2007 Nissan 350Z 313GT
Discussion
Smitters said:
Glad you're bonding with the 350. I had a GT4 for 18 months and never loved it. I wished I'd bought a cheapo 911 (my plumbs were too small, my pockets too shallow), or my mates M3.
I know wrapping is a dirty word sometimes, but good prep, adhesive and patience, and I think wrapping high traffic parts like handles can give them a longer life. I did the back of my car key as an experiment 10 months ago and that's still perfect. Bearing in mind it sits in my pocket with change, phone, gets chucked about, if done right, the wrap can be very hard-wearing. I used 3M vinyl.
I have thought of wrapping, or (perish the thought) hydro-dipping. Even going to Nissan and buying some new OE items. This plasticised stuff I've put on just doesn't seem to be cutting the mustard. Annoying, but hey ho. Personally I'd steer clear of a cheapo 911 (unless yore alluding to a Boxter/Cayman) as there's a world of ills waiting for you! If something's cheap, it's cheap for a reason. I know wrapping is a dirty word sometimes, but good prep, adhesive and patience, and I think wrapping high traffic parts like handles can give them a longer life. I did the back of my car key as an experiment 10 months ago and that's still perfect. Bearing in mind it sits in my pocket with change, phone, gets chucked about, if done right, the wrap can be very hard-wearing. I used 3M vinyl.
C7 JFW said:
Great to see how you're getting on with the car. I personally view this as a huge step up from a Seat - even if it was quick.
It is better than the SEAT in just about every way, however I did love that car! If I didn't have to use it on a daily basis I would have kept it. Alias218 said:
I have thought of wrapping, or (perish the thought) hydro-dipping. Even going to Nissan and buying some new OE items. This plasticised stuff I've put on just doesn't seem to be cutting the mustard. Annoying, but hey ho. Personally I'd steer clear of a cheapo 911 (unless yore alluding to a Boxter/Cayman) as there's a world of ills waiting for you! If something's cheap, it's cheap for a reason.
I have a sprog, so A6 estate all the way. Varied from low end 996 to C4S to blow the budget, happy engine Turbo, but head won over heart and I bought the GT4. Not an ideal solution.Long time no update.
I still have the car, currently on 76,000 miles or so. I've grown to be very fond of this car, contrary to what I said earlier in this thread (and four years ago), so much so that I intend to keep it for as long as I am able or until circumstance dictates otherwise. It is still an event for me to drive it, and while I could buy a newer, faster car - I pondered over a Mustang recently - I feel that they wouldn't do much more than this already does, plus I have a thing for making left field choices when selecting cars. They are also a rare sight on the roads, which I like.
In fact, I like the 350Z so much that I have now taken it out of DD to reduce wear and tear and mileage, as well as to return some of the enjoyment that is lost a little when a quick car is driven every day. It has been replaced by this, a 2002 Ford Focus Silver:
45,000 miles, 2 owners (one I suspect was ex-management, the other owned it for 14 years) and FFSH. While it's certainly not perfect, it is in remarkably good condition and I have to keep bringing myself into check in order to not spend an inordinate amount getting it back up to scratch, although it has plenty of those already. Parts have been replaced where necessary, but I've not gone overboard as the tin worm is never too far from a Mk1 Focus' mind. Not that this has a rust problem, although it is certainly present. Since owning, it's had new discs and pads all round, 4 new Uniroyal Rain Expert 3s, gear stick return spring and a coilpack. It also had an aircon regas, but this promptly pissed back out again so that's where it can stay for now. I'm sure it's the condenser which is utterly shot, but for the hassle I will leave it for the time being. And the drivers' side heated seat doesn't work. Bugger.
Anyway, with keeping the 350Z in mind I promptly purchased a winter home for it in the form of a Specialised Covers' outdoor cover. It wasn't cheap, but it definitely does the job. After the 6 months it was under cover, practically untouched, it came out the other side looking very nearly as fresh as when it went in:
Before
During
After
There were minor scuffs to the wax coating which wiped away easily. Considering it rained, was down a wind tunnel, snowed and snowed again, it held up very well with no moisture traps. Unfortunately, it then sat uncovered for the next three weeks as the jobs I wanted to do were hindered by the never ending rain throughout March.
