Tuning Chevrolet Epica: description of capabilities, glass polishing, price, photo.

Chevrolet Epica is an inexpensive, reliable middle class D sedan. As a rule, car owners tune the appearance of the car. Chip tuning improves driving performance. The car is comfortable, quite powerful, and works well for its price. In addition, an important advantage is low fuel consumption.

Externally, the Chevrolet Epica is not remarkable. The car has no personality, although it looks decent. There are quite a lot of spare parts on the Russian market, so tuners en masse take up the task of modifying the car. As a rule, the external part of the car and the technical parts are modified. Tuning the interior of a Chevrolet Epica is not particularly popular.

Tuning Chevrolet Epica: description of capabilities, glass polishing, price, photo.

It settles between the wiper rubber and the glass or between the door window seals. During the day, these micro-scratches are not yet so noticeable and you can ignore them, but when night falls, all these irregularities are immediately revealed, interfering with normal visibility and distracting the driver. We will polish Chevrolet Epica windows.

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With your own hands
Specifications
Tuning

Design

In appearance, one can say that the car was the standard of such versatility, from the point of view of both Americans and most Asians, for whom practicality always came first. In terms of the design of the Chevrolet Epica, there are certainly no unique solutions here, but you need to take into account that the actual years of development were the late 90s and the beginning of the 2000s, with the corresponding fashion at that time.

Although, in fact, when compared with some budget models of recent years, the Chevrolet Epica holds up well. A piercing gaze and a “thoughtful” gaze, a kind of business class from the past.

Exterior

Of course, the appearance of the Chevrolet Epica does not shine with any uniqueness and originality, but still the car looks quite “not bad”. There is still a certain influence, including the “Europeans”, as you know, Daewoo, Italian designers worked.

Front and rear, the car seems to be asymmetrical. If we get voluminous headlights at the front, then there will definitely be sharp lights at the rear. The same goes for the hood/trunk lid and bumpers.

What this model definitely doesn’t have is an expressive profile. The Chevrolet Epica looks good-natured and at the same time elegant from the photo.

Interior

After the update in 2008, after which, by the way, the car remained on the assembly line for another four years, in addition to the exterior, the interior was also changed, in particular, the quality of the finish was improved and new equipment was added.

There was no need to talk about any newfangled delights at that time, but they still managed to fit in good multimedia and climate. The instrument panel is readable, and the steering wheel is quite comfortable, plus they placed several keys for control, equating the car at that time almost to the elite class.

Tuning the Chevrolet Epica, which not many people could afford, bore fruit; in particular, some owners did not like the seats, they preferred to change them to “Japanese” ones. Although for a different category of owners, the seats were suitable, soft and roomy. Particularly noted was the rear sofa, which looks advantageous among all its classmates.

The luggage compartment of the Chevrolet Epica is impressive, 480 liters for that time, a really good result, despite the fact that the geometry was formed as correctly as possible. The wide opening into the cabin makes it easy to load even large items, given that the backrest folds in two sections.

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With your own hands

To replace the spark plugs yourself you need:
- new spark plugs. (factory installed NGK IF-R6E11) similar to Denso IK20 or Denso VK20

Parameters of replacement spark plugs:

EPICA 2.0 i 6-cyl 105 XK 06/'06-> K20BR-S10 IK20 VK20 1.0 detail

EPICA 2.5 i 6-cyl 115 06/'06-> K20BR-S10 IK20 VK20 1.0 detail

-socket wrench for 10

- spark plug key 16. The key should only be 16 with the longest possible handle, not a universal adapter from 21 to 16, since the thickness does not fit into the shaft.

1. Unscrew the 5 casing nuts.

2. remove the casing

3. disconnect the coil power wire, unscrew the coil mounting bolt, remove the coil

4. unscrew the spark plug

5. Install the new one and assemble it in reverse order. Let's go and enjoy.

Replacing the firmware of the engine control unit on Epica

After making changes to the car’s suspension, you can confidently begin chip tuning this model. General Motors is one of those manufacturers that put much more potential into the power units of their cars than is indicated in the vehicle’s data sheet. It’s quite simple to explain - having created one engine, the automaker automatically has 2-3 modifications of the car with different technical characteristics with the same linear data.

