Barry Cade

Even though I am a confirmed Anti Vagger, I seem to have just purchased a Seat Mii. Euro 6, 60mpg, group3 insurance.. I am future proofed as much as possible for now. Focus wheel bearing has begun to groan in protest.. It knows its going.

Just been to see a Seat Mii at a local dealer. £5295. 2013. looked great until I looked closer (it was black met and raining) It had Mk1 Ka levels of corrosion round the filer cap. Everything I'm seeing at dealers for 5k ish is rough. Looked at a Panda Twinair the other day and the rear quarterlight was smashed, and it had obviously been sitting a while. Did notice a Toyota IQ though.. That's today's infatuation. A Hyundai i20 came up this morning on Gumtree at 10am. 09 plate, overheating... looked good otherwise so I sent a polite message to ask when I could come and view. got a message back a little later with a phone number. Checked listing again and the price had gone up by £50, then the advert dissapeared as I was reading it. I despair, I really do.Everything under a grand that is not quite scrap goes in minutes... do these people not work?

Used to get a lot of these which blew the main maxi fuse next to the battery which would cause a non start. Jump leads under the bonnet would allow them to start, but wouldn't charge.. I've bypassed a few to get them through a shift, then kept a stock of the fuses in the truck..

There's nothing comes close to an X1/9.. but I don't have a garage now and wouldn't press one into daily use now. Can't afford an Elise, don't want an MR2, had a Fiero and hated it. Don't do Honda's..

I've had 2 black X1/9's with tan leather.. it's tugging some heartstrings! The dealer that has it asks top money, but the car are right. Just checked the MOT history, and it had a few failures on it's first MOT at 3 years old... nothing sinister though. I've never seen a Tipo cross either!

This is the local one,, might be nosey. Developed by Renaultsport seemingly... I think I may be too tall for them..

I saw one today, and have been browsing.. A dealer locally has one in for sale, in a rather nice spec. Autocar likened it to a modern X1/9... 😆

Today's infatuation is the Renault Wind. Help.

More for the missus. She's gone from working in a care home, to doing care at home. Most of her home visits are 5-10 mins away with 45 mins or so in between, which doesn't do a Diesel much good. Cold start, drive a mile.. cold start drive a mile 5 times a day. DPF's dont like this.

Not you that's got the C5 and 2 C6's just along the road is it? The CX would complete the madness!

Been browsing for a new daily for a few weeks now. Our lives have changed a bit since I bought the Focus, so have been looking for a smol petrol car, about five grand ish. OR a sub 1k smoll petrol car that will hit the ground running.. i.e a bit of MOT and ready to rely on. HAH. Got finance in place, but need to liquidate the Focus. Can't be arsed with selling it so tried WBAC etc. Came back at 3k+ which would sort me out no probs. Filled in the form again, being brutally honest, stonechips, few marks, oil change light on, couple of wheels need looking at..... £1500 minus fees etc. For that I'll keep it and spend 2 or 3 hunner on it and make it minty again. Its a good motor, does 55MPG, hasn't put a foot wrong in 3 years and is very handy. I'm just a bit wobbly about Diesel going forward. My spec is very rare, but the few I've seen on Autotrader are 6k+ Went to see a Smol Fiat today, marked up at a dealers at £5995! older than the Focus, but half the miles. Stuffed in the corner of a dodgy yard, a bit green,flat tyre,obviously painted front bumper, and worst of all, a smashed rear window. Also £4995 in the ad. Over to Marketplace and Gumtree.. nothing.. NOTHING that was ready to put to use straight away for under a grand, even if I'd travel a bit. No CAT, No MOT. Just needs... No time or I'll MOT it and sell it for 2k.. been off the road.. barn find.. was my late dads project car.. Scrap valu is 600..... No offers... I'm seriously looking at e-bikes.

Best bridge in the world! My Ex transist and my ex Strom..

Checking your aircon to upsell.. moving seats fastening seat belts and using light switch all part of the MOT 😄, having lights on along with every other electrical device can sometimes sneak a car through its emissions though! I can't believe how much Kwik Fit branches vary, depending on the manager...

I've never known KF to charge for a retest, and I worked for them! Edit.. just checked and its a thing, never knew that!

This fella deserves something, not sure what but he should be rewarded. Noticed a wheelbarrow in the garden, probably for his bollocks.

Happy to come and point at stuff for a bit if you get stuck, don't give up!

@rainagain Can you feel the notchyness with the front jacked up and moving the steering lock to lock from the wheel? Wheel balance wouldn't make the steering notchy,or make the wheel shake over bumps, subframe would have to be hanging off to give these symptoms, as probably would the wishbones. Rule out in order of seriousness/ amount of work twisted tyre Coil spring broken- check top and bottom of both springs carefully. Top mounts.. remove the track rod end from the hub and move wheel lock to lock, should be smooth,quiet and notch free Inner and outer CV joints and shaft bearing on long shaft

My SLK did this with the BCM, caused by the fan inside the fusebox seizing, which shorted the BCM and I lost roof, windows,locks and alarm. What did the ECU repair company say and what did the circuit that blew control? Unplug Everything the ECU controls and see how it affects the throttle. Then plug things in 1 by 1. If there is more than 1 plug into the ECU, start here..

I think you press button 1 and 3, and you can have it off with ignition or not..? Now you've removed the fuse you'll need the code to put it on again?

You weren't reading the daily mail on the toilet were you? This can raise your blood pressure to dangerous levels..

Just been reading that fatigue and fainting are the newest covid symptoms now.. I was certainly weak but never actually flaked out. I suppose they ruled this out first?

I always put a Xantia diesel battery in my X1/9's. Fitted perfectly and gave the starter a bit more oomph, especially after sorting the earths and the brown wire mod..

Got Covid for the first time this past week.. fuck me, it was not nice.. proper floored me and I dont get ill.. still worked through it but trying to lift a 20 kg towbar with one hand and put a bolt in with the other, lying on my back in the pissing rain whilst coughing and with a thumping headache made me question my sanity.. Today is the first day in about 10 I'm not misfiring and the EML isn't glowing. Thank fuck!

Seat Marbella/ Fiat Panda. Seat had a sloping front end, and never got the FIRE engine or the Omega rear end.

Being on twatter earlier, got me thinking of a fred for the dark nights. Spot the difference. List all the differences between 2 cars that share a body shell but have a different name, like a Mitsubishi Lancer/ Proton. Mazda 323/Sao Penza. I'll kick off with my favourite. Mk1 Cavalier/ Opel Ascona B. Cavalier sportshatch/ Opel Manta. Scrapyard memories, old photies, all welcome. I broke my nose taking an Ascona steering wheel off in the scrappies to fit to my Mk1 Cavalier 2dr which I was making into an Ascona 400... the rear bumper was different on them.