Altezza Diary 1 - Accessories

After driving for a few days, it came to me that it is difficult to survive without a few essential upgrades to the Toyota Altezza. The first difficulty is when reversing because this Altezza does not have reverse sensors nor a reverse camera. I do not wish to drill holes on the rear bumper and the alternative is to install a reverse camera. In order to do so, I would need a touch screen that could transmit the live feed. Unfortunately, there was no touch screen but instead has an old fashioned head unit. However, the biggest flaw, in my opinion, is the lack of an alarm system. This might be a 20 year old car but I am still worried about the Altezza getting stolen. These 3 things that need upgrading would cost a bomb but the silver lining on this dark cloud is that all 3 could be done in the same place. It is also very essential to improve my driving experience. I was in luck because there is an accessories shop, named Superstar, near my office. I have been there previously with my Nissan Fairlady Z and both the price and workmanship were good. The best part is I could drop the car and continue going to work. I usually collect my car when I finish work.

The accessories shop's salesperson was very happy when he heard of the list of things that had to be done. I knew it was going to cost me a sum and would take the whole day to finish. I dropped my car got during lunchtime and I figured by the time I finished work, it would be done. The first thing on the list was to install the reverse camera. Installing at the preferred location is a small matter but the wiring has to go from the rear and connect to the touch screen all the way in the front. Next, the whole center console has to be removed to remove the original head unit and install the new touch screen. I chose a 7-inch screen from China which was mid-quality to keep the cost down and it has all the modern functions such as Bluetooth, AUX and USB connectivity. I also had a new alarm system installed with a brake locking mechanism. The way it functions is when the brake pedal is pressed, all doors will be locked. Since it has to do with lock, all 4 door panels had to be removed. Although the changes were minor visually, the touch screen does give the car a breath of fresh air and with the reverse camera, makes my life much easier when driving the Altezza. 

There were some extra issues I had the shop help fixed. The Altezza was a cyclops at night because only one headlight was working and it had a green bulb. Initially, I only wanted to get new bulbs for the main low beam but it seems that the smaller bulbs were also out. The shop recommends HID white bulbs for the main bulb and the result is fantastic. Next, was the driver's window switch which was hard to press. At times it feels stuck and requires additional force to wind the window down, to the point I was afraid I might break it. So, I ordered a used unit for replacement and was surprised, it was not expensive. The installation was free of charge. The last thing I had done was reinstalling the left side skirt. Although the skirt did not fall out and the screws were still intact, there was a gap between the body and skirt. I could see there are some blobs of silicone glue, which the previous owner might have used to hold the skirt in place. The shop removed the silicone glue and cleaned the surface of the body and skirt. Next, 3M double-sided tape was laid on the edge of the skirt and the skirt was put in place. I think many did not know this industry secret but most side skirts were held on with just tape. Even skirts from the factory in Japan use this technique but usually, there were extra pins. 

HID Bulb Ballast

It took a whole day to get everything done and it cost a bomb. However, I think these upgrades were important and necessary. The car might be 20 years old but at least it does not feel old right now. 

My Impression

Modern cars are now tuned to have great drivability in the city where engines have more torque than power. Older, Japanese sports cars like my previous Toyota Celica had a different recipe. For example, my 2005, Celica had an impressive 190 hp but only 180 Nm of torque from a 1.8 liter engine. When you compare that to my 2013, Mazda 6, it has a lesser, 184 hp but a good, 250 Nm of torque out of a larger, 2.5 liter engine. My next car, the Nissan Fairlady Z, had high power and high torque from a very large engine. When I compiled my experiences, it brings forward an expectation for the Toyota Altezza. On one hand, I knew the engine would be similar to the Celica by having a high power but low torque. However, it is rear wheel driven and is promising to drive, much like the Fairlady Z. I told myself, this would be an educational but fun experience for me. I have always wanted to drive an Altezza and already knew its specification but we all know, the actual driving experience will not be the same as reading the details.

2ZZ-GE (Celica) vs 3S-GE (Altezza)

Skyactiv-G 2.5 (Mazda 6)

I had to experience how the Altezza would perform and so, on the same night I got my Altezza, I went to a highway behind my house with my friend. This was my usual spot to test cars because the highway is 3 lanes wide and usually empty with a long stretch. Usually, I would pay the road toll and exit with 1st gear, driving hard, all the way to the redline. The Altezza accelerated well and frankly, quite easy to handle but the wait for the rev to hit redline at 7800 rpm, was honestly, too long. I felt like I waited a long time before I had to shift gears. Immediately, it felt slower than my Fairlady Z, which was obvious but reminds me a little of my time driving the Celica. However, there was a serious flaw about the Altezza and that was the suspension. While I was sprinting and almost reaching the speed of 170 km/h, the car was very jumpy, an indication of a setup that is too stiff. There was no way I felt confident to continue. This test gave me a clear picture of how the 2 liter, 3S-GE engine works. It is definitely slow by modern standards because torque picks up only starts around 3000 rpm while modern cars provide instant torque.

In the city, the Altezza continues to feel underwhelmed compared to modern cars. Once when I was going over a bump, there was a hatchback, side by side with me and after crossing the bump, I accelerated. Despite my acceleration, the hatchback had already pulled far away from me. Although the Altezza was supposed to be a sports car and had a loud exhaust note, there was a 5 seconds throttle lag. This had something to do with a throttle body design that was neither wire pulled nor electronically pulled. It had a semi-electric throttle body, which in my opinion, was an experimental design. In layman terms, the input from acceleration is the same as modern, electronic throttle but the movement of the throttle flap was done mechanically, like a traditional throttle body. Meanwhile, the stiff suspension setting continues to be a problem in the city. There is the need to go very slow over speed bumps and on any road with a bend that needs cornering, the car becomes very unstable. Another issue was during left U-turns, where there is a sound of metal scrapping. The suspension desperately needs adjustments.

Uses Positioning Sensor from Accelerator and Motor to pull the cable

Having written the above downsides of the car, The Altezza is not without its advantage. When compared to the car I replaced, the Fairlady Z, it is a much accessible car. It is much more convenient to be a daily ride because it is a sedan with extra seats and a large boot. If comparing power and torque, the Altezza is like walking a mid-sized dog that follows the direction that you lead while the Fairlady Z feels like a big German Shepherd running around enthusiastically, pulling you and you need to control it. Gear shifting is very smooth and engaging, and I dare say it has a better feeling. It does not make you feel stressed when driving around the city. Furthermore, the soundproofing of Altezza is done very well. The loud exhaust does not intrude into the interior and I could talk without needing to shout. The fact that it has doors with frame helps keep the noise out, unlike sports coupes. Overall, an Altezza is a very nice car to drive around daily. It could be a comfortable car most of the time and it could be a quick, fun machine when needed. However, my Altezza does not give a sense of confidence to its driver and it desperately needs a suspension tuning. There are also many things that need a bit of love.

D2 Hi/Lo Soft/Hard Adjustable Suspension