TimFF

I've added Berks HFCs and a Stillen Y pipe to a standard Nissan exhaust - it sounds so much better! Lovely rasp starting at about 3k, it's quite noticeable inside but not obtrusive, 'droney' or loud from the inside - and no neighbours have complained on my 0530 departures to work since they've been on. I've gone back to driving with the window open again just to hear... And they came from one of Tarmacs group buys last year. If you can get yourself to Gatwick you're welcome to have a ride and listen for yourself. TimFF

As you've mentioned Europe this is a bit off the mark, but for much the same reasons as Sarnie we decamped to Antigua in 2002 and got hitched by the beach. Gloriously sunny and warm in November and nice quiet location in the hotel we chose - we don't like being the centre of attention... It would have been just the 2 of us but my folks had been stiffed by my brother when he got married in Australia so they came too!

Suddenly I'm back to being about 6 and me lil bruv and I are in trouble - again... (me lil bruv - who has now been grey for years, ha! - is also a Chris) Edit - SNAP!

Oi! No-one calls me Tim**** and gets away with it... No worries, just wondered if you wanted some readies Christopher...

How we doing on this Chris?

me me me! Was about to spend some dollars with the Z store, cheers Chris!

A bit late but I’ve been a bit busy at work! Mine was in the day before Grahams; this time to fit the goodies I’ve been acquiring since I bought the Zed and to have a P1 service which wasn’t strictly due – but now it’s out of warranty I wanted to have the goodies fitted sooner rather than later! So I’ve now joined the Uprev club – complete with Berks HFCs and a Stillen Y pipe on a standard back box. I haven’t had much chance to do many miles, but it sure as hell sounds and goes differently! It’s got the lovely 4k rasp which is audible but not intrusive – I reckon my right ear is going to be getting cold with the window open most of the time now… So that’s the Zeds 3rd trip to Abbey – it’s previously had a 4 wheel alignment and a checkover following an attack by a suicidal pigeon plus a new gear lever gaiter. Each time it’s been collected by Scott (I live within a few hundred yards of his commute) so I’ve never been there, just passed it probably a hundred times over the years. I really need to drop in and take a look! I’ve also had the personal delivery service – the pigeon took out the grille centre (it’s somewhere on the A25 between Wotton and Abinger Hammer) and Scott dropped the new one off early one morning on his way past. I’m fortunate to have such a well respected outfit close by; whilst their presence wasn’t a deciding factor in acquiring the Zed it helped me make the choice…

Parked nose in outside Pinehurst... Mine was just inside the underground entrance.

My Zed just came up to it's 3rd birthday and it's still waiting for the DVLA to send the birthday card (or MOT reminder...). It's up to you to know about it - they'll tell you when they want money but in this case the Govt gets your money when you forget to check. I did wonder whether you could do it at 2 years and 11 months and have it valid to the 4th 'birthday' but it seems that's only possible once it's got an MOT certificate.

+1 on Wheel Works. Used several times now and would happily make a trip (even though they're on my doorstep) from further afield...

If you can handle the awful name and website vehicles, Customize in Crawley did a complete windows out plus rot removal job on our 205GTi last year on the recommendation of a very fussy friend. They did a white 350 roadster which was 'discussed' on here a while back... I've seen everything from Capri 2.8i restorations to rebuilt wrecked VX220s to repainted Maseratis in there. TimFF http://www.customizebodyworkz.co.uk/

If you can handle the awful name and website vehicles, Customize in Crawley did a complete windows out plus rot removal job on our 205GTi last year on the recommendation of a very fussy friend. They did a white 350 roadster which was 'discussed' on here a while back... I've seen everything from Capri 2.8i restorations to rebuilt wrecked VX220s to repainted Maseratis in there. TimFF http://www.customizebodyworkz.co.uk/

Hi Will Abbey did mine few months back, total bill was £120 inc the dreaded VAT. Even better, Scott collected the car from me on his way through in the morning so I didn't even have to leave the house ... cheers TimFF

Hi Will Abbey did mine few months back, total bill was £120 inc the dreaded VAT. Even better, Scott collected the car from me on his way through in the morning so I didn't even have to leave the house ... cheers TimFF

That'll be the Christmas dinner sprouts then...

