Toon Chris Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 (edited) I have a Fx30d Infiniti, required for reasons I won't go into here in detail but basically its AWD and that's what I needed (and I fancied a big, uncommon car). So, like any other car I've had, pretty soon it's time to start thinking of how to mod it. There are three ranty things that have happened over the last few months. 1) Had the car checked over and the wheels hunter aligned. Car ok but now steers sharply to the left. Alignment redone. Still steers to left. Alignment finally set back to how it was at the start, which has some out of margin toe settings. Car much better now but steering wheel not 100% dead straight. Grrr. Waste of money and never should have touched it as its never going to be back to exactly how it was. 2) Lets have a remap! A few hours of faffing about and I'm told it can't be done as the software the garage has won't read the ECU properly (its based on the Navara ECU platform) Weeks later, the correct software is obtained by the garage and try again. Nope, this time its the injector codes that it will need entering before a remap and the software wont read them. Month or so later, give up on 'my mate works for Infiniti and can read them for you' comment from garage and pay Infiniti dealer £50 to read the codes. Takes them 5 minutes. Back to the garage, nope, software won't write back to ECU with a protocol error. FFS! Garage admits defeat, I'm very frustrated! No slur on the garage who have been very helpful and it's not their fault but what a waste of time and hopes dashed. Next step is a DT-UK box and I have to say on the basis of one phone call they have looked promising, so I'll allow a faint glimmer of hope back into my life. 3) Lets have some good brakes! The front disks were shuddering away as the previous owner had heated them up and left plenty of pad material stuck to them ( well I'm saying it was the previous owner ). Automatics. Pah. Let's all brake like mad to stop a 2 ton car then sit at the lights with your foot on the brake to stop it driving forwards of its own accord. Eventually some nice EBC slotted and dimpled numbers turn up with greenstuff pads. Very exciting, they are massive! Discs fit ok but pads are woefully the wrong ones, not even close. Have to refit old worn out pads and call EBC technical who identify the correct ones for me - their catalogue is wrong. I'll get them eventually but after the bank holiday of course so its another week or two before I can fit them. Its probably feelings compounded by the uncertainty of switching to Diesel, Auto and Turbo which are 3 things I've never had before but I'm soooo frustrated. Thwarted at every step to pimp my ride and for months on end. It may not seem much to you but I do not like being thwarted when it comes to cars. If I've got the cash waiting I want it NOW. And then I found out that what Infiniti call 'Umbrian Twilight', the DVLA call 'Beige'. I have a beige car :dry: I feel better to get this out of my system. PS. Oh, and I saw my old Z drive past my house which was nice as at least its still on the road, but despite the forum sticker on the back window they haven't joined up. I want to bend the owners ear about all the mods on the car they don't know about and to make sure they are looking after it properly I think I need to chill out, its all too stressful. Edited May 2, 2015 by Toon Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Cars should naturally steer to the left on standard UK roads, due to the camber on them to remove water. It's only slight, but it's there. Best way to check your alignment is to drive on the wrong side of the road, car should then drift right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Chris Posted May 2, 2015 Author Share Posted May 2, 2015 (edited) Yeah, but having to actively steer with the wheel 10 degrees to the right was getting tiring. Its much better now but its not *exactly* central on the steering wheel, and who likes an off-centre steering wheel? My wife can't see it but I can, I know it's there. Edited May 2, 2015 by Toon Chris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleR Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 It's a great big diesel SUV, remapping it will kill the planet! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toon Chris Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 It's a great big diesel SUV, remapping it will kill the planet! Nah, if I go faster I'll be driving for less time so that means less pollution Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vik54 Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I love that after all your ranting the final straw is " I have a beige car" Never mind worse things happen at sea Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spursmaddave Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 It's a great big diesel SUV, remapping it will kill the planet! Nah, if I go faster I'll be driving for less time so that means less pollution With the amount of torque you will get you will be able to spin the earth backwards and therefore regress global warming Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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