samuaw

Phase 1 of 2 Got the car back, looking as fresh as the day it came. Anything new? or anything missing? Well it is clear I don't have a Valance on. And also the Exhaust is off... Got the black trim painted too, Reason being that, It looks nicer when phase two happens- Aka something new for the rear. So no more black trim for the car at all![ Apart from the whole interior.] Was nice getting back into the Celica, After a week in the Saab, I forgot how short my short shifter was- Felt goood!..... and also how fuel inefficient the celica is compared to a 1.9 diesel.. Case has yet to be closed for the complete repair of the car. But the case has been closed for the insurance jobbie as soon as £139x 8(days)=£1112 for the rental car fees with the other insurers

What track are you going to? Reason i am asking is, The fact that some tracks are super safe- Bedford autdrome, And the chances of hitting a barrier is relatively low. Going into the grass is another question . but even then, you won't hit a barrier. But places like castle comb, That's a proper racing circuit where you can hit stuff. Track day insurance is a bit of a rip off though, You pay £100+ (from a track day insurance for a day cover), for either limited cover, or a huge cover but high excess £1000+ So it really isn't worth it unless you're driving a super car. The rule of a track day is that, You don't go all out and push an f1 driver. It isn't exactly a life of death situation where you Have to get the most perfect line with amazing speed to get the best lap times. Infact, You're not even allowed to do take lap time on a track day, In the car or even a someone else timing you. So. Don't take risks- Course there is also a rule of no over taking in corners and no pressuring the driver infront- giving lots of space to everyone. So that minimises the chances of hitting another car. No need for special tyres, But it is known that a day out at the track is about 5000 worth of miles on your tyre. So you might only get 1 years worth of use on your current tyres. Unless you want to go for special track tyres, something like Toyo r888, then you'll corner like a beast, But that involves another investment of tyres and wheels to fit on track side. Your car needs to be below 101 db, any higher you'll get clocked by the sound check on the main straight and be thrown out. (most tracks have this rule very strictly enforced)- Edit, What Matt said below too, As most tracks are different, The ones i go to are 101 Make sure you have your oil topped up, as well as brake fluid. But after the track day it is advisable to change the oil and brake fluid. Reason being, The oil will become rather dirty and you'll most probably boil the brake fluid if you're pushing hard. My brake fluid was boiled and my brakes became rather spongy on the way home. For a Celica specific tip, Don't stay in lift around long sweeping corners. As told by se7en, The oil sump on our celicas are not great. Too much g's when cornering means the oil pump will be pumping up air instead of the useful stuff as the G forces will push it to one side. So just to avoid oil starvation and damage,esp in lift where the engine is revving like crazy Edit* OO forgot about an important tip. Don;t apply the hand brake after a session on the track. Come back into the pits, Park your car, Leave car IN gear, Hand brake off. "Leave the brakes to cool down for a bit. If you put the handbrake straight on you could find that the brake pads stick to the disk when you come to remove the handbrake."- I also heard it may warp your discs... But most importantly, Enjoy yourself. Don;t let any other boy racers or track day heros ruin your day. Marshals are there to help, If someone is bugging you and up your arse all day, Tell them and they'll be warned/booted

Update- Car is now in the workshop, To be repaired. And My courtesy car... Supplied by enterprise, They classed my Celica as a "premium" car as it is technically a Sports car. So instead of giving me a Ford Ka, They deemed my use to be on motorways and what not, So they gave me something slightly larger- By slightly.. I mean a whole lot larger! Saab 93 1.9TID- Yes thats a turbo... I don't feel like driving it in all fairness as i don't seem to be able to park it very well with it having such a big arse. I have the Lexus in the background to drive too, But.... For £137.49 a DAY! I might as well! Paid by the courtesy of the other party. Also stay tuned, The car will return ... maybe just after the weekend, I guess Slightly improved too.

All done. Popped up to Luton to lend my full size spare wheel. Hope my Spare will get Celicababe back home.

Thanks for that.. Yeah i can imagine that hire car places will rape the other party for hiring a car, because they have to. So I'll make sure of that. I am not getting the hire car till i have the fund from the other party to get the repairs done. So with that I hope they know they are paying more for my hire car! Yeah in all fairness.. I this situation i would have just asked to do it without the insurers, as to repair my car would have been less than my excess (mine is high!) But his car was fooked SO.. Had to do it via insurance. Fingers crossed, I get my car back to normal sometime in the near future.

