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Vince at Dup-A-Key has the OEM chip key in stock (I just got one from him - just the key with a black head) and he also has the OEM remote with flip-out key. https://www.dupakey.com/

The post above from @kejava does a great job describing the super-complicated method (because the key programming instructions in the owner manual don't work) for using the "EZ Installer Car-Key Programmer" sold on Amazon and directly a thttps://carkeysexpress.com/ez-installer. Kudos to...

The tires we installed are "Yokohama Avid Ascend 185/55R15 82V" (V is the speed rating = 149 mph). Base cost was $109 each from Discount Tire. I had to special-order them through the local store, and they wanted payment when I ordered them.

At the San Diego event a dealer was giving test rides in a Spark. There was a line waiting when it finally had to be recharged. A lot of people were turned on by it. Funny: the salesman was really turned on by it... it was the first time he had ever driven the EV (so he was learning as he rode...

Markusg: Congratulations on installing the Avid Ascends. We now have 7,000 miles on the ones we installed on the front. Every time I throw the Spark around a tight corner or freeway ramp, I smile :D and thank them. (They show almost no sign of wear, whereas the original Ecopias were in their...

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Hello fellow San Diegan nmikmik: The memory of Ecopia tires on the front is, thankfully, becoming foggy after almost 3,000 miles. I'm pretty sure there are no trade offs comparing the Ecopia to the Avid Ascend. Better handling, quieter, smoother. Stiffer, but only in a good way I think. We've...

Chaconzies, I had the same thing happen last August. The unit was bad. Bosch diagnosed it on the phone in a minute. There was no surprise at all in the tech's voice; they are used to it. They shipped me a new unit pretty fast, and paid for shipping both ways. It was a disappointing delay and a...

I posted this on the "Torque Steer" thread, but want to duplicate it here too as a promised follow-up re. the stability control system: I replaced our front tires with Yokohama Avid Ascend (185/55R15 = the original size). This seems to have tightened up the car's handling in every respect, and...

The suspension tuning is fine. It's the OEM Ecopia tires that mess it up. Change to better tires.

>>>>>>>>>> I replaced our front tires with Yokohama Avid Ascend (185/55R15 = the original size). Conclusion: We are now driving a significantly improved vehicle. The Ecopia tires wore down to 4/32" tread after 9,000 miles. The handling got more and more mushy. Traction was reduced. There are...

I hate the behavior of this system too, especially on curvy country roads in downhill bends. In our urban driving its mostly on freeway on-ramps. I consistently hold down the button behind the shift lever to turn off traction control, which my imagination tells me may help the situation a...

Bridgestone states that "...original equipment tires on new vehicles have no mileage warranty." (See http://www.bridgestonetire.com/customer-care/tire-warranties/supplemental-mileage) True, Bridgestone Ecopia tires are not known for lasting long, but Prius owners seem to uniformly report pretty...

'53 Chevy (3 on the tree) '53 Pontiac V8 (3 on the tree) '55 Chevy Bel Air (Powerglide automatic) '56 Chevy convertible (265 w/ 4 barrel) Blew it up drag racing '58 Chevy convertible (283 automatic) Pivot bracket for rear diff irreparably rusted out - junked it '59 Pontiac Bonneville - the first...

I wonder how the Yokohama tires are wearing on the front. ?? At 9,000 miles the original Bridgestone tires are almost down to the wear bars (while the rear tires still look new).

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Hey Tony, from the perspective of a Spark driver, small is beautiful... well, a least more beautiful than that Rav4 you're driving - and faster too! :-)

I haven't seen this discussed yet regarding the Spark: Does the range drop (does the battery lose juice) when you leave it unplugged? Our answer: NO - not that we can measure... During Thanksgiving week we drove away in our other vehicle and left the Spark unplugged for 7 full days just to see...

The port on the nose of the Leaf always seemed logical to me, but as it turns out, for our garage setup it would be a really bad location. The left front fender location on the Spark just happens to work much better than any other location would.

When I accelerate from a stop with the "go" pedal to the floor, I'll get wheel hop if the road surface isn't very smooth. It definitely sounds like a loud clunk. (Therefore I accelerate that way quite sparingly... only when I need my teenage boy-racer fix :-)