surrey86

Maybe the big wing is acting as a keyless antenna... how big is it?!

Tell her you'll be reporting to the police for failing to exchange details if she doesn't respond within 24 hours.

Well it's your choice. Repairs and prepping a car, and actually selling it are hassle and take time. That's how dealers pay the bills. Also a private buyer will additionally be put off by finance on the car. It can be sorted out but it's extra faff, so there's a fair chance they'll go elsewhere.

I'd be thinking return to standard, sell off the aftermarket parts. Then maybe ring around Toyota dealers to see if they are interested in buying the car. It's pretty new so they should be, and they won't have any problems putting right cosmetics cheaply. As a used sale you're going to have to put the cosmetics right yourself as no one wants a slightly scruffy newish car, unless it's really cheap.

Church on some coilovers it's a necessary evil as it can be hard to grip the shaft and there's no Allen key slot in the top to hold it. On the stock strut there is an Allen slot and thus an impact is not necessary. If you do use a impact you need to be careful! (This is from practical experience of fitting a few sets of coilovers top mounts and OEM struts)

Yes two going at once is quite a coincidence. Taking off the top nut and refitting the top mount is quite a delicate process and this is what happens if you're over exuberant. You're quite lucky Toyota is replacing them.

No probs. I've done this route to the South a few times... motorcycle, car and bicycle! I have another suggestion of a good driving road that's en-route, the road from Bourg-en-Bresse to Chambery. It used to be the N504, but looking at google maps seems to have been renamed to the D1504 now. This is a more direct way to the start of the Route Napoleon and is a great way to get warmed up for the Alps. Good 75 mile long or so. The Troyes-Dijon route, I'd recommend not going through Troyes as per your route, and just getting off the autoroute the first junction after it. I've driven through Troyes and while it's not terrible you could do without the hassle. That road is about 100 miles long and a cracker. Going through my notes the correct route is N71 > D901 > D996. You have the start of the route right with the N71, but need to go via the villages of Moloy and Saussy for the D901 and D996 respectively. I think the last turning is actually signposted as the heavy goods route to Dijon, but is well worth doing with a fair few 2nd gear hairpins tucked away. The first time I ever got my knee down on a motorbike was on one of these, some nice technical corners.

You are joining the Route Napoleon quite late there, it starts from just South of Grenoble and goes via Gap and Sisteron. Also another tip, there's an incredible back road that goes between Troyes and Dijon, follows the banks of the Seine for a while. It's always been amazing, but last time I came back on it, half of it had been resurfaced with Brands Hatch quality tarmac! Even saves you some toll money, and quiet with plenty of overtaking points so won't slow you down.

The fronts were bedded in, seemed to smear over the grooves, and I got some vibration (which went fairly quickly). The rears I hadn't bedded in but seemed ok, but it's hard to tell.

Yellowstuffs are a bit crap for the first couple stops and quite dusty. OK as a budget option but not the best pad for road use.

KW's ride well on the road. If it's mainly for road use a coilover that reuses the OEM rubber top mount is a good idea as you'll get less NVH in the cabin.

Mine was a little borderline with the second cat only, needed to be quite warm. If it was mapped for 99 fuel and it's on Esso's 97 it won't help. Still you are well over, maybe the second cat has had it.

I fitted the Superpro version a while back, definitely worth doing. Did it on my last car as well. For a DIY job I'd give it a Haynes 3/5 spanner rating, as on the 86 as soon as you remove the bolts the subframe shifts a little and you need to line it back up perfectly with a jack. You need to be really careful threading them back in or you are in deep shit if it cross threads. It's not rocket science, but do not do this job in a rush!

None at all

This was used to stick Alcantara to my dash panels - Evo Stik Time Bond Non-Drip Contact Adhesive. Worked fine. Stayed on for 2 years so far without any peeling.

Nice looking car with quality mods.

Surely if you're going to Nice you should be using the Route Napoleon through the South-West Alps (N85). It's an absolutely epic road, goes on for a couple hundred miles iirc all the way to Nice.

Nice one. I went there on the way back from a motorcycle trip to Rome on my VFR400 in 2005. We hid our luggage in the woods by the free camping field (which has now become the gravel overflow car park), did 3 laps then ended up in the pub where we got absolutely shit-faced with a few other Brits. On getting back to the camp field in the dark it took us ages to find our kit! Visited again last summer on the way back from the Italy again in the 86. Bit more civilised this time, rented an apartment in Adenau. It's changed a lot, far busier and better facilities, but still great fun.

Sorry, was already on the list just confirming I've paid up

Just bought my ticket

I'm in, applied

My shims were in a right state on the front, the Carbotechs were putting them through their paces! Falling apart.. The rears were still ok. I think pad contact does make the noise, but some pads don't make that noise on light contact. Hence why your fix works. Tbh I'm not that bothered with some pad noise. I actually used to swap the OEM pads back in for some quietness as my track pads were much much nosier! All things are relative. See you there!

I know where you're coming from there, but all of the aftermarket pads I've fitted have been tighter! (And that's after fastidiously cleaning old brake dust off) I really wasn't happy with how tight my rear yellowstuffs were and had to hand file them down.

Japanese Sunday sounds like a good bet.

Mine passed with just the front pipe cat when warmed up, it failed on the first attempt.