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Lauren

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Posts posted by Lauren

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Ooh and one more thing, a word or two about how the GT86 handled the trip. Well we shoved the rear seats down as we did have some camping gear. We were relieved to have decent air conditioning considering how hot it was. The car was a great high speed cruiser and on derestricted autobahn it was easy to cruise at 100-110mph no problem at all for seemingly ages. It certainly helped us despatch a few miles on the way back. But, it was in the twisties when it shone. Our company was mainly MR2s (well there was the odd M5 and stuff around too) and it was no issue at all keeping up with the other cars in the group. I think I recall one of the German guys saying in his best English which was to be fair better than my German, that he couldn't keep up! ;)Overall economy was 36.5mpg. Though there were sections where an 80mph cruise was the case, over the Harz region much revs were used and of course high speeds on the autobahn do wreck your miles to the gallon somewhat. Overall the car managed it with some aplomb, so no worries for next year! :)

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Oh and I fully intend for our club to be going next year. It's a great trip, we'll do our best to make it into a bit of a tour. The driving roads around the Harz region are pretty epic in places. I really hope we can get some of our European cousins, like Johnny and Dennis there too. :)

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Okay, 1750 miles later and we are back! :)We started off on Tuesday the 22nd July with a ferry to Calais and from there we drove to Utrecht. However, I factored in a mini GT86 meet up with some Belgian friends in Minderhout, which is near the Dutch border.Here we are ready for the 0640 ferry from Dover:Posted ImageFrom there we subjected ourselves to the truly awful Ferry fry up, but at least it was free!Posted ImageThen it was back on the road again for our rendezvous with Johnny and Dennis:Posted ImageHere we are!Posted ImageIt was very hot! Next stop, Utrecht:Posted ImageBeer ensued!http://sphotos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1016276_10151475217746467_721955406_n.jpgFine foods were had::)http://sphotos-f.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/998407_10151478990001467_898090171_n.jpg' alt='998407_10151478990001467_898090171_n.jpg'>540301_10151478991811467_371708623_n.jpgErik also has his first car which is a rusty Capri in his garage. He plans to be buried in this!The following morning after a humid night, more of the Wild Bunch arrived:18986_10151479991921467_1886479308_n.jpgAn hour and a half later and we stopped in Germany for breakfast. It was great to meet up with the Wild Bunch again. :)643882_10151480124641467_21618921_n.jpgWe were met with a huge thunderstorm when we got to Rote Warte, but forunately it was after we got our tent up! Benno provided the hospitality and more food than we could eat.The following day dawned and it was a hot one at 37C by lunchtime. We took our cars into the centre and gave them a quick wash before lining up for the usual display in the town centre.1005767_10151481845166467_541966191_n.jpg1091860_10151489363331467_66654221_n.jpgIt's a pretty place:601984_10151489363696467_578897049_n.jpgDid I mention, it was bloody hot!581686_10151489368206467_96177999_n.jpgIce cream was consumed and with some relief (dual climate) we were back in the car for the drive out into the Harz region of Lower Saxony.The Wild Bunch welcomed to 'their' ice cream shop:1016971_10151489362246467_116288649_n.jpgIt made me chuckle they had a picture of a GT86 on it!969998_10151489368411467_1133801952_n.jpgIt's a beautiful place;179724_10151489369131467_1908069856_n.jpg480497_10151489369396467_1161556298_n.jpg1001699_10151489369866467_539084301_n.jpg995961_10151489370246467_709909070_n.jpg1098503_10151489370631467_762812653_n.jpgA quick stop and Martin lets his M5 cool down:1095042_10151489370896467_149606610_n.jpgMore Wild Bunch and a pretty MK3:1002488_10151489371396467_13976836_n.jpgErik's MK3:602719_10151489362051467_1308169186_n.jpgMore MK3s:156305_10151489361866467_935943034_n.jpgA view down the display:21457_10151489361481467_1526413649_n.jpgWell in terms of the drive out, we took some great roads but due to the heat everyone was pretty tired so a fair few of us decided to find our own way back to Rote Warte (where we were staying with ze Germans). We got a bit lost despite the sat nav as there were a few closed roads which hampered our progress somewhat. But, we were not alone and we ended up in a convoy with two of the Dutch guys and a German couple. Though we were all tired and wanting to get back with thoughts of ice cold beer, this part of the drive became pretty epic as the pace upped considerably and it was a pretty good burn up all the way back! :) That woke me up again!Eventually we got back and much cold beer was had. The evening was simply glorious. I think it was still 22C at 1am in the morning! Needless to say Peter decided to take the opportunity to get naked and wave at any passing traffic. In the end I had to call it a night, but Peter and Paul were seen to be naked with a stuffed fox. I'm not sure exactly what happened, but there are just some things you don't ask!Sunday morning loomed and everyone was heading off. We were off to Brugge (a real favourite of ours) and it didn't dissapoint. But before we could get there, there was the small matter of 600kms of motorway with some derestricted autobahn on route. I tried to get my car to maximum speed but it's no easy task when there is traffic to watch out for.As you can see I got to 226km/h (GPS verified 215km/h) though I daresay it would have gone more, I had no option but to back off as I was fast approaching slower moving traffic.45587_10151648093589079_804232774_n.jpgWe made it to Brugge and gave the car a rest in the hotel garage:1002157_10151485104641467_1778548139_n.jpgAnother hot day, so much beer was consumed:Mark was happy with his favourite Tripel:1000290_10151483750861467_259061210_n.jpgYes, Brugge is beautiful:935087_10151483688771467_1365536255_n.jpgThere did seem to be something of a mosquito and various other biting insect plague, which doubtless was due to the bonkers hot weather we've all had over the past month, but it was a great trip.We are already planning for Duderstadt 2014. There is a lot of work to do and I must say a huge thanks to Erik for his organisational skills, hospitality and for offering us a room at his house for the third year running. Also to Mario for some of the local organisation and for being a brilliant host as usual.We are hoping that we will get some GT86's there next year and it looks extremely likely that we will be looking at a new location for us to stay. There is a lot to work out but it will so be worth it! :)

