MDifficult’s E82 1M Coupe & Ariel Atom 3
Discussion
BenLowden said:
That GP looks familiar! Wait a minute, I think I've got something in my eye... 
Can I have it back yet please?
Don't worry Ben, you'll always have first refusal on buy-back... I'll take good care of it in the meantime Can I have it back yet please?
BMRuss said:
Love the M5, I MUST have one of those one day with the same colour combo
My advice would be... do it! I wonder whether the F10 will prove to be a sweet-spot in future. With the next one getting even bigger, four wheel drive and a whole host of nannying 'safety' features, this may be the last of the real monsters!illmonkey said:
I knew you were doing it on purpose!
Cheers, guilty as charged. Having the roof down gave you the best opportunity to enjoy it!I mentioned in the first post that my M5 has had a bit of a ‘nose job’ so thought I’d share some details on that. Just before Christmas a poorly-repaired stone chip (by previous owner) started to flake, making an already pretty stone-chipped front bumper look really dog-eared.
Thankfully, on the F10 the front bumper wraps right up over the nose to meet the bonnet (rather than the bonnet curving down to meet the bumper like it did on my old E46). This means that re-painting the front bumper pretty much deals with all the front-end stone chips.
I got quotes from a number of local places as well as BMW (hopeless) but ended up going with Mulgari Automotive in Bracknell. As soon as I started chatting with the guys there it was clear they understood the level of quality I was hunting for and offered a really good quote together with a full PPF wrap of the bumper post-paint.
The few weeks of driving around with a really tatty front bumper were pretty miserable. “Oy mate, you’ve banged your front bumper!”. “Yes, thanks, I know. I didn’t actually bang it but thanks. Again.” Mid January arrived and it was off to Mulgari. Front bits removed..
Fully prepped then into the paint booth (arty shot curtesy of their social media feed):
Reassembled (looking good!) with PPF applied, waiting on the wheels that were off being refurbished and re-diamond cut.
After a tough week of waiting it was time to pick the car back up. Looking absolutely fantastic and, it seems, fitted with a new M2-shaped roof rack!
Can’t fault the quality of the work and with the PPF fitted it should stay mint for at least another 5 years.
Thankfully, on the F10 the front bumper wraps right up over the nose to meet the bonnet (rather than the bonnet curving down to meet the bumper like it did on my old E46). This means that re-painting the front bumper pretty much deals with all the front-end stone chips.
I got quotes from a number of local places as well as BMW (hopeless) but ended up going with Mulgari Automotive in Bracknell. As soon as I started chatting with the guys there it was clear they understood the level of quality I was hunting for and offered a really good quote together with a full PPF wrap of the bumper post-paint.
The few weeks of driving around with a really tatty front bumper were pretty miserable. “Oy mate, you’ve banged your front bumper!”. “Yes, thanks, I know. I didn’t actually bang it but thanks. Again.” Mid January arrived and it was off to Mulgari. Front bits removed..
Fully prepped then into the paint booth (arty shot curtesy of their social media feed):
Reassembled (looking good!) with PPF applied, waiting on the wheels that were off being refurbished and re-diamond cut.
After a tough week of waiting it was time to pick the car back up. Looking absolutely fantastic and, it seems, fitted with a new M2-shaped roof rack!
Can’t fault the quality of the work and with the PPF fitted it should stay mint for at least another 5 years.
mikeyb1987 said:
Nice choice of cars. I too have a V8 and a GP2....
Completely agree with your thoughts on the GP2- I can't help but laugh out loud at the way it goes around corners
Woah, that really IS a likeminded pair - looking good! How long have you had yours? Looks fantastic. Completely agree with your thoughts on the GP2- I can't help but laugh out loud at the way it goes around corners
I'm writing up a thread of the work I've done to mine in the last few weeks - will get it posted as soon as I can.
MDifficult said:
mikeyb1987 said:
Nice choice of cars. I too have a V8 and a GP2....
Completely agree with your thoughts on the GP2- I can't help but laugh out loud at the way it goes around corners
Woah, that really IS a likeminded pair - looking good! How long have you had yours? Looks fantastic. Completely agree with your thoughts on the GP2- I can't help but laugh out loud at the way it goes around corners
I'm writing up a thread of the work I've done to mine in the last few weeks - will get it posted as soon as I can.
In fact, the GP2 replaced the Puma's winter duties, but it's also there for summer work commutes and hopefully the odd trackday. I got it in December and absolutely love it. The Puma had a great chassis and was ridiculously oversteery (due to rubbish rear tyres). I was worried, despite all the reviews, that the GP2 would be tame after it. How wrong was I! It's also quick in a straight line - helped in no short way by the short ratios.
