Just saying "hello"

[pollymog]

Not sure if this is the right section to be sayig hello or not. I have just bought (but not taken delivery of yet) a 1998 black 1.3 GX Micra with 77,000 miles on it, one previous owner (who, obviously, had it from new). Overall in good nick & comes with power steering, tilt/slide sunroof & electric windows, airbag, cd changer etc. It's being MOT'd today (hopefully) & I'll probably pick it up tomorrow.

I must admit that this is something of a downsize for me. I'm 43 in January, male & the car I've just sold was a 1990 Audi coupe quattro - lovely car to drive with a fantastic roadholding/handling & a superb engine note (sounded a bit like a V8). Things were beginning to go wrong with it though which were proving to be very expensive to fix ! Also getting only 25mpg (if I was lucky) made it something of a money pit! Added to which my girlfriend has a Merc c180 kompressor with only 20,000 miles on it so we just don't need two big expensive cars. I started looking at Fraud Ka's but decided that they were a bit tinny, lightweight &, at the budget I had available to me, too rusty! The Micra seems to be more substantial/better built to me, added to which it gets glowing reliabilty reports & it's got a stunning engine compared to the old rattly ohv 1300 crossflow unit in the Ford (simple to work on & easy to fix though ..... I suppose).

I like modifying my cars & it's nice to see that there's plenty of stuff available for the Micra - I never realised that so much was available! I don't want to go mad though & start fitting bike carbs/turbo's etc but I'd definitely like to replace the steering wheel for the nice chunky Momo I had fitted to the Audi. However before I begin to attempt this I'd like to know if it's legal to replace the original airbag steering wheel with a non-airbag item? If it is legal then how do you remove the steering wheel without the airbag going off? I suppose I could crash the car, which would at least get rid of the airbag, but that'd be a bit drastic wouldn't it?!? I'd like to fit some alloys too - but wouldn't 15" rims require low profile tyres to fit under the arches? I was thinking that 14" rims with sensible profile tyes might be the way to go? Any suggestions as to which sizes to look for would be gratefully appreciated. Having said all that I should probably wait until I get the car & have driven it around for a bit first!!

I'll post again when I've got the car - which will, hopefully, be today or tomorrow. I'm looking forward to it

 

[curtis]

welcome to the club! (and yes there is an introduction forum...lol )

 

[Dr Zoidberg]

welcome to the MSC

15's yeah need a lower profile tyre 195/45/r15 are the choice to go for, 14's are a better choice if you want better price tyres.

if you fit 15's imo it will need lowering as look like 4x4

you'll be seeing about 45ish mpg if driven nicely a little better than the 25 you had before.

for the air bag disconnect the battery wait about 20mins (i think) and then remove the steering wheel. buy a haynes manual if you have not already. also try a search as this has been posted a few times so you'll find more info

 

[pjg1979]

Steering Wheel

Welcome to the Club Pollymog,

I've got a Haynes Manual at home which shows you how to remove the steering wheel (I shall find out tonight unless you find out quicker by then), not sure if it's illegal or not but to deactivate the air bag ther is a fuse box to the right of the steering wheel, on the diagram it shows you which fuse is the airbag.

What type of car do you have K wise?

 

[ollyc98]

He has a K11, if you wanna remove the airbag thew fun way, repeatedly hit the bumper with a hammer.

 

[curtis]

He has a K11, if you wanna remove the airbag thew fun way, repeatedly hit the bumper with a hammer.

haha great!!

 

[james betley]

welcome to the club

 

[pollymog]

Thanks for the warm welcome chaps (& chapesses?). Still no car unfortunately - I rang the trader I've bought it off who said that it had been taken in for its MOT this morning, he'd ring the testing station up & get back to me. That was at 3 o'clock this afternoon & he didn't phone back - when I rang him just again there was no reply So it now looks as if I'll be getting the car tomorrow at the earliest. I must admit to be being somewhat p**sed off about this - if there's been a delay because of the car failing its MOT (or the testing station not being able to fit it in at short notice) then why can't he ring & tell me like he said he would & just let me know what's going on??

Anyway I'll let you know when it arrives & post some pics too if I can figure out how to :laugh:

 

[jim_bling]

welcome to the club where do you live i can help you with the steering wheel in you are in the north east and near sunderland

 

[pollymog]

Hi Jim,
I live in Leeds, West Yorkshire. Would appreciate any help you can give me with the steering wheel as I've swapped the steering wheel on all my cars for one I like the feel of better - in fact I used the same wheel on different cars for many years.