Eventually it did stop raining, at least long enough for me to whip the wheels off and get them refurbished in a standard silver finish. No photos, but we all know what silver wheels look like.
I also had the steering wheel off to be re-trimmed by Royal Steering Wheels. To say I was pleased with the outcome is an understatement. The quality is top notch, it feels great and it really does change the whole look of the interior:
Before
After
Black printed leather, a bit thicker (ca.1-2mm) and orange stitching to complement the other orange details all over the car.
In addition to this, the door grab handles were repainted. A few years back (and a couple of pages ago) I tried to repaint them myself. At the time, it was quite successful - it looked the part and tidied things up nicely. Unfortunately, the finish didn't hold and within 6 months it had melted, Renault Clio steering wheel style, at the heavy use areas. It also reacted a little on the passenger door grab so they had to come off and this time I forked out for a proper job using a black enamel base with a soft touch laquer:
So far, so good. It's held up and looks very similar to the job I did, albeit for considerably more money. Let's hope it lasts, otherwise I'll be very disappointed!
Finally, I've been under the car to assess the levels of rust. It's my aim to have the underside treated with Dinitrol at a local Dinitrol centre who give it the full works of media blasting the crud off, converting any rust that is present with Hydrate 80 and then giving all the nooks and crannies a liberal application of clear Dinitrol. So far as I could see while scrabbling around on the floor, this was the worst of it:
I did clean everything I could see after this, but the levels of rust in this photo are encouraging particularly considering the cars have a bit of a reputation for rust (which from my point of view is unfounded) and considering the 11 years and 76,000 miles of use. When the car gets hoisted into the air I (they) can make a proper assessment.
On top of the undersealing, I also intend to replace some bits of the suspension assy as required - Bilstein B8 dampers, Tein S-Tech springs, top mounts if needed (I have an odd squeak N/S/F which is hard to pin down) and any bushings that may be past their best. Beyond that, I'm not sure.
More recently, the rear muffler (the only muffler in fact) decided to part ways with the rest of the exhaust, choosing instead to hang by itself and contributing nothing but weight to the car. The effect was two-fold - it was extremely loud (!), but enjoyably so, and I had to purchase in short order a new part. As much as I like the sound, broken is broken, so an OE part has been bought, to be fitted this week along with a full service:
Shiny. Why OE? Mostly because the other options, of which there are many, are crap (IMO). Not quality wise, but they look ridiculous! 120mm tips? No thanks. Unfortunately, I was left with a choice of OE or a Remus part if I wanted to maintain some semblance of 'stock' aesthetics. Despite being twice the cost of the Nissan part, Remus was my first choice, however a lead time of 2 weeks made this untenable as I need the car to be quiet before then for a long journey. I've never been disappointed by the factory noise levels so this is certainly no skin off my nose and it saves me a few quid to boot.
Which brings me to now. Sort of.
Last year I took the car to a very popular German toll road - much like the M6 but with more Lederhosen:
Now, I didn't take the car round the Nurburgring, primarily because it's just too dangerous! The thought of crashing and subsequently declaring insolvency is too much so I resided myself to watching and hitching rides in my party's cars. There's also the fact that I have never been on track and the Nurburgring is a hell of a way to cut your teeth. The surrounding roads make up for this, however, as does the drive to and from. Then of course there are the derestricted Autobahn's...
I'm returning in 10 days (hence the exhaust choice) and am looking forward to some more great roads and of course the Broetchen from Pistenklause which are oddly moreish. I expect the car will perform faultlessly, as it has done these past 4 years.
See you there!
I still have the car, currently on 76,000 miles or so. I've grown to be very fond of this car, contrary to what I said earlier in this thread (and four years ago), so much so that I intend to keep it for as long as I am able or until circumstance dictates otherwise. It is still an event for me to drive it, and while I could buy a newer, faster car - I pondered over a Mustang recently - I feel that they wouldn't do much more than this already does, plus I have a thing for making left field choices when selecting cars. They are also a rare sight on the roads, which I like.
