Ricers? Love or Hate?

[Guest TeKNiK]

I am assuming we all know what a "Ricer" is. If not then a brief description would be an import car such as a civic getting a muffler and body kit put on. NOW, I am not a big fan of ricers and shake my head whenever I see one on the road. BUT, when you goto an import show and you see NICE ones, then it kind of makes up for it. Post up your opinions on the topic. L8r.

[Chief]

Weelll, they're like a classic Nova SS with equal parts rust and chrome. I think that for the most part these things, imports with the basics like 5-point harness, muffler, decals, wheels, and suspension/groundeffects kits are way too stupid. Like you, I mostly laugh at the ones I see cruising Purdue.

 

That said, when they go the step further and start doing a bit more, these cars can be impressive machines. But they're the minority for me.

 

There is no excuse for anycar that has neon underlighting though.

 

Chief

[All Kill3r]

Ricers lol. yea i like them, i think they are great, i especially love seeing the REAL NICE ones. A guy i work with has a decent civic with a 60 shot of nos. Good stuff.

[Chief]

 

This one's alright.

 

 

Chief

[Guest Captain Pants]

Ricers = Crap... if I can beat them in my car, they are terrible

 

However, modified imports...... proper modification, by which I mean engine work, tuned suspension, not adding a 250 lb body kit, keeping off the giant spoiler, etc... those can be nice.

 

I still don't like imports. I find it more amusing than anything the prospect of dumping $45,000 in to a $17,000 car in order to get it to run a 12 second quarter mile time, when given my car, purchased for $2800, given $45,000, I could have that thing pulling wheelstands at the track. Front wheel drive, however, is just a big fat no. If you want a fast import, get a Twin-turbo Supra. RWD, turbo, but incredibly hard to get traction. Far less cost than a modified Civic, however....

 

Anyway, reasons I don't like "rice."

1) Looks: They are plain looking. No way around it, unless you put a body kit on it. A body kit destroys the lines of the car, which makes the car look unnatural, and yes, still ugly. It also adds weight. If you're going for the "modified import" look without the speed, then hooray. Throw a body kit on there. Make the car ugly. Add a 10 foot spoiler as well; make it uglier.

2) Looks part 2: Why a giant spoiler/wing on the rear end? "Downforce," eh? Do these people have any concept of physics? The downforce created by a spoiler would, first, not have a noticeable effect until speeds of 100+ mph are created. Second, the downforce is to ensure traction. When you've got downforce on the rear, you have force on the rear wheels. So, they want more traction on the rear wheels... if you don't see the problem here..... most imports are front wheel drive. You want downforce on the front of the car if you want traction. Downforce on the rear just slows you down.

3) Looks part 3: If you have a giant spoiler, giant body kit, "performance" bumper... please, for God's sake... paint them all the same color. Also, stickers do not make a car fast. It's true. They don't.

4) Engine: 4 cylinder engines are not designed to go fast. This is a fact. You can turbo them, inject them with Nitrous... it's still 4 cylinders. Yes, I'm aware of fast 4 cylinders, like the WRX or Neon SRT4, etc.... but honestly, take off the turbo, and see if you can make a powerful naturally aspirated engine.

5) Exhaust: Get a real exhaust tone. This high-pitched whine is really starting to get on my nerves.

 

I have more, too, but I'm tired of typing.

[Guest TeKNiK]

Weelll, they're like a classic Nova SS with equal parts rust and chrome. I think that for the most part these things, imports with the basics like 5-point harness, muffler, decals, wheels, and suspension/groundeffects kits are way too stupid. Like you, I mostly laugh at the ones I see cruising Purdue.

 

That said, when they go the step further and start doing a bit more, these cars can be impressive machines. But they're the minority for me.

 

There is no excuse for anycar that has neon underlighting though.

 

Chief

... I have underglow kits and I happen to like them . Its a real eye opener here in NJ cause absolutely no one has them around here so its like a cool thing to have. Chief, Is that yours? Cause I must say the decals on it are awsome!

 

Pants. You mentioned the one thing I forgot to mention. GOTTA LOVE THE BIG ALUMINUM WING ON THE BACK OF THEM! But, of course your right when imports have PROPER mods they can be very nice.

[General J]

Ricers = Crap... if I can beat them in my car, they are terrible  

 

However, modified imports...... proper modification, by which I mean engine work, tuned suspension, not adding a 250 lb body kit, keeping off the giant spoiler, etc... those can be nice.

