What have you done to your ride recently?

[RacingManiac]

The process itself is easy enough....on the Golf the sway bar is at a pretty accessible place at the back. I've helped a friend installing a rear bar on a 2nd gen BMW Mini Cooper S and that was a pain, since you have to drop the rear subframe, remove the rear coilovers before you can snake it out....

The weather has not been nice enough to really push the car in any meaningful manner, so I really can't comment on the handling difference. The Eibach bar is quite a bit stiffer than stock even in the softer of the 2 setting, so I'd expect it to have a pretty big effect...

[clutch-monkey]

thread reminds me.. made some cosmetic updates to the 911 since i last posted

[RacingManiac]

That looks sweet...

[LotusLocost]

Washed the Pug tonight, and managed to squeeze 71,5 liters of diesel in the 72 liter tank. Can't remember last time I had a tank that dry..

[henk4]

Washed the Pug tonight, and managed to squeeze 71,5 liters of diesel in the 72 liter tank. Can't remember last time I had a tank that dry..

there is additional capacity in the piping system, and the tank may actually contain more than the nominal 72 liter. I once put 66.5 liter in the 65 liter tank of my Xantia.

And what did I do to my ride today? (Actually yesterday). Brought it for its 180000 km service to the workshop...and washed it a week ago, which did not help as the roads to Italy were soaking wet last weekend...

[jcp123]

The nominal capacity listed indeed is sometimes either incorrect (as in, they are trying to estimate it on the conservative size), or don't take into account additional piping, as mentioned.

I'm usually able to put 11-11,5g into my 11,9g tank upon fillup. My record was around 12,1g I think. But I do the non-suggested method of topping off all the way to the filler aperture so that I am assured the same fill level every time. That adds about half to 8/10ths of a gallon per fill - surprising how different pumps click off at such different points.

[Ferrer]

I have never been able to put more than 42-43 litres in my car, which theoretically has a 50 litre tank. The problem is it has no range display and when the reserve light goes on the needle drops very quickly.

I once had the light up in the middle of motorway and there was still 30-40km to arrive. I knew I could make it, but I almost chickened out a couple of times becuase the needle told me it was really empty. So when I arrived home I filled it up. And I still couldn't get more than 43 litres in it.

[f6fhellcat13]

I have never been able to put more than 42-43 litres in my car, which theoretically has a 50 litre tank. The problem is it has no range display and when the reserve light goes on the needle drops very quickly.

I once had the light up in the middle of motorway and there was still 30-40km to arrive. I knew I could make it, but I almost chickened out a couple of times becuase the needle told me it was really empty. So when I arrived home I filled it up. And I still couldn't get more than 43 litres in it.

Indeed. My car has a 16-gallon capacity and it shows just about dead empty at twelve, which means over a hundred miles of fuel just to find a gas station.

[NSXType-R]

Just a quick question, how should one care for leather?

[jcp123]

Someone once told me to use tanning oil...supplies nutrients for the leather and gives it a measure of sun protection (it's, what, SPF 4?). But the one time I tried it, I did notice that it was a bit, well, oily...

[Ferrer]

Indeed. My car has a 16-gallon capacity and it shows just about dead empty at twelve, which means over a hundred miles of fuel just to find a gas station.

Must be japanese thing then.

On an unrealted note today I have found an(other) advantage about owning a convertible. I had parked the car and left and when I came back to get the car, the car next to me had parked so close that I couldn't get in I tried entering from the passanger side, but being a small cramped cabin with a high transmission tunnel made it difficult.

Solution?

I lowered the roof and literelly jumped in the car.

Done.

[NSXType-R]

Someone once told me to use tanning oil...supplies nutrients for the leather and gives it a measure of sun protection (it's, what, SPF 4?). But the one time I tried it, I did notice that it was a bit, well, oily...

There's this spray thing that you can use with a rag, but I'm not sure what products to buy.

I don't think it's going to fix the worn bolster (nothing will), but I'm trying to keep it from wearing down any further.

[Sledgehammer]

Drained and flushed the coolant system, also replaced the thermostat. Looks like the dealership I took it to when I had the coolant last replaced used a generic US brand for US engines, and not the expensive FL22 Mazda likes as it is less damaging to the aluminum engine. Checked back with the dealership to ask them wtf, and they were out of business. Anything to save a buck...

[Man of Steel]

Washed it as that was 5 months ago.

[RacingManiac]

Snow tires....not really did it for the snow, more so I can stop driving on my summers...

Hoping to eek another season out of them....

Also relube the rear sway bar bushing and mount. With the weather getting cold I am getting more noise out of it...