The other party takes full liability. Whoo hooo! But I have yet to hear from my own insurance about the matter.. (odd) Hire car sorted out- That's the guarantee hire car PLUS- Whatever that is, they are on stand by for pick up and delivery or drop car off where I will be getting the job done with an enterprise rent a car- whatever they will supply. Getting the car looked at tomorrow before the "engineer" comes and looks at the damage and authorises the parts that needs buying and painting... So got to have a quick check over the car to see if there are any other bits that was damaged. Been called and texted a handful of times by silly insurance sharks asking if I were injured, Or they have a report saying i was injured and would i like to claim up to £3k. As nice as it sounds... no.. So it all seems pretty much sorted. Well minus the actaul fixing part of course, But that'll come in due time!

Admittedly, The Celica held up great, apart from bits bring ripped off. If the GT spoiler broke along with the boot lid, I would have cried, as I am sure it would have been a write off as it costs a Grand from Toyota. ALSO.. the golf hit my spare wheel well, which was rigid over plastic. Remember, the Golf is a 5 star N cap rated car.. It protects the occupants, and not the car. Thus is all crushed and broke as a "cushion" and more time and distance to slow the car down to zero. Called up insurance, Didn't point the blame finger myself as i just told them the story..., But they told me it would be the guy behind me.... Phew. Got my guarantee hire car ready. Whatever that is going to be.. Got my Garage/Workshop all set up- Wonder who...... Engineer is coming to inspect the damage sometime round at this garage... Clear the funds And get it all fixed and returned back to it's former glory.. Course that's the ideal situation, The worse situation is when the other guy does not admit defeat and disputes and then it isn't great. My excess is £750- a bit high which i'll pay and get a claim on the record, I don't think the damage is more than that amount as well! So hoping the claim goes well. Fingers crossed.

Thanks guys... Haven't spoken to insurances just yet, But will get on it later. Annoyingly enough i once did an insurance jobbies a while back on another car.. no one claimed fault as it was a reversing story. thus it was either a 50/50 split or drop the claim... Had to drop the claims as the insurance premium on the renewal was higher than the repair price. So i hope it won't be that. In all fairness the person at fault was the car infront of me.. But as he isn't a factor anymore so.... It is the guy who hit me But i think i'l tell the whole story to the insurers, and let them decide. i am 60% confident it will the blame of the guy behind me, But as my previous claims have gone down.. No witness, both parties disputing... nothing gets resolved. I am hoping the fact that i got rear ended will tip the scales too. I am alright, no whiplash as such.. Thought my back is achy, But That could ALSO be from work yesterday where i was leaning down for 3 hours marking badly done maths. Also, I dont think the valance will be paid out too, As I don't get monies for anything extra, Only standard equipment is paid out. Option extras Excluded So I don't think I can fork out for the valance again, Real deal or Replica.. and thats a big oh noes

WELL! What a day, Had my tyres changed in the morning, Well cuffed at the bargain price i got the tyres for esp with mobile fitting. Then went to work....to try out the new tyres, or to scrub them before the tunnel run.. In the middle lane, of a duel carriage way, People were cutting in because the right lane turns off into another direction (crap junction planning) 3 cars infront let cars in, and had to slow down and what not. Then everyone speeds up and it happens again, someone lets cars into our lane. The car infront of me does an emergency brake, Then I do an emergency brake Thinking " holy crap, my tyres are new... I am going to hit him as my abs is going to cut in" Luckily I didn't hit in.. Phew... look in back mirrow.. UH OH! BRACE!!! Then a golf GTI takes me up the arse. Got out, the guy infront gets out... I wallk over to see the guy in the golf as it was quite a bad impact.... his door is jammed shut as the wing is pushed back onto the door. he opens the windows and tells me to take the reg of the person infront of me... In shock seeing my car, and seeing the crash, I didn't even think of taking down the car infront who did the emergency stop which triggered it all off.. And he got back into his car and fooked right off...Some dicks in the world.... . Well.. back to the story, Moved my car forward, it was litrally raised up on his front... No witness as everyone on the A road buggered off... pulled into a side road. The golf's Bonnet was bent up, grill bumper radiator, lights.. All gone. Wings pushed back so he couldn't open his door. Got his car towed back.. For me.. Here are the pictures. Well the pictures on photo bucket are being a bitch.. So i'll upload it when i can.. But in basics.. a big dent on my bumper, knocked back pretty damn hard.. Dunno about structural hopefully none.., the panel gap is at 0mm over the usual 1mm.. came off the mounting holes..., The TRD valance is history, Lower bit of the stock bumper is missing. as it is on the valance as it got pull off. Tiger seal is not as good as i thought... Saw AMS's was breaking the JDM celica a month back or so enquired about the TRd valance, but i deemed it a tad too pricey to replace a replica that i already had... WELL...... I do now Will update with pictures 11032011536 by samuaw, on Flickr Seems quite calm.. Maybe the valance just fell off... Wait... it is tiger sealed on... Hmmm 11032011539 by samuaw, on Flickr 11032011538 by samuaw, on Flickr 11032011537 by samuaw, on Flickr 11032011540 by samuaw, on Flickr 11032011541 by samuaw, on Flickr Anything missing on the last picture! EDITED- PICTURES ADDED and brings tear to my eye Off to sulk now

