Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[Stanky]

Have you tried boiled linseed oil applied to the plastic with an old rag?

[Slowsilver]

1 minute ago, Stanky said:

Have you tried boiled linseed oil applied to the plastic with an old rag?

^^^ This. Works a treat. Much better than any bought trim stuff IMHO. Or try old-fashioned black shoe polish.
 

[Retr0naut]

38 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

I think this may be beyond back-to-black’s help.  I’ve done it three times now, and it just keeps fading to grey. I have no intention of polishing the whole beast, but tried the spoiler as that it quite visibly poor. Didn’t help much though. I have gelled the tyres though.

 

Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer might be worth considering for the trim...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gtechniq-C4-Permanent-Trim-Restorer-15ml-Car-Plastic-Dressing-Protection/323357345347

[richardmorris]

£20!  Ha! Ask the owner to stump up

 

i used the kickdown this morning on the way up the hill from wentworth on the a30. I am convinced I saw the fuel gauge needle quiver and drop a segment. 100 miles now.

ive already had the red light of doom though - on starting this morning the low coolant lit up. Looked fine, splashed a little in and it went off. Must be very sensitive.

[Retr0naut]

10 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

£20!  Ha! Ask the owner to stump up

Yes, it isn't the cheapest especially for a small bottle but lasts years rather than weeks if applied correctly ?

[Six-cylinder]

23 minutes ago, Retr0naut said:

Gtechniq C4 Permanent Trim Restorer might be worth considering for the trim...

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gtechniq-C4-Permanent-Trim-Restorer-15ml-Car-Plastic-Dressing-Protection/323357345347

Hold on chaps considering the condition of the rest of the XM's paintwork I think the Car Plan will do fine!

It is only the Visas that get the Wurth grey at £30 a tube!

[Six-cylinder]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

I think this may be beyond back-to-black’s help.  I’ve done it three times now, and it just keeps fading to grey. I have no intention of polishing the whole beast, but tried the spoiler as that it quite visibly poor. Didn’t help much though. I have gelled the tyres though.

 

Now if it rains you will have to cycle to work!

[dean36014]

It's such a shame as the Xm is such a decent drive and bob on mechanically. The paintwork however is another matter unfortunately.

[Six-cylinder]

Now for something completely different, this afternoon I had to go back to school to finish my education.

Milton Keynes Classic Car Club had arranged with a primary school to help them with a transport project they are working on. This afternoon a dozen cars turned out including me with our Metro. I did not take photos for obvious reasons but imagine the scene 70, 5-6 year olds mobbed us and asked important questions like where is the horn! A MX5 who could pop up its headlights on request cause some amusement. Next to me was a 2017 Challenger Hellcat in bright green the noise alone nearly knocked a child over when he started it!

A very pleasant afternoon and I hope it inspired them to work on their project and maybe later spark an interest in classic cars.

[Slowsilver]

52 minutes ago, Retr0naut said:

Yes, it isn't the cheapest especially for a small bottle but lasts years rather than weeks if applied correctly ?

For 20 quid I would expect it to last a lifetime and be applied personally by a liveried chauffeur ?.
Seems to be some confusion over the amount. Heading says 15ml, Dimensions says 30ml, which isn't even a dimension.
Boiled linseed oil and black shoe polish are both cheaper and better than any 'back to black' type stuff I have seen.
 

[Six-cylinder]

The Wurth tube is 75 ml. There are plenty of black choices but grey is more of a problem.

[richardmorris]

27 minutes ago, dean36014 said:

It's such a shame as the Xm is such a decent drive and bob on mechanically. The paintwork however is another matter unfortunately.

I think it’s caught leprosy from the allegro.

[richardmorris]

Pop up headlights amuse children. Hell, they amuse me!

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, Stanky said:

Have you tried boiled linseed oil applied to the plastic with an old rag?

Hang on, this isn’t my car. I am quite happy and willing to clean and polish. But making my house smell like a cricket locker room isn’t in the loan agreement ( crappy car rentals of Buckingham ).

[Six-cylinder]

34 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Hang on, this isn’t my car. I am quite happy and willing to clean and polish. But making my house smell like a cricket locker room isn’t in the loan agreement ( crappy car rentals of Buckingham ).

And you have got a good one!

The hirer agrees to return this vehicle to as new condition on return.

[Six-cylinder]

This morning I tried to start the Vitesse and after much trying have found there is no petrol coming from the pump so I have ordered a new one from Rimmers. I was surprised how cheap at £27.78 it was and hope it works ok and lasts 40+ years like the last one!

I have also spoken to my favourite garage who have the Sovereign S2 and it has now failed to start for them too. They believe it is the motor itself rather than power too it so deep breath and I have ordered a reconditioned one for it.

Time to start work, work proper now!

[GBJ]

8 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

This morning I tried to start the Vitesse and after much trying have found there is no petrol coming from the pump so I have ordered a new one from Rimmers. I was surprised how cheap at £27.78 it was and hope it works ok and lasts 40+ years like the last one!

I have also spoken to my favourite garage who have the Sovereign S2 and it has now failed to start for them too. They believe it is the motor itself rather than power too it so deep breath and I have ordered a reconditioned one for it.

Time to start work, work proper now!

Have you checked that the rubber tube from the top of the tank isn't split?

