83C's Shite-esque Fleet: Oh Ship!

[LightBulbFun]

On 29/09/2022 at 14:17, 83C said:

They say you should learn from the mistakes of others. I’m obviously a bit slow on the uptake, especially given another shiter’s recent experiences of old British metal. 

Not content with one car capable of throwing ruinously expensive bills, and timed perfectly to coincide with a global recession, I spent a load of my now near worthless pounds on this:

The best bit:

Back in a bit, there’s someone at the door in what looks like a white coat, holding something that looks suspiciously like a rolled up straitjacket.

 

On 29/09/2022 at 18:50, 83C said:

Interior is lovely, only negative is that the heel pad has fallen apart. There is a full set of the correct lambswool overrugs with the car, but my feet don’t fit properly with them in place. Weirdly for a car that is eighteen feet long and requires it’s own postcode, the space for the driver is best described as ‘cosy’ - the seat is at maximum travel and drop and I’m still wedged in tight, though I’m a bit taller than average to be fair.

The 40 mile drive home was mega - half spent marvelling at the fact that I’ve actually got one and half spent giggling at the way it gathers pace. It’s not quick by hot hatch or sports saloon standards (book time is something like 6 secs to 60) but the shove is immediate and relentless. 

What is apparent is that it needs some gentle-ish regular use - the previous owner kept it well but barely used it and things were beginning to get a bit stiff - the boot needed opening on the key before the electronic boot release got the memo that it was supposed to work. Plan is to use it until the end of October occasionally, then it’ll come off the road until the council stop spreading salt. It’s already had the sills done and was recently resprayed so it’s worth keeping it good. Tyres are all pretty much life expired, some perishing and all near the wear indicators - a set of Bridgestones will be around £650 in the required 255/50/18 fitment which I don’t reckon is too bad, and the car even came with a Ctek battery conditioner for leaving it over winter. Tyres will be done at the end of winter so as not to leave new rubber standing.

Only thing I’d like for it is some sort of aux input for my phone and music, it has an Alpine radio/cassette head unit with Sat nav system in the top of the dash, so there must be a way in there. I don’t want to change the head unit though.

 

@HMC *sells Bentley*

@83C "Fine ill do it myself"

 

dont think theres much more I can add thats not already been said!

other then of course, very much looking forward to seeing how this plays out! do love me a big old barge!

 

I presume the plan is to recuperate the cost by flogging the plate to @trigger?

[83C]

I'll do a better post with moar pictures of it over the weekend, weather permitting. 

@LightBulbFun the plate I'm undecided on, I'm almost tempted to sell the plate just because running the Arnage with an ordinary age related plate appeals. K5 TRG has no meaning to me and if someone wants to make me an offer then I'm all ears. Previous owner reckoned it was worth £750 but who knows.

I've never been interested in vanity plates, had a few cars with them on because they've come with the car but I've never bothered removing them. To me a numberplate is just the combination of letters and numbers that identifies the car for MoT, insurance & tax purposes. K5 TRG is fairly inoffensive though, it's not got butchered numbers and an excess of fixing caps in a crap attempt to make the plate read something it doesn't, all that manages to do is identify the owner as a monumental bellend and I'd have probably gotten rid of the plate fairly sharpish if that were so. The other plate I'd have been quick to get rid of are the cheap Northern Irish plates - they're barely acceptable on cheaper cars but they look utter wank on things like this (and are usually found on Royces and Bentleys used as wedding cars).

If anyone is interested in the plate and wants to contribute to the fuel fund, then drop me a PM...

[stuboy]

thats lovely....

[brownnova]

Wowsers!! Getting posh rounds here these days with all these Bentley drivers 😂😂

 that is a lovely thing! 

[Matty]

Needs at least 12 photos from all angles internal and external. Ta very much. When you get a minute like 😄

[Rocket88]

On 9/29/2022 at 6:50 PM, 83C said:

 

Only thing I’d like for it is some sort of aux input for my phone and music, it has an Alpine radio/cassette head unit with Sat nav system in the top of the dash, so there must be a way in there. I don’t want to change the head unit though.

Could you use one of those things you can plug in one’s cigar lighter, uses a redundant fm wavelength so that you can connect it to your phone

[83C]

Managed a few miles in the Arnage today. 

The red has a tendency to look a bit dull when the sun isn’t on it, but in good light is a lovely colour. Need to give it a full wax and polish to try and keep the colour good. 

Also, it’s long. 