I was trying to do what Honda do with their cars, Quality and attention to detail. All their wheel caps, the top of their H faces the tyre valve. I tried to line up the Tyre valve so it is horizontal to the letters. Clearly I didn't do that very well

we all love pictures So... These are the alloys with least amounts of curbage!... one is horrendous.. (cough cough Liam)

It could be a variety of factors, The parcel shelf, The jack .... Anything. Felfy has done a good job in reducing the parcel shelf rattle as well other bits and bobs, But everyone's problem will be different. I had the same problem when i first got my car. The noise bloody annoyed the hell out of me, I stripped out my whole interior so I knew it was not to do with the trim. Then i sent someone in the back of my car whilst i drove up and down my road so he could listen to where the noise came from.. Turned out it was the door lock mechanism on the passenger side, where the door clips onto, it wasn't as tight as it should have been.. Good luck in finding the rattle.. All will be well as soon as you find it,

There is a reason i have yet to post those up... Because I am awfully ashamed of my curbed alloys I'll snap the one with the least amount of curbage... They loooked pretty sweet when i popped them back on.

Should really start making a mod thread sometime soon. As always.. Mook's work is amazing. Also.. If you're wondering why I sanded down my original Center caps and not buy new ones, Well. Since day 1, they were all corroded and what not. Instead of paying Mr T £8 a cap. There are no universal ones which fit the Tech 5 so, i thought I'd Do something custom. Some sprays some Vinyl and hey presto! Plus this way it is all matching. P.s If you're planning on doing this, The GT centre caps are aluminium, to removed the raised GT logo lots and lots of sanding is necessary. And yes, I know there are not perfect, Especially the finish and the inner edges, But how often do you inspect wheels with a magnifying glass.. Ah well, The best i can do!

The Ones that come as an option with the Gen 7 are rubbish. Theyw ill start beeping the quickeest (i.e Very close) when you have at least 1 m

YES! But... Dibs on the scoop! I donate £10...come on.. we need another 349 donations!

That's Pretty much Sport M as it gets. The spoiler, The spats, the scoop. Though i am sure there is supposed to be some sort of front lip... But it is going for very cheap though..... Something else must be wrong....

MY insurance didn't charge for the reg change. But it did cost monies for the admin fee though. Sometimes the old car's reg might revert back to the orignal ones. IF they are avaliable. There is a chance that someone might have bought that plate and so you'd have to revert to a random plate at the same year.

I remember SJ buying the TRD brakes on Thursday. And it arrived with him on monday.. So as some says... Sometimes Quick, Sometimes Slow... but the results from MWR are always great.

I took both Toyota and GT off, Really didn't like the debadged look, as the lines on the celica are hard and not exactly a smooth back. So i did a little mod to them both and put them back on.

Interesting... I need to invest in some of that.As my EBC Setup squeeks alot... But does it work?

If you want.. You can get your windows tinted, Then get some internal club stickers from mook. It'll be more subtle, as the tint will darken the text, A club member did that the other day, Looks sweet

I do like the stickers, But... I think there is a certain club rule about Celica club logo being copyrighted and Mook has that. Keep it in the club, apart from that.. Looking good!