Daily Drivers: Does It Ever Get Easier?

[Ahung12]

For those who street drive their GT350/R's regularly, how concerned are you about bottoming out the suspension and/or belly pan when moving quickly over the rough stuff?

I live in the Chicago suburbs and commute into the city. My beater is taking a break so I've been daily driving the R for the past few weeks. I get worried about going normal speeds over some of the extremely shitty road surfaces we have here (those who know Rt 53 by Streets of Woodfield/Woodfield Mall all the way to Half Day Road know what I mean). So much so that I'm swerving and/or slowing down significantly. Am I overdoing it?

For comparison, in the past I've owned an Evo IX and S2000 with aftermarket suspension and I've never been concerned about this stuff before. The Evo was probably closer in terms of damping, but the S2000 was closer in ground clearance.

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[Postal Bob]

No!
I don't daily drive my car, but I'm always on the watch for dips, potholes, loose gravel, construction, and steep driveway entrances. I couldn't ever imagine taking my car into NYC, or any congested city.

 

[Mach VII]

No!
I don't daily drive my car, but I'm always on the watch for dips, potholes, loose gravel, construction, and steep driveway entrances. I couldn't ever imagine taking my car into NYC, or any congested city.

I brought a stick shift car into Manhattan once..... never again, felt like my leg was going to fall off by the time I got home.

 

[Champale]

I specifically removed my carbon wheels and replaced them with 20" wheels running the GT500-spec 305/315 PS4S tires for this reason. Gained me half an inch of clearance, which makes a bigger difference than you might think. I still scrape occasionally but it's just black plastic which can be replaced easily.

 

[TonyNJ]

You're not overdoing it. It's the nature of the beast.

Unfortunately an R is not a true street car/daily. It's really a specialty car for street/track. The tires alone are just not designed for street use, and that's just the beginning. Basically, it's use it at your own risk on rough city streets.

My R has 31k miles on it. The underside of the splitter is trashed, the CF wheels have some scuffs, I know eventually I'll crack one because I cracked a GT500 CF wheel on a pothole.

Try to enjoy the drive, if it gets hurt, just fix it.

P.S. splitters and belly pans are consumables. Have an extra set on hand for that rainy day restoration.

 

[daSNAK3]

I have a bad time in my GT with these shitty Illinois roads (I know the area you are talking about)... I am sure its worse in the R. I always try to slow a little if I think its going to be bad.. but sometimes it is so hard to avoid everything.. the roads seem to be getting worse and not being fixed the last few years, I don't remember them being quite this bad in years past.

 

[FUN2RIDEFAST]

For those who street drive their GT350/R's regularly, how concerned are you about bottoming out the suspension and/or belly pan when moving quickly over the rough stuff?

I live in the Chicago suburbs and commute into the city. My beater is taking a break so I've been daily driving the R for the past few weeks. I get worried about going normal speeds over some of the extremely shitty road surfaces we have here (those who know Rt 53 by Streets of Woodfield/Woodfield Mall all the way to Half Day Road know what I mean). So much so that I'm swerving and/or slowing down significantly. Am I overdoing it?

For comparison, in the past I've owned an Evo IX and S2000 with aftermarket suspension and I've never been concerned about this stuff before. The Evo was probably closer in terms of damping, but the S2000 was closer in ground clearance.

Move to Missouri, it worked for me.

 

[Dana Pants]

These cars can hit stuff pretty hard and keep trucking along. Anything that breaks off can be re-attached with stronger fastener. Cars are tools not jewels and bottoming out is of no concern. There are bump stops.

 

[GTthree50]

Mine is not an R but is a daily. Roads here are decent but having had many lowered cars I understand what it is like to own one. Bottoming the suspension is never a concern. Hitting the splitter is something to be aware of since the S550 has a very long frontal overhang but otherwise I use it for almost anything.

 

[Strokerswild]

Move to Missouri, it worked for me.

Move to Minnesota and you can have it all - shitty roads AND your fun car(s) sit for 4-5 months through winter.

 

[nbrownchgo]

I live in the Chicago burbs also and I'd be more concerned with CF rims than bottoming out as the potholes are massive in some areas.

 

[Scuba]

Move to Missouri, it worked for me.

I live about 15mins from downtown Kansas City, MO- I only had my brand new 2018 for about a week when I hit a pothole and damaged my front driver's side tire and wheel.

Honestly, it doesn't matter where you live or what you drive, if you want to keep it nice, it won't get easier.

 

[Postal Bob]

These cars can hit stuff pretty hard and keep trucking along. Anything that breaks off can be re-attached with stronger fastener. Cars are tools not jewels and bottoming out is of no concern. There are bump stops.

Maybe that's the case for a GT like you own, but not a GT350R.

 

[FUN2RIDEFAST]

Maybe that's the case for a GT like you own, but not a GT350R.

I agree. I treat my car like a family member. If you abuse it you pay. If you take care of it it'll take care of you. My 2017 looks like new and it's my daily.

 

[Dana Pants]

Maybe that's the case for a GT like you own, but not a GT350R.

and what is specifically fragile on a GT350R? The R is literally build for track abuse, it can handle a pothole. Trackrats get two tires airborne off the curbing.

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