Shitenance: How shite is your shite?

[Roverageous]

Something I like about this forum is the very wide scope for what can be labelled as shite. I like the fact that there's genuinely desirable old cars as well as genuine old, and newer shite that all gets a good airing here.

 

This led me to ponder what sort of maintenance regimes* people have for their shite?

 

Looking back on the shite I've owned and driven most of it was fairly ropey and I've driven plenty of vehicles in a condition that the MOT man would not be very happy with. Highlights include a very crispy Hyundai Accent with borked everything which provided me with 11 months service for £100 and a MK4 Astra Diesel which got mauled by a bin lorry, crashed into by a few moderns (all while parked - sensibly!), rusty rear arches & plenty of fluid leaks.

 

Since I've grown up a bit I do prefer my daily drivers to be able to at least pass an MOT at all times (various advisories are perfectly OK though). I pay particular attention to suspension, tyres and lights after a few previous experiences. Levels are all checked weekly and I try to keep them well mechanically - within reason.

 

What about you guys?

[EssDeeWon]

Passenger side door mirror is held together with duck tape. But the glass is somehow intact.

 

Back box is being held up with a length of rope and what appears to be an old drive belt. 

[steveo3002]

try to keep on top of mine , decent tyres and oil changes etc as if it conks out im the mug that will be fixing it on the side of the road lol

[oldford]

I don't like cars that don't drive like they should. They have to run right, have no undue wobbles from the steering, brake in a straight line without too much pedal travel, have a heater that works, be reliable and be legal.

 

Both mine with a combined age of 59 years seem to do all of the above.

[mercrocker]

Yeah, decent tyres....One of the (few) benefits of a lifetime of steady employment, decreasing mortgage term and lower insurance is that I can afford bloody tyres.  Nice, black, premium, round, rubbery tyres.   I used to queue up on a Saturday morning at the used-tyre place in my Granada, trying not to get it overheating, to replace another shonky bare-wire Wanking Ditchfinder with a slighty less worn one. 

 

I still perpetuate endless bodges, though, just as a nod to my penniless past (don't get me wrong I ain't minted now - I can just eat and buy tyres at the same time).   Nothing that affects running reliability - just wooden pegs in window runners, chestnut fence pales as boot props that kind of thing.   I keep promising myself I will fix these things but something more pressing usually crops up - like repainting a charity shop Dinky toy or summat!

 

I changed a sealed beam headlight on the Cowley when I first got it and discovered the headlamp bowl was 90 percent newspaper and 10 percent fibreglass resin.   That's still in there despite the two new ones in the shed.....Why?  Cos it was needed that night we were ready to go out and its worked ever since.    Reliable cars can be their own worst enemy!

[PiperCub]

Passenger side door mirror is held together with duck tape. But the glass is somehow intact.

 

Back box is being held up with a length of rope and what appears to be an old drive belt

 

Good heavens, Everyone knows the proper way to repair an exhaust is with a wire coat-hanger.........

[John F]

PiperCub, on 10 Jan 2016 - 1:35 PM, said:

Good heavens, Everyone knows the proper way to repair an exhaust is with hairy yellow string.........

 

FTFY

[gordonbennet]

My problem (one of many) is maintenance OCD, they have to be put right mechanically and kept that way, bodywork well my Mrs has finally convinced me to stop worrying when the latest useless twat has hit the car in a car park and pissed off, its just another battle scar that gets left now, if it down to metal i'll put summat on it, thats it.

 

Tyres brakes lubricants fluids etc must all be done and working well, brakes are probably my biggest OCD, but then so are tyres, but then so is engine and transmission oils greases and filters, where does it stop...and i simply have to repack CV joints with the correct grease, can't help it...chuffed to fuck to find grease nipples on the Landcruiser propshafts, only disappointed it hasn't got a live front axle so i can pump the swivels full of CV grease.

 

A mechanic mate always said he could flog my cars to people because everything will have been done, i even fully stripped out the DeDion tubes and fitted new seals and bellows on the P6's, couldn't stand the fact i knew it was in place but wasn't doing what it was designed to.

Had all the springs and dampers changed on the Merc a few years ago, i could feel the slight second bounce of imperfect shocking, my MB indy thought (hes right) i was bonkers cos nothing actually wrong with them, but i could feel it not being perfect and it bugged me, could tell how much better it followed the road once done.

 

Thats why bangernomics doesn't really work economically for me, my transport costs are relatively high overall save depreciation that isn't really a concern at the age of ours, but i like having 90's designs in particular, the latest modern cars save one or two left field notables do nothing for me i'd rather walk than drive a modern piece of electronic crap, i have no choice at work and i hate the bloody things.

[RayMK]

Mine are 22, 27 and 54 years old, son's 2nd car is 21 (even my mobility scooter is 25!).  Before every trip I open the bonnet and check to see how much oil has been burnt and how much coolant is left.  A quick glance under the car to confirm that leakage is no worse, and off I go.  Overall, reliability is reasonable as I am sensitive (paranoid) about any new noises or 'feel' from the cars.  I do all lubrication services myself and in decent weather will do brakes.  A trusted local garage is given the honour of fixing everything else, usually after he's spent weeks on the 'phone/net tracking down ellusive parts. Maintenance priority is safety.  Cosmetics went out of the window years ago.  Reliability is nice, but what's the point of having a fleet if you are not forced to use one of the others occasionally ?

