cAstro my Prius c: Project thread

I got a Fiat 500 and the Prius C ride is much better as it sit lower to the ground and ride better in highway.

 

If I may ask, what made you switch?

 

I didn't switch, that's my wife car that I bought for her a year ago, she still drive it but she wants an SUV next year so we will be trading that in next year.

 

He got the Abarth version though. He said there is a night and day difference between the 500 and the Abarth. Almost as much as there was from the 500 to the C.

 

WOW!!! Incredibly informative. Thank you. But how did you secure the amp? I'm leary about drilling into sheet metal.

 

Ryan,

Fyi - I did an aftermarket head unit, kept bluetooth (in fact got even more features with it) and did the AWSC-1 controls interface. There is 0 lag like old steering wheel interfaces, it's as fast as stock.

The new unit can:
1. I press pandora, it launches it over bluetooth on my android phone, and I can see/adjust stations, thumbs up/down etc.
2. Notify me of incoming text (doesn't display, but indicates I got one)
3. Though I have a C2, I can program the ASWC-1 to either long press my off hook button to enable PTT, or something else.
4. The push to talk uses the built in google voice, so I can say "call wife at work" instead of the crazy oem commands...

 

any trouble removing the passenger seat during the amp install?

do i need to take any special precautions to account for the airbag sensor?

 

Nice!

 

when you say don't reposition them, what exactly do you mean? where are they? i'm getting ready to do this next weekend.

also, what did you use to mount the amp? i've only seen mdf and pine at the local hardware store, but i'm looking for a lighter wood or even some sort of high density foam - anything that is light and will hold screws.

 

Hey Ryephile,

I've been reading up on your build here and have a few questions about suspension set-ups for the C. First of all, do you have any information on how the Tanabe Sustec Z40 coilovers that Garm installed on his C compared to the KW v3 coilovers you had on yours? You never mention adding a rear sway bar into the mix, which is something people on this forum seem to swear by - what is your thought on the one offered by Whiteline? Also, a few months ago you mentioned that you still had your Powergrid adjustable droplinks available for sale - do you still have them, and (more importantly for me, since I know very little about suspension) what advantage does installing them give? Thanks!

 

I'll chime in a little since I am currently running Ryephile's old kw v3 suspension on my C right now. I also have the whiteline rear sway installed.

The z40 and the v3 are both very respectable coilover systems in their own right. For a daily driver, it's really overkill but I love the adjustability, and the dampening but most importantly, the quality of the product.

The rear sway bar by itself, makes a significant difference in the mannerisms of the car. It's much more stable from turn in to turn out.

After adding the suspension to the rear sway bar, it completely transformed the car into a much more precise and sporty feel. No longer is the car "floaty". It very much feels connected with the road, albeit sometimes too much when the roads are rough. IE, you feel what the car feels.

Can't comment on the powergrid drop links though. They do look beefy and certainly should offer a performance upgrade from stock.

 

What line level audio convertors did you use?

 

Hi B2Finity (pardon any repetition), could you tell me how to find the Whiteline rear sway for a C that you mentioned? I've been to their site but can't find it. They list one for a Yaris but claim it's not compatible with a C--though I gather this may not be true. And, if you have any knowledge about other rear sway offerings for the C, I'd appreciate that too. Mine is a 2012.
Many thanks.

 

Not B2F, but here you go:
Whiteline 22mm Adjustable Rear Swaybar for Toyota Prius C

 

Thanks Shibby, looks good. I appreciate it.

 

B2FiNiTY, could you follow up on how you like the Whiteline sway bar now, regarding the links (which look like they'd allow twisting) and especially the stiffness (i.e., is it too much)? You mention that on rough roads, the car sometimes feels too connected--is that a result of the bar or something else? Thanks.