16,800 miles: An Automotive Year in Review

"Jayhawk Jake" (jayhawkjake) 07/25/2014 at 13:00 • Filed to: SONIC

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What follows is a small memoir of my first year with my 2013 Chevrolet Sonic RS. It also serves as my message of gratitude and appreciation towards the awesome opposite lock community.

Nearly 2 years ago I was the moderately !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . It was painted Titanium and had every option box ticked: nav, sunroof, spoiler, automatic. I know some of you may scoff at me for saying this, but that was actually a really great little car. It felt much more luxurious than it had any business to with a leather interior, wireless key, push button start, the aforementioned nav system, and slick color matched wheels.

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I loved my little Kia, but there were a few issues. First of all, it was an automatic. Don't hold it against me: I wanted nav when I bought it and you couldn't get a manual with nav, and I had only driven manual once or twice with limited success, so at the time the idea of purchasing a new car with a manual was scary.

Second of all, it was a coupe. Shouldn't have been a problem for a young single person such as myself, but one of my hobbies happens to be flying remote control airplanes, and as my collection of airplanes grew bigger, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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I had started to realize I might need some more space, and even confessed to such on Oppo. It took a while before those thoughts started to materialize though.

After Ford announced the Fiesta ST, I was hooked with the idea of a small hot hatchback. Manual transmission, turbocharged engines, better performance than my Kia (although with 174 hp the Kia wasn't half bad), and enough space to carry anything I'd ever need. I'm not a very patient person, so I started shopping well before the FiST become available. I had heard of this little Chevrolet Sonic, and I knew there was an RS version, but I brushed it off at first. I live down the street from a Chevy dealer though, so one day after work I stopped in. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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I was immediately smitten by the exterior, I still think it's the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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The interior though, damn. It blew me away. Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I certainly didn't expect to like it so much. Very comfortable seats but not overly bolstered like the Recaros in the Focus ST (sorry, I don't like them for day to day use). Sharp looking motorcycle dashboard. User friendly and attractive mylink system. A well designed flat floor cargo area.

But the Sonic isn't exactly a powerhouse, and I even questioned if it'd be any fun to drive in that first post

Didn't get to drive one, the only manual they had was in the showroom. Shame it's so down on power though, at 138 HP it's probably not very fun to drive, at least not compared to the Fiesta or Focus.

I couldn't shake that first impression though. The car was so good loooking, and the interior was so nice that I had fallen for it. A couple opposite lock members pointed out how tuneable the car was in that first post (more on how awesome you all are later), so it started to get more and more appealing (thanks DBWine and Axel-Ripper!)

I have a tuned Chevy Cruze (same 1.4T engine) and I can whole heartedly say that it REALLY wakes the car up. This is what I got, but for my Cruze: !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (Trifecta is the way to go, great support).

Later that night I started justifying a purchase. T !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I loved it. I pretty much knew right then I was going to own it

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Sure, it wasn't blisteringly quick, but it was peppier than you'd think given the 138 hp rating. It handled extremely well though, and for ~$20k it was cheaper than any Fiesta ST would be, so why wait?

Surprisingly I didn't buy it the next day. Five days later though, a year ago today on July 25th, 2013 !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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Here it is sitting on the showroom floor looking all shiny. It was mine at this point, just some paperwork to fill out. I was so excited I accidentally a word (Handles really)

The next day I was a bit in shock, and gave some quick impressions. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! I would later go on to drive 3000 miles in the first month

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So thus began my year of hot hatch ownership. Many things happened in that year, and that's why I made this post. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! starting with an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! (video link)

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!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . Tune came about a month or so later, I can't find my original post but it is glorious.

I yo' dawg'd by driving to Sonic in my Sonic while listening to Sonic

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I provided a very biased review of my car at 10,000 miles

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But this spring, the Sonic started to really shine. Correction: I started to really understand just how awesome the Oppositelock community is. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

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At the meet I met AthomSfere and midengineer (formerly mrtwotastic (I still like that name)), and was finally convinced to try autocross by a friend and coworker of mine. !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! , but now I'm actually a member of the SCCA, which has been great. I've made new friends, had new experiences (like driving a Cayman R), and learned so much about driving. My little Sonic has been a bit of a star, I've gotten all sorts of compliments about it from SCCA guys which is a nice testament to the character of this little hatch

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It was here I met My Buick is Too A Real Muscle Car and had one of the more terrifying experiences of my life riding in the murder sofa at speeds it should never be allowed to go

Also this spring/summer I started hanging out with the Wichita crew regularly at Friday Night Car shows, even getting a chance for some car swapping to see people experience the tuned Sonic

I've sort of rambled on, but it's been a great year. Buying this Sonic may not have been a great financial decision, but I couldn't be happier with it. It's sparked a greater interest in cars for me, and that interest along with the awesome community has helped me build new friendships, experience new thrills, and just all around have a fantastic freaking year of ownership.

