Jimbo's short car history
Discussion
I've always wanted to do one of these threads, though until recently having only ever had 3 cars in my history it was a short thread. However i'm shortly to pick up my first "Second" car so thought now was a good a time as any to go scrolling back through time for limited pictures, so anyway.
My First Car - Fiesta MK6 1.4 Zetec 5 Door, 2007 - 2011 - Penelope
I loved this car, i got her for my 17th Birthday and she gave me freedom. She was "Nippy" gave me my first taste of freedom and showed early signs that i liked my cars, however i was skint throughout the most part of owning this car so modifications were limited.
I cracked open the front lights from a later model, sprayed the rings white and actually made a bit of money doing this on the forums afterwards. I also updated all the trim to the later 6.5 body coloured trim, where i learnt how to spray badly.
This is the only picture i could find, after being abused in the halls car park.
Alexis the Astra - 1.8 SRI - 2011 - 2014
When i finished uni and got a job, it occurred to me i could afford something slightly better, i sold Penelope for a whopping £1500 and bought my first "Grown up" car to me. She was a beauty in my eyes, white, had an AUX lead for my Ipod and generated a whopping 140 BHP, which was truly supercar material for me then. I did over 50,000 miles on this in my 3 years and still miss her today!
Bella the BMW - 335i SE - 2014 - 2016
Towards the end of 2013 i got a promotion in my then job, meaning a move to field sales and also a big move to the South of England (Reading) to be where the rest of us Software sales cretins live. That gave me a predicament, i was soon to receive a Fuel card and a Car allowance... I was earning more than i ever expected to be at 23 and my ego got ahead of me. I decided to buy the best 3 Litre (Fuel card limits) that i could afford so off i popped and eventually landed on Bella.
She was advetised in Stockport, a stones throw from where i had just moved from; so i got my dad to go view and after speaking to him paid a deposit unseen. There is something about hearing the childish tickle of excitement in your dads voice as he tries to portray only facts that made me say yes unseen.
Bella was lovely, we covered 55k miles in 2 and 1/2 years. However as i now know she had expensive tastes, she LOVED new shoes. I went through 4 sets of rears and 2 fronts during my ownership, she had chocolate alloys and i believe the cheapest service she ever had cost a touch over £400. I was covering too many miles in her, then i moved jobs and lost my petrol card towards the end of 2015.
And when she decided she wasn't going to move ANYWHERE for a few weeks.
Yasmine - The Work Horse. BMW F30 330D M Sport
Yasmine is now my daily. I decided that PCP gave me the best option to drive a newer car, the service pack means that outside of alloys she is nothing but a monthly outgoing. I bought the car in September last year, however we've never "Clicked"
Without a doubt it's a great car but i just find it very boring, the steering lacks feel, the power is delivered effortlessly and without any joy, so i fitted an M-performance kit to see if that rekindled my love for her. Nope.
When she decided to become a Vegan for the day.
That brings me to this weekend.
Zippy - the Clio 182
I pick this little beauty up on Sunday, immediate plans are to spend a good bit of time getting to know it before my first track day which is hopefully going to be May 12th at Combe. I wanted to really get to know the ins and outs of the car.
She has a list of track ready mods already fitted and looks like a well cared for example.
Short term plans are to fit a rear cage, get the car geometry weighted on all 4 corners. Longer term, i'm thinking forced induction and engine strengthening.
I'll post some pictures when i collect this weekend, it feels a tad unfair using the current owners pictures.
Apologies for waffling, i intend to keep this thread updated with any changes over time.
My First Car - Fiesta MK6 1.4 Zetec 5 Door, 2007 - 2011 - Penelope
I loved this car, i got her for my 17th Birthday and she gave me freedom. She was "Nippy" gave me my first taste of freedom and showed early signs that i liked my cars, however i was skint throughout the most part of owning this car so modifications were limited.
I cracked open the front lights from a later model, sprayed the rings white and actually made a bit of money doing this on the forums afterwards. I also updated all the trim to the later 6.5 body coloured trim, where i learnt how to spray badly.
This is the only picture i could find, after being abused in the halls car park.
Alexis the Astra - 1.8 SRI - 2011 - 2014
When i finished uni and got a job, it occurred to me i could afford something slightly better, i sold Penelope for a whopping £1500 and bought my first "Grown up" car to me. She was a beauty in my eyes, white, had an AUX lead for my Ipod and generated a whopping 140 BHP, which was truly supercar material for me then. I did over 50,000 miles on this in my 3 years and still miss her today!
Bella the BMW - 335i SE - 2014 - 2016
Towards the end of 2013 i got a promotion in my then job, meaning a move to field sales and also a big move to the South of England (Reading) to be where the rest of us Software sales cretins live. That gave me a predicament, i was soon to receive a Fuel card and a Car allowance... I was earning more than i ever expected to be at 23 and my ego got ahead of me. I decided to buy the best 3 Litre (Fuel card limits) that i could afford so off i popped and eventually landed on Bella.
She was advetised in Stockport, a stones throw from where i had just moved from; so i got my dad to go view and after speaking to him paid a deposit unseen. There is something about hearing the childish tickle of excitement in your dads voice as he tries to portray only facts that made me say yes unseen.
Bella was lovely, we covered 55k miles in 2 and 1/2 years. However as i now know she had expensive tastes, she LOVED new shoes. I went through 4 sets of rears and 2 fronts during my ownership, she had chocolate alloys and i believe the cheapest service she ever had cost a touch over £400. I was covering too many miles in her, then i moved jobs and lost my petrol card towards the end of 2015.
And when she decided she wasn't going to move ANYWHERE for a few weeks.
