Project Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: DVLA LOLS

[BorniteIdentity]

24 minutes ago, danthecapriman said:

It should be, yes. But you can’t worry about if other people are only too happy to sit at home saying ‘it’s an easy fix’, ‘it’s an early car’, ‘should be saved’ blah blah…

Any or none of that could be true but if that’s the case they need to get off their arse, put money where mouth is and come get it. Words and sentiments are irrelevant, it needed to go.

Nobody can moan or complain, because the choice was there to bag it for essentially nothing and nobody did. You did your best.

I'm also 110% aware that I could have fixed it as I promised myself I would.  But it took 14 months for my welder to do a three week job, and the anti-freelander sentiment seems to extend to 99% of the garage population too.  Christ, I even took it to a LR specialist who were doing everything to talk themselves out of £1000 plus vat's worth of work.

I rather hoped someone would bail me out and fix it so my conscience was a bit clearer, but it's now dead.  

[goosey]

I wouldn’t worry about it, you can’t save them all 

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I'm also 110% aware that I could have fixed it as I promised myself I would.  But it took 14 months for my welder to do a three week job, and the anti-freelander sentiment seems to extend to 99% of the garage population too.  Christ, I even took it to a LR specialist who were doing everything to talk themselves out of £1000 plus vat's worth of work.

I rather hoped someone would bail me out and fix it so my conscience was a bit clearer, but it's now dead.  

Seems ridiculous that people are turning away work like that!? 
Although I’d imagine it’s easier for garages to just put a few easy service/brakes/exhaust etc jobs across the ramp space instead of tying it up with dirty welding jobs. Unfortunately it does seem to be the way of things in garages now, unless you can find someone special that doesn’t mind stuff like that. They are not easily found though.

Easy for me to say this because I’ve got space, tools and know how but I’d just weld it myself. Not everyone can though, for whatever reason(s).

I certainly wouldn’t feel bad about it though! You had the best intentions and, correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t this car likely a scrapper before you bought it? You tried man! Win some lose some. 
If you really want to blame someone, blame the previous owners for letting it get into such a state.

[captain_70s]

The issue with a car like the Freelander is a garage could agree to work on it and then find it needs more, and more, and more, and they know nobody is going to spend a fortune repairing it. There is every chance the owner just vanishes into thin air leaving them with a fucked car.

Brakes on a 4 year old car are a safer bet.

[BorniteIdentity]

1 hour ago, captain_70s said:

The issue with a car like the Freelander is a garage could agree to work on it and then find it needs more, and more, and more, and they know nobody is going to spend a fortune repairing it. There is every chance the owner just vanishes into thin air leaving them with a fucked car.

Brakes on a 4 year old car are a safer bet.

I understand the sentiment, but the garage know I’m a fully paid up lunatic - and they knew I’d happily pay at least half of it upfront. 

Ultimately, there was no risk - they just didn’t fancy it. Their prerogative of course. 

[IronStar]

24 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I understand the sentiment, but the garage know I’m a fully paid up lunatic - and they knew I’d happily pay at least half of it upfront. 

Ultimately, there was no risk - they just didn’t fancy it. Their prerogative of course. 

I really don’t understand this logic or how those garages plan to make money or stay in business if they’re turning down known paying customers. How do they expect this to work? They do no work and get paid? 

[Split_Pin]

I took my 75 to a welder 5 minutes down the road from me. It's his his actual business too so its not like hed rather be doing brake pads and tyres. His place was full of old Polski Fiats.

When I asked him about doing a small bit of work on a ROVER he actually laughed. Never heard from him again. Game over unfortunately.

General sentiment on here is definitely that you did your best, I agree. Life is too short.

[Zelandeth]

On 27/11/2024 at 20:31, IronStar said:

I really don’t understand this logic or how those garages plan to make money or stay in business if they’re turning down known paying customers. How do they expect this to work? They do no work and get paid? 