 

 

Anyway, reasons I don't like "rice."

1) Looks: They are plain looking. No way around it, unless you put a body kit on it. A body kit destroys the lines of the car, which makes the car look unnatural, and yes, still ugly. It also adds weight. If you're going for the "modified import" look without the speed, then hooray. Throw a body kit on there. Make the car ugly. Add a 10 foot spoiler as well; make it uglier.

2) Looks part 2: Why a giant spoiler/wing on the rear end? "Downforce," eh? Do these people have any concept of physics? The downforce created by a spoiler would, first, not have a noticeable effect until speeds of 100+ mph are created. Second, the downforce is to ensure traction. When you've got downforce on the rear, you have force on the rear wheels. So, they want more traction on the rear wheels... if you don't see the problem here..... most imports are front wheel drive. You want downforce on the front of the car if you want traction. Downforce on the rear just slows you down.

3) Looks part 3: If you have a giant spoiler, giant body kit, "performance" bumper... please, for God's sake... paint them all the same color. Also, stickers do not make a car fast. It's true. They don't.

4) Engine: 4 cylinder engines are not designed to go fast. This is a fact. You can turbo them, inject them with Nitrous... it's still 4 cylinders. Yes, I'm aware of fast 4 cylinders, like the WRX or Neon SRT4, etc.... but honestly, take off the turbo, and see if you can make a powerful naturally aspirated engine.

5) Exhaust: Get a real exhaust tone. This high-pitched whine is really starting to get on my nerves.

 

I have more, too, but I'm tired of typing.

Ummm Goot... not trying to start fights in your forums but WOW... This reminds me a lot of those one sided, I-am-ALWAYS-right, You-are-wrong, I-can't-open-my-eyes people in the political forum.

 

let me first state that by no means am I saying I just love every single import out there. Nor am I saying "I love the rice rocket."

 

Let me start with the "250 lb" body kit you are referring to. These are not 250 lbs... They are made of light weight composite materials. Think of the normal bumper with a touch more to it. If your statement were true, why would class GT and GTS drivers use the damn things? Yeah, thats right, REAL Professional race teams with body kits! They are there for a purpose on race cars... It's called aerodynamics. As for the giant spoiler comment... Yes I agree with you. But only for a front-wheel drive car. On rear wheel drive they do serve a purpose.

 

Now for your reasons you don't like them.

1) Looks- this is strictly opinion. I personally see most imports as much more styled than the majority of domestics. Look at the new accords, Nissan 350z, umm RX-7, RX-8, tiburons. You get my point. Don't get me wrong! Their are very pretty domestics, but some just don't look like a killer sports car. Oh yea and you contradicted yourself in this one. First you say imports are plain looking, aka ugly, without a body kit. Then you say how ugly body kits are.

 

2) I already went over my feeling on the big spoilers on front wheel drive cars. A nice clean spoiler serves the same purpose on these, and yes downforce can be used on a front wheel drive car. Thing about cornering and the back wheels lift and slide... And by the way! Some imports are front wheel drive... not all. Just like some domestics are front wheel drive. Just because they are made in America doesn't mean they are built any differently.

 

3) LMAO, this one was great because I have seen a lot of cars that are botched seriously. BUT! If by different colors you mean they are a white or blue still you need to think again. This could mean that they are being primed for the final paint. And oh yea, imports aren't the only things that can look like this. I am at Tech school right now, and right out front is a mustang with about 5 shades of greys and reds... The stickers... have you ever seen a car with a K&N Air filter sticker? That's just there to say, "look this is what I use." Not because the sticker is going to make it fast. It's to advertise what is under the hood. NOW! if they don't have a part made by the company from which they have a sticker, go ahead and laugh at them.

 

4)Oh man... this one REALLY got me. 4 cylinders are not designed to be fast? And no, this is not a fact. And that the only way they can be fast is to "turbo" them (lmao "turbo them" bet you use terms like NAWS too don't ya ) Go look at a Honda S-2000 before you ever say anything else about a car. What's that you say?! Oh yes, it's an import. It has an inline 4-cylinder engine. But guess what? It puts out 240 Hp. That sounds like a fast little four cylinder to me. My little celica was used to race a truck with a *GASP* V-8 in it, and it won. Guess what? Not all engines ARE made to go fast. Some are made to haul stuff, some to get you from place to place. Then you have the built engines. A V-8 in a mustang makes sense and goes fast because of the weight of that car. That same engine in a truck or van may only pull half as fast.

