'94 Acura Integra
No sooner did I write the text for my entry in this column last month-about replacing Project Miata's brakes-that the DC2 threw a pad during some spirited driving to 7-11 for some late-night munchies (I detour through a canyon road to get there), ruining one of the front rotors in the process.
Taking it as a sign to upgrade the brakes all around, I swapped out the worn stock for a set of ConvO.E.M. Rotors from TheBrakeMan.com, and a fresh set of high-performance pads. The rotors' slots continually scrub brake pads for better braking, and their unorthodox shape sheds a bit of rotational mass at their circumference, which reduces parasitic drivetrain power loss and-supposedly-creates turbulence in the air surrounding them for better cooling. But do they deliver? We'll soon find out.
Tech Editor
Luke Munnell
'03 Subaru WRX
When problems occur with my '03 Subaru WRX, happen in dramatic fashion. The latest catastrophe occurred only 50 miles into my rebuilt motor's break-in period, when the intake cam gear shattered on the freeway, leaving me with a cylinder head full of bent valves. If you're wondering, yes, those are phenolic plastic cam gears that Subaru uses on their EJ motors. FML.
Senior Editor
Scott Tsuneishi