New 250 Cup Owner in Surrey

Discussion in 'New to the Club? Why not introduce yourself?' started by Mark_RS, Jan 30, 2017.

  1. I think au-pairs charge less because they are free to do their own thing in the day when the kids are at school, whereas nannies have to look after the kids all day with no down-time.


    Great thanks, what’s their condition, any marks etc.? With my/our OCD do they need a refurb? What would you be looking for them?


    I only had a 30 min drive down a duel carriageway so can’t really give any in-depth feedback, but the engine feels very powerful and very smooth, the brakes are obviously fantastic, the exhaust sounds great (glad I didn’t go no-cat). I just need to drive the bloody thing now!! Didn’t get a chance all weekend……


    340 ftlb with stock-turbo sounds about right as that’s what mine has now. From what I understand, if mapped correctly (i.e. safely with clutch etc. in mind) the hybrid turbo’s produce an extra 10 ftlb or so, but lots more bhp. I was reading another thread on here and someone has had a similar turbo/injectors etc. upgrade to yours and they are on 350bhp/350ftlb, which is not far off what ED were advising they aim for, I think they said around 350ftlb/365bhp. Give KTR a call, you’ve nothing to lose - they may tell you something that explains it all. I personally would take it for a power-run somewhere else and then at least you would know what it is, or isn’t pushing out.


    Oh, on the way down from ED I took my old cat to a scrap-yard that buys old cats and I got £60 for it!!!! – Worth doing!
     
  2. -Jamie-

    -Jamie- RSM Moderator

    I'd be asking them to turn down the torque as well, around 380 or 390 is a good safe level and is still plenty
     
  3. Very true indeed, just make sure whatever you do that the wife picks the nanny...our first one looked like a super model, I just held my hands up and said 'you picked this'. :smiley:

    Condition wise I think 3 are good but one (was nearside front) has some rash that's been bodged in matt paint so you can see it up close...fine for track wheels though?

    Glad you're liking the experience so far in the car, I'd describe mine as very smooth also..it's not peaky any more. KTec told me that these engines either make hp or torque and my car is the later. They said that the extreme clutch (2k) would be a worthwhile investment but that the car shouldn't need it. Apparently they've done a few stage 2+ cars and some have similar torque to mine with no reported slip or issues apart from one that had slip before the kit was fitted (why the hell would you put more power through a shagged clutch??). So far so good, the car goes like a train and just builds and builds from 4th on. If you plant it in 2nd it's just a manic dash up the gearbox.

    I'll take it to Surrey Rolling Road soon and see what they get out of it. My old cat I just forgot about!
     
  4. Ha ha, funnily enough the nanny on Saturday was also very easy on the eye, blonde, and 25. My mother-in-law was around for the interviewing as well and she approved so it’s all "nothing to do with me"!!


    Whatever I buy I either want them to be perfect, or cheap enough that I can then warrant spending £300 on a refurb. My man-maths have failed me though the last few weeks and I've over-spent so I need to have a cheap month.


    Conversely ED said all the many cars they've seen have reliably been within a few % of each other on both Stage 1 and Stage 2 and they've done loads of both, Inc. the owner/mapper's Stage 2 car. That torque (if accurate) is just way too much and irrespective of what KTR said I would strongly advise having the map looked at.


    At the end of the day it’s your car and prerogative to do what you want with it therefore I’ll keep my nose out regarding this and get back to the daily chat and banter.


    I thought I may get £20 for it and as it was directly on my way home from ED I thought I would anyway even for £20, so as you can expect was very happy with £60!!


    I've bought a Vibra-Technics lower-engine/gear-box mount which I will fit at the weekend, I get a reluctance to change from 4th to 5th if giving it the beans, its fine if pootling and fine in all the other gears. ED wondered if it could be the momentum of the engine which for some reason only shows from 4th to 5th (possibly as a side-effect of fitting the M-Tech short-shifter kit) and therefore stiffer/new mount may solve/improve things. Otherwise will also fit the original gear-box shifter arm thingummy and see if that makes any difference.