To perform chip tuning of a car we will need;

firmware version Bosch 7.9.7 or Paulus A202AE10;
PAK Loader Combiloader;
laptop with Windows XP;
K-Line adapter.

First you need to install new firmware on your laptop. After this, we remove the protective panel, which is located under the Epica steering wheel and find the car’s engine ECU there. We connect a laptop to it using a K-Line adapter. Through the second USB socket we connect the PAK Loader Combiloader to the computer.

The photo shows the firmware of the control unit

After making changes, click “Ok” in the warning window and wait for the chip tuning to complete. During installation of the utility, the car will start and stall several times. After the loading line turns green, you need to turn off the car yourself. Next, you can disconnect the adapter from the ECU and install the protective panel in place.

As a result of chip tuning, the Epik's engine will become more powerful by about 35%, and the car's fuel consumption will decrease by 1.2 liters per 100 km. In addition, the Chevrolet's torque will increase by 30%, and the car's transmission will operate much more stable.

Tuning

The glass of a Chevrolet Epic (whose fuel consumption, by the way, is very economical) must be absolutely clean, transparent and smooth. While the car is new, this is the case, but over time, small scratches and chips appear, this cannot be avoided. But if these damages are not very large, then they can be restored. As a rule, sand is to blame for the appearance of small scratches.

tuning Chevrolet Epic

In the process of work, we will need a polishing wheel and diamond paste. After polishing the glass, the surface becomes as smooth and transparent as possible. The polishing process removes a layer of glass, but it is negligible, so you don't have to worry about it. When grinding glass, sandpaper No. 200-800, abrasive paste, and boron nitride are useful.

Don't think that this process goes very quickly. The operating time depends on the extent to which the glass is damaged and may take 2-5 hours. The grinding of Chevrolet Epica glass takes place in several stages, thereby gradually reducing the grain size of the paste used. There is no need to rush, because it can be defective and in this case you will have to change the glass or carry out more thorough polishing. If you use special electrical equipment during the work, this will greatly facilitate the work, but if you do not have experience working with such tools, then it is better to resort to the services of professionals, because there is a high risk that you will simply ruin the surface. During operation, the grinding machine must be constantly pressed against the glass with a certain force, otherwise it may overheat and crack. If you weaken the force, vibration of the machine circle may occur, and therefore damage to the glass may occur.

Any glass can be polished, but only glass from which a large layer can be removed can be polished. Usually only headlight glass is ground; windshields cannot be ground. Using polishing, you can remove traces of smudges on a Chevrolet Epica. In addition to the usual way of restoring the transparency of glass, there is a chemical method. In this case, chemical reagents are used that contain hydrofluoric acid.

However, this method provides a short-term effect; after one and a half to two months after such treatment, the car glass turns yellow. This is why chemical cleaning is extremely unpopular and is generally not used. It is very difficult to process glass, so all its defects can only be partially removed. Many professionals refuse to polish glass, believing that it is a waste of time. However, in many cases, glass polishing is an excellent way to repair minor damage to the surface of the glass. After all, it is much cheaper to polish the glass of a Chevrolet Epica than to order a new one through official dealers.

In addition, when caring for your car, use only high-quality oil for the Chevrolet Epic and do not forget to periodically look at the instructions for the Chevrolet Epic.

Read more about how much Chevole Epic costs.

This model is for those who need a large and spacious, not too old, well-stuffed and not very expensive passenger car. But won't it be too much trouble?

This large D-class sedan has outgrown many competitors in size and is very close to cars of a more respectable business class. And this model is equipped very well. All versions of the Chevrolet Epica have electric drives for all windows and mirrors, heated mirrors, four airbags, climate control, an immobilizer, central locking, power steering, ABS and branded alloy wheels. Leather interior trim is also not uncommon. Moreover, the price of this large car is at the level of more famous models of the smaller golf class. So why shouldn’t pragmatic motorists pay attention to this car?

