Its back

It has been a little over 2 years since my Celica was sold. I was glad that the car remains in the Celica Club but to my knowledge, the new owner stays in another state and most likely attends only big events. Since it is still in the club, I could sometime see photos of it and keep track on its updates. There was an last year and I had the chance to come upon the above photo on the club's Facebook page. I thought of posting this just for the sake of reminiscing.

In my opinion, I am glad that the new owner remains the original and rare Thunder Grey color and there is no change to body kit. If you look closely, the new owner installed the same 4 pot brakes I used to have from 6th generation Celica GT-4 model. It is not so obvious because it is grey in color but I obviously prefer gold color because when I had the car, the brakes were gold. He asked me to sell the brakes back to him but we could not agree with the price. When it comes to the decals, I feel it is a personal preference. Some part of it I like some part I do not like. Interior wise, I have no idea whether anything have been changed.

That's it from me. Tell me what you think about the new look on my previous ride in the comment section. Sorry it is such a short post especially since the long hiatus from me. As you know I drive a regular sedan now. So, there will be almost no stories to post but I will come by once in a while if anything catch my attention. Ciao for now.

Reunion

On the day of the Hyundai Veloster Turbo test drive, some Celicas joined in on the occasion. To be honest, I did not expect to have this many Celica to turn up and it was definitely a nice view with all the different colors. I have lost count how long ago was the last time I had an event with the Celica club and I am happy to see them. There were some old members that I have not seen in a long time and there were some new faces along with new rides. It has been such a long time since I had someone to have these car talks with. There were moments with the old members where it felt like the time we were apart did not happen and we were chatting like how we used to. Around the new faces however, I felt very much older being 2 generations of owner before them and was sharing some knowledge I have accumulated back in the days. Definitely feels good to be back in the club and how much I have missed being around motorheads like me.

Among all the photos I have taken on that day, I particularly like the photos that I took below. The reason being it is a rare shot of both the Pre-facelift model and the Face-lift model side by side. I would say nice to see both models being so stock but you can see that the silver Pre-facelift model has skirting from the front all the way to the rear and you may not see it, the grey Face-lift model is sitting on aftermarket rims. For an untrained eye, the difference between these 2 models might be limited to just a re-worked front bumper and new rear lights. I can assure you there are 2 more differences on the exterior. It might not be clear but the Face-lift from lights have a small design change and is now height adjustable xenon lights instead of projector lights. The cover just above where the car plate would be is of different design with a chrome line on top. It is really nice to see them both together side by side. What a sight !

When I was an active member of the Celica Club Malaysia, this is particular Celica was my twin car. Just like my ex-Celica, it is a late Face-lift model and it also shares the same color. This body color is actually a special color called the Thunder Grey (yes, that is the name used in UK) and is made only available for Face-lift models. You might not know it but there are very, very less Face-lift models that could be found on the road especially with this color. So, you could say it is quite rare. I have only seen 3 of them including my previous ride. One of the member present asked me whether it reminds me of the days I had my Celica. Truth be told, seeing one with the same color and also a late model, it does stirred something inside of me.

At the end of the day, it was really good to catch up with the old members and to chat up with some new faces. Is that a sign that I will be coming out of retirement and join club outings more often ? The answer would a NO. I really enjoy this car talk especially about Celica with guys and going out on convoys but I think I am more comfortable to join once in a while for a big event such as the test drive. Maybe when I get a new sports car, I would join more often because right know it feels a little weird being the odd one out. Who knows what the future hold ?

Valentine Eve

I could not remember the last TT I joined with the Celica Club but I think it was around slightly more than a year ago. Recently, my buddy, the president's son called me up regarding a new club t-shirt that he was designing and wonder would I like to buy one. I told him it would be embarrassing to buy the club t-shirt while I do not drive a Celica anymore. He said my membership is a lifetime one and it is I who does not want to join in any club activity. I answered, it is not me but the nature of their recent meetups are convoys and my Mazda 6 could not catch up the Celica, which is a sports car. However, out of friendship and nostalgia, I bought one. Soon, he informed that the club t-shirt is ready to be collected on 13th February, Valentine's Day Eve. I wanted to borrow my buddy's Celica with the 3S-GTE turbo engine but his beast is in the workshop. I was nervous when I was heading towards the usual meeting place but good memories of me rushing there every weekend, seeing many modded Celicas and the drag races, certainly came to my mind. Those were the good old days.

