Agila

Still cheaper than a new car!! Not that it will stop you looking!😂 No issues with excess smoke?

Mondeo went on ramp at 7am this morning !
No issues found.
Told him to take it for a blast and warm it up.
2nd attempt on ramp, yep both ! front bearings need replacement.
And the locking wheel nut key snapped, so its had to have all four lockers removed and replaced with normal bolts. Quite glad, as was going to change them anyway.
242 quid all in. 
Bit more than I bargained for, but was only expecting one bearing to be replaced.

How would sir like his rolls royce? ropey and having dodged the oval last year?
STEP THIS WAY



Its not for sale (yet) i need to make a nuisance of myself by breaking down in prominent locations etc whilst smoking a pipe first.
 

"He's one of your own. He's one of your own. Boris Johnson, he's one of your own"
Why are we all buying cows now? Nevermind I'll take 2 randoms even though I've no need or want or space and collection would be tricky on the train.
I've got the sister website set up....Cow shite.

"He's one of your own. He's one of your own. Boris Johnson, he's one of your own"
Why are we all buying cows now? Nevermind I'll take 2 randoms even though I've no need or want or space and collection would be tricky on the train.
I've got the sister website set up....Cow shite.

Timing belt, water pump, aux belt and coolant done on the forum bike Audi Cab today. The thermostat was also buggered so that was done too.
Including the car, for a total cost of less than £1500 I'm right pleased with this. My wife loves driving it too. Next jobs are get the locking wheel nuts removed, replace the arm rest, cupholder and driver seat base, plus a few paint touch ups.
After the New Year I'll replace the rocker cover as its leaking quite a bit, thankfully nowhere near the belts.
 

Nah. He's got the Zafira to keep him warm 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒🚒🚒🙏🤞

Nah. He's got the Zafira to keep him warm 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒🚒🚒🙏🤞

Nah. He's got the Zafira to keep him warm 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒🚒🚒🙏🤞

Nah. He's got the Zafira to keep him warm 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒🚒🚒🙏🤞

Nah. He's got the Zafira to keep him warm 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🚒🚒🚒🙏🤞

It's Sunday morning, the alarm rang at 6:30 and I'm on the train to Peterborough to view a car so rare that I'm not even sure whether the price I initially agreed on is reasonable or not. It will certainly be one of the cheapest to have come up for public sale in recent years.
The train ride should be straight forward as no train changes are necessary.

Sometimes life has a way of finding a balance. I've been recovering, in various ways, from stress over the past couple of years and it's weird how things pan out.
Being isolated and single and confused by life to finding a totally random and very nice person in real life and things just being chilled, for the most part.
Finding the ability to write and focus again thanks to a Chinese health therapist and that seemingly unlocking the 'learn Chinese skill' and also starting to cook for myself again by discovering how easy it is to make nice stir fry things, and listening to Chinese pop to help with parsing syllables and pronunciation - which manifested so much energy into the universe that it responded with a new long-term test car.

Unfortunately manifesting energy is a skill Gridserve has yet to learn. This is a return trip from Chesterfield to Doncaster which took me 2 1/2 hours because the Atto 3 dropped to 11 miles remaining and Woodall services chargers were out of action. The whole network was out of action due to payment issues. But nothing within range on Zap Map (also the BYD can lose that last percentage rapidly apparently).
Not the fault of the car at all. Yesterday I tried to charge but the 50kW chargers in Clay Cross were also out of action.
That experience - plus the car wanting a software update so I spent ages in Tesco trying to dredge a few kWh from the 7kW units there - pushed me back towards replacing the Pontiac after all.
Fate is interesting.
I lost money on the Pontiac, for sure, because it didn't suit what I wanted and I didn't get to enjoy it instantly. Such is life. But the way I see it is, the Pontiac cost me my Volvo 740 and the lost insurance.
The deposit for the Pontiac covers the lost insurance.
The balance of it in a brown paper envelope still on the desk covers a delivery from @Agila...

Which after chatting I figured I would have a look and if I didn't like it would just roffle as planned and not lose any money, also avoiding a trip to the bank. I checked insurance quotes first. They're fine.
Once I saw it and looked it over, I'd say it's better, really, than my yellow one was when I got it. I say that because when I got it, the owner sent me pictures of the rust on the rear arches, and them repairing the rust, so I knew what I was getting. This is pre-repair level but still good. Front wings are very good. Didn't dig super-deep but underneath is good, including the torque links. Interior is good and has electric seats. No AC, no problem. Roof works and is smooth, no clatter from the parcel shelf, no squeaks from the windows.
Gearbox/clutch feels good, steering is nice, nearly new Uniroyals on the front, decent history file, two keys.
Downside, the paint. Who cares. Paint doesn't stop it from working. But you'll see if I can make a difference to the overall ambiance of it anyway with a bit of attention...

