nerdstrike

Did any of those break the paint? Some total scumbag has made a mighty ding in my door that's ripped the paint off the undercoat. I've covered it with touch-up but I'm interested in seeing how good a repair can get without going full respray.

I have a dirt cheap ebay special that has a different profile to the Halfords one. I'm concerned about that curve up to the pivot point. My one is ok for lifting the rear diff, but the carry handle can get in the way on the undertray trying to reach the front lift point. My car has a normal ride height. My jack has a profile like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wheels-N-Bits-2-25-Ton-Low-Profile-Hydraulic-Trolley-Car-Jack-with-LED-Nut-Brace-/142139348941?hash=item21182a57cd:g:VyYAAOSw8gVX9OTD I think the Halfords one is 1) overpriced, and 2) possibly a bit tall. Unless you only want to jack off the seams, then it'd be fine.

Beautiful bit of machining there.

Well balls. I'm sure you can find something with a nice DSG to keep you happy. Or you could get yourself one of these instead:

Chips Away aren't so bad, provided your car is a colour they're willing to have a go at. It's not easy to do perfectly though. A sand and respray is the only way to get rid of the divots in the bumper plastic below the paint. Also, of course the paint is thin! It costs money and weight to put more on, and it still doesn't make it chip-proof. My great granddad used to work in a coachworks painting Rolls Royces in the 40's and 50's. That was something like twelve coats painted on by brush and sanded down - they don't paint them like that any more!

@Andrew Smith The only difference between your settings and mine are that I didn't put a unit on the reading (that you have as "C"). I don't think it should matter, so perhaps your beer-tastic dongle isn't taking instructions.

Post up the specifics of your "oil temp" PID and I'll compare it with mine.

The headunit can support reversing cameras, but in general they've not been fitted. I think we're expected to handbrake turn or park in a ball of flames.

Chris Harris on Cars Pesky big budget TV slurping him up. For some reason I also watch One Take

The problem with bird poo is that it's full of the gritty remains of berries and insects that have previously been eaten but defy digestion. The hard part is getting it off without scrubbing gritty stuff around. The Autoglym wipes are not too bad but I've struggled to use them without some kind of risk. I still use them, but only for stuff that looks like it'll come off easily. The instructions that come with the wipes warn against scrubbing but there's not enough solvent in them to soften anything that has gone very hard.

Should have called it Detailers Anonymous

1. Tim86 - Norwich, Norfolk - Silver '86 2. Ade - Nr Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire - Red '86 3. Nerdstrike - Cambridge - Red '86

Glad you found it interesting. I'd say the total mass I've added to the car is around 5kg - the isolating foam doesn't feel very heavy per sheet, and the Focal speakers wouldn't pass the Hifi "heavier is better" test. I also took out the rear speakers and their pathetic mountings and plugged the speaker hole, so I've saved half a kilo, before putting it back in around the arches. This morning on the motorway sounded a bit quieter than I remember. I think this modest upgrade will improve my wellbeing during my Scottish road trip later in the year, but I'm still finding the tweeter/woofer separation irritating. Hopefully I'll stop paying attention soon, as I get used to the new setup. Also, big success! I've cured one of the rattles from the rear. The cable runs are raised from the metal, but in several areas it doesn't stay lifted particularly in the rear left passing the seat. Plenty of wiring comes through there and I velcro-padded the metal underneath it. Huzzah!

A 10% increase in fuel consumption sounds a bit extreme for a slightly wider tyre, especially since the PS4s are not just wholly sticky rubber. I'd lean toward lead boot for the time being, or just traffic conditions.

Well that got a bit super-dorifto at points!

You put something whirling at up to 14k rpm between your thighs?

These monitoring systems are notoriously finicky. Sometimes they care which corner of the car they're fitted to, sometimes they just act up, and sometimes there's a real puncture that they successfully identify. Rather you than me!

I'd presume they'll still do hire-purchase, but they probably won't beat the interest rate from a bank.

No reason not to buy used, but you'd do well to find someone that knows how to spot a dud to help you choose. It's very easy to miss stuff when you're not used to looking at older cars, and that can cost you time and money later to put right. I found a hole in the bottom of the boot of a 13-year-old I bought once! All the GT86's are still fairly young so everything ought to still look very good unless abused. The first '86 I looked at had odd tyres and yawed right under throttle. It had obviously been worked hard and I surmise it had been treated roughly by little clues around the car. The second one was mint, and I bought it. Very happy! A savvy buyer looking at lightly used cars can save a fortune, but you don't get that new car thang.

Mostly I think this demonstrates the variance of dyno testing, but it does show the lack of seismic changes with shiny intake tubes. Bigger cone filters only help if the engine is dragging on it like a smoker fresh from a long-haul flight.

Now I think about it, those hex key fittings look like they could turn into a problem after six years of corrosion. You're in trouble if they round out.

Most sports car OEM intakes are exceedingly well set up with capacity to spare and tuned lengths. Protection from the elements, sufficient airflow and a bit more, stable air metering etc. are all sorted as stock. I can see the point of blocking off the noise maker, but unless you've done mental NA tuning or are boosting, you'll not be restricted by the standard panel. The only advantage I'm aware of is with a ram scoop which can create a slightly higher ambient pressure when travelling at speed. Otherwise you just get gnarly induction noise from leaving out all the resonators.

Driving me nuts at the moment. Thinking of booking a track session just to punish the little squealers.

Focal IS165TOY replace tweeters and woofers for £120+postage. There are far superior units for more cash, but then you need to mess with mounts, more of the wiring and generally faff about. I think on balance this is the path I'll take. They're only fibreglass cones, but I'm guessing the stock gear is cardboard or something. Here's a nice picture of the stock rears: Looks legit

I was looking at some thoroughly unnecessary kevlar weave cones.