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Memoirs from the Hard Shoulder: bASeman's Spot of the Year award.


BorniteIdentity

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I'm turning into my mother.  I can't remember who I've told what, so I just regurgitate the same stories over.  If you've heard this one before, please just smile politely and hopefully I'll move on soon enough!

Funny old year.  Home circumstances changed and I'm now living on my own.  It's actually ok you know?! I can laugh at my own farts, go to bed when I wish and generally not be stressed.  I adopted a second hand cat who, like me, is overweight middle aged and unwanted.

Here he is running his evil empire from his favourite Amazon box.

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Whilst I love my little house (it's mine - Bourgeois as fuck with a spare property) charging the Leaf is difficult as I am sans off road parking.  There is provision at work, but with every month that passes more people get electric cars and getting a turn is increasingly difficult.  There was a ruse where one of the chargers wasn't taking any money, so I had approximately 6,000 miles of free motoring.  Kden.  The Genie Point at Morrisons has also been Out of Action for six weeks now - a shame as the lady on the phone taught me how to get free charges out of that too (!).  

When I've been out of puff in the leaf, I borrowed my son's car for longer runs.  As reported yesterday, it's just passed its MOT with flying colours requiring two rear shocks at £100.  

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I snapped this in Bury St Edmunds during August I think - with fellow Yoda Brethren.

Also saw this babe on the same day too!

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The T4 simply wasn't getting used, and the fairest and most sensible thing was to move it on before it deteriorated.  Enter @dougstage north to drive down and buy it.  I took his VW Beetle in Part Ex which has gone to a local family FoC.  If it was an automatic, it would have gone to the Ukranian family in the village, but a couple of us found the (impossibly lovely) lady something else.

(Why do I fancy 92.8% of female Eastern Europeans?)

I was hoping to buy at 5 Door Rav 4 but got cold feet.  I'm currently the highest bidder (at £1800) on a 3 Door Rav 4 but have got cold feet and already bought something else.  Here's fucking hoping I don't win the bastard.  I nearly bought this but the guy couldn't string two words together - but I think it was probably a good one as an armchair trader has it up at big money. 

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Good luck to the guy.

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Last night I got tremendously drunk and bought a car.  I can't get it yet for reasons various, but it should stop me having to take a 39 year old Sierra or a 22 year old Yaris on client visits when the Leaf is low on puff.

 

 

Ps.  Some legend at work has this.

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Winner.

 

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At least with eBay, the seller doesn't know you are drunk and is not specifically praying on your vulnerability.

Unlike my bastard mate who has done me in the pub after several.

Twice. (Both rovers with an MOT measured in hours,  This was a few years ago and one of them was only £50).

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Neither of the Ravs worked out.  @alf892put me onto an absolute blinder on Ebay - one owner, 90k, beautiful condition.  

image.thumb.png.22908abe6917f7c9a2f15c2ba7ae6181.png

I offered the dude £1750 completely blind, knowing that good ones clear £2k.  However it transpired that the seller wasn't the 1 owner, was in the trade, and wanted £2100.  I offered £1800 best and final and he just sold it for £1850.  What's meant for you, won't pass you by etc.  It was a gem, but I knew I could do better for my meagre budget.  

I've been zipping about in the Sierra quite a bit over the last few weeks.  It's now screaming out for a service as it can take a good few minutes to get it to start from cold and run on all four cylinders.  The carb could do with a tickle too, so I'm going to give it to the old boys in the next village to tamper with come March of next year.

I took it out yesterday and St Neots seemed to go mad!  Lots of craning necks, lots of hoots and some bloke flashing his van headlights and giving me the thumbs up like I was some sort of hero (!).  It's a very noticable car - it stands out more than a Morris Minor or a Mini, is more redolant of the 80s than a Jag or Merc of the same age, and seems to bring joy wherever I take it.

I got papped again a few weeks ago whilst parked up

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Those two doors are now, sadly, proper fucked.  Unless I got Ken to weld on new metal below the lower swage - and to get that dent out (somehow) - they're bean tins.  I have two doors to fit which will take a bit of fucking around with (both have trim, one has an EW motor in it) but all doable.  Plan is to do the two doors, more filler on that rear arch, blow it in and declare it a victory.

First things first though, new car on Saturday...

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In a brief, unexpected and totally uncharacteristic flash of good sense - I’ve bought a decent car for once.

I’ve always loved Saloons. Particularly proper three box ones as drawn by scruffy and unimaginative children with wax crayons on computer paper during wet play. I think that’s where my love of the w201 comes from. Square edges, angles, corners. Lovely. However, much to my eternal chagrin, tastes are changing. Swooping lines and busty curves are now in. Buying something drawable on an etch-a-sketch means buying something over 30 years old. 

That said, there’s still something timeless about a Mercedes saloon. They always seem to look great both in period and later when entering classic territory. Still the car you can throw your golf bats in or drive to a discount supermarket. It is the car for all occasions.

