Hey guys, i'm a nooby here to the forums and i don't really have a lot to say so getting those first 15 posts out of the way is going to be a hassle.

That said,

I have a 2002 OZ Rally and its got almost 100k miles on it. I'm having the clutch replaced with the pressure plate and throwout bearing and the timing belt service done soon.

I was going to go out and change the spark plugs as I know it hasn't been done in quite some time and it looks like a pretty easy DIY job.

I also would like to change my front rotors and brake pads and maybe bleed the brake system. How often does the brake system need to be bled? Do the stainless steal brake lines hold any advantage over old stock ones?

This car is my daily driver and I'm really more interested in fuel economy than speed. But safety and handling are a concern of mine as well. Soon i'd like to upgrade the stock suspension as i'm sure these old shocks have seen their day in the sun.

Does anyone have any suggestions for a new lancer owner in terms of reliability, maintenance, or modifications?

Thanks for reading!

 

Welcome! Please review the stickies, such as this one, and be sure to search the forum prior to starting new threads.

 

that link set off my malware protection in google chrome

 

It did the same for me, but I clicked proceed anyway. Nothing happened.

If you are paranoid, use Firefox or a different browser.

 

Parrish, be easy, I sense the attitude way up here.

Hi & Welcome! As you may have noticed the lancer boards are like a ghost town, which is kind of depressing. I wish there was more going on around these parts. But don't be afraid to post here (as long as you've searched your topic ahead of time like Parrish stated).

That being said I also used to drive an OZ, mine was an 05, I loved that car! She was a lot of fun! Unfortunately we had to part ways, but enjoy it while you can! What color is yours? Do you have any pics? I know you stated that speed isn't a concern of yours,, which is totally cool. But do you have any ideas for exterior mods?

 

No attitude. I was simply stating a fact. I clicked, nothing happened. I also suggested using a different browser if it would set OPs mind at ease. I use two different browsers at times for reasons such as the one listed above.

You must understand, Amanda, posting outside TBR and reading the post of other TBR members outside TBR requires an unbiased open mind. For example, what may have seemed like attitude in my post above was really me being helpful with a hint of common sense. Now, in TBR it may have meant otherwise, but in this case would have been clearly stated otherwise because I know my audience. (See Amby's post for further explanation.)

Back on topic, OP, if you wish to know more about your Lancer, in terms of reliability, maintenance, or modifications, I highly suggest you check out that link I provided in my initial post, and also to search the boards a few years back, mainly when the Lancer you owned was prominent and popular.

 

hey that link was very help ful! thanks!

but, under the suspension part for upgrades he says there's no shocks that are upgrades to the current OZ available. Is that true? What is RRM selling? Their desrciption says something like "superior ride and stiffness compared to oem"

 

you can get KYB shocks and struts to replace your OEM struts. or Coilovers which cost more $$$

 

Like I said the link posted earlier in this thread specifically says those kybs are not any better than stock

 

you can get bilstein shocks

 

welcome to the group.

bleeding the brakes is kind of a "set it and forget it" type of maintenance. you really only need to bleed the brakes if the pedal gets soft or the fluid gets moisture in it. also i've seen some people say that it's a good idea to change out your brake fluid every four years.

S/S brake lines do hold an advantage over regular rubber lines. they last longer because of the steel braiding covering the lines and the braiding reduces flex in the lines when you apply the brakes resulting in better braking efficiency. if i had my choice, i'd run the stainless lines

there arent a ton of parts out there for our cars, but if you search enough you'll find almost everything you need.

 

You should change your brake fluid every year. Brake fluid absorbs moisture from the surrounding atmosphere. You wouldn't only change your oil when it got gross or the engine started to run poorly, right?

 

Sorry guys I thought bleeding the brakes meant changing the fluid!! I'm gonna change the fluid for sure.

 

Bleeding and changing are very similar. The purpose of bleeding is to get the old fluid and air out of the system.