Hail to all Meganers
Posted: Wed Sep 09, 2015 8:03 pm
Hi all - which is an extended anagram of "Hail', with an extra "L", if you think about it... 
Anyway, I'm an ancient English aircraft engineer, long past mid-life crisis time (had the Harley-Davidson in Hong Kong...), so now looking forward to clocking up a few windswept miles behind a purring turbo-diesel, from a company that's been making motorcars for almost as long as herr Benz & Co. To that end, I'm hoping to pick up a low-mileage 2005 Type II CC tomorrow, then driving back from the smoky city to deepest Dorset with tin top down and heater on as high as Radio 2... So now you just know it'll rain all day...!
Planning to add decent tyres (THE most important item to spend money on with any vehicle - look at how little there is between you and the road at motorway speeds, then look at your kids, THEN say you're going to fit used/cheap/dodgy tyres all round...? No...? Didn't think so).
Some advice needed in the rubber department then. Continental, Hankook or Bridgestone...? Michelins are good, but give a hard ride.
Next may be a stainless exhaust system with high-flow cat - so that can be fitted then forgotten about. Might go for a gentle re-mapping of the ECU,
if this 1.9 lump is known to respond well to such electronic tweakery...? Comments...?
We're looking for maximum efficiency, as regards gasflow in & out - so possibly a K&N Panel filter (Induction kits are noisy), for the inlet side, an improved exhaust system for the outlet side and gentle improvements to fuel & air scheduling in between - but I'm also looking forward to scrolling through past experiments in those areas on this forum.
It's usually true that if a few owners have done something that works well - then that's the way to go.
Other than that, I've been advised to keep the roof seals well-lubricated (vaseline...?), and - as with any turbo-diesel - monitor the engine oil level & colour closely. Any sudden losses or darkening are usually grounds to suspect the turbo bearings...
That's it for now,
Looking forward to tin-top down Megane motoring - when our English/indian summer allows such silliness...
Anyway, I'm an ancient English aircraft engineer, long past mid-life crisis time (had the Harley-Davidson in Hong Kong...), so now looking forward to clocking up a few windswept miles behind a purring turbo-diesel, from a company that's been making motorcars for almost as long as herr Benz & Co. To that end, I'm hoping to pick up a low-mileage 2005 Type II CC tomorrow, then driving back from the smoky city to deepest Dorset with tin top down and heater on as high as Radio 2... So now you just know it'll rain all day...!
Planning to add decent tyres (THE most important item to spend money on with any vehicle - look at how little there is between you and the road at motorway speeds, then look at your kids, THEN say you're going to fit used/cheap/dodgy tyres all round...? No...? Didn't think so).
Some advice needed in the rubber department then. Continental, Hankook or Bridgestone...? Michelins are good, but give a hard ride.
Next may be a stainless exhaust system with high-flow cat - so that can be fitted then forgotten about. Might go for a gentle re-mapping of the ECU,
if this 1.9 lump is known to respond well to such electronic tweakery...? Comments...?
We're looking for maximum efficiency, as regards gasflow in & out - so possibly a K&N Panel filter (Induction kits are noisy), for the inlet side, an improved exhaust system for the outlet side and gentle improvements to fuel & air scheduling in between - but I'm also looking forward to scrolling through past experiments in those areas on this forum.
It's usually true that if a few owners have done something that works well - then that's the way to go.
Other than that, I've been advised to keep the roof seals well-lubricated (vaseline...?), and - as with any turbo-diesel - monitor the engine oil level & colour closely. Any sudden losses or darkening are usually grounds to suspect the turbo bearings...
That's it for now,
Looking forward to tin-top down Megane motoring - when our English/indian summer allows such silliness...
