Back in a car

pablo · Post by **pablo** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:06 am

2 months in and how are things going.

A couple of weeks back I was all set to sell the damn thing, as I hate niggling little problems with my cars and this thing was starting to piss me off royally.

Driving down the road, heard a thump, no i didn't hit anything. The speakers in the parcel shelf fell out into the boot. Shit job by whoever fitted them.

Went to change the front brake pads, drivers side simple quick and easy. Passenger side...NO FECKING CHANCE...Alan even broke his torque wrench trying to undo the wheel nuts. Then the locking wheel nut key broke so he hammered on a socket to get the locking wheel nut off. The locking wheel nut then snapped off also breaking his short arm.
Took the car to kwik fit for them to loosen the wheel nuts and they couldn't, so they sent me to ATS because they do truck wheels. The guy there put their air gun on it and it just span..........In the end he had to use his lorry wheel torque wrench and literally hang off it to undo them.
The next day Alan spent an hour drilling out the broken locking wheel nut without trashing the alloy...Cheers mate.

Driving the car i'm quite enjoying at the moment although it does feel void of feedback, maybe I need to kick the shit out of it, so to speak to get some feedback. It does make me think that it could be fun little car to throw around even if a little lacking in power.

It's an easy car to live with day to day, comfortable to drive on a journey, though not done any big distance yet, but it has got me thinking about what I could do with it.

4 wheel drive, 300 bhp evo engined........Can but dream, but at least it's got me thinking.

pjs65 · Post by **pjs65** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:56 pm

Those locking wheel nuts can be a real pig to get off if they have been done up to tight , and if the sockets worn they even harder to remove . I once had to grind part of a wheel away so that i could weld a bar onto the end of a locking wheel nut in order to get it undone , worn socket + overtightened nut . Its annoying because tightening a nut is a simple job when done properly and 99% of drivers should be able to change a wheel if the nuts haven't had the crap cranked out of them , anyway better luck with the rest of the car . Pete

Post by **Stuart** » Wed Dec 05, 2012 7:59 pm

Stiff anti-roll bars, stiffer springs, bucket seat.............they would all help give it a more direct feel and sharpen up the experience. All reverse-able too

russ979 · Post by **russ979** » Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:17 pm

Glad you got there in the end pablo.
It is a problem i come across quite a lot. I have broken several locking nuts in the past through the same thing. What always works for me especialy when i have a car in without a locking key is to weld a spare wheel bolt straight onto the end of the lock nut. Wait ten mins and most times the heats done its trick and the nut almost spins off by hand.

pablo · Post by **pablo** » Sat Dec 08, 2012 3:25 pm

Cheers for the tip.
Just need to find out if the GTi 180 anti roll bar is any thicker and if it will fit straight on. It's already got stiffer springs and lowered so the ride is quite firm but it would benefit from a better seat.