Sample of the new Club T-Shirt

When I arrived, one particular Celica caught my attention. It was a dark grey Celica (my current favorite color) with wide body arches. Over the years in the club, I have yet to see any Celica with wide body arches that looks good. This one is similar to the Rocket Bunny Wide Body Bodykit for the Toyota 86 where the arches stops at the back. Certainly gives it a racing plus drift car feeling to it. I also particular like the rear arch that uses studded design. At first look, the rim used is huge and match the wide body arches and I like how he painted the brand and model of the tires white. Upon close look, I found out that the offset of the rim is indeed nice but he used a thick spacer, roughly around 20 mm to push it further out.

Front TRD

Front Wide Body Arch

Rear Wide Body Arch

Better view of the Studs

Toyota 86 with Rocket Bunny Wide Body kit for reference

While I was talking to some members that I have not met for a long time, I saw a face that was familiar. He was the mechanic who recently came to me to purchase ST205 front 4 pot calipers and ST205 rear 2 pot brake set to install on his Celica of 1 year. I remember asking him what has he got under his hood to need the brake upgrade (I upgraded even though my car was slow). He told me his story of how he miraculously found a half-cut Celica with the ultra-rare Blitz Supercharger kit and he installed the new engine and supercharger kit into the Celica as an overhaul. I was glad to meet new owners that is so enthusiastic in modding. I took the opportunity to see his car up close and hear the roar of the Blitz Supercharger that I love so much. I could spot his Celica a mile away because of the intercooler that has the BLITZ word on it and love how the intercooler piping could be seen clearly. I had him start his car and open up the hood. Then I proceed to play with the throttle body to hear the awesome sound from the supercharger and soon it captured everyone's attention.

Front Rare, Weber Sport Bumper with Blitz Supercharger kit

Ultra-Rare and Expensive Treasure - Blitz Supercharger

The Blitz Supercharger was definitely the highlight of that night for me and my partner. It really did remind me of the good old days where we spend almost no time in the cafe but instead stand beside cars and look at the mods each car has. It would definitely be awesome if there were some drag races too. I really do miss watching and especially miss racing myself. In the end, I am not sure whether I will still join another club meeting or not. Maybe if I get to borrow my friend's turbo Celica or after I bought a new sports car.

It's Online

A few months after my Celica was brought to my father's friend place, his friend finally managed to sell the Celica. However instead of getting a nice price for a rare, late facelift model, he sold it to a dealer. Selling to a dealer means losing at least 30% from its market value which is less desirable. As a guy who has a new car, any amount I could get back is better than none but as a guy that loves the car, it is just sad. I was told that it was a hard sell because of the unpopularity of the Celica and it was the last resort to sell to a dealer.  This morning I saw the online ad for my Celica and I was shocked at the price it is being sold now. I heard from my father that it was sold for RM 4X,000 to the dealer and the dealer is selling it at RM 68,999 (bought recond RM14X,000). This is the difference in price that I mentioned and I was reading the spec listed. One item which I did not mod was on the list and one item was damaged but never replaced. In addition, it was owned by a company and driven by the director's son. Not owned by a director as listed on the ad and the first line is already a lie. Will they get away with it ?
However, I do love the photos listed on the ad and I have included those photos and the link to the ad in this post. Enjoy the photos and here is the link "Celica Online Ad".

Seeing the ad means it has really come to an end between me and my Celica. Soon I would call it the one I used to have instead of my Celica after the exchange of ownership papers. I wonder what I would feel if I ever see this Celica with its new owner on the road. 

Farewell to You

You came into my life unplanned and caught me by surprise. Never in my life would I have guessed that I would have a chance to have you in my life. This was the beginning of my story of my Celica. It has only been 4 years since I met you and some say it is short but to me it has been a lifetime. My car related life before you was just the beginning of me as a driver. Back then I knew nothing much about cars and was beginning the aesthetic phase that struck many drivers that most never left that phase. Prior to you, I only had experience with bodykit and rims for my Vios. You taught me a lot about sports car performance know how and driving skills that I could have never learned from driving a regular car or from reading magazines.You gave me actual experience of driving a sports car and showed me the effects of mods. Rather than reading about how a lift kicks in, I had the chance to feel it firsthand and I get to experience changes as the car undergoes more and more mods.