Because the vast, vast majority of garages seem to have about 500% more work stacked up than they have hours in the day to complete at the moment.

Anything that's not just an absolute known quantity in-and-out job they're just absolutely not interested in.  

Freelanders and the like are in that really awkward spot as well in that they're old enough to have gone rusty, but are modern enough to be an utter pain in the proverbial ass to try to strip down enough to do welding.  Between trim over every-bloody-thing secured with plastic clips that inevitably break but are made of unobtanium, sound deadening everywhere that likes to catch fire and there being fifteen thousand wires everywhere that there's always a danger of missing and melting, plus the metal being paper thin...just not fun.  

You gave it a damned good shot here, but you can't save them all sadly.  Been there, got the T-shirt and felt guilty about it for years.  In this case it was a Pug 306 Sedan which needed a couple of springs, new rear silencer and two tiny patches to the sills.  

It was up for free for nearly two years, but nobody would take it on.  Eventually my mate up north ran out of patience with it taking up room in their yard, so it went.  We'd both tried to find a taker - but I was 500 miles away dealing with two parents who had passed away in quick succession, and he was working on starting up a new business, so neither of us had time to do the work ourselves.  Garages laughed at us, and it ultimately became bean tins...which I still feel bad for as it was such a clean example aside from those two tiny bits of rust.

[N Dentressangle]

With CAZ and ULEZ creeping in, I'm getting less keen on picking up anything that isn't either tax exempt or CAZ friendly. Anything 90's now means hefty tax and limited usability. Post-2001 petrols, esp low tax band ones, are looking more and more attractive. Which is boring, but life. And 90's diesel Freelanders aren't special enough for me to want to spend time and £££ on fixing up.

You gave it a good go, but the FL1 will probably never be that desirable IMO. Best scrapped and losses / stress cut.

[Split_Pin]

24 minutes ago, N Dentressangle said:

CAZ friendly

Now that my son is playing games in a basketball league, away games now take us at least near a ULEZ in cities. The E46 in my opinion is a good blend of usability ULEZ compliance and interesting enough. Its heavy on the fuel and tax though but as long as the car doesn't fall into *that* band then I'm happy. As such I won't be picking up any more diesels except if its for my wife who does a fair few miles but doesn't need to travel near a ULEZ.

Old, retro (and non ULEZ compliant) cars just become ornaments in my ownership. My wife and son generally don't like them and I don't like subjecting them to salty winters so they just end up sitting in my garage. Something might come up with a bit of non- car person street cred but these are usually expensive (I'm thinking old BMW or a Beetle). Or if it's something I really want like a Talbot Alpine, old Renault or a base model Sierra and I'd be happy just to take it home and love it 😊

 

[RayMK]

On 28/11/2024 at 21:57, Zelandeth said:

Because the vast, vast majority of garages seem to have about 500% more work stacked up than they have hours in the day to complete at the moment.

Anything that's not just an absolute known quantity in-and-out job they're just absolutely not interested in.  

Freelanders and the like are in that really awkward spot as well in that they're old enough to have gone rusty, but are modern enough to be an utter pain in the proverbial ass to try to strip down enough to do welding.  Between trim over every-bloody-thing secured with plastic clips that inevitably break but are made of unobtanium, sound deadening everywhere that likes to catch fire and there being fifteen thousand wires everywhere that there's always a danger of missing and melting, plus the metal being paper thin...just not fun.  

You gave it a damned good shot here, but you can't save them all sadly.  Been there, got the T-shirt and felt guilty about it for years.  In this case it was a Pug 306 Sedan which needed a couple of springs, new rear silencer and two tiny patches to the sills.  

 

It was up for free for nearly two years, but nobody would take it on.  Eventually my mate up north ran out of patience with it taking up room in their yard, so it went.  We'd both tried to find a taker - but I was 500 miles away dealing with two parents who had passed away in quick succession, and he was working on starting up a new business, so neither of us had time to do the work ourselves.  Garages laughed at us, and it ultimately became bean tins...which I still feel bad for as it was such a clean example aside from those two tiny bits of rust.

