220SLi: Roverdue Maintenance

[HMC]

Glad to hear it did sterling service in Wales! Did your sister like her loan car?

[phil_lihp]

She did, for someone who 'doesn't like Rovers'.  The seats were apparently too soggy (blasphemy!) but it did sterling service while her i10 was being mended, never missed a beat and did nearly 1000 miles in a month by the look of it.  It now smells slightly of guinea pig (she helps with a rehoming charity and it's been carting cages and whatnot around) but is otherwise unscathed.  I even managed to mend the fan knob that 'fell off' during her tenure, although in fairness it had split apart internally.  A bit of glue sorted that.

[phil_lihp]

Oh, and I took it to a local tyre fitter to have the noisy exhaust checked, turns out it's not got any holes which is good but the MG Rover back box I bought from Rimmer Bros back when I first bought it in 2013 wasn't a good purchase, the baffles have gone.  It's solid and not overly loud though so it can stay for now.

[KruJoe]

I have a feeling these R8 seats come unclipped underneath.

The one I just sent off with John, and Vulg's 414 have identical trim, but my 216's seats feel much firmer. I know they're in good order as they were recently out for a good cleaning. In V's 414, you sit noticeably lower, on a softer base. And it's not the adjustment. Comfy though!

[phil_lihp]

Nah, these are fine, lovely and soft but plenty of support, still my favourite car seats ever.  She's just comparing them to the rock-hard pews in the Hyundai. 

[RobT]

I'm ashamed to say in my tenure all it got was an oil change and two new tyres. It was in fine fettle when you sold it to me so all I did was use and enjoy. I hope it stays in the AS family.

[phil_lihp]

Result!  New HT leads (the box said Unipart but they've got Lucas printed on them...) has made the world of difference.  It starts instantly, runs perfectly from cold and is definitely more responsive to drive, the drivetrain shunt I mentioned is noticeably reduced now too which was an unexpected bonus.

 

In fact, it's so much better now that, after a marvellous B-road hoon this afternoon keeping up with a brand new Prius being driven in a very un-Priusish way, I've decided to keep it for the time being and sell the Prelude instead.  Besides, I've spent too much on it now (again) so really ought to get some use out of it first.

[KruJoe]

I'm sure this is a very easy car to fall in love with, even second/third/fourth time around.

[phil_lihp]

Only 2nd!  I don't know what it is about this car, nobody else outside of this forum gets it at all but it really is just very good at everything.  The Honda is great but it's not really me and I have already had someone interested in it anyway.