More updates!
DOH!
Heading up to Scotland for work a couple of weeks back I hit a patch of standing water on the M74 and aquaplaned into a lorry. My own fault really, didn't think the puddle was that deep, how wrong I was! This now meant that the company car was off the road until it can get collected. That means only 1 thing, daily the Clio!
My Little Workhorse
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to blatting to work and back in the Clio, my commute is a 150 mile round trip across some epic country roads through the peaks. The Clio is perfect for this journey, and with the warmer weather around the car really is behaving well. The car has done around 1000 miles in the last 2 weeks and it hasn't missed a beat.
A Korean Interlude
I will now go off topic slightly to fill you guys in with a cheeky little opportunity that got sent my way. Another forum was running a little event to drive a "Mystery" hot hatch around a UK circuit and give a review on video, all you had to do was write a little editorial on yourself and your experiences with hot hatches and they might pick you to come along.
I was lucky enough to be chosen and got a phone call asking me if I could make myself available to come to Anglesey and drive a Hyundai i30N Performance, of course I could!
We spent the day shooting the B roll for the film and then after lunch we had a session in the car with a racing driver giving us some coaching, having never driven Anglesey I was a little nervous but non the less out I went. After 1 lap to learn the track, Scott (Racing driver) began to push me so I could see what the car had to offer. By lap 4 Scott wanted me to push really hard, he said I was quite competent in car control but I could push alot harder, the next 3 laps he had me bouncing over kerbs and managing late braking and turn in with some lift off oversteer for good measure. He had pushed me way beyond what I thought my limits were and it was simply awesome.
The car? What can I say, it is epic! 275bhp and an LSD means this car has plenty of power and can put it down everywhere, the chassis is very well balanced and inspires confidence whilst still being very fun. The brake feel wasn't the best, nor was the gearshift, but with an auto blip down shift and a sports exhaust you always had a smile on your face. If I was in the market for a new hot hatch I know where my £28k would go!
This experience now has me looking out for my next car...
But what about the Clio?
It's not going anywhere! I still love this little thing and although I want more power and an LSD I still have some fun to get out of the Clio. With saving for a house the next car will have to wait till after that purchase is made, I will most likely go to a Megane RS 250/265 but thats a few years off.
My tatty knob
Stop laughing at the back! This is a serious matter! With the more daily use of the Clio I had noticed the gear knob really was in a sorry state, the finest quality french not leather and stitching was coming apart and annoying me every time I changed gear.
So I set about fixing this, I had some nice soft grain black leather left over from another project and I though this would be perfect for a recover of the gear knob. Disassembling the gear knob is simple, you just pop off the silver cap then cut the stitching and peel off the old cover.
After much swearing and a few adjustments I had finished, the leather is slightly thicker so the gear knob feels chunkier and the material is lovely and soft. Stitching isn't the neatest but its functional!
I'm really pleased with this and think it looks 1 million times better.
In the next few months I'll most likely send the steering wheel off for a recover and get some matching yellow stitching done.
Other than that I'm just going to keep on enjoying the car, I need to get an Aircon regas and check over the brakes then it may be time to get out on track again!
DOH!
Heading up to Scotland for work a couple of weeks back I hit a patch of standing water on the M74 and aquaplaned into a lorry. My own fault really, didn't think the puddle was that deep, how wrong I was! This now meant that the company car was off the road until it can get collected. That means only 1 thing, daily the Clio!
My Little Workhorse
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to blatting to work and back in the Clio, my commute is a 150 mile round trip across some epic country roads through the peaks. The Clio is perfect for this journey, and with the warmer weather around the car really is behaving well. The car has done around 1000 miles in the last 2 weeks and it hasn't missed a beat.
A Korean Interlude
I will now go off topic slightly to fill you guys in with a cheeky little opportunity that got sent my way. Another forum was running a little event to drive a "Mystery" hot hatch around a UK circuit and give a review on video, all you had to do was write a little editorial on yourself and your experiences with hot hatches and they might pick you to come along.
I was lucky enough to be chosen and got a phone call asking me if I could make myself available to come to Anglesey and drive a Hyundai i30N Performance, of course I could!
We spent the day shooting the B roll for the film and then after lunch we had a session in the car with a racing driver giving us some coaching, having never driven Anglesey I was a little nervous but non the less out I went. After 1 lap to learn the track, Scott (Racing driver) began to push me so I could see what the car had to offer. By lap 4 Scott wanted me to push really hard, he said I was quite competent in car control but I could push alot harder, the next 3 laps he had me bouncing over kerbs and managing late braking and turn in with some lift off oversteer for good measure. He had pushed me way beyond what I thought my limits were and it was simply awesome.
The car? What can I say, it is epic! 275bhp and an LSD means this car has plenty of power and can put it down everywhere, the chassis is very well balanced and inspires confidence whilst still being very fun. The brake feel wasn't the best, nor was the gearshift, but with an auto blip down shift and a sports exhaust you always had a smile on your face. If I was in the market for a new hot hatch I know where my £28k would go!
This experience now has me looking out for my next car...
But what about the Clio?
It's not going anywhere! I still love this little thing and although I want more power and an LSD I still have some fun to get out of the Clio. With saving for a house the next car will have to wait till after that purchase is made, I will most likely go to a Megane RS 250/265 but thats a few years off.
My tatty knob
Stop laughing at the back! This is a serious matter! With the more daily use of the Clio I had noticed the gear knob really was in a sorry state, the finest quality french not leather and stitching was coming apart and annoying me every time I changed gear.
So I set about fixing this, I had some nice soft grain black leather left over from another project and I though this would be perfect for a recover of the gear knob. Disassembling the gear knob is simple, you just pop off the silver cap then cut the stitching and peel off the old cover.
After much swearing and a few adjustments I had finished, the leather is slightly thicker so the gear knob feels chunkier and the material is lovely and soft. Stitching isn't the neatest but its functional!
I'm really pleased with this and think it looks 1 million times better.
In the next few months I'll most likely send the steering wheel off for a recover and get some matching yellow stitching done.
Other than that I'm just going to keep on enjoying the car, I need to get an Aircon regas and check over the brakes then it may be time to get out on track again!