So, for the first time in a long time, I’ve bought the car I needed - and not some hopeless end of life wreck. 

2B64F82E-E729-4C5C-A724-3AE596420BF5.thumb.jpeg.916190a144ff96578a801033a5e282e7.jpeg

No bones about it, this is an absolute blinder. It is nearly perfect both inside and out - a credit to @Vantmanand the previous owner to him. There’s a bulging envelope of paperwork, and some hefty bills too. 

The journey from Kent to Cambridge was sublime, averaging 50.3 mpg. 

One of the most appealing things about this car is its ability to be “durable motoring”. Almost eternal parts support from MB plus a simple, almost analogue car in a modern and contemporary package. I’m delighted with it, and still amazed you can buy such a car for a couple of weeks’ money. 

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Plans include driving it whilst wearing Pink Brexit trousers and spraying the undercarriage in Spring. 

Thanks to the wonderful Brian for helping and selling it to me. I am a happy boy today. 

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2 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

In a brief, unexpected and totally uncharacteristic flash of good sense - I’ve bought a decent car for once.

I’ve always loved Saloons. Particularly proper three box ones as drawn by scruffy and unimaginative children with wax crayons on computer paper during wet play. I think that’s where my love of the w201 comes from. Square edges, angles, corners. Lovely. However, much to my eternal chagrin, tastes are changing. Swooping lines and busty curves are now in. Buying something drawable on an etch-a-sketch means buying something over 30 years old. 

That said, there’s still something timeless about a Mercedes saloon. They always seem to look great both in period and later when entering classic territory. Still the car you can throw your golf bats in or drive to a discount supermarket. It is the car for all occasions.

So, for the first time in a long time, I’ve bought the car I needed - and not some hopeless end of life wreck. 

2B64F82E-E729-4C5C-A724-3AE596420BF5.thumb.jpeg.916190a144ff96578a801033a5e282e7.jpeg

No bones about it, this is an absolute blinder. It is nearly perfect both inside and out - a credit to @Vantmanand the previous owner to him. There’s a bulging envelope of paperwork, and some hefty bills too. 

The journey from Kent to Cambridge was sublime, averaging 50.3 mpg. 

One of the most appealing things about this car is its ability to be “durable motoring”. Almost eternal parts support from MB plus a simple, almost analogue car in a modern and contemporary package. I’m delighted with it, and still amazed you can buy such a car for a couple of weeks’ money. 

B597DFCA-B081-44A9-99E2-D04694E4555E.thumb.jpeg.9c1ea3c4cada4c39c41f661b97e8ed6c.jpeg

 

Thanks to the wonderful Brian for helping and selling it to me. I am a happy boy today. 

Glad you like it Daniel.

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  • 1 month later...

Decided that the W211 was too nice for me and that I didn't really deserve it, so put it up for sale.  The 'chain collapsed' on the purchase of the purple Volvo from Brownnova so I went back to the drawing board and found a lovely Bornite w202 on eBay. 

 

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Unfortunately, that also sold quite quickly (whatever happened to stuff getting stuck in December!) so I'm now in the position of having let a Ukrainian lady in my village have the Mercedes with nothing to replace it.

One out...

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Lovely old thing, but I always feel like a fraud in any car that's not completely shit.  Also feels a bit vulgar having it not really doing anything when it could be of such use to someone else.  

I'm now a regular (once again) in the eBay tat thread, so keep that 90s tat coming please.

Hope everyone's ok and all that and everything.

Dx

 

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I’ve had this in my watch list for a little while now. It’s been kicking around at the dealers for a while so not sure if it’s just a bag of shit.

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https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/373747408256?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=hi7as8h2q5o&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=2OenAfhOTCK&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I love its originality, right down to the Whitefield Mercedes number plates (which was round the corner from Grandma Gartside) - scabby door is unfortunate but those 2.0i engines are bulletproof.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sad news to report.  My beloved friend Emma, of the eponymous Sierra, left us yesterday.  She'd been living with stage four cancer for eight years.  Cruelly, the longer she dug in and stick around - the more I began to think of her as invincible.  She was sent home from hospital on Sunday being told there was nothing more anyone could do, and she waved goodbye at teatime.

We enjoyed the very best and worst of times. 

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Clockwise from top left is us in the L&D hospital when she was quite, quite unwell.  Next picture is her having walked a half marathon.  I drove straight from hosting a Race for Life event to welcome her over the finish line.  Bottom right was a Colour Run for the Hospice who cared for her so brilliantly, Bottom left was after she dragged me around a 5 mile midnight walk for the same charity.  Finally, I treated her to the Brits in 2017 which was one of those moments that will stay with me forever.  Proof that memories aren't necessarily made in big gestures, but at 2am McDonald's in North London.

Just every now and again, you meet someone who completely changes your perspective of life.  How you view everything. 

