Cheque book tuning

obi_waynne

obi_waynne

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A3 1.4 TFSI 150 COD
I was wondering how many of us are cheque book modifiers and how many do the work themselves.

There are probably many like me who prefer to pay a man with the right tools to do the job who understand how things work and could probably do the job themselves but just don't have the time/tools/work area.

Some just love cars but are not technically minded so they rely on specialists to propose and then fulfil the dream specification.

Others out there will never ever even consider letting anyone else touch their pride and joy.
 
Well I am definitely a cheque book tuner! I work 6 to 7 days a week and run a very busy business. I don't have the time to get my hands dirty on the Beast, although I do little bits and pieces on the old girl now & again.

At the end of the day, my car is a business workhorse, so I do need it back on the road ASAP which will never happen if I have a spanner in my hand.
I do however take my hat off to all those people who are able to do the work themselves! I'm a sure that it must be extremely satisfying to know that you have done the job yourself ;)
 
Each to his own.

I have no problem with people who pay to have their cars modified to their specifiaction, as personal circumstances dicate what can and can't be done personally. However, what annoys me are those who pay for a car to be modified then bathe in the reflected glory by pretending that thay did all of the work. This is like someone going to a famous painter and paying for them to produce a painting then pretending that they painted it.

I do everything I can and only pay for the things I can't do. When I am unsure I research and seek advice from those far cleverer than me. However I make the final decision.

If I can make something but don't have the tools I buy them. This works out cheaper than getting them made elsewhere. It also allows for cheap experimentation. I accept, however, that I am fortunate in having the space available to accommodate machinery.

My job (before I retired) allowed me evenings and weekends to work on the car. Now being retired I have more time (but less money) to devote to the car.

As I will be driving the car, every nut and bolt on the car (except those inside the engine, gearbox and diff) will have been fitted and torqued up by me. That way I know it has been done correctly and I can blame no one else.

Doing it this way means I can produce the car I want for a LOT less than having it made by someone else. A friend and car builder estimated that the labour alone would have cost me £50-75k and that's without all the time I have spent lightening things :)

Buying a turnkey car is OK if that's what you want, but don't pretend that it is your work or seek praise. You may well have a fantastic car but it is the tuning shop that should be contratulated, you just paid through the nose for it.

Well, you did ask Waynne :)
 
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Do what I can with the skill, tools, time and inclination I have available. I've no problem with paying someone who knows more than me to do stuff.
 
I do whatever I can myself and seek help on items I either don't have the tools for or expertise, like remapping. Mostly it is down to budget and that dictates the pace of the work done or to be done.
 
A mate of mine with an RS6 will simply REFUSE to let any garage drive or touch his car. Even at MOT time he drives it into the bay and out again afterwards! ;)
 
T9 man said:
Well I am definitely a cheque book tuner! I work 6 to 7 days a week and run a very busy business. I don't have the time to get my hands dirty on the Beast, although I do little bits and pieces on the old girl now & again.

At the end of the day, my car is a business workhorse, so I do need it back on the road ASAP which will never happen if I have a spanner in my hand.
I do however take my hat off to all those people who are able to do the work themselves! I'm a sure that it must be extremely satisfying to know that you have done the job yourself ;)
Click to expand...
May i ask what you're in the business of?
 
Jakeymd said:
May i ask what you're in the business of?
Click to expand...

You may indeed! I design and manufacture electrical and electronic systems for a whole variety of applications in Building management control systems and Banking security protocols.
 
old-git said:
Are you going to bed too late or getting up too early T9? :)
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:lol: It's both OG :) Sometimes I am in bed by 10pm and I think great, other times I have worked the whole day and get back home 3 & 4 in the morning, but then I'll get a call out by one of my clients an hour later and off I go again!
My record is 37 hours without sleep. :amazed:
I do however have a quick surf of TC when I get back home before I go to bed though! I am so sad! :sad2::bigsmile:
 
cant stand parting with my money lol so will have a go at most things lol, get a better sense of satisfaction if you do the modifying yourself
 
I do as much as I can .

But if I dont know how to do it by now I reckon its a bit late to learn.

I do a bit more than just bolt on bits like exhaust suspension Brakes etc. and make brackets .Ive retrimmed the interior and will probably paint the car when ive finished modding it.

I am fine with wiring anything in but draw the line at mapping as any mistake can cost mucho maracas . Besides which I dont have an HKS dongle so cant do it .

I have just paid for an LSD to be fitted.
If it was justy a diff swap I would have done it but it was putting a GTR lsd in mine (different ratios ) and needed some shimming so paid for it to be done.

Ive just made a carbon cold box including the fibreglass ducting - took ages but it was very satisfying
 
T9 man said:
It does indeed, I incorporate some Trend equipment but not much, the rest is my own.
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got any jobs going? :lol: i can do trend stuff. have done BMS commissioning on and off for the last 4 years... i've got the SET software on my laptop!
 
Jakeymd said:
Damn you olley! I was going to butter him up first!!
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you do BMS too then? lol
it's ok, i'm working at halfrauds at the moment... no where near enough money... but it's something...

anyway... back on topic...
i like to do the mods myself. but i know secretly, that it would be a lot better to pay someone who "knows what they're doing" to do it... big jobs i take to a garage anyway...
 
I do lots of work myself. What I can't, don't know how, or don't have the tools to do myself, I get one local shop to do it for me. Sometimes he still makes me do it :p
 
kain35m said:
I do lots of work myself. What I can't, don't know how, or don't have the tools to do myself, I get one local shop to do it for me. Sometimes he still makes me do it :p
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Good, that's the best way to learn. Keep that shop owner sweet!
 
Yeah. I loved his attitude this weekend.

He let me use his lift to re-wire a pump in my car. I asked him to help, he said: "You really thought you were going to get me to work today, didn't you?"

I just laughed and proceeded to finish the job myself.
Cool shop.
 
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