Last weekend I had the chance to drive and instruct on the extended Jefferson Circuit at Summit Point. Below is my analysis of the changes and a description of my line around the track. This works for me in a FWD MINI on summer street tires. Your results may vary. No wagering. (In-car video by …
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We started carrying Griot’s Garage products in the stop this month and as part of the dealer agreement, we have to be familiar with the full line of products. So dang, now we have to stay in the garage until everything is polished. I now completely understand why one of their kits is called “weekend …
Armed with my trusty Bentley manual and the internet, I decided to learn how to change my own brake pads. The dealer charges somewhere north of $400 for pads and labor so I thought I set out to get a higher grade pad and to do it for less money. To start with — the …
I think I finally solved a nagging problem I’ve been having with my right rear brake caliper. The right rear brake always ran hotter than the left. In normal city driving, it wasn’t a big problem, but at the track, that meant I would cook the brake pads at the end of a long session. …
Read more “Dragging Rear MINI Caliper Mystery Finally Solved”
If you experience “heavy” steering; notched steering; and/or crunchy steering, try checking these three items below. The first two are caused by faulty designs. The third was probably caused by someone (not me) forgetting to disconnect the lower steering knuckle before lowering the rear portion of the front sub-frame. The steering column is designed to …
This past weekend brought another arctic blast to the Mid-Atlantic region and the first driving event of the year. We learned a couple of interesting lessons driving in sub-freezing temperatures on the track: According to the National Weather Service, the wind-chill of 7 degrees F at 109 MPH (the max speed of their calculator) is …
When GeorgeCo was out in California last summer, he walked past the Hertz Porsche 911s on the way to pick up his hair-shirt Toyota crap-can and thought there must be a better rental car option out there. Now there is: Silvercar. From Austin Ventures comes a new way to rent cars. The CEO of Silvercar …
GeorgeCo went to the 2014 Washington Auto Show so you don’t have to. As far as the big autoshows go — Detroit, Frankfurt, Geneva — they just don’t compare. No really. Don’t try. The Washington Auto Show should be called “Washington Nearby Dealers New Car Show”. If you want to see the latest exotic models …
I’m not generally a big fan of carbon fiber trim, but this stuff may very well change my position. As I was preparing for the recent JCW steering wheel installation project, I thought it might be a great opportunity to get rid of some of the silver trim I don’t like in the MINI. I …
When you’re driving a car, how do you get feedback from the road? If you’ve been in the GeorgeCo MINI and said “seat-of-the-pants” or “dental fillings” you get partial credit, but the answer I was looking for was “through the steering wheel.” If you’re like me and spend 3 or more hours a day commuting, …