My curiosity of how a car works, what a mod does and how to properly handle a sports car increased and I started to learn more. You taught me that raw horsepower and high displacement engines are not what that matters. You taught me the difference between brake and wheel horsepower. Other includes the potential of cars with different drivetrains, power of naturally aspirated cars versus force inducted cars, the different types of layout and engines available and my personal opinion that handling is more important than increasing horsepower. Thanks to you, I even had the chance to enter a race car circuit for a drive (twice actually). I happen to be the type that learns faster by doing the deed and having you around makes that easier. I also get to know a great bunch of enthusiast that enable me to learn from them and allowed me to drive different setup for the same car such as TRD spec, super NA, supercharged and turbo Celicas.

It was really hard for me to hand over your keys and watched you left the premise, knowing I will never see you again. It really breaks my heart to watch my mentor, my partner in crime, my pride and my companion leave my life so early. I had many good memories together and remembered taking you out for a spin whenever I am depressed. Most of the people around me knows I treated you like my wife, taking care of you most of the time. You have done well accompanying me in the process of learning. I am a better driver thanks to you. The new car might be here but you will never be replaced so easily. You are my first sports car and I will never forget you even if I have a new sports car in my life. Now my car is just a car and not my partner in crime but I will always have the memories when we were together.  Farewell and I hope that you will find a new owner that will care about you like I did soon. Thank you and Goodbye.

On the Track

First Wedding Convoy

Dyno Time !

First Model Shot with my long hair

Full Blast Models

A New Year

So it has been 3 weeks and still the problem could not be resolved. All we know is that the E.C.U. is running on safe mode and hence the rev cut at 7,000 rpm. My dad is getting restless and his friend have finally agreed to take the car to sell. Also, coincidentally a potential buyer texted me and so I have to bring the car back for the buyer to view. I took the liberty to search on a famous Celica forum and found somethings but it was useless too. I have no choice but to exchange the Celicas and bring mine to the office for viewing. So, I went to exchange and when I was almost home, something major happened and if I know my luck well, it is usually not a good thing. The car stopped and I was stranded for 3 hours by the highway.

Left the temporary ride for my own ride.

End of manual experience

After 3 weeks, finally get the best mileage for 15L of petrol

It was the first time I have experienced such an event. I was driving along a highway not far from my place and I was hitting around 130 km/h and suddenly I felt a sudden loss of power where there is no response when I hit the accelerator. I remember having experienced something like this once when I was driving around 185 km/h and the speed cut came. So, the car started to decelerate at a high pace and I was fearing the car behind me would hit me. Since there was no response from the accelerator, I tried downshifting. Still with no response, I put it back to Drive and then the rpm needle went haywire, downshifting and upshifting on its own will and rpm going up and down crazily. I have no choice but stop by the road side and although the car was not moving anymore, I felt the car vibrating and the engine started to choke like the engine is going to die off and it did. I then try to restart the engine but it took me almost 2 minutes to start. I thought my nightmare was over when it started but the idle rpm could not even go past 1,000 rpm and slowly chokes with whirling sound in the exhaust. It died off again and could not restart. I even saw some white smoke from under the hood.

Location of petrol tank 

All empty out

I remembered my mechanic friend told me that he changed almost everything mechanical that he could think of in order to fix my rev cut problem. That is why I could not think of any problem and I panicked. I call my mechanic friend to hurry over to fix my problem. By the time he arrived, I was already very sweaty like in a sauna and he tested the ignition coils, spark plugs and injectors. He realized that the injectors were not injecting any petrol and then he went and took a look inside the petrol tank and realize it was as dry as a desert. I could not believe that it was this empty when the petrol gauge shows there is still petrol left. This gave us a hint that the meter cluster that might be malfunctioned and could be the source of the rev cut problem. However, that is the least of my thoughts because I was wondering how on Earth could I get some petrol. My friend called his friend to bring some petrol and I was on my way back home but I realized there is a problem with the aircond compressor and hose. The next day, my dad's friend came and took the car. I was told that the aircond compressor is done and needs replacement. Lucky I do not need to deal with that. In a way, the Celica gave  me another lesson as a farewell gift. I finally know how it feels when you are out of petrol. It was not pleasant but definitely memorable.

