Top Gear Renault Avantime

[peter 20]

Firstly I apologise if this has been covered before!

 

However this particular episode of top gear has been repeated on dave several times the past few days (I'm stuck in a hotel due to the weather I'm not a dole bum)

 

Every time its played it, to be quite honest infuriates me that they quote "tuning is a waste of money"

 

What really gets my though is the total lack of (or deliberate lack) of knowledge/skills that went into building that car.

 

I'm well aware non of the three presenters have the first clue about engineering or even simple car mechanics but James May claims to be and the others follow but he clearly hasn't a clue. This can be seen when suggests the first set of modifications.

 

1. Huge endurance type brakes.

 

This is not what you need for a ~one minute 30 second lap!! Total waste of time. might not have even got up to temp?! who knows. The standard brakes would be fine for one lap. perhaps fit some decent pads for £100

 

2. This means they need bigger wheels. Which effectively increases the gear ration. Making it slower again!

 

But the final comment is when he says "the gearbox will break" if they give it any more power. Pretty unlikely as it was still producing less power than standard.

 

Clearly fitting the spoiler was a joke..

 

 

If there was some thought the car could have got a lot closer to the Evo's 1minute 28.2s.

 

For example;

 

1. Fit semi slicks in a smaller profile to the standard wheels, Thus shorter ratio and more grip. cost £400?

2. Fit the fancy suspension and have it set up properly £2000 max? no need for remote reservoir Ohlins tho!!

3. Fit nitrous, also set up properly with the correct AFRs so it can handle being used for a full lap. £2000? (Its an easier power increase then fitting a turbo but that could be done for the £9800 budget)

 

Then with the £5400 fit some decent pads if the standard ones cant handle one lap. cost £200?

Doubt a LSD would be available but perhaps it is?

 

Obviously still removing as much weight as possible and there splitter actually worked along with what looks like a cerbera exhaust.

 

With out a doubt the time would have been sub 1munite30.

 

 

 

I know its an entertainment show but there 330d bmw was done properly, why did they deliberately? try and mock/sabotage the tuning world?

 

Obviously people in the know just laughed at them with the obvious mistakes...

 

 

Foooools at work.

[welshpug 1,657]

Its top gear, what more did you expect?

 

Fyi, simply using larger wheels will not make the gearing any different if you use the appropriate tyre size.

[peter 20]

Obviously.

 

going from 15/16" wheel to an 18" your saying you can get a tyre that that low profile that the overall diameter stays the same?

 

and they don't make super low profile semi slicks and if they did that wouldn't benefit the handling either!!!

[welshpug 1,657]

yep.

 

stock size was a 8x17 running a 245 45 17, so going to a 9x18" rim you could run a 265 35 18 AO48 tyre, or a Kumho V70A.

[Edp 67 3 Cars]

Its only tele

[peter 20]

Which doesn't make the car faster...

 

a 265 35 18 is HUUUGE that's whats on my m3 turbo, totally pointless on a 200hp car......

 

You want to lower the gearing... obviously its not so obvious for some people

[welshpug 1,657]

265 35 18 is also 4mm SMALLER than 225 55 16, or 245 45 17

[Batfink 201]

This is like complaining that mock the week is not dealing with topical events in a serious manner like channel 4 news. You do know what top gear is right? I sell aftermarket parts and fail to be offended nor do I expect any customers to see this as anything more than a pisstake

Edited February 13, 2014 by Batfink

[rallyeash 155]

It is frustrating though when people at work are like yeah even top gear says it isn't worth modifying cars. Taking what they as gospel...

[peter 20]

Welshpug oh dear your maths,

 

Ill let you ponder over that one, but I can assure you a 265 35 18 has a lager diameter than a 245 45 17, it's also slightly larger than the 235 50 17 the v6 came with.

 

Unless you know specific details about the tyres you mentioned and they don't follow the profiles like normal, but I doubt it!

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

HA HA HA

 

Oh dear YOUR maths actually, as from some quick calcs you are wrong.

 

Welshpug oh dear your maths,

Ill let you ponder over that one, but I can assure you a 265 35 18 has a lager diameter than a 245 45 17, it's also slightly larger than the 235 50 17 the v6 came with.

Unless you know specific details about the tyres you mentioned and they don't follow the profiles like normal, but I doubt it!

 

 

 

265/35/18 - dia 642.7mm

 

245/45/17 - dia 652.3mm

 

235/50/17 - dia 666.8mm

[welshpug 1,657]

I didn't use ANY maths, I just used the numbers.

 

and this

 

http://www.willtheyfit.com/

 

[DanteICE 72]

God damn you fenton, if I'd have scrolled down I could have save myself 'maths time'!!! And I can't look smart now, because I wasn't the first!

[peter 20]

Ok break it down for the retard

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

265 35 18

 

265mm wide 35% sidewall ratio 18 inch wheel

 

So diameter in mm equals 18*25.4 to convert inches to mm for the wheel alone (457.2mm)

 

Plus then the tyre sidewall, so 265mm * 0.35 = 92.75 then *2 as there are two sides = 185.5mm

 

Finally add 457.2+185.5 = 642.7mm

[peter 20]

Ok I'm wrong.

 

245 40 17 clear by miles on my car but the 265 35 18 needed the bumper pulling back 20mm and nearly touch the sill.

 

Why did it make the car so much slower then??

[Tom Fenton 1,541]

245 40 17 = 627.8mm

265 35 18 = 642.7mm

[peter 20]

Yes that device is useful wont make that mistake again.

 

Why it it increase the lap time so much though?

Yes that device is useful wont make that mistake again.

 

Why it it increase the lap time so much though?

[peter 20]

Probably should concentrate on one thing at a time hahahahaha

[peter 20]

So.... Nobody thinks that it could have been made a lot faster?

 

I know some people don't care its just entertainment.... but then again some people actually watch Jeremy Kyle.

[rallyeash 155]

It could of been made much better yes.