Not the last flagship?..

Epica, like its predecessor Evanda, is presented in one version - with a 4-door sedan body. Many cars used in Ukraine are domestically assembled. They were produced using the large-knot method in Zaporozhye. Cars of recent years, as a rule, are completely Korean. Experts say that there is no particular difference in the build quality of cars with different “pedigrees”.

The model was produced in Korea until the end of 2011, after which its production was discontinued. There is no successor yet, but, according to the domestic importer, the place of the flagship of the Korean Chevrolet models will be taken by Malibu, sales of which should begin in Ukraine in the second half of 2012.

The salon is very spacious - there is enough space in it even for tall and large people. Yes, and it is made with high quality. The velor upholstery is highly wear-resistant, there are no complaints about the leather trim, and the plastic parts do not squeak annoyed over time. Visibility from the driver's seat is good. A tribute to fashion - silver aluminum inserts on the dashboard and steering wheel look modern. It’s a pity, however, that the creators of this car abandoned the decorative wood-look details that were used on its predecessor and other competitors have - they would have added solidity and high cost to the interior.

Bad heredity

Like its predecessor, Epica was equipped with only two gasoline engines - 2.0 and 2.5 liters. However, the Epica's 2.0-liter engine is a new 6-cylinder, while the Evanda used a 4-cylinder unit. But the 2.5-liter engine migrated unchanged to this model from the Evanda. Both engines are in-line.

The most common in Ukraine is Epica with a 2.0-liter unit. It is quite reliable, and no characteristic problems have been identified. Paired with a “mechanics”, this engine is distinguished by moderate fuel consumption for such a large car (about 11.5 liters in the city) and good dynamics - 9.9 seconds to “hundreds” (the same as the 2.5-liter version with automatic transmission).

However, the 2.5-liter Epica unit inherited from Evanda a characteristic problem that arises when using low-quality fuel: after 100 thousand kilometers, the catalyst may become unusable, and its destroyed particles through the EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) system enter the cylinders and damage the cylinder-piston group. Moreover, it is difficult to make a major overhaul - the cylinder block is made of aluminum alloy, and the repair dimensions of the parts of the cylinder-piston group are not provided. However, domestic craftsmen have learned to repair these units by sleeving blocks. The first signs of catalyst failure are deterioration in throttle response and increased fuel consumption. To avoid trouble, some owners of top-end 2.5-liter versions preventively remove the catalyst, although this requires installing a flame arrester and reflashing the “brain” of the engine ECU.

The timing belt of both units is equipped with a durable metal chain, the cylinder head is equipped with trouble-free hydraulic compensators, and the ignition system is equipped with individual coils for each of the cylinders, the operation of which also raises no complaints.

Butter won't spoil the porridge.

The Epica is available with 5-speed manual and 6-speed automatic transmissions. “Manual”, as a rule, was offered in tandem with a 2.0 liter engine, and “automatic” was intended for 2.5-liter top versions.

According to experts, both types of gearboxes have proven themselves to be reliable during operation. There are no complaints about the hydraulic clutch drive either. According to the manufacturer’s recommendations, the lubrication in both manual and automatic transmissions is designed for the entire service life, but if the car is operated in difficult conditions (taxi mode, towing trailers, etc.), it is advisable to update the oil in the “mechanics” every 80 thousand km, and in the “automatic” – every 60 thousand km. Moreover, experts note that only original GM oil should be used - the use of other lubricants reduces the life of the unit.

The suspension has become more collected

Structurally, the Epica suspension is designed similarly to its predecessor: an independent McPherson strut is installed in front, and a multi-link in the rear. At the same time, due to the use of gas-oil shock absorbers, the Epica's chassis has become significantly more collected, which has a positive effect on the stability and controllability of the vehicle. It has not lost its former energy intensity either - the suspension copes well with the unevenness of our roads. This car is well suited for both measured driving and fast driving on country roads.