Could be the last time I see this view and look at the special guest behind. Lucky shot.

Temporary Ride

It is known from one of my previous post that my Celica has been sent for repairs and because the mechanic is a friend of mine, I got a great deal. When I sent my car to his workshop I would be without a ride home and the work needed to be done will take at least 3 days. So, in exchange my friend loan me his Celica while mine is at his workshop. Actually this Celica of his is of no stranger to this blog because it has been featured here before but it is a little bit different now. What has change is the removal of the powerful Blitz Supercharger kit, all the cool gauges and its super computer, the Power FC. So now, it is just a regular manual Celica with super loud exhaust muffler. Now since the accident, I have not been driving the Celica and have not had any exciting drives and knowing I could have a manual Celica really got my blood pumping fast again.

Familiar 4 Pot Brake

It has been over 2 weeks and still my Celica could not be diagnosed. I am getting worried but at the same time, I have been enjoying the manual one. Firstly, I will talk about what is familiar about this Celica that I find close to my own Celica. On the outside, there is not one part that is similar with a different bumper, different spoiler, different lights and different rim. When you venture inside, the seats, the interior lights on the dash and interior color tone is different especially the exciting manual shift lever. Since my Celica is a facelift model, only the name, shape and design are the same. However, there are some small bits that reminds me of my own Celica. On the outside, there is only the 4 pot brakes that I myself have upgraded. The inside there is the facelift cluster meter, auto transmission paddle shift buttons, the passenger seats, metal pedals and the door sills. Sure brings back memory just by sitting in the cockpit and instantly you get that racing feeling.

This is not the first manual NA Celica that I have driven. So, I am familiar with the difference in performance with manual and auto transmission. The manual car will just keep going and the torque is great. It is so nice that even the 20 kg brakes feel normal here compared to the heavy weight I felt on my auto. This car has a slightly hard clutch and the pedal is not easy to engage especially when you need to start the car. Since I drive it daily, I have been introduced to traffic jams, slopes, bumps and some instant when you can't get the gear in and this is a good learning experience for me. I find out that stock clutches are the easiest to drive but this hard to handle clutch gave me more confidence in driving a manual car. The brakes are great and I am used to it but the handling needs work. It has the same aftermarket suspension that I had and is a Superstrut suspension. However, the car is on a much stiffer setting than my already stiff setting and maybe because of the large spacer it uses, the car is not steady and balance. It feels like it will jump around even at small and low speed corners which is surprising given its stiff setting.

Favourite Part of It

The worst part is that horrible exhaust muffler. It is so deafening especially in the Celica which has almost no sound proofing done. The sound comes immediately after 2,000 rpm which is quite instantly since the close ratio gearbox revs quickly, forcing me to shift up really quickly and in a minute I am already at 4th gear just to avoid the sound. So, I have been cruising on 6th gear most of the time and the worst is when you are in a housing area or when I am back home during midnight. It is a hassle to drive while trying to keep it quiet. Luckily with 2 weeks of practice, I manage to control the sound to a minimal. Sometimes it results in jerks when on 1st gear. It makes me wonder how could all its owners stand that bloody noise and how people like loud exhaust sounds. It causes headache sometimes especially after work and it consumes petrols a lot too. Do not get me wrong when I complain because it has been a joy to drive a manual Celica. It is like a dream come true and the power is addictive like how a high rev NA with instant respond feels like. However, I think it is time to get my Celica back. 

The annoying loud exhaust muffler

P.S. All the photos show parts that are familiar except manual shifter and exhaust muffler.

Comparison Part 2

2013 MAZDA 6 VS 2005 TOYOTA CELICA

Brakes

It is no surprise when I notice the Mazda 6 have a single pot (piston) brake caliper in the front because this is the current spec of majority cars on the road from big cars to small compact cars. So, what differs from a big car's brake and compact car's is the size of the rotors. The larger the rotor the more likely the larger the piston is but I am surprised at the size of the rotors for the Mazda 6. Being a large sedan with high weight and quite high power, it has small brakes that sometimes I feel it is difficult to brake at high speed and the car might sway a bit. At low to medium speed it works just fine. In the Celica, the original brakes have larger rotors than the Mazda 6 however, it has what I call "for slowing down" brakes instead of a "for stopping brakes" that most car have. So, it takes a longer time to slow down to the extend that I usually could not stop well unless I down shift or hit the pedal to the metal. That was the reason why I upgraded the brakes to a 4 pot caliper with huge rotors. If compared with stock brakes the Mazda wins hands down but compare to the performance brakes, there is no surprise there. Still I would prefer larger brake rotors for the Mazda 6.

