Mike's new daily driver

Just signed up recently, picked this up during the week and well pleased. Anyway on to the new motor in my life - the first of many Nice reg too

Very nice indeed, and welcome to the madhouse! [ ] [ ]

Stunning, and very well polished too [ ] Congratulations!

very nice..many happy times behind the wheel methinks [ ]

very nice - good colour too! Hope you have many happy miles, am sure you'll love it.

Very nice - enjoy!! I have a similar red one for a while, they are great. Slightly dull question if I may? How did you upload the pics? - can't seem to get mine small enough to do that - and the number plate crossing out? - perhaps I should join a camera club instead of a car club... d

I can recommend The Open University course T189 Digital photography: creating and sharing better images - but then I would say that... Nice motor - its very ... blue. And super-shiny!

Thanks for the good wishes. Shiney but I plan to have my Meguiars G220 out at it fairly soon to remove any swirls etc not that there are many. I was previously in a BMW 3 series coupe so this is a totally different drive. Economy seems not too bad but haven't a full picture just yet but as long as it's not ridiculous I'll be happy enough. I find it a little hard over city streets (normal?) but brilliant when out on nice roads be that motorway or twisty back roads. It has a full PSH and had a good service before I purchased including all oils, front and rear link arms, some anti roll bar bushes and pads. I'm planning on refreshing some small trim items such as door sills which have the odd scratch or two but that's what they are there for Also have a full new set of tyres on the way. I'd also like to chnage some interior items, maybe a later steering wheel, update sounds, and repair a couple of scratches on drivers bolster (a common issue?). Alloys are being reviewed so if anyone has a very clean set of BBS Sport classic IIs please let me know or indeed any interior items for sale. Hard to know if it needs or wants any modifications but in time maybe. Any other tips, advice or suggestions are very welcome.

Mike, nice car. I looked at it when we were staying at the Radisson last weekend. Health to enjoy! Paul

Thanks Paul. Good show - only picked mine up the day before so had nothing done to it.....all in good time.

A few little items arrived in post today... BBS Sport Classic IIs

Hi Mike The car looks lovely - enjoy! By the way - are the rims on you 'new' wheels panted silver? They appear to be painted in the photo. They should in fact be laquered over the diamond cut alloy. Not to put a samper on your new aquisition, but I used to have a set like that and I replaced them becasue of the problems of corrosion under the laquer. And that was when the car only went out in the dry! I reverted to the turbo style you have fitted. Anyhow - best of luck.

Thanks for the comments Peter. In Ireland we don't appear to salt the roads as much as in the UK so I haven't encountered the same corrosion difficulties in the past with any alloys I have owned - even other polished and laquered BBS wheels. In fact a lot of the time I have selected to just polish and not lacquer. I actually found it hard to find Sport Classic BBS wheels and only picked them up last week, but before they get new rubber I will make decision on rim. I am also keeping the Turbos and may even get them fully refurbed and leave them on standby should I need to revert but I must admit I do prefer the look of the BBS over the Turbos.

Took advantage of last weeks good spell and took some updated pics on way to work"¦(just click on the image to get full view)

Mike, Mike, Mike, I don't think your pics capture fully enough the soul of the vehicle; they lack the passion, excitement and pleasure that a few 'snaps' miss completely. I'd rather have a mondeo at this rate! Actually, I was sadder than Patch and actually went to the OU website to enquire about the photo course; do you think I need to do some work on the "teach you how to critically evaluate your own and others' work in the spirit of continuous technical and artistic improvement" aspect of the course? The car looks fantastic and I'm just jealous because I can't go the extra step and actually buy one. Another step closer tonight though! Enjoy yours and watch this space for the pictures of mine when it arrives (could I pm you for help uploading when the time comes? [ ] Mike

Mike (IRL) - it's , but those photos might be a bit large. Best bet is to resize them to about 800 pixels wide (max), so they will fit on the page, and won't take too long to load. HTH

Alloy wheels just picked up from refurb company. I like them anyway They diamond cut the lips then polished it out. Centers were striped right back to cast and sprayed. Lacquer applied to centers only. I've asked them to send me one or two shots of the process so you can learn whats involved. Tyres on order. So on the car soon.

Watch those kerbs!! They look great. Who was the refurb company?

Thanks Richard. Collins Engineering here in Dublin. Took a bit of time to work out what exact way I wanted them but all good in the end.

Just for info - we have a member in the R3 region who has his own company refurbing alloys (mine will be taking a trip there next spring). He offers a really fantastic discount for members and has done our ROs and made a great job of them. he is Mike Fenwick of Fenwick Alloy Wheel Refurbishing. there are more details on the R3 thread posted by Nick.

They have done a truly superb job. Very impressive.

Finally got my new shoes onto car: Well happy with Michelins and the BBS alloys - will get better pics when we get a bit more sunshine....

nice[ ]

Just some small subtle touches I've picked up too...

So, where are you going to stick that Audi badge ? !!!!! [ ]

very nice "Motor"! the wheels on a car do make a big difference! Health to "wear" ummm drive? as you Irish lot say!

Mike , your car looks great. You missed the exhaust tips though , this would finish it off

Small update. To keep things fresh, I decided to bring my car to a spray painter that I've used before to sort out stone chips on my front bumper. After some discussion, I decided to get the bumper, bonnet and front wings done. Result would mean a stone chip free front of car. As part of the job, I also decided to replace the bonnet badge and the 4 plastic trims on the underside of the bumper. Hard to know when to stop but I also fitted some new reg plate surrounds and some German font plates. Anyway, car came home yesterday and must say I am very pleased with the little face lift. [ ] Today, using my trusty machine polisher (Meguiars G220) I buffed the rest of the car and also the lips of my BBS alloys. A little tired and too late to take pics tonight so will try and get some tomorrow if the weather holds up [8D]

Do you actually get time to drive it Mike?! DJ

eh? strange question but yes, it's my daily driver. It was off road for a couple of days for recent work and a few "hours" while wheels were swapped over.

Hard to believe I have car just over a year. Time flies! Car fully serviced recently using local Porsche Indo. Service wasn't quite due but I was experiencing what turned out to be a problem with a coilpack which spurred on the need to take some action. Anyway, usual service, but in addition 6 new coilpacks set of plugs Pagid blue pads front and rear http://www.pagid-brake-pads.co.uk/products/rs42-blue-carbon-based.php brake fluid replaced I went with the Pagid based on Indo recommendation. Obviously fresh pads make a difference anyway and the pads need to fully settle in but so far very impressed. Overall car is notably crisper so very happy with the work. Will turn my attention to exhaust next but not for another while.