Ekona

Y'know, I've no idea where the specific interest in tyres came from. I guess it might be from when I ran the VXR220, and went from A048s to T1Rs (yes, yes, I know!) and wondered why the car felt just so different despite having run T1Rs on the previous car, a mk3 MR2. Soon went back to A048s, and then I realised just how utterly vital tyres are to the whole picture. Spiralled from there really I guess. I've had (in order) the mk3 MR2 which I turbocharged, VXR220, 350Z, 911 (997.2 C2S PDK), mk1 MX5, another MR2 stripped for track and turbo'ed again, blobeye widetrack Impreza STi and the BMW 645Ci. The latter two we still have. Also driven many others reasonably extensively including most Porkers from 997.1 onwards, Ferraris from 458 onwards (not the 488 yet though), Gallardos, Elise-chassis cars, and a bunch of Zeds in different configurations. I wanted to test a 370ZN mk2, but the dealership was being an arse so gave up and bought the BMW instead. I've driven a manual 370 though, and wasn't blown away in the same way the 350 grabbed me. I owned an E92 M3 for about 16 hours, then realised it was a huge mistake so got a refund and bought the 911 instead I've tracked an E46 M3 SMG though, which was hysterical fun. Not on M3Cutters, it's a great forum though as I've used it for advice on my 6er as it shares some internal stuff with the E46.

They're the most popular brand in the UK, so they're going to have more problems than other cars and being a premium brand, repairs will likely cost more. That said, I don't think they're particularly prone to anything terminal, and having worked on them they're pretty well designed too (for the most part!). As good as a Zed? Well, they'll be quicker and handle better, but they'll also feel more 'normal' and not as special. If you need rear seats though then comparisons to the Zed are irrelevant. I'm not sure what else you'd get really that could be any better in terms of the overall package.

How many times in the past have you had cause to repair a wheel? Unless you can't park for toffee, it's probably not a lot and you're just throwing your money away really. Tyre insurance can be worth it, but dent and alloy? Nah, I wouldn't bother. Spend the money on fuel.

Nope. Never have, probably never will. I like the exterior (esp the mk2 Nismo), but the interior leaves me cold. Which is ironic, coming from a BMW owner! Does it matter though? Plenty of folks on here who have owned and sold up. Never worked for a tyre company either. For me it's a passion, not a job. Sorry if I've come across as harsh, but it irks me when people come on saying how experienced they are at something and that they've owned X, Y and Z and have won LeMans twenty times but seem to struggle with the basics. It just smacks of try-hard blagging, rather than simply holding a hand up and saying "Y'know what, I've no idea here, help me out guys". Granted, you did that with the runflat question, but I was being serious when I said that I'd expect someone with the level of knowledge you clearly have to know something as obvious as that. In terms of runflats over regular, runflats have impossibly stiff sidewalls by design which mean you lose feeling from the contact surface, which directly impacts both comfort (more vibrations are transmitted) and feedback (there's no give in the tyre when cornering so they're more snappy). As a rule a car that allows flex in the sidewall will ride better and also be more controllable on the limit. AFAIK none of the big guns put runflats on their top performance models. Not even BMW, who love the bloody things. I don't care if a car is within spec or not. I don't think I ever run any car (well, performance car) with the geo settings within OEM spec as that may work for generic owner who knows nothing and just wants to pose, but I want MY car to handle how I want it to, not how the manufacturer thinks it should be i.e. safe and understeery. Generally speaking you tend to find that people who go to a specialist and explain to them how they want their car to handle and ignore the red/green divide on a bit of paper enjoy their cars far more. I also agree that I'd use a HPC over KF, but then I wouldn't use either in the first place. I'd go to a recommended specialist or a local trusted garage, and there's a couple of those in your area. You'll find that very few dealers, HPC or otherwise, are considered trustworthy by the folks on here. For £120-odd you should be getting a tailored geo, not a generic one. But in the sprit of goodwill, and not wanting to start something which drags on, I'll stop patronising if you stop posturing. Both in the wrong, both move on and start again, fair enough?

What do you want to know? You'll need to be a tad more specific.

