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WInterisation

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:53 pm
by Sanjøy
Evening all, had the 340 out the last couple of days and have taken to hosing down the wheels, wishbones and nitrons with the hose post drive to try to get the salt off as they are gritting pretty regularly here.

Even took the wax and Halfords rotary polisher to the Merc to get it ready. Alloys are knackered though. Regret that bottle of wonder wheels.

Anyone else undertaking any specific winter work ?

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 11:31 pm
by campbell
Sanjoy wrote: Anyone else undertaking any specific winter work ?
Er, I'll explain once I've parked the car back in your garage :damnfunny

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 11:33 pm
by Rich H
Porker will get winter tyres x4 and has just had fresh MEG coolant in (Rather than radweld/rainwater/MEG/sludge)
Lotus is now on trickle charge as I've finally installed an outdoor socket!

Otherwise... nothing special!

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 11:44 pm
by tut
Yep, drove it into the garage after Spa.

tut

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 6:52 am
by Mike Scib
tut wrote:Yep, drove it into the garage after Spa.

tut
Much damage? :)

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 10:10 am
by Shug
Placcy bag taped over the cam cover as it sits parked at my mum's to stop the plugwells filling up.

Yes, it still exists.... And starts every time I try, despite doing feck all with it since MMC brought it up to KH for the AMP3 trackday...

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 10:41 am
by ryallm
Fuel consumption of my Beemer has taken a nose dive in the recent chilly weather, which a bit of surfing has revealed if a very common problem with BMW diesels, usually to do with a bust thermostat. So that is being done tomorrow - fingers crossed it cures the problem. Have toyed with getting winter wheels and tyres since the car is completely hopeless when there is even a whiff of snow on the road, but I am going with the optimistic view that if the last winter was the worst in 30 years, this one is bound to be mild :D

Mark

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 10:53 am
by campbell
Mark, regardless of how much / little snow we get, I think winter tyres on a rear-drive daily-driver are almost a must now.

Even in light of patchy gritting services (which, with "the cuts", are clearly going to get even patchier :roll: ).

Even for our Skoda, I've come close to looking at a set of winter rims/tyres, but until I decide if I'm selling my spare Elise rims, there is nowhere to store them so this would be a marriage-limiting move ;-)

Ross Taylor had great success with Toyo Snowproxes on his wee Panda 100hp, as I remember it.

If you've somewhere to store the summer tyres, you could do the cheapest thing and just have them swapped for winter ones now, then restore them in April. The winter ones will no doubt have tread for another few years as well :-)

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 2:30 pm
by Andy G
Winter tyres are genial.

My old 7 series could go skiing, the long way round, and you were in total control. A few bags of sand in the boot, and it would understeer more easily than oversteer!!!!!

Would also allow you to go along the motorways and roads in a way you never thought possible.

Preparation for me - Rangie :thumbsup

Remote pre-heat remote control has also been looked out so i dont have to sit there waiting for it to defrost. Havent set the "wake-up" function yet, but might when it gets really cold :lol:

Oh, and tow rope in the back to help people that bin it.

You should have seen it on they way to and from the Ring in torrential rain - fabulous! 3 up, trailer and R400 on the back :mrgreen:

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 3:48 pm
by Shug
Aye - on that front, my winterisation = S8.

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 4:06 pm
by tut
"Much damage? :)"

Not that you would notice along with the rest.

tut

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 5:26 pm
by KennyT
Parked the Elise in the garage and bought a Mini... Your Mini Sanjoy!

Used my Elise through the Winter last year, spent most of the time looking through the side windows. It was occasionally fun but a comfy FWD will see me through to next year.

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 5:28 pm
by campbell
Very wise, Kenny.

We're going to try and manage with just the family barge over winter, while the Elise spends a little time "resting", in one garage or another ;-)

If we can't, a MINI is high on the list of temporary transports, for sure.

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 8:49 pm
by duggiesmith
Thinking about putting the hard top on. That's about it as far as my winter prep goes :wink:

Re: WInterisation

Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2010 8:51 pm
by tut
woofter.........

tut