In fact, I like the 350Z so much that I have now taken it out of DD to reduce wear and tear and mileage, as well as to return some of the enjoyment that is lost a little when a quick car is driven every day. It has been replaced by this, a 2002 Ford Focus Silver:
45,000 miles, 2 owners (one I suspect was ex-management, the other owned it for 14 years) and FFSH. While it's certainly not perfect, it is in remarkably good condition and I have to keep bringing myself into check in order to not spend an inordinate amount getting it back up to scratch, although it has plenty of those already. Parts have been replaced where necessary, but I've not gone overboard as the tin worm is never too far from a Mk1 Focus' mind. Not that this has a rust problem, although it is certainly present. Since owning, it's had new discs and pads all round, 4 new Uniroyal Rain Expert 3s, gear stick return spring and a coilpack. It also had an aircon regas, but this promptly pissed back out again so that's where it can stay for now. I'm sure it's the condenser which is utterly shot, but for the hassle I will leave it for the time being. And the drivers' side heated seat doesn't work. Bugger.
Anyway, with keeping the 350Z in mind I promptly purchased a winter home for it in the form of a Specialised Covers' outdoor cover. It wasn't cheap, but it definitely does the job. After the 6 months it was under cover, practically untouched, it came out the other side looking very nearly as fresh as when it went in:
Before
During
After
There were minor scuffs to the wax coating which wiped away easily. Considering it rained, was down a wind tunnel, snowed and snowed again, it held up very well with no moisture traps. Unfortunately, it then sat uncovered for the next three weeks as the jobs I wanted to do were hindered by the never ending rain throughout March.
Eventually it did stop raining, at least long enough for me to whip the wheels off and get them refurbished in a standard silver finish. No photos, but we all know what silver wheels look like.
I also had the steering wheel off to be re-trimmed by Royal Steering Wheels. To say I was pleased with the outcome is an understatement. The quality is top notch, it feels great and it really does change the whole look of the interior:
Before
After
Black printed leather, a bit thicker (ca.1-2mm) and orange stitching to complement the other orange details all over the car.
In addition to this, the door grab handles were repainted. A few years back (and a couple of pages ago) I tried to repaint them myself. At the time, it was quite successful - it looked the part and tidied things up nicely. Unfortunately, the finish didn't hold and within 6 months it had melted, Renault Clio steering wheel style, at the heavy use areas. It also reacted a little on the passenger door grab so they had to come off and this time I forked out for a proper job using a black enamel base with a soft touch laquer:
So far, so good. It's held up and looks very similar to the job I did, albeit for considerably more money. Let's hope it lasts, otherwise I'll be very disappointed!
Finally, I've been under the car to assess the levels of rust. It's my aim to have the underside treated with Dinitrol at a local Dinitrol centre who give it the full works of media blasting the crud off, converting any rust that is present with Hydrate 80 and then giving all the nooks and crannies a liberal application of clear Dinitrol. So far as I could see while scrabbling around on the floor, this was the worst of it:
I did clean everything I could see after this, but the levels of rust in this photo are encouraging particularly considering the cars have a bit of a reputation for rust (which from my point of view is unfounded) and considering the 11 years and 76,000 miles of use. When the car gets hoisted into the air I (they) can make a proper assessment.
On top of the undersealing, I also intend to replace some bits of the suspension assy as required - Bilstein B8 dampers, Tein S-Tech springs, top mounts if needed (I have an odd squeak N/S/F which is hard to pin down) and any bushings that may be past their best. Beyond that, I'm not sure.
