New 250 Cup Owner in Surrey

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!

 

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?

 

Are you still alive??....

 

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??

 

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.

 

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!

 

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.

 

""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

 

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.

 

Ha! Glad you enjoyed the car.
Other thread?

 

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.