Oh and that exhaust... Thats not always just the exhaust. That's how those engines sound naturally. The exhaust you are talking about isn't really exhaust. Its a muffler or tip that has a bigger opening to make louder sounds. If you were to hear a real exhaust system, say from Greddy or Stillen, then you would know what a tuned exhaust sounds like.

 

Don't make your arguments one sided and think about what you type please. And yes I am glad you got tired of typing.

[gOOters]

Heh...ez boys. This thread is about opinions. Pants stated his. If he sounded a little "over the top" well...thats his opinion and others will either roll their eyes or maybe identify with parts of his post.

 

Having said that, I can actually see valid points in every post I have read so far.

 

My OPINION is...I love cars. Pretty much all cars. Personally, I don't think I would put the decals, kits, spoilers, etc. on my compact Japanese car unless I was going to take it racing or unless I COULD take it racing (modified suspension, brakes, motor, etc.). You never know, some of the "silly" looking civics and other small cars might be able to keep up with or beat your typical Mustang GT.

 

I have always been a lover of American cars. But there is alot to be said for Japanese sports cars. They are the next big thing in automania. I would love to have a WRX STi, and if I did, I might put exhaust and a spoiler on it. But, I probably would take the spoiler off when I was off the track.

[Guest Captain Pants]

Yes, the S-2000 is incredibly powerful. No debate there. I was flat wrong saying that 4-cylinders cannot be fast, because that particular car was totally missing in my mind. Sorry for that. I don't recall ever saying that every import is rice, however.

 

I've not said that every Mustang, Camaro, Firebird, Charger, insert other domestic car here, looks good. My car is ugly, and it has the most ill-conceived vinyl top ever (it's a 3/4 vinyl top... if you haven't seen one, you don't want to). I'm talking the car that has a bright orange bumper, a polished aluminum wing, and whatever paint came from the factory. If you've not seen this sort of rice where you live, you ought to visit out here. I've seen body kits that have duct tape all over them... I should point out though, that Saleen body kits on Mustangs are not attractive in the least, and ought to be done away with.

 

Other points: I don't debate the use of spoilers and performance body modifications when the car is actually fast. If you've got a fast car, do whatever you need to aerodynamically to keep those tires gripping asphalt, and that body on the ground.

 

I guess it would have been better to define what I am laughing at before laughing at it all, because you're right: I do come off in my previous post as a "DOMESTICS RULE ALL ELSE SUCKS" person.

What my previous post refers to is the collection of cars that completely overdo everything in an effort to make a car "fast and furious."

I don't mean the 3 stickers that say K&N, whatever suspension, and anything else that is actually in the car... I laugh at Honda's with NEUSPEED, NOS, Ebachi Springs, Vortech, POWERED BY HONDA, Japanese characters, etc, etc, etc, etc, all over their freakin' car. A "ricer" is not a tastefully done performance automobile.

 

About body kits and contradicting myself: I never said that imports are ugly. Many (and I made a mistake here, I did not say many in my previous post, I essentially said 'all') imports are rather plain. This does not translate to ugly. I will agree with you on the stylishness of the 350Z and Tiburon. I praised the style of the 350Z in another thread, I believe... Most body kits that I have seen (I've not been to a car show for imports, though, so it's just what I've seen on the street) completely butcher the lines on a car. And, even though the car may have been plain, a body kit trying to make it look aggressive usually fails and makes a mockery of the entire project. Supras, Tiburons, 350Zs are all aggressively styled, and for good reason. A Civic is not aggressively styled, also for good reason.

