howardjpartridge

Finally a chance to say what we think about motorsport! I saw a press release for a survey which anyone can fill in about motorsport in the UK and what it is like to be involved in it - driving, riding, watching, marshalling - or even why you're not involved! I’ve filled it in - took 5 minutes and it doesn’t ask for your name etc so it's confidential and spam-free It's being run by the MSA (the car lot) and ACU (the bike lot) who are working together to improve motorsport in the UK and make it easier to get involved – which can only be a good thing! If you’ve got 5 mins I think its worth giving some feedback via the survey – its not very often we get asked our opinion so here’s our chance! www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=269173104860

Thanks for info, particularly to Chri5 who wins the 'most informed response' award Lotus 7 originally hit the road in 1957 so 50th anniversary next year! Must be thousands out there. I'll leave you lot to fantasise about 7's (or Elises Ian). You'll be pleased to know that I got no help whatsoever from another less well known performance car community

1. Mollox 2. bazza_g 3. DHA 4. RossG 5. garcon 6. v15ben 7. Daz 8. Problem Child 9. Hixster 10. Stevie_d 11. Simkna 12. Dodge 13. miniandy 14. Kite 15. JHT 16. GavR 17. Nisman

Does anyone happen to know how many they churn out these days and, more interestingly, how many are still on the road or track? I imagine the first is quite a small number and the second is a rather large one. Appreciate any informed responses.

Not expert advice but.... 1. Does your Audi dealer even have a body shop or will they sub the work anyway? 2. Do you want Audi to know about a prang? If every visit to a dealer goes onto their computer then they may be benefits to having the prang repaired by a bodyshop rather than Audi. (Not recomending you go to a backstreet bodyshop though.) 3. You can ask Audi if it affects the warrenty (don't tell 'em your name Pike.) If it does then INSIST they do it, otherwise you are loosing out to save your insurance co £££££

[ QUOTE ] These by Piloti look the biz without appearing too 'Look at me, I'm a racing driver'. [/ QUOTE ] Oh I rather think they do

If it's octane that matters then go for Tesco's 99RON Super Unleaded. It's only 4p more than than std. UL so a shade cheaper than the brands. It also 5% bioethanol so you're doing a (small) green thing. Nissan 200 very happy on it I suspect that Shell and BP put more clever cleaning things into their fuel which help performance in other ways so I have a tank of Optimax if that's where I am when the needle makes me nervous.

I've had an S14a (touring spec, manual) for almost five years. It certainly is the 200 of joy. It's been lots of fun and very reliable for 78,000 miles! It's a very underated car, overshaddowed by the 300ZX but far truer to the original 240Z than to the fat 260Z, and fatter 280Z's. It's even overlooked in the 'Nissan GTR & Z' forums: http://www.tyresmoke.net/ubbthreads/postlist.php/Cat/0/Board/Nissan The Bison was asking for advice on buying an S15 so forgive me if I just repeat my previous ramblings..... They started in 80 something with the S13 1.8T pop up lights and a hatch back. I had one of those and it was great too. Favourably compared to 924's and lotus excels at the time. That was replaced in 92 with the S14 2.0T which has fixed lights and a boot - much stiffer. That was facelifted in 96 to S14a which has the sharper 'skyline' style lights like mine. The only UK options were manual or auto and the Touring spec, which has leather, air, side skirts, deeper spoiler with fogs and a 10 cd changer. All worth getting if you can. I think that sold here til 2004 but I believe there was overlap with the S15 which came next but was never sold in the UK. What I've seen of it looks good though. Now, here's where it gets complicated. The UK only had the 1.8 or 2.0 turbos (type S), but other markets have had larger NA engines (type R). I've got no idea about them, clearly differnet power delivery but clearly no oportunity for turbo tweaking. Mine's been very reliable and the warranty took care of most niggles for several years. The worst problem has been a main dealer [Glyn Hokin, Watford penfire: ] who once diagnosed £2k turbo failure when the problem was diagnosed by a specialist as a cracked casting that was welded for £50!! The alarm started playing up and had to be replaced so I could get back in the car. What to look for? Turbos aren't supposed to last as long as mine has. 6000 mile oil changes and always letting it cool before switching off seem to have done the trick. Touch wood! My 1.8 needed top and bottom end oil seals replacing at arround 100k. You could get yourself embroiled in here for more http://www.sxoc.com/ If you're looking for something to beef up then even a knackered turbo isn't necessarilly the end of the world as you can replace / upgrade. All I've done to mine is fit a K&N element in the filter box, a 3" cat-back exhaust and a boost upgrade which is a change to how much boost is allowed rather than a 'chip'. The brakes are uprated but not upsized. (Brembo discs and Ferodo DS2500 pads.) The standard brakes are from the 300ZX which is heavier so pretty good. I've put a front strut brace on but I'm not sure that I can tell the difference! I haven't tested the output but it's certainly helped and is plenty of fun! Limited Slip diffs are standard. There are plenty of tasty replacement parts available. So my advice is do it but, as I'd say about any interesting car, try to find someone who knows about them to look after it. If you can find them first they might help you find the right car. The best guys I found were SE Nistec in Malden, Essex but they've dissapeared. (If anyone knows if they've set up elsewhere I'd be very interested to hear. They really knew their stuff.)

