Swervin_Mervin
25-03-2008, 22:25
I've had the car a week now and somehow managed to cover 200 miles even though I don't appear to have done much.
First impressions were good. Having seen another Ultra Red 197 on the road a few days before, as well as 2 R27s in Albi Blue (which was my other choice of colour) I was really worried s to whether I'd made the right choice. Got round the corner to the dealership though and knew on first sight I'd got it right. For me the key thing with this colour is to have the darker wheels. Just tones it down a little a bit and makes a marked difference to the overall look.
So that aside I spent 10 minutes looking for defects and spotted a small chip in the paint on the rubbing strip. Nothing too bad tbh and they're going to sort it. The rest of the handover went smoothly thankfully and I was soon on my way.
It's taken me a while to get the seating position right and I eventually twigged that the Recaros needed a much more upright back position to get the best out of them. They don't quite go low enough for my liking but that'll have to do. Might have to investigate whether they've got spacers underneath like Ben found on the 172 Cup.
Ride is firm. However, unlike the majority of people I don't find it that bad at all. Maybe it's having moved from an older car with shocks that are perhaps past their best, but to me it still soaks up the bumps without jarring through the cabin, even accounting for the fact that the Recaros really are also quite firm. I haven't really given it much stick through the corners so far as I'm keen to let things just settle in a bit, including me, before I push it. I reckon I'm going to have to significantly re-adjust though as even at a moderately brisk pace it just corners flat and completely undramatically.
With regard to the much maligned engine, again I can;t see the issue. Coming from a car that bogs down at anything less than 3500rpm, I've found that even with just 200 miles on the clock the 197 will pull keenly in 5th at 30mph where revs are about 2k. Sure it steps up noticably from about 2500-3000rpm but IMO it's a long way from being the complete pain in the arse that evo seem to think it is. I can't wait 'til it's loosened up as overall pace even at the mo is definitely a full step up from the valver. I was a little worried that a car with just 6.9s to 60 might not seem that much quicker than one that will do it only half a second slower.
So, all that remains is some piccies, opportunities for which have been somewhat limited. These were grabbed whilst out on a site visit this arvo, but I'm keen to get some good ones in the not too distant future, hopefully with a 400D. 8)
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/1010236_1.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/P1010204_1.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/P1010188_1.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/P1010227_1.jpg
First impressions were good. Having seen another Ultra Red 197 on the road a few days before, as well as 2 R27s in Albi Blue (which was my other choice of colour) I was really worried s to whether I'd made the right choice. Got round the corner to the dealership though and knew on first sight I'd got it right. For me the key thing with this colour is to have the darker wheels. Just tones it down a little a bit and makes a marked difference to the overall look.
So that aside I spent 10 minutes looking for defects and spotted a small chip in the paint on the rubbing strip. Nothing too bad tbh and they're going to sort it. The rest of the handover went smoothly thankfully and I was soon on my way.
It's taken me a while to get the seating position right and I eventually twigged that the Recaros needed a much more upright back position to get the best out of them. They don't quite go low enough for my liking but that'll have to do. Might have to investigate whether they've got spacers underneath like Ben found on the 172 Cup.
Ride is firm. However, unlike the majority of people I don't find it that bad at all. Maybe it's having moved from an older car with shocks that are perhaps past their best, but to me it still soaks up the bumps without jarring through the cabin, even accounting for the fact that the Recaros really are also quite firm. I haven't really given it much stick through the corners so far as I'm keen to let things just settle in a bit, including me, before I push it. I reckon I'm going to have to significantly re-adjust though as even at a moderately brisk pace it just corners flat and completely undramatically.
With regard to the much maligned engine, again I can;t see the issue. Coming from a car that bogs down at anything less than 3500rpm, I've found that even with just 200 miles on the clock the 197 will pull keenly in 5th at 30mph where revs are about 2k. Sure it steps up noticably from about 2500-3000rpm but IMO it's a long way from being the complete pain in the arse that evo seem to think it is. I can't wait 'til it's loosened up as overall pace even at the mo is definitely a full step up from the valver. I was a little worried that a car with just 6.9s to 60 might not seem that much quicker than one that will do it only half a second slower.
So, all that remains is some piccies, opportunities for which have been somewhat limited. These were grabbed whilst out on a site visit this arvo, but I'm keen to get some good ones in the not too distant future, hopefully with a 400D. 8)
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/1010236_1.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/P1010204_1.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/P1010188_1.jpg
http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i5/Swervin_Mervin/Bits/P1010227_1.jpg