Yasmine - The Work Horse. BMW F30 330D M Sport
Yasmine is now my daily. I decided that PCP gave me the best option to drive a newer car, the service pack means that outside of alloys she is nothing but a monthly outgoing. I bought the car in September last year, however we've never "Clicked"
Without a doubt it's a great car but i just find it very boring, the steering lacks feel, the power is delivered effortlessly and without any joy, so i fitted an M-performance kit to see if that rekindled my love for her. Nope.
When she decided to become a Vegan for the day.
That brings me to this weekend.
Zippy - the Clio 182
I pick this little beauty up on Sunday, immediate plans are to spend a good bit of time getting to know it before my first track day which is hopefully going to be May 12th at Combe. I wanted to really get to know the ins and outs of the car.
She has a list of track ready mods already fitted and looks like a well cared for example.
Short term plans are to fit a rear cage, get the car geometry weighted on all 4 corners. Longer term, i'm thinking forced induction and engine strengthening.
I'll post some pictures when i collect this weekend, it feels a tad unfair using the current owners pictures.
Apologies for waffling, i intend to keep this thread updated with any changes over time.
I've named all my cars... Yep i am that sadI've picked up the Clio today. I love it, it's old, it's loud and it feels yobbish. So everything I wanted from this car.
First off, I now had the much needed kick up the arse to get the second drive of our rental house sorted out. A caravan previously lived her for years and it lacked love.
Current specs (from previous owner)
The modifications to the car:
Engine and Gearbox
Service consisting of new plugs, oil and filters @ 66K
Magnecor Ignition Leads
PMS shifter – one of the best mods I have done!
Polybushed dogbone mount.
New KTEC Centreline exhaust with decat (also have the cat) and slash cut tips – these can be easily adjusted for fitment and/or changed for rolled tips if preferred. (bought and fitted beginning of March ’17).
New Exhaust mounts (came with the exhaust)
Suspension & Brakes
Bilstien B14 coilovers – perfect for the road
Polybushed rear axle (Jan’17)
New Genuine lower arms and ball joints (Jan’17)
Clio 197 Brembo 280mm callipers – rebuilt and painted Artic Blue (Dec’16) with new seals, genuine 280mm discs and ferrodo 2500 pads.
New genuine discs / pads (Dec’16)
Stainless steel braided lines all round (Dec ’16)
Fluid change with ATE Supergold at the time of the brake change
Interior
Rear interior completely stripped
All sound deadening removed
2x XL Corbeau Clubsports (new Dec’16) with Jon Foz X-Low frames and sliders.
3” 4point OMP harnesses in black (new Dec ’16)
Sparco 300mm Suede steering wheel and boss – also have a TRS cover to protect the suede.
Interior strips and clock bezel sprayed Artic Blue to match the car.
Black poverty spec door handles and handbrake (to remove the shiny silver finish
Exterior
Gloss black 15” Team dynamics (ET35) with almost new AD08r tyres
Front bosh wipers
New plates (front is a ¾ size)
Genuine cup splitter – these are very expensive to buy new and rare to find!
Genuine V6/Trophy spoiler with shorted boot struts
Phase 1 solid rear lights – these have been tinted red over the top with a film.
Grills, bullets, indicators all sprayed black.
Plans are:
Bolt in cage
Source some belts for day to day use
4 wheel geometry for track use
Front and rear struts
Debating an adjustable ARB and front camber as I've heard this can really transform the car.
Maybe forced induction longer term.
First off, I now had the much needed kick up the arse to get the second drive of our rental house sorted out. A caravan previously lived her for years and it lacked love.
Current specs (from previous owner)
The modifications to the car:
Engine and Gearbox
Service consisting of new plugs, oil and filters @ 66K
Magnecor Ignition Leads
PMS shifter – one of the best mods I have done!
Polybushed dogbone mount.
New KTEC Centreline exhaust with decat (also have the cat) and slash cut tips – these can be easily adjusted for fitment and/or changed for rolled tips if preferred. (bought and fitted beginning of March ’17).
New Exhaust mounts (came with the exhaust)
Suspension & Brakes
Bilstien B14 coilovers – perfect for the road
Polybushed rear axle (Jan’17)
New Genuine lower arms and ball joints (Jan’17)
Clio 197 Brembo 280mm callipers – rebuilt and painted Artic Blue (Dec’16) with new seals, genuine 280mm discs and ferrodo 2500 pads.
New genuine discs / pads (Dec’16)
Stainless steel braided lines all round (Dec ’16)
Fluid change with ATE Supergold at the time of the brake change
Interior
Rear interior completely stripped
All sound deadening removed
2x XL Corbeau Clubsports (new Dec’16) with Jon Foz X-Low frames and sliders.
3” 4point OMP harnesses in black (new Dec ’16)
Sparco 300mm Suede steering wheel and boss – also have a TRS cover to protect the suede.
Interior strips and clock bezel sprayed Artic Blue to match the car.
Black poverty spec door handles and handbrake (to remove the shiny silver finish
Exterior
Gloss black 15” Team dynamics (ET35) with almost new AD08r tyres
Front bosh wipers
New plates (front is a ¾ size)
Genuine cup splitter – these are very expensive to buy new and rare to find!
Genuine V6/Trophy spoiler with shorted boot struts
Phase 1 solid rear lights – these have been tinted red over the top with a film.
Grills, bullets, indicators all sprayed black.
Plans are:
Bolt in cage
Source some belts for day to day use
4 wheel geometry for track use
Front and rear struts
Debating an adjustable ARB and front camber as I've heard this can really transform the car.
Maybe forced induction longer term.
Edited by Jimbo NW on Sunday 12th March 21:10
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