Dave's shonkers - Grom hits the road (now with added Vespa)

[mercrocker]

Toyota Century...

[Dave_Q]

Toyota Century...

 

Thank you good sir.

 

I knew I liked the look of it, and these snippets from the wikipedia page have helped me achieve wantage.

 

"White lace curtains are usually installed in the rear window, instead of tinted windows, which are perceived to attract unwarranted attention."

"In contrast to other luxurious cars (such as the Maybach or Rolls-Royce), the Century has not been positioned and marketed as a sign of wealth or excess. Marketing literature states roughly that, "the Century is acquired through persistent work, the kind that is done in a plain but formal suit.""

 

Maybe I can have one if I work persistently in a plain suit.

[Dave_Q]

So the Berlingo now has an MOT.

Only failed on track rod end, brake bias valve and a bulb.

I splashed out £50 or so on a new valve as I had trouble with it last year due to the end rusting off the spring.

Obviously you can't buy the spring separately.

 

Was meant to be a fairly quick job but unsurprisingly turned out to be a mini nightmare involving replacing most of the brake lines as they just didn't fancy being removed from the valve.

 

So now I have a fully working and MOT'd fleet, obviously I'm getting itchy bidding finger and want something else.

 

Last winter I bought a 4x4, namely a Pajero which was OK and all but cost me hundreds in fuel, I also lost about £400 on it by buying at peak SNOKAOS and selling in late Feb.

 

I'm on a strict one in one out procedure here, and the one out has to be the BMW.

It's a perfectly good car but I just haven't bonded with it, in fact I've hardly used it unless Berlingo/wife's Fabia has been undergoing fixing.

It was meant to be a fun car, for the odd track day etc. What if I could have a fun track day car that was also a 4x4?

 

So I'm now sort of looking for an Impreza. I've listed the BMW on Swapz in the hope someone might do me a straight swap.

 

I've been quite clear that I'm only interested in 95 or earlier cars to go on my classic insurance, so naturally I was offered a shagged 99 Golf within minutes of listing.

 

I will update here with what I'm offered, if a shiter is interested in my E36 let me know, 318is, 92J plate, 113k miles, MOT till next September or so.

 

I'll leave you with this guy.

http://www.swapz.co.uk/swapz/5538295/SUBARU_IMPREZA/

[Jim Bell]

I've never had a BMW.

 

How much does this one cost?

[Dave_Q]

Better put more details here rather than writing the same thing repeatedly in PMs.

 

The car is a 1992 318is (M42, 1.8 16v) with 113k miles.

 

Overall in good and completely standard condition, there are a few small spots of rust around the arches etc but nothing serious.

The car has a slight issue in that when warm the idle fluctuates and there is a bit of hesitation at part throttle.

I think both these things are related and probably down to the lambda sensor or temp sensor.

 

The car owes me about £550 including the 17 inch wheels pictured upthread, I would be happy to keep the wheels and sell for around £400.

 

Offers invited around this but please note I will probably persist with swapz for a while, just in case I can blag a swap for an Impreza.

[320touring]

Better put more details here rather than writing the same thing repeatedly in PMs.

 

The car is a 1992 318is (M42, 1.8 16v) with 113k miles.

 

Overall in good and completely standard condition, there are a few small spots of rust around the arches etc but nothing serious.

The car has a slight issue in that when warm the idle fluctuates and there is a bit of hesitation at part throttle.

I think both these things are related and probably down to the lambda sensor or temp sensor.

 

The car owes me about £550 including the 17 inch wheels pictured upthread, I would be happy to keep the wheels and sell for around £400.

 

Offers invited around this but please note I will probably persist with swapz for a while, just in case I can blag a swap for an Impreza.

adoes you can haz pics pleeeeze?

 

ta muchly

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Your 318iS was registered the same day as mine - April 23rd 1992. Mine is Mauritius blue.

 

I turned mine into a track car. It had an astoundingly clean body but they'll never be worth a carrot really. I love it because like my H plate E36.......NO CAT TEST ON THE MOT YO. 

[holbeck]

I might* be interested, but am already bidding on an e34 520i and need that situation to play out.

 

Meantime, would it be a PITA to chuck a few more pics up?

[Dave_Q]

The only pictures I have of it are in the thread already, I will take some more tomorrow and get them up.

 

Meanwhile, in the world of swapz:

 

[Jim Bell]

HOW CHEP M7?

[Dave_Q]

The Punto has no mot and he wants 150 cash for it, I know my car isn't the crown jewels but he's still aiming a bit high really.

 

Also, how exactly does one get that bad at English?

 

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

[Dave_Q]

On actual inspection of the Punto ad, I may* have been slightly trolled there.

The Punto listing has a correctly spelt and well punctuated description.

The person has a selection of bicycles listed as well.

Their location? Near Chester.

 

Who might it be I wonder?