Your 306 experience was similar to my mine  with a  '94 Tipo 1.4ie.  Larger garages seemed to prefer vehicles which could just be plugged in to a diagnostic computer.  It is apparently a nice, fairly clean money stream replacing sensors and emissions related valves.  Smaller garages were happy enough to attack minor rust problems, ball joints, hoses and driveshafts but shied away from suspension bushes or obsolete electronics.  After 12 months of sitting in the large forecourt of a smaller garage as a 'fill-in' job, other easier jobs on other cars always took precedence.  I tried classic car friendly garages and even an Italian car specialist garage which was initially interested in taking the Tipo on but these overtures came to nothing despite me offering money up front and making it clear I was prepared to pay ('cos no longer able to do the work myself).  I offered the car FOC on the Fiat forum but no takers.  In the end, because the Tipo had deteriorated whilst sitting outside for a year, I gave up on it as a lost cause. It's probably festering in a recycling yard which the garage arranged to collect it - if it has not already been crushed.  A bit sad maybe.  For me, a weight off my mind.  

[BorniteIdentity]

I moved house last month. Despite being fairly ruthless and trying to travel through life lightly - I still have some shit in my neighbour’s garage. She’s moving, I’m moving, so it had to be addressed. 

Nothing too bad- spare parts, interior trim, motorbicycle and apparel and 17 boxes of floor tiles that another neighbour has thus far failed to arrange in the traditional fashion within my kitchen.

I’d been having problems with the Mini battery. I bought a new one but it would randomly just disconnect when starting. I worked out that part of the problem is I bought the biggest possible battery which meant the positive cable wouldn’t quite sit where it wanted to, and the positive terminal itself. The connector on the cable simply sits on the post - no screw or nut or nuffink. 

Following advice here, I just bought an 038 for £38 and stuck it on this afternoon. With a tap of a hammer and a wiggle it went second time. 

After a nice period of idling, and remembering all the other niggling faults, we were off and away to my new council garage which has sat empty for nearly two months since taking it on(!)

 

It needs a bit of recommission work early next year. Wipers are new but fucked, exhaust is bought but not on the car, clutch slave the same and the throttle cable is sticky. 

Nonetheless, it was nice to drive it again. I reckon I’ve done 30 miles since getting it back! Must try harder. 

Anyway, it’s packed up for the winter. 

[LightBulbFun]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Nonetheless, it was nice to drive it again. I reckon I’ve done 30 miles since getting it back! Must try harder. 

scoping out its DVLA record, being registered on the 5th of January 1984, means its eligible for Historic Vehicle £NIL tax which also means once its in that taxation class (if its not already), its ULEZ exempt, so might be a fun one to take to work and back?  (I am not actually sure when I last saw a mini like yours running around London, I know of one parked up in Wanstead that I saw during driving lessons but thats all that comes to mind in recent memory)

[adw1977]

1 hour ago, LightBulbFun said:

I am not actually sure when I last saw a mini like yours running around London

I saw one inside the ULEZ a few months ago:

https://autoshite.com/topic/31857-als-spotting-thread/#findComment-3153619

[Noel Tidybeard]

i'm pretty sure there should be a self tapper through terminal into battery post- my '73 1000 did

[BorniteIdentity]

1 hour ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

i'm pretty sure there should be a self tapper through terminal into battery post- my '73 1000 did

That makes very good sense. I think there’s even a hole on the top of the red terminal cover.  Thanks!

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

i'm pretty sure there should be a self tapper through terminal into battery post- my '73 1000 did

Yup, soft posts used to wear if screwed too often though (!)

[BorniteIdentity]

All told, I’ve had a lovely weekend dicking about with old heaps.

