GagaStan

I can’t remember, is it an auto? My auto BX used to do this, I never cured it but I had a suspicion it was the gear selector inhibitor switch, if I jiggled the gear selector it started right up

Would there be access under the rear seat base?

My 106 was somehow still running on this extremely manky dizzy cat and rotor - how?!?? Enjoying much smoother running after replacing both, hoping for better fuel economy too 😁

The BX has been running absolutely beautifully, apart from some very light clonkage from a drip link (I think??) - she even returned a best ever 36mpg on a run. Nice to know that's possible, given I've only been getting about 25mpg around town 😩 But today, I decided to tackle something that's been annoying me - a consistent chirping from the passenger side blower fan. I had been managing* this by simply unplugging the electrical connector, but this caused the remaining operational blower to blow only half its air into the cabin, and the other half back outside through the other, stationary fan... Less than ideal for demisting purposes. SO, the time came to start disassembly in the bulkhead area. (^spot the terrible job someone did gluing the headlight back together...) With the offending fan out, and the plastic clamshell unclipped, I sprayed plenty of PTFE lube and hey presto, the squeak is gone! With the bulkhead clear, I decided to vacuum out all the built up leaves and detritus. Paging @beko1987 for some hot Kirby action... But what I didn't do, was remember to retrieve a clip that had fallen while I was removing everything. So, with an almighty CRACK it was sucked up, somehow made it through the fan, and up into the vacuum bag. Amazingly, neither the clip nor the vacuum fan were broken in the process! It was easily retrieved from the bag, so all is now ready to be put back together tomorrow. Another tinkering win - now to get someone in to see just how knackered/leaky the A/C is...

Honda Fit Aria JDM saloon version of the mk1 Honda Jazz. And if anyone else thought it’d be a challenge to create a good looking saloon from a Jazz, you’d be dead right… A few of them grey imported to NZ, I’m fascinated. Most have beige crushed velour upholstery (drool) and come with the option of a rear wiper (saloon rear wiper, double drool)

Car 7 is a Toyota Origin? 2JZ powaaaaaaa bro

My sister and brother-in-law had a 2005 (kamm-tail) Prius, an ex-taxi as far as we knew. Grey-imported from Japan, it was still going strong at 450,000km. Comfortable, spacious, fantastically economical in hilly Wellington where most cars get shite mileage - regen braking really came into its own on the downhill. Only gotten rid of as the battery pack, original as far as we know, went kaput and the owner of the car (BIL’s employer) didn’t want to repair. A shame, as the rest of the car was absolutely fine and wore its miles well. Toyota really know how to make a durable car, at least where the roads aren’t salted. I loved it for being a big fat middle finger to all the hybrid-hating, “untested technology” crowd. All the way to the end it would do 70mpg on a run.

The Fleet this morning. Golf is sold awaiting pickup this weekend, Rio is misfiring and needs a coil, BX is leaking less LHM out but more rainwater in (must finish garage shelves so it can go back under cover) and the Jazz just soldiers on giving 47mpg and being 99% the amount of car we actually need!

Diagnosis complete - all it needs is a coil, phew. Going to replace all four to avoid the others giving up the ghost in sequence... and give it a service too. Robert's your mother's brother and reliable motoring will be restored!

I'd agree, this is exactly it. It's off an '07 Kia Rio, which I believe at the time was one of the cheapest news card you could buy here in NZ. So no surprises that the previous owners didn't want to pay (what they'd consider to be) "over the odds" for servicing... If an oil and filter change is 'full service' for some garages, what the hell is a standard service? Park it in the forecourt for a few hours and take the money? 🤣

That is GRIM, although by the state of this one I wouldn't be surprised if it's original from 2007 🤢

Why does nobody ever change these?? At least now I know why the blower fan felt a bit asthmatic…

New shite acquired. 2007 Kia Rio 1.6 pez automatic - was going great until it developed a misfire an hour from home. Maybe it's just trying to be a 3 cylinder 'cos it knows I love them... Hopefully will be more reliable in service. Seems like a nice little motor, the slushbox is actually very nice and it even has a dipstick! None of this sealed for life crap. Does 2500rpm at 100km/h (60mph) so cant complain about that. Hopefully just needs an ignition coil and isn't completely farked. We'll see.

Not even yet for sale, but I know I'll regret buying it. Peugeot 306 cabrio, navy metallic with tan leather upholstery. My coworker is selling it for buttons on behalf of his FiL, and its been so well looked after. The owner is a serial Pug licker who's too old to get in and out now. I know I'll never see another in such good condition. BUT i have nowhere to put it, new house so plenty of projects to do, already have a 'fun car' in my BX... please tell me I shouldn't do it... please...

Looks amazing! I’ve always lusted after one of these (serious) but they’re completely unobtainium down here. Truly the thinking man’s family car, well bought indeed! Have fun with your sexy single pantograph wiper action 😎

Everything that’s needed doing has been simple enough so far, that’s not to say I haven’t buggered up a couple of things along the way… I’m sure something completely mean and nasty is in store for me now 😉

Great winnage with the BX today. I had noticed a warm breeze pretty constantly at my feet, even with the heater on cold and pointed at your face. It got worse with the window down too. so I had a wee look around in the drivers footwell and found that the steering column grommet had been pushed all the way through past the firewall - surely this was the source of my overwarm tootsies, dear reader! I managed quite easily to pull the thing back through and get it properly seated on the firewall, held in place properly by the groove in the rubber. and we have a result! No more undesirable warm breeze on my be-sandalled toes, a boon in the summer weather down here. but best of all - an unexpected but perhaps but unsurprising difference - the cabin is now significantly and noticeably quieter, with the engine bay now fully separated from the cabin! Very pleased with that, and for the grand price of zero dollars. Now for a beer.

Finally washed this beastie. And to pretty good effect!

I’d have to go with a ph1 Citroen Xsara. Maximum comfort and enjoyment to drive with minimum fuss. As big a car as I’d ever need, small enough for city use. Ride and handling combo that’s hard to beat. Aircon, good sound insulation, reliable fuel injected pezzers, non-multiplexed electrics, resistant to rotting. Flies completely under the radar, and is way more than the sum of its parts is a very 90s PSA kind of way. Oh, and make it an estate!

It’s great to be here!! Trying to think on some of the great NZ/French crossovers… rainbow warrior maybe? 🫣 also that saxo looks like it’d be a right hoot. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the flesh! Which part of this great land are you in?

The old 405 and some delightful infrastructure

Carpet is by no means pristine, but it’s somewhat presentable now. It looks like some pink coolant might’ve leaked from the heater tap in the past… Think I’ll be ordering some custom floor mats soon. at least the outside is still quite pretty!

Spent the afternoon trying to sop up the LHM that had soaked into the drivers carpet, from the leaking doseur. The underlay was the worst - it was completely saturated, and the LHM had done a good job dissolving some of the tarry black adhesive. Resulting in a delightful brown oil to try and remove. YUM With a combination of a wet vac, sugar soap solution, and a handful of old bath towels, I managed to get most of it out - or at least enough that my shoes won’t get stained driving it anymore.

Was up for 2k NZD. A bit of a bargain… it’s sold already!

No buy sadly. “Cambelt is fine, we did it 10 years ago m9” so that would need doing, plus a suspicious feeling clutch, creaks and clonks from the front end, two shot tyres, inop drivers leccy window… just didn’t add up. Plan is that it was for mr Gagastans new hour-each-way commute. But it is not to be. shame, because it’s so pretty and was so lovely to drive!