However, on Ukrainian roads the suspension of this car turned out to be not the most durable. Quite often, the car owner will have to change the “rubber bands” of the front stabilizer: struts - on average every 20 thousand km, bushings - 40 thousand km (similar rear parts last about 60 and 100 thousand km, respectively). Branded shock absorbers (front and rear) will last the same 60–100 thousand km. The weak point of the rear suspension is the upper wishbones (50–60 thousand km; this is the service life of their silent blocks and ball joints). By the same mileage, after driving on wet roads, the silent blocks of the steering knuckles begin to creak, although they can last more than 100 thousand km.

The remaining chassis parts - the longitudinal and transverse arms of the rear multi-link suspension, as well as the front arms can last 100-150 thousand km. The front and rear suspensions are offered assembled with levers, although among non-original spare parts “rubber bands” and “ball” ones can be purchased separately.

The rack and pinion steering of this machine is equipped with a trouble-free hydraulic booster. In our operating conditions, tie rod ends can withstand a mileage of about 100 thousand km, and rods - even more.

The braking system is equipped with disc mechanisms on all wheels and an ABS system. ABS sensors in brakes can sometimes fail (usually the front ones), although it should be noted that this problem occurs on the Epica much less frequently than on its predecessor, the Evanda. However, it is worth remembering that the sensor is supplied only assembled with a hub and wheel bearing (the original front unit costs approximately 1 thousand UAH).

Epica – the choice of pragmatists

Chevrolet Epica is an excellent option for those buyers who are looking for a large and spacious passenger car. This car is quite reliable, and the new owner will not have much trouble with it. And although the suspension life is not that long, in return it provides a fairly comfortable ride on far from smooth Ukrainian roads. Plus, the wide selection of Epicas on the used car market will make it easy to find the one that suits you best.

“A major (long) work”, “a major event in the life of the country”, “a significant historical event”... All these are the meanings of the word “epic”, which I pulled from various dictionaries.

By combining them, you can get some pretty flattering initial data about the new Chevrolet Epica (Epic is “epic”). But the manufacturer, of course, did not spare the epithets. It remains to be seen how justified they are.

The “epic” Chevy is the heir to several cars at once, but I think there is no point in studying its family tree in detail. Just remember that GM released Korean Chevrolets onto the Russian market at the end of 2004, and then the place in class D was occupied by Evanda. That is, she stayed in this place for 2 years. Miserable - even taking into account the fact that now the life of a car on the assembly line has been reduced.

What didn’t the manufacturer like about Evanda, which decided to replace it so quickly? True, one can argue about “soon”: Evanda is a Daewoo Magnus, and it is the same age as the century. But still, such a brief appearance of the car eloquently says: it’s outdated and not for sale! Therefore, the debut of Epica is a necessary move for Chevrolet DAT in the business class.

I walk, walk, walk past, but it doesn’t end. ...What am I talking about?! Oh yes: about the car! Wow, it’s long: 5 m (minus 20 cm)! Almost like a Camry - in this dimension. The body line rises without any bends, the side windows seem small against the backdrop of the massive doors. All this - as well as the front and, especially, rear overhangs - visually lengthens the car.

Epica's design is unpretentious: one might even say simple. Except that its headlights are of a much more bizarre shape than those of the Evanda. Well, happiness is not in them: strict beauty may not be original, but it is effective. Compared to its predecessor, Epica turned out to be both more harmonious and more laconic. Applause!

Big on the outside - big on the inside! It’s not God knows what kind of pattern it is, but it’s no less pleasant for that reason. The Epica's interior is not only spacious, but also truly comfortable; everything in it is done without any visible flaws. I sit down in the chair - no complaints, the steering wheel is also good (although, for my taste, it could be made a little smaller). The leather trim is pleasant to the touch. You sit down and immediately realize that you are COMFORTABLE. Isn't this valuable praise for a debutant? I looked into the trunk and was also amazed: of course, 480 liters with the seats folded down!

When assessing the details, the delight diminished. The instrument panel looks rather poor for a business sedan. It is very similar to the one that pleases the eye in Lacetti, but there the metal rims give the interior a certain chic, but here they are not impressive at all. So does the computer screen on the center console, which greets you with a greenish glow, like on prehistoric calculators.

