Rusty_Rocket

The locking rings are perfectly round with two small notches in them, no hex for a socket to grip onto. Very difficult to turn with screwdrivers/ circlip pliers without damaging the surroundings. I usually just struggle with them as there's at least two different sizes and I'm too tight to buy the proper tools!

That's the spitting image of my one (but mine was still a minibus). Doesn't look like it has power sliders (mine did..) which is a good thing, they go wrong and parts to repair are very expensive. Does it have the rear heater/ air con? I think it does, it's the centre switch in the middle of the dash. Nice to have, but usually don't work. The nice thing about a Shuttle or Caravelle is that you have decent spec, decent trim and insulation as standard. They're streets ahead of a builder's van. Car speed limits, too, as you say. I wouldn't discount it because of the engine, just keep on top of it.

The 2.5 engined T5s drive really nicely... but that engine can be a liability. It is very difficult to work on as there is no space; pretty much anything requires the whole front to be removed, which is a ballache. I had a 345k Shuttle LWB with the 2.5 AXD engine. It used a litre of oil every few hundred miles (which is to be expected, given the mileage) but there was always something wrong with it, even on bits that had done a quarter of the mileage/ already been replaced. Common maladies- The camshaft wears, which causes major issues. The injectors fail or sink into/ destroy the cylinder head. The non-dpf ones need a ridiculous (expensive, hard to find) oil. The 6-speed box kills the inner drive shaft stub axles, there is a modification out there to fix this now. The water pump leaks internally into the engine as it's gear driven, like the cam shaft etc. A lovely design in theory, but in practice, awkward to access. Turbos, tandem fuel pumps etc etc all crap out. I would have another one, they go very well, do 30mpg and feel 'proper' but you'd want to see lots of receipts for maintenance and be aware, it will cost plenty to keep going. Also, they sound rougher than any diesel engine ever made.

Looks pretty decent! A dual row 2.5 is the safest bet of course, enjoy!

Nice to see them factory fresh! I see 'AKO' has no MoT history online, so presumably off the road before 2006, no surprise really. Still on SORN, so maybe out there somewhere? Those early 12" wheel cars really were the worst for rust...

Yes... white vinegar, watered down, maybe 50/50 and put on a cloth. Rub this over the mould and it will remove it, leaving it less likely to come back. My Boxster is ok, but the Mini Cooper gets really bad inside during its winter rest.

I do exactly the same. Except I'm not moving house, I'm just tight saving my precious oil for when the weathers freezing! Room 'stat showing 15c this morning, so not too bad... Good luck with the new place!

Get a Kangoo! The 1.5 Dci is reliable and good on fuel and the vans are nice to drive. We only get the commercial variants here now, but I'm sure in other markets the mpv-type one (Grand Kangoo?) was available for longer than in the UK.

Sounds amazing! Well done!

Sorry to see the damage on the Opel The steering column has sheared because they were trying to break the steering lock by wrenching the wheel round. The column shearing has most likely saved the car. I guess they took the steering wheel with them to remove any fingerprints. It may well be sitting in a hedgerow somewhere! Good luck with the repair.

Lion batteries are absolutely terrible. I buy, on average, one car battery a forthight (particularly in the winter) and the amount of Lion batteries I've had to return far outnumber any other make. When you have a customer on their way to collect their shiny new (old!) car and the flippin battery you fitted last week has already turned its toes, things start wearing a little thin. I guess we bought maybe twenty ECP 'specials' before I learnt my lesson and now go elsewhere. In fact, I don't buy anything from ECP any more apart from clutches. They are normally cheapest for genuine Sachs/ LUK parts.

Love it! Plug leads are the wrong way round?

Has anyone had a potential buyer bounce each corner of the car to 'test the shock absorbers' recently?! I'd hope that ended in 1997 when Count Quentin published his last buyer's guide. I seem to remember they were the type to find a slightly worn damper (£15 back then) but totally miss the holes in the sills and knocking engine!

Very nice upgrades!

Yes! I had an (in English) email from them saying the same this morning. Not sure if it's real or not.