Interior is a very pleasant place to be, not overdone or too in yer face:

Spot the parts nicked from a certain Bavarian car manufacturer. Was part of the original deal to supply V8s and V12s for the Arnage and Silver Seraph if I remember correctly. Sport button on top of the gearknob, no idea if it makes any difference at all.

I’ve wanted a Bentley for a long time. I thought I’d end up with a Turbo R, as they were at the affordable end of the scale. When I got married, we were driven away in this:

It’s an Arnage Diamond Series, one of sixty built. It was owned by a friend of the inlaws and they very kindly offered it for the day. They sold the car a few years later, no idea where it is now. The registration doesn’t bring anything up on the MoT checker, so I guess it’s been reregistered. 

As previously mentioned the plan is to take mine off the road at the end of October, and put it in hibernation until Spring. A custom car cover has been ordered and the car came with a Ctek battery conditioner already wired in, so that’ll be left plugged in over winter too. I’ll put some moisture absorbing bags in as well so it should be fine.

In other fleet news the 5 is up for sale, and I’m after a smoll low tax 4 seater to replace it. C1/107/Aygo or Polo are the front runners to replace the 5, it’s been a great car for over 4 years and 52,000 miles but it’s time to move on. 

[83C]

Collection occurring this morning, stage one:

[83C]

Stage one complete:

Now to await developments.

[83C]

Probably the easiest collection ever.

Cycle a mile from home, car delivered to me, chuck bike in back and drive home.

Thanks again to @Laney, well recommended seller.

[83C]

An hour with a bucket, sponge and a Hoover and it’s come up ok:

Whilst I was sorting the paperwork with @Laney during the collection, a man in a white van pulled up and asked if it was for sale, it may well be. He’s left his name and number. 

Took it to Sainsburys for fuel and pretty much the same thing happened - got approached and asked if I were interested in selling. I now have two names and numbers to contact. 

Whilst cleaning, I looked at the exhaust and it turns out it’s a Prodrive exhaust. 

Subaru dealers did offer a Prodrive Performance Pack (which I think covers ECU, exhaust and an intake pipe somewhere), so it might well be worth digging out the ECU to see what is written on it. Anyone know where the ECU is mounted on these?

There’s also the remnants of a badge or sticker above the Forester badge, wonder what it was for?

[83C]

The 525d has gone, collected by a nice Croatian chap. 

I have a bit of a sad about it really, I've done more miles in it (52,000) than any other vehicle I've owned - certainly at 4 years it's the longest I've kept a daily driver. Yes, I know I've got other things to be happy in but the 5 was just an excellent vehicle in pretty much every way that never once let me down. 

Anyway, onwards. Got a small restoration project that arrived recently, and I might be off to look at something fast and frugal tomorrow. 

[83C]

Been and seen a car today, and agreed to purchase it. 

Hopefully collect tomorrow at some point, it’s a frugal and fast hot hatch and a marque completely new to me. Short test, a few faults but overall it should do as a daily driver. 

[83C]

Also, started the small resto project:

6x4 homebrew trailer. Floor could stand some reinforcement, so a new piece of 12mm ply has been cut to shape to go over the top, it’ll get screwed down and then tigersealed around the edges. Just need to give it a coat of paint to really protect it. 

[83C]

The fast and frugal machine:

Lots of fun to drive, suffers from the usual Fabia thing of both front windows refusing to work. Something to tackle over winter.

[Dyslexic Viking]

AnnoyingPentium   

I'm pretty sure will like this one

[83C]

Recently I’ve been rather taken with the idea of owning a Vauxhall Senator. 

I have owned one before - in fact, I was a bit of a big VX fan - in the long list of vehicles I’ve owned, there are at least 4 Omegas, a brace of Carltons (one of which was a RHD Opel Omega) and G77 UMJ - a 3.0 12v Senator in white. That one never made it on the road, I bought it for £75 and sold it for £150 a few months later. Of course, this is nearly 20 years ago when big RWD Vauxhalls were dirt cheap and easy to come by. 

Despite that early failure to have a roadworthy Senator, I’ve always liked the idea of one, preferably a 3.0 24v auto in a dark metallic of some sort. So to that end I’ve been browsing Car & Classic, eBay etc and holy shitballs they’ve gotten expensive these days. Even toyed with bringing in a LHD Opel from Europe, but it might well be more arse-ache than its worth. I should point out that this is mainly idle daydreaming - I have more than enough to keep me going with loads of other stuff, but if one came up at the right price…

[High Jetter]

Rare. You have the Senator, I'll have the Royale. One day...