No manual 'box though with the 640i, which is a shame.

Brilliant cars, great choice fella. I'd have one in a heartbeat, and that auto 'box really doesn't feel any different from a decent dual clutcher either when you're on it.

Y'know, I actually don't have a single pic of the VXR with that plate on It was only on there for a month I think, then I flogged it to get my 350Z.

Good man, and not just for agreeing with me. I absolutely agree with you, plus it won't be long before diesels really start getting hammered as the tide of hate turns towards them politically. I do love the F13, but even I couldn't look past a decent NA V8 in the S5.

Unfortunately I need a car that has better fuel economy than a 350 as we'll be moving house shortly and the missus will use the new car for a commute to save the Impreza fuel costs, but thanks anyway. Get yours sold quick then come buy mine

I saw a 996.1 cab with the plate 911 AT on it the other week. Worth substantially more than the car by some margin, even if it is quite apt. My plate was meant for my old VXR, hence the R20 part, but at the same time I don't think it looks out of place on anything else really.

True, but I wouldn't like to look like a PEN15 driving round with a tacky plate on

Still, you've have thought an expert in the field of Chartered Engineering with a number of high performance vehicles and years of racing would be able to tell the difference between runflats and normal tyres... Going to an HPC or Kwikfit makes zero difference if all they're going to do is put the numbers back in the green for you. Given your highly tuned senses and decades of top level motorsport experience, why did you not ask them to give you an alignment that would suit how *you* want to drive the car? I really don't understand where you're coming from on this one, if I'm honest. Let's say you return the car because the caster isn't within spec (and for now we'll assume that Nissan give in to that). What happens when the next car that comes out is the same? And the one after that? You're chasing a dead horse here. IMHO there's bugger all wrong with that car that a decent alignment wouldn't cure 99% of. The other 1% is a couple of numbers on a page that don't matter.

Actually I think you were right the first time...!

My own rule is that if it's not immediately recognisable without dodgy spacing or daft screws then it's not worth it as it'll always detract from the car itself. Plates that are initials excluded, unless you're really unlucky to have initials that could fall into the realm of the above

Just change to a different size then. Easy to do, and will give better results.

Wait, you've got runflats on??!! Jeez man, get them off and put something decent on! That's your issue, right there. I'm willing to bet that very few Zeds are ever within caster spec. It's not adjustable. It really doesn't matter that much at all. Reject the car for it if you want, but personally I think that's overkill. It's a cheap Jap sportscar, to expect it to drive like a German one costing twice as much just isn't realistic IMHO. And sure, I'd pay £120 for a decent alignment to my spec at a place that knew what they were doing. I wouldn't pay £120 for some monkey to turn a few nuts to get it back into the green for the sake of being in factory spec

Interior is a lovely place to be. Even though I really don't get on with the haptic buttons

If only it was actually going to look like that Check out the recent spy shots, it's far more generic in the flesh. The front and rear isn't a mile off, but the side profile is pure Panamera.

£114 is a huge rip off: No way Nissan will be paying that, and tbh neither should they. Who's to say that it wasn't fine when you left the dealership, but the roads you've been driving on have been what's put anything out of alignment? Not saying that's the case, but tbh I think you're on a hiding to nothing if you chase that money back. They may well pay it, but there's no reason they should. Caster isn't adjustable directly on most cars tbh, so it's not even worth worrying about. How does the car drive now you've had an alignment? That's what matters, not a set of numbers on a page. Don't get me wrong, caster can affect the steering, but it's not going to cause the problems you've mentioned. Dodgy at the front will, and now you've had that sorted...

Oh. Silly us.

So you're surprised that a manufacturer lines up it's oldest car next to it's newest one in a press release celebrating a milestone? Because I'm really not

Horrendous.

Now that’s an offer, I’ll take that next time I’m up your neck of the woods mate

RE050As are decent tyres, bit old now though. I think you really need to re-think your budget, the Zed isn’t a cheap car to run and you’re kinda scrimping on the only bits keeping you on the road. Not saying part worns are a bad idea (I’ve used them in the past), but can you not get something like the SportContact5 or MPSS in part worns instead?