I don't really know how else to say it, but thanks for the great year oppo. This truly is among the greatest communities on the internet. Where else can a picture like that happen with no animosity towards one another based on the cars we drive? In the past year this community has done some amazing things to, whether it's supporting fallen members like CalzoneGolum after his unfortunate back injury, or giving advice and support to members in need even when it's not car related. We've gotten our name on a race car, shared memories and experiences, highs and lows, but through it all you've all proven time and time again why I'm proud to display that oppo sticker on the back of my car. There's no car club in the world I'd rather be a part of, so give yourselves a pat on the back and then take a drive, you've earned it

Vicente Esteve > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:11

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Amen

Bandit > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:18

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Quite a good write up, I busted out laughing when I scrolled to the last picture though. I didn't expect a sideways Doge.

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:22

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I don't think of us as a car club. I think us as a big family who likes cars that you can talk to about anything and everything. Though sometimes tempers may flare we always support each other no matter what they decide to do. (I know this sounds corny but it is true).

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:33

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It was here I met My Buick is Too A Real Muscle Car and had one of the more terrifying experiences of my life riding in the murder sofa at speeds it should never be allowed to go

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I like this. Carry on.

Great writeup, I enjoyed reading about how you modified it. Plans for any more mods, or leaving it as-is?

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:42

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Doge stickers for life.

Jayhawk Jake > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/25/2014 at 13:47

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I would like to do a downpipe, short shifter, and turbo heatshield.

Short shifter I'm waiting for DDMWorks to release one for this MY, they said they would but I haven't heard any updates. Downpipe I think I'm going to get in August...depends how much money I get at the end of bowling league. Turbo heatshield is a DDMworks part, mostly cosmetic, if it goes on sale I might jump on it.

Jayhawk Jake > Vince-The Roadside Mechanic 07/25/2014 at 13:48

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I agree. Honestly I think of people on here as my friends. It's a big group of friends, and in the best possible way. Sometimes we argue, but it's never so bad to end a friendship.

Jayhawk Jake > Brian Silvestro 07/25/2014 at 13:49

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Dat C7 tho. And dem C6s. And dat C1. And is that a C6 Z06 I see peeking above your FiST?

Jayhawk Jake > Bandit 07/25/2014 at 13:49

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Thanks.

Doge is love. Doge is lyfe

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:49

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such doge. much awesome. wow

Dsscats > Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To 07/25/2014 at 13:50

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Your user name should be My Buick is Too a Real Murder Couch

Vince-The Roadside Mechanic > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:51

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One day I want to go on a road trip and talk to every Opponaut in the US or Mexico in person. I think it would be awesome to meet all of you folks.

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 13:51

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Probably. Here's pictures of all the cars that day: http://oppositelock.jalopnik.com/cars-coffee-yo…

Jake - Has Bad Luck So You Don't Have To > Dsscats 07/25/2014 at 13:54

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I wish I could change it, but the Kinja name limit means I'm stuck with this unless I want something awfully truncated :(

Jayhawk Jake > Brian Silvestro 07/25/2014 at 14:05

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Yep. It's here, the orange one

Brian Silvestro > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 14:08

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The GT3 doesn't suspect a thing!

Henry Diesel > Jayhawk Jake 07/25/2014 at 16:23

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My face everytime I see pics of your car:

Jayhawk Jake > Dsscats 07/25/2014 at 16:27

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Unfortunately kinja killed name changes like that...

I actually wanted to change mine to My Sonic Is Too a Real Hot Hatch, but it doesn't let you :(

Long Live the Longdoor > Jayhawk Jake 07/26/2014 at 00:32

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Thanks for the shout out, I'm glad I could give you some input on the Trifecta tune (it's pretty solid isn't it?)! Your RS is turning out to be pretty solid!

Funny enough, I just posted on how I'm going to be getting rid of my Cruze with the tune to drive my wife's Cobalt for a couple years (madness!). Though it means I'll get my newest car obsession faster lol.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Jayhawk Jake 08/14/2014 at 23:31

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Holy. Shit. That paint is fucking awesome.

norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback > Brian Silvestro 08/14/2014 at 23:37

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You're a New Yorker too? Things I've learned today!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jayhawk Jake 08/14/2014 at 23:51

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Damn you drive a lot! my mom's jetta is about to hit 3 years and it's got only 900 miles more than your car!

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Jayhawk Jake 08/14/2014 at 23:59

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that last part is making my eyes irritated, and I think they're watering profusely now....
Seriously though, I love your car! if I had the balls to Void a warranty, I might've gotten a Sonic RS instead of the GLI (not saying the GLI isn't good, it's fucking perfect) but I do have a soft spot for this thing!

And yeah I agree 100% Oppo is more than a community, it's like one large car loving family stretched over the whole world!

Brian Silvestro > norskracer98-ExploringTheOutback 08/15/2014 at 06:54

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AAAAWWWWWWW YIIIISSSSSSSS