    What's next for your now, or are you all spent for the moment?
     
  5. Are you still alive??....
     
  6. Apologies, have been stacked with work...currently in Gibraltar, then Sweden on Friday!

    You're doing the right thing not having a say, my wife asked me to interview an aupair for this summer and I just refused haha...I don't get a say anyway really.

    I'm going to hang onto the wheels for now as I still need tyres for track and haven't decided on the best approach to take with that one. Like you I've spent more than I should have done lately and it's catching up with my wallet.

    I wonder if KTR have just upped things and left the delivery as whatever the car wants to do, I don't want that ideally. Still waiting for them to reply properly but I could do with chasing them tomorrow when in the UK. ED are still booked in regardless :smile:

    Let me know how you get on with the mount as that's another thing I'd do for track...makes a big difference to consistency and predictability. Makes road driving a pig though! So I found out that nobody can refurb my wheels in the finish they are now (and no it's not because it looks crap) so as soon as the car meets a kerb, I will be stuck unless I get them all redone in one go in a single colour...kind of makes me want to keep the 'rare' blue :smile:
     
  7. Gibraltar, Sweden…… where to next??


    I still don’t know what’s happening Re. nannies, there are plus points for both boys going to nursery as Mrs W is only doing 4 days and will be working from home one of those days.


    I would if I were you, for the relatively small sum you would get selling them just keep them for back-up.


    Sounds possibly like KTR have just done a SC and made one or two base changes and not really done a thorough job. I know I keep banging on about ED but once you get to know Andy and his work and the thorough map that he will write I know you will be very happy.


    I may have some very positive news Re. a SC refund, will divulge all once confirmed!!


    Well can’t say the mount made any difference, it certainly hasn’t solved my 4th to 5th issue (only strangely when warm?!). The old mount looked like new so in hindsight probably didn’t need changing; yours no doubt will be the same. So I’m going to remove the quick-shift arm next and put the original OEM arm back on and see if that makes any difference. I’ve also got a 275 gear-box mount on the way so while the battery-box is removed to get to the shifter-arm I’ll pop that on (along with a larger M12 bolt). Belt & braces!


    I know they’re not mine and you’re probably not interested in my opinion, but I’m not keen on the blue so a full re-furb in black or grey would look 1000 times better. IMO of course!! Lovely wheels, just not the blue…….


    So what’s next with the beast, other than the mapping??
     
  8. Holland in a few weeks, with maybe Sweden again or Estonia before that :smile:

    We've got an aupair lined up for summer holidays at the moment, definitely worth it in my opinion. Happy to say I had no part in the selection process and the resulting candidate (or victim if you'd met my kids) is low risk :smiley:

    You're right on the wheels, I'll keep them for now. KTR are possibly booking me in for this weekend to redo the map, waiting to hear on just what they're going to do though! I'm also meeting Clint from here on Saturday to sample his Megane (in return for a sample of mine), you'll be pleased to hear that he has a CAE.

    Top top result on SC if they do come good! Well done sir if that's the case.

    That's a bugger on your gearbox woes, belt and braces though like you say! Hopefully you get to the bottom of it without much wasted cost...you can't risk any more art work can you?

    Wierdly, the wheels attract a LOT of positive comments from random (blind) folk when I'm out on the travels. They'll get damaged at some point I know though so I'll change colour then. I'm sure you're probably right that another colour would be better, just seems a shame to make something fairly unique more ordinary.

    Well I've changed jobs (again yes I know) so I'm trying to watch finances a little this month but getting an itchy wallet for the CAE, KW CS and maybe a few other bits...tyres and so on. I was going to replace the KTR induction kit with an ITG one in the wheel arch but KTR said their kit makes more power than the ITG (12hp vs 10hp) so I have to kind of believe them as they're loosing a sale.

