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

£300-£700? Very vague, but the parts alone through a garage could be the best part of £75/£100 per corner. As you said though there are many variables.

Relatively easy to do yourself though, if you have some where you're able to jack the car up (and have access to a decent jack rather than the one that comes in the car).

The hub center is more important for the disc/bearing/cv joint. Not really the road wheels. If the car has bolts, the hub is used to help you mount the wheel If your car has studs, rather that bolts then the center hub does nothing to mount the wheel to the hub. Personally I like a bit more hub clearance as I have had alloys that have corroded to the hub.

I'd get a machine shop to machine the hub center and chamfer it. Easy enough with the right pilar drill ;)

access to a decent jack

And axle/jack stands.

Axel stands and tools too. If you are ike me even a dial guage.

Need some tyres for the outback. All season all terrain.
Bloody hard to find something in my size, 225/55/17. With everything being bigger now.

So, do I go Yokohama geolander g015 215/60/17, 225/60/17 or find 16rims and 215/60/60.

225/55/17 = baseline
215/60/17 = plus 10mm dimaeter, less 10mm width
225/60/17 = plus 20mm diameter (America's say this fits but also say their outbacks are 1" higher)
215/60/16 = same size basically but more cost due to rims. But I could then get winger tyres on my 17s for even more cost.

Boss.

https://youtu.be/6OFtGntbS8U

I think I've done enough driving this weekend. And at 20.1mpg, bought enough Super Unleaded for a lifetime.

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Here I am in Gloucestershire waiting for the Citroen mechanic to turn up...

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love that green CX GTi. if mechanic can get it back on the road tell them to give me a shout

Well, best Citroen specialist experience ever today - put in a new brke accumulator sphere and sorted out the dodgy light wiring / fuses in a couple of hours and not too much £ at all.
Had a long chat and look around (there's more DS's and an SM etc etc).
The green GTI is a manual series 1 with only 20,000 miles on the clock - engine and interior (dark green fabric) look brand new and it's only the external cosmetics that need work doing - rock solid chassis apparently . the CX prestige is also a beaut and will be done up , rust free though and RHD full auto.
I could have spent all day chatting and exploring but had to get home!

excellent. sounds like a great couple of hours. hope you had him check you fuel gauge out too...

incredible that the green GTI only has 20,000 miles on the clock and despite exterior is in decent shape. would be a dream car.

there is a tatty old CX prestige near me but always figure those were for diplomats only..

sounds like the cars you saw there are in better shape than the CX i recently saw in Paris

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Wow that’s certainly got patina.! The car behind it gas given it no space what so ever to get out. That’s where having a tow bar comes in handy

If it’s in Paris, they’ve left the handbrake off and will be nudged gently to make the room.

So before i click buy: Which wheels do you lot actually prefer. My usually detail oriented brother said they looked the same, both look good. Meh.

I have both wheels so u cant dissapoint btw .)

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Uh oh... In those shots, I prefer the original wheels ( top image) the 5 spoke split rims look a little large for the car.

Yeah im not completely certain myself either hence the question. Its just that im not super in to the original wheels either and these are basicly the 2 options available on earth for not silly money. It kinda looks to pimp my ride in these photos :/

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Which wheels do you lot actually prefer

Top :)

ha. another vote for top!

I wonder if those in the top pics are larger than the 17" i have.

This photo they dont look as out of place. Also the space between wheel / tire and the wheelhouse edge is vastly different. Looks like basicly no space vs 5cm+. Going by eyeing pics on the internet is always accurate im sure.

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agreed. they do look better in this pic.

car will continue to look awesome either way dude

Cheers .)
i was however born with a curse (or blessing) that you either get it perfect or you dont do nothing at all.

The rims can likely be sold for good cash if i decide to go with the original wheels. They will however then be renovated and fitted with new tires (that cost a lot as the options for high performance 16" tires in 215 / 225 are not available more or less). So i suspect its close to a zero sum game.

Here is a worst case scenario what should I get question.
My Saab 95 estate has its MOT middle of the month, last year the garage said the break lines will possibly/probably need doing this year, so as the car is worth nothing, so probably not sensible to fix cost wise, what should I look for in a similar size, petrol manual for £5k max? Ulez must, family trucker camping carrier type thing. Thanks

Edit, or pay the money as mechanically pretty good and I know the last 7 years history, but tatty round the body (mainly from the midnight hit and run).

I'd keep it, cars are Megabucks right now

Keep it and get the work done. Whatever £5k gets you will also have problems, but ones you don't know about yet