I treated the Zed to a decent clean (after a few trips involving muddy back roads and lots of rain) at the weekend, and to avoid messing up the grass I moved it away from the driveway edge. And not wanting to fire it up after I'd finished I left it where it was, leaving 'erself to park behind rather than alongside. For once I'm kinda glad that I was lazy coz look what I found this morning just after 9... Normally the back wheel would be on the edge of the drive exactly where the mass of berries are. At the very least I'd have had some serious scratches, more likely to have been some proper metal or glass damage... I'll count myself lucky!

Some more points from someone with it in 90% of their house... We got it as we've got dogs and it's soooooo easy to clean. The only carpet we have is on the stairs and it's already been replaced once in 8 years as the bloody dogs choose to throw up on it rather than on the easy clean wood! You don't need to remove and lift the skirting boards. You can if you want, but if you can handle moulding around the floor / skirting join then you leave an expansion gap between the floor and skirting (That can be handy for hifi cables although it's not exactly approved!). It's a DIY job but a decent mitre saw and tools make it look much better for neat cuts and edges. It will be louder than 100% carpet but you'd be surprised at the difference furniture and curtains will make. Solid fibreboard underlay (not the stuff on a roll) also helps. Real wood will also darken with age and exposure to light and as mentioned earlier make sure any furniture has pads on the feet to stop scrape marks. Depending on the actual flooring it may also take a sanding or 2 to remove light marks. You can now get electric underfloor heating for wood - we have it in the conservatory and it's lovely. I don't find it cold in the rest of the house and I never wear anything other than socks in the house... Any new build show houses nearby? I bet they may well have wooden floors. I wasn't sure before we did it but I'd happily do it again. Decisions, decisions!

Berks not yet fitted as it's under warranty till January - at which point it will be off to a certain well known tuner, sorry - I mean local Z specialist not that far from me... Didn't want to take a chance voiding that knowing it wasn't going to do many miles before then. And that's a bit less off that bill I won't have to explain to a certain significant other! The 'idea' behind a Nissan was that it's cheap to service (coughs)...

a very real possibility if a certain other 'alf spots this post...

And me too! I was just smugly thinking Col had Zeditis in a bad way, and then realised that since acquiring mine in March I've spent over £3.5k on it... But then the following were essential (ahem): Mats HFCs (yet to be fitted...) Parking sensors - hidden cable one Stubby carbon aerial #1 - looked good but as useful as a chocolate teapot Garmin mount - the cubby is full of iPod connected to the: Alpine Imprint system - well worth it Head up speedo display - VERY useful, got a bar rev counter a la F1 'steering wheel' and a 0-60 timer too! Carbon struts - must fit them soon! Stubby aerial from a S2000 #2 - that works... Spare set of Rays for the forthcoming set of winter tyres Fortunately I've had no mechanical maladies, just a bloody pigeon which committed suicide on the 'grille' but even so I've still spent £700 on servicing, a worthwhile geometry check, a check for damage post pigeon and 'consumables'... Oh, sorry - I had a gear lever linkage gaiter replaced as the old 'un decided to split. Having done just under 3000 miles (it wasn't a daily driver for nearly 5 months) in that time it means I've spent well over £1 a mile. Without including fuel, insurance, tax or tyres... Oops. And do I care? Nope... Do I grin when walking up to it knowing I'm about to drive it? Oh yes... OK, I have Zeditis.

Winter boots ordered with delivery expected for about a months time - thanks Ben. TimFF

Did you manage to get any Yokohama 18" prices? Specifically the standard sizes 225/45 & 245/45 I have?

Ben, Did you manage to come up with any prices yet? cheers TimFF

Have a look here... http://www.evo.co.uk/news/evonews/248524/winter_tyres_tested.html Winter tyred Jag XF 25 secs quicker round a snowy Bedford Autodrome than a summer tyred Evo X FQ-330 - that's good enough for me!

I've got a spare set of Rays for just this use - was wondering about when to start looking... So - yes, definite interest from me! cheers TimFF