The South African Feel Good Thread

[sav]

Well done! Which tyres did you get?

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by sav

Well done! Which tyres did you get?

Same as before, just one size narrower.
Federal 595RS-R, now 225/45-17, previously 235/40-17

I was surprised how different they feel. The 235's had a very positive "hook up" in a corner and it would feel like being on rails. The 225's are much more vague and almost feel like they're loose. But they aren't - if I lean on them, they grip OK, but don't feel that connected to the track. Maybe it's new vs old or higher sidewalls or newer tread that makes them feel vague. I'm sure I'll get used to them.

I'm a bit concerned with how the 225's have started wearing on the outside edge (see pic) but I'll wait and see how they look after the TTCC track day in May...

[Fish Eagle]

Guess which one is my car??

[Alang]

Originally Posted by Fish Eagle

Same as before, just one size narrower.
Federal 595RS-R, now 225/45-17, previously 235/40-17

I was surprised how different they feel. The 235's had a very positive "hook up" in a corner and it would feel like being on rails. The 225's are much more vague and almost feel like they're loose. But they aren't - if I lean on them, they grip OK, but don't feel that connected to the track. Maybe it's new vs old or higher sidewalls or newer tread that makes them feel vague. I'm sure I'll get used to them.

I'm a bit concerned with how the 225's have started wearing on the outside edge (see pic) but I'll wait and see how they look after the TTCC track day in May...

What pressure are you running the semis at? Quite possible that they are too hard. Semis run softer than "street" Tyres.
Ps that Lola is soooo hot!

[Fish Eagle]

Turn up the volume - a little audio treat for you... (20 secs video)

If you're 30 or younger, the 1st half of the video is for you.

If you're 50 or older then the 2nd half should push a few buttons - LOL.

[ame]http://youtu.be/l93lHF6vg1U[/ame]

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by Alang

What pressure are you running the semis at? Quite possible that they are too hard. Semis run softer than "street" Tyres.
Ps that Lola is soooo hot!

2.2 bar all round, same as the 235s. I used to run the 235s at 2.4 but when I saw that they handled wear OK, I took them down a bit. I'd be concerned about even more shoulder wear if I dropped pressure any more.

I've been advised to drop rear pressure to 1.7 to overcome the 86's tail-happiness (huh?). I don't get it - for me the 86 ain't tail-happy at all if you're smooth with your lines and steering/power inputs. If you want to "gooi" it, then it "gooi's" easy, but if you don't want to "gooi" it, then it's superbly balanced (my opinion).

If I don't trail brake, I get minor understeer on corner entry which changes to minor oversteer on the way out under power, and for me that's perfect - easily controlled, safe, and a big margin of error.

If I do trail brake into the corners that it's right to do so (which I've been practicing a bit), then I get substantial/major understeer into the corner - which is very predictable and controllable but despite my best intentions, I'll invariably end up wide of the apex, like as much as 1-2m. I'll get it right with more practice - if I trail brake, I must just aim for the grass and close my eyes and it'll work out right - ha-ha!!

PS: I had a nice chat with the owner and driver of that Lola - great people, and they enjoyed sharing their love for their very special car. They reckon that nobody "just" ends up with such a car. It starts with admiration, then desire, then love, then a lot of thinking and scheming and finding a way to make it possible, then one day it all comes together and ownership "just" happens...

[sav]

Originally Posted by Fish Eagle

Turn up the volume - a little audio treat for you... (20 secs video)

If you're 30 or younger, the 1st half of the video is for you.

If you're 50 or older then the 2nd half should push a few buttons - LOL.

What if you're older than 30 but younger than 50?

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by sav

What if you're older than 30 but younger than 50?

Then you shouldn't be lurking around a sportscar forum - shame on you!!

Get back to work and provide for your spouse, the kids, the dogs, and cat, the parakeet, your tuscan townhouse, and your retirement policies. The only race you should be focusing on is the rat race

[sav]

ROTFLOL!!!!

[Moe]

[Fish Eagle]

Originally Posted by Fish Eagle

Same as before, just one size narrower.
Federal 595RS-R, now 225/45-17, previously 235/40-17

I was surprised how different they feel. The 235's had a very positive "hook up" in a corner and it would feel like being on rails. The 225's are much more vague and almost feel like they're loose. But they aren't - if I lean on them, they grip OK, but don't feel that connected to the track. Maybe it's new vs old or higher sidewalls or newer tread that makes them feel vague. I'm sure I'll get used to them.

I'm a bit concerned with how the 225's have started wearing on the outside edge (see pic) but I'll wait and see how they look after the TTCC track day in May...

Follow-up after the TTCC track day in May...

I ran my Federal 225's at 2.4 cold all round on Sunday.
If you're interested, here's my observations...

Absolutely minimal wear, and no chunking at all, but I think that's mainly due to the fact that I took it very easy with all the traffic on track. I don't think they even got properly hot because I'm used to them chunking, and they didn't. Also, I normally play at Midvaal which is much more abrasive than Zwartkops.

