BigRichi

Hi....I am looking for a bit of advice. My back box has rusted through and needs replaced. I spoke to my local garage who quoted £99 for a replacement back box fitted, however I imagine this will be a cheap pattern part. I would rather get a new standard back box however would imagine it's not going to be cheap. Anybody recommend or any experience with pattern parts or if budget is a factor would I be better with a second hand standard back box? Cheers all

Well i've gave it a run without the snow button. Dunno if its factual as my driving isnt exactly the same every day but i got 319 miles for 46 litres of fuel which I think comes out about 31 mpg. I think I'll use the snow button as I like the lazy nature :-)

As others have said really....it makes the thottle a little less sharp.....which is good and bad.....you need to think a bit more at junctions.....but it is good if you feel lazy just to get somewhere at ease. I was originally looking for an auto but a manual one came up locally that I liked so went for it.....the snow button reminds me of an auto.....slushing about between gears lol Dunno how much of a difference it makes to fuel consumption as Im a sceptic tight Scots git but will see lol

I must have a magical IS200.....althought I do drive like a grandad ....but for 26 litres of petrol I got 189 miles.....which I think works out to be about 33 MPG with a mixture of town driving and motorway work. I did an ECU reset, checked my tyre pressures were ok and was using the Snow button for this test based upon tips from here. I am trying another test just now without using the Snow button and will be similar driving to see if it makes any difference. Should be ready for next fill up at the end of the week and will report back if anybody is interested.

Hi folks, I've never fitted one of these aftermarket kits before and have a couple of newbie questions which I hope some of the more experienced folk could answer. I already have 2 35W ballasts and I am looking at just buying new bulbs to use but I've seen 35W ones and 55W ones. Would there be any benefit running the 55W bulbs?? ie brighter?? Would there be any dangers running the 55W bulbs?? ie the car bursting into flames?? lol Thanks

post some pics when you get them fitted man, dying to see waht they make the car look like, im thinking the 30mm eibach springs will be low enough and they are good quality, but some people say you may as well go lower but that means cheap springs, i want quality and practicality whilst still giving the lowered effect will do....I'm not expecting them to lower my car a massive amount....think the 30mm quoted is from the standard SE height....mines is a sport so dont think they will lower it the full 30mm.....but we shall see

I refurbished the alloys on my Corrado VR6....I used primer from Hlafords and Wurth silver and Wurth Lacquer.....preparation is the key. The results were pretty good with plenty of people thinking they had been done professionally. however for the amount of time, effort and money I spent i'd prob just bite the bullet and get somebody to do them

I dont just now.....but I've got a set waiting to get fitted....will stick some pictures up when i get them done. unless somebody comes along before then with a pic

I just had a quote to spray my bumper, bonnet and he said he'd blend it all into the wings for 400quid plus the VAT if it helps at all

scrub that.....JUST BEEN DELIVERED I love it when courier companies are earlier than they quote

AFAIK the TTE springs are indeed rebadged Eibach ones. I've got a set being delivered next week :winky:

Ah I see it now...it does indeed look different there but it definately matches up perfect in real life. Dont know if it would make much of a difference but I didnt polish or wax the front wings and bonnet as I touched up a few wee stone chips so maybe why it looks a bit different in that photo??

Which picture you looking at?? Definatley doesnt seem to have been painted and all matches very well in the flesh

thats kinda like a bit of string I'm afraid...every cars different but shouldnt take too long. Think I maybe took an hour to go over it but it wasnt too bad to be honest. Although I didnt do the front bumper

oops LOL...you say tomato I say Tomaeto But yeah, fancy a set of springs....probably TTE and think the TTE rearbox as well

Cheers ,Yip the VW folk have a saying "oem+" Think thats what i'm going for Richi

Hi folks, I've had the car for about a month now and i've been meaning to get some photos of it posted up but what with the crappy weather I havent been able to get any decent photo opportunities. Gave the car a good wash, clay and polish today so thought i'd stick some pics up. Not the greatest pics as they were taken with the camera on my phone so apologies. Its totally standard apart from I added a set of Aero wiper blades and some better headlamp bulbs. Plans - Full service with cam belt and water pump in the next couple of weeks. - need to get the front bumper painted as the previous owner has scuffed it - fancy getting the bonnet painted at the same time as the bumper as theres a few stone chips on it. - I bought a spare set of wheels to refurbish so they'll go on too. - Fancy a GROM kit but that will be after my summer holiday - Want a stainless backbox as the tailpipe on mines is a rusty mess.