I'd be intrigued to see what work you've done to yours. I quite like the sound of the stubby aerial and LED sidelights - I might look into these. The only thing I've done is put an aftermarket panel filter in it.
What tyres are you running?
'Chased out a dozen little buzzes and rattles from the interior using my own toolkit of sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant (I'm not a weirdo - they're the benefits of previous Lotus ownership!)'
Where did you get your, 'sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant,' I have a few rattles on my Z4 that need fixed in the interior and am at my wits end?
Where did you get your, 'sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant,' I have a few rattles on my Z4 that need fixed in the interior and am at my wits end?
mikeyb1987 said:
I also had a Puma 1.7 as a winter hack for a few years too - great minds think alike
In fact, the GP2 replaced the Puma's winter duties, but it's also there for summer work commutes and hopefully the odd trackday. I got it in December and absolutely love it. The Puma had a great chassis and was ridiculously oversteery (due to rubbish rear tyres). I was worried, despite all the reviews, that the GP2 would be tame after it. How wrong was I! It's also quick in a straight line - helped in no short way by the short ratios.
I'd be intrigued to see what work you've done to yours. I quite like the sound of the stubby aerial and LED sidelights - I might look into these. The only thing I've done is put an aftermarket panel filter in it.
What tyres are you running?
No way?? You know the rest of that quote? "Great minds think alike... and fools seldom differ" In fact, the GP2 replaced the Puma's winter duties, but it's also there for summer work commutes and hopefully the odd trackday. I got it in December and absolutely love it. The Puma had a great chassis and was ridiculously oversteery (due to rubbish rear tyres). I was worried, despite all the reviews, that the GP2 would be tame after it. How wrong was I! It's also quick in a straight line - helped in no short way by the short ratios.
I'd be intrigued to see what work you've done to yours. I quite like the sound of the stubby aerial and LED sidelights - I might look into these. The only thing I've done is put an aftermarket panel filter in it.
What tyres are you running?
My middle daughter is going to need to learn to drive next year and I'm already trying to find a way that a Puma 1.7 can be insured for less than a Mini One or Fiat 500 TwinAir
It's an itch I definitely need to re-scratch at some point. The Mini really does feel proper quick and I agree a lot of that is down to the gearing - feels super-short and with 6th being a 'proper' 6th it's all fun all the way. I think the way it tugs itself from kerb to cats-eye helps that feeling too
I'll get the post written up properly over the weekend if I can and pop it up next week. Nothing that really counts as a 'modification', more just getting it spot on. Tyres are Michelin PSS, same as on the M5 (only not quite as large).
AMG01 said:
'Chased out a dozen little buzzes and rattles from the interior using my own toolkit of sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant (I'm not a weirdo - they're the benefits of previous Lotus ownership!)'
Where did you get your, 'sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant,' I have a few rattles on my Z4 that need fixed in the interior and am at my wits end?
I'll stick up the Mini post next week and make sure it has all the details of the kit but in short.. eBay! You need different stuff for different noises but the three things I use covers almost all cases. I'll write up a breakdown of what stuff for what type of noise as part if it if that's helpful?Where did you get your, 'sticky rubber strips, low-friction medical tape and scuba-equipment rubber lubricant,' I have a few rattles on my Z4 that need fixed in the interior and am at my wits end?
bassett said:
Very interesting car history you have there and love the M5. Being a PH'er and having kids its good to see you juggled between the two, gives me hope (first kid on the way this month!)
Congratulations! It's not always easy but I often found it wasn't the kids that were the problem, in was all their clobber! Choosing pushchairs and travel cots based on their 'size when folded' is a top tipThe Mini was in excellent condition when I bought it but it wasn't quite up the standard I like to maintain my cars. After its first thorough clean I made a list of the things that were immediately obvious...
Grill: The front grill had a crack in it. Looking back at Ben's old photos I could just make it out so it'd clearly been there for a little while. I conscidered simply gluing it up but it was starting to look a little faded in comparison to the lower grill (being directly in the sunlight most of the time) and is a cheap and easy part to replace on the R56.
Old grill
New grill
Aerial: Why did Mini choose to add such a whopper? Makes it look like a remote controlled car! A quick swap to a Stubby is no more than 30 seconds work
Note the carbon of the wing in the background. Lush.
Strut Bolts The under-bonnet strut brace was a little tarnished, with two bolts in particular going rusty where rain-water collects. Gave the whole thing a quick polish with Autosol and then replaced the bolts, giving the studs a clean with wire wool and the replacement bolts a good coat of waterproof grease - let's see if they hold up.
