Forgive me.. I have sinned

[Irish]

Snoggledog said:

Right.. Day 4 is underway. First day in the wet too. Huge understeer followed by lift off oversteer so I was glad that I took the advice of LexSport and took the car to Performance 5 over my lunch hour. Ok so by the time I'd got back to work it was lunch 3 hours but hey hum.

Ermm. Well. I had a sneeking suspicion that the brakes were a little off. The rear brakes were almost locked solid. The fronts are slightly warped. So as the wheels were off I took the opportunity to check out the tread. sums up the front near side. The tracking's out a tad. So while the car's up on the ramp a quick check of the dampers and springs shows that they need replacing.

So the car needs new tyres, disks and pads all round, a 4 wheel alignment and new dampers and springs. Oh.. and the rear box for the exhaust is close to getting porous.

Now that they've freed off the brakes the car's been transformed. New rubber, wheel alignment and shocks will make it dance and a new set of pads and disks will help it stop properly.

Hang on.. I only bought this as a temporary runner. Looks like that's going to be changing.

Still loving it though and looking forward to getting all the little bits sorted.

Note to Kinky... Mrs Snoggledog is sad to say that she must decline your kind offer of being her babysitter but she has to work until 10:30 so won't be needing your services at this time. However she would like to say thanks for the offer.. Not sure whether she was being serious or not.

This is fast becoming a blog.

I am a litte cheesed off with my specialist for charging me £150 to bleed and replace the brake fluid to get the brakes back to optimum without so much as advising about disc and pads (given they are only a £150 to redo). Expecially as the original instruction was to replace the rear calipers which should have cost double that.

With that done on top of my work you will have practically a new car (as much as an 18 year old one can be!). As I said they get addictive!

[Kinky]

Snoggledog said:

Note to Kinky... Mrs Snoggledog is sad to say that she must decline your kind offer of being her babysitter but she has to work until 10:30 so won't be needing your services at this time. However she would like to say thanks for the offer.. Not sure whether she was being serious or not.

I think you'll find she was

K

[MX-5 Lazza]

Irish said:

I am a litte cheesed off with my specialist for charging me £150 to bleed and replace the brake fluid to get the brakes back to optimum without so much as advising about disc and pads (given they are only a £150 to redo). Expecially as the original instruction was to replace the rear calipers which should have cost double that.

If I did it myself...
Front discs (pair): £30
Rear discs (pair): £25
Front pads: £45
Rear pads: £40
Fluid: £15?
Change front discs, pads & fluid: 2 hour (going nice & slow).

So £155 + 2 hours work for a complete brake system.
If any of the callipers need work you can add in some time to clean-up and maybe a bit more cost to replace parts (£30 to replace all seals and piston per calliper).

None of this is difficult and can be done by anyone with a little basic technical knowledge.

[Snoggledog]

Day 5... I've persuaded the old man to get off his arse and do me a favour. So I'm pootling round in a souless Mini Cooper while he gets my tyres changed for me. Dear God.. The Mini is drab and boring. Completely uninteresting to drive. The MX-5 is booked in for new brakes and wheel alignment next week.

So all I need to do now is add some forced induction and I'll be happy.

[Snoggledog]

Day 6.. Holy Moly!!!!

New tyres and what a difference they've made. A brand new set of Cooper boots and the car feels planted. Total transformation and just goes to show how sensitive the MX-5 really is. The grin is still going from 'ere to 'ere.

Kinky and Irish. I can't thank you enough for pointing me in this direction.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Snoggledog said:

A brand new set of Cooper boots and the car feels planted.

Cooper?

[lord summerisle]

currently in our boreing car while the '5 is being worked on... or at least sat at my dads waiting to be quoted on repairing the rust to the rear sills.

oh and need a new clutch.

at least replaced the rear tyres now.

[Snoggledog]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Snoggledog said:

A brand new set of Cooper boots and the car feels planted.

Cooper?

I've always been one to buck a trend. Sadly Federal don't make the good boots for the size of wheels that I have on the '5 but Cooper do. I've used them in the past and found them to be more than adequate. Whether they're as good as Toyo or Goodyear remains to be seen but for the time being they'll do.

The missus was (scarily) suggesting fast road springs and dampers, roll cage and some form of forced induction . If we do go that way I'll be getting a spare set of wheels and investing in a nice set of Yokohama Advan A048's to help keep the car on the black stuff. Mileage from those will probably equate to 1 ring trip and no more.

[Kinky]

Snoggledog said:

Kinky and Irish. I can't thank you enough for pointing me in this direction.

Glad to be of service - which is what we're all here for

I expect my cheque is in the post, or that I'm on wifesitting duties sometime soon

K

[Irish]

Snoggledog said:

MX-5 Lazza said:

Snoggledog said:

A brand new set of Cooper boots and the car feels planted.

Cooper?

I've always been one to buck a trend. Sadly Federal don't make the good boots for the size of wheels that I have on the '5 but Cooper do. I've used them in the past and found them to be more than adequate. Whether they're as good as Toyo or Goodyear remains to be seen but for the time being they'll do.

The missus was (scarily) suggesting fast road springs and dampers, roll cage and some form of forced induction . If we do go that way I'll be getting a spare set of wheels and investing in a nice set of Yokohama Advan A048's to help keep the car on the black stuff. Mileage from those will probably equate to 1 ring trip and no more.

Jaysus you HAVE caught the bug.........Family Snoggle Track Slag

[MX-5 Lazza]

Snoggledog said:

I've always been one to buck a trend.

Fair enough. We need trail-blazers (or trend-buckers) otherwise we would never discover anything new

Snoggledog said:

Whether they're as good as Toyo or Goodyear remains to be seen but for the time being they'll do.