Having done a search though I may try & find the steering wheel from a 100nx - it looks good & is a straight swap apparently. I may even be able to retain the airbag function (not sure about this though).

I'm also interested in getting some 13"/14" alloys & maybe some lowereing springs. Can lowering springs be used with standard shock absorbers?? So if you know anyone with some/all of the above I'd be very interested to hear from you. I'll probably put a wanted ad in the "for sale/wanted" section when I've decided what I'm going to do with the car ................. really I just want to get the thing!!!

Many thanks

 

[Ems]

Welcome to the MSC

 

[pjg1979]

Weh Hey

Another Leeds Man, I live in Heckmondwike. I forgot about the steering wheel I'll have another look tongiht, for alloys check ebay and do a search via postcode and distance. What price are you looking to spend?

Phil

 

[NeX]

hi and welcome from an audi to a micra that sounds like an upgrade to me

my car is dropped on 40mm springs with standard shocks so all good the airbag will need a torx driver to undo good luck

 

[pollymog]

Another Leeds Man, I live in Heckmondwike. I forgot about the steering wheel I'll have another look tongiht, for alloys check ebay and do a search via postcode and distance. What price are you looking to spend?

Phil

I would appreciate that Phil

I don't want to spend too much dosh & I'm not really looking to buy new wheels, if I can find a decent set for between £40/£60 then I'd be a happy man. If they came with decent tyres I'd be even happier!! I'm watching a couple of sets on eBay at the moment which look reasonable to me. I still haven't got the car though - friday lunchtime now as it needs a bit of welding (front cross member) for the MOT - so I'm not sure I should be spending money on it before I've even taken delivery of it! Really all I'd want to do to the car (at least initially) is get some alloys, a set of lowering springs (if I can be bothered as I presume that fitting these will alter the steering geometry?) & swap the steering wheel. I'll look into less restrictive exhausts & filters later on - when I fitted these to my old Mini based kit car this was called a stage 1 tune.

All I'm after really is something that's a little bit different from the usual crumple hatch you see. Before deciding on the Micra I looked at the usual Saxo/106's, Fiesta's, Ka's etc & found them all a bit dull. The Micra's not exactly the last word in styling but it's a bit different (even though there are millions about) & it's got the 1300cc 16valve engine which is a little gem. I really don't want to start adding bodykits & huge wheels as at 43 I'm a little old for all that malarky :laugh:

 

[pjg1979]

Steering Wheel Removable

Hi Pollymog,

I have brought in my Haynes manual into work today, any news on your Micra yet?? I know there is a few Micras for sale in Heckmondwike, 1 is around 600 quid in green metallic. The other one is over a grand. How much are you paying for the Micra you want?

To remove the steering wheel you will need a special torx bit.

Removal:

1. Disconnect Battery.

2. Prise lower cover off steering wheel.

3. Disconnect Air Bag wiring connector.

4. Prise open side coves off steering wheel.

5. Using the SPECIAL TORX BIT remove Air Bag bolts (with the centre pin) one
on each side.

6. Then carefully remove the unit away from the steering wheel. (It mentions to discard the bolts and use new ones when replacing.) Store the Air Bag with the pad side facing upwards (visible side).

7. Set the front wheels in the straight ahead position, then release the steering lock using ignition key.

8. Disconnect the horn wiring connector.

9. Make alignment marks on the steering colomn and wheel.

10. Loosen and remove the steering wheel nut.

11. Ease steering wheel off by rocking backwards & forwards (A puller may be required)

12. It says not to remove the Airbag slip ring as it could be damaged when refitting the airbag.

13. Hey Presto, when refitting reverse the about note :

a) Ensure directional indicator is central.
b) Feed Harness through.

Send some pics when you got it done.

 

[pollymog]

Many thanks for that Phil

We probably paid quite a lot for the Micra but it's a 1 owner, low(ish) mileage 1.3GX with service history, power steering, sunroof, cd autochanger, leccy windows etc & will come with 12 months MOT & tax. My girlfriend is contributing towards the cost of the car, she wanted it to have power steering & this is just about the only 1300 Micra I found (within a reasonable distance of where we live) which had it fitted. The car drove nicely, was quite quick (even with 3 people in it), didn't make any horrible rattling noises from the engine/suspension & handled well. I'm hoping that it'll be reliable cheap transport for a few years. Really it's going to be used mainly by me as an economical (something the Audi wasn't in any way shape or form) second vehicle to take me to work & back. The only things I wanted the car to have was the 1300 engine, a sunroof & to be a sensible mature colour - not yellow, turquoise, bright green (no offence to anyone who has a car these colours) etc - the one we've found is black & in good condition (though obviously with hidden rusty bits too !!!) It's nice to know that it's quite highly modifiable (is that a word?) too & it's started me thinking that that modification would be cool, as would that one & that one & that one etc etc etc etc etc ........................