 

Sent from my GT-N5110 using Tapatalk

[Jim Bell]

Doesnt sound like anyone we would know.

[320touring]

At least its no some bugger wi a barbera cartland dug and a shitload of corsas...

[Dave_Q]

Right you asked for pictures, here are many pictures, fresh from a Kurdish Kar Wash.

 

I've tried to picture all the little bits of grot that I was planning to sand and treat.

 

The most concerning is under the bonnet where there is peeling underseal.

What I think has happened is that the car has had a repair early in it's life where a new inner wing was fitted.

I believe this to have happened in a BMW bodyshop when it was sold as an approved used car in about 95.

The shop must not have painted under the underseal.

 

It's not been mentioned on the MOT so should just need the underseal peeling off and some rust treatment.

 

The wheels fitted have had a quick rattle can refurb which probably looks better than it is in the pictures.

2 of the tyres fitted to these wheels lose air over a few days, they're runflats so want binning anyway.

The other wheels have legal tyres but with perished sidewalls.

 

Taking it out this morning reminded me that I do actually love driving it, and looking at it, but I normally have 1 or more children with me and a coupe is just not practical.

 

(Pictured child not included in sale.)

 

 

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Yep, that might/might not be factory applied seam sealer, but rust has worked it's way through the seam underneath and caused that. It's a 23 year old car. The arches are catchable if done now.

[Dave_Q]

So my e36 was listed on Swapz for a week or so.

 

Overall I was disappointed with the lack of swap offers for random old shite, didn't get offered an xbox even once.

 

Other than the shagged Golf and Billy trolling the only offer I had was for a Saab 9-3 which was too new and not enough doors.

 

I made offers on various heaps until I managed to strike a deal on this:

 

 

Jap import Impreza WRX, 95N reg so compatible with Footman James 20+ classic insurance for all the cheaps (£163 fully comp!)

 

Have only really driven it on rainy traffic filled motorways so far, but I likey.

 

I particularly like the way the interior is much like a slightly larger K11 Micra.

 

De-councilling is to commence ASAP, although it's not been too ruined for one of these.

 

The exhaust isn't actually too loud so can stay, those horrid rear lights and the flipping dump valve are top priority.

 

Hopefully the standard parts will cost less than I get back for the council bits.

[Pete-M]

Good man. I've got an Impreza GF8 Turbo which is a rather enjoyable old hector to punt about.

 

Switchgear is indeed Nissan.

[Dave_Q]

So I've had the Impreza nearly a week and have already driven it more than I drove the BMW in 2-3 months.

 

Have been working through the list of pressing issues:

 

Front brakes sticking on - fixed for £0 with a strip and grease.

Decouncilling - rear lights, side repeaters, recirculating dump valve ordered, total cost £38.

Tyres - was fitted with 205/50/16 front and 205/55/16 rear, have fitted partworn winter 205/55s - cost £70.

 

Hoping to cover all these costs by reselling the old bits.

 

Took if for a quick wash and took some of my own pictures.

 

 

Discovered some old accident damage, they all have that sir etc.

 

 

Which may explain the odd bits of dodgy paint on the wing.

 

 

Doesn't explain why only 1 side repeater is tinted though.

 

 

The full horror of the rear lights, how these passed an MOT I don't know.

 

 

Nice place to sit.

 

 

Micra-y controls.

 

 

And door handles.

 

 

Twat air filter and dump valve, to be binned.

 

[New POD]

I like. How much for classic insurance ? I was once quoted £1200 THIRD PARTY only on one of these. No fire no theft, no comprehensive no agreed value. I was about 44 at the time.

[DodgyBastard]

I'd have a guess at £163

 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[Dave_Q]

£163 it is, that seems to be the price to cover me on pretty much anything over 20 years old on a limited mileage policy with Footman James.

 

I had the e36 with them and a Pajero before that, all more or less the same price.

 

They are pretty strict on the 20 year bit though, I rang them as I'd seen one locally that was Jan '96 reg, no dice.

 

I saw a few UK Imprezas for sub £1000 but they were mostly R, S, T reg so therefore around £400 for me to insure.

[Dave_Q]

Decouncillage is going well.

 

I ordered a repro badge/sticker for the tailgate (£5) and also have a standard airbox on the way.

 

I've sold the dump valve for £20 + post, just hoping for a bite on the rear lights I've got up for £50obo.

 

Scally factor is now reduced from 8/10 to 5/10.

 

[hairnet]

thats better

 

silver the wheels and stealth ON

[Dave_Q]

Can't really be faffed with painting the wheels, was going to leave these ones as they are as winter wheels.

 

Have won another set the same but gold on ebay for £29, however the seller is telling me stories about not being able to collect them till the car is scrapped, who knows what will happen there.

 

Have now done a full tank so can report some fuel economy* figures.

