicate so much time and money into causes. Unfortunately these are the people with the most at stake!

The Tea Party was 90% old, fearful, fox news watching retired "patriots". Do you really think they have a plan for America, let alone a better one? But they're hyper involved (with some right leaning funding/assistance) and supposedly represented a huge consensus of frustrated Americans. That has, of course, been revealed as being inaccurate and their movement fading as the reality of their misguided philosophies play out on the national stage.





Do you have $30,000-$50,000 to sink into a $17,000 car to make it perform like a $30,000 foreign car? The math doesn't add up, and I'm sure even the most sensible modders would question whether such plans actually payoff. As I said, it's ALL idle chit chat. Our sidebar is probably a more pertinent and arguably valuable topic, as it might actually end up with a constructive outcome.

I couldn't agree more with pretty much this entire post. To be honest....I'm just bored...so a ridiculous build is in action!

I think you are my favorite person to talk to here. Most intriguing discussion yet. And your screen name completely belies what is coming from from your mouth. Good, intelligent opinions. You sir, have earned my respect.


-Kyle

 

[Chevrolet Customer Care]

Pm'd you Kyle.

Unfortunately, I am unable to recommend any modifications to the stock Sonic other than approved GM Performance Parts. I'm sure everyone already is aware of that though. When doing modifications to your Sonic's and using aftermarket parts and systems you run the risk of voiding your warranty.


Vanessa
GM Customer Service

 

[stoopid]

I'm pleased we can talk about things without getting personal, although I admit that sometimes my finger wags and points a bit too much.

Maybe you can find a cheaper hobby to fill the boredom? lol

 

[RallyXLTZ]

Well I do play guitar quite a bit, and I'm planning on upgrading to a new stack from my Marshall...it's a much less expensive hobby, but generally I do like things in the guitar world that are considered expensive to people that don't play. Ie: my Marshall cost me about 3k when I bought it a few years ago, and both of my Ibanez combined came out to about 2500 bucks.

I need an even less expensive hobby...I'm taking up knitting.

-Kyle