[cms206]

My current on the road fleet are 17, 28 and 31; other than oil and filter changes every 6k miles and a wash underneath every Friday afternoon with the steam jenny they get what they need when they need it. I don't go in for excessive cleaning or anything I deem unneccessary. I don't polish them, hoover them every week or valet them; there is no point, and I'd be terrified to leave anything pristine in a supermarket car park.

[sierraman]

I maintain them by the manufacturers timescales irrespective of age, so if at 30k it wants some plugs it gets done. This doesn't cost half as much as people would think but it does save you the aggro of a breakdown or shit running. There's things that if they are safe and not too serious like whining bearing that I'll leave until thy get worse as I know that they aren't going to leave me stranded or cause an accident, similarly the Focus has a juddering clutch from cold, it does 3k a year so it gets left as it will be years before it causes me a problem. I think you have to be like that with bangers, service them regular but don't go looking for problems.

 

I used to use part worns all the time but I don't bother now as there's scarcely any diference in the price when you factor in new will last you longer. Oil on the other hand I get from Asda. Does the job.

[danthecapriman]

I tend to keep all mine as good as possible mechanically. Oils and filters are changed religiously using premium oil and the best filter I can get.

Tyres are always well looked after and I only buy quality brands. Brakes are checked regularly and always replaced well before they are actually worn out, brake fluid I change every couple of years regardless.

Generally, I keep things checked regularly and then repair or replace as needed before trouble arises or mot problems.

It's even down to things like the steering wheel must be straight I get OCD over! I just hate things like that!

I also keep all my cars as clean and tidy as possible. There's no excuse for filthy interiors and dirty paintwork, muddy wheel arches etc. in fact you can rub your fingers around the arch lip on my cars and your fingers will come out as clean as they went in! I just really really hate dirt and grime!

It may seem a bit over the top but I keep my cars long term and I've found being like this with maintenance really helps the cars to last and be reliable.

[HH-R]

I'm pretty anally retentive about maintenance, 6k services and if anything is amiss then it goes in to get looked at. Don't like anything making a noise that shouldn't be. My car is 10 years old but been serviced every 5/6k and will be getting a timing belt soon. Paintwork, if it gets dented/dinked/scratched then it pisses me right off but it gets forgotten about after a week and nothing gets done. Thankfully though it rarely happens, I've never had a car dented or scratched other than people brushing by with bags/coats.

 

The advantage is that MOTs rarely hold any nasty surprises.

[mrbenn]

Service once a year (or sooner if mileage dictates, which it hasn't yet), mid term oil change at 6 months, decent tyres and brake parts. Cheap crap parts = false economy.

 

I don't tend to leave small problems/niggles either. One you have too many annoyances the car just feels old and crap so I keep on top of things as they occur if possible.

 

Polish and wax in Autumn and Spring. Wash when I can be bothered or if it's got salt on it. Hate that. Eats away at me (and the car).

 

And this is on a 13 year old Focus!

[fordperv]

I am a bit obsessive about stuff,my cars get everything they need no matter what, things have to be right

[derskine]

I just drive them till it's absolutely critical to repair them, ie fail to proceed safely.

If an interior light, or a glove box door falls off, I'm not really giving a fuck and tend to just leave it.

[Bren]

For all this site is about unpopular and slightly left field massed produced vehicles, I think the one thing that everybody shares here is mechanical sympathy and the benefits of regular servicing.

 

A stitch in time and all that....

 

We have a joke about cheap chinese tyres and where to get the cheapest oil, the thing with running an old car is it generally requires a bit more tlc to stay on top of things. Which, on here at least, most do.

 

Unlike a lot of people with more modern tackle who run around with tyres down to the canvas, brakes down to the backing, dirty/ low oil etc because there finance payments leave them with no money to look after the bastard thing.

[Jazoli]

I feel like an imposter on here, both my focus and the wife's puma have nothing wrong with them, have decent tyres and have had recent cambelts, the Puma is 15  years old and my Focus is 10 now but I have passed the stage of bodging things, I fix them properly the first time, they get fitted with genuine (sometimes used) parts and checked every weekend, I can do without bodge related breakdowns now both of us have given up our company vehicles, I do feel the need to buy a spare car though, as having a problem with either would cause issues.

 

I do most of my own maintenance, as I don't trust anyone apart from an old schoolfriend who does the stuff that needs to be done on a lift, I will get him to put a new clutch in the Puma as I'd rather pay the labour than spend all day twatting around on my back on the drive, I can do the job myself but I really can't be arsed for £100.

[PiperCub]

My problem (one of many) is maintenance OCD, they have to be put right mechanically and kept that way, bodywork well my Mrs has finally convinced me to stop worrying when the latest useless twat has hit the car in a car park and pissed off, its just another battle scar that gets left now, if it down to metal i'll put summat on it, thats it.

