MS 200 fun road and track car - and other car stuff!

at least she didn't go all 'mrs. ricardo patreze' on you ...





i've heard that a lot of GT3 owners who track their car, spec the cat with the steel brake discs, because the carbon ceramics are just so bloody expensive. :smile:
I’ve heard the same with the Msport owners mate. Buy them with the carbon ceramic then remove them and fit steel then refit the carbon ceramic before they sell it haha. I don’t blame them!
 
Oooh, Mrs. Patrese, bit of a soft spot there!!! :relaxed:

Her husband’s a bit of a hero too!

I’ve heard the same about the CCs, crazy money to be replacing on track.
But for an exception or two ours will be a road only car, not affordable or sensible for me to track one.

I’ll bet the X3 makes mincemeat of towing Matt! Have you forgotten there’s a trailer behind yet? :tearsofjoy:

Without wanting to sound like a moron, once a couple of years old and with sensible mileage, I see the M3/4 as a bit of a modern performance car bargain. Especially in the context of M2 prices and what you would pay for the top tier of new hot hatches...
 
Haha I have it accelerates so quick and doesn’t seem phased with the trailer behind haha.

Agreed they are a superb car and so well put together and not much more than modern hot hatches to buy. It’s the running costs that’s the biggest issues with them. I was so tempted by an M2. Love those things and so tuneable too. I can definitely see me getting one of those at some point. Have you seen the 1M? They only did a very small run of them and they truly look superb. BMW reckon it was the finest chassis set up they have ever made together with its mechanical LSD.
 
I certainly have, they’ve become real collectors items haven’t they? They’ve made some stunning cars over the years!! :hearteyes:

Can see the appeal of a smaller more easily placed M car, 3 really has become 5-sized!
 
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Small Clio update, I identified the cause of the knocking from the front. Turns out one of the spherical bearings in the Compbrake mounts has failed... too much kerb at Blyton I imagine, I’m a terror for that! :sob:

Tom has kindly sorted two new bearings quickly and at a good price, I figured best to refresh both.

I think I will take the opportunity to fit the Eibach springs in place of the H&Rs. I’m hoping they deliver a little more compliance as the roads around me are very poorly maintained in places.
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(Library image, we all love pics!)

I’m also considering moving to a slightly thinner toe shim on the rear in order to make the car more driveable for my partner on the road. At the moment it has some toe out at the rear and it turns wonderfully, but she says she feels like the car isn’t safe and I can appreciate completely how it feels like that to anyone that isn’t a keen driver. If you’re not familiar, imagine how a car pulls around at the front with too much camber or toe as it folllows the road surface and imagine it doing that at the rear instead, must be very unnerving for a car muggle! :tearsofjoy:

Maybe a rear ARB would be a way to have the best of both worlds... that said I’m very mindful that Renault got an awful lot right with the way these cars drive and the further I stray from that, the greater the risk of ruining it! :think:
 
A hairdressing update this time but I’m sure you’ll appreciate the Clio influence! :blush:

I was hugely impressed with the Clio’s brakes so...

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I took a leaf from the 182 owners and had some carriers made up for 280mm discs, this time from a Nissan Almera Tino!

Should improve upon the current standard sized 255mm brakes! :tearsofjoy:
 
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I picked up a car I’ve been looking for for a while yesterday, I had a few CRXs when I was younger and always wanted a Torino red pearl tintop or moonroof. They’re quite sought after and like all classics are getting harder to find in good condition.

This one was a car I’d enquired about previously, but was beaten to by another buyer. Out of the blue I got a message from the owner, saying the sale had never materialised and asking if I were still interested...

I didn’t need asking twice, so on Sunday I was up with the birds to make the trip up to Newcastle.
It was offered for sale at a seemingly cheap price given the pictures I’d seen. Having been around the block a few times with older cars and CRXs in particular I knew what to expect, where the hidden issues would likely be found and so wasn’t disappointed upon viewing.

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It’s by no means a minter, they just don’t exist, or at least they do, but you can’t buy them short of making the owners preposterous offers.
It’s a good base for me to turn into the car I want though and that’s perfect for me.
We all love a project anyway!

Back home...

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CRXs were my introduction to ‘modern’ hot hatches having had classic minis before them, and the reason that the Clio appealed to me so much. That small, fun FWD package with a zingy, rev happy engine will always be a good one!

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Having driven the CRX and 200 back to back yesterday I’m thrilled to say the Clio felt a couple of steps on in terms of the drive. The CRX has some good chassis bits and though I obviously haven’t set it up or made any mods myself, I got back in the Clio and from a driving perspective it just sparkled! I guess that’s what they call progress! :blush:
 
It’s amazing to see how much evolution there is between the MK1 Clio through to the Mk4. I’ve owned from MK1 - MK3 and each is a clear evolution in chassis development and I really don’t believe they’ve lost the thrill either. All offer something a little different whilst ensuring you still get the exciting hot hatch thrills. The same can’t be said for many of the rivals but it’s great to see the clear evolution in technology as time goes on and tech gets cheaper etc. Great to think that much of the last so many decades of motorsport has gone on to influence current chassis set ups that were once way to expensive to conceive on an everyday car and are now just ‘normal!’ .
 
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for some strange reason i always liked it too..think its the futuristic shape...

An admission here, when I drive it, I feel like I look cool... I’m sure I don’t, but I FEEL like I do!! :tearsofjoy:

In most other stuff I drive I’m fully aware that people probably thing I’m a royal douche, could I give a fuck, not really, but nice to not feel like that once in a while!
 
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For anyone snowed in and scrolling through forums to keep themselves occupied, here’s a project we’ve started on our YT channel...

Take one, totally ruined and knackered mk2 MX5...

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Photoshop it appropriately...

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Then prep it for track with a tiny budget and do some trackdays...

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Wrap it (very poorly) so it doesn’t look quite as silly and do more trackdays...

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Set the record for worst ever power for a 1.8 MX5 at MX5 Specialists...

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Set some respectable times at Cadwell...


Decide it’s a good idea to challenge ourselves to go as fast as the BRSCC Championship frontrunners...

Part 1:


Part 2: