Considering DSM as DD.

[Eric BMW]

Hello. My name is Eric and i'm new to this DSM car deal. I've been told DSM cars make good cheap daily driver ars which can be easily moddified. I'm very new to anything DSM. I've always loved the GSX eclipse. I'm in college and really want to get some sort of daily driver car. I've doen a few searches and really couldn't find exactly what i was looking for. I know there's no way I could keep a car stock so I think a good daily driver that I could tastefully modify that wont break the bank would be advantageous.

Which DSM models are availible as All wheel drive? I don't liek the idea of movign away from RWD but I think the more responsible driver in me would prefer a AWD car for the St. Louis winters.

Any inputs on which DSm cars you think would be best for me?


Eric

 

[cumpersgsx]

awd owns snow. A dsm for a dd is only good if you leave it damn near stock...i dont have much and mine is parked(and by parked i mean dead) more than driving. Proper maintenece would also be must as well...keep everything in mind

 

[elfroggo]

First welcome to tuners, and here is a site you should get acquainted with:
http://1000q.dsm.org/

it will answer many of your questions.

GSX is the awd version, on the talon and laser i think it just says AWD somewhere.

Honestly, I would lean towards not using a DSM as a daily if you plan on modding it. Hopefully you have alternate transportation available.

Do you want a 1g or 2g?

 

[-TunedDSM-]

I daily drive my GSX, but I plan on storing it in the harsh Northern Michigan winters. But here are some links that will answer almost any question you have

http://www.dsmtuners.com/sub.php?page=modelguide

http://www.dsmtuners.com/sub.php?page=1g2gcomparison

http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=200797

www.VFAQ.com

 

[Locutus78]

DSM=Daily Service and Maintenance

but they are a hell of a lot of fun.

 

[dr1ftx3]

Don't be discouraged by anyone. I daily drive my dsm and i've had no problems man. Just as long as you baby the car and take care of it like you should. You should have no problems, but i'd definately recommed an awd if your winters are like ours in chicago, and make sure you don't drive out if they snow gets too high because your front end makes a very nice shovel. haha

 

[Duke901]

As long as you take care of it, it will be fine for a DD.

 

[brute]

I drive my DSM daily, and it's pretty extensively modded. Check my profile for the whole list. You just gotta keep everything under control (i.e. checking fluids all the time).

 

[DiamondStarM]

Yep, I DD the Talon and its has a fair amount of mods. I have no problems that any other car wouldnt have with the same driving conditions and age. Everyone blows it out of proportion, these cars are very reliable if you arent using zip ties to hold on intercooler piping and replacing broken studs with wood screws. The problem is that many DSM's can be had for cheap now and usually they are cheaply modded meaning that the mods are not all done correctly. If you want your modded DD to last you have to not skip steps in your build up and dont cut corners with important parts. My only complaint is the suspension. Most lowered/stiffer suspension will not be as comfortable of a ride.

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

Yeah bro, trust me. I am no where near stock, and this is the best car to DD and Auto Xs and drag, in my opinion. I have owned and raced RWD's monsters, FWD's superchargers, and now AWD turbo's, and I love this and will never go back to any other type of car. Dont Stop Modding, is what DSM stands for... speed is the biggest drug on the planet, and you start, you cant stop!!! Well, dont let people scare you with the crank walk stories, and the DD sucks on DSM's, just take care of it, any car for that matter, and it will take care of you. I work at Auto Zone Part time, and you get all these ricers come in and ask the stupidest questions and ask about what more ricer crap can go on my car and how big my muffler is... I hate that... but I bite my tounge and someone always wants to talk crap about other cars, so, I go outside and show them my Talon, then they change thier minds about it and bite thier tounges... but whatever, just take care of it, and you will be fine. You have to take care of it as if the other owner dogged it everyday he had it... and you will be better off... welcome to DSM tuners, and teh DSM community...

 

[PieEyedPiper]

Keep around 2grand on the side for repairs, cause you WILL need it.
But if you have the 2grand and a DSM life is good

 

[injection]

i bought my first dsm thursday last week it is now just about monday, i've driven it about 4 ot 5 hours tops so far the rest of the time it's been in my fathers shop.

