Lord Sterling's fleet of failure - Goodbye Micra 😢

[Lord Sterling]

37 minutes ago, Angrydicky said:

That Sterling is Hot with a capital H! Any interior shots so I can perve over that beige leather and wood?

Thanks, it looks a bit sad now having been forgotten about for a long while. Here are some interior shots I took way back when it was in full use. The seats really are as comfortable as they look:

Apart from new sills, a new radiator and general recommissioning work, it looks like it'll need a new alternator too now.

[Angrydicky]

Oh it's got that gorgeous deep pile red carpet as well! ?

That is one seriously lovely car. I've definitely warmed to the MK2 800 over the last few years (would have to be a saloon for me though). The KV6 does scare me though! Mostly due to the access issues when any work needs doing.

[EssDeeWon]

1 hour ago, Angrydicky said:

The KV6 does scare me though! Mostly due to the access issues when any work needs doing.

Lovely things, far more hardy than most people give them credit for, in 5 years mine has needed a battery, an engine mount and a radiator hose (hose split when I was parking at the Co-Op in Wakering High Street last May).   The belts, well yeah but thats a job for the garage any day of the week.  Sound lovely when started cold and dropped into drive under load.  Very brisk too. 

That is a lovely Rover you have LS, love these 800 Sterlings.

[Lord Sterling]

They're great cars. I kept this one because its been pretty hardy, it doesn't seem to let go of life as easily as some others. It's starting to look a bit frilly around the edges right now so needs attention.

It still drives beautifully. The KV6 sounds lovely when accelerating, I never get tired of that sound.  This car has seen me good in some of the difficult times I've gone through in the recent past.

[Cooper1]

EPIC!

My dad had a 1995 820SLI auto "N616WOH" loved it, comfy as hell and being a fastback was the best looking Rover ever made IMO.. ? 

 

Weirdly that is the only car i can remember vividly, Dad had XJ40's and RRC's but the car he remembers best is the Rover, a great drive too.. 

 

Wouldn't mind one myself.. 

[Billy - Medhurst]

[Billy - Medhurst]

[Tadhg Tiogar]

There is a similar Rover 800 living quietly on a property between Sarratt and Belsize. I sometimes hack past it on my horse. Hasn't been on the road in years. Used to be hidden under a tarpaulin, but is now exposed for all to see.

[Lord Sterling]

14 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

There is a similar Rover 800 living quietly on a property between Sarratt and Belsize. I sometimes hack past it on my horse. Hasn't been on the road in years. Used to be hidden under a tarpaulin, but is now exposed for all to see.

If you can get a pic that would great!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

35 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

If you can get a pic that would great!

This is where it is. Google Maps photo was taken when the tarpaulin was still intact, but I rode past a couple of weekends ago, and it is now open to the elements. I will try to take a photo if my horse agrees to stand still!

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Update for Lord Sterling, to take the mind off financial hardship at least for a while. 

This afternoon, the hack route finally took the horse and myself past that house. "Spring Cottage, Under The Heavens" is what the place is called. 

I am pleased to report that oul Bill halted quietly for long enough to allow me to take this shot:

Hopefully the numberplate is clear enough to let you make the usual enquiries as to its spec. What I can definitely tell you is that this particular example hasn't seen the road in at least five years, and quite possibly a lot longer than that. 

[Lord Sterling]

Yep...errrm.....ah....

Since I last updated this thread, we have been HIT by the WUHAN_CLAN virus so I really haven't had much to talk about (as if I ever did) and remained indoors due to the fact that I got slightly ill too. I'm better now though. 

The other day, I woke up to what was to be yet another boring day at home. More re-runs of Top Gear challenges on 'Dave' and Red Bull Soapbox races. But as I switched on my phone, I found a mate had texted me, quite a few times as they seem to have a habit of send one word texts at a time instead of making up a whole sentence and sending it all in one. Who knows..... ?

The gist of the text was asking me if I wanted to buy a car for £Very_Very_Cheapz. I'd earnt a bit of pin-money just before I got ill so still had it rolling about for emergencies. A few questions later and I'd reluctantly agreed to buy it. Worst come to worst I'd could scrap it for what I paid.

The buy:

A Peugeot 406 on first (sun in eyes) view. It was apparent that it hadn't been looked after. My mate needed to get rid because of his brothers' penchant for buying Toyota Avensis' crashing them and then parkong them up on the driveway, he was up to 3 cars with 2 x Avensis' and some small current runabout. My mate is a taxi man and the Peugeot came to him as a quick money-spinner but then home pressures forced him to make a quick decision on it, it was due to be scrapped if I'd refused the offer.

The Pug had been owned by a heavy smoker and it showed (and smelt) so much so that tar has built up on everything that the driver previously touched including the windows. YUK ?

I handed over the money, signed papers and set off for the nearest car wash and vac. At the vac place was one of those "fragrance" machines that sprays fresh "fragrance" into the car.

