Drawing the wallet-bashing modifying line!

[vrsmxtb]

I've already spent a lot of money on my second "fun" car this year getting a new engine put in after endless cooling woes before, and also a very nice set of new wheels and tyres, not to mention other little odds and ends.

Now after a Highlands trip one of my rear shocks is totally shagged, and there's a superb group buy going on for a decent set of coilovers saving around £150, or basically saving me at least the cost of fitting them.

How do others decide where to draw the annual line on the second car budget??

The fact that I'd probably go for these coilovers as next year's "present" for the car and likely pay top whack (unless there's another group buy organised) makes it hard to resist going way over budget this year...

On the other hand, as these coilovers aren't TUV certified maybe it's all a waste of time and money anyway if these EU regulations are going to creep in....

[Prof Prolapse]

Presumably this is the MX5?

Fitting coilovers is a piece of piss on them. Just do that and save another £150. Then it's impossible to justify not buying them.

Re: EU legislation. Don't be daft. It'll be fine.

[Vitorio]

I basically set aside a sum per month for the hobby-car to pay its tax/insurance, the rest goes into the parts/upgrades budget.

Stuff like the yearly bonus from work (should i get any at all), will be directly diverted into the upgrade fund.

[vrsmxtb]

Prof Prolapse said:

Presumably this is the MX5?

Fitting coilovers is a piece of piss on them. Just do that and save another £150. Then it's impossible to justify not buying them.

Re: EU legislation. Don't be daft. It'll be fine.

I know they're a piece of piss in theory, but seeing as I just tried and failed to even change my broken droplinks due to corrosion and limited tools, I think I'd rather pay a pro!

[Prof Prolapse]

vrsmxtb said:

I know they're a piece of piss in theory, but seeing as I just tried and failed to even change my broken droplinks due to corrosion and limited tools, I think I'd rather pay a pro!

Blowtorch and hacksaw are your friends. But I agree it requires a great deal more patience on older cars. It's quite a satisfying job actually on an Mx5.

Well, if you're ruling out DIY to keep down the costs I wouldn't bother personally. The MX5s got their handling acclaim out of the box, not from DIY fitment. I found the chassis really wasn't stiff enough when I dicked around with mine.

But that's just my opinion. I only had Kayaba KYXs on mine with Eibach springs, nothing too fancy.

[vrsmxtb]

Are you going to do it though?

[vrsmxtb]

Prof Prolapse said:

Blowtorch and hacksaw are your friends. But I agree it requires a great deal more patience on older cars. It's quite a satisfying job actually on an Mx5.

Well, if you're ruling out DIY to keep down the costs I wouldn't bother personally. The MX5s got their handling acclaim out of the box, not from DIY fitment. I found the chassis really wasn't stiff enough when I dicked around with mine.

But that's just my opinion. I only had Kayaba KYXs on mine with Eibach springs, nothing too fancy.

Well I need to do have the rear shocks done before the MOT next year, so there will be a necessary cost to this. The coilovers are highly rated for the '5 and I want a fairly compliant ride, so not worried about making the car worse than standard - not going super-low or firm with them.

[Marf]

Just remember, once fitted you'll need a full geometry.

[LuS1fer]

I apply a simple rule. the more I spend, the longer I have to keep the car so I get the benefit and the expense can be justified. Ultimately, the more you spend, the more reluctant you should be to let it go anyway - unless you want to subsidise the next owner.

[vrsmxtb]

Marf said:

Just remember, once fitted you'll need a full geometry.

This is also a bit of PITA, as I just had a proper, expensive set-up done in June... before the shock had gone and I'd started looking at coilovers!

[Prof Prolapse]

Marf said:

Just remember, once fitted you'll need a full geometry.

That's a good point. I remember my jaw dropping at the cost of that when I did mine.

God damned secondary angles. I don't know what they are but they were fking expensive.

[C.A.R.]

Definitely have a go at fitting them yourself if you can borrow the tools and a spare set of hands. Great feeling of accomplishment when it's done...

[Matt UK]

Fitting can in theory be a doddle.

The MX5 was up on the lifts at WiM having the Gaz Golds done and for the first 3 corners, I was standing there with a coffee quietly thinking that I was forking out 'lazy money' - nothing was being done that I technically couldn't do myself with a bit of time, patience and guidance.

Then on the fourth corner everything was just not working out. As all of the cutting tools were fired up and 3 blokes got involved, I stood there bloody pleased that this was happening in a proper workshop, with a set fee, surrounded by tools and experience, rather than on my driveway at 9pm one Sunday evening with just me, some axle stands, my Halford socket set and a brew...

[vrsmxtb]

Matt UK said:

Fitting can in theory be a doddle.

The MX5 was up on the lifts at WiM having the Gaz Golds done and for the first 3 corners, I was standing there with a coffee quietly thinking that I was forking out 'lazy money' - nothing was being done that I technically couldn't do myself with a bit of time, patience and guidance.

Then on the fourth corner everything was just not working out. As all of the cutting tools were fired up and 3 blokes got involved, I stood there bloody pleased that this was happening in a proper workshop, with a set fee, surrounded by tools and experience, rather than on my driveway at 9pm one Sunday evening with just me, some axle stands, my Halford socket set and a brew...

Out of interest, what did they charge for fitting and did it include full geo set-up? PM me?

[Matt UK]

vrsmxtb said:

Matt UK said:

Fitting can in theory be a doddle.

The MX5 was up on the lifts at WiM having the Gaz Golds done and for the first 3 corners, I was standing there with a coffee quietly thinking that I was forking out 'lazy money' - nothing was being done that I technically couldn't do myself with a bit of time, patience and guidance.

Then on the fourth corner everything was just not working out. As all of the cutting tools were fired up and 3 blokes got involved, I stood there bloody pleased that this was happening in a proper workshop, with a set fee, surrounded by tools and experience, rather than on my driveway at 9pm one Sunday evening with just me, some axle stands, my Halford socket set and a brew...

Out of interest, what did they charge for fitting and did it include full geo set-up? PM me?

I bought the kit, got it fitted and did the geo all through WiM on the same day. It was going back a few years so can't really remember the exact costs I'm afraid. They did a great job though, really transformed the car.