Large interior, many options... Here, it seems, the Epica developers are a little confused. All elements need to be controlled somehow; they all require their own buttons, keys, or, in extreme cases, space on the screen. And the point is not that there are many of them: there are no less in Saabs. But “aviation” experience helped there, but here there was nowhere to wait for help. And in Epica there are buttons of different sizes wherever possible - on the steering wheel, to the left and right of it, on the center console, at the gearbox selector... And the computer screen loads you with a variety of data.

As a result, the driver can find out about the amount of fuel in three different ways; in order to look at the clock, he needs to turn his head sharply: far, to the right of the radio, there is a simple electronic clock; symmetrically there is an alarm button... Each detail separately does not cause any complaints, but together, in my opinion, they do not add up to a harmonious picture.

The values that Epica professes are obvious on the road: a solid sedan is designed primarily for a solid ride. However, the 156-horsepower 2.5-liter engine allows for dynamic acceleration, and if you wish, you can play with the gas pedal with noticeable effect. The unexceptional, but quite modern five-speed automatic transmission - in the tested car with the option of manual shifting - does not prevent this, and pauses when changing gears are practically not felt. (By the way, with a two-liter 140-horsepower engine - also a new development of the manufacturer - a manual transmission or automatic transmission can be installed, but without a handle).

Despite the quite sufficient engine characteristics, even the top-end Epica can hardly boast of a driver's spirit. The steering is not very sharp, and you have to restrain yourself in corners. In addition, the Epica's chassis settings are designed to provide a comfortable and relaxed ride: the car's suspension - soft, but energy-intensive - perfectly absorbs most bumps. For example, I recorded the intersection of not the most modern tram tracks only with my ears. In general, this Chevrolet has not only a “cruising” appearance, but also the habits of a respectable ship: it does not drive, but floats, reacting to irregularities not with shaking, but with swaying. True, as noted above, in sharp turns they cause a certain discomfort.

In general, Chevrolet has produced a decent car, which may well support the obvious success of other Korean “crusaders” – Aveo and Lacetti. Like them, Epica doesn’t seem to have anything outstanding or revolutionary, but it has good equipment at a reasonable price (see the corresponding section). Now GM dealers are offering a car that seems to compete with the most affordable representatives of the D class, but even has “premium” elements in its arsenal.

As for individual roughnesses... I think they can be considered expenses that are forgivable for a debutant. Perhaps its lack of publicity and immature image prevent the Epica from being immediately seen as a luxury car, but as a roomy family car it should become a significant player.

Reviews:

Comments

Chevrolet connoisseur.

Thu, 2013-07-04 17:37 — Anonymous
Lately I have really started to like Chevrolet, especially the new CRUZE model. In general, I’m delighted with the new model, it looks like a Toyota Camry, a beautiful streamlined body, a white interior, the dashboard is very beautiful, the Chevrolet Epica was closed in 2011, but its successor became the CRUZE, but still the price is very reasonable for such a beautiful car, car very playful, especially when drifting, I saw a couple of races with a Chevrolet, in general the car is very good, in terms of horsepower there is quite enough of them, 220 can be squeezed out with ease. Overall a good car!

answer

Suspension rework

Modernization begins not with the fuel system, but with the suspension, although it does not cause any particular complaints. The original parts of this part of the car, front and rear, do not fit.

The front suspension creates a characteristic clunk on rough roads. In this regard, shock absorbers from another manufacturer are replaced. Suitable from a Toyota Camry - modified, or from a Chery Eastar car without further modification. Chinese racks are cheaper than Japanese and Korean ones, but are unreliable.
The rear suspension suffers from floating silent blocks. They give a smooth ride to the car, but have a short resource. They wear out and a knock appears at the rear of the car. Replace worn rubber parts. They are only sold together with fists and levers. Rebuilding the rear suspension is expensive, so they select similar floating ones or regular ones.