More recently, the rear muffler (the only muffler in fact) decided to part ways with the rest of the exhaust, choosing instead to hang by itself and contributing nothing but weight to the car. The effect was two-fold - it was extremely loud (!), but enjoyably so, and I had to purchase in short order a new part. As much as I like the sound, broken is broken, so an OE part has been bought, to be fitted this week along with a full service:
Shiny. Why OE? Mostly because the other options, of which there are many, are crap (IMO). Not quality wise, but they look ridiculous! 120mm tips? No thanks. Unfortunately, I was left with a choice of OE or a Remus part if I wanted to maintain some semblance of 'stock' aesthetics. Despite being twice the cost of the Nissan part, Remus was my first choice, however a lead time of 2 weeks made this untenable as I need the car to be quiet before then for a long journey. I've never been disappointed by the factory noise levels so this is certainly no skin off my nose and it saves me a few quid to boot.
Which brings me to now. Sort of.
Last year I took the car to a very popular German toll road - much like the M6 but with more Lederhosen:
Now, I didn't take the car round the Nurburgring, primarily because it's just too dangerous! The thought of crashing and subsequently declaring insolvency is too much so I resided myself to watching and hitching rides in my party's cars. There's also the fact that I have never been on track and the Nurburgring is a hell of a way to cut your teeth. The surrounding roads make up for this, however, as does the drive to and from. Then of course there are the derestricted Autobahn's...
I'm returning in 10 days (hence the exhaust choice) and am looking forward to some more great roads and of course the Broetchen from Pistenklause which are oddly moreish. I expect the car will perform faultlessly, as it has done these past 4 years.
See you there!
Edited by Alias218 on Friday 6th December 17:19
SiT said:
What a great thread and a lovely example of the Z you have, eye for detail is nice and will preserve the OEM quality.
Royal do some great work with steering wheels and such like, the new version you have looks very nice indeed!
Keep the updates coming.
Si
Thanks for the kind comment. The steering wheel is really nice, I should have done it a long time ago! Royal do some great work with steering wheels and such like, the new version you have looks very nice indeed!
Keep the updates coming.
Si
Car has just gone in for its P3 service, ready for a long jaunt across Northern Europe.
sainz92 said:
Love this thread mate, it's giving me some inspiration. I love the bonnet from the later cars, it looks so much more aggressive!
They do look great. You can fit them to earlier cars although getting hold of one second hand may be an issue. From Nissan they're about £300 plus paint according to a cursory search. The car is back and the new exhaust is on. It's now disappointingly quiet, but fixed.
I took the car to a new bunch today, which is second only to finding a new hair dresser for being daunting. I've been impressed with their front of house (headed up by a dog, which adds points right of the bat) as well as their general workmanship.
All in all, very happy. It's been quite an expensive start to the driving season!
I took the car to a new bunch today, which is second only to finding a new hair dresser for being daunting. I've been impressed with their front of house (headed up by a dog, which adds points right of the bat) as well as their general workmanship.
All in all, very happy. It's been quite an expensive start to the driving season!
Time for the second of my semi-annual updates! You lucky devils.
What a pricey year. Works carried out this year:
Wheel refurb
Steering wheel re-trim
Interior trim parts refurb
Front bumper respray to remove stone chips/curb rash on underside
Bodywork treatment to both rear arch sills to eliminate early signs of rust
Bodywork treatment to N/S A-pillar at the door shut to eliminate rust
Replacement of weather strip on N/S door, the cause of the aforementioned rust
Replacement rear silencer exhaust section
P3 (major) service
Two rear tyres
All told, quite expensive and mostly non-aesthetic/maintaining OEM finish so hard to see where the money has gone. Do I regret it? Not a bit. It's all for the benefit of extending the life of the car as much as I can. While in for the body work, another 350z owner commented on how well maintained it is, or so says the owner of the bodyshop. This helps me to justify the spending a little! And what with more and more 350's succumbing to rust/poor maintenance/questionable mods/drifting, good cars will become more scarce. That and I love this car so whatever.
Jobs for next year include full Dinitrol undertreatment, a new exhaust centre section (pulled up as an advisory this year) and the W-brace will be refurbed/replaced depending on it's condition.