That Carat Duchatelet rear spoiler is subtle and really rather nice.
But what made me really happy was this:

I owned my previous SLK from 2012 to 2018. This is a VERY familiar view for me and one that predates the psychopath that helped me ruin my life.
"Don't do what you normally do with cars, it's a cheap one, you could go nuts with it".

Yep. I could. But the way I see it, if I'd been offered this as a swap for the Volvo two months ago I'd have jumped on it, no hesitation. So yes, Adrian Flux made a few notes out of the shenanigans (and are losing a few more because hey, don't piss off motoring journalists who will never shut up about or forget the shitty attitude of companies) but I got to meet @brownnova, got to drive a Pontiac Trans Sport GT and look about inside one, learn a bit about a car I always wanted, then got to meet @Weird Car and @Agila AND I have an SLK back in my life.
And this is the best side of Autoshite, by far

I was very impressed with mine, pictured above. Particularly impressed with the roof - I expected rattles and wind noise, but you'd swear it was a coupe when it's shut. 

Because they are ace! Reliable and comfortable, grown into their looks. 
Not slow and don't handle badly.
Cheap and underated.

I'm similar, 2006 lexus rx350 but with even fewer mpg.
I don't suppose we'll have buyers lined up so I just enjoy it rather than face selling for peanuts.
Plus the Mrs likes it. If the road rent gets over a grand then it will definitely go.

SOLD! 

Viewed, tried to knock me down, left, messaged trying a higher offer, declined, messaged 2 mins later saying ok will pay asking price but goes away to the lakes tomorrow so can he collect Monday eve.. £200 deposit paid.
Happy days. Circa £2k profit and it’s done a great job for us for a couple of months 

Hi guys, its me. I pressed the nuclear button a few days ago, Its got nothing to to with any posts on this thread, but for me its a place to share our love of chod, and its a hobby. I aim to have fun, and share in your enjoyment of your cars too. Lifes short, eh?
Whats been going on chez HMC?
The limo collection has been arranged by the buyer. I wont say any more but its going to be an epic road trip!
The mexican beetle. 

Its got actual patina (aka knackered paint, damage , etc) but i felt immediately that the sprayed up duotone steels were trying too hard; so i painted them silver.

After filling up it was smelling very fuelly. I found out the petrol rank sender wasnt sealed properly so i got out the blue hylomar and that sorted it.
And the front plate had to go….


 
To celebrate i went for a drive….


 

 
 

Brilliant thread. Not everything is my cup of tea but it's always worth a look to see such variety.
Top work.

About a month ago, I sold my perfectly good Vectra SRi estate and bought the Mini, which in all honesty is completely unsuitable as a Dad of 3 kids.
Whilst the Mini isn’t going anywhere as I’ve always wanted one, I’ve now ditched my job as a road worker and returned as a Director in the care industry (which is my background) and this includes extensive travelling, so decided I needed something bigger for daily duties, although being based from home and getting paid mileage from home, petrol or diesel didn’t really make much difference.
Picked this up off a mate earlier - for 216k on the clock it drives cracking. It’s a 525d, MOT until January and I paid £700
 

This idiot is riding and driving uninsured and unregistered vehicles on the public highway.
Fuck him, and all those who do likewise. I hope he gets royally rogered for his efforts.

https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules
 
If the electric motor is more than 250w, or it can be powered electrically at more than 15.5mph, or it can be propelled without pedalling (a throttle control of some kind), then what you have there is a motorcycle and it must be registered as such, and taxed/Mot'd/Insured as such, and you must have the appropriate license for it to use it on the road. Its probably a moped, legally speaking - but might be an A1 motorcycle.
Like electric scooters, the shop can sell it perfectly legally but you ,absolutely, cannot ride it legally on the road without all of the above being in place.
 
Obey the law, like everyone else has to. Arsehole.

Good luck with the dog. 🤞

Removed rear wiper blade as it doesn't work and keeps blowing fuses. Won't replace it.
Needs two bulbs in the instrument cluster.
Removed back box heat shield as it was knocking a little bit. 
Partially removed tow bar and bumper protector plate. Easily put back, kept the electrics in place.
Removed stickers from window.
Update 8/8/23
Instrument cluster bulbs done, what a ball ache. Damaged some air vents (nevermind)
Could do with a rocker cover gasket
Knocking at rear is still pissing me off.
Slight weep from fuel tank seem.
All is fairly good at present.

Also bought all of the car magazines where this car features, 6 copies.