An important point: when installing the fire blocks, place 12 mm washers with a thickness of 1 mm on both sides.

ABS sensor (located in the photo). When you press the brake impulsively, the speed decreases. To prevent the car from losing control, the ABS anti-lock braking system helps.

If the bearing hums or the ABS sensor goes off, the entire hub is replaced.

Change brake pads.
In the process of improving the suspension, they change the wheel rims with their own hands. Set to 19 inches.

Specifications

Two power modifications are available:

Two-liter engine. Produces 143 power (gasoline). It is equipped with a five-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
Power plant 2.5 liters (gasoline). Power is 156 “horses”. It works in conjunction with a five-speed automatic transmission.
The power plant is 2.0 liters, developing 150 horsepower (diesel). Only a manual transmission with five speeds is available.

Data in brief:

Engine displacement (liters)	Rated power potential (hp)	checkpoint	Speed limit (km/h)
2.0	143	5MKP/5AKP	190
2.5	156	5automatic	205
2.0	150	5 manual gearbox	200

The Chevrolet Epica is based on a GM truck called the Epsilon. The suspension of both axles is independent: MacPherson strut is installed at the front, and a multi-link design at the rear. The braking system is also fully disc, with the front discs being ventilated.

Personal experience

Finding owner reviews about this sedan is not a problem. Below is one of them.

The Chevrolet Epica attracted me with its affordable price and rich equipment. In fact, I bought a D class car that costs the same as the mass C segment and that made me very happy. Moreover, at the time of purchase I had a family with two children and the spaciousness of this sedan came in very handy. But first things first.
Strengths:
Acceptable dynamics (2.5 liter engine).
Comfortable salon.
Large trunk.
High-quality sound insulation.
Weak sides:
Empty steering wheel.
Stiff suspension.
During operation, I made a small tuning of the interior in order to increase comfort during everyday use. Namely, the interior rearview mirror was replaced with a similar one with a recorder that records video in high definition format. Also, a 2DIN format multimedia and entertainment complex based on the Android system is installed. Its functions include a rear view camera, navigation, and the ability to access the Internet.
Over the entire period of operation, the mileage was 58 thousand kilometers. No problems were identified in terms of reliability.

Painting and airbrushing

No external car tuning is complete without individual painting or drawing. To do this, you will have to turn to professionals who can apply high-quality paint and airbrushing.

The technological process of painting and airbrushing is quite complex and requires a lot of operations:

Before you begin the process itself, it’s worth doing some preparatory work. It includes the choice of paint, materials, as well as a design, which is first modeled on a computer.
The next step is preparation for painting. To do this you will have to completely disassemble the car. Remove all parts that can be removed (front fenders, doors, trunk lid).
All surfaces to be painted are sanded down to bare metal.
Next comes the priming stage. For tuning, two types of primer are usually used: starting and finishing.
In places where it is necessary, a thin layer of putty is applied.
Next comes the stage of applying the first layer of paint, which should dry for 12-16 hours at a temperature of 40-50 degrees Celsius.
The second coat of paint is applied 24 hours after applying the first. Drying takes about 16-20 hours at 30-40 degrees.
The next stage is airbrushing. Using a special airbrush, the master slowly creates a drawing from a sketch.
The last stage is applying varnish and polishing the car.
Car assembly.

Thus, the external tuning of the Chevrolet Epica can be considered complete. Individual painting and airbrushing make the car unique.

Alternative optics

Another common way of tuning an Epica is to install alternative headlights and flashlights. It will not only make the car beautiful, but also improve its lighting capabilities. The front tuning headlights are produced by Messeri-light, which has developed two types of main light specifically for this model.

The first option has built-in lenses with high/low beam switching and a separate turn signal. This type is in demand in the USA.
The second option has an LED daytime running light strip, an LED turn signal indicator and two separate lenses for low and high beam. More common in Europe and the CIS. The cost is about 400 dollars.

The taillights are manufactured by PROsport and are based on LEDs. The light of such optics is clearly visible at any time of day and weather conditions. The pricing policy for one flashlight is $300.