Ghosty

No. Bubble dash cars have a K.

The Cav is quite reliant on its cooling fan. It sits at 90 which is the centre of the gauge, but when stationary at temp it pretty quickly climbs up to 100, the fan kicks in then puts it back down to 90, repeat ad nauseum. Is that normal? Not had a car like that before.

I hate going to supermarkets, the beer is always too far from the door.

It's not like I'm doing anything antisocial either! All my cars are legal and I only work on them in the day. We have another neighbour that works on his cars as well, and he gets no grief, it's me specifically he has a problem with. When I cut all my hair off a couple of years ago he made a really vile veiled comment, now I recall. No idea what his fucking problem is.

Curtain twitching cunt neighbour has decided to wage war on us for no reason, calling me and Speedy 'fuckin arseholes' to himself loudly, for having the gall to work on cars at my place at the weekend. We called him out on that and he din't have much to say but childish deflections. Had a go at me last week for parking a car of mine outside his house for 30 seconds to move another, and just being incredibly petty and uptight over nothing, just appearing and telling us to leave whenever we do anything. Even had the pettiness to pressure wash half the dividing wall between our properties a while ago. We haven't washed our side. We've done nothing, but we're being harassed and abused for no reason. Stupid cunt today said to me 'what are you going to do, go cry to your parents?' he's at least in his 60s, what a fucking belm. Needs taking down a peg (probably knows I'm an easy target) but need to work out how. I've had people fired on Equality Act grounds for less than this. I've been bullied my whole fucking life, I don't need this shit. 'Ignore it' doesn't work for me.

I had a Volvo SC-805 head unit (Premium Sound System in 850s, standard in V70s) out of UPI for £15. They're Alpine units worth £50+ to Volvo people.

Cav has been misfiring, and in the evenings on my way home from work it'd started stalling in traffic. Never in the morning mind... Replaced the dizzy cap and arm: the cap wasn't worn, but it was completely unbranded and had witness marks where the rotor arm had been striking the poles. The rotor arm also had damage where it's been striking the poles. A new QH arm and Intermotor cap have made a notable difference to the cranking and idle. I replaced the rocker gasket as it was weeping (had previously been replaced but bolts weren't torqued down so it leaked and contaminated the gasket), and also separated two HT leads that were cable tied together. Did that and some rear dampers, and discs/pads all round, and between that and some new Uniroyals and an oil change over the past week - seems to be running and riding miles better. Happy days. It shows clear signs that someone's been servicing it, but I think they've been using the cheapest parts Autodoc have on offer (unbranded HT leads, dizzy cap, and Herth&Buss oil filter - and some GM (Delco?) branded spark plugs that I'm sure Autodoc used to sell), and it's just a false economy.

Haha, he's a right character is Brisdion. He's just bought a Carina II after he somehow snapped the cam (!) on his Sunny. That 305 is something of a landmark to spotters.

WAITING FOR PERRING PERRD

Me in the Cav is full Max Power twat 20 years ago. 2.0 CD auto with the CD and 2.0i badges painted red, sunstrip, lowered 60mm, Astra wheels, Sony headunit and sub in the boot blasting a weird mix of rave and Britpop.

Changed the oil and filter on the Cav. Herth&Buss filter came out so someone has done it semi-recently - while there's no history there's plenty of evidence the car's been cared for. Oil was black though. The car runs significantly better for an oil change, never felt such a difference before. I've spent a few hundred quid on service parts for it, after which it'll be pretty much ready for winter.

What does being Sunday have to do with it?

I got assaulted in Wolverhampton a few years ago. The copper admitted they knew exactly who it was but half of them got off on insufficient evidence and I couldn't positively ID the one they asked me to either from the identity parade they showed me on a tiny CRT. The court case got pushed back three times before I gave up pressing charges as I was moving away.

oh no ｌ a c t o s e

There's sort of an unspoken thing where we don't talk about that. I think some sort of intervention occurred.

Is this the one Talbot or someone rescued about 3/4 years ago?

Yeah, holed condensor, no chance of an a/c fix today, they quoted next Weds for a regas. Dumped their almost MOTless Crapqai back on them and left with my car. Could have torn them a new arsehole but the saleswoman had conveniently had to leave early, so nothing to do. They're getting an email as I absolutely can't be fucked going there again. They've wasted enough of my time. Technician tried to tell me trade plate negates MOT - it categorically doesn't. Also not driving on trade plates for a week in an unvaleted Qashqai... Insured the Cav, Admiral valued it at 5k which is nice.