 

[Six-cylinder]

1 minute ago, GBJ said:

Have you checked that the rubber tube from the top of the tank isn't split?

 

Seems fine.

Funnily enough that is exactly what happened to my Citroen GS.

[GBJ]

6 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Seems fine.

Funnily enough that is exactly what happened to my Citroen GS.

It doesn't look very fine!

Don't forget that it won't be spurting fuel out if it leaks, it will be sucking air in.

 

[Six-cylinder]

4 minutes ago, GBJ said:

It doesn't look very fine!

Don't forget that it won't be spurting fuel out if it leaks, it will be sucking air in.

 

The Vitesse pipe was just very dusty so I gave it a wipe, it feels soft and rubbery.

This was my Citroen GS one and that did not leak petrol.

[richardmorris]

Had to tell another neighbour tonight that I hadn’t bought another car, but was just looking after it for an eccentric millionaire with a penchant for cars with scabies.

I did go and sit in it earlier to read the manual and it’s a nice place- a little like a large xantia ( I think the series 1 were a bit more weird, in a good way). I’ve done 100 miles so far and don’t like the gearbox, in fact I now remember why I didn’t buy a TCT Turbo several years ago. It seems to be very reluctant to change up or down, in contrast to the Mercedes of a similar era and mileage. most noticeable when coming to a stop the gearbox is still in a high gear wanting to go. Other oddity is the carpet trim blocking the accelerator pedal - I’ll check on this when I have chance as I think a clip may have fallen out.

I’ll try it on the commute tomorrow as I need to go to the dentist mid afternoon and don’t trust the rebuilt Mercedes yet. 

[Six-cylinder]

15 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Had to tell another neighbour tonight that I hadn’t bought another car, but was just looking after it for an eccentric millionaire with a penchant for cars with scabies.

I did go and sit in it earlier to read the manual and it’s a nice place- a little like a large xantia ( I think the series 1 were a bit more weird, in a good way). I’ve done 100 miles so far and don’t like the gearbox, in fact I now remember why I didn’t buy a TCT Turbo several years ago. It seems to be very reluctant to change up or down, in contrast to the Mercedes of a similar era and mileage. most noticeable when coming to a stop the gearbox is still in a high gear wanting to go. Other oddity is the carpet trim blocking the accelerator pedal - I’ll check on this when I have chance as I think a clip may have fallen out.

I’ll try it on the commute tomorrow as I need to go to the dentist mid afternoon and don’t trust the rebuilt Mercedes yet. 

I always felt my E320 4 speed auto felt under geared, is yours 4 or 5 speed?

[richardmorris]

Just 4, it’s doing 3000 rpm at 70.  It’s not the revs, but the changing. The Mercedes’ box  seems to be less intrusive and faster changing. I have very little to compare though- I’ve driven an auto CX prestige ( very low geared), an XM TCT Turbo, your XM and the 320 Mercedes.

I tried getting it to change down with a sharp jab of the pedal - it does for a second or two, then says well that’s your lot I’m changing up again. Coming down, it seems to hang on to the gears longer than necessary. I am unwilling to mistreat it so these are just my observations from normal* driving.  Also, although you very generously left 3/4 of a tank in, it is now less than half full after 100 miles - what do you usually get? The page in the handbook shows low 30s for extra urban.

[Six-cylinder]

5 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

it is now less than half full after 100 miles - what do you usually get? The page in the handbook shows low 30s for extra urban.

I always get worse consumption than anybody else and I think last time I checked it was 25 mpg, it is somewhere on here. I meant to top the tank and zero the trip to see what you got. I zeroed the trip last time I filled it and think it was showing over half but not 3/4 when I handed it over and I am guessing it had done 270ish  miles since I filled it.

[richardmorris]

So that’s about 370miles  and one /two notches below half. How big is this tank?

[Six-cylinder]

9 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

So that’s about 370miles  and one /two notches below half. How big is this tank?

80 litres

17.6 UK Gal

[brownnova]

I’d really love a go in am XM sometime. I’ve always really liked them since they came out new! They’re so damn good looking! 

XM... firmly on ‘the list’

[richardmorris]

Just now, Six-cylinder said:

80 litres

17.6 UK Gal

16 more than the Mercedes then I think, rest assured it will be brimmed when I bring it back.

[Six-cylinder]

2 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

16 more than the Mercedes then I think, rest assured it will be brimmed when I bring it back.

You don't need to brim it just replace what you have used and I bet you will get a much better mpg than me.

[richardmorris]

1 minute ago, brownnova said:

I’d really love a go in am XM sometime. I’ve always really liked them since they came out new! They’re so damn good looking! 

XM... firmly on ‘the list’

I liked them new, and think they’ve aged well, but they can take a lot of looking after. And parts are not easy. This one drives nicely though  ( and even seems to have a sports button according to the manual , but contrary to mr 6cyls description ).

I nearly bought two several years ago - the first was a manual prestige two litre in black with black leather and wobbly alloys  ( but roger wouldn’t have the c5 back in px), and the other was a silver W reg TCT auto with 60,000 miles and a huge history file and £2995 I think. BUT this huge history was about £6000 worth and still had advisory’s for a leaking steering rack going back years. I also did not like the auto box.

 These days, I know it’s too large for me. But it is fun to borrow one.