I know it wasnt designed as a fast car but a bit more low down torque would be nice. Just enough to make progress out of corners without having to rev its nuts off Richi

You should get some of these too....there well P.I.M.P :winky:

Hiya Bruce, I wasnt on there....I'm from north of the border so spent most of my time on www.scottishelises.com lovin the pics of your S1...must have put a hell of a lot of work into it...looks immaculate

Hi Folks, I recently purchased a service kit for my IS200 and it included a can of "Toyota Airco Cleaner". I understand its to kill bacteria and such in the aircon system but it doesnt have any instructions on how to use it. It has a long tube so I know I'm spraying it somewhere Anybody used it before offer a quick guide?? Thanks Richi

I tunes 30 last year and so far i've had Peugeot 405 gtx - had it for about 6 months then the engine died Ford Orion - Cant even remeber the model but whatever the sporty one was at the time. It was a J plate. Nissan Almera Si - Great wee car Citroen Saxo VTR - wrote this off in a flurry of lift off over steer into a farmers field. Honda Civic LSI - another great wee car Citroen Saxo VTR again - added a few nice mods to this....a crackin induction kit from a place down ayrshire way, GMC performance or something they were called and it was a copy of the Saxo rally cars intake. Then I fitted a 50BHP NOS kit to it. Ashamed to say I had a Saxo with NOS but it was a good laugh and would surprise a few performance cars. Subaru Impreza Turbo - Bloody loved that car...shouldnt have got rid of it. totally original uk turbo with bout 50k miles on it. It had the Prodrive Recaro interior in it too B) Lexus IS200 SE - Only had this a about 2 months then me n the Ex split up. I kept the Subaru and she kept the Lexus. Then she didnt pay the Lexus so I ended up with both. BEEEIITCH (but I'm not bitter ) Sold the Lex. Lotus Elise - Loved this car but out of the 4 or 5 months I owned it was in the garage 90% of the time so it went back. Lotus Elise 111R - My favourite all time car and if the credit crunch hadnt take a bite out of me I would still be in it today. VW Corrado VR6 - Loved this too but my commute went from about 5 miles a week to 100 so it had to go. Lexus IS200 Sport - had this a couple of weeks now and its been great. As soon as I can get at it with the sponges I will get some pictures up. Only have some of the Lotus and the Corrado.

I generally apply it by hand.....in fact I think it is designed to be applied by hand as it contains more fillers than compounds which take a layer of paint off. i.e it fills all the tiny little scratches in the paint, rather than buff them out. I have used a machine to apply it and it is certainly easier on the arm but not hugely better results. Hope that helps couple of the Corrado with SRP then Megs carnuba and a couple of the Elise with SRP then EGP

God I use loads. Probably roughly in this order too Meguires gold class shampoo cant remember a price but about a tenner - good stuff Meguires clay bar kit is about 20 - good product if you've never clayed a car before. Autoglym Super Resin Polish 6-10 for a big bottle - again for a novice I think excellent product....Dont use too much per panel though :winky: then either Autoglym Extra Gloss Protection bout 6 quid - again excellent product, I think better on lighter coloured metallics. I used it on my Polar Blue Elise and will probably use it on the Lex, Platinum Ice. Meguires Carnuba about a tenner - excellent stuff too, smells lovely and gives a cracking shine to darker colours. I used it on my last car, a black Corrado VR6. I mainly use stuff available at halfords for when the cleaning notion hits me but a new one I've just found is Bilt Hamber Surfex bout 8 quid delivered for a litre. its an absolutely amazing APC. it dilutes down to anything up to about a 10:1 ratio with water so it lasts ages. I've just been round all the door shuts...the engine bay.....most of the interior and even a pair of puma trainers :o . It just seems to clean anything you want. Richi

Still not having any luck with this. I've tried puching the bonnet down, I've got a pair of pliers onto the cable behind the release lever and tried to pull it manually but its still not budging. If I push the grill back a bit I can get my fingers underneath the bonnet far enough to work the lever in there but that doesnt release the bonnet. Anybody know any other ways to open a bonnet?? Cheers Richi