Does anyone share my affliction?

[stripped fred]

I love 'previously owned' cars. Much more characterful than anything new would be. The main problem I have with old cars though is that I can't help trying to make them perfect. I start off by giving a full service then one of the fog lights is not working so I replace that, some of the dash bulbs aren't working so put new ones in, then I hear a slight knocking from the suspension so I get that changed and the brakes are a bit tired so new brake pads then might as well do the job properly and change the discs too then I might as well replace the brake fluid, change the coolant, new maf etc etc. My budget car then isn't quite so cheap! I know preventative maintenance is probably a good idea and I wouldn't skimp on safety but it's sometimes hard to know where to draw the line. Does anyone else have the same problem or is it a problem at all but common sense?

[stripped fred]

Sorry posted this twice by mistake. Anyone know how I can delete the other one?

[steve_earwig]

And amend the title...

[gordonbennet]

Yep my cross to carry too, my biggest OCD is brakes, they have to be at least as good as they were when new, then i dip the oil and Jeeeezus wept would you look at that soup in there, then all the transmission oils have to be changed, then it's full anti rust treatment....did the dash bulbs last weekend on the L/C and today slipped a serious cree led into the single reverse light cluster and a red un into the now nearly pink single rear fog light, can see where i'm going backards now and any bastard doesn't dip behind will get his eyeballs seared by the mother of all rear fog lights.

 

There's two nasty stone strikes on the Landcruiser screen plus the inevitable wiper scores of 15 years and its bugging me, i just know i'm gunna ring me local screen man and get him to put a new one in, and no i don't claim on the insurance either and yes i'm off to the tattooist to get twat re-inked on me forehead.

 

Why we do it i don't know, i hate neglected motors, pisses me off no end when i use someone else's lorry at work and when i dip the oil it's on or below minimum...it's your trade dickhead and you're bloody well paid so take some bloody pride in it.

[stripped fred]

Yep my cross to carry too, my biggest OCD is brakes, they have to be at least as good as they were when new, then i dip the oil and Jeeeezus wept would you look at that soup in there, then all the transmission oils have to be changed, then it's full anti rust treatment....did the dash bulbs last weekend on the L/C and today slipped a serious cree led into the single reverse light cluster and a red un into the now nearly pink single rear fog light, can see where i'm going backards now and any bastard doesn't dip behind will get his eyeballs seared by the mother of all rear fog lights.

 

There's two nasty stone strikes on the Landcruiser screen plus the inevitable wiper scores of 15 years and its bugging me, i just know i'm gunna ring me local screen man and get him to put a new one in, and no i don't claim on the insurance either and yes i'm off to the tattooist to get twat re-inked on me forehead.

 

Why we do it i don't know, i hate neglected motors, pisses me off no end when i use someone else's lorry at work and when i dip the oil it's on or below minimum...it's your trade dickhead and you're bloody well paid so take some bloody pride in it.

Yes just the same then! I suppose it's because we like things to work properly. I can overlook some things such as the odd small dent, worn interior etc but most things mechanical or electrical that are tired or knackered are likely to get changed. I do get satisfaction from fixing things so maybe look at it as a hobby rather than running a car on the absolute minimum.

[Uncle Jimmy]

Yes, although I'm not nearly as badly afflicted as some. More of an outpatient/care in the community than a straightjacket/hockey mask.

It's probably a good thing I'm fairly poor. If I was rich I'd become a sort of motoring Howard Hughes.

[stripped fred]

And amend the title...

Oh yeah, done!

[dollywobbler]

General levels of skintness and laziness conspire to save me from being too badly afflicted by this. That said, I've thrown a chunk of cash at the Perodua for service bits and the XM has seen far more expenditure than you might expect given how little I paid for it. Pretty much every car I buy immediately gets treated to new wipers blades too. How do people drive with such crap blades?!

[Uncle Jimmy]

Changing diff oil is one of my little fetishes; also power steering fluid.

[steve_earwig]

I do the full service thing, plugs, filters, oils, coolant, plus brake fluid. Then anything else is as necessary, if it's got good pads + disks I see no point in changing them but they do get examined. Then it's stuff like panel lights as and when. Dents? Pfff, maybe eventually (the toyoyo still has all the dents/scrapes/stone chips it came with after 3+ years)

[stripped fred]

I like some new lube in the gearbox too, even if it's meant to be 'sealed for life'. Sealed until the end of the warranty period more like!

[DSdriver]

I think the answer to you addiction is to get the bonnet release disconnected before you take delivery.

[stripped fred]

I think the answer to you addiction is to get the bonnet release disconnected before you take delivery.

I suppose when we all have electric cars there won't be much to fiddle with anyway...

[gordonbennet]

No electric car for me unless its got rubber bumpers all round and a pole for contact with the power supply.