Firstly, I had to go and pick up a bed from across town. Nothing better than picking over the bones of a dead person’s house to start your weekend and get the old juices flowing. Had to use the Sierra because hatchback. 

-5 Celsius for two consecutive nights meant both sides of the windscreen were properly iced. I also had to check that there was still coolant in the reservoir, and that it hadn’t frozen. (I’ve been topping it up over the last few months and lost track of what the mixture must be now). 

Car started with relative ease but the heater is average at best. Really I just need a £10 fan heater and an extension lead on days like this, but they’re so few and far between I doubt I’ll bother. Bed collected happily and I’ve now got something larger to fart in of an evening. 

Second job was to shoot up to Peterborough to meet @Split_Pin and deliver the Saab. It’s probably the best car I’ve owned, in many respects, ever. Really, I just need a car that’s very practical and cheap to run right now - hence the jump into…

Thanks to @95 quid Peugeotfor picking me up earlier and agreeing a very straightforward sale. Formerly owned by @Wingz123 - it’s a high owner car that’s been pushed from pillar to post over the years, which is both a shame and unusual; these funny little things are very much loved by their many fans. 

Early impressions are favourable. The early cars have a tiny fuel tank (offset by the incredible frugality) so it’s been brimmed and I’ll report findings back at a later date. There’s the odd clonk which will be investigated and, most pressing, the timing belt needs doing. 

It’s also got yellow headlights bulbs in; my first experience of what is, frankly, a ludicrous solution to automotive illumination. I’ll be stamping on those bulbs almost immediately 😉.

The car is very well geared and 70 is 2,500 rpm. In town, 30 mph is 2,000 rpm in 3rd - so you only need the first two or three gears around the doors. I realised, coming home tonight, this is the first time I’ve daily’d a manual car in 4 years, possibly longer. All in the name of frugality, eh?!

Other findings? The A Pillars are chunky. Fortunately, nothing is as bad as a Nissan Leaf and at least the A2 has little triangular ‘port holes’ you can see out of. 

The radio doesn’t seem to do its thing. I plumbed everything in I could find but no dice. I may upgrade to a Blaupunkt retro unit but apparently the car gets funny about the windscreen antenna and the radio if the OEM unit isn’t there. I will probably just farm this out to an auto electrician. I would like DAB but will need a crafty aerial solution.

Driving position is unusual - your legs feel like they’re horizontal rather than bent at the knees, the floor feels high. Some people complain of cramp but fortunately I was fine for 2 hours today with no ill effect. Obviously, it’s no Saab - you’re perched ON the seat rather thank sunken into it, but it’s fine. 

Overall, for the price, I’m really happy. First job is timing belt and water pump, then ICE and then we’ll have a look at these knocks. 

As I pulled into the drive, I chuckled to myself in my favourite local radio voice chuckle. All my cars are now red, and poorly specced. Delicious.

Here’s to cheap old cars. Cheers!

[wesacosa]

I do think I need an A2 at some point 

The cambelt on the diesel is supposed to be a doddle from what I've read 

 

[Sunny Jim]

Re. freezing Sierra. If the windscreen's frozen on the inside too does that mean there's moisture in the car? Rather than a fan heater I put a dehumidifier in the van on nights I think it's going to freeze. It gives off enough heat to stop the windscreen freezing inside or out. 

Less likely to start a fire than a fan heater, uses less power and also extracts moisture. Win, win, win.

 

[AxWomble]

53 minutes ago, Sunny Jim said:

Re. freezing Sierra. If the windscreen's frozen on the inside too does that mean there's moisture in the car? 

 

That's been my experience - all the 'dry' cars we've had have been totally clear of internal ice even when it's -5, whereas all the cars that held hint of internal moisture would freeze solid. 

Wife's grandparents have a 2014 Yeti and a 2008 Caddy Maxi Life and both of them freeze totally solid inside at the slightest provocation and are noticeably muggy the rest of the year. VAG quality eh? Never known worse cars for door seals and general dampness. 