    What about you? Surely you have waited far too long now without some other modifications?
     
  9. Blimey, you’re living the dream! (I remember an old Swedish girlfriend I dated for a few years, she was LOVELY!!)


    That sounds well worth it. We’ve gone full circle and possibly thinking about Mrs W giving up work, would mean downsizing though so it will be a big standard of living change if we do.


    Good luck with KTR, obviously let me know how it goes.


    Well, coincidentally I was refunded £399.99 by Demon Tweeks yesterday!!!! SC passed the buck as I bought the unit from DT, but regardless DT have refunded me in full, well actually I got a free K&N panel-filter as part of the original deal so theoretically I’m £40 (or whatever they cost) up!!


    I took the M-Tech short-shift arm thing off at the weekend and if anything it made the issue worse! It’s booked in at a gearbox specialist next week and failing that it’s booked in at Renault in a few weeks. I’m guessing it’s internal so if the specialist can’t fix it then I’m guessing its new gearbox time ££££!!!!


    We’re old men now and have got to dress and have wheel colours appropriate to our age!


    Wow, tell me more?!


    Nowt really, fitted the new 275 gearbox mount last weekend and the lower engine mount the previous. The gearbox repair/replace will bankrupt me so no spending on other things before then. Mrs W and the boys are away on their own in a month or two so I’m going to use the time to take my old lights apart and spray them black as I’m not impressed with the quality of the eBay ones we’ve bought.
     
  10. Trying to at least Mark 1! I love Europe (Germany, Holland, Sweden and Austria) more than the UK...would happily leave this island and live elsewhere :smile:

    Yeah the problem I have now is that I'm away some weekends with work (Friday to Sunday night), out at 7.30 am and not back till 7.30pm so the other half has a struggle if she wants to do anything...we're like ships in the night and this new job will see me in the North East for a few days every few weeks. Each to their own but I would really struggle (and hopefully never have to) to adjust lifestyle.

    So the car is booked with KTR now on the second week in June and they're erm...fitting a CAE for me at the same time. I'm so weak for shiny hard knobs. KTR have said they will map the car to my requirements, can't fault them still from my experience.

    Excellent news on the SC issue, that must feel like giving a homeless person 20p and him giving you a fiver in exchange :smile:

    Holy fuck, I hope you get it sorted without it impacting your art collection...soon nobody will want to visit (not that you're ever open anyway). Mine does struggle a bit when cold, it's not the slickest box I've ever worked (fnar). Personal experience tells me that getting a recon job on a gearbox is just no good, had a few done over the years and always ended up buying a later used box instead.

    I wonder if the car on better rubber and lowered on the KWs will look better with the blue rims...one day though the colour will change and it will be a sad day when that happens! I plan to grow old disgracefully, I was far too old as a youngster so I have much to make up for.

    I've been in this role almost 2 months now and it's not for me, luckily an opportunity came up that really sounded like me so I applied and got it!

    Let me know how you get on with the light spraying, I sold my lights to a lad who did the same thing and they looked very good. My word you're picky...even by my standards. So IF the gearbox issue becomes less expensive then you have money to spend on other mods yes? Excellent news...man maths, it's never failed me yet :smiley:
     
  11. Don’t get me wrong, I love Europe, especially Italy, but I’m settled here. My best man has been living the dream in New Zealand for the last 6 years or so, it’s an amazing standard of living out there but I just couldn’t leave the cold cloudy UK. We have good friends in Dubai (on the Palm of course!) and they live an amazing life out there but each time we visit I just enjoy getting back to the UK. Each to their own hey.


    But look at it this way you’re doing it for the good of the family and the standard of living that you create by doing it benefits them when you’re not there. I too leave at 07:30 but am lucky enough to be able to leave at 17:00 so I get in the door for 18:00 in time for bath & bed time. If we do the downsizing thing then it will mean a longer commute and I too will miss out on some of that, but by doing so they’ll still have a nice house and standard of living when I’m not there. They’ll soon grow up and hate us and not want to be seen with us anyway!!!