 

Having said that i'd have a Toyota plug in hybrid if i wasn't such a tight bastard in the first place and they weren't quite so bloody twee.

[AldridgePrior]

I fall into two camps. If I buy a shitter then it remains a shitter. If I buy something decent then Ill make sure it`s as good as I possibly can make it.

 The strange truth is that I end up, by default, loving the old beater more as it does what it does for next to nothing and regardless how much you spend on a good used car there`s always something that bugs you about it because the law of diminishing returns has you thinking the older car is better value for money.

[MarvinsMom]

i'm bad for this sort of thing.

 

i buy something that i think is quiet cheap (but proberbly isn't)

 

i spend a small fortune getting it running right, full service and put right whats wrong with it.

 

then i get bored or fed up of spending money and sell it. usually at a loss, and what ever the replacement is i will end up repeating the whole exercise again.

 

at work they think i'm mad.one of the guys in the office has just spunked out god knows how much on some bmw thing, for the next 4 years on lease so it will noty even belong to him. where as i'm busy spending good money on an old jaguar, rover, mini or metro, depending on which one has something wrong with it or has some fault that is pissing me off. when i could get some "nice" new thing instead......

[Minimad5]

Yes, thats why i never make any money on selling cars.

Take this 760 for instance:

Could have rebuilt the calipers for about £40, instead i splash out £MORE , then buy new discs, pads, shoes and handbrake cables. (Not fitted shoes or cables yet)

Full service (just waiting for leads and err money) & just ordered a new water pump with all new belts x3, sad i know but i even changed some dash bulbs, why - because some were brighter than others, also did this with Reg lights.

Auto box and diff will be flushed come payday, and a ruddy expensive exhast is also on the cards.

 

But at the end of it all, i can be happy that it's all 'bob-on' and come the next owner they should be happy all is fine and dandy.

[fordperv]

Yes I am a full on straight jacket patient, with my saph it started with yeah brake discs could do with being replaced, those calipers don't look too good I'll get 4 recon replacements, ahh brake pipes need replacing, those shockers don't look too good neither do the springs, I'll get some nice coilovers, the front bushes don't look good I'll get some new arms and polybushes, oh shit the headgasket is gone, I'll replace the timing chain and tensioners with new Ford ones, brand new lifters, the radiator looks tired I'll buy a new one, the downpipe has a slight blow I'll get a 4 branch and get a stainless exhaust made, the paint has a few marks I'll get it resprayed, oooh I've done 4k it's service time, that gearknob looks worn I'll buy a brand new genuine ford one, the list goes on and on with things replaced that don't really need replacing, i have been even worse with my mk1 3 door, mrs fp says I'm obsessed but I like things to be right, yes I pamper my cars but it makes me happy

[Partridge]

Yes Fred, I identify with what you are saying 100%...You have my sympathy.

[MarvinsMom]

i'm glad its not just me who's done things like that!

[Taff]

I can see myself slipping into this. The F needs a cambelt and I'm a scardey cat so is off to an "MG specialist" for that task. It's a VVC so there are two belts, add in a water pump and tensioner means that task will cost more than I paid for the bloody car.

Then I'll service it myself and change the brake fluid, get the hydrogas pumped up and then fix the clock.

 

 

tapped on the radiator using morse code

[stripped fred]

Glad to know I'm not on my own then! Still, it beats running a new car (if I could afford one). I think I'd get bored after a few weeks and would have to buy some shite to fiddle with anyway so would sort of defeat the object.

[stripped fred]

On a similar note if I ever drive someone elses 'older' car I can't help but diagnose it's faults and make a mental note what I'd do to sort it out!

[Angrydicky]

Yes, I'm the same. I don't like owning cars with faults, such as nasty cosmetic rust, dents or things that don't work. I've spent a fortune on the Maestro since I bought it back from Gary. Lots of new metalwork, full service(x2), new front wings, windscreen, new carb, headgasket, exhaust, front struts, tyres and loads of other bits. And a full respray. And no, I never make any money on my cars either.

 

While the Somerset looks like a shed with an impressive patina, I keep it spot on mechanically and well maintained.

[STUNO]

I have always worked on the basis that it doesn't matter what it goes or looks like, but the brakes must be good.

[gordonbennet]

Glad to know I'm not on my own then! Still, it beats running a new car (if I could afford one). I think I'd get bored after a few weeks and would have to buy some shite to fiddle with anyway so would sort of defeat the object.

 

Once owned a Datsun Bluebird 1.8 estate, the last of the square RWD model, bought it at around 18 months old, it was so bloody reliable and simple that i flogged it 18 months later out of sheer boredom, pretty sure it was the only car i ever made money on too.

[rml2345]

Understand your affliction as I'm equally cursed andnjoy taking things apart, repairing them and putting them back together again. There's an enormous satisfaction to be had from fixing the sort of faults the previous owner lived with. That and faults really get to me after a while, the little bastards.