The Dinitrol treatment was meant for this year, however it got put on the backburner with the discovery of rust. The W-brace is commonly known for turning to dust, however mine looks to be sound. Once I have it off I will decide whether to tidy up, or to replace. The centre section may go on as-is, or I may look into having a pneumatic bypass valve retrofitted for some extra full throttle noise, depends on cost and viability.
Beyond that, I'm not sure! Jenvey ITBs would be nice, but they are awfully expensive and don't really achieve a great deal. Plus I'd have to convert to a cable throttle. Probably won't ever happen, but it's nice to window shop.
Anyway, some poor quality photos for you all:
This little sucker (the weather strip) cost £226 with trade discount! A metre or so of rubber...
Not bad for 11 years and 78,000 miles I don't think.
Until the Spring!
What a pricey year. Works carried out this year:
Wheel refurb
Steering wheel re-trim
Interior trim parts refurb
Front bumper respray to remove stone chips/curb rash on underside
Bodywork treatment to both rear arch sills to eliminate early signs of rust
Bodywork treatment to N/S A-pillar at the door shut to eliminate rust
Replacement of weather strip on N/S door, the cause of the aforementioned rust
Replacement rear silencer exhaust section
P3 (major) service
Two rear tyres
All told, quite expensive and mostly non-aesthetic/maintaining OEM finish so hard to see where the money has gone. Do I regret it? Not a bit. It's all for the benefit of extending the life of the car as much as I can. While in for the body work, another 350z owner commented on how well maintained it is, or so says the owner of the bodyshop. This helps me to justify the spending a little! And what with more and more 350's succumbing to rust/poor maintenance/questionable mods/drifting, good cars will become more scarce. That and I love this car so whatever.
Jobs for next year include full Dinitrol undertreatment, a new exhaust centre section (pulled up as an advisory this year) and the W-brace will be refurbed/replaced depending on it's condition.
The Dinitrol treatment was meant for this year, however it got put on the backburner with the discovery of rust. The W-brace is commonly known for turning to dust, however mine looks to be sound. Once I have it off I will decide whether to tidy up, or to replace. The centre section may go on as-is, or I may look into having a pneumatic bypass valve retrofitted for some extra full throttle noise, depends on cost and viability.
Beyond that, I'm not sure! Jenvey ITBs would be nice, but they are awfully expensive and don't really achieve a great deal. Plus I'd have to convert to a cable throttle. Probably won't ever happen, but it's nice to window shop.
Anyway, some poor quality photos for you all:
This little sucker (the weather strip) cost £226 with trade discount! A metre or so of rubber...
Not bad for 11 years and 78,000 miles I don't think.
Until the Spring!
Edited by Alias218 on Friday 6th December 17:19
As promised, and with no anticipation I fear, I am back for the Spring!
No update as such - the car is out of hibernation and being driven. What I do have, however, are questions relating to rust treatment. The aforementioned Dinitrol treatment is back on the cards for this year for the underbody, although I want to tackle the rear arches myself. They are solid, with a little surface rust making it's mark on the inner arch sill most notably on the N/S.
What do people recommend in terms of products to use? I plan to wire wheel/wire brush any loose paint/factory applied underseal/rust from the affected areas, treat with a rust converter, apply a rust primer, overcoat in a preventative treatment (POR15 et al), stone chip, then finish with a silver top coat.
The condition of the arches is very good in the main - I will add some images once Photobucket stops playing silly buggers to illustrate. But in the meantime any advice regarding techniques and products would be most gratefully received.
TIA.
No update as such - the car is out of hibernation and being driven. What I do have, however, are questions relating to rust treatment. The aforementioned Dinitrol treatment is back on the cards for this year for the underbody, although I want to tackle the rear arches myself. They are solid, with a little surface rust making it's mark on the inner arch sill most notably on the N/S.
What do people recommend in terms of products to use? I plan to wire wheel/wire brush any loose paint/factory applied underseal/rust from the affected areas, treat with a rust converter, apply a rust primer, overcoat in a preventative treatment (POR15 et al), stone chip, then finish with a silver top coat.
