Road car and making it equipt to handle off/rough road driving

B J

New member
Feb 20, 2013
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Hi
Im curious if this is possible. Forgive me i am not a car fanatic, only knowing how to turn the thing on and off.

Fuel costs are a problem i guess for many and cars can really become expensive, not to mention jeep prices. I was using supercarros the DR car website and i check the mileage available on some of the smallers cars and they are very reasonalbe
example
Kia picanto 67.3 mpg (2012 Kia Picanto Specs)
Diahatsu Sirion 1.0 Sirion takes the prize for fuel economy with a combined figure of 56.5mpg Daihatsu Sirion Review

My situation is where i live; The main roads are quite okay to drive on. its the occasional mega huge pot holes i have to negotiate from time to time near my homes.

Question; can i put special suspension on these cares and buy better tires for these cars to cope with this rough riding. I dont want to purchase a jeep the fuel bill is tremendous.
Can you recommend a mechanics/parts place that can maybe lift the care a few inches higher, can afix better suspension and tires???
 
Jack that baby up so you have to have a ladder to climb up! :)

We actually have the same problem with our toyota carolla. Our new nemeses local neighbors decided to steal our cement from building a garage and make a speed bump. b.c the locals on their bikes drive like crazy. it has made our car bottom out. I can now mostly get over it if i drive sideways going really slow but wtf they have their nerve stealing our cement! It's a 2 block bumpy road from highway to beach.
I want to go with a jackhammer and remove it, but i also like my life.....

That is also why we got the corolla, fuel costs. We had an Explorer before...gave me a heart attack watching the fuel gauge move down so quickly! I'm not cheap but we are retired and on a fixed income!
 

B J

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Feb 20, 2013
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This is exactly my problem. id love a car that can give me 56mpg. I dont care about speed and comforts etc. I do care about improving the car to a point where it can cope with potholes etc. Id like to jack the car up a few inches. ANY recommendations on who can do this... North coast sosua POP area
thanks
 

Givadogahome

Silver
Sep 27, 2011
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Where are you located?

Did you not know, Sosua is to newcomers as is England to Dominickans ( in New York)

i'm guessing, but I know I'm right!

buy a hovercraft, a helicopter or just buy cheap crap for RD120,000, if you can't get this sorted your fkd here, everyone needs a little mechanical sabe to exist, unless you've got a hovercraft.

Make the suspension as hard as you can, other than that, buy a CRV!
 

CARIBETORNO

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May 3, 2013
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Your options are very limited on small FWD cars. increasing your rim diameter to get more height but that is about the least expensive but won't gain much Some companies are starting to make suspension lift kits for FWD cars mid size cars. They do make some universal extended strut kits that may be able to be adapted. Donk Suspension Lift Kits for Caprice, Impala, Delta 88, Monte Carlo, Cutlass, Regal, Crown Victoria, Marquis, Towncar, Vic, Donks, and more If it was in USA we could do it in the shop but we do trucks. here is one company, I know little about them but they make lift parts for FWD
 

CARIBETORNO

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May 3, 2013
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jacking up the car will improve the clearance combined with talle tires. as far as improving its performance over potholes etc. I am not sure if any kit is really designed for that for small cars. Most are made just to look cool(if it is cool at all) I do not know if it would be very durable. you could ask the Mfg.
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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Unless you drive a lot of miles dont sacrifice safety. Maybe buy harleys ford explorer. I bet most gringos drive a lot less miles in the DR then they did in their home country. Safety should always be your number one concern. Drive a tank of a car locally, take a bus for distance. Plus having a 4x4 will give you a car for off road beach and mountain fun.

Also those mpg's you quoted are not real and will reduce further with car modifications.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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56 mpg????
I WISH!
"Jack Up" the car as high as you like, the differencial, drive shaft, and frame won't move at all.
Buy a good used Toyota Carolla ".
You can beat it to death, and get cheap used parts to fix it!
Never buy NEW.
The DR can beat any car to death.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
 

CARIBETORNO

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May 3, 2013
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When is the last time you have seen a fuel saving car that has a Differential,driveshaft,or frame????? unless you buy very old cars that are already beat to death. The toyota is a good choice Pre 1980. they were cast iron engines. I had over 400,000 miles on a 1979 and that was after i blew the radiator hose and kept driving until i died at 255,000. i replaced the hoses,the burnt plug wires and other things i burnt up and changed fluid and added another 100,000 plus on it. Best car I ever owned. You can jack up the cars but the clearance is only as high as the tires. good for floods however but ground clearance is limited by tire height. Therefore you do not have to go too high.
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
The best solution would be a small pickup. They have very strong frames because they have a separate chassis, unlike cars, and they can also be raised easily. A diesel can get around 50 kpg. It is also economical with propane.
 

CARIBETORNO

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May 3, 2013
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The best solution would be a small pickup. They have very strong frames because they have a separate chassis, unlike cars, and they can also be raised easily. A diesel can get around 50 kpg. It is also economical with propane.
i agree. its hard to beat a pickup for rough roads.we have a skoda car its fairly good on small pot holes. i never found any pot in a pot hole however.
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
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i have a honda capa. this is more in line with the small call you are after, very economical to drive. i got it from my in laws and the lifted it up (just a bit) and fitted with bigger tires (a tad bit higher still). now it's perfect. i drove this car on crappy roads, along with pickups and jeeps, causing much stir among other drivers. all you need to do is go slow and watch the road to be able to pass the worst. in addition capa is short so when all those corollas take speed bums sideways i go go straight, like a boss :)

i tell you something, just go on the worst road, in the most remote part of DR and you will see normal, beaten up all sedans. dominicans can take any car, any place... ;)
 
May 5, 2007
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don't know what availability is, but I use to rent Nissan Diesel 4x4 King Cab from National. tough and decent mileage


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i
 

Hernandez

Banned
Feb 9, 2009
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Trying to go real offroad on most modern SUVs will result in broken suspension, drivetrain or transmission. Puckup trucks still have strong frame chassis and stronger transmission/drivetrain than SUVs, but they stuck in a mud easily even with 4x4, because of longer wheelbase and lack of locking differentials. If you want something big, 4x4, with real offroad capabilities and with good fuel economy the same time, I'd say that Nissan Patrol Y61(1997-2012 model) with 3.0L Turbo Diesel is the only option, but the parts are hard to find here and expensive, and there's no option to order parts from US since this model is not available for US market.
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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i think you guys are missing the point that the dude wants tiny economical car tweaked and not a big ass truck.