Car appreciation... the aesthetics, the engineering, etc

Handy cheap infra red temperature probe which is cheap and handy when diagnosing possible problems with a cooling system

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-D4AB4A47-331D8AB7/www_lidl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?action=showDetail&id=9087

Or buy one with a digital read-out and laser pointer from eBay for about a tenner, which is far more useful and doesn't require going to LIDL.

Looks like witchcraft to me.

I got a phone call from Automerc today enquiring how I was finding the car, was I happy with all the work they had done, and not to hesitate bringing it in if I had any problems, etc.
That's just nice. :-)
I shall definitely be taking it there in future. They were ace, and the car drives like it is 20 years younger.

So I got my car back today. Just drove back from northampton cruising at 75-80mph no problem. It genuinely feels like a brand new car
The work I had done included:

• Brand new heritage rear subframe
  
• Every non solid bush replaced with superflex bushes
  
• every part that could be powdercoated has been
  
• Braided stainless brake lines throughout
  
• solid front subframe mounts with 3mm steel reinforcement plates welded to heelboard
  
• New steering rack and column
  
• new driveshaft inner and outer gaitors
  
• AVO fully adjustable shocks <-- these things are actually amazing
  
  
  

The cars ride is now so unbelievably supple and smooth and the tracking is dead on.
Looks like im gonna be taking it to Paris during february! - Its never run so well on the motorway before whilst staying completely cool

All the work was done by Dave Yardy at Track Road and Race, Northampton, and I could not recommend him highly enough! Throughout the build he has documented each step with photographs and detailing of the work done.

^ Wow

Got a little question as well, looking for a second car, we already have a Volvo estate for kid duties but I want something smaller for when that is not needed something with a little bit of poke, reliable and I don't live in London so insurance is low.

Any suggestions based on the above got around £5k to play with.

Ta

Clio 172?

Do want

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C466436

Then again, this would do
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Classic-VW-Volkswagen-Karmann-Ghia-Coupe-Lovely-original-Car-/151209801677?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2334ce77cd

But will it production?

Do you even?

You're probably looking at the next A3 there.

Alloys look damaged. I'd send that right back.

Got a little question as well, looking for a second car, we already have a Volvo estate for kid duties but I want something smaller for when that is not needed something with a little bit of poke, reliable and I don't live in London so insurance is low.

Any suggestions based on the above got around £5k to play with.

Ta

do you need 4 seats?

^ Ah yes... 3 door is fine but four seats yes. Not a good brief...

m3?

Just had another chance to look at a video of my driving on the A505 courtesy of the boys in blue. No points, just a warning - and a reminder of what happened to that chap from the Fast and the Furious. Not sure where that came from...

M3?

But can you find a decent one that hasn't been thrashed ot death at that price? Same applies to that Clio suggestion.

A garage down the road from me had a newer model (gash headlights) WRX Impreza estate in the classic blue for £3.5K I just should have bought another estate...

Missus would have killed me

If you need to get it past the missus, you could do worse than an old Ibiza:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Seat-Ibiza-Cupra-TDI-not-FR-Leon-VRS-A3-Type-R-etc-/131097263869?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item1e86017efd

160Bhp and reliable. Still looks like a school run effort but the one I had was genuinely fun to drive (obviously relative to a 2 seater etc) and ran perfectly at 120,000 miles.

So I got my car back today. Just drove back from northampton cruising at 75-80mph no problem. It genuinely feels like a brand new car
The work I had done included:

[]Brand new heritage rear subframe
[]Every non solid bush replaced with superflex bushes
[]every part that could be powdercoated has been
[]Braided stainless brake lines throughout
[]solid front subframe mounts with 3mm steel reinforcement plates welded to heelboard
[]New steering rack and column
[]new driveshaft inner and outer gaitors
[]AVO fully adjustable shocks <-- these things are actually amazing

The cars ride is now so unbelievably supple and smooth and the tracking is dead on.
Looks like im gonna be taking it to Paris during february! - Its never run so well on the motorway before whilst staying completely cool

All the work was done by Dave Yardy at Track Road and Race, Northampton, and I could not recommend him highly enough! Throughout the build he has documented each step with photographs and detailing of the work done.

Got a little question as well, looking for a second car, we already have a Volvo estate for kid duties but I want something smaller for when that is not needed something with a little bit of poke, reliable and I don't live in London so insurance is low.

Any suggestions based on the above got around £5k to play with.

Ta

Biased, but you can get a fine Mini Cooper S for £5k and it will have plenty of poke (awesome supercharger whine too!)

325ti ?

^^ I had considered that, my dad when tried a few a couple of years back, thought the steering was a bit floaty on the Cooper S (he used to build and race mini's in his youth) but I guess I should check one out for myself...