[AnnoyingPentium]

On 10/19/2022 at 7:30 PM, Dyslexic Viking said:

AnnoyingPentium   

I'm pretty sure will like this one

I didn't see this till now, but yes, yes I do.

[Dyslexic Viking]

3 hours ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

I didn't see this till now, but yes, yes I do.

Yes, I messed this up. Can't remember how to do this.

[anonymous user]

Please go to the tip towing that trailer behind your Bentley 

[83C]

Started using the Skoda as the daily driver, it’s a cracking little thing for everyday usage. 

It’s nice to be in something that fits in normal car park spaces easily.

Issues to deal with so far include the front electric windows not working - supposed to be a Mk.1 Fabia TADTS. It would be useful to get at least the driver’s side one working. EML is on, so I need to get a code reader for it. Headlights are a bit misty, but seem ok at night. Otherwise it starts, stops and steers well, proper little go kart. If the MoT doesn’t get too expensive I’ll treat it to a new iPhone-compatible stereo. The sills have previously been wirebrushed and painted, they feel solid enough even if they do look a bit rough. Hopefully they’ll be good enough for a year or two yet.

[83C]

Booked the Skoda's MoT for Wednesday morning, went to take it out for the first time in a week and by way of thanks it decided to seize the handbrake on the n/s/r caliper. 

Have soaked the mechanism in WD40, hopefully its just a simple case of needing freeing off. Not looking forward to being out tomorrow morning in the cold pulling it to bits. 

[83C]

MoT currently being undertaken on the Skoda. The wiper fuse popped on the way to the test centre and the washer bottle is frozen despite having allegedly winter screenwash in it. 

In other news the Range Rover’s drivers door is refusing to open from either outside or inside latches. Don’t think it’s frozen, it let me in earlier but wouldn’t let me back out. Had to climb across to the passenger side.

[83C]

Skoda: failed, then passed. Washers were frozen solid so couldn’t be tested - tester told me to give them a call when they thawed out and bring it back to tick the box. Paid, got the fail sheet, reversed out of the test bay, flicked the washers in frustration more than anything, and they’d unfrozen themselves.

Tester was straight back on the computer, pass sheet issued.

If you’re in the Shropshire/Wales borders and need a test, Halfway House Garage on the A458 are spot on. Done virtually all my tests for the last couple of years, always fair and free hot drinks while waiting.

Came back, tried the Range Rover’s door again and all was well. The mechanism must have seized up from the cold, suppose I should go buy a can of lithium grease.

[AnnoyingPentium]

Congrats on the pass for the Fabia.

They like to pop wiper fuses if the washers are frozen, or just fuses in general. Alternatively, they sometimes like blowing the pump to bits, ask me how I know.

[High Jetter]

Tbh blowing a fuse is better than firing the ball in the nozzle out at OMG mpg

 

[busmansholiday]

Had a VRS for 9 years as a daily. Was doing 25k a year in it for half of that time, no FTPs, cracking cars.

 

[83C]

Cut this a bit fine earlier:

45 litre tank apparently, filled with 43 litres of Sainsbury’s finest diesel, so must have been a good couple of litres left. 

Seriously considering selling or swapping the Fabia, it’s a great little car but I’m too big (read ‘fat’) for the sports seats where it’s worn on the outer seat base bolster - more than half an hour and I can feel the steel tube pressing into my upper thigh/lower arse. Will do a proper Fur’ Zayle post soon, but I know it’s one of those cars I’ll regret selling, especially in a few years when Mk.1 Fabia VRS’s are rare/wantable and worth about 5-10 times what they are now. 

[AnnoyingPentium]

26 minutes ago, 83C said:

45 litre tank apparently, filled with 43 litres of Sainsbury’s finest diesel, so must have been a good couple of litres left. 

Aye, 10 gallon, so 45 litres.

26 minutes ago, 83C said:

Seriously considering selling or swapping the Fabia, it’s a great little car but I’m too big (read ‘fat’) for the sports seats where it’s worn on the outer seat base bolster - more than half an hour and I can feel the steel tube pressing into my upper thigh/lower arse.

It's a common fault with these for the foam base to get cut up by the steel tube through wear. @LoftyvRS was a fly bustard and managed to get a foam seat base but they're no longer available from Skoda. So it's either repair or replace the seat.

I was told the to just swap the base from the passenger side to the driver's one as they're identical.