The condition of the arches is very good in the main - I will add some images once Photobucket stops playing silly buggers to illustrate. But in the meantime any advice regarding techniques and products would be most gratefully received.
TIA.
Love these Zeds. Sure they are by no means perfect, not as easy to live with as a TT or similar but they’re a proper old school GT. With a shape which I think is getting better as the years roll on.
Used to spend lots of time reading about them on 350z-UK. Still haven’t scratched the itch, unfortunately!
Good to see this one getting looked after as it should. Tastefully OEM+.
Used to spend lots of time reading about them on 350z-UK. Still haven’t scratched the itch, unfortunately!
Good to see this one getting looked after as it should. Tastefully OEM+.
Crikey, responses! 350s don’t seem to garner much love which is a shame.
Thanks for the kind words as always. With regard to VED, it’s one of those things that just has to be swallowed unfortunately. This year it’s £565 IIRC! However, as I only tax for 6 months it’s not so bad. Only £320...
I think if you are looking to get into Zed ownership it’s better sooner than later as they are getting old now, a lot are being wrecked by poorly installed modifications and while entry costs low they aren’t cheap to maintain so many have bargain basement parts fitted.
Well worth the expense though! I love how analogue they feel. Everything is heavy and has to be done with purpose. A lot of folks don’t like this as they find it tiresome, but IMO more modern cars are over-assisted. Great for lazy point-and-squirt driving, not so great for driver connection.
I’ll try and crack through some jobs this year, and Photobucket willing, will post pics. Hoping to make it to a PH meet this year as haven’t been to one before.
ETA:
So, images of the surface rust I’d like to treat:
That really is about the worst of it, those images coming from the N/S a.k.a. the side that runs in the gutter. I’m particularly mindful of the image that shows the sill between inner and outer arch metal which I suspect may need new material in the future. The arch tub is very good otherwise:
So, as per my earlier post any advice on how to tackle removing rust from, treating, and protecting said areas from people who have tackled similar would be very helpful.
Thanks.
Thanks for the kind words as always. With regard to VED, it’s one of those things that just has to be swallowed unfortunately. This year it’s £565 IIRC! However, as I only tax for 6 months it’s not so bad. Only £320...
I think if you are looking to get into Zed ownership it’s better sooner than later as they are getting old now, a lot are being wrecked by poorly installed modifications and while entry costs low they aren’t cheap to maintain so many have bargain basement parts fitted.
Well worth the expense though! I love how analogue they feel. Everything is heavy and has to be done with purpose. A lot of folks don’t like this as they find it tiresome, but IMO more modern cars are over-assisted. Great for lazy point-and-squirt driving, not so great for driver connection.
I’ll try and crack through some jobs this year, and Photobucket willing, will post pics. Hoping to make it to a PH meet this year as haven’t been to one before.
ETA:
So, images of the surface rust I’d like to treat:
That really is about the worst of it, those images coming from the N/S a.k.a. the side that runs in the gutter. I’m particularly mindful of the image that shows the sill between inner and outer arch metal which I suspect may need new material in the future. The arch tub is very good otherwise:
So, as per my earlier post any advice on how to tackle removing rust from, treating, and protecting said areas from people who have tackled similar would be very helpful.
Thanks.
Edited by Alias218 on Friday 6th December 17:17
Rust doesnt look too bad
I did similar on my Skyline many years back , cleaned up what I could , treated it with rust killer/stabiliser, then red oxide primer , then epoxy and finally a decent underseal
Sites like this will help https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/rust-removing-t...
Also these guys make good stuff
https://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-an...
I did similar on my Skyline many years back , cleaned up what I could , treated it with rust killer/stabiliser, then red oxide primer , then epoxy and finally a decent underseal
Sites like this will help https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/rust-removing-t...
Also these guys make good stuff
https://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-an...
amusingduck said:
Alias218 said:
Crikey, responses! 350s don’t seem to garner much love which is a shame.