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Welcome aboard! :) Ar filters and exhausts do show some increase though its often not the case that you will see the increases that are claimed. But to be fair you have an engine that is already producing 100bhp/litre so the stock items are unlikely to be that restrictive. I think most of us have done it for the noise which tends to make the drive more involving I find. I am lucky in that my dealer fitted the aftermarket parts all under warranty which is nice, but it would seem that my dealer is the only one currently offering this. If it helps, I have a full Milltek un resonated system including a second cat removal and an overpipe from the first cat. I also hav the Injen induction kit. I've had no issues in 13000 miles and two trackdays in the last six months. I am currently in the midst of competing a 2000 mike European tour. The car has been faultless throughut. :)

  6. Posted · Report reply

    A quick update, all is well, we have currently covered over 1000miles on our trip to Duderstadt taking in the sights of Utrecht, a night with our Dutch friend, Erik and then a convoy to get drunks with a load of Germans. As I type, Mark is driving and we are nearing a two night stop in Brugges before catching the ferry back over to blighty. Te car has done very well and had no issues with some very hard driving through the Harz region of Germany yesterday in 37C. I managed a near VMax today on derestricted autobahn of 226km/h (141.25mph). GPS logged it at 215 km/h as the maximum. I daresay I could maybe get a little more, but its a fair bit harder than it sounds to get a clear enough run at those kind of speeds. I comparison it's fairly easy to cruise at 150/160 km/h but a whole lot wider to be going over 200. Pictures and more detail to come when I got home and can upload the pictures. :)

  10. Posted · Report reply

    We need more people to post! More debate is required I think. ;) I trying to post as much as possible but we need more people to start more threads. IME these things take time though. This forum is not two months old. We will get there and activity will I increase, but it will take time till there are enough active members to make the forum have a betters post count.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    I drove the AE86 there last year, Keith. But I'm going in the GT this year of course. :) I would expect there is pretty much no chance of seeing another GT there, though I would wager the AE86 is far, far rarer still, but we shall see! I'm really not sure on sales numbers in Germany, though we know people are buying them in the low lying countries. I've just not seen any German members spring up.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Okay, time for our Euro trip. We are going back to Duderstadt to meet up with a load of Dutch and German friends. Principally we will be travelling from Calais next Tuesday and meeting up with Johnny in Belgium (if we can find the services!) on our way to a couple of nights in a nice hotel in Utrecht for a couple of nights. From there we head to Elburg for lunch. We have been recommended this by our Dutch friend, Erik (he runs the NL MR2 club called the 'Wild Bunch), before staying over at Erik's in Zwartsluis which is NE Netherlands. The following morning we meet up for breakfast just over the German border, where the rest of the Wild Bunch join us for a convoy to Duderstadt which is situated in Lower Saxony in the Harz region. It's a bit like the Peak District but with less caravans! We will then be camping with ze Germans, where we generally sit around the campfire and drink beer. Duderstadt itself is a beautiful German town on the old east/west border and there are many remants left of the 'Wall' which it makes it a very interesting place to visit. The town let us display our cars in the town square and it's a very nice setting with some very nice ice cream. From there we go on a drive out into the country and get to enjoy some very nice and quiet roads. After that it's all about the socialising and the BBQ, then we set off on the following Monday to drive back. Last year we stayed in Brugge on the way out, but this time we are going to stay over there on the way back as it will break the journey up nicely. We fell in love with Brugge so couldn't resist revisiting it again this year. Our route on Google maps:http://goo.gl/maps/Fw3n1Some pics from last year:Brugge:Posted ImageMy AE86 and Erik's MR2 Roadster at Erik's in Zwartsluis:Posted ImageCruising in the AE86:Posted ImageZe mad Germans where we camp:Posted ImageJDM tastic in the Town Square in Duderstadt:Posted ImageToyotas, okay mostly MR2s vill the town square:Posted ImageNo particular shortage of wood for the campfire!Posted ImageOn the drive out on the Saturday, fond memories of the AE86 and a whole load of fun:Posted ImageThe old 'Anti car emergency barrier' at the Borderlands museum which represents the old East/West divide. 6 tons and cut you in half in four seconds when it flies across the border crossing!Posted ImageIce cream time on the Saturday in Duderstadt:Posted ImageConvoy on the drive out:Posted ImageTraditional remedies at Duderstadt. Cures everything! Posted ImageAnyway, should be a fab trip. I'm going to have a chat with Dutch and German friends as I'd love to get something going for the GT86's next year. It's a great trip and perhaps more importantly a great social. I will add stuff whilst I've got wifi when I'm away and do a write up when I get back. :)

  19. Posted · Report reply

    Good choice. I had mine done at the point of purchase with RRG Macc. I've also got the Milltek non-res again brokered a deal at the point of purchase. 1st service and decat and overpipe have been fitted. Got to say, I'm loving the sound. Cool induction kit the Injen though and gets rid of the silly noise generator thing. Did I read elswhere that you're over for the TGB day at Oulton Park on Sunday? If you are, I'll happily show you mine.

  23. Posted · Report reply

    You need to get out more, Rob! :pI am doing about 500 miles a week which is mostly work, but I've done quite a lot of driving at weekends too. Reckon I racked up around 350 miles last weekend, a 100 of which would have been on track. Got the Dutch/German trip coming up in just over a week then Italy via all the passes through Switzerland in September. Reckon that second service will come round soon!

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