Courtesy car roulette has given me a 14 plate 1.2 petrol Qashqai. It's not been washed or valeted, there's a dent in the door, the suspension is too soft, the electronic handbrake is a pile of wank, I can't see out of it, the TPMS light is on, there's no fuel in it, and it's on a trade plate. Oh, and kicker, a/c doesn't work. It's fucking grim. Got to tolerate it for tomorrow then I can sack it back to the dealership, see if I'm getting the spaceship back or telling them to give me my money back, and start driving the Cav.

I didn't know what to expect with the Cav - I know how Astras drive though and I really, really like it. Turns out it was exactly the car I'd hoped it'd be. I love it, as a cruiser and commuter it's just perfect. I'm sure it'll take whatever I throw at it. I'm not going to restore it, just maintain it. It's a perfect daily really - I don't find myself needing cruise for what I use it for, and the autobox makes up for that. Sod the aircon, and it has ABS, so we're good. Comfy, quick enough, reasonably economical, iconic. Sorted.

The story with the Cav, anyway. Aside the a/c crap giving me a bad taste in my mouth with the spaceship Civic, I also can't stand the clutch pedal, it's way worse than the type R I had - it's over sprung, so it's really hard to hold the biting point. Also, the gear change is horrifically vague and I keep bouncing off the synchros because of how long and vague the throw is. The organ pedal e-throttle is awkward too. Further to that there's a knocking droplink, and the tyres (5 year old Landsails) are so shit the ABS can't even stop them safely, if you brake hard the car just locks up - in the dry. I resent spending money on it, and driving it just frustrates me and makes me wish I was driving something a bit more me. I kept thinking 'I wish I was in something else, life's too short'. A few people have commented to that end too, that a modern car just isn't right for me? I started looking quietly for a more 'me' replacement, with Cavaliers on the mind. I've always had them in the back of my mind, and I've even viewed them before and walked away. Thursday morning I'm on FB, and an R8 comes up for cheap on a Rover page. 416 auto, 39k, MOTd for 10 months, bad paint but no rot, £750. Hmm! I enquire and the seller says I'm second in line, and he'll send me some more pics and check with the first guy and give him 'a couple of hours'. I go back to Marketplace, and without even searching for them specifically (though I have been doing), I stumble across the Cav. Now that's more like it... vague pics and description but no rust visible, I check the MOT history and it's never had a rust advisory... all sounds pretty good. I think about it for a bit and weigh it up vs. the Rover. The Cav just appeals more... after 4 hours pass and nothing's heard on the Rover, I message the Cav seller who instantly replies and is available that evening. Fuck it, why not? I do the maths, and I can get to Bilston where the car is in two hours - giving me enough time to view it in the light and bail out if it's bad - I thought to myself, it's either going to be a complete dog or a gem. Sure enough, as soon as I've arranged this the Rover guy comes back and tells me I'm next in line and sends a few more pics. The entire car is lacquer peeled and pogweaseled, and the tyres are shot (it had a set of kerbed Rover 45 wheels -I reckon it didn't have those on it for MOT). Given it's in Southampton and the tyres are badly cracked, I think better of it and pass. Cav it is. So straight out of work I jump on a train and go and view the thing. It's as good as you could ask for in a Cav, yes it needs a couple of bits but again, Cav, so they cost peanuts and I'll order some stuff when I'm paid next week. Drove home faultlessly.

Just waiting for some warranty BS to get sorted on the spaceship and the Cav will be pressed into daily use. Spaceship is going back to the dealership after work tomorrow for the air conditioning to be fixed, I said I'd only buy it if the a/c worked, they said they couldn't regas it as it leaked and gave me the car as is as it would take a week to get the a/c man in apparently, so someone would be in touch for a house call to fix it (what, even though it's leaking?). Naturally this never came, and my first email to them was dismissed with 'we'll chase this up' and nothing more. They strung me out for a month in total and I've had to ask for a refund on the car (working a/c was a condition of sale - breach of contract) to convince them to fix it, they gave me the same response at first that I called them out on, supposedly they've finally found an a/c person to fix mine and someone else's, and it'll be done on Tues. As such I'm dropping the car to them after work tomorrow, and it's courtesy car roulette. They claim it'll be fixed on Tues which I severely doubt, and that's the only chance they're getting as they've had a month. The cheapest car they currently have for sale is a fucking Juke so they'd better bloody not give me that.

Yep, Contour.

Home now - hasn't missed a beat. One of the rear windows only closes using the door lock, not the switch (!), least it closed. 'kin belter.

Original springs included!

Yep, automatic. Lowered 60mm, sub in the boot, sunstrip and flat paint, but EXTREMELY tidy. £1195. Couldn't say no.