Been watching this thread for over a year now, keep up the good work chap
liner33 said:
Rust doesnt look too bad
I did similar on my Skyline many years back , cleaned up what I could , treated it with rust killer/stabiliser, then red oxide primer , then epoxy and finally a decent underseal
Sites like this will help https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/rust-removing-t...
Also these guys make good stuff
https://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-an...
Ta, I will take a look. I’m just wary of buying snake oil. How did your Skyline hold up after some time? I did similar on my Skyline many years back , cleaned up what I could , treated it with rust killer/stabiliser, then red oxide primer , then epoxy and finally a decent underseal
Sites like this will help https://www.rust.co.uk/product/cat/rust-removing-t...
Also these guys make good stuff
https://www.bilthamber.com/corrosion-protection-an...
Winter update time!
It's been a fun year in the Zed again. The Focus departed to a new owner, and I took custody of a new Chrome Blue Fiesta ST-Line:
The Fiesta is a cracking car. Go-kart handling, coupled with the torquey little 999cc triple - it's fantastic! Being my first brand new car, I've been treated to the latest in ICE in the form of SYNC 3 and the connectivity that offers. I feel a bit spoilt. It feels very spry for it's 100PS.
Back in the Zed, I clocked 4,000 miles this year, a little more than I would like but it's always so much fun driving this car it's hard not to grab the keys over the Fiesta's.
I paid my third visit to the Nürburgring, the second in the 350. Meeting just outside Harwich Port in dismal weather, the trip got off to a damp start but we all arrived on schedule (mostly) and boarded the ferry for an overnight trip to the Hook of Holland.
Thus began a bad nights sleep of a slightly-too-short bed, unidentifiable noises coming from below decks, above decks, next door, in my own bathroom, and a 2 a.m. fire alarm and announcement that the exhaust stacks might be on fire, but not to worry go back to sleep. As it turns out, some engineering works overnight had accidentally caused a smoke head to go off - dutifully announced by the captain at around 3 a.m. just as I was nodding off again.
Still, we arrived in an equally dismal Holland ready for the 6 hour drive that lay ahead. We stopped off somewhere towards the tail end of the journey in a lovely German town called Monschau after having driven down a narrow cobbled street full of confused Germans which transpired to be pedestrian only
The town was very pretty though and I thoroughly enjoyed my Senfschnitzel, mustard being what the town is known for (apparently).
We arrived at our destination some time later and made for the Devil's Diner to have a mooch after having dropped our bits off at Big Ben's Guesthouse. We don't tend to smash out laps like some do, so were content to just take it easy for the evening, enjoying a steak a Pistenklause where I gorged on their strangely moreish bread rolls.
The following morning was my brother's birthday, and though I had been to the 'ring 3 times now I had never driven around it, opting instead to ride shotgun. This time however, my brother took his birthday as an opportunity to guilt trip me into going round! The dastardly swine. Seeing as it was early I thought there was no better time to cut my teeth, and with sweaty palms I handed over 20 Euros for a Green Hell Card and made my way out, following my friend round for the lap.
It was great fun! I barely nudged 100mph and had a little go with a Porsche 924 Clubsport. It's worth baring in mind that not only was this my first lap on the Nürburgring, it was my first lap on track - period. I had never done track driving before. Still, all went well and I was buzzing for a little while afterwards! It also meant I could now buy a Nürburgring sticker do adorn my car, which to this point I had not done for I hadn't earnt it. It's only small, but it's a badge of honour
I was going to call it a day there (I'm very cautious generally), though the bug had bitten and I bought a second lap later on, this time with a passenger in tow. I was pleased, and surprised, to learn that I posted a BTG time of 9:53 during that second lap and topped 135mph. Some of you may snigger, but I was quite chuffed at that. The brakes were quite smoky when I pulled up in the Devil's Diner
I performed a couple of slow laps around the car park to cool them off (victory laps 
) and they were fine. While I have RBF600 brake fluid, the pads are standard Brembo parts and probably not cut out for too much heavy braking.
Figuring I best not push my luck too far, the remainder of the trip was given over to walks through the forested areas to trackside viewing points, a visit to Nurburg castle, some passenger rides, a visit to Koblenz and a long walk around a volcanic lake close by, the name of which escapes me. Who knew there were volcanoes in the Eifel region?
