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Tyres, Brakes and Radio

AntneeUK

2 Wheels 2 Many
Mar 8, 2009
1,491
0
Nottinghamshire
Guys,

After three months of ownership, I've finally had my 2002 LCR (210) radio unlocked so I can use the thing. It was done by Willoughby Seat in Chilwell (Nottingham). While it was there I had them fit a new front splitter and reattach the engine undertray as all bar two fasteners had come off so I'd had to take it off.

Anyway, the radio... I've seen in some Leons that there is a 'screen' on the dash that can display radio related information. Should mine have this? It's the Aura cassette head unit that you find on most of these models. If so, would VAG-COM sort it?

The dealer also did a quick 'health check' on the car and found that three of the four tyres are ~3mm tread. The front tyres are some random crappy brand I reckon (never heard of them) but the rears are Vredestein (Ultrac Sessanta I believe). I drive in all weather and I figure that since three of the four are near to having had it, that I'll look to change the lot and put a matching set on. I use the car mainly for a 7 mile drive to work, and back again, with occasional runs out into the country (and I spent a week driving between Nottingham and Hemel Hempstead up and down the M1).

I know there are loads of tips out there for various tyres, but what's hot right now at a decent price? I'm used to bike tyre prices, which cost a lot more than car tyres (especially as I rarely get more than 3000 miles out of a rear tyre on a bike) so I'm not scared of paying for a good set, but I'd rather not have to if I don't need to, if you know what I mean?

Next, the brakes were identified as 70% worn on the front and 30% worn on the rear, so the fronts will need doing soon. Was thinking about following the tips to refurb the callipers while I was at it as the lacquer is nearly all gone, but what would you guys recommend in the good-but-not-super-expensive brake-pad category? I don't want to be replacing them every few months, and I can be hard on brakes, so I need something that is relatively hard wearing, but still effective. I know, that's what we all want :D

One last thing that may seem a bit strange: I see a few LCRs on the road around here, and they all seem quite 'squat' at the rear. I see a red one regularly on the A611 Derby Road in Mansfield in the morning, and a yellow one on the A60 between Nottingham and Mansfield too and they both look pretty low, but not overly so. You know, as if that's how they're supposed to be. Mine on the other hand looks like the rear is jacked up to me, at least it does when it's parked up. I asked a guy at work who seems to know a bit about VAG cars and he suggested that rather than mine be jacked up, the others are probably lowered, but normally I find that lowered cars look obviously lowered, whereas I don't think that these others do. What's more likely? That all the other LCRs I see are lowered, or that mine has been jacked up? Alternatively I could just be imagining things :D I can provide pics if necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to bother reading all of that :happy:
 

bigbore

Guest
Guys,

After three months of ownership, I've finally had my 2002 LCR (210) radio unlocked so I can use the thing. It was done by Willoughby Seat in Chilwell (Nottingham). While it was there I had them fit a new front splitter and reattach the engine undertray as all bar two fasteners had come off so I'd had to take it off.

Anyway, the radio... I've seen in some Leons that there is a 'screen' on the dash that can display radio related information. Should mine have this? It's the Aura cassette head unit that you find on most of these models. If so, would VAG-COM sort it?

The dealer also did a quick 'health check' on the car and found that three of the four tyres are ~3mm tread. The front tyres are some random crappy brand I reckon (never heard of them) but the rears are Vredestein (Ultrac Sessanta I believe). I drive in all weather and I figure that since three of the four are near to having had it, that I'll look to change the lot and put a matching set on. I use the car mainly for a 7 mile drive to work, and back again, with occasional runs out into the country (and I spent a week driving between Nottingham and Hemel Hempstead up and down the M1).

I know there are loads of tips out there for various tyres, but what's hot right now at a decent price? I'm used to bike tyre prices, which cost a lot more than car tyres (especially as I rarely get more than 3000 miles out of a rear tyre on a bike) so I'm not scared of paying for a good set, but I'd rather not have to if I don't need to, if you know what I mean?

Next, the brakes were identified as 70% worn on the front and 30% worn on the rear, so the fronts will need doing soon. Was thinking about following the tips to refurb the callipers while I was at it as the lacquer is nearly all gone, but what would you guys recommend in the good-but-not-super-expensive brake-pad category? I don't want to be replacing them every few months, and I can be hard on brakes, so I need something that is relatively hard wearing, but still effective. I know, that's what we all want :D

One last thing that may seem a bit strange: I see a few LCRs on the road around here, and they all seem quite 'squat' at the rear. I see a red one regularly on the A611 Derby Road in Mansfield in the morning, and a yellow one on the A60 between Nottingham and Mansfield too and they both look pretty low, but not overly so. You know, as if that's how they're supposed to be. Mine on the other hand looks like the rear is jacked up to me, at least it does when it's parked up. I asked a guy at work who seems to know a bit about VAG cars and he suggested that rather than mine be jacked up, the others are probably lowered, but normally I find that lowered cars look obviously lowered, whereas I don't think that these others do. What's more likely? That all the other LCRs I see are lowered, or that mine has been jacked up? Alternatively I could just be imagining things :D I can provide pics if necessary.

Thanks for taking the time to bother reading all of that :happy:
sounds like willoughbys are a good main dealer if they checked all that when your car was in .would you recommend them . what are there charges like ?
 

brightsideteeem

I'm not like you guys...
a good tyre would id have to recomend would either be: Michelin PS2, or Goodyear Eagle F1 Assymetric.
Im a high performance tyre technitian, so deal with alot of quick cars, and these seem to be the best on the market atm. Another good one would be VREDESTIEN, Ultra Sessanta. Wierd tread pattern, but a premium tyre that not many people have heard of.

Im afraid ive no clue about prices, but i know we are quite compeptive on price.Jeffreys High Performance Tyres
 

Willie

LCR Track car
Aug 6, 2004
8,939
1
Sunny Scotland
To give you a short answer to a very detailed question.

Tyres Good Year Eagle F1 Asymmetric, as above
Brakes, OEM Brembo Discs with Ferodo DS2500 pads
Ride height, post pictures of your car but a car lowered 25mm looks the way it should have out of the factory a la....
11052009042.jpg
 
Last edited:

AntneeUK

2 Wheels 2 Many
Mar 8, 2009
1,491
0
Nottinghamshire
Thanks guys. I was considering the Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric already but some guys at work are recommending Toyo Proxes which are apparently good and cheap. brightsideteeem, I already have the Vredestein Ultrac Sessanta on the rear and they seem pretty good I must admit. Wouldn't be against getting a new set if they're considered good and aren't too expensive.

Regarding the brakes; I have some drilled and grooved discs on the front ATM but I didn't put them on so I don't know what they are.

Willie, thanks for the pic. I'll get a photo of the back of mine and stick it on. In the mean time, you should be able to see a pic on Facebook that the dealer used when I bought it: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2175490&l=7877ef9ca0&id=787508824

bigbore, the Mrs has been dealing with Willoughby's for four years on her own Leon but I've only been dealing with them for a couple of months. She's less than impressed but I've not had any problems myself
 

scottR

Full Member
Jun 16, 2002
150
0
Central Scotland
Visit site
Guys,

Anyway, the radio... I've seen in some Leons that there is a 'screen' on the dash that can display radio related information. Should mine have this? It's the Aura cassette head unit that you find on most of these models. If so, would VAG-COM sort it?

It was there on very early cars, but had been deleted by 2002.