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TRL own M140 project

46K views 75 replies 31 participants last post by  TRL 
#1 ·
Well its official (I wont be cancelling my order this time.... honest!)...

I have decided to stop messing around and crush my Renault fetish (I think I can call it that, on the basis that since 1988 I have owned
3 Renault 21 Turbos, a pair of Renault 5 Turbo 2s (hot, no brakes and break down a lot), A Renault 5 GT turbo (hot, OK brakes but also break down a lot), Clio Williams 3, A pair of 182 Trophy's, 3 Clio V6s (one with an exhaust so loud I stopped driving it) , a Clio 197 Cup,
a Clio 197 F1 Edition (my favourite), Clio 200 FF, Clio 200 Silverstone GP edition, Clio 200 FF again, Megane R26.R (just 4 of those) and then
recently Megane 275 Trophy R ....and now a Megane 275 Cup-S.... and breathe)...

So what did I go for?
M140 3 door (just love that frameless door, sod the kids)
AW with Coral Red (Sarf London)
Sports Automatic ( SORRY MARCO I bottled it at the last minute...... blame Joe Achilles).

Adaptive M Suspension, Sun Pro glass, HFS, HK, Driver Comfort package with front PDC
and the latest Pro Media Package. And that's it....

With a TRL deal it should come out quite reasonable. :lol2:
I plan to throw some MP bits at it.
I fancy some wheels like the one on my mates 125i


I want to get it sorted for some track days and touring, comforts not high on my agenda as I have the M3
Comp pack as my everyday car (well its more compliant now I have got rid of the 3.5 bar tyre pressure that my PDI guys
left in... on purpose).
So I am going to pick Marcos brains. reduce some weight (car not driver) so thinking along the lines of
Eibach, possibly the LSD, and some new alloys with some very sticky rubber for track days, standard wheels with the MPSS
for normal days.

I plan to blog it on here throughout the duration..... I am off now to hound the product genius as to when my car will arrive!!!!

Roll on week 42..... :spotman:
 
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#52 ·
TRL said:
CJ92 said:
That works well Tony. I had the same thoughts with the MR but happy with the end result..


Sent from my SM-T310 using Tapatalk
Ha! would have looked better if it had Berry Number plates on it though!
I did try, your always first port of call. :wink:

Loving this engine though, the mid range torque/power is sooo impressive.. :)
 
#53 ·
I agree mate. its a totally different car to the M135... better in every way. Better than an M3..... in my eyes anyway!
I got totally hounded by a Golf R this morning ... road was wet and the M3 could not put the power down so he just sat on my tail
with 120hp less but 4wd of course!
 
#54 ·
TRL said:
I agree mate. its a totally different car to the M135... better in every way. Better than an M3..... in my eyes anyway!
I got totally hounded by a Golf R this morning ... road was wet and the M3 could not put the power down so he just sat on my tail
with 120hp less but 4wd of course!
Aww man, these comments are killing me. Can't be that much better than the M135i surely? Love my car but can't figure out how an M135i can be improved that much!

Clearly i'm trying to convince myself that swapping to a M135 lci in Jan this year was the right thing to do! :D
 
#58 ·
SEee250796 said:
Tony, can you supply me information on how to order the rear spoiler and get it painted. I have ordered my 140 and it looks identical to yours but would like the rear spoiler as it really sets it off.
I ordered it online from


then got my bodyshop to give it 2 or 3 coats before fitting.
 
#59 ·
Personally would've done the black and white thing Tony... You've put the vinyl on the side skirt.. Why not a black spoiler?

ps. I'm a hoodlum, so take such suggestions with E[youtube[/youtube]the necessary salt pinched.

pps... dealer fit an MPE to mine at cost... Ahh go on... I'll give you a good review and that !!! (I'll probably be having a BCS silencer delete to be fair... Can't justify the money for more. BUT maybe I should drive the car for a week or two first ... )

Dave
 
#60 ·
TRL said:
UPDATE..... MPE going on this Thursday 2nd Feb..... let you know if it is worth it! :spotman:
Nearly a week now, how is it? Worth it?
 
#61 ·
Jackbauer99 said:
TRL said:
UPDATE..... MPE going on this Thursday 2nd Feb..... let you know if it is worth it! :spotman:
Nearly a week now, how is it? Worth it?
:rollseyes: :rollseyes: :rollseyes: ... my own service dept have bumped me... too many techs off sick so still sitting in the parts dept.
will be 2 weeks as I go into hospital for my op next week...... :(
 
#62 ·
TRL said:
Jackbauer99 said:
TRL said:
UPDATE..... MPE going on this Thursday 2nd Feb..... let you know if it is worth it! :spotman:
Nearly a week now, how is it? Worth it?
:rollseyes: :rollseyes: :rollseyes: ... my own service dept have bumped me... too many techs off sick so still sitting in the parts dept.
will be 2 weeks as I go into hospital for my op next week...... :(
Have a word!! :lol2:

Hope the op goes well, speedy recovery!
 
#63 ·
Regarding the steering wheel, Tony - Thickness is increased by about 1-2mm, not a lot and you won't notice it whilst driving.
I had mine done with the 'aqua fresh' striping (like BMWs GT3 Z4) and it's very comfy, workmanship is top notch and I think it takes about a week for the wheel to be trimmed. Jack is a real hero
 
#65 ·
No more updates of late. Have had to rest up for 3 months thanks to a Hernia Op... def not allowed on track for fear of
repeating that scene from "Alien".... nice!

MPE baffles are starting to open up so feeling a bit happier with the sound level, still wish it popped and banged like a MINI JCW though.
 
#68 ·
Yep My latest modification is my greatest.... SOLD MY CAR.