 

[Eric BMW]

Wow i'm getting some people saying they aren't as reliable as I hoped, and some saying maintainnce is key. What kind of maintainence are we talking? I'm thinking of a 2g. This isn't one of those cars where you can jsut get away with fluid changes at appropriate times then? I can tastfuly modify a car and wont cheap out on parts. I'm also not worried about the suspension being stiff with aftermerket work. That's fine. I'm young. I can tolerate it just fine.

I own a 95 BMW M3 turbo. I'm not goign to lie, it is reliable. I nevr would've expected it but it's great for driving daily. The one thing that kills me the most is I just past 80,000 miles ont he car and I don't want it to gain mileage. I would love to own this same car in 10 years. I'm in love with it, but my obsession with driving it constantly won't allow me to keep my low miles. So I want a semi-cheap under 100k miles daily driver that I can still modify.

I'm not talking about turning this car intoa 500 awhp king. i'm looking maybe to cut it off at like 260 rwhp and DD from there. Can this be done without breakign the bank? How are the engine internals? Is the valvetrain strong? How about the bottom end. I'm reading osme of these sites you guys have posted and they are helping me out.

 

[Ultimatedsm]

The motor itself is amazing (1g 6 bolt), the 2g's have a little bit of a problem sometimes, their engines can develope crank-walk. Now it isn't a common thing because my 2g didn't. The 1g can handle around 500WHP if properly done and the 2G maybe around 430 WHP.

Things that break on these cars are transmissions or other driveline related parts because people abuse it. People dump the clutch at 5500-6000 contantely and eventually something gives. If you abuse your car, it will break, if you drive it normally and once in a while abuse it, it will last bottom line.

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

OKay, it is just like any other car, you have to do maintenance on it. The reason why you have to do such overhaul maintenance and care, (just like Subaru's are going to be in a few years) is because people bought DSM's, loving the power it gives, and then saying, well, I can skip changing the oil for 10,000 miles, and I can get by without everchanging the Timing and BS belt, and the plugs and wires and all the other items.... etc.... People that didnt know crap about cars bought them, modded them, and dogged them to the bone, then when they started having problems (which they deserved) they sold the car and forgot about it.... I have seen this more than once.... and the reason why HONDA's and other ricer cars are not this way is because you cant dog a 95WHP car to much, and then you spend $30,000 to get it past 400whp, but our cars can handle up to 500WHP stock. Now you tell me what other car can handle that? Not any I've ever seen... Our setup is the 4G63 series with an aluminum cylinder head, and a cast iron block with forged internals, the crank, rods, pistons, you name it.... I take care of our cars prestinely, more than I do myself.... ask around, they will tell you the same thing...

 

[TSIMonsteR]

260 can be done very easily without hardly any money

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

Yeah, check out all the mods lists, in the tech guide.... that is a step forward...

 

[blackGSX2g]

I've been daily driving mine with extensive mods for awhile. I just got back from a trip across the state and it was fine. Every now and then it'll have a little hiccup where I need new spark plugs, or tighten up the bolts on my wastegate; other than that, its treated me pretty good. Just make sure you don't take any shortcuts when you are doing anything on it. If you do your maintainence/mods the right way and take your time, it should be just fine.

The problems usually lie with the previous owner (or you if you do things janky) beating the piss out of it and going half-ass on working on it, forgetting to change out things when they are needed, and just being sloppy with the car in general.

Make sure you trust the current owner of a car you are about to purchase as how they are influences a huge part of the cars worth (in my mind anyways).

 

[NewTurboTuner]

""So I want a semi-cheap under 100k miles daily driver that I can still modify""

AAAAAAAAAHHH!!! hahahaha!!!!!!!!!!!
If you like modding cars, then the DSM will be a money pit!!!

You will get out of it, as much as you put in. If you take care of the car and do regular maintenance (like everyone should), then the car will do you right. If you do half ass modifications then the car will go to crap. Its a simple as that.

Just start with a good solid car. Do your modifications in the right order... the right way. And you will have a car that lasts.

Hey if you do it right you'll fall in love with these little DSM's!
My last hot rod was a 02 Trans Am WS6 with 430rwhp & 480tq. Once you experience a Powerful AWD Turbo launch! ...nothing else will be acceptable ...its all just gets slower from there on out

If you are a modder by heart... You can not keep a semi cheap daily driven DSM, and only modify it a little bit. That just dosent happen.

