Whats in your Ion (show-off thread)

[goaliemo]

I like the 17s on my redline. Although if I were to switch to coil overs, id probably drop to 16s so I could have a beefier tire. It is what it is though.

[06_Ion2]

Originally Posted by goaliemo

I like the 17s on my redline. Although if I were to switch to coil overs, id probably drop to 16s so I could have a beefier tire. It is what it is though.

Coils help with traction so much, well worth the $1200 I can dead hook 3rd on stock steelies/tires. But on a 16in 225 kdw hooked 2nd very well

Stock rear mount and poly front and TTR side mount = 0 hop.

But the trq steer is a *******

[goaliemo]

Originally Posted by 06_Ion2

Coils help with traction so much, well worth the $1200 I can dead hook 3rd on stock steelies/tires. But on a 16in 225 kdw hooked 2nd very well

Stock rear mount and poly front and TTR side mount = 0 hop.

But the trq steer is a *******

Ill probably look into them when im putting more power down. I know all the higher horse power guys run em.

ottp front and rear rotated mounts, zzp side mount. I want ottp's top mount.

You have that big turbo on there, that explains all that trq!

[kevin.st56]

where can I find the poly bushings for the swaybar.
its nowhere to be found on ebay, so that tells me either they are very uncommon, or only specific venders can sell them.
Only thing on ebay are Prothane bushings for the engine mounts.

I think its about time I change my swaybar bushings again, and I was gonna try and find the poly bushings so they would last longer.
plus anything else to tighten up handling, might look into a rear swaybar too.
LCA and/or its bushing and ball joints are due too, and I think theres play in my inner tie rods on one side, but I haven't been able to confirm that just yet (cant seem to take the clamp off of the rubber boot).

[goaliemo]

Originally Posted by kevin.st56

where can I find the poly bushings for the swaybar.
its nowhere to be found on ebay, so that tells me either they are very uncommon, or only specific venders can sell them.
Only thing on ebay are Prothane bushings for the engine mounts.

I think its about time I change my swaybar bushings again, and I was gonna try and find the poly bushings so they would last longer.
plus anything else to tighten up handling, might look into a rear swaybar too.
LCA and/or its bushing and ball joints are due too, and I think theres play in my inner tie rods on one side, but I haven't been able to confirm that just yet (cant seem to take the clamp off of the rubber boot).

I got my sway bar bushings from parts geek, moog. Just did them last week.

[kevin.st56]

Originally Posted by goaliemo

I got my sway bar bushings from parts geek, moog. Just did them last week.

moogs aren't exactly poly bushing tho.
still better than the facroy ones tho.

Moog bushing is what I have, but there may be more than just bushing, which I will have to crawl under once the rain ends and our yard dries up

[kevin.st56]

just letting everyone know, that on ebay, iv stumbled upon someone selling a pair of ion sedan headlight housings with projector retrofits and complete 55w HID kit with wire harness for 275 + shipping (25 for me in South Louisiana).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-03-7-Sat...tV3dIK&vxp=mtr

[Bonnevillej]

how did you do the gage lights and where did you get the bulbs?

[1972vsonic]

Originally Posted by kevin.st56

just letting everyone know, that on ebay, iv stumbled upon someone selling a pair of ion sedan headlight housings with projector retrofits and complete 55w HID kit with wire harness for 275 + shipping (25 for me in South Louisiana).

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-03-7-Sat...tV3dIK&vxp=mtr

I checked ebay. it looks like these are NLA. Any more info?

[kevin.st56]

yea, they are gone.
it looked like it was a set that someone retrofitted some projectors into, and wanted to sell the set.
The set did seem fair priced (275 plus 25 shipping), but they gone now. either they didnt sell, or he sold them locally.
the retrofit isnt entirely hard to do, but its not easy either.
some modifications to the headlight housings are needed to make the lens fit since they arent made to fit 9007 sockets.

[Patskeeper1]

I had the ZZP shorty header and catted downpipe installed yesterday. I haven't been able to drive much yet but the parts look good and the guys at the exhaust shop were impressed wit the fit and finish of them.

[bengrantham]

Might have to try those projectors for myself..

[awfulbeans]

Only mods on mine (06 QC, 162k):

Pioneer DEH-X8600BT head unit
Polk DXi series coaxials up front (still stock in the rear) - powered from the stereo
Some kind of crappy Crunch amp that's been through 3 cars, powering a Polk DXi 12" single coil sub in some kind of cheap ported box (sub+box have also survived a couple of cars)
Yellow fog light bulbs (stock housings, stock wattage)

I need the car for work - I drive 30-50k/year - so I need it to be reliable. So anything not related to the stereo will remain stock as long as I use it for work.

Out of everything I've had to replace on it, the only non-OEM parts I've put on it have been the thermostat (Duralast crap), serpentine belt (Gates), battery (Napa Gold, which is supposedly made by the same company that makes them for GM), and radiator fan (TYC - less than half the price of an OEM fan). I got 10 years out of the original battery, I figured going with the company that made the OE battery meant the replacement would outlast the car.

