xtriple

So sorry to hear about your dog. Horrible.

The SuLK had advisories on its last MOT for 'perished tyre valves' which did annoy me as they were new with the new tyres 10 months earlier! It had all its advisories done though as I am anal retentive old twat! My first SL 500 had an advisory for 'stupid pink car' it was Almandine red, not bloody pink! Also had 'Barbie is okay but Ken is an ugly fucker!' as that SL was the one modelled for the K and B car...

I have had all three marks, all three were 1.8s mk1 and 2 were autos and the mk3 was a manual(the last manual car I drove!) I'll be honest and say 'I loved all three!' The mk1 was definitely the prettiest and felt the most fun but had more rattles and squeeks (not many though) and the Mk 3 felt very grown up compared to the others with a better roof operation (a whole 1 handle to twist instead of 2 on the others) and was a very solid feeling car. The mark three was also the rustiest of the sodding lot! Perfect on the top but brown underneath everywhere. To be honest I'd have another mk3 but it would have to be an auto but I'd prefer a mk1 or 2 but manual -they are ust such fun cars to have.

When I took the SuLK to the garage for its service and MOT (whic was a BIG ouch!) I asked that they used Mobil 1 fully synthetic oil (as I always use it, it's good stuff ) and while they laughed at me up sleeves they did and to prove it gave me the unused part of the second 5 litre can. When I checked, the car had done 800 miles on its last fill of Mobil 1 fully syntheti oil... I think it may have been... overkill! A lot of my obsession with oil and changes comes bact to bikes, especially the dirt bikes which were changed every 10 hours and they only held a litre so (in the Husky's case) bloody expensive fully synthetic 10/60 oil after every ride and change te il filter every other ride. Also change the air filter (washable) every ride and brakes pads every three. Big board on the garage wall to point out what was due, to which bike and when! I became even more nuts about oil than I already was.

My dentist advertise 'pain free' injections, perhaps yours do also? Cost a bit (about £40) and I have no idea how it works as I am cheap and my teeth fall out by themselves (bones like crumbly cheese ) but worth looking into maybe?

As I was a serial Citroen botherer in the past (in my case, everything is in the past!) having had loads of Xantia's, 2CVs a few CXs and even (briefly) an XM, I love these but have never actually seen one on the road, not round here anyway! I am now a massive fan both of the car and of the OPs writing style. Keep it up, loads more posts please, I'm bored.

Took the dogs out as it had ceased raining/blowing a gale fora few minutes, all going fine, stopped at the shop on the way home, got back in the car ad up popped the engine management light. Ho hum, fekkin' car. Merry Christmas? Bah Humbug!

AMS Newton Abbot says it all really. Mate was a anager of one of their branches and left because even he couldn't deal with the utter dickheads they employed. Bullshit for England. By the by, didn't realise you were local

Discovering that rotten rear subframes are NOT the preserve solely of Austin's venarable Mini...

I've always thought writing the history under the bonnet to be a great idea, can't lose it then can you?

Well how strange, that's my old car! So;d it in 2001/2 as the bulkhead was seriously rusted and got £750 for it! Seat were velour and worn but un torn and it was utterly gutless for some reason.

My stepdad had a strong liking for these even though he could afford 'better' and usually had a couple knocking about. I had a Toyota Crown and with its famed reliability, I had to borrow one of the old mans 110s to take for a week in Nottingham for work. To begin with, I hated the thing with its cheap plastic switchgear and naff heater controls and the complete lack of non-essentials. After a few miles, I relised what he saw in them as they are fun. Proper fun! They handle entertainingly and are quite sprightly, proper 'mental mickey motors' There used to be a guy down in Cornwall with a 911 engine in one, wide body and very low. It looked and sounded ace!

I've had back wheels overtake me three times over the years! Twice on kit cars when I was giving them their first (illegal) test drives and forgot that the many, many months prior when I put the wheels on I hadn't tightened the bolts. First time was the Dutton and I gave it a big bootful as I got nearly home, the wheels spun and the left rear carried on spinning... all the way down the road and into the side of the one car in the area who's owner I hated! I did laugh... Second time was the yellow thing and it left the left rear (see a pattern?) by the side of the trafic lights along with half the wheelarch Fixed and re-sprayed in the rain (with plastic sheeting taped over the car to keep the new paint dry) before the MOT the next morning. The other time was driving along the M4 first thing n the morning, doing silly speeds and a wheel came whizzing by. Yup, my left rear again (only that was the very first time) complete with knave plate/ hub cap, beauty ring and the rear hub! Bearing had failed and chewed its way out of the housing. MK10 Jaguar and it was all totally silent, even the chewing bearing, not a sound and no damage to the car other than the rear bearing housing and lots of expensive bits but the body was fine. That was recovered and repaired at vast expense, the bastard!

So sorry to hear about your dog mate. Truly awful

Prices for the 170 are on the up it seems. Maybe everyone is aware now that the later ones rot out there subframes (£1500 FML ). I don't think you did bad there at all, are wings cheap/bolt on?