Sidenote: These bolts were a new thing to me - single use bolts that are oval in the middle. The idea being that as you screw them down this forces the oval into a circle and that 'squeezes' the thread preventing it from undoing through vibration. Not come across them before but just 50p from Mini. Whipped out the torque wrench and the job took minutes (34 Nm if anyone's interested - took me ages to find out and even Mini didn't know).
Old Bolt
New Bolt
Roof Decal The drivers-side roof decal was losing some of its gloss. Not something someone else would likely spot, but once I'd seen it it was obvious every time I got in! I ummed and ahhed about getting someone else to do this job as the 'cost of cock-up' was quite high (another costly new decal and an embarrassing repeat trip to the Mini parts department) and if it was wrongly positioned or had any bubbles or imperfections it would drive me mental! But, in for a penny...
Firstly, I marked out the edges of the sticker so that I could be totally confident that the replacement was going in the same place:
The decal came off super easy with plenty of heat and patience - all in one piece and with zero residue. A quick wipe down with neat alcohol and the surface was ready:
The replacement sticker kit has some handy tabs to help fit in the correct place, but as I'd marked out the old one with masking tape I got it perfectly aligned. A bit of soapy water and a squeegee, plus some care and attention and the job was done:
Wiped it down, waited for it to dry thoroughly, then waxed over the top. Perfect. Phew!
Yellow Sidelights: They look really cheap in comparison to the excellent headlights but thankfully replacing the bulbs is cheap and a doddle on a Mini R56. Just turn the wheels, uncrew the little plastic access hatch in the inner wheel-arch and uncrew and pull out the bulb holder. I've currently replaced with some eBay LEDs but although they're better, the blueness is too much so I'm looking at other options. Mini do a retro-fit full LED DRL kit but the cost is bananas at £300 plus a pretty complicated fitting process. Any suggestions anyone?
Detailing: Overall, the paint was in a good state but with some hazing and swirls. Interestingly, the bonnet has PPF (but not the bumper) and the side windows seem like they've had some kind of ceramic coating in the past (they shed water beautifully). Someone had clearly spent time and money keeping the car in a good state and the only neglected area was under the bonnet - pretty filthy so I tackled that on the first day (sorry, no pics)
Rattles: The interior rattled like a recycling box full of old yogurt pots.. a common R56 problem probably made worse by the firm chassis setup of the GP. From my Lotus ownership days I've learned that there are three killer tools for fixing squeeks and rattles and so far I've got rid of most of them. Lots around the door speakers, the dash inserts and door cards are now gone. Still a buzzing roof dome light and something under the rear cover (where the rear seats would normally be) to figure out. If anyone's interested, my three (crazy cheap) killer tools for the job are:
Sticky-back foam strips - 15mm x 1mm Single Sided Self Adhesive foam, ideal for where there's a gap between two things and they rattle together, especially if a change in temperature causes the gap to grow and shrink. Can be easily cut to size and sticks pretty well to anything.
Low-friction medical tape - 3M Durapore tape 12mm, developed to allow injuries to be taped up but avoid any sliding material from catching on the injury and tugging at it. Absolutely perfect where you have two pieces of trim that need to touch each other but squeek when they rub. A little of this tape between and silence! (it’s also used for eyelash extensions apparently, but don’t let that put you off)
Scuba-equipment rubber lubricant - Beaver Aquagel (yes, really), perfect for any squeeking rubber seals or rubber-on-metal. It's cheap and easy to apply and because it's waterproof and semi-solid it doesn't dissapear with the first wash or rain shower.
So that's it so far. No big jobs left really, although I see a wheel refurb and a new windscreen at some point in the future and perhaps replacing some of the black plastic arch trims.
Grill: The front grill had a crack in it. Looking back at Ben's old photos I could just make it out so it'd clearly been there for a little while. I conscidered simply gluing it up but it was starting to look a little faded in comparison to the lower grill (being directly in the sunlight most of the time) and is a cheap and easy part to replace on the R56.
Old grill
New grill
Aerial: Why did Mini choose to add such a whopper? Makes it look like a remote controlled car! A quick swap to a Stubby is no more than 30 seconds work
Note the carbon of the wing in the background. Lush.
Strut Bolts The under-bonnet strut brace was a little tarnished, with two bolts in particular going rusty where rain-water collects. Gave the whole thing a quick polish with Autosol and then replaced the bolts, giving the studs a clean with wire wool and the replacement bolts a good coat of waterproof grease - let's see if they hold up.
Sidenote: These bolts were a new thing to me - single use bolts that are oval in the middle. The idea being that as you screw them down this forces the oval into a circle and that 'squeezes' the thread preventing it from undoing through vibration. Not come across them before but just 50p from Mini. Whipped out the torque wrench and the job took minutes (34 Nm if anyone's interested - took me ages to find out and even Mini didn't know).
