grogee

🎵 Midnight at the oooaaaayyyy-sis🎶 Pre-shited anti-wheeltrims, Pano roof £700 Daventry https://www.gumtree.com/p/cars-vans-motorbikes/renaul-megan-14-16v-oasis-with-mot-and-full-glass-sunroof/1424231390?utm_source=com.atomczak.notepat&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=socialbuttons&utm_content=app_android

Never mind that. Why is it leaking side plates onto the floor?

Factory spec m9. Excellent work

Interestingly I can definitely detect a smoother 1st to 2nd shift, so I'll eat my words regarding fluid change magic. However it's now picked up a misfire and it's idling rough. I was fiddling with a breather pipe that I'm trying to change but I need the tool to press the release tabs. I've ordered it but it's not arrived. Anyway I think there's probably an air leak because the existing breather is properly broken. I do have some new plugs to throw in which I might do this afternoon. And I took the plunge on a new DICk unit, genuine Saab is £250, ouch. Also I'm running it on 95 unleaded which is verboten apparently. Karl from Noobtune says Tesco 99 or Shell Wallet-Buster only.

Rear level sensor fitted, it came off without broken bolts which is nice. It's fairly crudely bolted to the rear suspension arm so it's exposed to all sorts of shite. Still waiting for the front one to arrive and (assuming it's not a wiring problem) then I can 'calibrate' the space-shuttle Xenons. I do need to investigate the headlamp washers further, I've changed a broken fuse but still no evidence they're firing. Trouble is they're 'intelligent' so only work with the windscreen washers every fifth or sixth go, and only after a certain mileage/time. I couldn't see an option in Tech-2 to manually operate them. ATF fluid flushed and changed, massive thanks attack to @Wgl2019 for his satisfying pipe and @Cluffy for being the glamorous assistant operating the engine on/off. Need to go for a quick run soon so I'm wondering if I'll feel any difference - very dubious of those that say a fluid change 'transforms' their auto box, though to be fair mine didn't seem to be doing anything wrong before the change. The old fluid was pretty dark and nasty though so probably original. Not terrible for 120k miles.

Yes but I need to borrow some tools

That's fantastic. If I was going to have a yank tank it would be this one

Fucking Supermarket Pizza 🤮

I'm pretty impressed so far. It's got a few issues as most 17 year old cars have, but given its complexity it's amazing how much still works. I'm enjoying slowly getting it back to 'the best it can be'. My Puma is in hibernation until the salt gets off the road but yes it's a fun car. Not fast by modern (or Saab) standards but very chuckable. It's pretty much 'done' in project terms now, the only thing on the list this year is service and cam belt. And clutch if I can be arsed, although it's not slipping.

Fuel filter changed today, shitty job although at least it came off without a fight. Tried to cure the 'Theft Protection Warning' message by removing the alarm siren. However, by the time I'd wrestled the wheelarch liner off, I discovered someone's already taken it out. Some slight crustiness discovered behind the liner so I wire wheeled it back and slapped on some zinc primer. It really isn't that bad, maybe they are galvanized? Then a little fettling and bodging to give the liner some more support as three of its fixings were MIA. Drilled a hole and put in a plastic rivet/push-pin thing. Previous to the filter I was looking for the fuel pump fuse to run the pressure out of the system, and found the anti-theft fuse. Pulled that and hey presto, no warning message any more. (In conjunction with Tech-2 fiddling to change the settings). Now it's up on stands and I've drained the first four litres of ATF out of the box and put four fresh cherry red litres back in. Next step is to run the rest out 2 litres at a time with the engine running, with thanks to @Wgl2019 for the tube to help with this. There is some* grot at the back of the car on the chassis rails so I'm hoping to get the grinder+knotted brush wheel thing on there to get back to good metal, then slap a load of Product on top. I'm also hoping to change at least one of the level sensors that sort out the Xenons, so I've dosed it in WD40 in the hope the fixings might actually unscrew rather than break.

Dealer fit air conditioning??? That is ridiculous! What a major upheaval on a brand new car, entrusted to dealers...

Not much to report on the Saab today. This morning I went for a glorious winter sunshine drive to a garage to drop off some knackered tyres in return for £20 for their kitty. I had a play with manual mode, which is as good as the slushy Aisin-Warner box will allow. Shifts are fairly unhurried but they do happen eventually, you just have to plan ahead. More fun is Sport mode, which sharpens up the throttle map, hangs onto gears longer and kicks down quicker. It is indecently quick especially with the new map from Karl at Noobtune. Fun to just blast past anyone daring to dawdle, but I restrained myself thinking I was tempting the Hidden Speed Camera Van. Later on I pulled the dash trim out (screws AND clips if you please) to try and find the mythical phone interface. Sure enough it's behind the radio but well hidden. I've plugged in the interface lead but that'll do for now until I can dig out the old Parrot Bluetooth kit and fart around with the wiring. I also need to get around to sorting out the roof antenna which is broken, and its innards are on show. Luckily not leaking but I'm procrastinating a bit as it will involve C- and D- pillar trim removal before I can drop headlining and get at antenna fixing.

Now, I don't want to come across as a lazy shitbag who never does anything around the house. Today I've cycled to school and back twice with the boy Grogee, and attended to some maintenance on Mrs Grogee's Alfa. All while pretending to do my day job and sorting out a plumber for the bloody bathroom leak. But... I was offered a cup of tea at 7.31. It's now 8.03 and I'm still waiting. And we've run out of chocolate.

I can't tell you anything about working for the fuzz but I'm happy to proof read your CV and suggest amends/edits - if that would be helpful.

It has the air of this Sabbath album cover

Thank God that isn't local. Talking dash and minimal* rust for £1000

ooh, NA diesel - I think these are 2.3 Peugeot lump, no? Noisy, rattly and slow POS but will never die as the above ad proves. Will probably run on lard, candles, firewood or piss. Massive want

Is anyone really this spoiled? Or is it a cover story for why the number plates are obscured? "This was brought for my Niece as a Christmas present but she wants a Beetle convertible instead"

81,000 miles, not that the ad tells you. Feeling better about mine hibernating in the dry

I'm sold. Weirdly that looks like quite a modern ad apart from the mk3 Golf

I don't watch adverts, which is ironic because I may well be starting work at a PR firm soon

<goes off to find someone else to talk to at the Autoshite party>

They look worse in the pics than they feel with my finger. We've agreed to have another look at it/them before next MoT in the autumn. That way, at least she gets a bit more use out of what's on there - pads have loads of life. She barely does any miles, just trundles about locally. Hardly high stress stuff. More pressing for me, mechanically, us that she never services it and I'm the one who will be phoned when it breaks. My thinking being, if she wants to spend money, get the tyres sorted and the engine reliable, as they seem to be the priorities. It's a bit annoying as it's a 2010 4wd dizzle Panda which is a bit unusual/interesting/desirable so I don't want to see it just expire.

Tailwind? Gravity quake?