 

205.7 miles

45.41 litres

20.6mpg

 

This is about 10% "spirited driving", 10% sitting in traffic on the M62, 10% actual motorway speed, 70% general pootling, so not too bad really.

[Dave_Q]

What, another post of mainly text and some rubbish pictures?

Well, it says at the top of the page my motoring is your concern, so concern yourself with this.

 

Somewhere a couple of weeks ago the Berlingo upgraded the front end knock I'd been ignoring from Annoying to Concerning.

The steering also went a bit funny like it had lost it's self-centring?

Anyway I jacked it up and had a good old prod and diagnosed 1 x front wishbone bush knacked and the rear on the other side was on it's way out too.

 

In the past I've tried to save $$ by pressing new bushes into the old arms but it's a right arseache even with a press.

So I splashed out £65 on 2 x new wishbones from (Euro)CarParts4Less.com.

Despite showing as in stock for next day delivery they actually sent one of them the next day and t'other the following week for the genuine ECP experience.

 

I wasn't too concerned about the Berlingo being off the road as I was driving round in the Impreza burning V-Power like it was going out of fashion.

 

So I changed the wishbones (when they'd turned up) and the Blingo was back on the road, steering still felt a bit dodge but has improved with a few miles as things have loosened up. The tracking needs doing but I'm putting this off as it will be the 3rd time I've shelled out £20 for tracking in about the last 6 months.

 

Today I've been up the garage giving the Impreza a mini service of oil, filter and plugs.

Oil was no problem except the sump plug was done up so tight I had to use a breaker bar to crack it off.

 

Spark plug access isn't amazing, this is the o/s which is the best as some kind previous owner has binned the airbox for me.

(Sparks are under the black/yellow looking coil pack things)

 

Nearside is a little trickier, can barely see the coils until the battery and washer bottle are moved.

 

The old plugs looked pretty recent and a good colour, probably didn't need changing but nevermind.

 

Whilst in there I noticed random shitty brown water in/around the battery tray area, I think a hose has popped here between  the rad and the filler thingy. It all looks watertight now so I've done my best main dealer impression and dried it off and put it back together.

 

I also made the clock work, the car is fitted with a single din centre console with clock from a UK car but the wiring isn't there for it so you have to tap into the stereo wiring. Soz no pic but imagine a green digital clock and you're there.

 

On the subject of the stereo, I've fitted one and it comes on and off when you go over a severe bump. Most annoying.

 

No amount of hitting the stereo or the wiring seems to replicate the fault and another head unit does the same thing.

It's very odd as the display etc on the stereo stays on but no sound comes out, not even button beeps.

The telephone mute pin definitely isn't connected or shorting so I can't figure out what would make all 4 speakers go off??

 

So the to-do list stands at:

Stereo wiring

Rocker cover gasket

Fuel filter

Seal around rear lights with Sikaflex.

 

 

Congrats if you read this far, have a picture of a beige Maestro I stole off the internets.

 

[Dave_Q]

Oh noes.

 

 

Reversing out of my "drive" today, got hit on the rear quarter.

 

It's a narrow street and people always come down too fast, the car moved a couple of feet as the other driver went down the side of it.

 

I'm not keen on going through insurance as I've already done all the repairs the Berlingo will be getting (i.e. Zero).

 

Of course the other driver was in a 3 year old Focus which needs a wing as a minimum and possibly also headlight, bumper, doors etc.

 

He said he wasn't sure whether to go through insurance or not, he's going to let me know.

 

I'm in 2 minds about insurance, excess is £300 and losing 7 years no claims will be a shitter, but the pre accident value may be alright, and I'd retain the "salvage" and drive as-is.

 

Hmmm.

[The Moog]

Seems to be the month for it!

 

It will come down to his cost. Sounds expensive on a newish focus, if it needs that plus paint it will be a few grand I would imagine.

[Stanky]

Not sure if this is the same with all insurers, but when I wrecked my Skoda Felicia into a Vauxhall insignia (totally my fault and instantly accepted liability) I was surprised to find that Swiftcover only docked 2 years NCB out of the 6 years i had earned with myriad other insurers. Turns out you lose 2 years each for the first 2 incidents within 12 months, then lose it all if you're at fault a third time.

 

So going down the insurance route - which was unavoidable in my instance as it was a company car - wasn't quite as severe as I first thought.

[Dave_Q]

Not sure if this is the same with all insurers, but when I wrecked my Skoda Felicia into a Vauxhall insignia (totally my fault and instantly accepted liability) I was surprised to find that Swiftcover only docked 2 years NCB out of the 6 years i had earned with myriad other insurers. Turns out you lose 2 years each for the first 2 incidents within 12 months, then lose it all if you're at fault a third time.

 

So going down the insurance route - which was unavoidable in my instance as it was a company car - wasn't quite as severe as I first thought.

I clicked like, then unlike 5 times as that's how much I liked this post.

 

I am with swiftcover so this is excellent news.