New 04 Matrix 5-speed owner

[msanford]

Woohoo, my first Toyota (which replaces my '99 Sonata GL 2.7L V6): a 2004 Matrix 5-speed manual (1zz-FE), blue, tinted windows.

I'm not looking at tuning it into a lean mean racing machine, but I am interested in tuning it a bit. Economy in driving is important to me because I do so much inter-city commuting, so a turbocharger is not in the cards for me. Also, it's gonna be a year-round ride.

I'm first looking at reducing engine lag: stepping on the gas doesn't make my tach's needle move fast enough for my liking. I had also originally contemplated swapping the rear drums for discs, but this thing brakes on a dime compared to my Sonata (which braked like a U-Haul with 4 discs!) Apart from that, I'm seeking advice from experienced drivers and tuners.

Glad to be here! This looks like a great forum.

PS. I think I heard about this forum on an episode of CBC's Search Engine, the story of a dealer who had his test vehicle stolen, but found it via forum members (another forum) who tracked it down.

[MR2Jedi]

Welcome to Toyota Nation
You can pick up tips from the guys over in the Matrix forum to get the best performance out of your car. A cold air intake would give you better throttle response. Anyway, glad to have you on the forum.

[msanford]

CAI/SRI is on my list. Already made a few posts in the Matrix forum, too. This place seems very well-designed, with a good community.

Thanks for the welcome!