The weather was great after the wet start (it rained on the drive home too), hitting 30+ degrees most days. I expect I'll pay a visit again next year, and perhaps even venture out again!
Next:
Much needed TLC.
It's been a fun year in the Zed again. The Focus departed to a new owner, and I took custody of a new Chrome Blue Fiesta ST-Line:
The Fiesta is a cracking car. Go-kart handling, coupled with the torquey little 999cc triple - it's fantastic! Being my first brand new car, I've been treated to the latest in ICE in the form of SYNC 3 and the connectivity that offers. I feel a bit spoilt. It feels very spry for it's 100PS.
Back in the Zed, I clocked 4,000 miles this year, a little more than I would like but it's always so much fun driving this car it's hard not to grab the keys over the Fiesta's.
I paid my third visit to the Nürburgring, the second in the 350. Meeting just outside Harwich Port in dismal weather, the trip got off to a damp start but we all arrived on schedule (mostly) and boarded the ferry for an overnight trip to the Hook of Holland.
Thus began a bad nights sleep of a slightly-too-short bed, unidentifiable noises coming from below decks, above decks, next door, in my own bathroom, and a 2 a.m. fire alarm and announcement that the exhaust stacks might be on fire, but not to worry go back to sleep. As it turns out, some engineering works overnight had accidentally caused a smoke head to go off - dutifully announced by the captain at around 3 a.m. just as I was nodding off again.
Still, we arrived in an equally dismal Holland ready for the 6 hour drive that lay ahead. We stopped off somewhere towards the tail end of the journey in a lovely German town called Monschau after having driven down a narrow cobbled street full of confused Germans which transpired to be pedestrian only
The town was very pretty though and I thoroughly enjoyed my Senfschnitzel, mustard being what the town is known for (apparently). We arrived at our destination some time later and made for the Devil's Diner to have a mooch after having dropped our bits off at Big Ben's Guesthouse. We don't tend to smash out laps like some do, so were content to just take it easy for the evening, enjoying a steak a Pistenklause where I gorged on their strangely moreish bread rolls.
The following morning was my brother's birthday, and though I had been to the 'ring 3 times now I had never driven around it, opting instead to ride shotgun. This time however, my brother took his birthday as an opportunity to guilt trip me into going round! The dastardly swine. Seeing as it was early I thought there was no better time to cut my teeth, and with sweaty palms I handed over 20 Euros for a Green Hell Card and made my way out, following my friend round for the lap.
It was great fun! I barely nudged 100mph and had a little go with a Porsche 924 Clubsport. It's worth baring in mind that not only was this my first lap on the Nürburgring, it was my first lap on track - period. I had never done track driving before. Still, all went well and I was buzzing for a little while afterwards! It also meant I could now buy a Nürburgring sticker do adorn my car, which to this point I had not done for I hadn't earnt it. It's only small, but it's a badge of honour
I was going to call it a day there (I'm very cautious generally), though the bug had bitten and I bought a second lap later on, this time with a passenger in tow. I was pleased, and surprised, to learn that I posted a BTG time of 9:53 during that second lap and topped 135mph. Some of you may snigger, but I was quite chuffed at that. The brakes were quite smoky when I pulled up in the Devil's Diner
I performed a couple of slow laps around the car park to cool them off (victory laps ) and they were fine. While I have RBF600 brake fluid, the pads are standard Brembo parts and probably not cut out for too much heavy braking. Figuring I best not push my luck too far, the remainder of the trip was given over to walks through the forested areas to trackside viewing points, a visit to Nurburg castle, some passenger rides, a visit to Koblenz and a long walk around a volcanic lake close by, the name of which escapes me. Who knew there were volcanoes in the Eifel region?
The weather was great after the wet start (it rained on the drive home too), hitting 30+ degrees most days. I expect I'll pay a visit again next year, and perhaps even venture out again!
Next:
Much needed TLC.
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