The higher cold pressure (2.4 vs 2.2) sorted out the vague feel, but I must admit that I'm (again) disappointed with the grip. These 225's don't corner on rails like my old 235's did. I'm surprised that such a small size difference in tyre width is so noticable. What's even more surprising is that the old 235's were actually too wide for my 7.5 rims, and the 225's should be a better fit and give less roll-under, but that's not so. Maybe the 235's have a stiffer sidewall - sure feel so.

However, I did find them very predictable and I felt quite safe. One lap when I was stuck behind traffic, I showboated for Lindy in turn 6 (I knew she was there taking pics) and put on a massive powerslide for her - but she didn't notice - boo-hoo. Anyway, it was a fun private party - the powerslide was totally controllable and much fun.

The lesson is (my opinion) - if you're pushing the limit of tyre width versus rim width, don't worry, it works. Maybe not in an extreme racing situation, but otherwise it's great.

Anyway, tyres-wise - Sunday was great because it cost me almost nothing in wear. So maybe I must drive like a grannie more often - LOL.

Actually, I think that the few hot laps I put in around The Rock Raceway on Saturday hammered my tyres more than the track day on Sunday.

Next experiment - I still have my 235's with reasonable tread, and they've been seriously heat cycled already, but I'll put them on for another session or two and see if I still feel the same.

Also, I've sourced a very cheap SH set of 225/45-17 RE11S's with only one heat cycle on them. Gonna be interesting to see how they perform.

[qbzee007]

My first feel Good moment I thought I'd share.

Just a reminder I have only had my car for about a month now.
I picked it up with roughly 6800km on the clock.

On my way to the airport this morning I i noticed that I had clock about 3000km within a month.

This is all emanating from my two trips to limpopo over the past month.
My first was to Louis Trichardt which is where I am originally from.

This past weekend I drove to Phalaborwa where I came across one of the most fun pieces of road I have ever driven. It was on the R71 from Polokwane to Tzaneen. I has a 10km downhill winding sections which I just loved. My passenger on the other hand didnt enjoy it much .

I must say as uncomfortable as I am in Johannesburg with everyone looking at me as I drive it was much worse in Tzaneen and Phalaborwa where everyone seemed to be taken aback with the mere sight of the car.

My favourite part though was when I was stopped in a routine roadblock where the cop asked me if it was a porsche. After trying to get me to buy him some 'nandos' which I refused he asked to me put the pedal to metal as I drove off because he wanted to hear what the sounded like. I gladly obliged

So glad I bought this car. Loving it more and more every day.

P.S I saw a white GT86 with a black strip on the roof at the airport as I was parking this morning CS xx xx GP.

[Fish Eagle]

Today my car had it's 37500 km service, which is the non-service half-way between 30000 and 45000...
Call me old fashioned or over-cautious, but I hammer my car so I like to change oil more frequently than recommended.
Maybe that's something to do with my conscience - put in clean oil, and all sins are forgiven - LOL.

Anyway, what I wanted to say is all about dealers.
As we know, you get dealers and then you get dealers...


I got put off the Toyota dealer in Nelspruit when they acted like they were doing me a big favour to sell me a car.
They searched the country and couldn't find what I wanted.
So I approached the dealer in Barberton.
For those who don't know the Lowveld, my home city of Nelspruit is the provincial capital, and Barberton is a ho-hum little town 50 kms away and probably the last place one would think of going to get a good deal or good service.
Anyway, the dealer in Barberton found me the exact car I wanted at the right price within hours.
The car was a few hundred kms away, and within 48 hours, they'd got it here, PD'd it, done free window tint/anti-theft, and delivered it registered and licenced to my home in Nelspruit.

Since then, I've supported the Barberton dealer out of principle.

But, my 37500 non-service was approaching, and I thought that maybe I should get off my butt and do it myself.
I went to the Nelspruit dealer to pick up an oil filter, 6 Lts oil, and a sump plug washer - the absolute basic service parts.
Not one of the three items was in stock, and the spares salesman actually yawned while telling me that if I really want the parts he can have them here in 2 days.
Fôkit, gaan kak in die mielies. You really don't have to do me a favour.

So, I decided to have my non-service done by the Barberton dealer again as usual, and pay for the labour too.
Rocked in there at 7.30 this morning.
I was greeted by everyone like a long-lost friend - service manager, service reception staff, parts manager, salesmen, technicians, and the big boss too.
Spent more than 30 mins talking kak to everyone. I actually felt like they knew me, and I meant something to them.
(And I'm the bad boy with the supercharger, who tracks his car...)


Took a walk down to the Wimpy, had a low colesterol breakfast (somewhere else on this forum I said that I still tell a lot of lies), and shortly after I got back (at 8.50) I drove out of there, serviced and with new rear brake pads fitted.
It cost me R780 more than if I'd done it myself, and my warm and comfortable feeling is well worth that extra cost.

Thanks NTT Toyota Barberton. You guys rock!!

[Die$eL]

Big ups to Toyo Barberton!!

It's nice to hear that good service does exist in some places still.

I also had good service from Toyo Woodmead recently. Friendly staff, good workmanship, quick turn-around time