    I can’t help being a bit suspicious of KTR – why didn’t they map it ‘right’ in the first place. Common sense says not to put 440ftlb through a FWD clutch and drivetrain. Sure they’re being reactive but why not proactive and ask your requirements beforehand and discuss the options?! Seems like the mapper was just chasing sexy high figures to impress you with rather than thinking long-term. I know we’ve discussed it before, but the hardware is the same as ED yet they map to 360bhp/350ftlb (or whatever the figures are) simply because of not wanting to put unnecessary strain on the rest of the car.


    Exactly, but the high was short lived knowing about the gearbox.


    I’m going to have another look at the weekend but my gut-feeling is it’s internal. God only knows how a FSH 30k mile car develops internal gearbox problems but perhaps I’m just one of the unlucky 1 in a 1000. I’m not going recon, or 2nd hand, either the specialist can identify that it’s a broken thingymy-doodar and replace it then and there or I will have a new Renault gearbox installed and be done with it. ED have quoted me £2k Inc labour & oil etc. It would obviously make sense to have a new clutch and slave cylinder at the same time plus potentially a new Dual-mass flywheel, which take it up to circa £2.5k. Plus whatever the specialist charge for removing/inspection and refitting the old box. Mrs W will fcuking hit the roof….!!! Let’s hope the specialist can fix it and its ‘only’ £100’s rather than £1000’s!!


    I think we are just going to have to agree to disagree and move on regarding the blue rims - you know my feelings! I still haven’t grown-old, hence buying boy-racer black hot-hatches in my 40’s!!


    Well good luck in the new role, give me a short job description…??


    Mine have had dust in them from the start and they’ve never fitted 100% perfect, plus I don’t think they feel or look as good quality as the OEM lights. So the best of both worlds, and a nice little job, would be to take them apart and spray myself. They’re not away until June or July I think so won’t be for a while before I can have a few evenings in the garage to myself. Next small mods are/will be re-trimmed wheel, gearstick and handbrake gaiters in black alcantara and yellow stitching and a new set of the OEM Renaultsport mats with the yellow badges and stitching. ‘Only’ circa £300 all in, but obviously need to see what’s happening re the gearbox first!
     
  12. I love Holland, Sweden, Germany (obviously) and would so happily leave this island if I could...guess everyone is different :smile:

    On the parenting front, it's not really my thing I must confess! All good if you want the family dream but I'm not a natural parent and quite enjoy not being around :smile:

    The car is still booked the ED but I'll give KTR another crack at it first and see what they come up with. They're going to fit the CAE for me at the same time (yes I ordered one...ultralight's was brilliant at the weekend, more on that in the other thread).

    You certainly do things by half at all do you? I think you're right though on the gearbox side of things, buying used or going recon is always going to be risky from my experience.

    Ok so I kind of agree with you now on the rims, they need to be another colour I think! I'm thinking either matt gun metal (like the Merc) or bronze? I'm loving being almost 40 (39) and having this car!

    In a nutshell, my job title is Head of Partnerships and as yet it hasn't been clearly defined so hopefully I can find my way with it as the business requires of me :smile:

    I get you on the headlights, I'm happy with mine but again it's each to their own. I'd still buy a set of xenons if they weren't way over priced!
     
  13. The problem with Germany is the Germans. I'd live in Sweden as it has a very nice level class-system due to tax, everyone seems to be respected regardless of whether you’re a bus driver or a bank manager (which is obviously the way it should be!) plus the girls are HOT, but I’ve not spent enough time in Holland to say either way.


    Well regardless you're being a great father by chasing the work/salary and therefore being able to provide for them even when you're traveling.


    Tell me more about the CAE, presumably it doesn’t change anything on the gear-box side (or does it?) but just replaces the gearstick itself?? I fitted something similar from Pure Motorsport to my Clio 172, which felt fantastic.


