Clio 172 Project

Ok I’ve been lazy.  Meant to update this but well things have gotten in the way, such as drinking.

Ran the car back down to the garage again last Friday for both bottom balljoints to be replaced and I’m amazed at the difference.  Turn in is better, it corners harder, it feels stiffer and the fucking annoying creaking has gone.  YEY!  Once again fantastic work and a good price.

The next morning I was down to get two new tyres thrown on the back.  Went with Black Circles for a pair of Toyo Proxie T1-Rs in 195/50/15 as they were the cheapest I could find around including fitting, balancing and valves.  Unfortunately this meant that I got introduced to quite possibly the most fucking retarded wheel changing guy (technical term) EVER.

After standing around for 15 minutes being ignored and finally going for a walk to look at a lovely matt grey, looked black to me meh, I rolled the car in.  I knew things were going to go downhill when I handed the locking wheel nut to the lad and he looked at it with a vacant, lost expression.  I explained to him what it was and how to use it, including mentioning NOT TO USE AN AIR GUN, and told him it was the back two that needed changing…he grunted and then came out with the classic line “Have you been donuting it”.  After a briefly pause to take this in I simply replied with “Yes.  I’ve been donutting my front wheel drive Clio.” he was pleased and then out came the air gun.  With locking key in hand I said to him “Use a bar with that mate”….BUZZ.  Wanker.  The next 10 minutes were spent by him attempting to remove the key from the locking nut and once done with pride in his eye and wheel removed he moved to the other side and whilst passing, mostly stood there dumbstruck, “You wanna get some new uns of these, they’re fucked”.  I bit my tongue.  Right up until he did the EXACT same fucking thing with the other wheel.  TWAT!  At this point I went mad asking him if he was deaf or just fucking stupid.  His reply?  FUCK ALL he just carried the wheels off and changed the tyres.  So I’m going for deaf.

Anyway whilst fitting my new tyres and having a cig he asked “You having 32 in these?” “No 29″.  Balanced up and put back on the car, yes tightened with a fucking air gun, I’d given up the will to live by the point, I fled.  Entered a roundabout and felt the back end go light…now I’ve read the back end on the 1*2 models is “lively” but so far I can’t say I’ve noticed.  So after a quick recovery I threw it into another roundabout and same thing.  Off to the local petrol station to check the pressure…34psi in both rears.  MORON.  Back down to 29 and all is good.

Until I washed the car, mostly to get a second layer of wax on it and get the tyre beading shit off, the next day.  Now thankfully all four wheels need a refirb, but that’s not the point, the holes on both back wheels look like they have been attacked with a fucking dril.  CUNT!

So the moral of the story is, if a tyre place looks fucking dog shit…it probably is.

Picked this up today ready for the track time at ISTS and hopefully more in the coming months, waiting to decide on FCS until after ISTS…see if I’m shit or not lol, bargain at £39.99 from J&S Accessories.  Gold A.C.U. approved and it even matches the colour of my car PMSL.

Also ordered two new Toyo Proxie T1-R tyres to replace the worn ones currently on the back, but I’m considering swapping the fronts around so I have more grip where I really need it.  Black Circles came to the rescue at just £95 fully fitted local to me, including balancing, valves and disposal.  So I’m off down there on Saturday to get them thrown on.