D Car — July 2004

I’m 31 and hooked on D-Car. My March is gradually getting a D-Car style! There aren’t many sport-compact parts for it, so I’m doing my best with DIY. Can I send a photo when it’s finished? (Shingo, Aichi Prefecture) ★Thirty-one? Absolutely! There’s no age limit on having fun! DIY is tough, but it makes you more attached to the result than if you used ready-made parts. Definitely send a photo—we can’t wait!

My brother recently gave me an EJ1 coupe. I plan to customize it into a car D-Car would feature, so please keep bringing us the latest information! (CD-KOO, Shizuoka Prefecture) ★Since you didn’t have to spend money on the base car, you can put it toward customizing—nice! And what a wonderful brother to give you a car. Z wants a brother like that, too! I’m spending quite a lot on dressing up my car: a full Webers Sports aero kit, an A’PEXi N1 muffler, Euro taillights, Viper security, PIAA fog lamps, 17-inch six-spoke wheels, a Moon Eyes dash mat, and more. I want my car to look like the ones featured in magazines. I spend more than half my part-time wages on it! (Yuichi Takayama, Tokyo) ★You work for your car, don’t you? How devoted! But are you managing when you spend more than half your pay on it? Do you split a convenience-store bento into two meals? Save the cup-noodle broth and add rice later to make another meal? Z is worried!

…passed 80,000 km. Lately I’ve kept the tuning modest and refreshed it with Michelin Pilot Preceda tires and a 5ZIGEN Pro Racer A-SPEC muffler. I maintain it regularly, so the engine, body, and suspension are all in good shape. But reading D-Car made me want to tune it again! Next I’m planning a carbon hood (Feiz), an exhaust manifold (5ZIGEN), and brake lines. I’d also like to change its look with sport-compact parts and accessories. (Yatsu, Gifu Prefecture) ★You’re steadily building it up! Use parts and accessories well to create a unique sport compact, then send a photo for ‘Show Off Your Ride’!

Sport compacts are amazing! I’ve fitted my HR-V with aero, 17-inch alloy wheels, a muffler, grounding wires, and an Acura emblem, and I’m always blown away by everyone’s sport-compact machines. They’re just so cool! I added red mud flaps to my HR-V, which puts it outside the sport-compact genre, so I can’t submit it to the magazine—but I love sport compacts! (Ryo, Hokkaido) ★Yes! Sport compacts are incredible! The trendy gullwing doors open upward, so they’re not exactly easy on your girlfriend or wife. They’re heavy! But that’s the sport spirit—respect!