Take it all back, I've found a page which seems a bit rambling but does appear to have the entire S series story from 1964 onwards! it includes the fact that "The S15 Silvia/200SX... Type R being naturally aspirated and the Type S models being turbocharged". Sorted http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/ref/nissan_silvia

I'm still struggling with that one. Might be like Skyline GT S & GT R. Worth considering that it's called the Sylvia in some territories inc. US but I've searched on that too. Don't think I'd want a car called Sylvia!

I'm old, got a boring job, sensible postcode but moded 200SX. Best quote so far is £825 from Mr Flux (don't start). That's got to be 17% of the car's value =8 O They all seem very excited that the power is now 25%+ more than standard, I might have held back a bit if I'd known such a barrier existed, but I didn't and there's no turning back once you've tasted the horses (as the French say). I'm also no good at this techy stuff. How's the poll suposed to work?

They were my first call for a quote on my 250bhp Nissan 200SX, £800+ is £200 more than my previous (who won't insure the mods). Any suggestions for other useful insurers?

Chicken Surprise A couple decide to go for a meal and after some deliberation decide on their local Chinese restaurant. They peruse the menu and finally agree to share the chef's special 'Chicken Surprise'. The waiter brings over the meal, served in a lidded cast iron pot. Just as the wife is about to start in on the meal, the lid of the pot rises by a tiny amount and she briefly sees two beady little eyes looking around before the lid slams back down. 'Good grief, did you see that?' she asks her husband. He hasn't so she asks him to look in the pot. He reaches for it and again the lid rises, and he sees two beady little eyes looking around before it firmly slams back down. Rather perturbed he calls the waiter over, explains what is happening, and demands an explanation. 'Well sir', says the waiter, 'What did you order?' 'We both chose the same', he replies, 'the Chicken Surprise' 'Oh I do apologise, this is my fault' says the waiter... wait for it... 'I've brought you the Peeking duck'

Oh we can post jokes can we.... A woman takes a lover home during the day while her husband is at work. Her 9-year old son comes home unexpectedly, sees them and hides in the bedroom closet to watch. The woman's husband also comes home. She puts her lover in the closet, not realizing that the little boy is in there already. The little boy says, "Dark in here." The man says, "Yes, it is." Boy - "I have a baseball." Man - "That's nice." Boy - "Want to buy it?" Man - "No, thanks." Boy - "My dad's outside." Man - "OK, how much?" Boy - "$150" Man - "Sold." In the next few weeks, it happens again that the boy and the lover are in the closet together. Boy - "Dark in here." Man - "Yes, it is." Boy - "I have a Wilson infielder's glove." The lover, remembering the last time, asks the boy, "How much?" Boy - "$350" Man - "Highway robbery. Sold." A few days later, the father says to the boy, "Grab your gloves, let's go outside and have a game of catch." The boy says, "I can't, I sold my ball and my glove." The father asks, "How much did you sell them for?" The boy says, "$500" The father says, "That's terrible to overcharge your friends like that... that is way more than those two things cost. I'm going to take you to church and make you confess your greed." They go to the church and the father makes the little boy sit in the confession booth and he closes the door. The boy says, "Dark in here." The priest says, "Don't start that poo again, you're in my closet now"

Nice one Dodge, that should promote European harmony. In the case of my Road Angel I'd just need the passeger to whip the laser detector off and swallow it.

Think we agree jammers are a bit iffy. Thread on www.pistonheads.co.uk sugests €1000 fine for having a detector. Wonder what sort of rights they have to search? Guess not many of us could argue the toss in French anyway.

This started when Samuri Kid said “Are you taking the Angel Nisman - cos if you are them frenchies don't like it up em !” Dodge said “I reckon so long as your swift enough to dispose of it out of sight quick enough if you're pulled and don't leave it in plian view ever, you'll be alright! make a pouch for it under the driver seat! I've never seen a UK Rosco kneel down to search anything let along a French Plod!” I was thinking of taking the angel and only using it when there's a passenger on board who can stow it when busted. The laser alert would be very useful. I'd feel very nekkid without it” We understand the Gendarmes will confiscate on sight. Anyone got any experience?

Fraid I'm not an expert (but you get what you get on TSN ; ) however I think that you might get away with this on a *pair* of tyres but to fit one that is 5% smaller than the other is going to end up winding up the diff. (If you have 4WD don't evemn think about fitting a pair as you'll wind up the centre diff.) Agree you shoudl go back, get it sorted and *then* take your business elsewhere.

Yeah, remember when you thought the big three-oh would reduce your insurance, or the big two-one. Don't hold your breath. You should see AF's comments on insuring a 750iL as a "Future Classic" - £129. Hi Inigo