Interior

The interior design is definitely on the classy and luxurious side with leather seats, leather steering wheel and black not so cheap looking plastic. The seats and interior have red stitching that gives it a hint of sportiness to it. The 2013 model comes with GPS and many high tech buttons for its gadgets. The steering wheel come with buttons that comes in handy when your hand is on the wheel. There is even a rear aircond vent. Definitely something that I am not used to but can get accustomed to and after a while you could not help but wonder where are the buttons for other older cars. The Celica is part of a JDM concept of functional but low cost interior. You will only get all the basics. No GPS, no buttons on steering wheel and no gadgets. Just a steering wheel, a cluster meter, a gear knob, seats, aircond and huge amount of cheap plastic. Since I grew up in JDMs, I quite enjoy the plastics as long as it is black in color. Basically when you drive a JDM sports car, speed and performance is all ask for.

Luxurious VS Functional Dash

Comfort

A D-segment sedan must definitely be comfortable due to the target buyers. The Mazda 6 is very comfortable to the point that I could feel sleepy anytime I drive it. Car height is appropriate and suspensions is on the soft side. The rear seats are very comfortable and wheelbase is quite long making the car very acceptable by its passengers. The seats are leather, giving it a very luxurious feeling and very soft. The front seats have a premium design with full leather but also provide supports to minimize body roll with bigger side cushion to hug you all the way. Even with a sedan of similar size, the whole interior feels very large. However it seems with its side mirror design, the wind sound is very strong. Meanwhile, sports car always have a bad image where it have a harsh ride thanks to lower ride with stiffer suspensions. Take my father for instance will never ever imagine himself driving a sports car as a daily drive because he thinks the ride will be so bumpy that his spine will not be able to take it. In his case, his opinion have been influence by his friends about their ride and the fact that my Celica takes a lot to get used to. My Celica has stiff suspension and sits really low. It makes the car bumpy and the seat is quite small because of its support for sporty driving but still comfortable seats once you get used to it.

Fuel Efficiency

Mazda made it their selling point to have good fuel efficiency with its new Skyactiv engine series. The result is a 520 km from 53L of petrol and I achieved a highest mileage of 580 km. Many consumer are stuck with the idea where bigger displacement engine usually are more thirsty but Mazda's Skyactiv engines prove its worthiness. Most of the people's reaction when I told them the mileage I get is huge because with a 2.5L engine, they expect a lower mileage. However, there is a catch. It needs to be driven smoothly and a high mixture of highway driving to achieve such mileage. That happen to me in the first few weeks of getting the car but now from time to time my hard, fast driving side comes out and now I can only get 480 km. The gearbox driving mode that I use also affects the mileage. When engaging in manual tiptronic shift mode, the engine becomes more thirsty and the best compromise is the direct manual mode where is is drive mode but with paddle shift. Shifts as you like but still good mileage. Being a sports car, the Celica gets around 420 km from 50L of petrol and that is a quite decent figure given its performance. This is a mileage I usually get even with driving at great speed in manual mode as how a sports car should be driven. However, being a sports car low fuel efficiency is a norm. The Mazda 6 is definitely more fuel efficient against its rivals that are much heavier and uses a conventional engine.

Left - Celica with 50L petrol highest mileage
Right - Mazda 6 with 53L petrol highest mileage

Conclusion

I happen to watched a web episode of a local car review show that features the Mazda 6 and its rivals in the local scene. The Mazda 6 came in second after the local Honda Accord, losing in terms of less tech gadgets and smaller room space. I take it that besides those two features, the Mazda 6 is superior than of the Accord. I will have to say the Mazda 6 is really good looking on the outside. It is fierce and sporty with the giant grill and sharp headlights but still have the executive and elegant feel to it. On the inside, it might not have the same rear legroom as the Accord but for someone my age and friends from the same age group, the Mazda 6 is already like a king's chair in the rear. In addition, the only gadget that I find the Accord wins is its dual screens but is that necessary. Thus, my conclusion is the Mazda 6 is very spacious, comfortable with a hint of sportiness. Most importantly, giving it is a D-Segment sedan, it is the most driver oriented car in the segment. Just what someone that is after performance and spec rather than comfort like me would choose.