 

And yes, most modern domestics are also front wheel drive. Once more, I made a mistake and said domestics when I really meant "muscle." Because, essentially, I argue on behalf of muscle cars, not domestics. I hate Neons with giant wings, hundreds of stickers, and silly exhaust tones as much as any Civic

 

On to exhaust, I am aware that the tone is largely due to the muffler and tips. Again, however, I'm discussing ricers, not performance automobiles. A real exhaust system would be lovely, and I imagine would sound quite nice. However, having not heard any, I'll reserve judgement. Oh, that was another point... 5" exhaust tips are incredibly, incredibly stupid unless for some reason you have an engine that requires a 5" exhaust system

 

Oh, and V-8 stock Mustangs are slow

 

Also, I use the phrase "turbo them" facetiously. However, that seems to be the latest motif in the automotive industry. "We have 4 cylinders. We want to market a fast car, but don't want to bother building an engine to produce that... slap a turbocharger on there." Again, you may cite the S2000 example, which was a good one btw, but that is a rarity. Especially noticable when you look at Volkswagons with their 1.8T engines... And no, I don't use the term "NAWS," I use "nitrous" or "wow, that guy can't make his camaro fast so he's just gonna toss some steroids in there..."

 

Anyway, I don't know how much or how little I've covered, but in conclusion:

A performance import is not rice. A slow import covered in "performance" visual parts, stickers, 5" exhaust tips, etc, etc is rice. Basically, if it's a FWD import driving on the street, and it has a giant wing, it's rice. You probably wouldn't be driving a car used on a race track (one that has turns and such requiring added downforce on the car) on the street, and therefore this assumption is rather safe.

Domestics do not rule in all cases. I can't stand most domestic cars. Basically, I like the Mustang Cobra, Chevrolet Corvette, and Dodge Viper (and the 2005 Dodge Charger is looking might fine, as well...) as far as domestics go, because they do what they are designed for. An S2000 is not rice because it was designed to go fast (and again, I was wrong about the 4-cylinder thing). A Supra has aggressive styling and rear wheel drive, and so a spoiler/wing is acceptable/useful. A Civic, however, is a front wheel drive commuter car, not a sports car...

[Guest TeKNiK]

Pants. Stop writing so much lol. My eyes are starting to hurt.

[Guest Captain Pants]

I thought I should add another post praising the S2000, because that really is an amazing auto. I don't particularly care for the styling, but the power that thing puts out is simply amazing.

 

At 240 horsepower, in a 4-cylinder 2 liter engine, that car has a whopping 120 horsepower per liter. If I remember right, this either rivals, or beats, most Ferrari's in horsepower to liter ratio. Impressive stuff.

[Chief]

Configuration aluminum block&heads, inline-4 cyl.

Bore x stroke 3.43 x 3.31", 87.0 x 84.0mm

Displacement 1997cc/122ci

Compression ratio 11.7:1

Engine-control System Electronic, sequential port

Valve gear chain-driven DOHC, 4 valves per cyl.

Power 250 bhp @ 8500 rpm

Torque 153 lb-ft @ 4750 rpm

Redline 9000 rpm

 

 

I don't want to wait to 8500 rpm for 250 hp. And I certainly don't want to haul me, a passenger, and a weekend-getaway's worth of gear around with 150 lb-ft of torque for 40K dollars.

 

This is a fun car and know I guy here at Purdue that has one and loves it.

 

But I'm not a fan of driving around at 4500 rpm. Well, actually I do like motorcycles and snowmobiles!

 

Seriously, though...It is a very impressive machine especially when you consider its emissions performance, but I do subscribe to the displacement school of thought. I had an MR2 and 4 bangers, even turbod and squeezed into a Lotus are not for me. I need a 6. Or an 8.

 

Chief

[gOOters]

Heh, me too Chief. I heard a guy one time said though, that a true "sports car" will never have over 4 liters or so of displacement.

He catagorized Cobras and Vettes as "very capable muscle cars".

 

He might have a point, of course he drove a Porsche 3.6 and was referring to Porsches and Ferraris as he made this comment.

[General J]

Hey pants no hard feelings about the whole thing. Just thought you were gonna be another one of those "My mustang is faster than your stock civic" BSers. I agree totally with the ricer argument now that you stated your stance more. There is a kid at tech school with a 1st gen Integra - Front bumper and a HUGE aluminum wing- but here's the kicker! Stock suspension! THE THING SITS 12 INCHES OFF THE GROUND! It could be a 4x4 offroad vehicle!

 

Guess my view is that modded imports are awesome. Ricers (body kit, muffler/tip, stickers, and rims but straight stock everything else) are just pure comedy. I just shake my head and laugh when one of them pulls up next to me and revs their "hardcore" engine.

[Guest Captain Pants]

Just out of curiosity, what type of car do you own?

 

And yeah, I deal with enough of those BSers that I don't want to become one

 

But yeah, pure comedy on those stock cars with worthless/ugly mods