Whenever the clutch goes, it'll probably get a Sachs replacement. They're the OEM for a ton of car makers, and I've never had an issue with their clutches.

[Jessica Vasvery]

Help! Having problems with my Saturn and would like to start a new thread!

[Psycho-Ions2]

Hi new guy to the forums here... I bought my 07 Ion 2 Sedan, as a Salvaged Title car, from a guy in KC Kansas $750 in May 2017, I'm from KC Missouri.

Aftermarket items that cam with it...

Drifz 202MB Machined Rims, Powdercoat Matte Black
4 Michellin/Riken Raptor HR's 215/55/r16
In trunk 2 Kenwood KFC-1679ie
30% Tinted Windows all around

Aftermarket list since purchase.

To Exterrior...
Slime Aluminium Platinum Colored Valve Caps
Rustoleum Spray Tinted Headlight Housings
Pilot IL-3157A-15 Amber LED Front Turn/Parking Lights
Pilot IL-3157R-15 Red LED for Brakelights
Replaced Exhaust Flexpipe
Bolt-on 15" Straight Pipe between Cat Flange and Cherry Bomb
Catalytic Delete replaced with bolt-on kit and Cherry Bomb 87522cb
Euro Style Taillight Housings

Interrior...
I sewn together a Center Armrest Cover out of a piece of old black acid washed jeans and elastic bands.
Detailed all seats and headliner materials
Grey Checkered Interrior (Stock) but added Black floor mats.

Chassis/Suspension...
Moog K6698 Lower Control Arm Bushings
Moog K200361 Control Arm Bushings
Moog K3171 Sway Bar Bushings
Prime Choice PR65085LR Performance Drilled & Slotted Brake Rotors
Wagner QuickStop ZD956 Ceramic Disc Pads
1 ECCPP 513205 Front Hub Assembly
1 DuraGo 29513205 Front Hub Assembly

Inside Motor and Trans...
Fram PTC F176 Transmission Filter & Gasket Kit
Fram Extra Guard CH9018
Castrol EDGE 5W-30 Full Synthetic Oil
Castrol Transmax Domestic Multi-Vehicle Automatic Trans Fluid

Car Audio...
Pioneer DEH-X1810UB Head Unit
1 Audiotek At302 Class Ab 300w Amp
1 oldschool Coustic Power Logic 220w Amp
3/8" Sheeted Birch Plywood sound box/w following

Inside Speaker Box...
2 Boss Chaos Extreme 1623 3-Way 150w Speakers
2 Pyle Ppa10 10" 600w DJ Subs

Outside Speaker Box...
Scosche 300k Micro Farad audio capacitor
DS18 DB1448 Power Dist. Block
Belva BAK84 Amp wiring kit
Aux-Audio Power wired to Car DieHard Batt. 12v 230cca Everstart Riding Mower Batt.

The only thing I want to do next is, paint the metal body parts (Hood, Trunk top, Roof) in a Matte Black to go with everything else that's tinted or blacked out. Since the stock paint, and clear coat on those sections is beyond rematching.

[Psycho-Ions2]

My bad, had to check the bottle of motor oil for reference, I typed the wrong one in last night. It's actually Castrol Magnatec 5w-30.

[kevin.st56]

long time no see.

i was doing a bookmark cleanout in my browser, and found one to these forums. was curious to see if there was anything new since my hiatus, but i guess this thread ended up getting burried lol

anyone, sadly i no longer own my ion. i had parked it for some time shortly before the covid pandemic hit, and ended up getting my hands on a free 97 f150 that just needed some transmission work. it was cheaper to get the truck roadworthy than doing some of the major work needed to get the saturn working again. rear main seal was leaking pretty bad, needed a windshield, and the mold was building up pretty bad from the leaking sunroof which i couldnt figure out where the leaking was coming from for years.

once i had gotten the truck on the road, i sold my ion to a local pullapart and said my farewells to it after owning it for 11 years with 280k miles.
i was hoping to at least make 300k before getting rid of it lol

[Bessarion]

Originally Posted by kevin.st56

long time no see.

i was doing a bookmark cleanout in my browser, and found one to these forums. was curious to see if there was anything new since my hiatus, but i guess this thread ended up getting burried lol

anyone, sadly i no longer own my ion. i had parked it for some time shortly before the covid pandemic hit, and ended up getting my hands on a free 97 f150 that just needed some transmission work. it was cheaper to get the truck roadworthy than doing some of the major work needed to get the saturn working again. rear main seal was leaking pretty bad, needed a windshield, and the mold was building up pretty bad from the leaking sunroof which i couldnt figure out where the leaking was coming from for years.

once i had gotten the truck on the road, i sold my ion to a local pullapart and said my farewells to it after owning it for 11 years with 280k miles.
i was hoping to at least make 300k before getting rid of it lol

Sad to hear it. My son's 2003 Ion has 379,000 miles on it, and we just put in a set of Megan lowering springs and ram air intake. With tuning and chip we are at about 180 hp. The car drives like on rails with good alignment. Our goal is to get to 500,000 miles.