So the plan was to sell my car this month as my new M140 Shadow is due soon.
However today I fell over an M2 at work that we have just registered.... and I bought it.

so next post will be TRL Own M2 project.
Trouble is its cost so much that I now need to raise money via crowd funding to pay for the mods! :spotman:
 
#72 ·
No I bailed on the idea of a manual with my M140 so switched my order to an Auto.
Never ended up with a Manual.
My Shadow is about to arrive at the end of the month...soon to be advertised as available to first person
who wants it.... going to be marmite for most though as I went 3 door in Sunburnt orange with oyster leather!

I must admit I am now torn... on the one hand I loved my M140 and the idea of a brand new shadow to my ideal spec
is so appealing. The manual M2 that I have recently been "running in" (just a terrible part of my job) actually put me off M2's
but then this M2 M-DCT landed in my lap at an affordable price..... and I know it will be better than the manual ( I think!)
And being a white M2 its going to look the nuts when I fit the MP carbon kit and exhaust.... :?
 
#73 ·
TRL said:
No I bailed on the idea of a manual with my M140 so switched my order to an Auto.
Never ended up with a Manual.
My Shadow is about to arrive at the end of the month...soon to be advertised as available to first person
who wants it.... going to be marmite for most though as I went 3 door in Sunburnt orange with oyster leather!

I must admit I am now torn... on the one hand I loved my M140 and the idea of a brand new shadow to my ideal spec
is so appealing. The manual M2 that I have recently been "running in" (just a terrible part of my job) actually put me off M2's
but then this M2 M-DCT landed in my lap at an affordable price..... and I know it will be better than the manual ( I think!)
And being a white M2 its going to look the nuts when I fit the MP carbon kit and exhaust.... :?
Now you mention it I do recall now that you opted for the auto after first considering the manual.

Have to say I am really enjoying my M140i and although I could be tempted into an M2 the head is over ruling the heart 3 - 1 at the present time.

However I will be following your time in the M2 with interest and it would be nice to have first refusal
when you decide to let go.. :wink:
 
#74 ·
TRL said:
No I bailed on the idea of a manual with my M140 so switched my order to an Auto.
Never ended up with a Manual.
My Shadow is about to arrive at the end of the month...soon to be advertised as available to first person
who wants it.... going to be marmite for most though as I went 3 door in Sunburnt orange with oyster leather!

I must admit I am now torn... on the one hand I loved my M140 and the idea of a brand new shadow to my ideal spec
is so appealing. The manual M2 that I have recently been "running in" (just a terrible part of my job) actually put me off M2's
but then this M2 M-DCT landed in my lap at an affordable price..... and I know it will be better than the manual ( I think!)
And being a white M2 its going to look the nuts when I fit the MP carbon kit and exhaust.... :?
Tony,

what did you not like about the manual? Interested as I didn't get on with the auto (sublime gearbox thought, just not for me) so currently chopping my auto m135i in for a manual m240i.
 
#75 ·
fufty1 said:
TRL said:
No I bailed on the idea of a manual with my M140 so switched my order to an Auto.
Never ended up with a Manual.
My Shadow is about to arrive at the end of the month...soon to be advertised as available to first person
who wants it.... going to be marmite for most though as I went 3 door in Sunburnt orange with oyster leather!

I must admit I am now torn... on the one hand I loved my M140 and the idea of a brand new shadow to my ideal spec
is so appealing. The manual M2 that I have recently been "running in" (just a terrible part of my job) actually put me off M2's
but then this M2 M-DCT landed in my lap at an affordable price..... and I know it will be better than the manual ( I think!)
And being a white M2 its going to look the nuts when I fit the MP carbon kit and exhaust.... :?
Tony,

what did you not like about the manual? Interested as I didn't get on with the auto (sublime gearbox thought, just not for me) so currently chopping my auto m135i in for a manual m240i.
Personal reasons more than anything, so don't worry.
I had a manual M235i back in 2014 and fitted the LSD and MP kit on it. With the MPE it sounded lovely.
What happened this time was I convinced myself I would do track days and fast road driving so planned to go manual M140... then after a few weeks
I realised that when I do drive it I will be mainly on the M25 or in traffic... and for that the Auto is a no brainer.
A manual car is more analogue and tactile without a doubt, you have an extra connection, and more control.
the downsides for me are the fact that 1st gear is a bit short, and it feels like you need to grab 2nd asap, and that's about it.
I actually liked the gear change and there was no issue with the clutch as its nicely weighted. so go ahead. no issue.
 
#76 ·
CJ92 said:
TRL said:
No I bailed on the idea of a manual with my M140 so switched my order to an Auto.
Never ended up with a Manual.
My Shadow is about to arrive at the end of the month...soon to be advertised as available to first person
who wants it.... going to be marmite for most though as I went 3 door in Sunburnt orange with oyster leather!

I must admit I am now torn... on the one hand I loved my M140 and the idea of a brand new shadow to my ideal spec
is so appealing. The manual M2 that I have recently been "running in" (just a terrible part of my job) actually put me off M2's
but then this M2 M-DCT landed in my lap at an affordable price..... and I know it will be better than the manual ( I think!)
And being a white M2 its going to look the nuts when I fit the MP carbon kit and exhaust.... :?
Now you mention it I do recall now that you opted for the auto after first considering the manual.

Have to say I am really enjoying my M140i and although I could be tempted into an M2 the head is over ruling the heart 3 - 1 at the present time.

However I will be following your time in the M2 with interest and it would be nice to have first refusal
when you decide to let go.. :wink:
I shall run her in gentle and give plenty of updates on the M2.... and note your interest for when my time is up!
 
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