Probably not as they seem to specialise in the US 4x4 market but then again the BFG Profilers seem to be well liked so who knows!

Snoggledog said:

The missus was (scarily) suggesting fast road springs and dampers, roll cage and some form of forced induction . If we do go that way I'll be getting a spare set of wheels and investing in a nice set of Yokohama Advan A048's to help keep the car on the black stuff. Mileage from those will probably equate to 1 ring trip and no more.

Now you're talking!

[XJSJohn]

So Ralf, in summary, you don't realy like it that much do you ??

[Snoggledog]

XJSJohn said:

So Ralf, in summary, you don't realy like it that much do you ??

Not really, no.. It's ok I suppose. The drive is to the wrong wheels. The ride is lumpy. Getting in and out is hard work for a fat er like me. It's noisy. It doesn't have ABS. It doesn't have cruise control. It doesn't have central locking. It doesn't have traction control. The wheels are far to small. I mean who, just who, supplies cars with 14" wheels FFS? 19's or 20's are the only way to go. There's no power in any way shape or form. I want wheel spin in any gear. The eclectic windows are painful when the car is cold. Everything rattles (including my false teeth). The interior light is a joke. Why does the passenger footwell need illuminating for christs sake? I want to see where to put the bloody key into the column. I don't care if the missus can see where to put her feet. I can't see anything out of the plastic panel that passes for a rear screen. The roof moves around at speed. With the hood down it's noisier, windy and (now) cold. 2nd gear requires double clutching until the oil has seeped through the gearbox. The wing mirrors are stuck in position so I can't see anything. It doesn't have a CD player, monster amps and stunning speakers. Mind you with the level of sound proofing that it does have none of those would be of much use in any case.

Who in their right mind would want a car like that? Just as well that I'm not in my right mind!

[XJSJohn]

Snoggledog said:

XJSJohn said:

So Ralf, in summary, you don't realy like it that much do you ??

Not really, no.. It's ok I suppose. The drive is to the wrong wheels. The ride is lumpy. Getting in and out is hard work for a fat er like me. It's noisy. It doesn't have ABS. It doesn't have cruise control. It doesn't have central locking. It doesn't have traction control. The wheels are far to small. I mean who, just who, supplies cars with 14" wheels FFS? 19's or 20's are the only way to go. There's no power in any way shape or form. I want wheel spin in any gear. The eclectic windows are painful when the car is cold. Everything rattles (including my false teeth). The interior light is a joke. Why does the passenger footwell need illuminating for christs sake? I want to see where to put the bloody key into the column. I don't care if the missus can see where to put her feet. I can't see anything out of the plastic panel that passes for a rear screen. The roof moves around at speed. With the hood down it's noisier, windy and (now) cold. 2nd gear requires double clutching until the oil has seeped through the gearbox. The wing mirrors are stuck in position so I can't see anything. It doesn't have a CD player, monster amps and stunning speakers. Mind you with the level of sound proofing that it does have none of those would be of much use in any case.

Who in their right mind would want a car like that? Just as well that I'm not in my right mind!

That bad huh ???



enjoy

[chockymonster]

I've just fitted a set of "absolutely shocks" non height adjustable gaz shocks and springs.
It's totally changed the car, no longer do we have to put up with a crashy ride, it's smooth over bumps but really firms up in the corners. £400 inc vat (plus fitting)

I've redone the bushes and fitted a larini exhaust (lovely sound) and an hks super mega whatsit induction kit. The best performance mod I've done though is replacing the cambelt and making sure that the cams are actually lined up instead of being half a tooth out. Nice black number 11s now

Next on the list is sorting the rust in the nsr sill and a supercharger

[Snoggledog]

chockymonster said:

I've just fitted a set of "absolutely shocks" non height adjustable gaz shocks and springs.
It's totally changed the car, no longer do we have to put up with a crashy ride, it's smooth over bumps but really firms up in the corners. £400 inc vat (plus fitting)

I've redone the bushes and fitted a larini exhaust (lovely sound) and an hks super mega whatsit induction kit. The best performance mod I've done though is replacing the cambelt and making sure that the cams are actually lined up instead of being half a tooth out. Nice black number 11s now

Next on the list is sorting the rust in the nsr sill and a supercharger

That's temptation that is.. That's like putting a box of Belgian Chocolates out in front of the missus. ARGHHH.... STOP... MUST THINK OF MY BANK ACCOUNT!!!

[DennisTheMenace]

Bloody MX-5's are a pain in the arse , ive got shock and springs to go on , torsen diff , temp engine to go in while i rebuild mine and a few other odds and sods ,

as for the finding the key hole in the dark , sorted mine with an interior light delay and an led

[lord summerisle]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Snoggledog said:

I've always been one to buck a trend.

Fair enough. We need trail-blazers (or trend-buckers) otherwise we would never discover anything new

Snoggledog said:

Whether they're as good as Toyo or Goodyear remains to be seen but for the time being they'll do.

Probably not as they seem to specialise in the US 4x4 market but then again the BFG Profilers seem to be well liked so who knows!

Snoggledog said:

The missus was (scarily) suggesting fast road springs and dampers, roll cage and some form of forced induction . If we do go that way I'll be getting a spare set of wheels and investing in a nice set of Yokohama Advan A048's to help keep the car on the black stuff. Mileage from those will probably equate to 1 ring trip and no more.

Now you're talking!

if it helps... the Lotus 7 Club have organised a bulk buy price on Toyo R888s see here

[Snoggledog]

Update... New pads and disks fitted. 4 wheel alignment done. That 4 wheel alignment has made the single most significant improvement (so far) to the cars handling. It's now a really really great car to drive.
for WIM.