Lauren

Hi Kirsty, welcome aboard. Have you decided on colour and spec for what you want to buy? If you have any questions, fire away.

Well, technically a half shaft is in a live axle to a point. So you would call them driveshafts really. But never axles as you'd need to have a live axle to call it an axle, but then you would talk about the half shafts being the issue anyway.

Welcome aboard! That's a serious amount you have managed to get done in four months. I have to admit, I've never researched the airbag thing, so to a point I don't understand it, but each to their own and top marks for effort. So what are you going to go for in terms of a kit then?

And half shafts...

They'll still have loads in them. If it's only been driven on the road, I wouldn't have expected them to get that hot. It is possible to overheat the pads on the road, but you have to be really trying. But even so, they will have plenty of life left in them yet.

Depends on the mileage really. My brake pads and discs lasted nearly 40K, so not necessarily. Check the service book for stamps of course and the corresponding receipts. Without knowing the mileage though I can't comment as your link doesn't work.

Easily I would say, but looking at your top mounts, there does seem to be a bit of a lack of adjustment due to the design of the topmount.

You should get a load of adjustment on the pillowball mounts. I know mine are about the mid point with 2 degrees of negative camber, so I could get plenty more if I so wished. What coilover setup do you have? It just seems unusual to need to use camber bolts if you've already got the adjustment in the top mounts.

Do you not get enough adjustment on the top pillowball mounts with your coilovers?

Wow you have been busy. Impressed with what Nigel has achieved too. Those wheels are lovely.

Make the number on the odometer bigger, then you'll be fine. Look up Jafest in the events section, all the details you need are there.

They all do the issue with changing down from 3rd to 2nd when it's cold. Mine still does it over 80K later. I wouldn't worry about it, it will go away when spring comes and it's only an issue for the first five minutes of driving. Japfest is 23rd April, surely no-one goes on holiday then? The Celica's running in the sprint series have easily been beaten by the GT86's. As long as your car has over 1000miles on it, I would warm it up and give it a damn good thrashing, does no harm at all. Might as well enjoy it eh?

I admit, I've had a Milltek on my car since I took delivery of it three years ago (it may be the 4th Milltek though!). I had the second decat done at 10K miles. I've left it alone since. It's fine tbh. I think you do want a bit of exhaust noise and induction noise too, it just adds to the character, though it's not overly loud and hasn't caused me any problems and I've been fine with it despite all the mileage I do. I guess to a point it's nice to have a sporty car sounding like a sporty car if that makes sense and I do think it adds to a sense of involvement when you're on it. Mine is a non-res, but it's not silly loud, I don't hear it on the motorway when cruising.

LOL!

Well, it's bound to have been driven hard. But then again if anything is going to break you'd think that the next four years warranty (well the next two are more inclusive than the last two) would cover any issues. You could try and negotiate based on all this, though they may see it as a selling point, as it is certainly the case that when a car gets older, to have the actual car that did the press rounds in terms of reviews and all that has it's appeal too. A car that has been given a good thrashing is not always a bad thing either, it's more whether it's been treated with due respect. I don't know do road testers worry about warming an engine before inserting their lead foot? I would say as a car enthusiast which they surely are too, that you'd hope they would. I suppose compare this with a wally who just plants it from cold all the time and I know which I'd rather have. But YMMV of course and it's impossible to really know. I wouldn't be hugely put off by this, but I would want an extended test drive.

I think you really need to change out the stock exhaust system, too Joe.

Yep, not too bad. With the interest, deposit of £7K and purchase price it worked out to £32,060 all told. If I add all the mods I've done too, it comes to £40,000! Blimey!

Red is cool, though I couldn't have a red ring around my TRD (red) starter button. Wonder if the red would clash with the orange dash lighting? Otherwise red heater controls (providing they don't clash) would be good.

The second cat is restrictive, I saw gains by losing it too. 5-7bhp is nothing though you'd never notice it. I gained 10bhp/17lbft compared to a stock car with an intake as well and full exhaust system including overpipe.

Toyota took their final balloon payment today of £8860. With a small-ish personal loan, the car is now mine. IMG_5453 by Lauren Blighton, on Flickr

Yes, I saw that. There is also a very long feature on driving a Cayman, but in Japan, which is interesting. I haven't read it yet, but I note that they took in a lot of places I visited on my trip there in 2014, driving the mountain roads and going to Daikoku etc. I noticed the club got a mention in the links too.

The thing I've noticed about mpg is that if you do a lot of short trips around town, it's pretty bad, like high 20's. As soon as you throw longer trips in though it tends towards mid to high thirties. To produce more power, requires more fuel so a supercharger will increase consumption percentage wise. three-four mpg less seems about right.

Welcome aboard Sam. I think you'll just get used to the clutch after a short time. You can always wait for the idle to drop after start up as it only takes ten seconds or so, that might help. Japfest at Silverstone is the next big event in April, though you'll want to get booked up soon for that as time is moving on. A load of us got a cheap deal on a hotel for that one, see the events section for details, it'll be a good turn out I would say. We managed something like 68 cars including my friends with the AE86's last year and Toyota GB were in attendance which is always good. In regard to the track stuff, why not pop along to one of the events and grab a passenger ride? As long as you've got the bottle to put up with someone else's driving you'll be fine.

Rays are the dream if you can splash the cash.

I've heard that even the Rocket Bunny kits don't fit all that well. It does seem to be a lot of work. Seeing the arches on with the stock wheels goes to show what serious wheels you are going to need to fill those arches! I look forward to seeing what you are going to fill those arches with!