Comparison Part 1

2013 MAZDA 6 VS 2005 TOYOTA CELICA

Engine

Mazda came up with a new engine of its own known as the Skyactiv series that is said to have high power but with good fuel efficiency. This is made possible by mainly increasing the compression ratio of the engine. My Mazda 6 comes with the Skyactiv 2.5L, 4 piston NA engine that produces 185 hp and 250 Nm of torque. It also have one the highest compression ratio of 13:1 for mass produced cars. When you drive the car, the acceleration is quite decent for a D-segment sedan but with its weight it does feel a bit sluggish especially when you are stuck in a traffic jam and want to change lanes. Besides the weight, it could be the result of using a drive-by-wire throttle body like most modern cars that usually have lower response. In my opinion, the engine shines most when you hit the right rpm before you change gear (around 3,200 rpm) and at top speed. I remember cruising down a highway at 160 km/h and with a step to the pedal, the car easily accelerates to 180 km/h with ease. It gives the idea that it could still run all the way. In comparison, the Celica has a smaller but slightly more powerful engine. Overall, I would say the Celica beats the Mazda 6 in the lower rpm range because it uses a more traditional drive-by-cable throttle body that gives quick response as soon as you touch the pedal. In addition, the Celica is 400 kg lighter and has a lower stance making it more aerodynamic and better acceleration. However, at high speed such as 160 km/h it feels like it has given everything and takes more to reach higher speed.

Gearbox

Fitting with the Skyactiv engines, Mazda also develops its own Skyactiv Drive Auto Transmission. According to Mazda, the Skyactiv Drive combines all the advantages of other auto transmission such as CVTs, Dual Clutches and Step Auto. Hearing that, I can't help but feel impressed and look forward to what this Skyactiv Drive could do. In my opinion, the proper gearbox would be a gearbox that comes with 6 speeds and I am definitely glad that the Mazda 6 has 6 speeds. I feel the Skyactiv Drive is tailored made for the engine because of how well it works together. The gear change is smooth and feels natural whether in D mode or manually changing in manual mode with the gear stalk or paddle shifters. However having said that, the gear ratio is not exactly close and even throughout the 6 gears. Some gears are nearer some are far apart but then again this is a close ratio sports car gearbox. It does give a sense that its main purpose is to save fuel so it feels a little reluctant to speed up especially at low rpm. The Celica on the other hand uses a traditional auto gearbox with only 4 speeds that is definitely not enough for a sports car, leaving me wanting more gears when I race the car and also manual shifting on the gear lever. However because it is for a sports car, the gear change is very smooth and despite the lack of gears it does its job really well especially in manual mode that gives you the sportiness you need.

Manual Shifting possible with Mazda 6

Handling

Having a sports car that is not exactly really quick as a daily drive, handling becomes a key point. I once driven in a race track with other faster sports car and super cars and in the straights I could only see their exhaust fumes but when come to a corner, I was right behind them. That is when I started to appreciate good handling cars. So whenever I test drive a car, I will surely test its handling. The Mazda 6 is known to have a slightly stiffer suspension in the D-segment car range. This is an advantage against its rival for me. Other D-segment cars including the Mercedes E Class focus very much on comfort and thus have very soft suspension which is not to my liking. What the Mazda 6 provides is a comfortable ride but with a hint of sportiness. At some point, I am always reminded of how lucky that the Mazda 6 is not completely on the soft side. One of the reason I chose and could live with the Mazda 6.  Definitely a sporty sedan and just what I would want if I am at that executive age. My Celica is a good handling street car and cornering is one of its best feature. The stiff suspension, low stance and thicker anti roll bar really make the car sticks to the ground and I can maneuver through most corners easily. Thus, making me want more out of the Mazda 6 but quickly remind myself that it is not a sports car. We must also not forget about the steering wheel as it also affects the handling. Usually a light and small steering wheel means better response. The Mazda 6 has a smaller and lighter steering comparing to the Celica. So, it feels much better to maneuver the car. In this aspect the Mazda 6 wins but if you add in weight and suspension stiffness, the Celica is still better.