[BorniteIdentity]

1 hour ago, Sunny Jim said:

Re. freezing Sierra. If the windscreen's frozen on the inside too does that mean there's moisture in the car? Rather than a fan heater I put a dehumidifier in the van on nights I think it's going to freeze. It gives off enough heat to stop the windscreen freezing inside or out. 

Less likely to start a fire than a fan heater, uses less power and also extracts moisture. Win, win, win.

 

It means there's moisture in the car, yes.  The problem is I can't run a dehumidifier all night - the quickest way is to just blast with heat and mop up the drips.  

It happens maybe once a year that I have to use the car on frozen mornings, so it's not really a big deal.

[BorniteIdentity]

11 hours ago, wesacosa said:

I do think I need an A2 at some point 

The cambelt on the diesel is supposed to be a doddle from what I've read 

 

Not so much of a doddle that Audi didn't just quote me £808.20 to do it!

I called them because, when I had my T4, they were genuinely the cheapest.  Nobody could get near them.  The only way I could get it done more conveniently (closer to home) was to pay my local man the labour in cash.  

I guess these were COVID days when they wanted/needed work.  

Next indi has just quoted me £653.00... I'm waiting for the third and fourth to call back but expect it to come in under £400.

[BorniteIdentity]

Final quote from someone who calls himself a motor engineer (always a good sign) was £300. Although further conversations with an earlier owner suggest it was done not so very long ago. With a total outlay of £800 so far, I’m going to see how I bond with it first.

The poor thing’s clearly had a hard life; plastics in the rear are quite heavily scuffed and the chrome on the bumper gauged. However, as with the sierra, these things can be endearing in time - just not immediately. 

New bulbs ordered tonight as the yellow ones are beyond hopeless (I’d be better strapping my mobile phone to the front and turning on the torch). ¥95talbot changed the thermostat but it’s still reluctant, so a watching brief has been established on that. 

Otherwise? Drive. 

Here’s a gratuitous photo illustrating Quirk #1. 

[SiC]

Does the whole car do the wobble/dance when the wipers are on full speed? I remember a mates girlfriends A2 doing that, which we found hilarious at the time. The Petrol FSI engine then burnt a valve and started misfiring. That was less hilarious.

[BorniteIdentity]

Ah. The joys of buying a new cheap car and then having the foibles and niggles unravel, one by one, in quick succession. Nothing show-stopping, just niggly. 

Offside front indicator comes and goes. I’m torn between it being a shitty connection and a bulb; it’s healed itself three times and then failed again in quick succession so dunno. Obviously the recommended method of changing a bulb is to remove the entire headlight unit (obvs) and I’ve not got a Torx30 key so it’ll wait another day or two. 

Another humorous development was this.

 

Mostly because that entire panel was dead for the first four days of ownership. It sprung back to life suggesting arctic temperatures in the St Neots microclimate which simply made me laugh. However, it ought to be attended to because the Baltic temperatures are causing the (highly sought after) Webasto heater to kick in all the time. Precious fuel and fumes needlessly spent. The sensor should be about a tenner so will look to do that soon. Apparently enabling the air conditioning stops the webasto yo so just doing that for now. 

First tank of mixed use returned 62mpg - 10.4 pence per mile. Not bad. 

[95 quid Peugeot]

Is that the A2 ?   Just curious where is the webasto...did even know it had one

[BorniteIdentity]

18 minutes ago, 95 quid Peugeot said:

Is that the A2 ?   Just curious where is the webasto...did even know it had one

Yeah! I had to ask the Facebook group “what is this thing making a noise?” !

 

[95 quid Peugeot]

Blimey.  Every days a school day

[SiC]

I didn't know Audi put them on cars that small. Can you program it to come on at a particular time? Useful if possible to have it defrost the car ready to drive off for work.