260Hp is no sweat. But why not turn up the boost a little, and get 300hp? -Thats almost 10:1 weight to power ratio. These Modded DSMs can whoop up on your Turbo M3 no problem... and once you get a taste of that, you will drive the DSM more than the M3. You can see what happens next right? You will want to add one more part. Just one more, OK just 1 more part. OK this one will be the last one. OK I promise this is the last part for awhile. Damn did a few month pass yet? I need another part. ~Because these cars are so fun... every day you will want one more $100 part to help just a little .....It'll just keep going on and on.

I have a Daily Driven 91 Talon TSi, but it is more than a Daily Driver to me. Its also a toy, and a hobby. Its in the shop right now because the guy who had it last put a messed-up fitting on the Trans slave cylinder, and that cause a whole bunch of other damage because the trans wouldnt shift right. ...that is what happens if you half ass things.

If your smart just go with upgrades as things break. Like me, maybe I have a bad slave cylinder on my trans... and I might have damaged a few gears. So while the trans is out. I take advantage of that, and upgraded to a Shep S-3 Trans. Yeah maybe it cost me 1200 more now... but later down the road when others are breaking their 3rd or 4th trans... I'll still be on my 2nd. So in the long run I save.

OK my rant is over...

I say go for it!!
But I still think its funny if you want a DSM as a slightly modded daily driver

 

[flyinghighlm]

I love my GSX as a DD, there just aren't that many where I am. I have most of the Stage 1 and some Stage 2 mods and the car treats me fine AS LONG AS I TAKE CARE OF IT. I went in to my DSM same as you are, I paid 2500 for my DSM and spent almost 2K just in rebuilding and replacing alot of misused and neglected parts.....now I trust my car know what has been done and it has been fine. Go for it have fun slapping around hondas, just remember they are not cheap cars and you probably will get bit by the DSM horsepower curse at some point. Have fun!!!

 

[BlackRaptor]

I'm hoping to DD my DSM
my JDM motor has 30K miles on it i'm going to shoot for 300 crank HP then leave it alone.
But seeing as it's a money pit i don't see that happening. haha

 

[NewTurboTuner]

I think you will have more fun if you use the M3 as a nice easy going daily driver, and have fun with the Modded DSM project car! It will be faster anyway

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

I'm hoping to DD my DSM
my JDM motor has 30K miles on it i'm going to shoot for 300 crank HP then leave it alone.
But seeing as it's a money pit i don't see that happening. haha

To the crank is nothing, its to the WHEELS you want, WHP, that is the key. You will lose some horses and torque through the drivetrain and others..... just set a number, then go or stop from there....

 

[Eric BMW]

300 engine horsepower is just fine for a daily driver for me, especially with these cars being lighter. Trust me I can control my spending on a daily driver. I managed to do pull of a s13 as a daily driver. I have some control. My money pit is my bimmer. I can't stop loving it. It's been my dream car for most of my life that I can remember. I can understand that modding the DSM will be fun though.

So i've seen a bti of variety in price range as far as a under 100k miles AWD DSM goes. Is there any model you guys think is a bit more of a bargain? And do you guys have specific price ranges. I have been doign some internet researchign but some cars seem just mroe beat than others. If i'm lucky I can find a AWD DSM owned by someone who respecte dthe car and did not put any mods on it at all. I want to start clean.

NewTurboTuner: As much horsepower as you can build out of these great cars, I will still contend that I've been buildign my M3 nto only for straightline power, but also the ability to handle on the local track.

Dragon TalonTSI: e36 M3's (s50b30/s52b32) and e36 328 (m52b28) motors can handle plenty of boost for a stock car. Only thing that usually is done is a thicker headgasket and ARP head studs. e36 M3's have put down over 600 rwhp stock and more room to play and just last week a turbo 328 owner put down 704.6 rwhp on just a headgasket and studs (then his motor went kabloom). Of course all these are subject to fine tuning.


edit: here's a pic of my baby. yeah, I know it's yellow!

[Too big.]

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And just for fun

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[funkbuster]

I think they make great DD cars in near stock form. Just be glad it isnt an rx7 when it comes to Daily Driveability