Servicing - Tuning - Tyres - Upgrades - Modifications

[chris g]

Is it going to be useful to start getting info together about good and bad places to take our cars?

After nearly 6 months of VR-4 ownership I have some tried a few places either for servicing , parts, upgrades or just info and it may be helpful for VR-4 owners around the country

I have used dealers in London and Lancs, had the VR-4 modified and my prev MR2 at specialists in Essex and Somerset, ICE/tyres and other bits for these cars from various places and sought info and advice over the last 6 months from a variety of so called Mitsubishi specialists

What about a thread for different things or a single thread for ALL of this type of info?

Chris

[malc]

Hi Chris

...u r not far from me INSERT INTO post VALUES (Bolton).

I have tried 2 main dealers - Gallaghers, Warrington and Chapel House, St Helens. Not partic impressed with either of them for product knowledge, but being main dealers they do keep my warranty intact.

But i have found a specialist garage called Smiths in Bolton who I am impressed with. They specialise in imported high performance cars - the place is nice 2 visit just 2 look at the exotica in there sometimes! They always have loads of Evo's and Scubys passing through.
There are only three guys working there and they have a wealth of experience and r dead easy to talk to.
I like the personal sevice I get there....
malc

[BraindG]

Just moving to right forum..

I had an idea, about this. i might add a map of the uk, or perhaps just the areas, North West for example. from there we can have a comprehensive list of quality dealers..

keep them coming

[Brind]

Originally posted by BraindG
North West for example.

Hey don't get picky, I live in the South East. :eek:

[BraindG]

But, But i live there.. but, Daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad....

:cry2:

[jaysback]

woh there. the S.W. has mitsi H.Q. just up the road in cirencester.
we aint going down the southern softies route are we:nono:
evil2:

[chris g]

Hi Malc

Do you have an address for Smiths - I may try and visit them on a day off

I use Walker Farrimond Mitsubishi at J12 M65 Lomeshaye Industrial Estate - they are happy with imports like mine

Ralliart Dealers and have EVO's in at times so turbo knowledge but uncertain about experience with our car

I feel confident with them - dealt with an oil leak - although it or another one or oil spillage maybe has appeared

Like all dealers they can miss smaller items at time but decent prices and friendly

Will enquire about other bits if you want - usually thru Xtreme at Dudley I think

Reasonably happy with them

Depends on this oil - if its a leak then their response/charges etc could affect my view of them

Chris

[malc]

Hi Chris

The address is... Smiths garage, 29 Breightmet St, Bolton. Tel 01204 392204. The boss is Ian and the mex are Dave and darren.

Yesterday there were 2 evo's, a Scubi and my VR4 in there.
I have recently developed a slight warping of my front discs and they skimmed them 4 me - its fine now.
I was curious 2 know why this had suddenyly developed after running the car for over a year, and once we had established that I had not been running the car harder then usual, they told me about a problem that afflicts Evo's, and therefore possible VR4's too. Apparently, if u overtighten the wheel nuts, say by using an airgun, it often warps Evo discs.
I had new fron t tyres about a month ago, and the problem developed shortly after they were fitted, so the cinclusion is that the tyre depot overtightened my nuts :eek:
Smiths used a torque wrench instead... I hope thats cured it!
malc

[haydar]

VR4s warp their disks very quickly especially if you use them at high speed just a FEW times. I'm onto my third set of front disks and another chap I know with a VR4 has had the same experience.

For anyone who needs brake disks DO NOT BUY VR4 disks and instead by aftermarket disks for the EVO IV. I've put EBC grooved EVO IV disks on my car and it's 100 time better, plus they haven't started warping. The dimensions for the EVO IV disks and the VR4 are the same, which is why they fit. Do confirm this first though if you are going to by non EBC disks.

[chris g]

What year is your VR-4 and which bits did you have to buy, if any in addition to the discs?

Where did you get your EBC discs?

Which pads are you using?

I do not believe I have warped discs even though the car has done the Ring and a coup[le of othe trackdays

Perhaps I am not pushing the car that hard or more gentle with the brakes or a combination of both

[BraindG]

Well, ive warped two sets of discs, one on old VR-4 and again on this one.. this was however under hard hard braking and hard acceleration, in general they were hard runs on the car.

