Your fleet running reports

[Sundayjumper]

I enjoyed co-driving so I’m hoping after practising at Rushmoor we’ll be like a well-oiled machine.

Don't get too well oiled that's generally frowned upon when racing

[Rich B]

The rears are a P-Zero runflat, I'm expecting a fight from that one, and a really shite "Autogrip" that will probably come off really easily and deny me the pleasure of cutting it up.

why are you taking them off? Can you fit and balance the new ones yourself?

[Sundayjumper]

why are you taking them off?

So that I can fit the winters. I kinda assumed that was obvious.

Can you fit...

Yes. Pic #5 is one of the winter tyres after I fitted it.

...and balance the new ones yourself?

Interesting thing here - from experience, I've found that if the wheel has been balanced before, and you leave the weights in place, it works fine with the new tyre. Now tbf, I've not tried it on the Porsche and then driven the Nurburgring ar 170mph, but on normal cars at normal speeds it's always worked out OK.

[Rich B]

Yeah, the 2 questions were kind of one linked. Nice work!

[integrale_evo]

Yeah, I normally leave the old weights on when fitting new tyres and checking with my bubble balancer, most of the time they’re pretty damn close, often not needing any weight adding.

Only tried taking one runflat off and that was a bitch which needed cutting off.

[integrale_evo]

Got the diff back in and filled with oil.

All in all, not a fun job but not an awful one. Another of those I could do in a fraction of the time if I had to do it again now I know the method, bolt sizes and all the other bits and pieces you don’t know until you’ve tried it.

Sadly it’s still throwing a 4x4 error if you try any brisk acceleration, looks like it may well have killed the clutch in the transfer box, so could be several more hours spent under an x5 in the near future.

Looks a less horrible job than the diff, but not something I’m looking forward to.

[Mito Man]

The wheel weight thing made sense but then I remembered that whenever I wash my car the first time after I have new tyres fitted I need to spend an hour with tar remover and an old credit card scraping off the old wheel weight residue which is usually not even close to where the new weights are

[DeskJockey]

Snow is falling and the Galaxy is on winters. Exciting update ends.

[integrale_evo]

My compact on all seasons has no mot. My 4x4 on winters is one wheel drive on a slippery surface with no electronic assistance. The merc is still on summer tyres because I thought I had enough other options not to meet to fit the winters this year.

The mito is on winters

[Beany]

Drive up to Edinburgh was alright, although flurries of snow making the road turn white in front of the e46s candle spec halogens was a bit scary. No unexpected sideways, though.

I did take a wrong turn off a roundabout at one point and ended up on an untreated industrial estate road. I spent 10 stretching my legs, and definitely not doing donuts.

No weird smells or unexpected shudders or bangs, but I do need to replace the front wheels (both have buckles in them) and see if that makes the slight shudder at speed go away (shopping with some bushes).

And some new headlights that can take HIDs or LED bulbs safely...

Car is a horrible mess after 200+ miles of slush and salt though.

[JonMad]

You're not tempted though ?

I enjoyed co-driving so I’m hoping after practising at Rushmoor we’ll be like a well-oiled machine.

No pressure then!

First few runs at Kemble Steve and I got lost. Some of the course may come back to me so it should be better next time out!

[Ascender]

Looks like I need to make an unplanned trip north this coming weekend which means I may be looking for some winter wheels and tyres. Touring is due in the Spring, but I really don't want to be stuck on my driveway over the winter if I can help it. If I can get a cheap secondhand set which would also fit the Touring, then all the better.

So far I've found someone selling a set of BMW ones specifically for the M2 which are in great nick, with tyres, but he's looking for £2000 ono. Upside... he's based in Edinburgh so I could go get them anytime and just fire them on and get them balanced.

I've found some refurbished alloys on eBay for about £800, but with no tyres which then becomes a whole other thing...

[Broccers]

Mini's budget kum hoes are pretty good in this shocking weather - impressed.

[jamcg]

Mini's budget kum hoes are pretty good in this shocking weather - impressed.

The what now? they must have been an optional extra?

[Jobbo]

I've found some refurbished alloys on eBay for about £800, but with no tyres which then becomes a whole other thing...

At least you can get the tyre place to fit them for you, so long as you can get the 4 alloys in your car.

Have a look at German eBay sellers for winter wheels; I've bought a few now and they arrive in better condition, better packaged and often quicker than a UK seller. And there are loads of used winter wheels with tyres for sale; might be a bit fewer at this time of year of course.

[Ascender]

I've found some refurbished alloys on eBay for about £800, but with no tyres which then becomes a whole other thing...

At least you can get the tyre place to fit them for you, so long as you can get the 4 alloys in your car.

Have a look at German eBay sellers for winter wheels; I've bought a few now and they arrive in better condition, better packaged and often quicker than a UK seller. And there are loads of used winter wheels with tyres for sale; might be a bit fewer at this time of year of course.

There's so many sets on eBay it's unreal. Only thing stopping me is that I did buy something small from Germany with DHL 48 hour shipping nearly 10 days ago which still seems to be stuck in Germany!

[McSwede]

58 plate 320d SE auto went for it's MOT today. Yesterday I decided to fix the Corona rings as they weren't working, and I assume that's be an MOT fail. Upon dismantling the headlights I found that someone had installed some LED upgrades. I had a fiddle around and got them going again which was nice. Also changed a brake pad wear indicator which was faulty.

When we bought the car a year ago (from a slightly sketchy looking place in Bradford) it came with a years "MOT". I was happy enough as they car drove really well and seemed in good condition underneath. It got an engine flush, oil & filter change plus new disks and pads when I got it home.

Anyway, on to today's MOT. It pass with flying colours and no advisories

It is as good as I thought it was, which is a welcome relief!! I had a 20 mile run out in it taking it back to my wife and to collect my car and it still drives really well and is proving to be a good purchase for Mrs McSwede to run around in.

[Explosive Newt]

Tesla is getting a cold weather combined range of about 200 miles which is roughly as advertised. I'm definitely hoping we find some milder weather soon though as I've developed real charger anxiety!

[Sundayjumper]

I did the other two tyres today. I am now broken. The Autogrip was OK but the Pirelli runflat was an utter bastard as expected and I had to cut it off. My little tyre changing stand is just not up to the job with runflats. Lesson learned.

[mik]

I did the other two tyres today. I am now broken. The Autogrip was OK but the Pirelli runflat was an utter bastard as expected and I had to cut it off. My little tyre changing stand is just not up to the job with runflats. Lesson learned.

My dream euromillions garage has a proper tyre changing machine and balancer in it loik wot a proper tyre fitting place would have.

My dad bought one of these manual home tyre change things - his was cheap and I suspect therefore pretty nasty, but it proved extremely effective at chewing up all his wheel rims. Do not want.