After a half-arsed wash in the only car wash I could was open the car was looking a bit fresher, but only a bit mind...

I advertised it here and it sold within an hour or so. I didn't realise this was so popular!

Driving it about revealed some problems; in 1st and 2nd it was massively glacial, in fact it was dangerously slow. Going up hills was almost dangerous at the lack of power it had. Something was up and needed to be investigated.

The keys presented to me included a badly taped-up key with a shell of a fob (no buttons or innards) and a fob that didn't work and was missing a key.

The drivers window worked when it wanted.

After some more MUCH needed cleaning (the inside windows were brown from smoke, they have now been all cleaned) I got to work on finding out what was causing the slow running/limp mode etc...

The engine revealed a breather pipe that was disconnected from something, reattaching it saw off the limp mode and it was now running much better, the Peugeot felt much freer easily gaining speed up hill.

With some fettling of the keys, I made one good keyfob out of a key on an empty shell and a working fob that was missing a key. Replacing the battery in the fob saw it re-awake the remote fob:

I watched a video about removing and cleaning the contacts on the drivers side window switch, pretty much the same deal as the Vectra; Disconnect and remove switchpack from door, disassemble switchpack from buttons, clean contacts, reassemble switchpack, reconnect and test switchpack then refit to door card. Simples.

The boot got tidied up and all spare wheel-well items put back properly. Now all is better and the 406 is ready for its new owner.

[Rod/b]

On 3/9/2020 at 3:52 AM, Billy - Medhurst said:

I think it’s compulsory that at least one photo of every remaining 800 has to feature my friend Alex

[hairnet]

slo mo motors inc

 

[Lord Sterling]

On 3/22/2020 at 8:39 PM, Tadhg Tiogar said:

Update for Lord Sterling, to take the mind off financial hardship at least for a while. 

This afternoon, the hack route finally took the horse and myself past that house. "Spring Cottage, Under The Heavens" is what the place is called. 

I am pleased to report that oul Bill halted quietly for long enough to allow me to take this shot:

Hopefully the numberplate is clear enough to let you make the usual enquiries as to its spec. What I can definitely tell you is that this particular example hasn't seen the road in at least five years, and quite possibly a lot longer than that. 

Excellent man! Cheers!

Yep, this one is definately a Sterling. A 2.5 KV6 Sterling, just like mine. Interestingly it has the 16" 5-spoke Rover alloys rather than the usual "dustbin lid" luxury alloys. Thst might have been a dealer option or a later addition.

DVLA says this hasn't seen an MOT since 2011. It looks as sad as mine does:

Seeing as the Peugeot is happier I'll need to turn my attention to this soon.  Give it a wash, pump up the tyres properly.

[Lord Sterling]

Wow. I actually did some physical activity today. 

The Rover was looking abandoned, unclean and neglected. After doing some shopping, washing the Vectra, and generally pottering about Worcestershire I came back with a worrying determination.

I set out with a bucket of warm water, watering can of cold water, leather cloth, and Vectra with a cleaning kit in it. All this sounds professional but believe me, it isn't.

I started by chucking warm water full of car shampoo at it and attacking the dirt and grime with a brush, the mould and crap didn't give much of a fight when scrubbed, but it did dry off fairly quickly, so I had to work quickly, despite my best efforts, the car still had white after-wash marks all over it. So I bust out some polish and got to work, one panel at a time. All the tyres got pumped up as well;

Cleaner and polished:

It still isn't great, the photos flatter it massively. It really needs a blast of a powerful Karcher, proper cut and polish job to get it looking decent, it still needs the sills welding, a new radiator and a new alternator. But at least it no longer looks abandoned. 

I also re-did the headlights on the Vectra as they were starting to go cloudy again. I took some T-cut and my small hand-held polisher and gave the headlights a good going over as I hadn't done properly beforehand. I also polished and sealed the lights. Whether this helps I don't know, I'll bet I'll need to be doing them again in a couple of months.

I've also been offered a 2005 1.6 Zafira for £cheaps so I'll update the thread if I get it.

[Split_Pin]

800s are really handsome motors and the interior in this one looks tremendous. Hopefully it will be on the road again soon.

[hairnet]

On 4/15/2020 at 1:18 AM, Lord Sterling said:

 

 rather than the usual "dustbin lid" luxury alloys.

 

 

rover bottletops innit?

[hairnet]

1 hour ago, Lord Sterling said:

despite my best efforts, the car still had white after-wash marks all over it.

 

 

 

pervert :D

[Lord Sterling]

I did it!

I finally did it. I have sink below the lowest depths I can get. I have bought a...

Vauxhall Zafira A !!!???

Yes folks. I can now face down those of the sink estate with my head held high, preferably in a baseball cap, a can of larger in one hand and some techno-grime blasting through its speakers whilst cruising through its natural environment:

'What engine ?' I hear you shout. A 1.6 petrol in 'Design' guise. I'm not entirely sure what you get with that in all honesty, not a lot by the looks of it.