Accelerating up to 80-90 hard on brakes down to 1st/2nd and off again.. INSERT INTO post VALUES (was on footage i was going to show peter at Japfest) i did this for about 40 miles on the first occasion. Really screwed the discs as you can imagine..

Under "normal" driving conditions I don’t believe the discs will warp.. the above mentioned drive was rather hard on the car, . My current car was slightly warped after a run back from Sheffield over snake pass. But as I said, I don’t believe the discs will warp under normal circumstances.

[haydar]

Originally posted by chris g
What year is your VR-4 and which bits did you have to buy, if any in addition to the discs?

Where did you get your EBC discs?

Which pads are you using?

I do not believe I have warped discs even though the car has done the Ring and a coup[le of othe trackdays

Perhaps I am not pushing the car that hard or more gentle with the brakes or a combination of both

My VR4 is a 1997 model. You only need to buy the disks, no modification required to the car, though I also bought the EBC green stuff pads. The cost for the front disks is about £180.00 with the pads another £90 odd.

The other chap I told you about has just bought disks from Demon Tweaks INSERT INTO post VALUES ( 01978 664466) who do drilled and grooved front disks for £176 a pair, plus £65 for a pair of Freedom DS2500 pads. The pads I think are better than the green stuff pads from EBC but the DS2500 apparently wear the disks faster.


Hope this helps.

[chris g]

Thanks haydar

Thats an option before deciding about bigger discs etc

Demon Tweeks are close enough for a visit in the near future and would be a decent drive out in the country

I cold check out all sorts of interesting bits - seats, harnesses, wheels and tyres - it would be like christmas

[Brind]

Demon Tweaks are expensive.
If you want parts etc, you don't use them unless you don't know any better.
It's like going to Halfords and buying spark plugs and a new battery, it just isn't done!!

A lot of EVO owners don't like EBC brakes, and who better to know than them nutters.
Pagid, and Tarox have good wright ups.

[jaysback]

hi guys.
just to let u know that i had a set of EBC sport 2000 discs and red stuff pads.
warped'em!

that might just be me tho. i'm a bit of a late'n'heavey brake person.

over on MLR they do get a real slating off the evo guys and now i tend to agree with them.

they have gone off to be skimmed INSERT INTO post VALUES (not the best answer); but when they cost that sort of money and only done a limited milage then it would be a waste to just junk them.

if i could go back and start again i think i would be giving my money to these guys http://www.hispecmotorsport.co.uk/
hope this helps u all out

[kenslim]

Having just been quoted £950 plus VAT by a Mitsubishi main dealer for a full service INSERT INTO post VALUES (inc. all belts etc); i have been looking round for an independent specialist.

I have booked my car into VBJ INSERT INTO post VALUES (Newbury) as they seem very helpful/professional and knowledgeable. Also their quote was more competitive. I know others on this site have previoulsy used this company and recommended them.

I will post an update as to it went next week if anyone is interested?

[LOMY]

Hi Jaysback,

If you have your discs skimmed wont it make them thinner and even more susceptible to warping ?

[Brind]

I think that skimming discs just involves removing brake pad deposits, none or hardly any disc metal itself is skimmed.

[banjo]

Just had my cambelt, power steering belt and plugs changed for £288 INSERT INTO post VALUES (incl VAT) all parts supplied by me, by my local car service workshop. They do all our cars INSERT INTO post VALUES (all Jap greys) and are very good. I live in Welwyn Garden City.

[malc]

Sh1t! ..my discs have warped again too :Cry1:

I'm running standard discs with Greenstuff pads.
I REALLY havent been driving that hard!
I guess it wasnt the overtightened wheel nuts after all .

When I first got my VR4 INSERT INTO post VALUES (Oct 2001) it had standard pads and I ran them without any warping problems for over a year, then about 6 mths ago I changed them to green stuff to reduce fade. Since then my discs have warped twice.
Last time I had them skimmed and they were fine again - I hope there is enough left on them to skim them again.
I think I might go back to standard pads and see if that solves the problem.

Malc

P.S. Any Lancs guys INSERT INTO post VALUES (Lomy, ChrisG, BraindG + any others) fancy meeting up at a pub one night to compare warped discs???