Car Trek

[eddyramrod]

I take precisely no responsibility for the Blazer's plates; that's how I bought it.  Had I been keeping it I'd have hunted down the correct-size plinth and put it on US-size plates!

[cms206]

Christ those Tacuma things are awful. They were popular as taxis round here for a bit but roadtax and fuel put paid to most. Guaranteed 112% future shite. Well bought!

[eddyramrod]

Economy?  Probably slightly behind my 406, also a 2.0, so I can live with that.  Tax?  It came with 6 months included, which was very nice, as it's more than double the 4.3-litre Blazer!  Bloody hell!  However, Mrs R now qualifies for free road tax (disabled) so come December, that's what will happen.  Futureshite?  Oh absolutely!  That was a tiny bell in the back of my mind; a joyful sound.  Awful?  Well I haven't had to buy any parts for it yet so must reserve judgement, but it's physically quite small, so nimble enough round town, and has been very comfy so far.  I'm sure the combination of a 2.0 engine, auto box and smallish body help in general.  Haven't been very far in it yet though, ask me again when we've done a roadtrip somewhere.

[skattrd]

Eddy, can't you apply for the free tax now and cash the current tax in?

[eddyramrod]

I did think of that, a couple of ton in my hand would have been very nice, but reading the various docs, it seems I can only change taxation class when the tax is due for renewal.  Or, presumably, if I was registering an untaxed car and needing to tax it.  The dealer said he'd include 6 months in the sale, so I just accepted it.  He can take the overpriced hit.  When the renewal comes in, I'll play the DLA card and get the changeover done.  I should have the V5 by then too!

[hairnet]

gotta love tat swap tat for tat

 

love it

 

day wooo not too jucie tastic is it??

[hairnet]

*drops his cheese at the road tax*

[eddyramrod]

*drops his cheese at the road tax*

You and me both.  This is one reason I resisted buying a modern for so long: taxation by emissions group.  Who the fuck decided these groupings, and the criteria by which each car fits in each group?  Tell me how a modern, relatively efficient four-pot should be taxed at more than twice the rate of a horribly inefficient 4.3 litre V6, with four wheel drive yet!  Won't somebody think of the kittens????

Anyway it won't matter when the renewal comes.  I'd rather be claiming a free disc by virtue of my car's age though.  Which should be 25 years rolling...

[eddyramrod]

I had to have a little repair done on the Cherry's rear silencer for MoT, back in the summer.  Spot of welding, easily accomplished by a competent garage, but obviously with no guarantees.  Well now I'm going to have to order a new silencer, as the box has split along the seam.  It's rather too noisy now, so I'm using the Tacuma as my daily, which is awfully seductive.  Bit skittish at speed though, doesn't feel very well-planted on the road unlike, say a Volvo 740, which feels more solid than the road!

Today I was subjected to temptation on the way home from work, in the form of a 2002 MG ZS V6, in red.

Must... resist!

[eddyramrod]

You may remember me having a Grump about popping a tyre the other day.  Well we all like photos, don't we?

Spacesaver in place:

Dead tyre:

Dead brace:

I've put a 4-way spider in the car now.

 

[chaseracer]

Eddy, in the unlikely event that anyone's heading from the Midlands to Cumbria this week, I have a decent tyre in that size that you can have gratis and for free...

[eddyramrod]

That's most kind sir!  I'll be glad to accept it, whenever it gets here, as this car is supposedly a keeper.  I'm very seriously thinking of getting my hands on another alloy, if I can; now I needn't worry about it having a good tyre on.

I've already been stung for 65 notes for a new tyre to replace the scrapper.  But again, it'll be here a while, it's worth doing.  I only replaced the whole set last August, they haven't done 5000 miles yet.

[UltraWomble]

Tthis car is supposedly a keeper. 

[Jim Bell]

I approve of the space raider being colour coded.

[hairnet]

id rofl if it was the vectra but as it isnt i wont

 

65 quid fuck is it guaranteed fix for life gold plated - bought one for civic and it was 35 fitted ffs

 

amazed you snapped the lever

[UltraWomble]

 

 

amazed you snapped the lever

Im not, modern ones seem to be made of cheese - the remains of the Cit one inthe middle here....

[twosmoke300]

Those extending bars are the work of the devil . The socket is too deep and the angle wrong so they just twists itself off the bolt if its a tight one and you need to stand on it.

[UltraWomble]

True, but it managed to free the bolt that the stock Citroen one waved bye bye on.

I do have a spider brace somewhere, but buggered if I know where.

[beko1987]

I acquired one of those extending wheel braces when the aa contractor left it in the footwell of the zx after dragging me off the m25. Is bloody good tbh, although I keep my breaker bar with a 17mm socket on in the boot for wheel nut undoing.

[eddyramrod]

It's entirely possible that this car might be seen around Skegness next week.  You can't miss it, it's got an AS dealer sticker in the back window.  If you spot me, come and say hello!

[eddyramrod]

Well... what a day that was!  In a couple of weeks, this thread is going to gain a tag.  For Sale, or Roffle, depending on interest.  We've taken the proverbial deep breath and ordered a Motability car.  This means the Tacuma will be available.  I know you haven't heard much about it in the five and a half years it's been with me, but that's only because it hasn't done anything to write about.  It just keeps going!  It's actually a great little car.

 

£295 or a fiver a pop for Roffle.

[Jim Bell]

At that money there will probably be a queue to buy it outright man. Bargain.

[Jim Bell]

Saying that, 24, 02, 05 and 07 pls

.

[mercrocker]

Good luck, Eddy.....An acquaintance of mine with a litany of shite to his name (big Farinas, Saab 99s, Mk1 Polo) has decided after many years of uncomfortable mobility problems to take up the medically-advised Motability scheme.   He has since began amassing an impressive die-cast collections - so beware!

[eddyramrod]

That's the kind of side effect I can cope with!

[eddyramrod]

Tacuma's been in dock today.  Last week it started smelling strongly of raw petrol, so I asked one of my local garages to have a look.  Seems the culprit was the original-spec (and most likely, simply original!) metal-bodied fuel filter.  The metal body had rotted enough to allow a jet of petrol out when the engine was running.  Oh how splendid.  Anyway it's fixed now, £40 later.  Malcolm didn't specify but I suspect he fitted a used filter that he had around him, which is fine by me.  And would have been fine even if I was keeping it.

So, it should smell relatively clean now.