Anyway I'll let you know if/when I go ahead with the steering wheel swap. I already have the wheel but still need a boss kit & I also want to talk to my friend (who's an MOT tester) & probably my insurance co too about the legality/sensibility of swapping it. I've never actually owned a car with an airbag until now &, fortunately, I've never been in a position where I needed one. But the roads are stupidly busy now so I suppose it's like any safety/insurance thing - hopefully you'll never need it but it's nice to know that it's there if/when you do!

Thanks again for your help

 

[pjg1979]

Sounds Sound

It sounds like a sound car, I got my Micra iff my girlfriend and it has now done over110 thousand miles. It's been up and down the m1 plenty of times in the last couple of years.

If I pass my driving test next week I can start going to the scrappy byself getting bit I want.

Welcome to the club anyway.

 

[pollymog]

Thanks Phil - best of luck with the driving test (Y)

Scrapyards are excellent places & I've spent many a happy hour in them looking for bits & pieces for all my various cars. Reminiscing a bit (like us old people do you know) I realise that I've had quite a few cars over the years - ones that I particularly remember for a variety of reasons are a Morris Marina (my very 1st car & horrible), Lancia Delta HF Turbo (fun & fast but very fragile), Ford Bronco (LHD, 2.9V6 but it cost me less to insure than a very basic Pug 106! Why & how can this be?!?!?), 2 Mini based kit cars: 1st was a Midas bronze - great fun & I kept it for 9 years as my everyday car; 2nd was a Chris Hollier Mosquito buggy - bought off eBay, incorrectly registered & therefore a bit of a disaster great fun though if a bit "tricky" to drive as the engine was at the back so oversteer was the order of the day :laugh: Other notables include 3 rear wheel drive Toyota Celicas (from the late 70's /early 80's - two were fantastic & one was a dog), a SAAB 900 (had well over 100,000 on it when I sold it & it's probably still going strong), an Audi 80 (good but a bit dull) & for the last couple of years I've been trundling around in an Audi coupe quattro - lovely car & I'm still missing it really. I've not finished with quattro's though & I'll definitely get another one one day but it'll have to be the 20 valver (or S2) next time around. Another one for my collection (when I'm rich & famous!) is a GTM coupe - small, fast, midengined with simple mechanics & they look good too (I think)

I'm still without the Micra until tomorrow lunchtime (hopefully) so at the moment I'm using the other halfs Mercedes C180 kompressor .... which is very nice indeed

In the introduction forum I think it was you who asked where my username came from. Well it's based on the name of my cat - she's called Polly & is a moggy hence "Pollymog"

 

[pollymog]

Picked up my 1.3 K11 today - fun little car to drive & quite quick but my example has a very stiff gearchange I didn't notice this on the test drive so I'm hoping that it's not a gearbox problem. I'm hoping that the linkage may just need adjusting or lubricating! Anyone got any ideas??? I've got a Haynes manual on the way so I'm hoping that that will shed some light on the problem.

Hope these work

 

[james betley]

looks nice a pain to keep clean black is

 

[pjg1979]

Finally

Hi Pollymog,

Nice to see that you have got yuor Micra finally, lol. I only have trouble with the reverse on my Micra, but I think that is because I need a new clutch. But a nice looking car was it worth the wait?

I'm still searching for some alloys on ebay, I'm mainly aiming for some 17"'s but 15" and upwards would be fine. Let us know how the steering wheel fitting goes, as I want to get one, one day.

There is a Micra up the road from me with chrome handles which I'm interested in.

This is a picture of my car, nothing much at the mo tho, the only thing I've done is put on a Chrome Nissan Symbolled Gear Knob.

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[sonic]

17"s on a Micra will lose you some real power, I run 195/45x15's and the loss of power is noticeable, it would be far better to go with 14" rims and perhaps 185/55 profile tyres for performance and handling, 17" are purely cosmetic unless you are seriously considering a performance enhancing upgrade in the near future.