I adored her.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

So, the usual slow start to motoring in 2023.  The Sierra has been slowly building up with shit to take to the recycling centre over the last couple of months.  Having decided that I'd make a New Year's Eve trip to the tip, attention turned to firing up the old heap.

When I was last using it (October) it was becoming more and more reluctant to start.  I put it down to the fact I haven't serviced it in a while and just kept driving it.  However, last weekend it just flatly refused to go.  After a period of SORN, all the fuel runs back to the tank and - with a mechanical fuel pump - it can take some 'serious crankin' (no G) to get it to run.  However, no fucking dice.  A newly acquired can of easy start also failed, which meant referring to Chief Botherer Alf892.  I tickled some wires, swore at some things I don't really understand and got progressively more grumpy about it all.  

  • Good voltage on battery? Check.  Ran it on a mains booster too for reduced odds.
  • Voltage at coil? Check.  Good 12.4 either side.
  • Fireworks when king lead hovered near body.  World class. 
  • Refusing to run with petrol dumped straight in carb.  Of course.

Decided it must be plugs.  Tools at the other house so had to abandon play - 4 new NGKs ordered from the internet for £10.  Fingers crossed it's just that.  Certainly smells like plenty of fuel is getting up.  Can't really be much else can it!

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In Mini news, I fired it up for the first time in 14 months.  It started fairly well all told, although sounded like a cackling old witch so I dare say one of the cylinders was asleep.  

I've just spent £890 on various panels and and shit to make it roadworthy for the year ahead.  I'm going to leave the rear subframe for the time being as it didn't fail and I haven't the heart to take on a job like this.  Finding someone who will is also a bit of a challenge.

IMG_9238.thumb.jpeg.51c9566893d63a58cd31c4b60fba2a3c.jpeg

So the plan, as much as there is one, is to get the Mini looking smart but not too nice.  Renovate, not restore.  Then, in an ideal world, find a good loving home for the Sierra and buy something like this.

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Prices are a lot LOT stronger than I thought they'd be, about USD15,000-18,000.  Plus transport.  Plus import fees.  Plus inevitable dicking about to get it MOT'd and fix undeclared issues.  All to achieve a solid 12MPG.  However, I think they're bloody marvellous.  Do they ever come up in the UK ready imported?

 

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5 minutes ago, BorniteIdentity said:

So, the usual slow start to motoring in 2023.  The Sierra has been slowly building up with shit to take to the recycling centre over the last couple of months.  Having decided that I'd make a New Year's Eve trip to the tip, attention turned to firing up the old heap.

When I was last using it (October) it was becoming more and more reluctant to start.  I put it down to the fact I haven't serviced it in a while and just kept driving it.  However, last weekend it just flatly refused to go.  After a period of SORN, all the fuel runs back to the tank and - with a mechanical fuel pump - it can take some 'serious crankin' (no G) to get it to run.  However, no fucking dice.  A newly acquired can of easy start also failed, which meant referring to Chief Botherer Alf892.  I tickled some wires, swore at some things I don't really understand and got progressively more grumpy about it all.  

  • Good voltage on battery? Check.  Ran it on a mains booster too for reduced odds.
  • Voltage at coil? Check.  Good 12.4 either side.
  • Fireworks when king lead hovered near body.  World class. 
  • Refusing to run with petrol dumped straight in carb.  Of course.

Decided it must be plugs.  Tools at the other house so had to abandon play - 4 new NGKs ordered from the internet for £10.  Fingers crossed it's just that.  Certainly smells like plenty of fuel is getting up.  Can't really be much else can it!

IMG_2556.thumb.jpeg.fedb27e28f3c3ab25ebcce37583c284d.jpeg

In Mini news, I fired it up for the first time in 14 months.  It started fairly well all told, although sounded like a cackling old witch so I dare say one of the cylinders was asleep.  

I've just spent £890 on various panels and and shit to make it roadworthy for the year ahead.  I'm going to leave the rear subframe for the time being as it didn't fail and I haven't the heart to take on a job like this.  Finding someone who will is also a bit of a challenge.

IMG_9238.thumb.jpeg.51c9566893d63a58cd31c4b60fba2a3c.jpeg

So the plan, as much as there is one, is to get the Mini looking smart but not too nice.  Renovate, not restore.  Then, in an ideal world, find a good loving home for the Sierra and buy something like this.

s-l1600.png.9004e939b14572383569e2fd381b5bec.png

Prices are a lot LOT stronger than I thought they'd be, about USD15,000-18,000.  Plus transport.  Plus import fees.  Plus inevitable dicking about to get it MOT'd and fix undeclared issues.  All to achieve a solid 12MPG.  However, I think they're bloody marvellous.  Do they ever come up in the UK ready imported?

 

those Waggoners are coooool, and not just because Skyler White had one

fingers crossed on the Sierra/plugs 

 

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