All this squawking about the squeeking has me thinking twice about added a high maintainence Alta rear bar. Are there alternate bushings available to minimize this issue or are you destined to periodic re-lubes.

 

Supposedly the rubber bushings (which I have) are supposed to be much quieter than the urethane ones, but I can certainly vouch for their noisiness. I really don't want/need the swaybar badly enough to deal with this several times per year, so I guess I'll just swap the stocker back in. Yet another waste of money on this car.

 

I'm thinking about getting camber plates, so maybe I'll also go back to the stock bar too, as the bigger bar might become unnecessary.

 

chrisneal, what are some other wastes of money on your car? I want to know what to unbuy.

 

I've got a 22mm RSpeed bar that squeaks over every bump, but what it gives back to me in terms of better traction, flatter cornering, and better performance, there's no way I 'd go back to stock! If the sound bothers you that much and you're willing to go back to stock, then maybe your driving style just doesn't benefit from a larger sway bar anyways.

 

I know I sure benifit from the 22mm bar on stiff setting. I love the twitchiness and the oversteer at the exit of a 90° turn, it's really fun. Grip on highway clovers is insane, from 65mph going into it, I come out at 75mph. The bar could make all the noise it wants (i'ts silent at the moment), I'll never get rid of it. As I have said on some other post of mine, I don't care about comfort (noise or harsh ride/vibration), performace comes first.

 

I got the H&R rear bar just because of all the comments on squeaks.
The H&R has a 'special' bushing which has not squeaked in the year I have had it on.

The down side is it is a 19mm bar. On the stiffest setting it is great for me, and H&R says it is the same as a 22mm bar because of the steal they use. I don't know if that is true, but it works well and does NOT squeak.

 

The biggest one was winter wheels and snow tires. $500+, and they've been helpful exactly once so far in two winters. It never freaking snows anymore, so all these do is take up space in storage. It's apparently never going to snow again in Boston.

Other wastes have been stuff that I've purchased, never installed, and sold at a discount, so my own fault there, except for a skid plate being Moss MINI's fault for screwing me.

Thanks for reminding me why I don't post here much anymore.