    Well the Beast is at the gearbox specialist as we speak, best-case it will be a loose widget or linkage/cable etc. external to the gearbox, mid-case it will be something fixable/replaceable internally in the gearbox, worst-case its new gearbox time. So I’m guessing £100 - £600 - £2,500. The gearstick and shift feel crap now that I’ve removed the short-shift doodar so ideally would like to put that back on, perhaps though part of the original crap feeling is due to whatever is wrong with the gearbox. Will keep you posted.


    I’m glad you’ve come to your senses regarding the wheels, although if you must go with non-black then definitely stick with gun-metal rather than bronze (WTF!!??)


    Head of Partnerships sounds very impressive, but doing what?? - Is it at a fertility clinic, or ballroom dancing school??


    Just think of the added weight of the ballasts!! If you haven’t done already, stick some PIAA bulbs in yours.
     
  14. ""I’m glad you’ve come to your senses regarding the wheels, although if you must go with non-black then definitely stick with gun-metal rather than bronze (WTF!!??)""

    I am thinking of going gold/bronze color when i get my wheels done, or they will be a dark titanium color
     
    Mark_RS likes this.
  15. Dark-titanium, gun-metal, anthracite - they’re all the same manly dark-grey colour, and in some situations even better than black, if either of you though had your wheels done in bronze I would not talk to you again.


    I’m still getting over Mark buying a CAE for his relatively standard road-car.
     
    Mark_RS and Mikeyjp like this.
  16. Ha! Glad you enjoyed the car.
    Other thread?
     
  17. You racist :smile: I love the Germans and their no bullshit attitude to everything, including humour. Swedish girls are amazing but that's a story for another time!

    I feel it's now my civic duty to convert you to the wonders of the CAE. First of all it looks fantastic, secondly it's a marvel of engineering and thirdly it makes shifting a pure joy! It has a re-inforced plate that helps the linkages to the gearbox top (iirc) but otherwise it's just the shifter mechanism which aside from the steering wheel is the most active element of any journey (ignoring the pedal box). I tell you, from the moment I set my eyes on Ultralight's shiny knob...I knew I had to have it.

    Good luck with the gearbox specialist, I do hope it's cheap so you can buy a CAE and enjoy changing gear as much as possible :smile:

    Bronze, or matt bronze is the colour of wheels like the TE37 and the RGII, both of which are epic wheels from days gone by. On a black car (had 37s on my MR2 and my Lotus) they look the nuts!

    Hahaha, what would a head of Partnerships at a fertility clinic do? Man Butter Introduction Specialist? No...I work in online gambling and am going to a business that has a number of partners they are looking to more effectively manage :smile:
     
  18. I’m all for the CAE but just not if the rest of the interior and car are standard’ish. If you’re stripping it out then I think not only will it obviously perform better but it will look the part.


    I will not be getting one, I have to pretend that mine is still a semi-sensible 2nd car for the once a month that I take one of my boys somewhere in it. Usually to get the oldest to sleep for half an hour.


    The gearbox repair is coming to £1,600!!!!!!!!!!!, which plus circa £600 for a new clutch, slave cylinder and reconditioned flywheel (£300 from Renault, brand new they’re £1,000!!). So £2,200 all in. Which on a £10,000 car that I’ve only had for 5 months is hard to swallow and explain to the boss.


    As mentioned I won’t talk to you if you have them done bronze, it would IMO look rubbish, especially on a track car as bronze is a Jap road car thang. By all means go for a bright blue/orange/green etc., or preferably black, grey or silver. BUT NOT BRONZE!!!


    On my old silver 172 I had a set of grey road wheels and then orange track wheels (which exactly matched all the orange chassis and suspension parts that I’d had powder-coated)


    Ha ha Man butter, I hadn’t heard that one before! I often use the term Gentleman’s Relish. Sounds very interesting, I look forward to hearing more about it when/if you ever visit sunny Ingatestone.
     

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