 

Tyres brakes lubricants fluids etc must all be done and working well, brakes are probably my biggest OCD, but then so are tyres, but then so is engine and transmission oils greases and filters, where does it stop...and i simply have to repack CV joints with the correct grease, can't help it...chuffed to fuck to find grease nipples on the Landcruiser propshafts, only disappointed it hasn't got a live front axle so i can pump the swivels full of CV grease.

 

A mechanic mate always said he could flog my cars to people because everything will have been done, i even fully stripped out the DeDion tubes and fitted new seals and bellows on the P6's, couldn't stand the fact i knew it was in place but wasn't doing what it was designed to.

Had all the springs and dampers changed on the Merc a few years ago, i could feel the slight second bounce of imperfect shocking, my MB indy thought (hes right) i was bonkers cos nothing actually wrong with them, but i could feel it not being perfect and it bugged me, could tell how much better it followed the road once done.

 

Thats why bangernomics doesn't really work economically for me, my transport costs are relatively high overall save depreciation that isn't really a concern at the age of ours, but i like having 90's designs in particular, the latest modern cars save one or two left field notables do nothing for me i'd rather walk than drive a modern piece of electronic crap, i have no choice at work and i hate the bloody things.

 

^^Weirdly enough, my philosophy is pretty much 'Wot he said' ^^ I have similar OCD. 

[tooSavvy]

"Bleach Bottle" alert....

 

Daewoo window winder cog[NONcheese consistency] 'upgrade'

 

Baleno disc 'n.o.s.' fit

 

...... allergic to stealers, a failing(not)

 

 

TS

[Stanky]

I agree with Bren here - I service my cars every 10k or 12 months, whichever comes up first. A service costs me about £50 and an hour or so of my time which is half a days wage, give or take, it is foolish to skip this and have a FTP incident and lose at least a days wage while you walk to ECP to buy the thing you could have replaced XX months ago in the name of saving money.

 

I'll fix everything except brakes and suspension myself, I farm these out to my uncle-in-law as I don't want to die when a spring escapes its compressors or a brake fails to do whats its supposed to at 70mph due to my ineptitude in a previous repair.

 

Certainly in the case of the Nissan, putting it in to even the cheapest indy would be economically unviable, so I do the work myself as it makes it cheaper and I often learn things - An indy service on the Saab would total at least 1/3rd the purchase price, whereas doing it myself costs very little, especially on an ECP discount weekend (every weekend).

 

I can see the appeal of a PCP deal with servicing included to someone who has no mechanical knowledge and no desire to learn though - I don't berate people who buy a modern because its going to be 'reliable' - its just a different way to do things. The Nissan never broke down while I flogged it over 140 miles a day but it did require a day every 5 months to have £50 and 90 minutes thrown at it for some oil, filters, plugs and occasionally other bits and bobs.

 

I also don't skimp on tyres now. I agree with Mercrocker on this one, I am now fortunate enough to be able to buy a set of £50-a-corner tyres every couple of years rather than asking what the cheapest option the MOT place have when it fails due to being completely bald, but when I was in this situation I always researched what part-worns were available when I knew the current ones were wearing out and had something decent fitted.

[406V6]

As I want to keep the car as a daily driver as long as reasonably possible without any FTPs I get it regularly serviced. I don't want any greasy road dramas so fit proper Michelin tyres. The only corner I may cut is a roll of the ball for cambelt roulette. It's supposed to be done every 5 years and is game over for the engine if it breaks. I'll try stretching it to 6.

 

I won't change the fluid in the sealed-for-life Badermatic as I've read quite a few stories from autobox experts saying to leave them as changing the fluid can release grot and crap from the entrails of the box which doesn't get drained out and a few weeks after the fluid change gets carried into some vital part causing the box to sh*t itself.

[gordonbennet]

As I want to keep the car as a daily driver as long as reasonably possible without any FTPs I get it regularly serviced. I don't want any greasy road dramas so fit proper Michelin tyres. The only corner I may cut is a roll of the ball for cambelt roulette. It's supposed to be done every 5 years and is game over for the engine if it breaks. I'll try stretching it to 6.

 

I won't change the fluid in the sealed-for-life Badermatic as I've read quite a few stories from autobox experts saying to leave them as changing the fluid can release grot and crap from the entrails of the box which doesn't get drained out and a few weeks after the fluid change gets carried into some vital part causing the box to sh*t itself.

 

What the experts say doesn't add up to be honest, ok you might agree with not flushing the system through but whats the problem with dropping a sumpful, refilling, driving for a few days, rinse and repeat twice, you've renewed nearly all the oil and haven't disturbed a thing.

Thats the method i've read about on Japanese cars forums and adopted for our two Jap autos, both boxes are noticeably smoother for the exercise, cost around £40/50 for 40 litres of Dexron 3,   4 sumpfuls on average.

[motormatt]

Sunroof taped over with gaffer tape to stop leaks.