Old Bolt
New Bolt
Roof Decal The drivers-side roof decal was losing some of its gloss. Not something someone else would likely spot, but once I'd seen it it was obvious every time I got in! I ummed and ahhed about getting someone else to do this job as the 'cost of cock-up' was quite high (another costly new decal and an embarrassing repeat trip to the Mini parts department) and if it was wrongly positioned or had any bubbles or imperfections it would drive me mental! But, in for a penny...
Firstly, I marked out the edges of the sticker so that I could be totally confident that the replacement was going in the same place:
The decal came off super easy with plenty of heat and patience - all in one piece and with zero residue. A quick wipe down with neat alcohol and the surface was ready:
The replacement sticker kit has some handy tabs to help fit in the correct place, but as I'd marked out the old one with masking tape I got it perfectly aligned. A bit of soapy water and a squeegee, plus some care and attention and the job was done:
Wiped it down, waited for it to dry thoroughly, then waxed over the top. Perfect. Phew!
Yellow Sidelights: They look really cheap in comparison to the excellent headlights but thankfully replacing the bulbs is cheap and a doddle on a Mini R56. Just turn the wheels, uncrew the little plastic access hatch in the inner wheel-arch and uncrew and pull out the bulb holder. I've currently replaced with some eBay LEDs but although they're better, the blueness is too much so I'm looking at other options. Mini do a retro-fit full LED DRL kit but the cost is bananas at £300 plus a pretty complicated fitting process. Any suggestions anyone?
Detailing: Overall, the paint was in a good state but with some hazing and swirls. Interestingly, the bonnet has PPF (but not the bumper) and the side windows seem like they've had some kind of ceramic coating in the past (they shed water beautifully). Someone had clearly spent time and money keeping the car in a good state and the only neglected area was under the bonnet - pretty filthy so I tackled that on the first day (sorry, no pics)
Rattles: The interior rattled like a recycling box full of old yogurt pots.. a common R56 problem probably made worse by the firm chassis setup of the GP. From my Lotus ownership days I've learned that there are three killer tools for fixing squeeks and rattles and so far I've got rid of most of them. Lots around the door speakers, the dash inserts and door cards are now gone. Still a buzzing roof dome light and something under the rear cover (where the rear seats would normally be) to figure out. If anyone's interested, my three (crazy cheap) killer tools for the job are:
Sticky-back foam strips - 15mm x 1mm Single Sided Self Adhesive foam, ideal for where there's a gap between two things and they rattle together, especially if a change in temperature causes the gap to grow and shrink. Can be easily cut to size and sticks pretty well to anything.
Low-friction medical tape - 3M Durapore tape 12mm, developed to allow injuries to be taped up but avoid any sliding material from catching on the injury and tugging at it. Absolutely perfect where you have two pieces of trim that need to touch each other but squeek when they rub. A little of this tape between and silence! (it’s also used for eyelash extensions apparently, but don’t let that put you off)
Scuba-equipment rubber lubricant - Beaver Aquagel (yes, really), perfect for any squeeking rubber seals or rubber-on-metal. It's cheap and easy to apply and because it's waterproof and semi-solid it doesn't dissapear with the first wash or rain shower.
So that's it so far. No big jobs left really, although I see a wheel refurb and a new windscreen at some point in the future and perhaps replacing some of the black plastic arch trims.
MDifficult said:
I'll stick up the Mini post next week and make sure it has all the details of the kit but in short.. eBay! You need different stuff for different noises but the three things I use covers almost all cases. I'll write up a breakdown of what stuff for what type of noise as part if it if that's helpful?
Thanks mate, appreciated, off to use the recommendations to hunt for the squeaks in the dash of my carDear MDiff,
Lovely cars, you should really take one of these to LeMans this year!
Have you ever thought about an e46 M3 Coupe (alpine white) or maybe a vert (Topaz)? Z4M Coupes are cool, so is a 996 C4S... 306 Rallye's are great on track.. especially in the wet. The ultimate weapon is of course a V70 in champagne gold.
Big love!
Lovely cars, you should really take one of these to LeMans this year!
Have you ever thought about an e46 M3 Coupe (alpine white) or maybe a vert (Topaz)? Z4M Coupes are cool, so is a 996 C4S... 306 Rallye's are great on track.. especially in the wet. The ultimate weapon is of course a V70 in champagne gold.
Big love!
Mustard1978 said:
Z4M Coupes are cool
Especially in white If only you'd sold it to me when I could have afforded it. Nowadays it's value is growing an order of magnitude faster than my earning potential. At this rate, the only one of your fleet in my price range is the dogging-spec Volvo
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