I'd actually agree, they aren't that bad at all! Learning the capabilities of your car in a safe off road environment is such a good practice to do. I can remember as soon as there was some snow and ice taking my car to a private open area and learning how to control it. I can honestly say it has been worthwhile, as it is then second nature to catch it when things go wrong or something catches you out, like a vast amount of mud on the road on a bend.......

Definitely uprate the tyres, it may not be in keeping to go up to some wide 15's, but for the sake of safety I'd do it. Comparing my 360 on stock 14's to my 15 195/50's, it's like a different car. On the stock rims it spins up in 2nd gear in the damp without being provoked and will step out on acceleration, they're Pirellis too, but that's another story! On the 15's it's really well behaved and grips like the proverbial to a blanket.

Worth checking the shocks etc as has been mentioned and anything else that may be affecting the suspension and handling. The 340's are a bit more tail happy and I'd say feel as though the back wants to follow on round with momentum in a corner, unlike the more planted 360.

Pete

Be careful with the BMW wheel swop because if i remember right the taper on the wheel nuts is a different angle.Which means if there is not enough surface contact from the wheel nut to the wheel it comes LOOSE.So i would double check just t make sure.

Could certainly be worth investing in new tyres. Having said that our 340 was running on it's originals for 15 years albeit they were Michelin with good tread left, but even so I daren't think what they were like!

We got them replaced just before I hit 17 and started driving for safety due to the age.

Remember it's getting colder lately, so grip is going to be lower. The other morning I noticed a thin bit of ice on some puddles. Granted it was only very thin and a quick poke broke through to the water underneath, but be careful. I fully agree with Pete about going to a carpark in the snow, and I'd love to do that, but we live on a steep hill, and I wouldn't want to risk going down it if things got too slippery

I've never had the tail slip out on me, so I must be driving too slow The only low grip situations I've been in are a couple very quick lockups on downhils and loose surface, and sometimes a bit of wheelspin when pulling away quickly, uphill on gravel

Tyre make and condition I've always found makes loads more difference than size... I normally run 175 13's, and over the last week I've been able to spin up the rears (not just the inside ) going round roundabouts and 90's from 5mph if I'm not careful. I reckon this could be the fact I've got an old Michelin and a Kwik-fit own brand on atm though...

Good set of Avon's, Bridgestones etc will hold the back wheels until it rains on my 1.7.

Good luck with it buddy, for what it's worth, I love the look of the BMW alloys, but as Clitti mentions, double check the taper!

Chris_C wrote: Good luck with it buddy, for what it's worth, I love the look of the BMW alloys, but as Clitti mentions, double check the taper!

thats the worry.

i thought about the centre bearing thingy to lock the wheels in place better but i know the tiny little nuts i have ( ) on the volvo are too small to deal with the bigger hole ( ) on the BMW wheels.

so i may have to find some alternative nuts ( - such a child)
visit to a scrappy if i can but i have to find one around manchester and just see what nuts fit.

thing is i have been playing with the cars handling slightly - its rear drive who wouldnt!?!

the way it swapped ends SO fast i think is down to that corner and the condition of the road. i have lost it there a few times in my BMW's but i have never bounced up the curb.
gutted.


still the car doesnt idle right. i had a good look around and all pipes are connected. i could not find teh idle control valve to adjust it but in some ways i dont want to because i think there must be another problem rather than that?
i may get a pressure test done on the header tank to see if teh head gasket is good and i will check the exhaust to see the exhaust isnt blowing by the manifold.

How about we take a look at it next weekend? I think there'll be enough 1.4 buffs to cast an eye over it. I'll pack the WD40 to test for vacuum leaks

cheers

James

its next weekend that came around quick!

i would appreciate that my good man.

thankfully i have not needed her this week as i only use it during the week to take the girlfriend to work, i can walk.

so at the weekend i will may try and and play with the idle??? exhaust is still blowing at the front so she doesnt sound as good as i would want but its hard to find where the exhaust blows with a viscus fan

Spinning is never fun, never managed it in the 340 with 175/70 R13s on but I managed to broadside my new car down the road the other day at low speed, scared the heck outta me

ouch. any damage?

i do remember my first attempted powerslide in my dirty e30 320i yeah it didnt go so good and i had a few chavs laughing at me but that was my fault.

i used to work for nisan as a driver which was great fun! did loads of power slides in 350z's and even in big navara's and path finders
350z's slide so SO well. even had a go of some jap imports and drift cars.

they were much more controllable than the little 343. might be the shocks they are a big soft

On the topic of nissan,
I've very nearly wrapped a few just-built qashqais on wet factory floor indoors. Engage 4wd, bit of steering lock, boot it.

Just make sure the gaffer isn't watching.

300s are fairly controllable when sideways...I suspect an interesting combination of dubious shocks & (mainly) tyres.

cheers

James

filthyjohn wrote:On the topic of nissan,
I've very nearly wrapped a few just-built qashqais on wet factory floor indoors. Engage 4wd, bit of steering lock, boot it.

Just make sure the gaffer isn't watching.

oh hang on i used to work at tyne dock loading and unloading the vessels!
i think we share a slight working histroy there.

oh the joy of big power slides in a navara on a painted steel floor!
i left but they would not let me back because i was a "dangerous driver" i felt proud that day.

That's something to be proud of.
My work sadly only happens inside the factory itself so I rarely get to drive anything. If I did work down the dock I'd get sacked for sure.