It actually drives really nice and tightly, I was expecting some sort of bagginess but I'm hard pressed to find any. The engine is pretty peppy, it pulls quite quickly and efficiently. The steering seems a bit 'sudden'. You know if you've tipped the steering a bit too much as the whole body tells you.

Now I seem to be going the wrong way in terms of vehicular choice. From a the luxuries of a Mercedes E280 estate to the badge snobbery of a BMW 3-series, to a Vauxhall Zafira. Hmmm..... they've got newer, but less desirable.

Anyway, after bringing it back I decided it needed washing. A quick trip to the local petrol station saw it looking a tad better. The interior was still grubby so I gave the plastics a wipe over with some dash restorer and an old microfibre cloth. The seats need treatment, the usual scrubbing of persil in some warm water might help but thats a job for tomorrow. Removing (and binning) the horrid plastic mats revealed a faint whiff of 'unwashed person' smell. Some toxic car fabric spray I had in my cleaning tool bag will disapate that I think.

The radio doesn't work (I'd like an original Vauxhall one if I can get it) and it came with one key as all the Vauxhalls that have passed by my hand have. At the moment I am replacing the battery on the key to revive the remote central locking.

Bodily its terrible, the rear passenger door has a lower bash to it. It has various minor dings and scrapes as you'd expect from a car of this age and class.

All electrics work, windows and mirrors, central locking works and its now a bit cleaner. Some mats have been ordered and...er...thats it really.

I think I might keep it for a month or so. I know a couple of people who might needs some wheels so the intention is to lend it out and when it returns, see from then. I may just sell it. I love the Vectra still. 

 

[Cookiesouwest]

Zaffy A is a brilliant car. Does everything you would ever need a car to do, except off roading. I had a 2.0 dti for three years. Left the fleet late last year and I still miss it.

They handle well, which was a huge surprise. I think they are great and would have another.

[Lord Sterling]

Yeah, they're actually a nice little drive. Based on the Astra which I equally turn my head to.

Anyway, looks like the remote central locking ain't happening:

Ah...

Where the screw driver is pointing to is where the solder has broke away from the battery terminal. Ah well ?

[Daviemck2006]

The 1.6 petrols are the ones that spontaneously burst into flames. My friends one, 1.6 design 05 plate did 7 months ago anyway.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

[Lord Sterling]

1 hour ago, Daviemck2006 said:

The 1.6 petrols are the ones that spontaneously burst into flames. My friends one, 1.6 design 05 plate did 7 months ago anyway.

Thats the Zafira B. This is the Zafira A.

[Daviemck2006]

Thats the Zafira B. This is the Zafira A.

Her one was the exact same as that one. I dont know which one has that reputation, I just know hers self combusted at a set of traffic lights after a 40 mile drive.

Sent from my SM-T585 using Tapatalk

[hairnet]

you are slowsilver II aicm£5

 

[320touring]

Yo LS! Good to see you back on these pages

yon Zaf looks a canny purchase - despite all the usual AVAS hoohah, I've found them to be generally competent and straightforward anytime I have encountered them.

Assuming it's mechanically ok, you've got an interesting and practical car there. I think of this model as being "Vauxhall's Espace", as it was really the first compact 7 seater MPV I can remember. At the time you really only had the Citroen Picasso as a rival for space (but only 5 seats), VW didn't launch the Touran until a couple of years later.

I'd fancy a shot of the GSI for some understeery boosty fun - 189bhp is not to be sniffed at:)

 

I look forward to seeing you work your usual magic (and deployment of the all important mats!)

[Split_Pin]

Good work on these, looks like dependable transport there and plenty of room. I'll always have time for a Vauxhall, all mine have served me well.

It's definitely the Zafira B that has the fire problem although they look almost identical. They have CANBUS wiring if I recall correctly, yours doesn't.

Enjoy!

[Lord Sterling]

7 hours ago, Daviemck2006 said:

Her one was the exact same as that one. I dont know which one has that reputation, I just know hers self combusted at a set of traffic lights after a 40 mile drive.

Zafira Bs are the ones that self combust. The changeover of Zafira A to B was around 2005. Mine is an A. Bs self combust.

1 hour ago, 320touring said:

Yo LS! Good to see you back on these pages

your Zaf looks a canny purchase

I look forward to seeing you work your usual magic (and deployment of the all important mats!)

Cheers man. Yeah I think it's temporary thing.  I'll lend it out for a bit and sell as I've too many cars hanging about at the moment. Mats bought and some more cleaning will ensue tonight after work.

[beko1987]

I did like amys old Zafira B, it just felt right. Never driven an A but I imagine it's nice and easy and inoffensive to drive! And cheap to fettle and keep going! Just mind parts, I found the B more vectra than astra for parts, imagine the A might have the same, especially brakes and stuff